11/28/2015 - JR - 1972 + Cowbell feature

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: November 28, 2015
Host: JR

Rockin' Remnants, the best of the 50's, 60's and 70's every Saturday night!  The birthday calendar comes to you at 7:00, The Eagles are in the 45 Corner, then some sounds of the Holiday season and... a tribute to the mighty cowbell.  Cowbell???  Yes, cowbell!  Tonight in the first hour we check out the sounds of the late fall 1972.

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]

6pm – 7pm

I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash – BB Hot 100 #1, 4 

weeks

The song that became associated with eternal optimism(and 

clear vision) in future years, sat atop the chart for a month,

one of the biggest hits of the year!

I'd Love You To Want Me – Lobo – BB Hot 100 #2


The highest-charting single for Floridian Kent Lavoie, this 

sat behind Mr. Nash for 2 weeks.

I'll Be Around – Spinners – BB Hot 100 #3

This soul quintet moved from Detroit to Philly in the early 

70's, and under the guidance of producer Thom Bell scored 

hits through the decade and into the early 80's.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone – The Temptations – BB Hot 

100 #5

This single would ascend to the top of the Hot 100 on 12/2

 and stay there for 1 week.  Happy 86th birthday today to 

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr.

If You Don't Know Me By Now – Harold Melvin And The

 Blue Notes – BB Hot 100 #7

Another stellar and magnificent production from Thom Bell, 

featuring the soaring vocals of Teddy Pendergrass.  I LOVE 

the strings on this!

Freddie's Dead – Curtis Mayfield – BB Hot 100 #12

From Detroit to Philly to Chicago, there were great soul 

sounds all over the Hot 100 in the early 70's; this one from 

the groundbreaking soundtrack of Superfly.

Something's Wrong With Me – Austin Roberts – BB 

Hot 100 #13



This single release from Virginia native Roberts peaked on 

the chart this week in 1972.

Sweet Surrender – Bread – BB Hot 100 #30

David Gates and band had 11 straight Top 40 single

 releases between 1970 - 1972; this one peaked at Hot 100 

#15.

Walk On Water– Neil Diamond – BB Hot 100 #34

This 45 had an uncredited instrumental at the end later 

called "Theme".  Most AM stations at the time played the 

whole song, and it's the way I remember it back 43 years 

ago.

 

45 Corner

Witchy Woman – The Eagles – BB Hot 100 #16

The 2nd single release from The Eagles Asylum Records 

debut, this 45 version is in mono, and contains edits in the

 instrumental breaks to bring the running time under 4 

minutes, still a must for AM radio in the early 70's, and this

 version is only available on the vinyl 45.  A Rockin' 

Remnants exclusive!

Thunder And Lightning – Chi Coltrane – BB Hot 100 #37



Nice blue-eyed soul vocal from this Wisconsin native 

peaked at Hot 100 #17.  Unfortunately, she never able to 

follow with another hit single and became yet another 70's 

one-hit-wonder.

Keeper Of The Castle – Four Tops – BB Hot 100 #41


In 1972, Four Tops left Motown Records and signed with 

ABC/Dunhill where they had a few hits, including this, their

 label debut which peaked at Hot 100 #10; gotta love that 

wah-wah guitar!

7pm – 8pm

Birthday Calendar

^{November 25th - Percy Sledge, 1940}
                        

November 26th  – Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock), 77

                       
November 27th – Jimi Hendrix, 1942

                             

November 28th - Berry Gordy, Jr., 86

                           Randy Newman, 72
    
               

"Take Time To Know Her" – Percy Sledge, 1968

"I'll Be Your Everything", 1974






Percy (who passed away in April of this year) is best known for "When A Man Loves A Woman" from 1966 and probably one of the most songs played ever.  But he also had other fine soul hits during the 60's which tend to get overlooked; the first one we'll hear is his second biggest hit (Hot 100 #11), and then an uncovered gem on Capricorn Records from 1974 only made it to Hot 100 #62 despite another stunning vocal and "church organ" sound of his other hits.

“I Want To Take You Higher” – Ike And Tina Turner & The Ikettes, 1970

This cover version, featuring Tina on lead vocals (Hot 100 #34) eclipsed the Sly Stone original by 2 spots (Hot 100 # 36, 1969).

"Stone Free" – The Jimi Hendrix Experience, 1969

This was released as a single on Reprise Records and Bubbled Under at #130 for 1 week.  The driving percussion sound by Mitch Mitchell foreshadows our cowbell feature coming up a little later in the program.

“Short People” – Randy Newman, 1977

Randy is probably better known for his songwriting more than his singing, but this was his biggest pop hit, peaking at #2 for 3 weeks.  Vertically-challenged folks missed the true meaning of this song, and railed against Newman for years.  Click here for Randy's bio, and click here for a blurb on "Short People".

This show is my only appearance during the Holiday Season this year, so here are a few of my seasonal favorites!

“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire” – Nat "King" Cole, 1946

"Mary's Boy Child" - Harry Belafonte, 1956

"Do You Hear What I Hear" - Bing Crosby, 1963

Spotlight on the cowbell!



Here on Remnants we've spotlighted instruments in the past, most recently the sax and the banjo, and tonight we pay tribute to the humble, yet mighty, cowbell.  This feature was at least partially inspired by the SNL skit from 2000, featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell as fictional BOC member Gene Frenkle, and inspired the phrase "More cowbell"!  Click here to see a clip!

So, now we present a history of the cowbell in popular music, 1957 - 1977.  Here's a blurb, and a little more history on this versatile percussion instrument... 

"Suzie-Q" - Dale Hawkins, 1957. Top 100 #47

"Limbo Rock" - The Champs, 1962, Hot 100 #41

"Drive My Car" - The Beatles, 1965

"Grazin' In The Grass" - Hugh Masekela, 1968, Hot 100 #1






"Time Has Come Today" - The Chambers Brothers, 1968, Hot 100 #11

"Born On The Bayou" - Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1969

8pm - 9pm, More Cowbell...

"Honky Tonk Women" - The Rolling Stones, 1969, Hot 100 #1






"Mississippi Queen" - Mountain, 1970, Hot 100 #21

"We're An American Band" - Grand Funk, 1973, Hot 100 #1

"Low Rider" - War, 1975, Hot 100 #7

"Gold Dust Woman" - Fleetwood Mac, 1977

"Lonely Boy" - Andrew Gold, 1977, Hot 100 #7






"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult, 1976, Hot 100 #12


"I Fall To Pieces" - Patsy Cline, 1961, Hot 100 #12

Patsy was one of the early "crossover" country artists, but was killed in a tragic plane crash on 3/5/1963.  One of the best voices in any genre!

"He's Got The Whole World (In His Hands_" - Laurie London, 1958, Top 100 #2

Before The Beatles, The Stones, and other British Invaders, there was 13 year old Laurie London pouring his little heart into this American spiritual.

"Just Our Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)" - Solomon Burke, 1961, Hot 100 #24

Trivia alert:  Solomon never sings "Open Arms", but rather "Empty Arms".

"Cry Baby" - Garnett Mimms & The Enchanters, 1963, Hot 100 #4

NYC soul group under the wings of famed producer Bert Berns.

"Wonderful World" - Sam Cooke, 1960, Hot 100  #12






This wistful tune, co-written by Herb Alpert, also hit the Hot 100 in cover versions by Herman's Hermits (1965) and Art Garfunkel (1978).

"Travelin' Man" - Ricky Nelson, 1961, Hot 100 #1, 2 weeks




The flip side of this "Hello Mary Lou" also charted at Hot 100 #9.

"Ruby Baby" - Dion, 1963, Hot 100 #2, 3 weeks

There is some disagreement as to best version of this song: the original by The Drifters in 1956 or this Dion cover.  I like both, because they are very different.

"Stir It Up" - Johnny Nash, 1973
"Barracuda" - Heart, 1977





The last time I was on the air (10/24), doing an all vinyl show, I indicated to you, the listeners, that I had the 45 versions of Johnny Nash and Heart (mono radio promo).  Unfortunately, I grabbed the wrong versions and played the stereo LP versions of both.  So, tonight, as we wind down Remnants, here are both the correct 45 versions, neither of which is available on LP or CD or MP3!



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.










Host Next Week (12/05/15):  JS with a spotlight on December 1969