January 5th, 2019- GJ - Charters in the first week 1952-1969

  

Rockin' Remnants

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Date:  January 5, 2019
Host:  Gregory James
Feature:  Records charting the first week of 1952-1969

Birthday Calendar
            

December 30

Mike Nesmith                                    76

Davy jones                                        1945

Jeff Lynne  (ELO)                              71

Felix Pappalardi                                1939

Del Shannon                                     1939

Bo Diddley (Elias McDaniel)             1928

Patti Smith                                        72

December 31

Burton Cummings (Guess Who)       71

Donna Summer                                 1948

John Denver                                     1943

January 1

Country Joe McDonald                     77

January 2

Roger Miller                                      1936

January 3

Stephen Stills (CSNY)                      74

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)       73

Sir George Martin                             1926

January 4

Arthur Conley                                    1946                                             

January 5

Sam Phillips  (Sun Records)             1923     

Wilber Harrison                                 1929     

                                                                                                                                                       Playlist

·     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/                      

6-7pm  

OPENING THEME:  Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)

You Can’t Stop This Rocking and Rolling (b-side to “Since I Met You Baby” #20)      Ivory Joe Hunter      1957     Atlantic

Thankfully, Mr. Hunter’s 1957 prophecy that rock ‘n roll was not going away anytime soon proved to be true.

See See Rider/Jenny Take a Ride  Mitch Ryder   1966   #43

New Voices 

The goal of Mitch and the Detroit Wheels was to get people dancing—and they did.

I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying  Miracles 1964  #39 Tamla 

What’s It Gonna Be?  Dusty Springfield  1968  #69   Phillips 

Well I Told You        Chantels   1962         #43  Carlton 

The singing group’s response to Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack.”

That Old Black Magic   Louis Prima/Keely Smith    1959            #24        Capitol   

Written in 1942 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer with Judy Garland in mind (who did make a recording of the song), this version contrasts Prima’s hyperkinetic syncopated delivery with Smith’s cool, smooth vocals.

 

Are You Lonesome Tonight?   Elvis Presley    1961    #2       RCA

Still brings a tear to the eye, right? Although, frankly, I prefer his singing to his speaking on this track.        

Teen Commandments   Paul Anka, George Hamilton IV and Johnny Nash  1959    #33  ABC Paramount 

A sententious, but amusing minute and a half of advice for wayward teens.

Yes, I’m Lonesome Tonight   Thelma Carpenter 1961  #74    Coral 

A musical response to Elvis’ musical question.

Swingin’ on a Rainbow Frankie Avalon  1960  #39  Chancellor 

Frankie sounding pretty hip on a track that actually features a swing rhythm.

Turn On Your Love Light  Bobby “Blue” Bland 1962  #51  Duke 

The shout, the horns, the cymbals—no wonder his middle name is Blue.

Sweet Nothins’       Brenda Lee       1960           #79   Decca   

Lee sounds downright naughty on this track.  Compare her vocal performance here to any recording by Wanda Jackson (who was of the same vintage).

Love Potion #9        Clovers     1960         #76  United Artists 

Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber penned this song with their usual penchant for detail and humor. Just take your troubles down to Madame Ruth, and she will fix you right up.

Love Potion #9        Coasters      1971              Atco

Same song ten years later with a tasty funk arrangement. The narrator here has been a flop since 1966 rather than the original 1956.

Oh No, Not My Baby       Maxine Brown   1965   #24   Wand 

Gerry Goffin and Carole King were the composers, with harmony vocals by Dee Dee Warwick.

Chain of Fools        Aretha Franklin          1968            #7  Atlantic   

The full, unedited version with a righteous piano and vocal intro by Aretha and guitar by Joe South that was not included on the album or single at the time. Don Covay composed it completely in minor key mode.

If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody  James Ray  1962  #29  Caprice 

This song has lots of cover versions, notably by The Beatles and Bonnie Raitt.

Let’s Go  Routers     1963             #40       Warner Brothers 

Put your hands together in that oh-so-familiar rhythm heard in sports stadia around the world.

7-8pm

 Last Train to Clarksville  Monkees 1966   #1 (peak)      Colgems

This song was used seven times in the Monkees’ TV series, more than any other of their songs. Session musician Louie Shelton plays the lead guitar riff (composed to sound like “Paperback Writer”).

Rainbow Ride                  Andy Kim          1969   #73        Steed    

If the Monkees can imitate the Beatles, why can’t Andy Kim imitate the Monkees?

Don’t Bring Me Down     Electric Light Orchestra     1979           Jet

Described by Jeff Lynne as a “ball of distortion,” Lynne says the final door slam was the recording studio’s metal fire door banging shut.

Say Man (Back Again)    Bo Diddley (Elias McDaniel) 1959 Checker

Mr. McDaniel trades good-natured insults with percussionist Jerome Green, and they crack each other up over the signature hambone beat that actually bears Bo Diddley’s name.

Black Queen            Stephen Stills            1970                  Atlantic

Recorded live in the studio with no over-dubbing, just Stills, his guitar and a bottle of Cuervo Gold.

Your Time Is Gonna Come     Led Zepplin       1969         Atlantic

Can you ever get enough of that cascade of opening chords played by John Paul Jones?

Sweet Soul Music  Arthur Conley    1967             Atco

Does the opening horn riff sound familiar? Watch the film “The Magnificent Seven.” Conley’s song is an homage to soul music, mentioning artists such as Lou Rawls, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, James Brown and co-composer Otis Redding.

We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet  Blues Magoos    1967 #31      Mercury   

You can hear this psychedelic track in the film “Easy Rider.”

Wear Your Love Like Heaven  Donovan  1968   #23        Epic  

The lyrics mention seven dye and pigment colors: Prussian blue, scarlet, crimson, Havana Lake, Carmine, Rose carmethene and Alizarin crimson.  If only I hadn’t fallen asleep in Art History…

Let’s Get Together    We Five       1965   #38  A&M 

This intricately textured, tympanic and multi-voiced version predates the Youngbloods’ 1967 version.

Bring It On Home to Me     Eddie Floyd      1969      #19        Stax   

Floyd puts a Memphis spin on the Sam Cooke gospel-tinged original.

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?    Ricky Nelson    1958   #15 Imperial  (double sided hit with “Be-bop Baby”)

This song was first published in 1945 and covered by dozens of artists.

I Forgot to Be Your Lover      William Bell  1969     #91  Stax  

Chosen not only because it is a great record, but also because it begins with the lyric, “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

The Nitty Gritty        Shirley Ellis       1964           #9   Congress 

Shirley Ellis grew up in the Bronx and began her career as a singer and songwriter in her teens, winning amateur night at the Apollo Theatre. 

Big Bopper’s Wedding  Big Bopper  1959     #42 Mercury

“Chantilly Lace” was at #37 this week and moving down, while “Little Red Riding Hood” was bouncing up and down the chart. The Bopper died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959 along with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and pilot Roger Peterson near Clear Lake Iowa.

Angel Baby     Rosie and the Originals     1961   #7  Highland 

Rosie Hamlin recorded this song on a two-track tape recorder when she was 15.

*Mr. Bass Man   Johnny Cymbal       1963    #16 (peak)    Kapp

The actual bass singer on this track is Ronnie Bright, who sang with the Cadillacs, the Valentines and the Coasters.

Leader of the Laundromat     Detergents  1965      #23  Roulette 

Ron Dante, lead singer for the Archies, sang on this spoof of “Leader of the Pack,” the composers of which sued the Detergents for copyright infringement, and the case was settled out of court.

8-9pm

 Uh Oh Pt. 2     Nutty Squirrels  1960         #14   Hanover 

Working off the idea of Alvin and the Chipmunks, this group also used a speeded up playback of the vocals to create a whimsical example of scat singing vocal jazz.

You’re No Good      Betty Everett              1964   #89        Vee Jay  

During the playback of Everett's initial voice track, the Dells (a singing group for Vee Jay) started stomping their feet to the beat of the song as it was playing back. On the next take, the Dells’ foot stomps were added to the recording mix.

Could This Be Magic?   The Dubs 1958           #44        Gone   

On the strength of this side, the Harlem based group toured the US and Canada with one of Alan Freed’s live rock and roll tours.

Teardrops  Santo and Johnny   1960   #28 Canadian-American 

The Farina brothers from Brooklyn. The Rockin’ Remnants closing theme is their biggest hit “Sleep Walk.” This was their other charting record. Some record labels (such as the one below) print the name of the song as "Tear Drop."

Hole in the Wall       Packers    1966            #61        Pure Soul 

Booker T., Steve Cropper, Packy Axton, Al Jackson and Leon Haywood play under the name of the Packers as a favor to Axton who was connected by family to the Stax label.

No Matter What Shape Your Stomach’s In   T-Bones  1966   #22  Liberty 

This Wrecking Crew instrumental was based on the music in an Alka-Seltzer commercial. The group declined to go on tour behind what was basically a commercial jingle because they could make a lot more money as studio session players. An alternate group of musicians did the tour. Check out the video!

And the Alka Seltzer commercial!

Just Like Me   Paul Revere and the Raiders 1966   #28          Columbia 

This version isolates and highlights Mark Lindsey’s vocal track.

She’s a Woman       Beatles     1965         #4     Capitol 

Written mainly by McCartney (except for Lennon’s middle eight bars: “She’s a woman who understands…”), the song seems to some critics to be Paul’s attempt to emulate the higher pitched sound of Little Richard.

Little Bitty Pretty One     Thurston Harris  1958  #31  Aladdin  

Starting with a drum kick and some handclaps, the melody is hummed at first. By the time you actually hear lyrics it is 39 seconds later and you are already hooked.

Be True to Your School Beach Boys      1964    #18     Capitol 

In the middle of the song is heard the melody of “On Wisconsin,” the fight song for the University of Wisconsin. This record, however, is a tribute to Hawthorne High School where the Wilson brothers went to school. The cheerleaders are the singing group The Honeys.

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me    Mel Carter  1965 #8 (peak)  Imperial

Carter’s soaring vocals give this song the grandeur it deserves.        

Motorcycle      Tico and the Triumphs       1962         #99  Amy 

This group was Paul Simon’s high school combo. Simon wrote and sang under the name of Jerry Landis, his professional moniker at the time. Tico was his favorite record label and Triumph was a brand of sports car that he liked. The muffler blast at the top of the track was from Simon’s own car.

Voice Your Choice   Radiants 1965         #94  Chess 

The song’s title might lead one to think the record is political in nature, but the narrator just wants his girlfriend to make up her mind about whom she is going to choose for a boyfriend.

Honey Chile    Martha Reeves and the Vandellas     1968   #11        Gordy 

This is the first record on which Reeves uses her full name. Notice her change of heart at the end of the song.

He Will Break Your Heart    Jerry Butler    1961     #14    Vee Jay 

This was the original (and grammatically correct) title of the song later covered by Tony Orlando and Dawn which was ungrammatically titled “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).”

Unforgettable Nat King Cole            1952            #19        Capitol     

The song’s original title was “Uncomparable,” but was changed because it is not an actual word.

There’s a Moon Out Tonight  Capris        1961   #73      Old Town  

The record originally flopped until Alan Fredericks, a late night DJ, played the song on the radio. DJ Murray the K also played the reissued version. Just goes to show the power of radio at the time as the primary medium of music discovery.

Stay    Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs    1961    #35     Herald 

Williams wrote the song when he was 15 years old trying to convince his date not to go home at 10:00 p.m. Just for the record, he was not able to persuade her.

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

Glossary of Terms:

dnc = did not chart

nr = not released as a single at the time

AC = Billboard’s chart for “Adult Contemporary” records

BB = Billboard Magazine, which publishes the Hot 100 chart (previously known as the Top 100), along with several other charts

Bubbling Under = songs that were ranked but fell below the top 100

C&W = Billboard’s chart for “Country & Western” records

R&B = Billboard’s chart for “Rhythm & Blues” records

RRHOF = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
RS500 = Rolling Stone Magazine’s ranked list of the top 500 singles of all-time


Co-Hosts Next Week (1/12/19):  John Simon, Kim Vaughan and Gregory James with a spotlight on: Teamwork! Featuring musical groups with ampersands in their names.

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.

Thanks again to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!