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: May 10, 2014
Host: John Rudan
Feature: 1974 and Country Story Songs
It’s the great Billboard Hot 100 sounds of May 1974... The fad du jour was “streaking”, basically, running through public naked! And Ray Stevens, master of the novelty
record, capitalized on the fad with the #1 record on this date. Also on the
chart were 70’s stalwarts like Chicago, Three Dog Night, Grand Funk, The J5,
and The O’Jays.
After the Birthday Calendar at 7pm, we’ll end the show with
a special feature on “County Story Songs”.
A basic definition of a “story” involves 3 parts: the set
up, the confrontation, and the resolution as the final part.
Most songs on this feature
made both the BB Hot 100 and Country Charts, including Marty Robbins, Johnny
Cash, Charlie Rich, Bobbi Gentry, Jeannie C. Riley, Tom T. Hall, Elvis… and
more.Birthday Calendar
May 5 – Tammy Wynette – born in 1942
May 6 – Bob Seger – age 69
May 7 – Jimmy Ruffin – age 75
May 8 – Rick Nelson – born in 1940
May 9 – Tommy Roe – age 75
– Billy Joel – age 65
May 10 – Donovan (Leitch) – age 68
– Dave Mason – age 68
– Graham Gouldman – age 68
– Larry Williams – born in 1935
Playlist
[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 5-10-1974; yellow song titles are YouTube links; 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]
6-7pm
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
The Streak – Ray Stevens – BB Hot 100 #1, 3 weeks. Ray’s chart history seemed to vacillate between serious
numbers (“Mr. Businessman”, “Everything Is Beautiful”, “America, Communicate
With Me”) and novelty numbers (“Ahab The Arab”, “Gitarzan”, “I Need Your Help
Barry Manilow”). This novelty song was
his biggest hit.
Dancing Machine – The Jackson 5 – BB Hot 100 #2. The last Motown Top 10 single for the J5 before they move to
Epic Records, peaked this week at #2.
Inspired by the dance called “The Robot”, which you can see in the video
link.
The
Entertainer – Marvin Hamlisch – BB Hot 100 #3. Won the 1974 Best New Artist Grammy Award; from the movie The Sting.
The
Loco-Motion (45 version) – Grand Funk – BB Hot 100 #4. Tumbling down from 2 weeks at #1, the original version was
also #1 in 1962 by Little Eva, and #3 in 1988 by Kylie Minogue.
The Show Must Go On (45 version) – Three Dog Night – BB Hot 100 #5. The first song penned by Leo Sayer to make the Top Ten in
the U.S., this peaked at #3.
Band On
The Run – Paul McCartney & Wings – BB Hot 100 #7. Hot 100 #1 on 6/8/1974 for 1 week.
(I’ve
Been) Searchin’ For So Long – Chicago – BB Hot 100 #9. This has a great string arrangement by producer James
William Guercio.
MFSB featuring The Three Degrees –
TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) – BB Hot 100 #11. This studio band were the backbone sound of Gamble and
Huff’s Philadelphia International
label, and played on hits by the O’Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin And The Blue
Notes, and The Three Degrees, who sing vocals on this former #1 hit.
For The
Love Of Money – The O’Jays – BB Hot 100 #19. See MFSB above.
You
Won’t See Me (45 version) – Anne Murray – BB Hot 100 #41. This Beatles song, from the LP Rubber Soul, was never released as a single. This cover version peaked at Hot 100 #8, and
features some fine fuzz guitar!
I’m A Train (45 version) – Albert Hammond – BB Hot 100 #47. Albert’s last Top 40 single peaked at Hot 100 #31.
If You
Want To Get To Heaven – Ozark Mountain Daredevils – BB Hot 100 #65. The debut charting single for this Missouri quartet peaked
at Hot 100 #25.
Stand By Your Man
– Tammy Wynette, 1969. Biggest pop hit for
“The First Lady Of Country Music” peaked at Hot 100 #19.
Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man (45 version) – Bob Seger System, 1969. First charting
single in a long career for this Detroit native, was also one of the last 45’s
issued on the Capitol Records yellow and orange “swirl label”, famous for most
Beatles and Beach Boys releases in the 60’s.
Hold On To My
Love – Jimmy Ruffin, 1980. Older brother of
the Temptations David Ruffin, this was his comeback record after a 13 year
absence from the Top 40, peaking at #10.
Co-written and produced by Robin Gibb.
Poor Little Fool
– Ricky Nelson, 1958. Historically, the
first #1 single on the new Billboard Hot
100 chart on August 4th, 1958.
Palace Guard –
Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band, 1973. Rick’s last entry
on the Hot 100, peaked at #65.
Sheila – Tommy
Roe, 1962. Tommy’s first
charting single peaked at Hot 100 #1 on 9/1/1962, 2 weeks.
Worse Comes To
Worst (45 version) – Billy Joel, 1974. The second single
released off the Piano Man LP, this
45 censored version bleeps out “son of a ____”.
Peaked at Hot 100 #80, but was played a lot locally during the Summer of
’74.
Catch The Wind (45
version) – Donovan, 1965. Donovan’s first
U.S. charting single peaked at Hot 100 #23.
Donovan would find more chart success when he broke out of his “Dylan”
folk phase and became a psychedelic flower child.
Only You Know And
I Know – Dave Mason, 1970. Dave’s original
version peaked at Hot 100 #42, while a cover version by his buddies Delaney
& Bonnie peaked at Hot 100 #20 in 1971.
For Your Love / Heart Full Of Soul – Yardbirds, 1965. While Graham
Gouldman was a rather anonymous member of The Mindbenders, Hotlegs, and 10cc,
he made his mark early in the British invasion by penning “Bus Stop”, “Look Through Any Window”, “No Milk Today”,
“Listen People”, and these two pop gems for the Yardbirds, both Top 10 hits in
1965.
Boney Moronie –
Larry Williams, 1957. Larry recorded his
early Rock And Roll hits on Specialty Records in New Orleans, and was a big
influence on The Beatles, who recorded his “Bad Boy”, “Slow Down” and “Dizzy
Miss Lizzy”.
The Hanging Tree – Marty Robbins,BB Hot 100 #38, Country #15, 1959
The Three Bells – The Browns, BB Hot 100 #1,
Country #1, 1959
Wolverton Mountain – Claude King, BB Hot 100 #6, Country #1, 1962
Miller’s Cave – Bobby Bare, BB Hot 100 #33, Country #4, 1964
Almost Persuaded – David Houston, BB Hot 100 #24, Country #1, 1966
Harper Valley PTA – Jeannie C. Riley, BB Hot 100 #1, Country #1, 1968.
Both Jeannie and Bobbie had that classic country female look of the 60's: big hair, big make-up and short skirts...
Both Jeannie and Bobbie had that classic country female look of the 60's: big hair, big make-up and short skirts...
A Boy Named Sue – Johnny Cash, BB Hot 100
#2, Country #1, 1969
July 12th,1939 – Charlie Rich, BB Hot 100 #85, Country #47, 1970
Kentucky Rain – Elvis, BB Hot 100 #16, Country #31, 1970
What’s Your Mama’s Name – Tanya Tucker, BB
Hot 100 #86, Country #1, 1973
Coward Of The County – Kenny Rogers, BB Hot 100 #3, Country #1, 1979
Host Next Week (May 17): John Simon
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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