Rockin'
Remnants
Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook,
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Date: 11/25/23
Host: John Simon
Feature: Brand New Stereo Delights!
Tonight we invite you to sit between two speakers and listen to some of the brand new Stereo treasures brought to life by the engineers at Eric Records (along with some other sources), when we highlight the latest release on their Hit Parade label: it’s “Hard-to-Find Jukebox Classics: Stereo Explosion, Vol. 10!” We’ll also play trivia, bring you weather updates and fold in your requests. C’mon over!
Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia
I played three songs in the 7:00 hour that referenced Colorado. Can you name two of them?
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist – and to find a glossary of terms)
Playlist
· YouTube links follow certain 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)
Five O’Clock World – The Vogues (11/65; #4 – they were from Turtle Creek in western Pennsylvania, and this one blasted out of car radios and transistors and jukeboxes all over the country – but tonight you get to hear it in a whole new light.)
New York’s a Lonely Town – Trade Winds (2/65; #32 – Pete Anders & Vini Poncia were a songwriter/production team who also recorded under several aliases. This is a perennial favorite that has never sounded this good – until now.)
You Were On My Mind – We Five (7/65; #3 – the writer was Sylvia Fricker, better known as half of the Canadian duo Ian & Sylvia. The We Five hailed from the Bay Area, and this was probably their finest moment. Check out the layered vocals and cool instrumentation.)
The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore – Walker Brothers (4/66; #13 Pop, #1 UK for four weeks – they weren’t really British, and they weren’t even brothers. That said, they saw something in this Frankie Valli record that no one else did, and the majestic arrangement, coupled with Scott Walker’s vocal performance was a thing of beauty!)
Someday We’ll Be Together – Diana Ross & The Supremes (11/69; headed to #1 Pop and #1 R&B for four weeks – Diana had fought for top billing two years earlier, and the word on the street was that she was now getting ready to leave for a solo career. That made this record extra poignant and meaningful to Supremes fans, who in turn propelled it to #1 on both charts.)
Wonderful! Wonderful! – The Tymes (8/63; #7 – lead singer George Williams had an uncanny ability to sound like Johnny Mathis, who’d had a hit with this song back in 1957. Tonight we hear it in stereo for the first time, and all of the subtle elements reveal themselves. Sublime!)
Angel On My Shoulder – Shelby Flint (12/60; #22 – she was a 17-year old from San Diego with an angelic voice and a handful of original songs. Southern Californian writer/producer Barry DeVorzon had been considering starting his own record label, and he decided that she would lead the charge. This was the first release on Valiant Records, and the rest is history.)
When You Walk In the Room – Jackie DeShannon (1/64; #99 – she was a songwriter, a guitarist and a pretty fine singer in her own right. Arranger Jack Nitzsche helped turn this one into a powerhouse of a recording, but it floundered until British band The Searchers took a stab at it. Jackie’s version spent one lonely week on the Hot 100.)
* Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares (4/62; #1 for two weeks –Shelley played teenaged Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show, and her performance of this song was the climax of a touching episode about mother/daughter reconciliation. Hundreds of thousands of viewers ran out to bring copies home.)
This I Swear – Skyliners (6/59; #26 Pop, #20 R&B – they were a white quintet from Pittsburgh with a soulful lead singer and a smooth sound. They also were the co-writers of their biggest hits, both of which charted better on R&B radio than on Pop radio!)
The End of the World – Skeeter Davis (1/63; #2 Pop, #4 R&B, #2 C&W – speaking of successfully crossing radio formats, this Nashville classic made the Top 5 in the three major markets. Young Skeeter had lost her singing partner in a car crash several years earlier, and her performance here clearly tapped into her real-life heartbreak.)
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Frank Wilson (late 1965; NR – this one was recorded in Motown’s LA studio, assigned a catalog number, and a bunch of records were pressed - but label head Berry Gordy paused the process and insisted that Frank Wilson decide whether he wanted to be a singer or a producer/writer. When Frank chose the latter, Berry had all copies of the record destroyed. It was many years later that listeners finally heard this one – and many years later than that when it appeared in stunning stereo!)
* Mustang Sally – Young Rascals (3/66; dnc – they were one of the hottest bar bands in the Greater New York area, and their R&B covers were the stuff of legend. This one was tucked onto the flipside of Good Lovin’, which made it all the way to #1. Going out to John-in-Freeville, listening in from his hot tub in 28-degree weather!)
Incense and Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock (11/67; #1 – they seemingly came out of nowhere, and this song had originally been designated as the B-side of the record. In fact, the lead singer on this one wasn’t even a member of the band – he was a visitor in the studio. The result, though, was one of the coolest records of the year! And even though it’s a lip-synch, check out the video.)
7-8pm
Birthday Calendar
November 19 – Hank Medress (Tokens) – born 1939
– Pete Moore (Miracles) – born 1939
November 20 – Joe Walsh – age 76
– Duane Allman – born 1946
November 21 – David Porter (Stax Records) – age 82
– Andrew Love (Memphis Horns) – born 1941
November 22 – Steven Van Zandt – age 73
November 23 – Betty Everett – born 1939
November 24 – Donald “Duck” Dunn (M.G.s) – 1941
November 25 – Percy Sledge – born 1940
– Bob Lind – age 81
– Bev Bevan (ELO) – age 79
Portrait of My Love – Tokens (4/67; #36 – this shimmering remake of Steve Lawrence’s 1962 hit came blasting out of speakers in the Spring of ’67, and was the pinnacle of the group’s short tenure with Warner Brothers Records. They’d record one album before leaving for Buddah Records and then eventually focus more on producing other artists.)
A Fork in the Road – Miracles (7/65; dnc – Warren “Pete” Moore sang bass and co-wrote some of Smokey’s best songs. This one was tucked onto the B-side of Tracks of My Tears, and is among the group’s most beautiful ballads.)
Rocky Mountain Way – Joe Walsh (8/73; #23 – he was the front man for the James Gang, and would later join the Eagles, but he went solo for a couple of years and this was one of his bigger hits. He just turned 76 this week.)
Please Be With Me – Cowboy (10/71; NR – Duane Allman never lived to see his 25th birthday, and the world is that much poorer for it. He was an A-list session guitarist for Atlantic Records, he was the founder of the Allman Brothers Band, and he occasionally sat in with friends like Eric Clapton or his buddies Scott Boyer and Tommy Talton from Cowboy. Tonight we hear his gentle acoustic side on an obscure album track.)
B-A-B-Y – Carla Thomas (8/66; #14 Pop, #3 R&B – co-written by David Porter who – along with Isaac Hayes – wrote hits for Sam & Dave, Mable John, The Staple Singers and more. Almost all of them also featured Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, as a member of the Stax Records “house band”: Booker T & The M.G.s. Many of these tracks also featured Andrew Love and The Memphis Horns!.
I Don’t Want to Go Home – Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (8/76; #105 – this track was written by guitarist/background vocalist Steven Van Zandt, who finally left the group to join Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.)
You’re No Good – Betty Everett (11/63; #51 – she would have a bigger hit with “The Shoop Shoop Song” or on her duets with Jerry Butler, but this one would catch the ear of Linda Ronstadt who would record it some ten years later and take it all the way to #1.)
Pain In My Heart – Otis Redding (11/63; #61 – this was the title track of Otis’ first LP, and he was backed by “Duck” Dunn and the rest of the M.G.s. Tonight we hear it in first-time stunning stereo, from our friends at Eric Records.)
Take Time to Know Her – Percy Sledge (3/68; #11 Pop, #6 R&B – the Birthday Calendar tie-ins on this one are strong: Andrew Love & The Memphis Horns provide the brass accompaniment, and Steven Van Zandt got Percy Sledge to sing this one at his wedding!)
Cheryl’s Going Home – Bob Lind (1/66; dnc – this was going to be the A-side of Bob’s first single, but producer and arranger Jack Nitzsche lobbied heavily for the flipside: “Elusive Butterfly.” Other groups, though, saw the magic in this one, including The Blues Project and The Cascades.)
* W*O*L*D – Harry Chapin (1/74; #36 – going out from Scottie to one of his favorite DJs, this was Harry’s biggest hit until his follow-up, which would make it all the way to #1. Tonight we hear the special Radio DJ edit which shortens the song by about 90 seconds. Next time, we’ll play the full-length version.)
Someday Soon – Judy Collins (2/69; #55 – the personnel on this record is as follows:
Buddy Emmons on pedal steel, James Burton on guitar, Stephen Stills on bass,
Van Dyke Parks on piano, Jim Gordon on drums and Judy Collins on acoustic
guitar. The writer was Ian Tyson. What a record!)
Rocky Mountain High – John Denver (11/72; #9 – he’d had a #2 hit with “Take Me Home Country Roads,” but his subsequent four singles did nothing – until this one exploded onto the scene, despite a widespread ban due to skittish programmers. Within a year he’d have his first of four #1 records, plus a TV presence, a hit holiday collaboration with The Muppets and more.)
8-9pm
Nowhere Man – The Beatles (3/66; #3 – after six consecutive chart-toppers, this one somehow fell short. Still, it’s one of the quartet’s finest offerings – and tonight we hear the stunning remix from 1991's experimental Yellow Submarine Songtrack CD. What a sound!)
Wouldn’t It Be Nice – Beach Boys (7/66; #8 – this was a two-sided treasure, with “God Only Knows” tucked onto the B-side. Tonight we hear the stereo version from Capitol’s 2001 reissue of the Pet Sounds LP, and it’s never sounded this good to my ears.)
Sugar Sugar – The Archies (9/69; #1 for four weeks – a recently-released 3-CD retrospective of Don Kirshner’s singles releases included this stunning stereo version of a song we’ve all heard a million times. I was floored by how much I’d been missing when I first heard it in this format. I’m delighted to share it with you!)
I Lost Her in the Sun – John Stewart (12/79; #34 – this is one of three singles released from his Bombs Away Dream Babies LP, produced by and featuring Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and background vocals. This may be my favorite of the three.)
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Madeline Bell (2/68; #26 – this was the first Top 40 version of this classic co-composed by Kenny Gamble, and this one features background vocals by Dusty Springfield, repaying one of her favorite back-up singers by returning the favor. This is actually the first version I’d ever heard, and still may be my favorite.)
More Today Than Yesterday – Spiral Starecase (4/69; #12 – for the longest time I was sure that the lead singer was from the West Indies and that this was an interracial group. It turns out that his name is Pat Upton, and they were a bunch of white boys from Sacramento. I still recall the thrill of this blasting out of my radio when it first came out!)
When She Was My Girl – Four Tops (8/81; #11 Pop, #1 R&B for two weeks – they’d been with Motown from its inception, then left for ABC/Dunhill when Holland-Dozier-Holland split from Motown. They finally landed at Casablanca Records for one final truly great record.)
On a Carousel – The Hollies (3/67; #11 – this was one of the group’s final releases on the Imperial label, but it’s a primal memory for me – I still feel like I’m 13 years old when I hear it. The Spring of 1967 was when I was officially “activated” as a teenager.)
A Groovy Kind of Love – Mindbenders (2/66; #2 – this is another British Invasion record that seemed forever destined to remain in mono, but Eric Records managed to create a stunning version that finally opens up the mix and allows listeners to hear the individual elements.)
Wonderin’ Where the Lions Are – Bruce Cockburn (3/80; #21 – forty-three years later, he’s still making new music and touring the world. In fact, he played right here in Ithaca last month. This remains his only bona fide radio hit, and I’m glad to play it any chance I get.)
The Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Paul Stookey (7/71; #24 – Paul composed this to play at Peter Yarrow’s wedding, borrowing the melody from John Denver’s “Rhymes and Reasons.” It’s a beautiful recording.)
Pilot of the Airwaves – Charlie Dore (2/80; #13 –
we close tonight’s show with the only hit for this British singer/songwriter, and it’s a poignant thank you to all of you who call in or even just tune in. We don’t take our responsibility lightly: this is, indeed, a symbiotic relationship. Thanks for being out there. See you on the 16th.)
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Trivia Answer:
Three songs in the 7:00 hour referenced Colorado. They were Rocky Mountain Way, Someday Soon and Rocky Mountain High.
Congratulations to Bob from Interlaken, for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis!
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 (12/2/23): John Rudan with a spotlight on great oldies with some holiday music thrown in, too.
Thanks for tuning in - and for voting us Ithaca's Best Local Radio Show in this year's Ithaca Times Readers' Poll! 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, too, to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
