April 13 - JS - Loose Ends!

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!)

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Date:  4/13/19
Host:  John Simon
Feature:  Loose Ends!




Tonight from 6-9 - back on the radio with a whole bunch of loose ends to tie up! Springtime! Leftover requests! More Hal Blaine! More ampersands! Your requests! It all happens on 93.5 locally, wvbr.com globally. Come on over....



  


Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia


Carl Perkins had a birthday this week. Can you name at least one song of his that was covered by the four moptops from Liverpool?

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist – and to find a glossary of terms)




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/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise noted

·      a glossary of terms is below the playlist

6-7pm 



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

Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations (7/65; #17 Pop, #4 R&B - Words and music by Smokey Robinson, but the star of the show is David Ruffin. "The sun is shining, there's plenty of light....")

 

Younger Girl - The Hondells (5/66; #52 - Two competing versions were released on the same date in 1966. The Critters won the chart race, but John Sebastian - who wrote it -  reaped all of the royalties. A perfect Springtime song!)

 

A Beautiful Morning - Rascals (4/68; #3 - the wind chimes signal that this upbeat paean to a springtime morning is on its way. "Just smile and breathe in that clean fresh air!")


Soulful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited (11/68; #3 - these guys had rounded out Ramsey Lewis' trio until they parted ways. This bouncy instrumental was their biggest hit.)

 

* Wishing You Were Here- Chicago (10/74; #11 - going out to Peggy in Brooktondale from her friend Scotty. Those are three of the Beach Boys on backing vocals.)


* Where the Boys Are - Connie Francis (1/61; #4 - this request comes in every year right around Spring Break time. That's the late Hal Blaine on drums in case you're keeping tabs....)

 

* Ma Belle Amie - The Tee Set (1/70; #5 - JH mentioned "The Dutch Invasion" in last week's Blog post, and these guys were among the invaders. From David in Vancouver to his "belle amie" Chrissy in Brooktondale who had a birthday on Sunday!)


Postcard From Jamaica - Sopwith Camel (4/67; #88 - this one had a picture sleeve and everything, but only spent two weeks on the national charts. Cool Folk Rock stuff on the Kama Sutra label.)

* After the Gold Rush - Neil Young (1970 - this was never released as a single, but it's the title track of one of the greatest albums in the genre. Subsequent versions have been recorded by k.d. Lang, Patti Smith, Prelude and more. Here's the version by three of Americana's finest!)


She May Call You Up Tonight - Left Banke (6/67; #120 - the third of three songs written about a pretty young ballerina named Renee. Somehow it got lost in the shuffle, but it's a lost masterpiece to my ears.)


Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now - Patience & Prudence (12/56; #11 - I'm revisiting our old "ampersand" theme with three in a row by family pairs. These two sisters were 11 and 14 when they recorded this tasty confection. Their dad was an executive at Liberty Records.)

I'm Your Puppet - James & Bobby Purify (9/66; #6 Pop, #5 R&B - cousins James & Bobby cut some great records together. This one  -  from the 'pen' of Dan Penn -  may have been their greatest.)

Stand By Me - David & Jimmy Ruffin (10/70; #61 Pop, #24 R&B - These brothers were two of the Motown family's greatest male vocalists. They teamed for one album, and this was selected as the single from the record. Amen!)

I Got a Woman - Freddie Scott (11/63; #48 - this remake of the Ray Charles classic was the follow-up to Goffin-King's "Hey Girl." He couldn't make a bad record!)


Here It Comes Again - The Fortunes (10/65; #27 * #4 UK - this one was a much bigger hit in England than it was over here, but it's another example of the sophisticated Pop these guys were churning out. Stunning!)


* Green Tambourine - Lemon Pipers (12/67; #1 - Buddah Records was getting ready to drop these guys from the roster but gave them one more chance. They recorded this one and it went straight to the top!)

7-8pm

 Birthday Calendar


April 7 – John Oates (Hall & Oates) – age 70
            – Janis Ian – age 68
            – Mongo Santamaria – born in 1922
            – Percy Faith – born in 1908

April 9 – Carl Perkins – born in 1932

April 12 – Herbie Hancock – age 79
          

April 13 – Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane) – age 83
            – Al Green – age 73           
            – Louis Johnson (Bros. Johnson) – born in 1955

Theme From The Dark at the Top of the Stairs - Percy Faith Orchestra (10/60; #101 - competing versions of this movie theme were released simultaneously. Ernie Freeman had more chart success than Percy Faith or Chet Atkins, but this version is magically satisfying.)


Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock (3/63; #121 - Mongo Santamaria's version was the big hit, but this is how the guy who wrote it released it on a competing single.)

 

Could Nine - Mongo Santamaria (3/69; #32 - speaking of Mongo Santamaria...this is his percussion-driven take on the Temptations hit. It's a tour-de-force!)

Crown of Creation - Jefferson Airplane (11/68; #64 - this was the title track of their latest album, and Jack Casady's rumbling bass just drives it along. He and Jorma would branch out to form Hot Tuna shortly hereafter.)


Off the Wall - Michael Jackson (1979 - Quincy Jones produced this LP and hired some of his favorite session players, including Louis "Thunder Thumbs" Johnson on bass. Thunder Thumbs would also appear on Thriller, as well as on a number of records as half of The Brothers Johnson.)

Boppin' the Blues - Carl Perkins (6/56; #70 Pop, #7 C&W - this is one of the greatest Rockabilly Records of the ages, released on Sun Records. The Beatles loved his music and recorded three of his songs. Meanwhile, Elvis stepped all over his blue suede shoes!)

When the Morning Comes - Hall & Oates (1974; dnc - This was the opening track of their Atlantic "Abandoned Luncheonette" LP. "She's Gone" was the hit, but this is a very tasty showcase for their smooth harmonies and tasteful production values.)


At Seventeen - Janis Ian (6/75; #3 - Janis Ian received three Grammy nominations for this record and walked away with the award for Best Female Pop Vocal. This 7" single is spinning on the left turntable tonight. Sigh.)


Matchbox - The Beatles (9/64; #17 - Every once in a while they'd let Ringo sing one, and they were usually from the C&W side of the tracks. Guess who wrote this one???)

 

You Ought to Be With Me - Al Green (10/72; #3 Pop, #1 R&B - they don't get much smoother than Al Green behind the mic and Willie Mitchell behind the mixing board!)


45 Corner:  Happy Jack - The Who (4/67; #24 - this record was released on this date in '67. Most CD versions decrease the volume at the very end when drummer Keith Moon says "I saw ya!" but it's crystal clear on this 45.)

* Good Day Sunshine - The Beatles (1966; dnc - this track comes to you courtesy of the Revolver LP at the request of listener Betsy who was clearly enjoying a rare early spring afternoon/evening. The Beatles were at the top of their game on this album.)

Portrait of My Love - The Tokens (4/67; #36 - the boys from NYC had tried their hand at running a record label, but Warner Brothers had signed them to a lucrative deal and pulled out all the stops on this, their biggest record of this period.)

Please Please Me - Dick Dale (1964; NR - "The King of the Surf Guitar" passed away just about a month ago. Tonight we'll hear a recording that had remained "in the can" for many years: a blistering instrumental twist on an early Beatles song! R.I.P.)

8-9pm


The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - Walker Brothers (4/66; #13 - another icon recently left us: Scott Walker, whose soulful voice propelled this record to the top of the charts in the UK.) 

Kiss Me Goodbye - Petula Clark (2/68; #15 - Back-to-back bombastic productions! This one comes to you from the mono 45, which was designed to leap out of the speakers and grab you and shake you!)


* Out in the Country - Three Dog Night (8/70; #15 - Paul Williams co-wrote it and JSF requested it as another perfect ode to the first real Spring-like day of the season.)


If You're Ready (Come and Go With Me) - Staple Singers (10/73; #9 Pop, #1 R&B - Stax Records released some great records over the years. Some were dance records, some were love songs and some were social conscious anthems like this one!)

I Am...I Said - Neil Diamond (3/71; #4 - this one would have fit perfectly into our Geography show last month: a man torn between two coasts, and neither feels completely like home to him.)


* Sittin' On Top of the World - Spinners (1975; dnc - the request was for "some Spinners," and it gave me the chance to play this great album track from their New and Improved LP. Thanks, George!)

* Fresh Air - Quicksilver Messenger Service (10/70; #49 - these guys were part of the San Francisco music scene and were known for their trippy extended jams. Nicky Hopkins played piano on this and the record company chose to fade it during his solo. Tonight we hear the whole thing, straight to the cold ending.)


* Chevy Van - Sammy Johns (2/75; #5 - this throwback to the "Free Love" days is one of a number of male fantasy records that make sex-in-a-van sound like lots of fun. A certain close female companion of mine says that she'd like to hit this guy with a frying pan!)

45 Corner:  My Baby Loves Lovin' - Joe Jeffrey (4/70; #113 - two versions of this song were released on the same day. The British studio group called "White Plains" scored a #13 hit with it. Joe Jeffrey...not quite so much. Still, this is a bouncy little ditty that should've been a hit.)

 

He's So Fine - Jody Miller (6/71; #53 Pop * #5 C&W - this is a tasty blend of Nashville Country, NYC Pop and George Harrison-inspired slide guitar. The Grammy Awards people thought so, too: she won!)

Run, Run, Run - Jo Jo Gunne (3/72; #27 - two former members of Spirit teamed up with a couple of other guys and took their name from a Chuck Berry song. 2 1/2 minutes of sheer energy here!)

Cryin' - Roy Orbison & k.d. Lang (1988; dnc - I was going to whip this out during one of our Ampersand shows, but I've saved it for tonight. Two incredible voices join together on one of the greatest heartbreak songs of the era. Click the link to see them perform it on Top of The Pops  -  even if it IS from 1988!)

Laughter in the Rain - Neil Sedaka (10/74; #1 - it had been over ten years since his last Top Forty record, but Neil Sedaka was suddenly back for his first of two big comeback #1's  -  and the next one had him teamed with Elton John!)

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




Trivia Answer


The Beatles recorded three Carl Perkins songs: Matchbox, Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby and Honey Don't.

Congratulations to Dan from Aurora, for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Island Health & Fitness!



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




Host Next Week (4/20/19):  Gregory James with a spotlight on April 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1975!



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.

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