January 30, 2021 - JS - Early 1964 + Phil Spector

 

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:  1/30/21

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  Early 1964 and More

 

Tonight from 6-9pm on Rockin' Remnants: what the radio sounded like just *before* The British Invasion (when just one week later in 1964 The Ed Sullivan Show would open the floodgates). We'll also spend much of Hour #3 acknowledging the musical gifts of the tortured genius called Phil Spector. All of this, plus your requests on 93.5 locally and wvbr.com worldwide. Do swing by - it'll be a warm respite from the frosty reality!

 

(scroll down to find a glossary of terms)

 

Playlist

 ·      look for YouTube links after some entries

·      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)

 

Dawn (Go Away) - 4 Seasons (debuting at #85, headed to #3 - this looked to be a sure-fire #1 record for the Jersey Boys, but The Beatles were about to overwhelm the entire world with three consecutive weeks on the Ed Sullivan Show and everything else came to a screeching halt.)

 

I Only Want to Be Wth You - Dusty Springfield (debuting at #73, headed to #12 Pop, #4 UK - Dusty had just left the family Folk group called The Springfields and this was her debut solo single. The rest is history, as she went on to become one of the most beloved female voices of Pop music.)

 

Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um - Major Lance (at #8 this week, headed to #5 - recorded in Chicago, where it was written and produced by none other than Curtis Mayfield, who even played guitar on the recording. Mmm, mmm, mmm.)

 

When You Walk In The Room - Jackie DeShannon (down to #114, having spent ONE WEEK at #99 - Jackie never got the recognition that she deserved: great songwriter, great singer and interesting interpreter. She wrote this one, Jack Nitzsche produced it, and it spent one lousy week at #99.)

Baby I Love You - Ronettes (peaking at #24 this week - Phil Spector had perfected his "Wall of Sound" by this point. You can read all about it in the 8:00 hour, but this is a classic example of his work with NYC "girl groups.")

 

Stumble and Fall - Darlene Love (1/64; NR - Phil Spector arranged for a full-blown production featuring Darlene Love, but they had a falling out just before he released this....so he didn't release it at all. It was slated to be Philles Records #123. He'd later assign that catalog number to Walking In The Rain by the Ronettes. Tonight we hear a rare stereo version.)

 

* Splish Splash - Bobby Darin (5/58; #3 Pop, #2 R&B - going out to my buddy Luca, listening in at home in headphones, but then dancing with his mom when the song came on - and I've seen the video!)

 

* Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler (7/70; #13 Pop, #8 R&B - this one goes out from Scottie to his regular crew, and features an incredible bass line by the otherwise unknown Richard Evans. Give that man an award!)

 

* Hello Stranger - Barbara Lewis (5/63; #3 Pop, #1 R&B for two weeks - suggested by my buddy Will, and we decided to dedicate it to The Sun, which hadn't been out in weeks! Those are The Dells singing back-up on this song that she wrote.)

 

Since I Fell for You - Lenny Welch (down to #26 from a peak of #4 - this Forties era song was a Jazz standard by the time Lenny Welch recorded it, and at that point he SET the standard by which all others would be measured. Smooth, soulful and beautiful!)

 

You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore (at #2 for the first of three weeks - a feminist anthem that was way ahead of its time, and that sounds just as powerful today as it did back then. Lesley was from Northern New Jersey and held her own in the face of the British Invasion. The only thing that kept her out of the top slot was that juggernaut from Liverpool.)

 

High On a Hill - Scott English (at #135, headed to #77 - this was a throwback to the Doo Wop days, and he actually recruited the Accents, a Black Doo Wop group, to accompany him. He'd achieve greater success as a songwriter, with his two biggest hits being Bend Me Shape Me and Barry Manilow's #1 hit Mandy.)

 

* Baby Don't Go - Sonny & Cher (8/65; #8 - this had been first released in late 1964 on the Reprise label, but failed to gain traction. Sonny had apprenticed with Phil Spector, but they'd had a falling out. However, Sonny learned a bunch of production tips from Phil. After their success on Atco with I Got You Babe, Reprise re-released this record and it was a smash.)

 

* Pain In My Heart - Otis Redding (peaking at #61 - going out to Mark & Abby in Northern Virginia, who clearly had a copy of the chart on hand. BTW, that's Booker T & The MGs playing the instruments.)

 

It's All In The Game - Cliff Richard (peaking at #25 - funny enough, this guy may have represented the first shot over the bow in terms of the British Invasion. This was his only Top 40 hit in the States until the late Seventies, but he was one of England's biggest hit-makers at home. It's a pretty tasty version of the Tommy Edwards song, coming to you on a mono 45 tonight.)

 

I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles (first of seven weeks at #1 - this record was at #3 last week, #45 the week before, and nowhere the week before that. Allegedly, they had vowed to not tour in America until they had a #1 record. One week from tomorrow night they'd appear on Ed Sullivan and Beatlemania was born. By early April, they would claim the Top five slots on the Billboard Pop chart - plus another seven in the Hot 100. Let that sink in!)

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

January 24 – Ray Stevens – age 82

            – Neil Diamond – age 80

            – Warren Zevon – born in 1947

 

January 25 – Etta James – born in 1938

         

January 26 – Deon Jackson – born in 1946

            – Merilee Rush – age 77

 

January 27 – Bobby "Blue" Bland – born in 1930

            – Thom Bell – age 79

 

January 29 – James Jamerson – born in 1936

 

January 30 – Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane) – born in 1942

            – Phil Collins – age 70

 

 
 

Kentucky Woman - Neil Diamond (10/67; #22 - Neil was a songwriter in the famed Brill Building in NYC, but he was intent on being a star. His early recordings on the Bang Records label paved the way to his eventual superstardom. This song of his also was a hit for Deep Purple. He was well on his way.)

 

Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond (7/72; #1 - he was lured away from Bang Records by a big signing bonus from Uni Records, and the majority of his biggest hits would appear on this label, including nine Top Tens and two #1's.)

 

Poor Poor Pitiful Me - Warren Zevon (6/76; dnc - he was revered by the critics and was pals with such cutting-edge figures as Jackson Browne and Little Feat. Linda Ronstadt took this song of his to the top of the charts. Sadly, he died young.)

 

Mr. Businessman - Ray Stevens (8/68; #28 - he's been a songwriter, an arranger and a performer, and his own records were a mix of comic Novelty records and topical commentaries. Tonight you get the "topical" Ray Stevens.)

 

Stormy Monday Blues - Bobby "Blue" Bland (9/62; #43 Pop, #5 R&B - the Allman Brothers introduced a whole new audience to this song, but the royalty payments went to the estate of T-Bone Walker, who wrote it. This was the only charting hit version. Click on the link below to hear Duane Allman mention Bobby "Blue" Bland.)

 

I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James (11/67; dnc - this bluesey gem was tucked on the B-side of her big hit Tell Mama, but it's become a revered favorite of critics and collectors alike. There was a lot more to Etta James than At Last.)

 

Ooh Baby - Deon Jackson (11/67; #65 - he only had a couple of charting singles, but this Smokey sound-alike is one of my all-time favorites. He would've turned 75 this week.)

 

Angel of The Morning - Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts (5/68; #7 - Chip Taylor wrote this one and produced it with Evie Sands for Cameo-Parkway Records. Unfortunately, the label had just declared bankruptcy and her version was a casualty of the lack of cash flow and distribution. A year later, a copy ended up in Seattle and this little bar band recorded it. What began as a regional hit caught on, and this became a smash. Tonight we hear a rare stereo version!)

 

Baby Baby Don't Cry - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1/68; #8 Pop, #3 R&B - 95% of the Motown singles in the Sixties featured the uncredited bass lines of James Jamerson, the lynchpin of Motown's "Funk Brothers." This is but one example, but listen carefully and you'll see what I mean.)

 

I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1/68; #1 for seven weeks - Gladys Knight & The Pips had had a huge hit with this song several months earlier, but Marvin's version eclipsed them and led music critic Dave Marsh to rank this as the greatest single of all-time! Playing bass on both? James Jamerson.)

 

 

You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins (11/82; #10 Pop, #1 UK for two weeks - Jamerson played on the Supremes' original, but drummer Phil Collins delivered the goods on this true-to-the-original cover. He's 70 years old today! What's his hurry???)

 

Plastic Fantastic Lover - Jefferson Airplane (5/69; #133 - Marty Balin was a founding member and the main voice of the Jefferson Airplane until Grace Slick joined the band. After that, he was relegated to "second fiddle" status. He lobbied to get one of his songs released as their next single, but it never reached the Hot 100. He'd soon leave the group for a few years.)

 

Ready Or Not Here I Come- Delfonics (12/68; #35 Pop, #14 R&B - producer Thom Bell co-wrote and arranged this slice of Philadelphia Soul, along with numerous hits for the Stylistics, The Spinners and other Philly acts. You can hear a bunch of them and read all about it on this terrific compilation from Kent Records.)

 

Yes I'm Ready - Teri DeSario & KC (7/79; #2 - speaking of "Philly Soul," here's a tasty re-make of Barbara Mason's smash from 1965. The male half of the duet is Miami's own Harry "KC" Casey of the Sunshine Band. Next Saturday he turns 70, so we give you a sneak peek!)

 

8-9pm 

Two weeks ago tonight we heard of the death of Phil Spector, who remains one of the most enigmatic figures in popolar culture. There's no denying his genius as a songwriter, a record producer, a label owner and a studio arranger. Unfortunately, he was also a twisted and dangerous man who eventually died in prison serving a murder sentence. Tonight we'll focus on some of the amazing music he helped to create.

 

 

 

To Know Him Is to Love Him - Teddy Bears (12/58; #1 - Phil was a high school kid when he and his friends recorded this song that he based on the inscription on his father's tombstone. Phil played all of the instruments except for the drums, and thus was his career launched.)

 

Corrina, Corrina - Ray Peterson (11/60; #9 - Phil managed to  convince producer Lester Sill and the team of Leiber & Stoller to take him under their wings and teach him about record production. One of his first assignments was to produce this single for Ray Peterson. He was well on his way.)

 

On Broadway - The Drifters (3/63; #9 - Phil spent many an hour in recording studios. Occasionally, he'd be called on to help out in other ways, as is the case here, where he played the guitar solo in the middle of this Atlantic Records classic!)

 

Do I Love You - Ronettes (6/64; #34 - Phil's greatest claim to fame was creating his famous "Wall of Sound." Quote: Phil Spector raised pop production's ambition and sophistication by overdubbing scores of musicians - five or six guitars, three or four pianos, and an army of percussion, including multiple drum kits, castanets, tambourines, bells, and timpani - to create a massive roar. Spector called it “a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll: little symphonies for the kids.”

 

Ebb Tide - Righteous Brothers (12/65; #5 - Phil discovered the duo at a club and signed them on the spot. He quickly produced You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and it became the most widely played record of the Twentieth Century, according to Billboard Magazine. Within two years he had grown tired of them, and this was their final recording under his guidance.)

 

* River Deep Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner (5/66; #88 - this was supposed to be Phil Spector's crowning glory and the pinnacle of his career. Somehow, though, he had alienated so many members of the music world that there appears to have been a conspiracy to make it fail. It, indeed, inexplicably landed with a thud, and sent Phil into a deep depression and self-exile that lasted for over two years. In hindsight, it has been ranked at #35 of all singles in the RS500, and is considered one of the most majestic records of the era. George Harrison said "River Deep ~ Mountain High is a perfect record from start to finish. You couldn't improve on it.")

 

Black Pearl - Sonny Charles & Checkmates, Ltd. (5/69; #13 - Phil came out of exile to sign a limited production deal with A&M Records, and it was here that he created one of the greatest records of his career, using a relatively unknown lounge act on a song about racial injustice. Tonight we hear a rare stereo version of it.)

 

What Is Life - George Harrison (2/71; #10 - George had so many songs built up from his Beatles days that it filled up three records' worth of space on his magnum opus All Things Must Pass. To ensure its success, he hired Phil Spector to put the finishing touches on it. Phil didn't have to do much, because the songwriting and playing was top-notch  -  but you can hear some of his touches on this single from the three-record set.)

 

The Long and Winding Road - Beatles (6/70; #1 for two weeks - The Beatles' first and final singles both reached #1, and this was the latter of the two. Embroiled in turmoil, the band handed off hours worth of tape to Phil and asked him to "make something out of it." He added horns and strings and a choir of angels, and this was the result.)

 

 

Rock 'n' Roll High School - Ramones (6/79; #67 UK - two of the many acts that tapped Phil to improve their recordings were Leonard Cohen and these guys. It wasn't a very good fit, and Phil apparently pulled his gun out once or twice, but he made their sound fuller with double- and triple-tracked guitars and drums and layers of harmony, and this had some success as a single in the UK. Check out their official music video from back in the day!)

 

Zabadak - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (1/68; #52 - this may be one of the oddest sounding records of the year: lots of exotic percussion, layers of voices, odd lyrics....yet it's irresistibly hypnotic and prompted several listener queries along the lines of "What IS this???")

 

Witchi Tai To - Everything Is Everything (1/69; #69 - this record was bubbling under this week at #106 and would eventually peak at #69 for one short week. Listeners might be more familiar with Brewer & Shipley's version, but this was the AM Radio one.)

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Host Next Week (2/6/21):  John Rudan with a spotlight on Superhits of the Seventies

 

 

 

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!