March 28, 2015 - JR - 1977

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:  March 28, 2015
Host:  JR
Feature:  1977

This week it’s the chart sounds of spring 

1977.  The heyday of Top 40 AM radio was

 coming to an end, and within a couple of 

years, all those high-powered stations on the 

AM dial would be talk or news or sports radio.

Of course, this led to the Oldies Radio 

format, as some of the great AM voices were 

now reliving their “golden” moments on FM.  

There were a lot of great sounds on both 

frequencies this week, including Hall & Oates,

 Atlanta Rhythm Section, Rod Stewart, Steve 

Miller, Jackson Browne, and many more!  

We’ll check in with the Birthday Calendar at 

7:00, and in the 45 Corner, the single version 

of “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas not 

available on LP or CD, and more great 45 

vinyl selections from the JR-chives!

Playlist


[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 3-21-63; 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  

Rich Girl – Hall & Oates – BB Hot 100 #1, 2 weeks

The most successful duo of the Remnants era, this was the 

first of their 6 Hot 100 #1 hits.

Dancing Queen – ABBA – BB Hot 100 #3

This would ascend to #1 in 1 week and sit on the top of the 

Hot 100 for that week in 1977, their only U.S. chart topper.

Don’t Give Up On Us – David Soul – BB Hot 100 #4

Riding the popularity of the cop buddy TV show, Starsky & 

Hutch, David Solberg had his only Top 40 hit with this limpid

 ballad.

Don’t Leave Me This Way (45 version) – Thelma Houston

 – BB Hot 100 #5

Motown borrowed this tune from Gamble and Huff in Philly 

and turned it into a dance floor classic.  This was moving up

 the chart and peaked at #1 on 4/23/1977.

Fly Like An Eagle (45 version) – Steve Miller – BB Hot 

100 #6

The title track of this smash hit album peaked at Hot 100 #2 

for 2 weeks.

Night Moves (45 version) – Bob Seger – BB Hot 100 #7

The only place this single version of Seger’s breakthrough 

45 (other than the Capitol 7” vinyl) is on the original vinyl LP 

soundtrack of the movie FM.  This peaked at Hot 100 #4, 

and started a long string of hit singles and LP’s for the 

Detroit native.

The Things We Do For Love – 10cc – BB Hot 100 #8

This quirky British band had a run of hits here in the 70’s, 

and this one peaked at Hot 100 #6.

So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section – BB Hot 100 #14

One of my favorite bands of the era, they garnered play on 

both the AM and FM dial. One of the great voices of 

“southern rock”, lead singer Ronnie Hammond, died on 

3/14/2011.  R.I.P.

Crackerbox Palace – George Harrison – BB Hot 100 #19

George had been relatively quiet in the latter part of the 70’s,

 but released a fine LP in 1977, 33 1/3 (not only a reference 

to the turntable speed of LP’s, but also George’s age at the 

time).  This song (also on the LP, but that’s another story) 

peaked on the Hot 100 this week.

 45 Corner

Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas – BB Hot 100 #13

The first hit single for these “prog rockers” from Topeka, the

 45 version on Kirshner Records has a different lead vocal 

take from Steve Walsh, fades out instead of ending cold and

 trims 2 minutes from the LP version.  Not available on any 

LP or CD; a Rockin’ Remnants exclusive!

I’ve Got Love On My Mind – Natalie Cole – Hot 100 #12

Daughter of Nat had a nice string of hits from the mid 70’s 

through the early 90’s.  This was her highest charter, 

peaking at Hot 100 #5.

Right Time Of The Night – Jennifer Warnes – Hot 100 #21

She had 2 Hot 100 #1’s with duets from movies (“Up Where 

We Belong” with Joe Cocker from An Officer And A 

Gentleman and “The Time Of My Life” with Bill Medley from 

Dirty Dancing), both of which also won an Oscar for Best 

Song; quite a resume!  This was her highest charting solo 

hit, peaking at Hot 100 #6.

7pm - 8pm

Birthday Calendar

March 22^nd – Jeremy Clyde (Chad & Jeremy), 74

                      Keith Relf (Yardbirds), 1943

                             

 March 23^rd – Ric Ocasek (The Cars), 66

                      Chaka Khan (Yvette Marie Stevens), 62

   

March 25^th – Aretha Franklin, 73

                     Elton John, 68

                     Nick Lowe, 66

                     Johnny Burnette, 1934

                     Hoyt Axton, 1938

March 26^th – Diana Ross, 71

                    Steven Tyler, 67

                    Teddy Pendergrass, 1950

                                         

“I Don’t Want To Lose You Baby” (45 version) – Chad & Jeremy, 1965

One of the early British Invasion artists (“A Summer Song”, 1964), they inked a big deal with Columbia Records in 1965 but music tastes had changed and the hits dried up; this atmospheric 45 peaked at Hot 100 #35.

“Over Under Sideways Down” – The Yardbirds, 1966

The late Keith Relf supplied the vocals on The Yardbirds tunes of the 60’s and was a founding member of the band Renaissance in 1968.  He was only 33 when he died from electrocution playing an improperly grounded guitar (and not in a bathtub as urban legend has it).
Click here to see the Great Shakes TV commercial!

“Baby I Love You” – Aretha Franklin, 1967

One of Aretha’s most infectious grooves was recorded at Atlantic Records studios in New York with the Muscle Shoals Alabama Swampers providing that groove.

“Your Song” – Elton John, 1970

This song kick-started the career of the #1 artist of the 1970’s, peaking at Hot 100 #8 in late 1970. The former Reginald Kenneth Dwight (who officially changed his name to Elton Hercules John), was voted into the Rock And Roll HOF in 1994 and was knighted in 1998.

“I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass” – Nick Lowe, 1978

The U.K. title for this LP was Jesus Of Cool, but that was considered too controversial for U.S. release and was re-titled Pure Pop For Now People with a slightly different cover.  Nick also produced albums for Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, John Hiatt, Carlene Carter (his wife at the time), and Johnny Cash (his father-in-law at that same time).

“Dreamin’” – Johnny Burnette, 1960

Johnny was an early rocker with his brother Dorsey in the Rock & Roll Trio in 1956. Johnny was only 30 when he died in a boating accident in 1964.

“Never Been To Spain” – Three Dog Night, 1972

Hoyt Axton was a singer, an actor, and maybe best known as a songwriter, especially for Three Dog Night; “Joy To The World” was the Billboard #1 single of 1971 and this ditty peaked at Hot 100 #5.

“If You Don’t Know Me By Now” – Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes, 1972

Out of the Philly Soul Sound of the 70’s came one of the great soul vocalists of the era, Teddy Pendergrass.  His career was cut short by car accident in 1982 which left him a quadriplegic.

Just FYI, Harold Melvin is the guy on the far right in the video clip from Soul Train.

“You See Me Crying” – Aerosmith, 1975

The final track of the LP Toys In The Attic features some nice piano from the former Steven Tallarico, and winds down with a grandiose orchestral flourish from these New England hard rockers.

“Here Comes My Baby” – The Tremeloes, 1967

An early effort penned by Cat Stevens, peaked at Hot 100 #13 for this British combo.

“Stop! – Get A Ticket” – The Clefs Of Lavendar Hill, 1966

Despite their Anglo-sounding name, this sibling group was actually from Miami; this was their only 45 to chart on the Hot 100.

“Mecca” – Gene Pitney, 1963

A unique, “Eastern sound” on this single made it a standout on the Hot 100 in 1963, many years before the The Beatles, The Stones, The Yardbirds, etc. found it in the mid 60’s.

“Ride Away” – Roy Orbison, 1965

Roy signed a big deal with MGM Records, but this was his only big hit for the label before he left the label in 1969.  20 years later, “The Big O” made a return to the Hot 100 with “You Got It”, helped by his Wilbury buddies Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty.
Click here to see the Geico commercial using this as a bed!

“My Back Pages” – The Byrds, 1967

The last Top 40 hit for this band, off the pen of Bob Dylan, peaked at Hot 100 #30.

“No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature” – The Guess Who, 1970

The 45 version of this LP medley was the flip side of “American Woman”, which topped the Hot 100 for 3 weeks.

8pm – 9pm  Happy Hour.  Sounds of the 70’s & 80’s

As we kick off the Happy Hour, some more sounds from the Birthday Calendar:

“Upside Down” – Diana Ross, 1980

After leaving The Supremes in 1969, and having a very successful solo career in the 70’s Diana turned to the red hot production team of Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards (Chic) to update her sound.  This rhythmic number topped the Hot 100 for 4 weeks in the late summer of 1980.

“Ain’t Nobody” – Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, 1983

Chaka Khan supplied the vocals for some of the funkiest soul sounds of the 70’s, and after a short hiatus for a solo career, the band reformed for one last gasp in 1983; peaked at Hot 100 #22.

“Emotions In Motion” – Ric Ocasek, 1986

Lead songwriter and vocalist of The Cars, this was Ric’s only Top 40 solo hit, peaking at Hot 100 #15.  Ironically, his band mate and other vocalist of The Cars, the late Ben Orr, also had his only solo hit in 1986 with “Stay The Night”.

More hits from 3/28/1977

Here Comes Those Tears Again (45 version) – Jackson

 Browne – BB Hot 100 #23

This 45 version is available only on 7 “ vinyl; Hot 100 #23 hit 

features Bonnie Raitt on harmony vocals, and a guitar solo 

from John Hall (Orleans).

The First Cut Is The Deepest (45 version) – Rod Stewart – 
BB Hot 100 #27

This oft-covered ballad off the pen of Cat Stevens peaked at

 Hot 100 #21. You can find the 45 version on various Rod 

Stewart CD anthologies, although tonight it’s off the original 

Warner Brothers 45.

I Wanna Get Next To You (45 version) – Rose Royce – 

BB Hot 100 #36

After Norman Whitfield left Motown he discovered this L.A. 

soul band and got them on the soundtrack of the movie Car 

Wash.  The title track was a #1 smash hit, while this, the 

follow-up, also charted respectably at Hot 100 #10.

Couldn’t Get It Right – Climax Blues Band – BB Hot 100 

#37

This band received much FM airplay and sold many LP’s

 until their breakthrough onto the Hot 100 in 1977, which 

peaked at Hot 100 #3.  Their only other Top 40 hit was “I 

Love You” in 1981.

Lonely Boy – Andrew Gold – BB Hot 100 #72

Multi-talented singer, songwriter and instrumentalist the late

 Andrew Gold was a major part of Linda Ronstadt’s sound

 of the mid 70’s, before going solo.  This song was released 

in both a short version (4:00) and a long version (4:22).  Here

on Remnants tonight we heard the long version.

“He’s A Rebel” – The Boones, 1977

A little history lesson here on Remnants: this was the flip-

side of the #1 Billboard single of 1977, “You Light Up My 

Life” by Debby Boone (#1 for 10 weeks!  Yikes!).  The only 

place to find this version is on the 7” vinyl, and while it ain’t 

The Crystals, it’s not half bad, with a really nice sax solo.

“Eyes Of Silver” – The Doobie Brothers, 1974

“The Jean Genie” – David Bowie, 1972

The title is a pun of French playwright Jean Genet, and a 

thinly-veiled homage to Iggy Pop; peaked at Hot 100 #72.

“Girl Goodbye” – Toto, 1978

“Shakedown Street” – The Grateful Dead, 1978




Host Next Week (April 4th):  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.