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: May 5, 2018
Host: Gregory James
Feature: Songs charting in the first week of May 1956, 1966 and 1976.
Birthday Calendar
May
1
Judy Collins 79
Rita Coolidge 73
Ray Parker Jr. 64
May 2
Lou Gramm (Foreigner) 68
Lesley Gore b.
1946
May 3
Frankie Valli 84
Mary Hopkin 68
Christopher Cross 67
James Brown b.1933
Pete Seeger b.1919
May 4
Nick Ashford (Ashford & Simpson) b. 1941
Dick Dale b.1937
May 5
Johnny Taylor b.1938
Keith (James Barry Keefer) 69
Jimmy Ruffin b.1936
[songs in bold are from the spotlight date of DATE; yellow song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests; chart numbers are for the first week of May 1956, 1966 or 1976. 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]
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
1. Welcome Back John Sebastian #1
The song originally had one verse, meant for the TV series. Because of the popularity of the show, Sebastian, in the single version, added a second verse to the song, as well as an instrumental section featuring a harmonica solo, before he resumed finishing up the verse, as well as the repeated chorus and coda to finish the song.
2. Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins #3
When Perkins played a dance on December 4, 1955, he noticed a couple dancing near the stage. Between songs, he heard a stern, forceful voice say, "Uh-uh, don't step on my suedes!" He looked down and noted that the fellow was wearing blue suede shoes and one had a scuff mark.
3. Take Me Back to New Orleans Gary US Bonds #121
Keep an eye out for Mr. Bonds who will be playing Central New York this summer and his band will be none other than Radio London featuring John Simon.
4. Misty Blue Dorothy Moore #17
According to Moore: "I took the bus to Malaco Records [where] I listened to the song [and] liked it...The rhythm section [was] there [so] we decided to record it. They had the lyrics typed out and [put] in front of me. And we did that record in one take.”
5. Graduation Day Four Freshmen # 58
No wonder the Beach Boys covered this song: they sound a lot like the Four Freshmen.
6. *Play Those Oldies Mr. DJ Anthony and the Sophomores
Requested song that, according to the listener, used to be the Rockin’ Remnants theme song.
7. Let Your Love Flow Bellamy Brothers #9
The song's composer Larry E. Williams had been a roadie for Neil Diamond's live shows. Diamond passed on the song, as did Johnny Rivers.
8. Solitary Man Neil Diamond #112
"Solitary Man" was Diamond's debut single as a recording artist. Says Diamond, "After four years of Freudian analysis, I realized I had written 'Solitary Man' about myself."
9. Groovy Kind of Love Mindbenders #18
Says composer Toni Wine, “Carol Bayer Sager and I wrote it in 20 minutes. It was amazing. Just flew out of our mouths, and at the piano, it was a real quick and easy song to write."
10. See You Later, Alligator Bill Haley #85
The high pitched voice at the beginning belongs to Haley's lead guitarist, Franny Beecher
11. Happy Music Blackbyrds #24
The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd and featured some of his Howard University students.
12. *Kites Simon Dupree and Big Sound
By request!
13. How Does that Grab You Nancy Sinatra #15
You don’t want to get on Nancy Sinatra’s bad side.
14. Only Sixteen Dr. Hook #21
Written Sam Cooke, Dr. Hook’s version was the most successful chart release of the song.
15. Wild Cherry D. Cherry # 35
16. "Hey 98.6" Keith (James Barry Keefer) Birthday Artist!
17. "Fallen Angel" Franki
Valli Birthday Artist!
18. "Solid" Ashford and Simpson Birthday Artist! (Nick Ashford)
19. "You Can’t Change That" Ray Parker Jr. Birthday Artist!
20. "I’ve Passed This Way Before" Jimmy Ruffin Birthday Artist!
21. "It’s a Man’s World" James Brown Birthday Artist!
22. "Miserlou" Dick Dale Birthday Artist!
23. Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Walker Brothers #24
24. Eddie, My Love Teen Queens #90
Three versions of this song charted in the first week of May 1956: The Chordettes (#80), the Fontane Sisters (#33) and the Teen Queens.
25. Man with the Golden Arm Richard Maltby #26
There were an astonishing six versions of this song from the movie of the same name charting in the first week of 1956: Elmer Bernstein (#38) who composed this song that started his career in movie music, D. Jacobs (#36), Billy May (#70), Larry Elgart (#85), and B. Morrow (#89). The film received three Oscar nominations after almost not being made in the first place due to censorship concerns at the time over portraying drug use and trafficking. The film is worth watching for Frank Sinatra’s scenes with Kim Novak and his cold turkey heroin withdrawal.
26. You’re My Soul and Heart’s Inspiration
Righteous Brothers #4
Written by Brill Building titans Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann, the original monoaural recording was arranged by Jack Nietsche and produced by Bill Medley. The track you heard was a crisper re-recorded stereo version.
27. Love’s Made A Fool Of You Bobby Fuller Four #29
This group covered a couple of songs by the Crickets. This one was written by Buddy Holly.
28. Why Do Fools Fall In Love Gale Storm # 29
Another song with multiple artists charting in that first week of May 1956. The most familiar was recorded by The Teenagers (#11), with the Diamonds’ version charting at # 30. Gale Storm was a TV star and, although her vocal range was well-suited to this song, her articulation was so precise (even affected) that it hardly sounds like rock n’ roll.
29. Union Man (Asylum 45 rpm single) Cate Brothers #32
Their only top 40 hit, written by Steve Cropper who also produced and played on the track along with Levon Helm, Duck Dunn and Timothy Schmidt.
30. Magic Touch Platters #4
Classic early Platters with Tony Williams singing lead.
31. I Love You 1,000 Times Platters #68
The Platters reinvented themselves to adapt to the changing music scene. They left the Mercury label in 1965 and signed with Musicor. Written by Inez Foxx and Luther Dixon, this was the first song they released in 1966 with Sonny Turner singing lead.
32. It’s Over Boz Scaggs #45
One of many hits from Scaggs’ insanely successful Silk Degrees LP.
33. Caroline, No Brian Wilson #36
After Wilson produced his recording, he sped it up by one half-step (semi-tone) to make his voice sound younger.
34. Can’t Hide Love Earth Wind and Fire #54
Nominated for best instrumental arrangement accompanying a vocal.
35. Afternoon Delight Starlight Vocal Band #87
The title came from the happy hour menu at Clyde’s restaurant in Georgetown.
36. Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley #1
This was Presley’s first recording after leaving Sun records for RCA Victor. RCA insisted their performers stay still as they sang so the microphone could pick up the vocals clearly and uniformly. Presley was told to stand on a painted X on the floor, but Presley explained to the producer that he had to "jump around to sing it right." The whole studio was re-miked so that Presley's voice and guitar could be picked up from anywhere in the studio. The result is a sound reminiscent of Presley’s Sun recordings.
37. I’m in Love Again Fats Domino #21
The single was Domino's third number one on the R&B Best Sellers list, where it stayed at the top for seven weeks. It also peaked at number three for two weeks on the pop chart, and was a double-sided hit for Domino as the B-side of the pop standard, My Blue Heaven.
38. Cruel War Peter Paul and Mary #59
Not one of the better-known songs of their repertoire, but an outstanding example of their vocal arrangements and harmonies.
39. I’m Easy Keith Carradine #89
Written by Carradine for the film Nashville in which he also appeared, the composition won the 1975 Oscar for best song.
40. Wayward Wind Gogi Grant #18
This sweeping, cinematic ballad sold over a million copies.
41. I Got my Mojo Working Jimmy Smith #51
Smith’s great vocals, and great work on the Hammond organ make this track a joy.
42. I’m Comin’ Home Cindy Trini Lopez #40
43. Truly Julie’s Blues Bob Lind #91
Nowhere in this song is Julie ever mentioned!
44. Till the End of the Day Kinks #50
45. I’ll Be Good to You Brothers Johnson #72
George Johnson, one of the two Johnson brothers in the group, wrote the song after deciding to commit to a relationship with one woman, instead of dating several at a time.
46. Long Tall Sally Little Richard #16
Because Pat Boone was covering so many of Little Richard’s songs, producer "Bumps" Blackwell and Penniman decided to write a song that was so up-tempo and the lyrics so fast that Pat Boone would not be able to handle it. As it happened, Boone eventually did record his own version.
47. Wang Dang Doodle Ko Ko Taylor #81
Written by Willie Dixon, Taylor's rendition was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. Dixon explained that the phrase "wang dang doodle" meant a good time, with lots of music and dancing.
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks
Host Next Week (5/12/18): John Simon with a spotlight on Mother’s Day.
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 streaming here.
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