December 9, 2023 - GJ - Miscellanea

Rockin’ Remnants

Rockin’ Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 FM or stream the show every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. Eastern. (Or download the WVBR+app now available for iOS and Android.)

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Date: December 9, 2023

Host:  Gregory James

Feature: Miscellanea

Birthday Calendar

December  4

Gary Rossington  (Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist)  b. 1951  d. 3/5/23

Southside Johnny  75 years old

Chris Hillman  79 years old

Freddy Cannon  87 years old

December 5

Jim Messina   76 years old

Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown)  b. 1947  d. 2022

J.J. Cale  b. 1938  d. 2013

Little Richard   b. 1932  d. 2020

December 6

Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five singer/keyboards)  b. 1943   d. 2008

December 7

Tom Waits  74 years old

Harry Chapin  b. 1942  d. 1981

December 8

Gregg Allman   b. 1947  d. 2017

Jim Morrison  b . 1943  d. 1971

Jerry Butler  84 years old

December 9

Joan Armatrading 73 years old

Rock n’ Roll Trivia

A song originally released in 1958  reached #1 on the Hot 100 this week, 65 years later. What was the song and who was the artist?

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)

Playlist

* 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 subsequent dates) unless otherwise noted

* glossary of terms is below the playlist

6:00

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

Do I Do Stevie Wonder 1982  #2 RB  #13 H100

Wonder wrote the arrangement for the 15 horns on this track and Nathan Watts (seen below) walked all over the bass guitar.

Got to Get You Into My Life Earth, Wind & Fire  1978  #1 RB  #9 H100

This track won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.

(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet The Reflections 1964  #6

The group devised the “doot doo doo doot” lyrics. It was first aired on Canadian radio station CKLW.

Beechwood 4-5789     The Marvelettes   1962  #17 H100  #7RB

This was not a working telephone number, although Motown did not confirm that before releasing the record.

*Time Passages Al Stewart   1978  #7

Al Stewart wrote this song with the expressed purpose of creating a radio-friendly hit single. Requested by a listener in Horseheads.

* Love Is the Answer   Utopia with Todd Rundgren   1977   DNC

 Going out to Peggy with love from Scottie.

*‘Cello Song  Nick Drake   1969  NR

Requested by Jennie in Ithaca.

I'm Into Something Good Herman's Hermits  1964  #13

Composer Carole King has said that she was inspired in the writing of this song by Brian Wilson’s music.

Hang On Sloopy McCoys  1965  #1

Rick Derringer recorded his vocals over a pre-existing backing track by a group called the Strangeloves.

Coming On Strong Brenda Lee   1966  #11

Brenda Lee was #1 on the Hot 100 this week with her 1960 Christmas hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

Happy Together Turtles  1967  #1

They performed “Happy Together” in concert before they were confident enough in its potential to record it.  It was the Turtles’ only #1 hit record.

Da Doo Ron Ron Crystals   1963  #3

The Bill mentioned in the song was named after Bill Walsh, a friend of Phil Spector. No idea who Ron was.

Dark Eyed Woman Spirit   1969  #118

Kiss Him Goodbye Steam  1969  #1

Co-composer Paul Leka initially thought that the song was “an embarrassing record.”  The verses are pretty forgettable, but the refrain is an ear worm for the ages.

7:00

*Taxi   Harry Chapin   1972    #24

John Wallace sang the high notes.

Ol’ 55     Tom Waits  1973

The Eagles covered this song in 1974.

Swamp Music   Lynyrd Skynyrd   1974  DNC

A deep cut from their “Second Helping” album

Walk Away Renee Southside Johnny /Asbury Dukes  1986  #98

A little recent for Rockin' Remnants, but this is a fine cover of a song writtten 20 years earlier in 1966.

The Dedication Song   Freddy Cannon  1966  #41

One way to get your record played on the radio was to make the song about radio.

Love Me Tonight    McGuinn/Hillman  1980  DNC

I Lie Around   Wings    1971

The news of Denny Laine's death was announced on Tuesday of this week, December 5, 2023. Denny Laine not only played lead guitar on “I Lie Around,” he also sang the first two verses, the first time anybody but Paul McCartney had sung lead on a Wings recording.

Nobody But You   Loggins and Messina  1972  #86

Good Golly Miss Molly    Little Richard    1958   #10

Glad All Over Dave Clark Five   1964   #6 H100

This was the English version of the “wall of sound” known in the UK as “The Tottenham Sound,” named after the DC 5’s London neighborhood.

Whipping Post Allman Brothers   1969

Bassist Berry Oakley wrote the opening measures of Gregg Allman’s tune.

Only the Strong Survive    Jerry Butler  1969 #4H100  #1 RB

Love and Affection  Joan Armatrading   1976  DNC

8:00

Mickey's Monkey Smokey Robinson and the Miracles  1963  #8 H100 #3RB

A group of Motown All-Stars sang the background vocals, including Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves, and members of the Temptations and Marvelettes.

Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha Sam Cooke  1959  #31 H100  #2 RB

The record’s original title was “Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha.” The backing vocalists were Darlene Love and The Blossoms.

Blame It on the Bossa Nova Edyie Gormé   1963  #7

The backing vocalists were The Cookies.

The Jerk The Larks  1965  #7

Not to be confused with “The Monkey,” The Jerk is said to have originated on the West Coast. It’s kind of like The Monkey at half speed.

I'm A Man Spencer Davis Group   1967  #10 H100  #48 RB

I’m embarrassed to say that I never realized (until I recently read the lyrics) that the singer’s toilet is trimmed with chrome.

CC Rider/Jenny Take A Ride      Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels  1966  #10

If you listen carefully at about the 1 minute mark, you can hear the Detroit Wheels singing “See Mitch Ryder.”

Johnny B. Goode    Chuck Berry  1958  #8 H100  #2 RB

Berry’s opening guitar riff is a note for note copy of Carl Hogan’s intro to Louis Jordan’s 1946 song “Ain’t That Just Like a Woman.” In the video below, Berry really gets going at 1:04.

Lowdown Boz Scaggs  1976  #3H100  #5 RB

This track was not originally released as a single from the “Silk Degrees” album, but when a Cleveland DJ played the cut straight off the LP, the listener response was strong enough that Columbia Records released it as a single.

The One Who Really Loves You  Mary Wells  1962  #8 H100  #2 RB

This was the first of three consecutive top 10 hits for Wells written by Smokey Robinson.

Beyond the Sea Bobby Darin  1960  #6 H100  #15 RB

The record was arranged and conducted by Richard Wess. Darin was 22 years old when he recorded the song.

I Cried A Tear LaVern Baker   1959  #6 H100  #2 RB

LaVern Baker was influential in bringing rhythm and blues into the mainstream of popular music. She was the second female solo artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Crying in the Rain   Everly Brothers  1962  #6

After I recently heard John Simon and Jan Nigro sing a first-rate live version of this song, I was inspired to add this Carole King song to tonight’s playlist. The Ed Sullivan video below was made just after they completed USMC basic training.

Rain Drops      Dee Clark   1961  #2

Lots of rain in tonight’s short range forecast, so I thought I would alert you through songs and sound effects.

Blue Velvet Bobby Vinton  1963  #1

Backed by Burt Bacharach and his Orchestra, Vinton recorded the song in two takes.

Hold the Line Toto   1979  #5

This was Toto’s debut single.

Party Lights Claudine Clark  1962  #5 H100  #3 RB

Claudine Clark wrote and sang the song (which was originally a B-side) on Chancellor Records.

Soul Man Sam and Dave  1967  #2H100  #1 RB

Sam and Dave traded lead vocals throughout this song, which was the most successful Stax record at that point in time. Backing them on the video below are Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn and other Stax players.

CLOSING THEME: Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)

Trivia Answer

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. At the age of 78, Brenda Lee has become the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100.

Congratulations to Dave from Dryden for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis, downtown Ithaca’s home for first-run, international, independent and local films.

Glossary of Terms:

DNC = did not chart

NR = not released as a single at the time

H100 = Billboard Hot 100

CW = Billboard’s chart for country and western records

RB = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records

Host December 16, 2023: John Simon with a spotlight on "Songs of the Season-Especially 1967."

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 on WVBR.com.

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