Saturday, March 11, 2017

Mar 4, 2017 - JS - 1959



Rockin' Remnants




Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our
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Date:  March 4, 2017
Host:  John Simon
Feature:  1959 PLUS a Spotlight on Music from the Motor City (and none of it Motown!)





Image result for 1959 Image result for 1959
 







Birthday Calendar


February 26 Fats Domino – age 89
            Mitch Ryderage 72
            Evie Sandsage 70

February 28Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) – born in 1942
           

March 1Roger Daltrey (The Who) – age 73
            Mike D'Abo (Manfred Mann) – age 73
           
March 2George Benson – age 74
            Karen Carpenter – born in 1950


March 4Bobby Womackborn in 1944
            Mary Wilson (Supremes) – age 73








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)

Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price (fourth and final week at #1 on both Pop & R&B)
Image result for lloyd price - stagger lee (1958)     Image result for lloyd price - stagger lee (1958)


Venus - Frankie Avalon (headed to #1 for a five week run for the Philadelphia teen sensation)

I Cried a Tear - LaVern Baker (peaking on thius date at #6 Pop, but it would spend five weeks at #2 on the R&B chart)

Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson (down to #14 after a peak at #7 Pop  -  and seven weeks at #1 R&B!)

Please Mr. Sun - Tommy Edwards (at #39, headed to #11 Pop - the flip side was The Other Side Of The Mountain, which also charted and was later covered by Donny & Marie Osmond. Tonight we hear the mono MGM 45.)
Image result for please mr. sun tommy edwards     Image result for morning side tommy edwards


Spotlight On The Motor City: Music from Detroit!

(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet - The Reflections (4/64; #6 - this, like many Detroit records, featured the uncredited playing of a bunch of Motown Records' "Funk Brothers.")

Cool Jerk - The Capitols (4/66; #7 Pop, #2 R&B - a rollicking dance number that reached #1 in several urban centers, including Detroit and Philly.)

45 Corner:   Ramblin' Gamblin' Man - Bob Seger System (12/68; #17- Bob Seger was a staple of '70s and '80s radio, but he got his start as a tough-rockin' bar-band player. He still refuses to release these early singles on CD. Here's the punchy mono 45 on the Capitol label..)
Image result for Ramblin' Gamblin' Man - Bob Seger System 45   Image result for Bob Seger System


S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight) - Edwin Starr (12/66; #48 - on the small Ric-Tic label, this was one of the main reasons that Berry Gordy bought the label: so that he could add Edwin Starr to his roster, and so that the Funk Brothers would stop "moonlighting" for competing labels.)

 Image result for S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight) - Edwin Starr      Image result for S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight) - Edwin Starr

Everlasting Love - Carl Carlton (9/74; #6 - Carl's first hits were recorded when he was a young Detroit teen, and he was presented as an alternative to "Little" Stevie Wonder. This was his biggest crossover hit. Two-and-a-half minutes of musical magic!)
Image result for Little Carl Carlton     Image result for Little Carl Carlton


Journey To The Center of Your Mind - Amboy Dukes 6/68; #16 - another tough-rockin' working class Detroit group. This one featured a young guitar slinger named Ted Nugent.)

House of the Rising Sun - Frijid Pink (2/70; #7 - this was a far cry from the Animals' hit version, and even a farther cry from the Joan Baez recording of the old folk song. Hard-driving metal on the Parrot Records label.)
Image result for House of the Rising Sun - Frijid Pink    Image result for House of the Rising Sun - Frijid Pink


Raspberries, Strawberries - Kingston Trio (at #80 this week, headed to #70. These guys singlehandedly opened the door for Peter, Paul & Mary and other "Folk" acts, including....Bob Dylan.)


Just a Matter of Time - Brook Benton (at #15 this week and headed to #3 Pop. It would spend a whopping nine weeks at #1 on the R&B chart!)


* Birthday - The Beatles (1968 - never released as a single by the band, but a staple of Real Rock Radio. This goes out to Wild Bill from Groton on his birthday.)





7-8pm



Jenny Take a Ride - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (12/65; #10 - the chart debut for a young white kid from the heart of Detroit. The medley of CC Rider and Jenny Take a Ride featured the band singing "see...see Mitch Ryder!")
Image result for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels


Love Child - Diana Ross & The Supremes (11/68; #1 for two weeks - the Supremes had recently replaced founding member Florence Ballard, but the hits kept on a-comin'. Mary Wilson would outlast Diana Ross as the only remaining original band member to appear on all of their records.)
Image result for Love Child - Diana Ross & The Supremes


Any Way That You Want Me - Evie Sands (8/69; #59 - the American Breed scored with a low-charting version of this a year earlier, but this was one time where Evie Sands wasn't "robbed" of a hit. Read a short history of her tortured career here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evie_Sands)

* Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino (10/56; #2 Pop, #1 R&B for 11 weeks! - this is probably his signature tune. Tonight we hear a first-time stereo version from our friends at Eric Records.)

Domino - Van Morrison (11/70; #9 - Van Morrison has a history of recording tributes to his mentors and heroes. This one gave him his highest-charting single.)

The Might Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo) - Manfred Mann (3/68; #10 Pop - this record spent two weeks at #1 in the U.K. and featured the terrific Pop voice of Mike D'Abo. Another first-time stereo version.)

* Lady Jane - Rolling Stones (7/66; #24 - this charting b-side featured multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones on Appalachian dulcimer.)
Image result for brian jones rolling stones

Without Your Love - Roger Daltrey (9/80; #20 - his body of work with The Who is impressive and well-known. Here's a very tasty solo single that shows his kinder and gentler side.)

Since I Don't Have You - Skyliners (quietly lurking at #83 on this date in 1959, this record would eventually climb to #12 Pop and #3 on the R&B chart. First-time stereo from the folks at Eric Records.
Image result for Since I Don't Have You - Skyliners    Image result for Since I Don't Have You - Skyliners


* Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home) - Impalas (headed to #2 on this date - nice outing for a mixed-race band from Brooklyn, NY!)

A Lover's Question - Clyde McPhatter (at #32, down from a peak position of #6 Pop and #1 R&B for the former Drifters lead singer.)

It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Buddy Holly (Buddy Holly's plane had gone down on February 3rd. The record company released this on Feb. 23 and it was on its way to #13 on our spotlight date. It would spend two weeks at #1 in the UK.)
Image result for buddy holly plane crash newspaper article


Donna - Ritchie Valens (peaking on this date at #2, one month after Richie died in the plane crash that also took Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.)

Try Me - James Brown (at #73 this week, down from a peak of #48 Pop - and #1 R&B. This lilting ballad was a far cry from the funky style of the future "Godfather of Soul.")

Everybody Likes to Cha-Cha-Cha -  Sam Cooke (at #61 this week, headed to #31 Pop and #2 R&B. The man could swing as good as he could croon!)






8-9pm




Come Softly To Me - The Fleetwoods (quietly positioned in the "Bubbling Under" section of the Pop chart, this little item on the Dolton label would rocket to the top just five weeks later and stay there for an entire month.)
 Image result for Come Softly To Me - The Fleetwoods

A Groovy Kind of Love - Mindbenders (3/65; #2 - Wayne Fontana had left the group to become a solo superstar. The remaining members decided to soldier on on their own and this record sailed to a two-week run at #2. Meanwhile, Wayne Fontana faded into obscurity.)
 Image result for A Groovy Kind of Love - Mindbenders


* Chantilly Lace - The Big Bopper (the third big star to go down in the small airplane on "the day the music died.")


 Run Run Run - Jo Jo Gunne (3/72; #27 - blistering single by two refugees from the California band Spirit.)

* 20 Miles - Chubby Checker (3/63; #20 - Philadelphia entertainer Ernest Evans resembled a slightly slimmer Fats Domino in the eyes of Dick Clark's wife. She jokingly suggested they call him "Chubby." "Chubby Checker," no less.)
Image result for Chubby Checker 20 Miles

Lonely Too Long - Young Rascals (3/67; #16 Pop, #3 R&B - these guys had recently scored a #1 with Good Lovin', which they'd borrowed from The Olympics. This one they wrote themselves. A classic!)
 Image result for I've Been Lonely Too Long - Young Rascals


Special Occasion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (8/68; #26 Pop, #4 R&B - the hits just kept on coming!)

* Goodbye To Love - The Carpenters (7/72; #7 - it starts as a wimpy ballad and suddenly has a crazy fuzz-guitar solo that lasts for over a minute near the end!)

Touch a Hand, Make a Friend - Staple Singers (2/74; #23 Pop, #3 R&B - one of a long string of great records for this family group on the Stax Records label.)
 Image result for Touch a Hand, Make a Friend - Staple Singers          Image result for Touch a Hand, Make a Friend - Staple Singers


Come & Get Your Love - Redbone (2/74; #5)

45 Corner:  Breezin' - George Benson (10/76; #63 - this jazzy guitar piece was written by Bobby Womack, who actually appears on this very recording. Warner Brothers released an edited single of Benson's LP title track. Here 'tis, just for you!)
 Image result for breezin george benson 


Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground) - Jacksons (8/79; #7 Pop, #3 R&B - the brothers consistently scored on the R&B chart, but the Pop audience took notice when brother Michael made an appearance on this single.)
Image result for Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground) - Jacksons


* As Tears Go By - Rolling Stones (12/65; #6 - London Records)

Lost In Love - Air Supply (2/80; #3 for four weeks - this was the chart debut for this Australian hit-making machine, and it still sounds great.)



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






Congratulations to Stephen from Ithaca, who won a pair of tickets to the Kitchen Theater!








Host Next Week (3/11/17):  Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on States of The Union


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.


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