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: 2/20/16
Host: John Simon
Feature: Supersonic Stereo
This time last week it was 14 below. Today it's T-shirt weather! Time for something celebratory and different: how about three hours of Supersonic Stereophonic Fun with JS??? Plenty of newly-remastered music has come out recently. You'll want both ears for this one. 6-9 Eastern time on 93.5 FM. The stream is currently down. Engineering has been contacted. Hope to see you there!
Birthday Calendar
February 15 - Brian Holland (Motown) - age 75
February 16 - Sonny Bono - born in 1935
February 17 - Tommy Edwards - born in 1922
- Gene Pitney - born in 1940
February 19 - Smokey Robinson (Miracles) - age 76
- Bobby Rogers (Miracles - age 76
- Lou Christie - age 73
February 20 - Nancy Wilson - age 79
Buffy Saint-Marie - age 75
Playlist
[songs in bold are from the spotlight album featured above; 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)
Dawn (Go Away) - 4 Seasons (2/64; #3 for three weeks - blocked from the top of the chart by the Beatles' juggernaut, this one features the explosive drumming of Buddy Saltzman, whose nuances are clearly revealed by this new stereo mix.)
Be My Baby - Ronettes (8/63; #2 for three weeks - a Phil Spector-produced masterpiece featuring the unmistakable drumming of Hal Blaine. Rolling Stone ranks this one at #22 in its RS500.)
He's So Fine - Chiffons (2/63; #1 for four weeks - produced by The Tokens, who ended up playing all of the instruments except for the drums, which were provided by studio guy Gary Chester.)
I'm Into Something Good - Herman's Hermits (10/64; #13 - their debut single made it to #1 in the UK. Carole King & Gerry Goffin wrote it. The Cookies' Earl-Jean recorded it first and reached the lower regions of the Top Forty.)
When You Walk Into The Room - Jackie DeShannon (1/64; #99 - produced and arranged by Jack Nitzsche, this record spent one week on the Hot 100. The Searchers would later discover and have a big hit with it. This CD version finally has it at the correct speed.)
* Up On The Roof - Drifters (11/62; #5 - another Goffin-King composition, this one featured the lead voice of Rudy Lewis. He would die at the tender age of 27. This one ranks at #112 in the RS500, and is unavailable in stereo.)
* Then He Kissed Me - Crystals (8/63; #6 - Phil Spector, Jack Nitzsche, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew created the Wall of Sound. La La Brooks sang over it all. Going out to Woody in Danby.)
* Come A Little Bit Closer - Jay & The Americans (9/64; #3 - another one never available in stereo, this one features the unmistakable voice of Jay Black, and goes out to Barbara in Danby.)
Wipe Out - Surfaris (6/63; #2 * re-released 7/66; #16 * re-released 8/70; #110 - every garage band drummer in America had to know this one! First-time stereo!)
Stormy - Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost (10/68; #5 - the first record to give this lead singer separate billing, this would later be released as a single by Santana and adapted by John Legend for his 2006 hit Save Room.)
* Little Arrows - Leapy Lee (10/68; #16 - requested by Lee in Groton, and recently played by our buddy JH on his radio show. Coincidence, or what???)
As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithfull (11/64; #22 - Marianne was 17 when she met the Rolling Stones at a party. They gave her this song and Andrew Loog Oldham turned it into a hit. This is a first-time-stereo creation. Well done!)
* Tell Me - Rolling Stones (7/64; #24 - requested by our man Lew in Newfield and found on their England's Newest Hitmakers LP here in the States. A year later they'd smash the charts with Satisfaction. Fifty years later, they're still touring.)
Heaven Must've Sent You - Elgins (10/66; #50 - this is the musical bed for the latest Rockin' Remnants radio promo. This stereo version comes from The Motown Stereo Box. Get it!)
She's Not There - Zombies (10/64; #2 - this debut single on the Parrot label sounded like nothing before on the Pop charts. Rod Argent on keys, Colin Blunstone on vocals - #291 in the RS500. WVBR DJ Anna Kryczka says "I love the Zombies!")
I've Been There - Tommy Edwards (8/59; #53 - one of a string of smooth ballads on the M-G-M label for this stylish crooner.)
Lightnin' Strikes - Lou Christie (2/19/66; #1 - this record reached #1 on young Lou Sacco's 23rd birthday. Nice birthday gift, eh?)
Choosey Beggar - The Miracles (3/66; #35 R&B - first released in January as the b-side of Going to a Go-Go, this climbed the chart two months later on its own. Bob Dylan once called Smokey Robinson "America's greatest living poet." 'Nuff said.)
Spotlight On Brian Holland:
Brian Holland and his older songwriter brother Eddie teamed with composer Lamont Dozier to collaborate on some of Motown's biggest hits. Brian and Dozier created the music and arrangements, while Eddie wrote lyrics and vocal arrangements. All told, they're responsible for 25 #1 hit singles. Here are three of their classics - in stereo!
In My Lonely Room - Martha & Vandellas (4/64; #44 - Poor Martha and the girls were always pushed to the side when it came to the Holland-Dozier-Holland production and writing team. The Supremes and the Four Tops got most of their attention, but this was a fine record that suited the Vandellas perfectly.)
Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops (8/64; #11 - the Four Tops were singing sophisticated Jazz when they were assigned to the H-D-H production team. This was written specifically for singer Levi Stubbs and the first of many great singles written for the quartet by the trio.)
You Keep Me Hanging On - Supremes (11/66; #1 for two weeks - this was the eighth of ten #1's written for Diana and the girls by H-D-H. Part of this success could be directly attributed to the Funk Brothers' playing, but part of it was that these were great songs.)
What Now My Love - Sonny & Cher (2/66; #14 - six different artists charted with this old chestnut, but Sonny & Cher were the most successful, taking it all the way to #14. She clearly had the better musical instrument, but there was an undeniable charm to their blend....)
Yours Until Tomorrow - Gene Pitney (11/68; #34 UK - another great Goffin-King composition that never charted in the States, although Dee Dee Warwick, Vivian Reed and Cher herself all released it on singles. This version is sublime.)
Yeh Yeh - Georgie Fame (2/65; #21 - this had been a low-charting record for Mongo Santamaria in the Summer of '63, but it was a big hit for the British keyboardist. This is the first time the single edit has been released in stereo. Yeah, yeah!)
Tie Me Kangaroo Down - Rolf Harris (6/63; #3 - this was classified as a Novelty record when it came out, and led to a brief fad of speaking with Australian accents that would be unrivaled until the arrival of Crocodile Dundee in the Eighties.)
45 Corner: These Eyes - Guess Who (4/69; #6 - this one was played just last week on Kim Vaughan's show, but the spotlight shines on it tonight as a classic example of one of the first high-fidelity stereo singles released on the RCA label. Check it out!)
Hey Paula - Paul & Paula (2/63; #1 for three weeks - #1 on this date 53 years ago, tonight we hear it in Digitally Extracted Stereo for the first time. Tasty!)
I Do - Beach Boys (11/63; nr - this comes from the Surfer Girl sessions. Brian Wilson decided to give it the Castells, whose single went nowhere. Shame....it's a great little song!)
Nowhere Man - Beatles (3/66; #3 - a rare break in their impressive string of #1 singles for the Capitol label. Tonight we hear a special remixing from the Yellow Submarine Songtrack CD.)
Western Union - Five Americans (3/67; #5 - Their first single on the Abnak label was also their only Top Twenty hit. Tonight we hear it in stunning stereo fidelity, sounding a whole lot clearer than back in the day!)
Don't You Care - Buckinghams (3/67; #6 - this Chicago quintet placed five singles in the Top Twenty in 1967, making them the most successful American hitmakers of the year.)
I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving - Herman's Hermits (1/68; #22 - their final Top 40 hit comes to you on their Bear Family 50th Anniversary Box Set in stunning extended stereo. Enjoy!)
Go All The Way - Raspberries (7/72; #5 - this was one of the great bar bands from Ohio, led by the charismatic Eric Carmen. This one spent 18 weeks working its way up the ladder, finally peaking in October!)
It's A Heartache - Bonnie Tyler (3/78; #3 - she was from Wales and had a haunting, raspy quality to her voice. Big hit on the RCA label.)
* #9 Dream - John Lennon (12/74; #9 - this trippy, dreamy disc was the follow-up to his #1 Whatever Gets You Through The Night. The request was for Working Class Hero, but that one has the big bad "F-word" in it...twice. No can do.)
* Town Without Pity - Gene Pitney (10/61; #13 - he recorded for the Musicor label for his entire career. This was the title track to the Kirk Douglas western. Big drama!)
Helpless - Buffy Saint-Marie (1971; dnc - written by Neil Young, produced and arranged by her husband Jack Nitzsche and released as a single on the Vanguard Records label. Happy birthday to Buffy Saint-Marie.)
* 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) - Harpers Bizarre (2/67; #13 - Simon & Garfunkel made this the B-side of At The Zoo, so Harpers Bizarre released it as an A-side. It was a win/win - AND a win - for the band, for songwriter Paul Simon and for both David in Vancouver and Judy in Ithaca who requested it).
Pretty Lady - Lighthouse (11/73; #53 - the final charting record - and the first released on the Polydor label - for this Ontario-based band with the singing drummer, that combined horns with a driving rhythm section. This is a good record that deserved to do better....)
I Can't Find The Time - Rose Colored Glass (4/71; #54 - the original was a regional hit for the Boston-based Orpheus. This Bang Records release charted higher, but the other one still sounds majestic while this one sounds thin - in my opinion, of course.)
45 Corner: How Long - Ace (3/75; #3 - Paul Carrack wrote this - not about an unfaithful lover, but a two-timing band member - and it was released on Anchor Records. The single version appears on no CDs in the US. Slightly shorter and slightly faster than the LP version, you get it here tonight in "The 45 Corner!")
* Honeycomb - Jimmie Rodgers (9/57; #1 - his first charting single on the national chart spent four weeks at #1. His career mysteriously came to a halt when he was violently assaulted on a San Diego freeway in 1967. Rumour has it that the mob was involved, and that it was over shady record finances. Chip requested this one two weeks ago.)
* The Wanderer - Dion (12/61; #2 - Dion had parted ways with The Belmonts a year earlier. This follow-up to his #1 smash Runaround Sue is ranked at #239 in the RS500 and features background vocals by the Del-Satins. Tonight we hear a super stereo mix that runs to a cold ending, from a source of questionable validity. A Rockin' Remnants exclusive!)
Ooo Baby Baby - MIracles (3/65; #16 Pop, #4 R&B - by all rights, the show should've ended after the Dion song - but Smokey [bottom left] & Bobby Rogers [upper left] both shared a birthday on the 19th and I want to play one more. This clocks in at #262 in the RS500. Smokey calls it his "national anthem." I just might second that emotion.)
Host Next Week (2/27/16): John Rudan with a spotlight on 1970
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