11/30/24 - JS - Annual Birthday Party Show

 

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!)

 

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

 I'm getting ready for my annual post-Thanksgiving Oldies show from 6-9 tonight on WVBR's Rockin' Remnants. Lots of classics from this time of year, plus some surprises, some giveaways and listener requests. As always, we'd love to have you spend a little time with us. Come in out of the cold - a good time is guaranteed and everybody is welcome!

 

Date:  11/30/24

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  No Discernible Theme!

 

 

 

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)

 

Poor Side of Town – Johnny Rivers (11/66; #1 – Johnny was the king of covers, partly because he had an excellent ear for up-and-coming songwriters like Jimmy Webb and James Taylor and Van Morrison. In this case, though, he was the writer, and this was his only #1 record. His next few hits would be Motown covers, and all of them were accompanied by the Wrecking Crew and Darlene Love’s Blossoms.)

 

 

I Only Want to Be With You – Dusty Springfield (1/64; #12 – she had recently left the Folk trio called The Springfields, and this was her debut single here in The States. She was just getting started, though. One of her most frequent back-up singers was American transplant Madeline Bell. We’ll hear from her shortly.)

 

Goin’ Out of My Head – Little Anthony & The Imperials (11/64; #6 – these Brooklyn kids have been singing together since junior high, but this was their classic line-up and the material was provided by songwriter Teddy Randazzo. Tonight we hear the hard-to-find mono 45 version, just the way it sounded in 1964 – because all CD versions up to now have used a slightly different vocal take.)

 

(The Lights Went Out in) Massachusetts – Bee Gees (11/67; #11 – these three brothers had never actually been to Massachusetts OR San Francisco, but they liked the way those words sounded. This was their fourth consecutive US Top 20 single. By the end of their long career, they’d chart nearly fifty singles, including nine #1s!)

 

 

I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Madeline Bell (2/65; #26 – session singer Madeline Bell was offered the chance to record this Kenny Gamble and Jerry Ross number and called in a favor from her friend Dusty Springfield, who can be heard prominently on the choruses. This was her lone hit single here in the States, released on the blue Philips Records label.)

 

 

Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares (4/62; #1 for two weeks – listener Barbara called this one in as a dedication and a birthday tribute to her “favorite DJ.” Shelley was from a showbiz family, and this was written in as a plot device on The Donna Reed Show to also sell a bunch of records. Recorded in LA, it featured none other than Darlene Love and The Blossoms on background vocals!)

 

 

 

Angel on My Shoulder – Shelby Flint (12/60; #22 – meanwhile, Shelby was a sixteen-year old from San Diego with a guitar and a dream. Young songwriter Barry DeVorzon had dreamed of starting a record label, and she inspired him to create Valiant Records. This was their first release, and her only Top 40 hit.)

 

 

I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight – Barry & The Tamerlanes (11/63; #21 – after three years as a label exec and prolific composer, Barry DeVorzon decided to try his hand as a hitmaker. This was the group’s only entry on the Hot 100, but you haven’t heard the last of him this evening.)

 

Can’t Help Falling in Love with You – Elvis Presley & The Jordanaires (12/61; #2 Pop, #1 UK for four weeks – after a brief and highly-publicized stint in the Army, Elvis came back to a full schedule of movies-to-be-filmed. Some of his biggest hits came from those soundtracks, including this classic performance. Meanwhile, that’s LA studio drummer playing those delicate fills that keep things moving.)

 

 

The End of the World – Skeeter Davis (2/63; #2 Pop, #2 C&W, #4 R&B – here’s another one from the RCA label, featuring some of Nashville’s finest session players. The palpable ache in Skeeter’s voice has been attributed to her duet partner’s death in a car accident several years earlier, and the assumption that THAT was her muse. It’s recognized by Billboard as the most successful crossover record of all time: Top 3 in Pop, Country and R&B.)

 

Splish Splash – Bobby Darin (8/58; #3 Pop and #1 R&B for three weeks – let me pause by saying that I’d been really sick since before Thanksgiving, so my brain wasn’t exactly clear when I got a request to play “anything” that might fit for an older couple moving into a new place together. I grabbed this one because I knew that this was the listener's grandson's favorite R’n’R tune, but it sort of missed the mark. I’d fix that later in the show!)

 

Baby Don’t Go – Sonny & Cher (12/64; dnc – they’d been signed to Frank Sinatra’s Reprise Records label, but after floundering for a bit they were let go and were picked up by Atco Records. That all changed when their breakout hit “I Got You Babe” sailed to #1 in the spring of ’65. Atco quickly released “Baby Don’t Go” as its follow-up in August, and it raced up to #8!)

  

 

Caravan – Van Morrison (1970; NR – this album track from Van’s Moondance LP was never released as a single here in the States, but it’s one of his best known songs. Scotty would like to send it out Peggy on this holiday week, and he hopes that you enjoy it, too!)

 

 

Up on Cripple Creek – The Band (11/69; #25 – it clearly resonated with listener John from Freeville, who recalled its memorable appearance in The Band’s film The Last Waltz [see above]. That inspired him to request this one! It’s contagious!)

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

November 24 – Donald “Duck” Dunn – born 1941

 

 

 November 25 – Percy Sledge – born in 1940

            – Bob Lind – age 82

 

 

November 26 – Tina Turner – born 1939

            – Jean Terrell (Supremes) – age 80

     – John McVie – age 79

            – Gayle McCormick (Smith) – born 1948

 

 

November 27 – Jimi Hendrix – born in 1942

 

 

November 28 – Gary Troxell (Fleetwoods) – age 85

 

 

November 29 – Jody Miller – born in 1941

    – Denny Doherty – born in 1941

            – Mark James – born in 1940

            – Felix Cavaliere (Rascals) – age 82

 

November 30 – Paul Stookey (PP&M) – age 87

            – Rob Grill (Grass Roots) – born 1943

 

 

 

 

In the Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett (6/65; #21 Pop, #1 R&B – this classic was co-written by WP and Steve Cropper, guitarist for Booker T & The MGs. The MGs were the house band for most of the Stax Records material, and Atlantic had flown Wilson in to record with them. Bass player “Duck” Dunn created the classic bass line that propels this straight through to the end!)

 

 

I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You – Percy Sledge (2/70; NR – Percy was an Alabama native who recorded all of his records at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. This stunning version of the Bee Gees tune wasn’t released as a single here in the States, but it would’ve been a hit.)

 

 

Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind (1/66; #5 – Bob was a Baltimore folksinger who’d been signed to World Pacific Records, and was somehow paired with acclaimed arranger Jack Nitzsche. Nitzsche’s vision elevated Bob’s simple songs to a whole new plane, and this one literally took off!)

 

Honky Tonk Women – Ike & Tina Turner (3/70; dnc – this was the B-side of the group’s charting version of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” and could well have been a hit on its own. Ike & Tina’s band had toured with the Stones, and they knew that this was a perfect vehicle for the divine Ms. Turner.)

 

 

Baby It’s You – Smith (9/69; #5 – The Shirelles had done it first, which is where The Beatles picked it up. Years later Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe would record a tasty version. In between, there was this powerhouse version by an unknown LA bar band. The LP version is about a minute-and-a-half longer, but this version is a stunning example of what brilliant editing can do.)

 

 

Stoned Love – The Supremes (11/70; #7 Pop, #1 R&B – Motown’s premier girl group had weathered the replacement of Florence Ballard in 1967 and the loss of Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1968, but Diana Ross’ announced departure in 1969 should’ve been the final blow. Instead, Jean Terrell was brought in as her replacement and two of their next three singles were Top Ten hits!)

 

Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac (7/76; #11 – John McVie lent his name to the band, and his thundering bass gave drummer Mick Fleetwood plenty to lock into. The addition, though, of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham opened them to a whole new audience, and the debut album for that quintet yielded three Top 20 singles. This Christine McVie offering features a bunch of single-only guitar overdubs, and should be played loud!)

 

 

The Wind Cries Mary – Jimi Hendrix Experience (9/67; dnc – Seattle-born Jimi had been a journeyman guitar-slinger in New York, even playing briefly for the Isley Brothers – but it was his free-spirited hippie persona that elevated him to cult status when he arrived in England. This was the B-side of his first US single “Purple Haze,” coming to you on the original 45. My buddy JR texted me during the show to say “Man – that ECHO on Hendrix 45! I had it cranked to 11!”)

 

 

Mr. Blue – The Fleetwoods (11/59; #1 – young Gary Troxel was a high school trumpet player growing up a couple of hours south of Seattle when two classmates heard him sing for the first time. The three of them really liked their blend, and started singing at school functions. Somehow, they landed a record contract with the regional Dolton Records label, and the next thing you knew: two of their first singles reached #1 on the national charts!)

 

 

I Saw Her Again – Mamas & Papas (7/66; #5 – Denny Doherty got co-writing credit with fellow Papa John Phillips, and sang lead on this early single for the group. He somehow came in too early on the final chorus, but everybody in the booth thought that it was a happy accident, so they kept it! Tonight you hear the mono 45.)

 

Hooked on a Feeling – BJ Thomas (11/68; #5 – Mark James started writing songs as a high school kid in Houston, where he became friends with BJ Thomas. Several years later he landed in Memphis and started writing prolifically, and some of his songs included “Always On My Mind,” “Suspicious Minds,” and several BJ Thomas hits. This was his first composition to go Top Ten!)

 

 

Magic Town – Jody Miller (12/65; #125 – most people know The Vogues’ version of this Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil song, but Jody Miller got first crack at it several years earlier. It never quite got very far, and the only existing recorded versions are in muddy mono, but it’s worth a good listen on her birthday week.)

 

 

Good Lovin’ – Young Rascals (4/66; #1 – Felix was the main singer and keyboardist for the quartet, and he and Eddie Brigati co-wrote many of their hits, but this cover of The Olympics’ low-charter from year earlier is a thing of beauty. Music writer Dave Marsh is quoted as calling this song "the greatest example ever of a remake surpassing the quality of an original without changing a thing about the arrangement.")

 

 

Midnight Confessions – Grass Roots (9/68; #5 – this was the first song by the group to feature a horn section, and was partly their attempt to recreate the “Motown sound.” Rob Grill sang the verses and played bass in concert, but these are the Wrecking Crew players on the single, and that’s Carol Kaye on bass!)

 

 

 

 

8-9pm

 

 

 

I Dig Rock ‘n’ Roll Music – Peter, Paul and Mary (8/67; #9 – I’d referenced music writer Dave Marsh a little earlier, and I have to confess that his snarky judgmental writing about this song had turned me against it – until I heard it in passing a couple of weeks ago. The impressions are pretty spot-on, and the vibe is tongue in cheek. Paul Stookey was the writer and main singer, and he’s suddenly 87 years old!)

 

 

Winchester Cathedral – New Vaudeville Six (12/66; #1 for three weeks – this goes out to David in Vancouver, who mostly remembers that it was a big hit right around his brother’s birthday back in the day. There was no actual “New Vaudeville Band,” because this was done by a group of session players. Somebody pulled one together very quickly though, because they suddenly had a #1 record on their hands and TV appearances to make!)

 

 

A Taste of Honey – Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass (9/65; #7 – this instrumental won Grammys for Record of the Year and Instrumental Record of the year, and they were having a really hard time starting it until session drummer Hal Blaine proposed that he open it with his kick drum. The rest is history. BTW, Hal Blaine played on six consecutive Record of the Year winners from 1966-1971!)

 

 

Fire – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (9/68; #2, #1 in the UK – I had mentioned on-air that the weather has turned enough that we made our first wood stove fire of the season at my house, and it prompted listener Michael to request either this one or Deep Purple’s “Burn.” For me it was no contest!)

 

 

Brand New Key – Melanie (12/71; #1 for three weeks – listeners Shella and Jim are moving into a new place this week, and she had called earlier asking me to pick something. I basically missed the mark, so she asked again and this time she mentioned Melanie – and suddenly I knew that it had to be the one about getting a brand new key for a new place to live!)

 

Sleigh Ride – Ronettes (11/63 – Phil Spector and his team assembled their full roster of talent, hired the Wrecking Crew and booked a bunch of time at Gold Star Studios in LA. Here’s one of a slew of tracks, several of which have recently been converted to stunning stereo. This is one of them!)

 

 

I Second That Emotion – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (11/67; #4 Pop, #1 R&B – legend has it that Smokey and co-writer Al Cleveland had been bantering with the check-out girl when Al said that he agreed with her statement – but used “emotion” instead of “motion.” They all had a good laugh, but Smokey knew that there was something there that he could use….)

 

 

Ride Captain Ride – Blues Image (4/70; #4 – word has come that Mike Pinera, the guy who wrote and sang this one, passed away at home on November after a long illness. He was 76 years old, and had lived a good musical life: after Blues Image he joined Iron Butterfly and eventually joined Alice Cooper’s band as the guitarist. These guys had one other low-charting single, but this was their crowning glory.)

 

 

Midnight Cowboy – Ferrante & Teicher (11/69; #10 – the movie would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, but it also yielded a bunch of musical treasure. This was the piano duo’s fourth and final Top Ten record, and featured the “drops of water” guitar sounds of session player Vinnie Bell. Vinnie was a prolific studio player in NYC who also invented the Danelectro electric Sitar heard on a number of hits in the late Sixties.)

 

 

 

I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City – Nilsson (11/69; #34 – this song had also been composed for the Midnight Cowboy film, but the producers instead went with Harry’s earlier recording of “Everybody’s Talkin’.” It was, though, Harry’s second charting single and there be more where that came from – including one of the biggest records of 1972.)

 

 

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan (9/73; #12 – Bob had been approached about appearing in a Hollywood Western, and also contributed this song to the soundtrack. The film was Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and the song was eventually ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine at #192 in their RS500. )

 

 

Rocky Mountain High – John Denver (11/72; #9 – John was a prolific writer and entertainer who would go on to stardom in television and film, and who would soon release four #1 singles within a two year span. This was one of his first big singles, and it spoke to a whole generation.)

 

Nadia’s Theme – Barry Devorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. (8/76; #8 – we heard from young Barry DeVorzon in the first hour, but this one really put him on the radar for many music fans. It was originally composed as “Cotton’s Dream” for the film Bless The Beasts and The Children, and was later known as the theme music for the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. It really arrived during the 1976 Summer Olympics, though, when Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci used it in her gold medal floor routine.)

 

 

 

(At) The End (of a Rainbow) – Earl Grant (9/58; #7 – we close with one of the most haunting records of my youth, by a fellow better known as a Jazz organist than a vocalist. Many pressings simply listed it as “The End,” and I’d like to close tonight’s one-man birthday party with it. Thanks for dropping by. See you on the 14^th!)

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Congratulations to Jack from Etna for being the 5^th caller on the listener line and winning a $25 gift card to Bickering Twins Restaurant and Tequila Bar at 114 N. Cayuga Street!

 

 

 

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 (12/7/24):  Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight called “Doo Wop Night!”

 

 

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!