April 5, 2014 - JS - 1964

Rockin' Remnants




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!)

Date: April 5th, 2014

Host:  JS

Feature: 1964

Birthday Calendar     

April 1             Rudolph Isley – 75 years old

                        Jimmy Cliff – 66 years old

April 2             Leon Russell – 73 years old

                        Marvin Gaye – born in 1939

April 3             Jeff Barry – 75 years old

                        Don Gibson – born in 1928

                        Jan Berry (Jan & Dean) – born in 1941

April 5             Tony Williams (Platters) – born in 1928

                        Allan Clarke (Hollies) – 72 years old

                       

50 years ago this week The Beatles achieved an unprecedented and unequaled honor: they held down the Top 5 slots on Billboard's "Hot 100!"

#1 – Can’t Buy Me Love (up from #27 last week) on Capitol Records

#2 – Twist & Shout (its first of 4 weeks at #2) on Tollie Records

#3 – She Loves You (down from #1 last week) on Swan Records

#4 – I Want to Hold Your Hand (after 7 weeks at #1) on Capitol Records

#5 – Please Please Me (down from two weeks at #3) on Vee Jay Records

This Saturday JS will shine a light on some of the other records that got overshadowed by that British Invasion - some 4 Seasons, some Motown, some Beach Boys, an Elvis sound-alike and more - plus a loaded birthday calendar, a State Theater ticket giveaway and your requests. Yeah, yeah, yeah, YEAH!!!  

     

[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 3-8-68; red song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests; all chart information comes from the Billboard Hot 100 Top Pop Singles by Joel Whitburn, and other Billboard charts as noted.

                

6-7 p.m.

Dawn (Go Away) – The 4 Seasons [at #11 this after peaking at #3 for three weeks (stuck behind The Beatles]

 

Shoop Shoop Song – Betty Everett [at #8, heading to #6 Pop and three weeks at #1 R&B]

Fun, Fun, Fun – Beach Boys [at #13, down from #5.]

The Wonder of You – Ray Peterson [at #107 this week and headed to #70, this record was originally released in 1958 and made it to #25 on the Pop chart]

Suspicion – Terry Stafford [at #6 this week, headed to a peak of #3 at the height of the British Invasion for this Elvis-sound-alike record] 

 

In My Lonely Room – Martha & The Vandellas [debuting at #83 this week, headed to a peak of #44]

* Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston [5/51; #1 R&B considered by many musicologists to be the first Rock ‘n’ Roll record. The band was actually Ike Turner’s Rhythm Kings (Brenston was the sax man) and Ike played piano on this session]

* Hot Rod Lincoln – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen [3/72; #9] 

I’m So Young – The Students [6/61; #26 R&B]

April Come She Will – Simon & Garfunkel [from the Columbia Records “Sounds of Silence” LP and released as the b-side of Scarborough Fair]

 

Scarborough Fair (Canticle) – Simon & Garfunkel [3/68; #11]

 

Glad All Over – Dave Clark 5 [at #10, headed to #6]

There’s a Place – The Beatles [would debut next week on the Hot 100 at #74, where it would peak on the small Tollie Records label. Notice the songwriting credit is reversed]

 

All My Loving [at #58 this week, headed only to #45 on the Capitol Records of Canada label]

 

Ebb Tide – Lenny Welch [at #47 this week, headed to #25 on the Pop chart]

Hippy Hippy Shake – Swinging Blue Jeans [at #24 (peak position) for this Liverpool quartet. Originally done by Chan Romero in 1959]

 

7-8:00 p.m. (birthdays and more)

Red Sails in the Sunset – Platters [8/60; #36]

It’s Your Thing – Isley Brothers [3/69; #9 Pop, #1 (for four weeks) R&B]

Forever – Marvin Gaye [1/65; found on the b-side of How Sweet It Is]

 

You – Marvin Gaye [2/68; #34, #7 R&B]

Wonderful World, Beautiful People – Jimmy Cliff [12/69; #25]

I Won’t Make That Mistake Again – Gary Lewis & Playboys [12/65; not charting b-side of She’s Just My Style, co-written and produced by keyboard player Leon Russell]

She’s Just My Style – Gary Lewis & Playboys [12/65; #3, co-written and produced by keyboard player Leon Russell, who also played the guitar solo on the record]

Dead Man’s Curve – Jan & Dean [at #25 this week and headed to a peak of #8, this record prophetically came true when Jan Berry nearly lost his life in a terrible car crash nearly two years later at...Dead Man’s Curve!]

 

I Wonder – Butterflys [1/65; #117, co-written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich]

River Deep, Mountain High – Nilsson [co-written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and released as a single in 1967; did not chart]

Look Homeward Angel – Monarchs [at #66 this week, headed to a peak of #47 Pop]

My Guy – Mary Wells [debuting this week at #50 and headed to #1 Pop (and seven weeks at #1 R&B), this Smokey Robinson composition led the Temptations to ask Smokey to “write us one, too.” He did and it was called My Girl.]

I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson [3/58; #81 Pop, #7 C&W. Ray Charles would score a massive #1 hit (five weeks Pop, seven weeks R&B) and win a Grammy Award (Best R&B Record) for his recording of this same song four years later.]

Sea of Heartbreak – Don Gibson [6/61; #21, #2 C&W]

8-9 p.m.

Oh Lonesome Me – Neil Young [written by Don Gibson and found on 1970’s After the Gold Rush LP]

You Got Me Walking – Jackie Wilson [2/72; #93 Pop, #22 R&B; his final charting Pop Chart entry]

 

Turn the Beat Around – Vicki Sue Robinson [4/76; #10 for this Broadway performer (Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar)]

Stop! In the Name of Love – The Hollies [6/83; #29, recorded for a one-off reunion project on Atlantic Records]

 

I Can’t Let Go – Evie Sands [released in November 1965 on Blue Cat Records, this was a resounding flop; The Hollies would take it to #2 in the UK (and #42 in the States) a short few months later]

I Can’t Let Go – Linda Ronstadt [6/80; #31 – the highest-charting version of this Chip Taylor composition in the States]

Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin’) – Johnny Rivers [6/77; #10 on Big Tree Records]

 

She’s Gone – Tavares [10/74; #50 Pop, #1 R&B]

On and On – Stephen Bishop [5/77; #11]

Love Makes the World Go ‘Round – Odds & Ends [3/71; #83 Pop, #28 R&B for the small Today Records label]

 

So Bad – Paul McCartney [12/83; #23, written for and offered to Michael Jackson, who declined to record it. Paul went ahead and did it himself] 

Mama Can’t Buy You Love – Elton John [6/79; #9 from the EP “The Thom Bell Sessions,” with The Spinners on background vocals]

A Letter to TheBeatles – The Four Preps [racing up the chart on this date in 1964, this Capitol Records 45 was suddenly stopped at #85 and pulled from the market after label mates The Beatles complained that it reflected negatively on the band.  Check out the video link: this song is hilarious!]

 

Next week: JR with a spotlight on April 12th, 1980!