Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 or stream the show every Saturday night from 6-9pm! (Or download the WVBR+ app now available for iOS and Android!)
·all chart information comes from the Billboard Top 100 (for chart dates before/during July 1958) or Billboard Hot 100 (for chart dates during/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise noted
·a glossary of terms is below the playlist
6:00 - 7:00
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969 - #29: produced by Jimi Hendrix)
*What Christmas Means to Me - Stevie Wonder (1967: a request from last week's show with JS)
Jingle Jangle - The Penguins (1955: doo-wop group famous for their hit "Earth Angel")
Beatles Christmas Message 1963 - The Beatles produced one of these each year for members of their fan club. This was the first.
White Christmas - The Drifters (1954: featuring Clyde McPhatter singing tenor and Bill Pinckney singing bass)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - The Harmony Grits (1959: group's name was a play on hominy grits)
Papa Noel - Brenda Lee (1958: song was released as the flip side of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree")
Beatles Christmas Message 1964
Christmas Ain't Christmas (Without the One You Love) - The O'Jays (1973: seasonal offering by the group from Canton, Ohio)
Song for a Winter's Night - Gordon Lightfoot (1975: Lightfoot re-recorded this and many of the other songs on his "Gord's Gold" LP; original version is from 1967)
Frosty the Snowman - Fats Domino (1993: though from 1993, song has an 'oldie' sound)
The 12 Gifts of Christmas - Allan Sherman (1963: Sherman had a big hit with "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" in the summer of '63)
45 Corner
Christmas for Cowboys - John Denver (1975 - #58: from his LP "Rocky Mountain Christmas")
It's Christmas Once Again - Frankie Lymon (1957: Lymon had broken with his backing group The Teenagers in September of '57)
*It Doesn't Have to Be That Way - Jim Croce (1973 - #64: a song about lost love during the Christmas season)
Beatles Christmas Message 1965
The Birthday Calendar
December 17:
Eddie Kendricks (The Temptations) - b. 1939
Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company) - 74
December 18:
[Bryan] Chas Chandler (The Animals) - b. 1938
Sam Andrew (Big Brother and the Holding Company) - b. 1941
Bobby Keys (session sax player) - b. 1943
Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) - 80
December 19:
"Little" Jimmy Dickens - b. 1920
Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) - b. 1944
Zal Yanovsky (The Lovin' Spoonful) - b. 1944
John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) - 78
December 20:
Kim Weston - 84
Robert "Bobby" Colomby (Blood, Sweat & Tears) - 79
Peter Criss (Kiss) - 78
Stevie Wright (The Easybeats) - b. 1948
December 21:
Ray Hildebrand (Paul & Paula) - b. 1940
Carl Wilson (The Beach Boys) - b. 1946
December 22:
Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins - b. 1921
Colin "Barry" Jenkins (The Animals) - 79
Robin & Maurice Gibb (The BeeGees) - b. 1949
December 23:
Jorma Kaukonen - 83
Ron Bushey (Iron Butterfly) - b. 1945
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Temptations (1968: Eddie Kendricks was lead singer for most of the group's big hits)
All Right Now - Free (1970 - #4: song was a big one-hit wonder)
We Gotta Get Out of This Place - The Animals (1965 - #13: Chas Chandler played bass and Barry Jenkins drums for the group known for their gritty blues sound; #233/RS500)
Call on Me - Big Brother and the Holding Company (1967 - DNC: song was released as the flip side to "Down on Me")
Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones (1971 - #1: Keith Richards on lead guitar and Bobby Keys provided the sax solo; #490/RS500)
May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose - "Little" Jimmy Dickens (1965 - #15: only single to cross over to the Pop charts for the country and western star)
I'd Love to Change the World - Ten Years After (1971 - #40: Alvin Lee played lead guitar and wrote this hit for the group)
I'll Remember Tonight - The Mugwumps (1964 - DNC: folk group that included Zal Yanovsky pre-Lovin' Spoonful and future Mamas and Papas Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty)
Some of Shelly's Blues - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1971 - #64: song was written by Monkee Mike Nesmith)
Take Me in Your Arms - Kim Weston (1965 - #50: song would be a #11 hit for the Doobie Brothers in 1975, but this is the Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown original)
Sometimes in Winter - Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969 - DNC: Bobby Colomby was a co-founder and drummer for the group)
Hard Luck Woman - Kiss (1977 - #15: drummer Peter Criss, known as "The Catman" for his distinctive make-up, sang lead vocals on this hit)
Friday On My Mind - The Easybeats (1967 - #16: one-hit wonder for the Australian band; Stevie Wright was the lead singer)
Hey Paula - Paul & Paula (1963 - #1: Ray Hildebrand was 'Paul' and Jill Jackson was 'Paula')
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys (1966 - #39: lead guitarist Carl Wilson sang lead vocals on this song which ranks #25/RS500)
Lonesome 7-72003 - Hawkshaw Hawkins (1963 - #1 C&W: Hawkins was killed in the same plane crash that took the life of Patsy Cline)
New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife Mr. Jones) - The Bee Gees (1967 - #14: first charting single for the British trio)
Genesis - Jorma Kaukonen (1974 - DNC: from his solo LP "Quah")
In-a-gadda-da-vida - Iron Butterfly (1968 - #30: Ron Bushey was the drummer for the group)
Beatles Christmas Message 1966
Christmas Day - Detroit Junior (1961 - DNC: real name Emery Williams, Jr., he was a pianist, vocalist, and songwriter and wrote this song)
The Heck With Ol' Santa Claus - Loretta Lynn (1966 - DNC: Lynn wrote the song for her "Country Christmas" LP)
Here Comes Santa Claus - Elvis Presley (1957 - DNC: Elvis released a Christmas LP in 1957)
This Time of Year - Brook Benton (1959 - #66: Benton had over 50 charting singles on the BBHot100)
Beatles Christmas Message 1967
Merry Twist-mas - The Marcels (1961 - DNC: Pittsburgh doo-wop group known for hits "Blue Moon" and "Get a Job")
Presents for Christmas - Solomon Burke (1966 - DNC: once called "the greatest male soul singer of all time")
A Christmas Long Ago (Jingle Jingle) - The Echelons (1987 - DNC: part of the 1980's doo-wop revival)
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959 - #1 for two weeks; brothers Santo [steel guitar] and Johnny [rhythm guitar] Farina from Brooklyn)
Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook,
and tune in to 93.5 or stream
the show every Saturday night from 6-9pm! (Or download the WVBR+ app now available for iOS and Android!)
Thanks to
our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every
week!
Date:
12/16/23
Host:
John Simon
Feature:
Sounds of the Season
The last show of 2023 for me. Tonight it's "Sounds of the Season" on Rockin' Remnants - WVBR:
mostly songs from Decembers passed, plus a smattering of Holiday tunes
and listener requests. We're on from 6-9pm East Coast time and would
love to have you drop by.
Playlist
·YouTube links follow
certain entries
·songs with * were
requests
·all chart information
comes from the Billboard Top 100 (for chart dates before/during July 1958) or
Billboard Hot 100 (for chart dates during/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise
noted
·a glossary of terms is
below the playlist
6-7pm
OPENING
THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys
(1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Holiday – Bee
Gees (9/67; #17 – this was the brothers’
third stateside hit, and they were just beginning a remarkable career.
Surviving brother Barry Gibb was recently feted at the Kennedy Center, and has
officially been declared one of the most successful songwriters in modern
history.)
The Rain, The
Park and Other Things – Cowsills (10/67; #2 for two weeks – they were a family act, and this was their
major label debut. The core surviving trio continues to perform on the Oldies
circuit to this day, and they’re better than ever!)
Different Drum
– Stone Poneys (11/67; #13 – Monkee Mike
Nesmith was the composer, and an unknown Linda
Ronstadt was the lead singer. How’s THAT for a pedigree???)
In and Out of
Love – Diana Ross & Supremes (11/67; #9 Pop, #16 R&B – this was one of the final songs from the
group’s ace songwriting/production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. It was also
the final single with vocals from Florence
Ballard, who’d been replaced by Cindy Birdsong. Cool factoid: that’s session player Carol
Kaye on bass guitar.)
Snoopy’s
Christmas – Royal Guardsmen (11/67; #6 WABC, #1 Xmas for five weeks – this
song was the third in the group’s “Snoopy” trilogy, and rushed to the top of
the Christmas chart that year. It would also chart in December of 1968 and
1969. It’s not listed in Joel Whitburn’s Billboard Hot 100, but it did reach #6 on WABC’s weekly Superhit
survey in New York City.)
Everyone’s
Gone to the Moon – Jonathan King (11/65; #7 – one of the truly coolest atmospheric records of the year, from a quirky
character who would go on to become a successful record producer and writer for
others.)
(Leavin’ On a)
Jet Plane – Peter, Paul & Mary (12/69; #1 – this was one of John Denver’s first major successes as a songwriter,
and it was the trio's only #1 hit. It also turned out to be their final charting
single!)
Snowbird –
Anne Murray (7/70; #8 Pop, #10 C&W – this Nova Scotia
native would chart 54 Country hits in the Seventies and Eighties. This was the
very first of them.)
If We Make it
Through December – Merle Haggard (11/73; #28 Pop, #1 C&W for four weeks – this one was one of his biggest crossover
hits, and it also doubles as a Christmas record – at least here on Rockin’
Remnants.)
The Look of
Love – Lesley Gore (12/64; #27 – every
three months, radio stations could count on a new single from the Teaneck
native. The 45 of this one added a special jingle-bells effect to boost holiday
sales. That’s the version we hear tonight.)
I Wonder What
She’s Doing Tonight – Barry & The Tamerlanes (11/63; #21 – Barry De Vorzon was a composer and producer
from southern California who founded his own Valiant Records label. Tonight we
hear a stunning new stereo mix of his vocal group’s biggest hit.)
Cold Cold
Winter – Pixies Three (12/63; #79 – this
was a low-charting Girl Group B-side for three young teens from Hanover
Pennsylvania, ranging in age from 14-16.)
* Christmas
Wrapping – The Waitresses (12/82; #45 UK – this
holiday novelty number didn’t actually chart here in the States, but it was a
ubiquitous earworm in the mid-Eighties, and goes out at the request of listener
Barbara who actually still has her vinyl copy! So does WVBR!)
* Turn! Turn!
Turn! – The Byrds (12/65; #1 for three weeks – a second stunning #1 single from the LA Folk Rockers, this one
was attributed to Pete Seeger, who adapted it from the biblical Book of
Ecclesiastes. Going out to listener Gary in northern New Jersey, and a fine
choice it was!)
Frosty the
Snowman – The Ventures (11/65; dnc – from
their LP Christmas With The Ventures, this was mash-up of “Tequila” and “Frosty,”
with a surfin’ feel. From the sublime to the ridiculous!)
7-8pm
Birthday Calendar
December 10 – Chad
Stuart (Chad & Jeremy) – 1941
– Jessica Cleaves (EW&F) – 1946
December 11 – David
Gates (Bread) – age 83
– Brenda Lee – age 79
– Jermaine Jackson (J5) – age 69
December 12 –
Connie Francis – age 86
– Terry Kirkman (Association) –
1939
– Dionne Warwick – age 83
– Dickey Betts (Allman Bros) – age
80
– Frank Sinatra – 1915
December 15 – Jesse
Belvin – born in 1933
– Cindy Birdsong (Bluebelles) – 84
– Dave Clark (DC5) – age 82
December 16 – Tony
Hicks (Hollies) – age 78
– Benny Andersson (ABBA) – age 77
Distant Shores
– Chad & Jeremy (7/66; #30 – this was
their final Top 40 single, and it was composed by James William Guercio – who
would also produce for the Buckinghams, and later sign and manage a band called
Chicago.)
I’ll Be There
– Jackson 5 (10/70; #1 Pop and R&B for five weeks – this was their fourth consecutive #1 single for the Motown label, and
was almost not released because they’d had such startling success with upbeat
numbers, and Berry Gordy didn’t want to mess with a good thing. Cooler heads
prevailed, and this became their biggest hit. Michael is the star, but brother Jermaine shares lead vocalist duties
with him.)
Keep Your Head
to the Sky – Earth, Wind & Fire (11/73; #52 Pop, #23 R&B – Jessica
Cleaves was a founding member and
lead singer for the Friends of Distinction, but she left to join her friend
Maurice White’s group for a few albums.)
Goodbye Girl –
David Gates (12/77; #15 – he’d been an
in-demand composer and arranger in LA before forming Bread, and eventually
embarked on a solo career. This was our friend Bryan Van Campen’s favorite song from one of his favorite films,
and goes out in his memory.)
Time and Time
Again – Brenda Lee (3/66; #126 – she’s
best known for her perennial holiday smash that actually topped the Billboard
chart last week, sixty years after its first release! This particular song,
though, was a relative flop. Coincidentally, it was written and produced by David Gates!)
Don’t Ever
Leave Me – Connie Francis (10/64; #42 – this
was her 50th charting single, but she was on her way out as the
times were changing. It would be her final single to chart this high.)
I Say a Little
Prayer – Dionne Warwick (11/67; #4 – 34
of her first 37 charting songs were written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
This A-side from our chart date was actually less successful than the B-side,
which spent four weeks at #2.)
Revival –
Allman Brothers Band (1/71; #92 – this
was the opening track from their second album “Idlewild South,” and their first
nationally-charting single. The composer and acoustic guitarist was Dickey Betts. Duane Allman once said "I'm the famous one, but HE'S the good one!")
Everything
That Touches You – The Association (2/68; #10 – co-founder of the band Terry
Kirkman passed away last month, but he left an indelible mark. His biggest
hit as a composer was Cherish, but he also wrote this one – and it’s a
personal favorite.)
Groovy Kind
of Love – Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles (1/66; dnc – this was the B-side of their non-charting version of “Over the
Rainbow,” and Cindy Birdsong would
soon leave to replace Florence Ballard as one of The Supremes. That’s her on
the high harmony.)
Catch Us if
You Can – Dave Clark 5 (8/65; #4 – he was
the bandleader and businessman of the band, and ostensibly their drummer –
although there’s rampant speculation that session musicians were used on the
recordings. He did, though, get credit for composing this one.)
Carrie Anne –
The Hollies (6/67; #9 – guitarist Tony
Hicks was a co-composer of this one and actually got to sing a verse. Watch him
in this video, recorded a year after Graham Nash had left the group!)
8-9pm
Ready or Not
Here I Come (You Can’t Hide
From My Love)
– Delfonics (12/68; #35 Pop, #14 R&B – both
sides of this single charted on the two major charts, effectively keeping
either of them from becoming a truly big hit. Philadelphia producer Thom Bell
was the man behind the console for this one.)
Touch Me – The
Doors (12/68; #3 – this record
uncharacteristically included a heavy dose of brass and strings, and culminated
in a wailing sax solo by Jazz player Curtis Amy. Tonight we hear the vintage
Elektra Records 45.)
Born to Be
Wild – Steppenwolf (10/68; #2 – exploding
out of the speakers, it’s the incredibly punchy mono 45 edit of the song that
first uttered the words “heavy metal” thunder. It instantly became a category
of music!)
* W*O*L*D –
Harry Chapin (1/74; #36 – last time I was
on I played the shortened-for-radio edit, and two people called telling me they
missed the added elements of the full-length version. Well, the people have
spoken!)
* Santa Claus is
Comin’ to Town – Bruce Springsteen & The EStreet Band (12/27; dnc – this was
recorded on December 13, 1975 at C.W. Post College on Long Island, and goes out
from Scottie to Peggy – and to all of you – with love.)
* I’ve Found
Somebody – The Free Movement (5/71; #5 Pop, #20 R&B – going out on the listener line to delivery driver Bobby O, who
remembers requesting this one thirty years ago when Bobby Comstock, Jr. was the
DJ, and taping it on his cassette recorder.)
Hard Candy
Christmas – Dolly Parton (11/82; #8 C&W – this was a show-stopping number from the Broadway musical “The Best
Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and Dolly made it her very own. Although it never
officially made it onto the Christmas chart, it’s considered a Christmas
classic.)
Everybody Is a
Star – Sly & the Family Stone (1/70; dnc – this one somehow never earned its own charting status, but it’s one of
the group’s signature songs. The flipside spent five weeks at #1, though.)
If You Could
Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot (12/70; #5 – this was the Canadian songwriter’s first charting single in the States,
but his songs had been interpreted by others for years, including Peter, Paul
& Mary. Four years later he’d hit #1 with “Sundown.”)
Cook With
Honey – Judy Collins (2/73; #32 – LA session
singer Valerie Carter had written this one, and it was the opening track of
Judy’s ninth studio album.)
Waterloo – ABBA
(6/74; #6 Pop, #1 UK for two weeks – this
was their first hit for Atlantic Records and it also won the Eurovision Contest
that year. Benny Andersson was a
co-writer of all of the band’s singles, so the royalties have been very good to
him!)
* Someday at
Christmas – Stevie Wonder (12/66; #24 Xmas
– Motown label exec Berry Gordy wanted to
replicate Phil Spector’s successful A Christmas Gift To You LP from ten
years prior, so he assembled the Funk Brothers studio team and a bunch of his
A-list acts and recorded a two-record set. This was released as a 45 and is a
perennial holiday favorite.)
Goodnight My
Love (Pleasant Dreams) – Jesse Belvin (10/56; #7 R&B – this
enduring classic actually never charted on the Hot 100. Alan Freed used to
close his show with it, and I’m borrowing that page from his book tonight. See
you in 2024!)
CLOSING
THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
AC = Billboard’s chart for “Adult Contemporary”
records
BB = Billboard Magazine, which publishes the Hot
100 chart (previously known as the Top 100), along with several other charts
Bubbling Under = songs that were ranked but fell below the top
100
C&W = Billboard’s chart for “Country & Western”
records
R&B = Billboard’s chart for “Rhythm & Blues”
records
RRHOF = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
RS500 = Rolling Stone Magazine’s ranked list of
the top 500 singles of all-time
Host Next Week
(DATE): Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on Christmas!
Thanks for tuning in - and for voting us
Ithaca's Best Local Radio Show in this year's Ithaca Times Readers' Poll! You
can listen to Rockin' Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9pm on WVBR (93.5 FM
in Ithaca, NY) or at wvbr.com/listen.
Thanks, too,
to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support
every week!
