Nov 24, 2012 - JS - Nov 1968

Rockin' Remnants

Date: Nov 24, 2012

Host: John Simon

Theme: It's the annual "JS Birthday Weekend Show - playing his favorites, with a special spotlight on 11/68"

Birthday Calendar:

11/19 - Hank Medress (The Tokens) born in 1939

         - Pete Moore (The Miracles) - 73 years old

         - Dave Guard (Kingston Trio) born in 1935

11/20 - Duane Allman (session guitarist, founding member of the Allman Bros. Band) born in 1946; he died in a motorcycle accident at age 24

Trivia question:

1) This singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist first arrived on the scene fronting a band whose name was borrowed from a 1950's horror film.

2) His love for American R&B music was reflected in songs he recorded celebrating the work of such pioneers as Jackie Wilson, Fats Domino and Jimmy Reed.

3) Popularly known as both "The Belfast Cowboy" and "Van the Man," he's responsible for many songs that have basically become "standards" in the musical lexicon (including Brown-Eyed Girl, Moondance, Have I Told You Lately That I Love You...).

(scroll down for the answer below the playlist...)

Playlist

6-7 p.m.

Holiday - the Bee Gees

Holidays Are Coming... (a vintage Coca Cola radio spot from the early '70s)

Snoopy's Christmas - The Royal Guardsmen (released on this date in 1967; the third in their "Snoopy" trilogy)

Silver Bells - The Ventures

Abraham, Martin & John - Dion (mono 45 - the way it sounded back then) - peaking at #5

Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell (at #8 this week, headed to #3)

Wouldn't It Be Nice - Beach Boys (from Pet Sounds; this was the b-side of its single)

*Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares (a telephone request-and-dedication for the birthday DJ) - The Blossoms, including Darlene Love, provided the background vocals for this song.  Shelley Fabares was primarily a tv actress rather than a singer, and she recorded only a few 45s.

*Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson (telephone request)

*Taxi - Harry Chapin (telephone request) - He also recorded a sequel to this song, titled "Sequel".

La La Means I Love You - Delfonics (recent "gold" from the spring of '68)

59th Street Bridge Song - Simon & Garfunkel (telephone request)

Maureen - the Bachelors (from the London Records LP "England's Greatest Hit-Makers")

*Down in The Boondocks - Billy Joe Royal (telephone request)

Love Child - Diana Ross & The Supremes (their first #1 under the new billing with Diana's name first, and their first without Holland-Dozier-Holland, from 1968)

7-8 p.m.

A Fork in The Road - Miracles (b-side of the "Tracks of My Tears" single)

You're My Girl - Tokens (written by Carole King, it was intended to be the Tokens' follow-up to "He's In Town"  -   until the label decided those two records were too similar and they pulled the release.)

Weeping Willow - Kingston Trio

Please Be With Me - Cowboy (with Duane Allman on acoustic slide dobro)

One Way Out - Allman Brothers Band (recorded live at the Fillmore East - from "Eat a Peach")

*The More I See You - Chris Montez (telephone request)

Take Me In Your Arms - The Isley Brothers (charted on both the R&B and pop charts; it was a re-make of a Kim Weston hit, later recorded by the Doobie Brothers)

Oh No, Not My Baby - Maxine Brown (a JS favorite, written by Carole King)

Stormy - Classics IV (at #11 this week in 1968)

Me About You - The Turtles (released by White Whale Records in early 1970 after the band had departed; made it to #105)

Everything That Touches You - The Association (mono 45 version  -  peaked at #10 in the Spring of '68)

Misty - Johnny Mathis

Day Tripper - The Beatles (relegated to the b-side of "We Can Work It Out." Still made it to #5)

You Didn't Have to Be So Nice - Lovin' Spoonful (original Kama Sutra 45)

Sleigh Ride - The Ventures (paired with "Walk Don't Run" from The Ventures' Christmas Album)

8-9 p.m.

Where Is the Love - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (promo mono 45)

Native New Yorker - Odyssey (lead singer Lillian Lopez passed away this past September)

Nothin' From Nothin' - Billy Preston

*Come And Get Your Love - Redbone (telephone request)

I Think We're Alone Now - The Rubinoos (charting cover of the Tommy James & The Shondells tune from Spring of '77)

Jackie Wilson Said - Van Morrison (our trivia answer!)

Whenever I Call You 'Friend' - Kenny Loggins (with Stevie Nicks)

County Line - Pousette-Dart Band (an FM radio staple from the 1977 "Amnesia" LP)

A Whiter Shade of Pale - RB Greaves - This cover of the 1967 Procul Harum hit reached #82 in late 1970 on Atco Records.  Greaves is best known for the song Take a Letter Maria.

Time Passages - Al Stewart (original 45 from 1978)

All Through the Night - Cyndi Lauper (picture-sleeve 45 from 1984)

and then....two more JS favorites to end the show (both on RCA Records and both with Floyd Cramer on piano):

I Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley

The End of The World - Skeeter Davis

Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny

Next week: JR is back!

Trivia answer: 

Van Morrison (who first fronted the band called "Them" and wrote "Domino," "Jackie Wilson Said" and "Cleaning Windows," among many others)

Nov 17, 2012 - Gary

Rockin' Remnants

Date:  Nov 17, 2012
Host:  Gary Reinbolt

Birthday Calendar

Nov 12 - Neil Young (age 67)
Nov 14 - James Young (STYX) (age 63)
Nov 14 - Freddie Garrity (Freddie and The Dreamers) (1936)
Nov 15 - Frida Lyngstad (ABBA) (age 67)
Nov 15 - Petula Clark (age 80)
Nov 17 - Bob Gaudio (Four Seasons) (age 70)
Nov 17 - Gordon Lightfoot (age 74)
Nov 17 - Gerry McGee (The Ventures) 1937
Nov 17 - Gene Clark (The Byrds) (1944)



Trivia Contest

What does the acronym “ABBA” stand for?

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)

Playlist

Take A Chance on Me - ABBA
Chiquitita - ABBA
The Winner Takes It All - ABBA
Waterloo - ABBA
Cherish - The Association
Ballad Of Easy Rider - The Byrds
All I Really Want To Do - The Byrds
Eight Miles High - The Byrds
Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) - The Byrds
There's a Moon Out Tonight - Capris
Helpless - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind And Fire
Big Girls Don't Cry - Four Seasons
Working My Way Back to You - Four Seasons
Rag Doll - Four Seasons
Reach Out, I'll Be There - The Four Tops
Candy Girl - Four Seasons
I'm Telling You Now - Freddie & the Dreamers
Do The Freddie - Freddie & the Dreamers
You Were Made For Me - Freddie & the Dreamers
Early Morning Rain - Gordon Lightfoot
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
Dandy - Herman's Hermits
Vehicle - The Ides Of March
You Love The Thunder - Jackson Browne
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted - Jimmy Ruffin
Poor Side Of Town - Johnny Rivers
Walk Away Renee - Left Banke
Rain on the Roof - Lovin' Spoonful
Look Through My Window - The Mamas & The Papas
Last Train To Clarksville - The Monkees
After The Gold Rush - Neil Young
The Needle & The Damage Done - Neil Young
Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
Earth Angel - The Penguins
Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
My Love - Petula Clark
Don't Sleep In The Subway - Petula Clark
I Couldn't Live Without Your Love - Petula Clark
Who Am I - Petula Clark
Downtown - Petula Clark
A Sign Of The Times - Petula Clark
Short People - Randy Newman
Please Say You're Fooling - Ray Charles
Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes
Sit Yourself Down - Stephen Stills
Wild Mountain Honey - The Steve Miller Band
Lorelei - Styx
Babe - Styx
American Girl - Tom Petty
Telstar - Ventures
Ghost Riders in the Sky - Ventures
Walk Don't Run - Ventures

Trivia Answer:

The name ABBA comes from the 1^st letters of the first names of the four performers:  Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus.



Thanks for tuning in!  You can listen to Rockin' Remnants every Saturday from 6-9pm on WVBR (93.5 FM in Ithaca, NY) or at wvbr.com/listen.

Nov 10, 2012 - JR - 1974

Rockin' Remnants

Date:  11/10/2012
Host:  John Rudan
Feature:  1974

 

Birthday Calendar

Nov 5 - Peter Noone ("Herman" of Herman's Hermits) - now age 65
Nov 7 - Johnny Rivers (born John Ramistella) - now age 70
Nov 7 - Mary Travers (Peter, Paul, and Mary) - born in 1936
Nov 10 - Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer) - now age 64
Nov 10 - Dave Loggins - now age 65

Rock and Roll Trivia

Clue 1: This artist won Grammy for Best Country Vocal in 1974

Clue 2: They appeared as the "Wilson Sisters" in the 1976 movie "Car Wash"

Clue 3: First Top Ten single was a cover version of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire" in 1978

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)

Playlist

(songs in bold are from the feature year of 1974)

6pm

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet -- B.T.O -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #1 for one week on 11/10/1974
Tin Man -- America -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #4 on 11/10/1974
Do It ('Til You're Satisfied) -- B.T. Express -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #7 on 11/10/1974
The Bitch Is Back -- Elton John -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #8 on 11/10/1974
Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) -- Reunion -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #9 on 11/10/1974; this version only available on 45

 

The Ballad Of Thunder Road -- Robert Mitchum -- 1958 -- From the movie of the same title starring Mitchum

 
He's A Rebel -- The Crystals -- 1962
I Found A Love, Pt. 1 -- Wilson Pickett -- 1967
Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) -- John Fred & His Playboy Band -- 1967 -- Parody of The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
Respect -- Otis Redding -- 1965 -- Otis's original version peaked at #35 in November '65

Ain't Too Proud To Beg -- The Rolling Stones -- 1974 -- The Stones also covered The Temptations' "My Girl" and "Just My Imagination"
Please Mr. Postman -- The Carpenters -- 1974 -- The Carpenters' first charting single was a cover of The Beatles' "Ticket To Ride"
 

Dream On -- Righteous Brothers -- 1974
Then Came You -- The Spinners w/ Dionne Warwick -- 1974 -- The Spinners' only Hot 100 #1 single, 10/26/1974

Wake Up Little Susie -- Everly Brothers -- 1957
Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be? -- Paul Revere & The Raiders -- 1967

7pm

No Milk Today -- Herman's Hermits -- 1967 -- Written by prolific British tunesmith Graham Gouldman
Leaning On The Lamp Post -- Herman's Hermits -- 1966
Summer Rain -- Johnny Rivers -- 1968 -- 45 version on Imperial Records

 
Blowin' In The Wind -- Peter, Paul & Mary -- 1963

Junior's Farm -- Paul McCartney & Wings -- 1974 -- Highest debuting single on this date at #59; b-side "Sally G" was also a Top 40 hit

 
Kung Fu Fighting -- Carl Douglas -- 1974 -- Billboard Hot 100, #1 for two weeks on 12/07/1974
Never Can Say Goodbye -- Gloria Gaynor -- 1974
When Will I See You Again -- The Three Degrees -- 1974
Rockin' Soul -- The Hues Corporation -- 1974

Twilight Time -- The Platters -- 1958
(I'm A) Roadrunner -- Jr. Walker & The All Stars -- 1966
 

You've Really Got A Hold On Me -- The Miracles -- 1963
Darling Be Home Soon -- The Lovin' Spoonful -- 1967

To Know Him Is To Love Him -- The Teddy Bears -- 1958 -- first Billboard Hot 100 #1 production and record for Phil Spector

 
If I Can Dream -- Elvis -- 1968
I Must Be Seeing Things -- Gene Pitney -- 1966

8pm

Lucky Man -- Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- 1971 -- Re-released in 1972, both times peaking below the Billboard Hot 100 top 40

 
Please Come To Boston -- Dave Loggins -- 1974 -- Yes, Dave is a distant cousin of Kenny

So You Are A Star -- The Hudson Brothers -- 1974 -- The Brothers were also summer replacement and Saturday morning TV stars!
La La Peace Song -- Al Wilson -- 1974

 
Longfellow Serenade -- Neil Diamond -- 1974

Fairytale -- Pointer Sisters -- 1974 -- Covered by Elvis in 1975

Ride The Tiger -- Jefferson Starship -- 1974 -- First single to be released under the "Starship" moniker; peaked at #84 on Hot 100
After The Goldrush -- Prelude -- 1974 -- Written by Neil Young; done a capella by this British trio

 

Steppin' In A Slide Zone -- Moody Blues -- 1978
Across 110th Street -- Bobby Womack -- 1973 -- Title song from the movie starring Anthony Quinn; also used over the end credits of "Jackie Brown" in 1997

Touch Me In The Morning -- Diana Ross -- 1973

Heat Of The Moment -- Asia -- 1982
Africa -- Toto -- 1982

 

Rock and Roll Trivia

A: The Pointer Sisters

 



Thanks for listening!  Please tune in again, Saturdays on WVBR-FM in Ithaca, on the dial at 93.5 or online at wvbr.com/listen!

Nov 3, 2012 - JS - 1962

Rockin' Remnants

Date: Nov 3, 2012

Host: John Simon

Feature Chart Date: Nov 3, 1962
[additional sub-features: Hurricane Sandy; JS's 16-year old daughter's birthday; November 1968]

Birthday Calendar

Nov 2, 1938 - Jay Black (born David Blatt, performed as David Black until he took over as the lead of Jay and the Americans and changed his first name to fit) - now age 74  
Nov 2, 1944 - Keith Emerson (keyboardist for The Nice and other groups, best known for his work with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer) - now age 68
Nov 2, 1945 - JD Souther (performer and songwriter, wrote a lot of hits for the Eagles and for Linda Ronstadt) - now age 67
Nov 3, 1948 - Lulu (born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) - now age 64

Trivia Contest

Clue 1 - This Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist and songwriter played on dozens of hit records and co-wrote three R&B #1's in the 60s.

Clue 2 - Cited as an influence by guitar players including Pete Townshend and Keith Richards, he was even referenced by name in two big radio hits upon which he played.

Clue 3 - Moving from Memphis to LA in the '70s, he played on sessions for acts ranging from Levon Helm and Ringo Starr to The Blues Brothers, but his work with Booker T & The MGs would stand as his greatest claim to fame. 

[answer below the playlist...]

Playlist 

(bold font indicates the song is from this week's spotlight date)

6-7 p.m.

Only Love Can Break A Heart - Gene Pitney - peaking at #2 on this date in 1962
He's a Rebel - The Crystals - first of two weeks at #1 in Nov 1962, a Phil Spector production feat. Darlene Love
Devil In Her Heart - The Beatles - a cover of an obscure tune (Devil in His Heart) by The Donays, an R&B group from Detroit
Stormy Monday - Bobby "Blue" Bland - by Nov 3, 1962, it had fallen to #51, having peaked at #43

Sandy - Ronny & The Daytonas
Sandy - Dion - on Laurie Records, without the Belmonts
A Song That Never Comes - Cashman, Pistilli & West [a WABC "Pick Hit" from 1968; never charted nationally]
The Rain, The Park and Other Things - Cowsills - peaked at #2 in 1967
I Can Hear the Rain - Reparata & The Del-Rons [Top 40 UK hit from 1966]

The Mighty Quinn - Manfred Mann - written by Bob Dylan
Don't You Care - Buckinghams

One More Town - Kingston Trio - down to #111, having peaked at #97 for two weeks
Big Girls Don't Cry - Four Seasons [telephone request] - headed for five weeks at #1

Spooky - Mike Sharpe - this is the original instrumental version, which peaked at #57 in 1967 (the band Classics IV added lyrics and brought it to #3 the following year, and it was later a hit for The Atlanta Rhythm Section as well)
Little Red Riding Hood - Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs [telephone request]
Love Will Rain on You - Archie Bell & The Drells - b-side of "Do the Choo-Choo" 11/68

7-8 p.m. [Birthdays: Lulu, Jay Black, Keith Emerson, JD Souther]

To Sir With Love - Lulu - #1 for five weeks in the fall of '67.  It's not really representative of Lulu's style -- she was a belter.  This was actually the b-side of the single (The Boat That I Row was the a-side), but this was the theme song for a movie by the same name, and it became a huge hit after the movie was released.
What Will My Mary Say - Jay Black - a Johnny Mathis song, the lone single released by the lead singer of Jay & The Americans under this name; it didn't chart
You Keep Me Hanging On - Supremes [telephone request]
From The Beginning - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Time of the Season - The Zombies - 1969

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Doris Day [telephone request] - this song has been recorded by many artists, often in Spanish (it was originally written in Spanish, and new lyrics were written in English - not a translation of the original lyrics)
Catch Us If You Can - Dave Clark Five [telephone request]
Because - Dave Clark Five [telephone request]
Big Bird - Eddie Floyd - only reached #132 in spring of '68  -  and nowhere on the R&B Chart!

16 Candles - The Crests - from 1958, peaked at #2
Happy Birthday Sweet 16 - Neil Sedaka - 1961
It Hurts to Be 16 - Andrea Carroll - 1963, made it to #45 on the pop charts
Only 16 - Sam Cooke

I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett - this record won two Grammy Awards for 1962 (Record of the Year and Best Male Solo Vocal Performance of the Year)
Return to Sender - Elvis Presley - five weeks at #2, stuck behind the Four Seasons
Magic Wand - Don & Juan - follow-up to "What's Your Name", only reached #91
Up on The Roof - The Drifters - debuted on this date in 1962, headed to #5


8-9 p.m.

Harvest Moon - Neil Young [telephone request] - from the 90s, but in the style of his earlier work, so we made an exception to our usual focus on the 50s-60s-70s
Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson - written by Neil Young
In the Midnight Hour - Cross Country
Up On The Roof - Laura Nyro - peaked at #92; ironically, her only charting single was a song she didn't write...
Soul Man - Sam & Dave - 1967, with guitarist Steve Cropper, who gets a shout-out during both the Sam & Dave and the Blues Brothers versions of the song: "Play it, Steve!"
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty - reached #2 in 1978

You're Only Lonely - JD Souther - his biggest hit as a solo artist, peaking at #7 in 1979
You're 16 - Ringo Starr - reached #1 in 1974
Only 16 - Dr. Hook
In The Bottle - Brother To Brother - from the summer of 1974, reached #46 on the pop charts and #9 on the R&B charts, written and originally recorded by Gil Scott-Heron

Only In America - The Drifters - before Atlantic Records had second thoughts and gave it to Jay & The Americans
Don't Change Horses in the Middle of the Stream - Tower of Power [telephone request]

Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny

Trivia Answer

Steve Cropper (co-author of "In the Midnight Hour," "Knock On Wood" and "Dock of The Bay"  - and the guitarist for Booker T & The MGs, the house band for Stax Records in Memphis)


Thanks for listening, and please tune in again!  Rockin' Remnants can be found on WVBR-FM, 93.5 in Ithaca NY or at wvbr.com, every Saturday night from 6-9pm...