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!)
Thanks to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
Date: 5/30/20
Host: Gregory James
Feature: A Record Hop for Your At-Home Prom: Songs from late May.
Birthday Calendar
Sunday May 24
Bob Dylan 79 years old
Patti LaBelle 76 years old
Tuesday May 26
Stevie Nicks 72 years old
Levon Helm (b. 1940, d. 2012)
Wednesday May 27
Cilla Black (b. 1943, d. 2015)
Thursday May 28
Gladys Knight 76 years old
John Fogerty 75 years old
Friday May 29
Melissa Etheridge 59 years old
Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) 75 years old
Saturday May 30
Lenny Davidson 76 years old (Dave Clark Five guitarist)
Gladys Horton (b. 1945, d. 2011) Founder and lead singer of the Marvelettes.
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
Title Artist #This Week (# Last Week) Year
6-7pm
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Dancing on a Saturday Night Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids #96 (new entry) 1974
Do You Wanna Dance Bobby Freeman #19 (50) 1958
Freeman was a doo-wop singer who recorded a demo of “Do You Wanna Dance” that caught the ear of a record label exec who overdubbed the demo with session musicians.
Let the Little Girl Dance Billy Bland #13 (#7) 1960
Bland was recorded teaching another singer how to sing the song. Bland’s version was released and it reached #7 on the Hot 100 and #11 on the R&B chart.
I Gotta Keep Dancing Carrie Lucas #66 (#70) 1977
Party Doll Buddy Knox #13 (#11) 1957
Knox says he wrote the song behind a haystack on his family farm in Happy Texas. The song first got airplay in Amarillo, then went national when the Roulette label picked it up.
Cool Jerk Capitols #19 (#33) 1966
The instrumentation was by Motown’s Funk Brothers who moonlighted the session on the down low.
Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) Leo Sayer #59 (#45) 1975
Sayer was also a mime whose idol was Marcel Marceau.
Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha Sam Cooke #49 (#41) 1959
Cooke wrote the lyrics at a party while other guests were doing the Cha Cha Cha. Backing vocals by Darlene Love and The Blossoms.
Mashed Potato Time Dee Dee Sharp #3 (#3) 1962
Dione LaRue started her recording career as a backing vocalist. When she was signed by Cameo/Parkway records, she was given the name Dee Dee Sharp because, apparently, D# was the key in which she liked to sing.
High School Dance Sylvers #29 (#35) 1977
The Sylvers was a group featuring nine members of the same family.
Swinging School Bobby Rydell #15 (#18) 1960
The song appeared in the film “Because They’re Young.” Rydell High School in the musical “Grease” is named in honor of Bobby Rydell.
Dance With Me Henry Georgia Gibbs #3 1955
The male bass singer on the record was Thurl Ravenscroft who was the voice of Tony the Tiger of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes fame.
Ooh Poo Pah Doo Ike and Tina Turner #81 (#86) 1971
Check out this performance on "Shindig" that brings on the entire cast of the show and features Neil Sedaka on piano.
Tighten Up Archie Bell and the Drells #1 (#1) 1968
Considered one of the earliest funk hits. If you listen closely to the bass guitar intro, you can hear Archie vocalizing softly before he says, “Hi everybody.” Watch the video for a tutorial in the dance.
Dancing Fool Frank Zappa #45 (#46) 1979
This was Zappa’s second highest charting single. He performed “Dancing Fool” on Saturday Night Live in October of 1978 and was permanently banned from the show thereafter—not for his music but for his “uncooperative attitude.”
Rock Around The Clock Bill Haley #10 1955
This highly danceable record is preserved in the Library of Congress.
Slow Twistin’ Chubby Checker #37 (#19) 1962
Dee Dee Sharp was uncredited in early releases of the record. Checker once lamented that “The Twist” ruined his life. He says, “I was on my way to becoming a big nightclub performer and ‘The Twist’ just wiped it out.”
7-8 pm
Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat Bob Dylan #85 (#90) 1967
Possibly inspired by Edie Sedgwick, the track took over a month to record to Dylan's satisfaction. Al Kooper plays organ, Robbie Roberston plays guitar and Dylan himself plays lead guitar on the opening 12 bars.
On My Own Patti LaBelle
#1 charting duet with Michael McDonald 1986
Leather and Lace Stevie Nicks and Don Henley
Peaked at #6 in October 1981.
All La Glory Levon Helm and The Band
From the Band’s “Stagefright” album. NR.
It’s For You Cilla Black
Written for her by Lennon and McCartney. Peaked at #79 in September 1964. John and Paul introduce her in this video (which includes some cool modern dance in the instrumental break).
The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me
Gladys Knight
Peaked at #3 in February 1974.
Almost Saturday Night John Fogerty
Peaked at #78 in December 1975.
If I Wanted To Melissa Etheridge
It was the highest debut on the Hot 100 (#25) of any single in 1995, reaching #16 in March of that year.
Say It Ain’t So Joe Gary Brooker (Procol Harum)
(1979 cover of Murray Head’s composition)
Bits and Pieces Dave Clark Five #14 (#6)
This video is one of the earliest surviving clips from the British TV show "Top of the Pops."
Twistin’ Postman Marvelettes
Peaked at #34 on Hot 100 and #13 on R&B.
You Can’t Sit Down Dovells #15 (#18) 1963
Bill Clinton played sax with the Dovells at both of his inaugural balls.
Let’s Have a Party Rivieras #99 (new entry) 1964
Named after the Buick Riviera, the group was from South Bend and their claim to fame was frat rock.
Let’s Dance Ola and the Janglers #93 (#93) 1969
The Janglers was a Swedish garage rock and beat group. Their cover of the Chris Montez original made it to #92.
Baby Workout Jackie Wilson #59 (#32) 1963
This was Wilson’s biggest hit single, topping the R&B chart and reaching #5 on the Hot 100. The video is from "Shindig."
Finger Poppin Time Hank Ballard & the Midnighters
#67 (#73) 1960
The song was nominated for best R&B performance Grammy in 1961. Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Madison Al Brown’s Tunetoppers #28 (#31) 1960
The Madison is a line dance featured in “Hairspray,” and is still very popular in Cambodia.
8-9 pm
Land of 1000 Dances Cannibal & the Headhunters
#41 (#35) 1965
Legend has it that the “nah, nah-nah-nah-nah” section arose by accident when the lead singer forgot the lyrics.
Sea Cruise Frankie Ford #39 (39) 1959
Fellow Louisianan Huey Piano Smith wrote the song and it’s his backing track that is heard behind Ford.
I’m in Love Again Fats Domino #19 (#21) 1956
Domino’s third R&B chart topper, it was the B-side to “My Blue Heaven.”
Those Oldies But Goodies Caesar and the Romans
#33 (#46) 1961
This group sometimes wore togas for their live act.
Come Go with Me Del Vikings #9 (#8) 1957
Norman Wright was the lead vocalist, and the million selling song was written by bass vocalist Clarence Quick.
Watermelon Man Mongo Santamaria #44 (#30) 1963
This recording is considered by some to be the beginning of Latin boogaloo, fusing Afro-Cuban and R&B rhythms.
Werewolves of London Warren Zevon #24 (#21) 1978
This was Zevon’s only top 40 hit with Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass. The idea for the song was suggested to Zevon by Phil Everly.
King Tut Steve Martin #89 (new entry) 1978
This was a million seller for the wild and crazy guy, reaching #17 on the Hot 100. It was inspired by the US tour of the “Treasures of Tutankhamun.” The musicians on the recording are members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Here is a clip from his SNL debut of the song.
You Can’t Change That Raydio (Ray Parker Jr.)
#51 (#56) 1979
Funk Brother Jack Ashford played percussion on this track.
Barbara Ann Regents #20 (#35) 1961
The song was written by Fred Fassert who used the name of his sister Barbara Ann for the title.
Just Like Romeo and Juliet Reflections #6 (#7) 1964
The group was not enthusiastic about recording the song until they heard the instrumental track recorded by some of Detroit’s best session players.
Taking It to the Streets Doobie Brothers #25 (#32) 1976
This song was written by Michael McDonald and was the first Doobie Brothers track to feature McDonald on vocals. The video will blow your ears (and mind).
Funky Street Arthur Conley #18 (#18) 1968
This was a follow up to his 1967 mega hit “Sweet Soul Music.” It peaked at #5 on the R&B chart and #14 on the Hot 100.
Uptown Crystals #13 (#18) 1962
This song was written by Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann and was originally intended for Tony Orlando. Producer Phil Spector convinced the songwriters to give the song to him and he modified the lyrics and melody to fit the Crystals.
Some Kind of Wonderful Drifters #48 (#37) 1961
This Goffin-King composition features Rudy Lewis on lead vocal.
Step by Step Crests #41 (#39) 1960
Proving that anyone can fall in love in seven easy steps.
Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes Chuck Willis
#16 (#20) 1958
Willis died in his thirties, shortly after recording this track.
Last Dance Donna Summer #67 (#75) 1978
In 1978 this track won both the Oscar and Golden Globe awards for Best Original Song. It also won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
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
H100 = Hot 100 Chart
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 FameRS500 = Rolling Stone Magazine’s ranked list of the top 500 singles of all-time
Host June 6, 2020: A show originally broadcast on May 23, 2009 hosted by John Rudan, John Simon and a guest appearance by Kim Vaughan.
Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to Rockin' Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. (Eastern) 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!
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