8/15/15 - JS - Songs of Summers Past

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:  August 15, 2015
Host:  John Simon
Feature:  Songs of Summers Past




Instead of focusing on a specific year from a particular chart date, tonight we play a blend of songs that were on the radio in Summers past: big hits, non-charting records, odes to Summertime and your requests. We'll also pause for a moment to remember British Pop singer Cilla Black, who recently passed away in her native England. It's cheap date night. Dial us in and turn it up!

 

Birthday Calendar


August 10 – Ronnie Spector (Ronettes) – age 72
            – Bobby Hatfield (Righteous Bros.) – born in 1940
           
August 12 – Buck Owen – born in 1929
            
August 14 – Dash Crofts (Seals & Crofts) – age 69
            – David Crosby (Byrds, CSN) – age 74
            
August 15 – Jimmy Webb – age 69
          





Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia


Can you name the first song in a foreign language to top the Hot 100 in the 1960's?

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)




Playlist


[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of DATE; 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)


On a Summer Night - Sugar Canyon (6/68; dnc - tonight we kick the show off with an obscure nugget on the Buddah Records label. Buddah liked this song so much, they also released it a year later under the name "Rock and Roll Double Bubble Trading Card Company of Philadelphia 1941!")






Lazy Day/98.6 - Lesley Gore (6/69; dnc - last week we played the b-side of this, her final single on the Mercury label. Despite top-notch production values and the pairing of two songs be the same writing team, this one went nowhere.)







Save It For Me - 4 Seasons Featuring "The Sound" of Frankie Valli (8/64; #10 - one of a string of NYC productions penned by Bob Gaudio and produced by Bob Crewe. The band was cooking on all cylinders, despite the success of the British Invasion bands.)

Wade In the Water - Ramsey Lewis (7/66; #19 - this was a pumping and driving adaptation of an old Gospel hymn.)

Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes (8/64; #1 - this Detroit trio seemed to going nowhere until this record caught fire and began a remarkable run of five consecutive #1 singles. After two Top 20 "disappointments," they'd have another four-in-a-row topping the Pop chart!)







One Summer Night - The Danleers (7/58; #7 - these one-hit wonders hailed from Brooklyn and were named for their manager Danny Webb, who penned their only charting hit.)

* Watermelon Man - Mongo Santamaria (3/63; #10 - written by Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and requested by a listener who professed his love  -  and his granddaughter's  -  for this summertime thirst-quenching fruit.)

* Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful (8/66; #1 - co-written by John Sebastian and his brother, and requested by listener Mark who was really wrestling with the heat and humidity in NYC on this night.)

Hello Mary Lou - Ricky Nelson (8/61; at #48 this week after peaking at #9 - Imperial Records designated this classic as the "b-side" of the record, and may have been statistically correct, because the "a-side" reached #1. Despite the success of Travelin' Man, this remains one of the greatest records ever, thanks in no small part to guitarist James Burton.)






Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker (8/61; #8 - one of a slew of dance records to come out on the Cameo-Parkway Records label. This one was specifically designed to catch the "summer" crowd's attention.)

The Twist - Hank Ballard & His Midnighters (4/59; #16 R&B; 7/60; #20 - this was the original hit version of the record Chubby Checker would copy note-for-note and take to the top of the chart both in the Summer of 1960 and in the Fall of 1961.)

It's All Over Now - Rolling Stones (8/64; #26 - penned by Bobby Womack for his band The Valentinos, this record would be the first of six consecutive #1's in England for the self-proclaimed "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band In The World.")

45 Corner: Telephone (Won't You Ring) - Shelley Fabares (1/63; #109 - her credentials as a successful actress in a popular TV show aside, Shelley wasn't much of a singer. This Colpix Records single failed to chart, despite being a Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil composition, stellar studio playing by LA's famed Wrecking Crew and vocal support from Darlene Love & The Blossoms. Watch the Stone family grow through six years of opening credits on The Donna Reed Show here!)






* Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett (4/77; #8 - requested by Barbara in Danby, who was sipping a Saturday night margarita on her porch with her radio on. Rub it in, Barbara!)

* The Way You Do the Things You Do - Temptations (2/64; #11 - one of a string of early Motown tunes written and produced by Smokey Robinson and featuring the lead vocals of tenor Eddie Kendrick. This was a request and dedication from David to his "sweetie Michelle in Newfield.")

7-8pm

Be My Baby - Ronettes (8/63; #2 for three weeks - the first big hit for the girls, featuring the iconic drum beat of the Wrecking Crew's Hal Blaine. Rolling Stone Magazine would rank this as #22 in its RRS500 list.)

Ebb Tide - Righteous Brothers (12/65; #5 - much as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was a solo performance by Bill Medley for much of the record, this one was a brilliant showcase for Bobby Hatfield's soaring tenor.)

My Back Pages - The Byrds (4/67; #30 - penned by Bob Dylan, this was one of the final Byrds singles to have David Crosby in the fold. He would soon leave for greener pastures and a different record label. Check out the incredible line-up in this concert performance!)

Act Naturally - Buck Owens (4/63; #1 C&W for four weeks - this one somehow came to the attention of The Beatles, who put it on the b-side of their #1 "Yesterday." Their version would make it all the way to #47 two years after Buck Owens' original.)






* I Should've Known Better - The Beatles (7/64; #53 - this b-side of "A Hard Day's Night" was one of six charting songs from their critically-acclaimed black-and-white film. Thanks to listener Chip for the request.)

Is It Love - Cilla Black (3/65; #135 - this lush ballad failed to chart for the British Pop singer from Liverpool. She was discovered working as a hat check girl in the Cavern Club and went on to become a big star in her native England. She sadly passed away at age 72 just last week. R.I.P.)

Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell (11/68; #3 Pop, #1 C&W - one of Jimmy Webb's greatest moments as a songwriter, featuring the bass playing of the Wrecking Crew's Carol Kaye and a bass guitar solo by the accomplished Glen Campbell himself.)

Love Years Comin' - Strawberry Children (6/67; dnc - a rare vocal performance by bandleader and songwriter Jim Webb, released on the Soul City label to little fanfare. Some say it was heavily influenced by Brian Wilson's God Only Knows. You be the judge....)

Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf (7/68; #2 for three weeks - the chart debut for this hard rock band on the "soft pop" Dunhill label. This comes from the brand-new comprehensive singles compilation on the Real Gone label. First-time punchy mono single mix on CD!)






The River Is Wide - The Forum (7/67; #45 - speaking of Dunhill Records, The Grassroots would take this same song to #31 on the Pop chart in the Spring of '69. Here's the original version: punchy and mono and rough around the edges.)

I'm On the Outside Looking In - Little Anthony & The Imperials (8/64; #15 - a beautiful showcase for the dramatic vocal stylings of Brooklyn's own Little Anthony Gourdine. You can practically feel his heartbreak....)

45 Corner: Lazy Summer Night - The Four Preps (8/58; #23 -  featured in the film "Andy Hardy Comes Home," starring Mickey Rooney. Last week we played the flipside, this week you get "the hit side.)






Primrose Lane - Jerry Wallace (7/59; #8 - a big crossover hit on the C&W charts and the Adult Contemporary chart, along with Billboard's "Hot 100.")

It Could Be We're In Love - Cryan Shames (8/67; #85 - this major-label release spent six weeks at #1 in their native Chicago, but never quite caught on with the rest of the country. Pity  -  it's a terrific Summertime anthem!)

Black Is Black - Los Bravos (8/66; #4 - this band formed in Spain and featured a German-born lead singer, and recorded this nearly-perfect single for their only bona fide hit.)

8-9pm




Two Of A Kind - Sue Thompson (3/62; #42 - Sue Thompson was best known for her "novelty records," but this is a great example of her Nashville lush ballad days. She went on to record a number of C&W hits into the Eighties.)

Mohair Sam - Charlie Rich (8/65; #21 - Charlie Rich recorded some terrific singles for Smash Records, but this is the only one that charted. An interesting fact: a number of his crossover C&W hits from the Seventies were recorded at this time in his career.)






Trivia Answer: Sukiyaki - Kyu Sakamoto (6/63; #1 - Newsweek Magazine had this to say about this record back in 1963: "It was like releasing MOON RIVER in Japan with the title BEEF STEW." The lyrics are heartbreakingly beautiful. 
"Sadness hides in the shadows of the stars
Sadness lurks in the shadow of the moon
I look up when I walk so the tears won't fall."
"Sukiyaki," my foot!)

Guantanamera - Sandpipers (8/66; #9 - Pete Seeger adapted the words of poet Jose Marti and recorded this in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1963. The Sandpipers adapted his version  -  down to the spoken interlude  -  and created a terrific hit record.)

Harvest For the World - Isley Brothers (8/76; #63 Pop, #9 R&B - from their album of the same name, released on their own T-Neck Records label.)

* Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts (9/72; #6 - from their album of the same name. Coincidentally, the Isley Brothers would also take this one to the Top Ten on the R&B chart two years later.)

Boogie Nights - Heatwave (7/77; #2 for two weeks - a great dance hit from the Disco days. Hard to believe that their follow-up record would be the slow and soulful Always & Forever!)

Music Is Love - David Crosby (5/71; #95 - the only charting single from his If I Could Only Remember By Name LP was co-written with Graham Nash and Neil Young. Beautiful!)





Be Nice To Me - Todd Rundgren (5/71; #71 - pretty tune from an under-appreciated musical force who's still making great music.)

Be Thankful for What You Got - William DeVaughn (7/74; #4 Pop, #1 R&B - an out-of-the-blue gem on the small Roxbury Records label that is often mistaken for a Curtis Mayfield tune  -  and for good reason!)

45 Corner: Be Thankful for What You Got (Pt. II) - William DeVaughn (an extension of side one that is mostly instrumental, and features some lovely interplay between the guitarist and vibraphone player.)






* Honey - Bobby Goldsboro (4/68; #1 for five weeks - a request that came in too late last week. This one features some of Nashville's finest studio players, and they all knew they'd just recorded a big, big hit when they heard the playback.)

It's a Crazy World - Mac McAnally (7/77; #37 - we featured this on The 45 Corner last week and it skipped. Tonight  -  as promised  -  I play the mono side, which has no skips.)

 

CLOSING THEME:  Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)






Trivia Answer


"Volare" and "Dominique" were the two top guesses for tonight's trivia game, but the correct answer to the question "What is the first song in a foreign language to reach #1 in the States?" was..........."Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto.

Congratulations to Lew from Newfield for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis!








Host Next Week (8/22/15):  John Rudan with a spotlight on August 1970





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.