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
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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]
Date: 8/20/16
Host: JR
Feature: 1980
As I was doing research for this week, none of the chart dates from the 1970's did much for me, so I checked into the Billboard 1980's charts, and late summer 1980 leaped out at me! It brought back memories of my very early days as an FM dj and also the only year I worked in professional radio at "The Whale" in Binghamton. All the 1980 tunes we play tonight were "crossover" songs; played on both FM and AM radio, although in just a few years, most AM stations would convert to talk, news or sports radio. For the birthday calendar a tribute to Jimmy Webb, and his composition "All I Know" by Art Garfunkel in the 45 corner Also for summer, a giveaway from Atlas Bowl in T-burg for one hour of free bowling! Great stuff on a Saturday Night..
6pm – 7pm
Let My Love Open The Door – Pete Townshend – BB Hot 100 #9
-This is Pete's highest charting solo single, peaking on the Hot 100 this week
Late In The Evening – Paul Simon – BB Hot 100 #13
- With Phil Collins on vocals, Genesis transformed from art-rock to pop-rock and was a hit machine in the 80's and 90's.
Jo Jo – Boz Scaggs – BB Hot 100 #17
- Boz's hit singles were winding down in 1980 and this was one of his last, peaking at Hot 100 #17 this week
Tulsa Time – Eric Clapton – BB Hot 100 #30
-This was a #1 Country hit for Don Williams in 1978
Don't Ask Me Why – Billy Joel – BB Hot 100 #32
-Climbing the Hot 100 as his former #1 "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" was descending.
Coming Up (Live At Glasgow) – Paul McCartney & Wings – BB Hot 100 #34
- Originally on the "b" side of the single (which had the studio version on the "a" side), this was the version that hit #1 on the Hot 100 for 3 weeks
I'm Alright – Kenny Loggins – BB Hot 100 #36
- Who could forget this song playing over the opening credits of Caddyshack? Certainly one of the most quotable movies of all time, check out the link to see my favorite, featuring the hilarious Rodney Dangerfield!
Winding up the first hour of Remnants we move back 3 decades for 2 classics from the 1950's:
"Young Blood" - The Coasters, 1956
"Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes - Chuck Willis, 1958
7pm - 8pm
August 15th - Jimmy Webb, 70
August 19th - Johnny Nash, 76
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), 71
August 20th - Robert Plant, 68
Isaac Hayes, 1942
Songwriter Jimmy Webb celebrated his 70th birthday on the 15th, and so to start the Birthday Calendar, a mini-tribute; Click here for the full bio and songbook of Jimmy.
"Up, Up and Away" - 5th Dimension, 1967
"Where's The Playground Susie" - Glen Campbell, 1969
"Galveston" - Glen Campbell, 1969
- Jimmy's was Glen's favorite songwriter in the late 60's, scoring with 5 of his compositions.
"Worst That Could Happen" - The Brooklyn Bridge, 1969
"MacArthur Park" - Donna Summer, 1978
- How can you do a tribute to Jimmy Webb without this? I picked Donna's version because it was the only one to hit the top of the Hot 100, 3 weeks!
More Jimmy Webb next hour... now back to our regular programming:
"Society's Child" - Janis Ian, 1967
-It took 8 years for Janis to follow up her first Top 10 single ("At Seventeen" in 1975).
"You Turn Me On (Turn On Song)" - Ian Whitcomb And Bluesville, 1965
"Where Were You When I Needed You" - The Grass Roots, 1966
- First charting single for this California combo peaked at Hot 100 #28
"Spicks And Specks" - Bee Gees, 1966
- A very early single release from the Brothers Gibb did not chart here in the U.S.
"These Arms Of Mine" - Otis Redding, 1963
- Otis' debut on the Hot 100 only limped up to #85. Too bad because some music critics site this as one of the finest debut singles in chart history.
"Pipeline" - The Chantays, 1963
- Cowabunga, dude...
"Winchester Cathedral" - New Vaudeville Band, 1966
- #1 on the Hot 100 for 3 weeks in '66; American were nuts for anything British!
"Eleanor Rigby" - Bobbie Gentry, 1968
"Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends" - Phil Ochs, 1968
- The only charting single for folksinger Ochs peaked at Bubbling Under #118. He tragically committed suicide on 4/9/1976. Click on the title to read the history of this controversial 45.
8pm - 9pm Happy Hour
The Birthday Calendar rolls on with Isaac Hayes, Johnny Nash, Robert Plant and Ian Gillan:
"By The Time I Get To Phoenix" - Isaac Hayes, 1969
- First charting single for noted songwriter and band leader and... penned by Jimmy Webb!
"I Can See Clearly Now" - Johnny Nash, 1972
"Space Truckin'" - Deep Purple, 1973
- Off the LP Machine Head, this is one of Ian Gillan's finest and furious vocals.
"Hot Dog" - Led Zeppelin, 1979
"Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night" - Robert Plant, 1987
- The former off Led Zep's last studio LP "In Through The Out Door. The latter is a cover of a Kenny Dino 1961 hit; apparently Bob was a big fan of Kenny! Who woulda thunk?
Back to our Chart Date of 8/20/1980
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen - BB Hot 100 #50
- Climbing the chart all the way to #1 on 10/4/1980 for 3 weeks.
The Legend Of Wooley Swamp - Charlie Daniels Band - BB Hot 100 #74
Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel - BB Hot 100 #80
- Gabriel's second charting single, this fell just short of the Top 40 @ #48. Featuring Kate Bush on background vocals; "Jeux Sans Frontieres".
45 Corner
"All I Know" - Art Garfunkel, 1973
- The last of our Jimmy Webb tunes, this is the mono radio station promo version, only available on 7" vinyl 45; I couldn't find an image on the internet, so here's the 45 sleeve.
I'm Almost Ready - Pure Prairie League - BB Hot 100 #79
- Future Country Music superstar Vince Gill was the lead singer of PPL in 1980!
This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide - The Kings - BB Hot 100 #90
- The only American hit for this Canadian quartet peaked at Hot 100 #43.
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Trivia Answer
Congratulations to Justine from Ithaca, for winning an hour of free bowling at Atlas Bowl in Trumansburg!
Host Next Week (8/27): KV with a spotlight on August of 1976!
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.
