Rockin’ Remnants
Rockin’ Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 FM or stream the show every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. Eastern. (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: September 12, 2026
Host: Gregory James
Feature: Artists A to Z
Birthday Calendar
September 6
Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) 83 years old
Micky Waller (drummer with Rod Stewart) b. 1941
September 7
Gloria Gaynor 83 years old
Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) 75 years old
Buddy Holly b. 1936
Joe Simon b. 1936
September 8
Benjamin Orr (Cars vocalist/bassist) b. 1947
September 9
Dee Dee Sharp 81 years old
Otis Redding b.1941
David Stewart (Eurythmics) 74 years old
John McFee (Doobie Brothers guitarist/vocalist) 76 years old
Inez Foxx b. 1937
September 10
Joe Perry (Aerosmith guitarist) 76 years old
Jose Feliciano 81 years old
September 12
Maria Muldaur 83 years old
Barry White b.1944
Judy Clay b. 1938
Rock n’ Roll Trivia
Question: In the 6:00 hour I played a song whose melody is almost identical to another song by the same artist. What was the song?
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)
Playlist
* 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 subsequent dates) unless otherwise noted
* glossary of terms is below the playlist
6:00
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock n’ Roll—Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Respect Aretha Franklin 1967 #1
Her sisters Carolyn and Erma sang back up.
Let It Rock Chuck Berry 1964 #60
Almost identical melody as Johnny B. Goode
Feelin’ Alright Joe Cocker 1969 #69, 1972 #33
The backing vocalists were Brenday Holloway and Merry Clayton
Up on the Roof Drifters 1962 #5 RRHOF
When Will I Be Loved? Everly Brothers 1960 #8
Say You Love Me Fleetwood Mac 1976 #11
Maybe I Know Lesley Gore 1964 #14
I’m Into Something Good Herman’s Hermits 1964 #13
Their first hit in the U.S.
It’s All Right Impressions 1963 #4 RRHOF
She’s Always a Woman Billy Joel 1978 #17
I Heard It Through the Grapevine Gladys Knight/Pips 1967 #2 RRHOF
If you are curious about the identities of the Pips, check out the video below at the 2:00 minute mark.
Great Balls of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis 1957 #2
Otis Blackwell wrote many early rock n’ roll songs, including this one.
A Legend of the Mind Moody Blues 1968 DNC
Hello Mary Lou Rick Nelson 1961 #9
Nelson changed his name from Ricky to Rick when he turned 21 years old.
Only the Lonely Roy Orbison 1960 #2 RRHOF Grammy HOF
The backing singers were co-composer Joe Melson and the Anita Kerr singers. To my ear, they sounded like the Fleetwoods.
Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley 1956 #1 (8 weeks)
This was his second recording for RCA after he switched from Sun Records. However, Presley insisted on creating the Sun Studio echo effect in the more buttoned up RCA studio.
96 Tears ? and the Mysterians 1966 #1 RRHOF
7:00
Shapes of Things Jeff Beck Group 1968 DNC
Drummer Mickey Waller and bassist Ron Wood created unconventional rhythms supporting Jeff Beck’s lead guitar.
Hey You Pink Floyd 1979 DNC
Composer Roger Waters sang the bridge and last verse and David Gilmour sang the first and second verse.
Never Can Say Goodbye Gloria Gaynor 1982 #9
In Canada and the U.K, Gaynor’s version out performed the original Jackson 5 version.
It’s So Easy Buddy Holly and the Crickets 1958 DNC
Or, more accurately, The Crickets featuring Buddy Holly for the last time.
Don’t Get Me Wrong Pretenders 1986 #10
The perfect pop track, apparently inspired by Chrissie Hynde's friend John McEnroe, the tennis player.
Drowning in the Sea of Love Joe Simon 1972 #11 H100 #3 RB
This was the 4th of 8 top 40 hits for Joe Simon
Drive The Cars 1984 #3
The song was written by Ric Ocasek and sung by Benjamin Orr
Deep Dark Secret Dee Dee Sharp 1964 DNC
Hard to Handle Otis Redding 1968
This Otis Redding original was released posthumously in 1968 and the Black Crowes picked it up as a cover in 1990.
Who’s That Girl Eurythmics 1983
In the video below, Annie Lennox gets the audience singing along.
One Step Closer Doobie Brothers 1980 #24
The late Cornelius Bumpus sang lead (with Michael McDonald) and played the saxophone on this track co-written by John McFee.
Rain Jose Feliciano 1969
Written by Jose Feliciano and his first wife Janna Merlyn Feliciano.
Long Hard Climb Maria Muldaur 1973 NR
From her eponymous album. Spooner Oldham played piano, Chris Ethridge played bass and Jim Keltner played drums.
September When I First Met You Barry White 1978
From his album “The Man.”
8:00
* Tumbling Dice Rolling Stones 1972 #7
Requested by Scottie with love for Peggy.
You’re So Vain Carly Simon 1972 #1 (3 weeks)
Something in the Way She Moves James Taylor 1968 DNC
La Bamba Ritchie Valens 1958 #22 RRHOF
My Guy Mary Wells 1964 #1 (2 weeks) RRHOF
Darkness, Darkness Youngbloods 1969 #124 1970 #86
Tush ZZ Top 1975 #20
Tomorrow Never Knows Beatles
This track is even trippier than “Lucy in the Sky” or “Strawberry Fields.”
Born on the Bayou Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969 DNC
Killing Me Softly Roberta Flack 1972 #1 (6 weeks)
Today Jefferson Airplane 1967 NR
Marty Balin wrote and sang the song and Jerry Garcia played lead guitar.
Monkees Theme Monkees 1966 DNC
John Simon informed me that The Monkees TV show debuted on this date in 1966.
Poor Pitiful Me Linda Ronstadt 1978 #31
I Want to Take You Higher Sly and the Family Stone 1969 #60 1970 #38
It charted in 1969 as a B-Side and again in 1970 after the group’s performance at Woodstock.
Heat Wave Martha and the Vandellas 1963 #4 RRHOF
CLOSING THEME: Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Trivia Answer
Chuck Berry’s “Let It Rock” is almost identical to “Johnny B. Goode.”
Congratulations to Mike from the city of Ithaca for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis, downtown Ithaca’s home for first-run, international, independent and local films.
Glossary of Terms:
DNC = did not chart
NR = not released as a single at the time
H100 = Billboard Hot 100
RB = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records
RRHOF = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Host September 19, 2026: John Simon
Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to Rockin’ Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. Eastern on WVBR (93.5 FM in Ithaca NY) or streaming on WVBR.com.
Thanks again to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
