Rockin' Remnants
Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our web page, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 or stream the show every Saturday night! (Or download the WVBR+ app now available for iOS and Android!)
Date: August 17, 2013
Host: John Simon
Feature: Original Versions of the Hits
Tonight’s special theme is “The Original Versions of The Hits”: songs that other artists discovered and successfully placed on the Pop, R&B and C&W charts. Many British Invasion bands would mine the lower regions of the American charts and have big success with songs that otherwise would’ve slipped into oblivion. Sometimes, these “covers” would actually be released simultaneously with the originals and derail any chance for sales success by lesser-known artists recording for smaller labels.
Sometimes the more successful records were simply better than the originals…but not in every case, as you’ll hear tonight. A short sub-theme this evening: multiple versions of the same song – Lowman Pauling’s “Dedicated To The One I Love.”
But first…two summertime classics to celebrate a gorgeous August day.
Birthday Calendar
August 11 – Eric Carmen (Raspberries) – 64 years old
August 12 – Buck Owens – born in 1929
August 14 – David Crosby (Byrds, CSN) – 72 years old
August 15 – Jimmy Webb – 67 years old
August 16 – Eydie Gorme – passed away this week, just shy of her 85th birthday
Rock and Roll Trivia
Clue 1: Originally a quartet, this outfit would go on to become “the greatest American vocal group of all-time” (according to Billboard Publications).
Clue 2: Booked on Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars in July of 1964 (along with Gene Pitney, Brenda Holloway and The Shirelles), they weren’t even listed on the bill (aside from “and others”). By mid-August they had become the headline act.
Clue 3: Their #1 record that August was the first of 5 consecutive #1’s on the Pop charts. They would later score 4 more consecutive #1’s on the Motown Record label before lead singer Diana Ross was given top billing.
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)
Playlist
(yellow song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests)
6-7 pm
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock 'n' Roll - Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys -1969 - peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, produced by Jimi Hendrix
Since I Lost My Baby – The Temptations (August 1965)
Daydream – Lovin’ Spoonful
Dedicated to the One I Love – The "5" Royales [1957; did not chart]
Do Wah Diddy – The Exciters [#78 in early 1964; soon to be a big #1 hit in the US for Manfred Mann]
I’m Into Something Good – Earl-Jean [#38 in the Summer of ’74; this record would launch Herman’s Hermits’ career, reaching #1 in England and Top Ten in the US]
This Diamond Ring – Sammy Ambrose [released on the small Musicor label on the same date that Liberty Records released the version by Gary Lewis & The Playboys (who would be featured on the Ed Sullivan Show 2 weeks later). Sammy got to #117, while the Playboys made it to the top of the charts]
Spooky – Mike Sharpe [#57 in early 1967; the Classics IV would add lyrics - AND Mike Sharpe’s saxophone – and reach #3 ten months later]
Brandy – Scott English [reached #91 in the Spring of 1972. Barry Manilow would later record it, changing the name to “Mandy.”(so not to confuse listeners with another "Brandy" by The Looking Glass in 1972) It would reach #1 in late ‘74]
Some Guys Have All the Luck – Persuaders [#39 Pop, #7 R&B in late 1973; Top 10 hit for Rod Stewart in the ‘80s]
Here Comes The Night – Lulu [#50 UK in 1964; Jimmy Page would record it with Van Morrison’s group Them, who took it to #24 in The States]
A Groovy Kind of Love – Diane & Annita [released on a French EP in 1965]
A Groovy Kind of Love – The Mindbenders [two weeks at #2 in 1966]
To Share Your Love – Fantastic Four [#68 pop, #30 R&B in September of ’67 on the Ric-Tic Records label]
Share Your Love with Me – Aretha Franklin [two years later: #13 Pop and 5 weeks at the top of the R&B Chart on the Atlantic Records label]
7-8 pm -- birthdays and more original versions
Blame It On the Bossa Nova – Eydie Gorme [1/63; #7 – her highest-charting hit]
Lady Friend – The Byrds [8/67; #82 – written and arranged by David Crosby]
Act Naturally – Buck Owens [4/63; #1 C&W for 4 weeks. The Beatles would release it on the flip side of “Yesterday” where it reached #47 on the Pop chart] Notice any similarities?
Tunesmith – Johnny Rivers [written by Jim Webb and released as an album track in 1967]
Love Years Comin’ – Strawberry Children [a delicious slice of sunshine pop from a group led by songwriter Jimmy Webb that went absolutely nowhere in June of ‘67]
Dedicated to The One I Love – Shirelles [reached #83 in 1959. It was re-released as a follow-up to their big #1 hit in 1961, where it reached #3]
Angel Of The Morning – Evie Sands [released on Cameo-Parkway Records in April of 1967….just as they were declaring bankruptcy. A year later Merilee Rush would take it to the Top Ten on Bell Records, but Evie Sands’ version virtually disappeared]
Hush – Billie Joe Royal [#57 in September 1967; Deep Purple would take it to #4 the following Summer]
Dedicated To the One I Love – Mamas & Papas [#2 in the Spring of ‘67]
Here Comes My Baby – Cat Stevens [from his album “Matthew & Son.” The Tremeloes would launch their stateside career with this song in the Spring of ‘67]
Always Something There to Remind Me – Lou Johnson [8/64; #49 – the first of 6 charting versions of this Bacharach-David ditty. R.B. Greaves would reach #27 in 1970. Naked Eyes would reach #8 in 1983]
California Sun – Joe Jones [#89 in 1961; The Rivieras’ version would reach #5 in ‘64]
* Hey Joe Where You Gonna Go – The Leaves [#31; 5/66]
Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix Experience [first UK single for this expatriate Yank]
Shakin’ All Over – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates [from 1960; did not chart in the US]
8-9 pm -- ‘70s Happy Hour and more birthdays
Candida – The Corporation [non-charting single from 1970; Dawn would take it to #3 several months later, beginning an impressive chart run]
Dedicated To the One I Love – The Temprees [9/72; #93 Pop, #17 R&B]
I Will Always Love You – Dolly Parton [her most successful composition: #1 C&W in 1974, re-recorded and reached #1 C&W and #53 Pop in 1982, re-recorded (with Vince Gill) and reached #15 C&W in 1995, and released by Whitney Houston in 1992 when it spent 14 weeks (!) at #1]
Make It With You – Bread [#1 in August of 1970]
Where Did Our Love Go – Donnie Elbert [10/71; #15 Pop, #6 R&B]
Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely – Ronnie Dyson [#60 in August of ’73; Main Ingredient would reach #10 six months later]
I Wanna Be With You - Raspberries [reached #16 in late 1972; Beatlesque power pop from Cleveland's finest former bar band]
Rainy Night In Georgia – Tony Joe White [an LP track that Brook Benton would take to #4 Pop and #1 R&B in early 1970]
A Simple Game – Four Tops [low-charting single from early 1972 written and recorded by the Moody Blues in 1968]
Up On The Roof – Laura Nyro [ironically, her only charting single was a song she didn’t write. Reached #92 in October of 1970]
* Midnight Hour – The Mirettes [originally known as “The Ikettes” #45 in 1968]
I’m Your Puppet – Dan Penn [released as a single on M-G-M in 1965 to no success. James & Bobby Purify would have a massive hit with it in the Fall of ‘66]
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny - 1959 - #1 for two weeks
Trivia Answer
THE SUPREMES, whose hit “Where Did Our Love Go” began a string of five consecutive #1 singles in the summer of 1964.
Congratulations to Aileen from Ithaca - winner of a Family 4-Pak to Darien Lake Theme Park!
Host Next Week (Aug 24): John Rudan, shining a spotlight on late summer of 1971
Thanks for tuning in! 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.
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