December 7
December 7, 2024
Host: Jan Hunsinger (JH)
Spotlight: "Doo Wop Night".
Thanks to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969 - #29: produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Jingle Jangle - The Penguins (1955 - DNC: Christmas themed follow-up to "Earth Angel")
Earth Angel - The Penguins (1955 - #8: made its chart debut on 12/25/54 and ranks #151/RS500)
Sh-boom - The Chords (1954 - #5: song ranks #215/RS500 for the Bronx group)
Heartaches - The Marcels (1961 - #7: doo-wop group out of Pittsburgh)
Play Those Oldies, Mr. DJ - Anthony and the Sophomores (1963 - DNC: interesting that the term "oldie" was being used for songs that were 6-7 years old)
Gloria - The Cadillacs (1954 - DNC: group would later have a big hit with the song "Speedo")
Lily Maebelle - The Valentines (1955 - DNC: song was used in an episode of "The Sopranos")
You Belong to Me - The Duprees (1962 - #7: song was a #1 hit for Jo Stafford in 1952)
(Will You) Come Back My Love - The Wrens (1955 - DNC: song was popular in New York City for the Bronx group)
Can This Be Christmas - The Falcons (1957 - DNC: another example of how many doo-wop groups had bird names)
What's Your Name - Don & Juan (1962 - #7: Roland "Don" Trone and Claude "Juan" Johnson)
Little Darlin' - The Gladiolas (1957 - #7: 16 year old Maurice Williams wrote the song and in 1959 the group became Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs; "The Diamonds" would cover the song the same year and take it to #2)
Sincerely - The Moonglows (1955 - #20: song went to #1 on the R&B charts and was written by Harvey Fuqua and Alan Freed; the McGuire Sisters would cover the song and take it to #1)
Church Bells May Ring - The Willows (1956 - #62: up-beat doo-wop from Harlem group)
Long Lonely Nights - Lee Andrews and the Hearts (1957 - #45: lead singer Arthur Lee Andrews Thompson is the father of Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson)
Mr. Lee - The Bobbettes (1957 - #6: Harlem girl group who wrote and sang about a disliked teacher, but the record company insisted the lyrics be changed to reflect admiration)
Over the Mountain, Cross the Sea - Johnnie and Joe (1956 - #62: Bronx duo Johnnie Richardson and Joe Rivers)
I'll Be Forever Loving You - The El Dorados (1955 - DNC: follow-up to their big hit "At My Front Door")
7:00 - 8:00 - The Birthday Calendar
Background Music - Alley Cat - Bent Fabric (1962 - #7: song won a Grammy for Rock and Roll Record)
December 1:
Lou Rawls - b. 1933
Billy Paul [Paul Williams] - b. 1934
John Densmore (The Doors) - 80
Raymond [Gilbert] O'Sullivan - 78
December 2:
Ted Bluechel (The Association) - 82
Dave Munden (The Tremeloes) - b. 1943
December 3:
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams - b. 1927
December 4:
Freddy Cannon [Picariello] - 84
Chris Hillman - 80
Craig Doerge - 80
Dennis Wilson (The Beach Boys) - b. 1944
[Southside] Johnny Lyons - 76
December 5:
Little Richard [Penniman] - b. 1932
Andy Kim [Androwis Youakim] - 78
Jim Messina - 77
December 6:
George Williams (The Tymes) - b. 1935
Steve Alaimo - 75
Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five) - b. 1943
Jonathan King - 80
December 7:
Bent Fabric [Bent Fabricius] - b. 1924
Harry Chapin - b. 1942
You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls (1976 - #2: we heard the single version)
Me & Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul (1972 - #1: song spent three weeks at #1, from 12/16/72 - 1/6/73)
Light My Fire - The Doors (1967 - #1: we heard the 45 single version of the song that spent three weeks at #1 in the summer of 1967; John Densmore was the L.A. band's drummer)
Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan (1972 - #1: song spent 6 weeks at #1)
Yes I Will - The Association (1969 - #120: song woulda, coulda, shoulda been a bigger hit; Ted Bluechel was the group's drummer)
Here Comes My Baby - The Tremeloes (1967 - #13: Dave Munden was the group's drummer; Cat Stevens wrote the song)
Can't Get Used to Losing You - Andy Williams (1963 - #2: Williams was known as "Mr. Christmas" for his perennial Christmas TV specials)
Abigail Beecher - Freddy Cannon (1964 - #16: known as "Boom-Boom" Cannnon for his bass drum sound)
So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star - The Byrds (1967 - #29: Chris Hillman co-wrote the song and shared lead vocals; in addition to The Byrds Hillman performed with The Flying Burrito Brothers, Stephen Stills' Manassas, and others)
The Pretender - Jackson Browne (1977 - #58: Craig Doerge played piano on the title track; in addition to appearing on many of Browne's LPs, Doerge also played with James Taylor and Crosby, Stills, and Nash)
45 Corner
Walk Away Renee - Southside Johnny and the Jukes (1986 - #98: his cover of the classic by the Left Banke; we heard the original 45 on Atlantic Records)
Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard (1958 - #10: song ranks #94/RS500)
Baby I Love You - Andy Kim (1969 - #9: Kim's cover did better than The Ronettes original, which charted at #24 in 1964)
My Music - Loggins & Messina (1973 - #16: Messina was originally a member of Buffalo Springfield)
So Much In Love - The Tymes (1963 - #1: lead singer George Williams co-wrote the song that spent 1 week at #1 in August)
Every Day I Have to Cry - Steve Alaimo 1963 - #46: Alaimo was born in Omaha but grew up in Rochester, NY; we heard the original vinyl 45)
Because - Dave Clark Five (1964 - #3: Mike Smith sang lead and played keyboards for the band that was named for drummer Dave Clark)
Everyone's Gone to the Moon - Jonathan King (1965 - #17: King wrote this one-hit wonder and would later cover the song "Hooked on a Feeling" that incorporated the "ooga-chaka" that was copied by Blue Swede)
W.O.L.D. - Harry Chapin (1974 - #35: his song about an aging disc jockey)
Merry Twistmas - The Marcels (1961 - DNC: the Harlem group's big hit was "Blue Moon")
Don't Ask Me (to be Lonely) - The Dubs (1957 - #72: song made the pop charts but, surprisingly, not the R&B charts)
Heart and Soul - The Cleftones (1961 - #18: song was written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser)
We Belong Together - Robert & Johnny (1958 - #32: Bronx duo Robert Carr and Johnny Mitchell)
If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas - Gene Autry (1949 - DNC: Autry released his Christmas classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1948; when "Rudolph" was re-released in 1949, this was the flip side; we heard the original Columbia 45)
Whispering Bells - The Dell-Vikings (1957 - #9: their follow-up to "Come Go With Me")
*This I Swear - The Skyliners (1959 - #26: Jimmy Beaumont was lead singer for the Pittsburgh group)
Get A Job - The Silhouettes (1958 - #1: song spent two weeks at #1 and the "Sha-na-na" intro later provided a name to the 1970s Oldies group)
Blue Velvet - The Clovers (1955 - R&B #14: The Clovers were one of the biggest-selling acts of the 1950s)
Stranded in the Jungle - The Cadets (1956 - #15: Will "Dub" Jones of later Coasters fame provided the spoken lines of this novelty hit)
Lovers Never Say Goodbye - The Flamingos (1959 - #52: first charting single for the Chicago group, their next release was the classic "I Only Have Eyes for You")
It's Christmas Time - The Five Keys (1951 - DNC: Merry Christmas!)
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959 - #1 for two weeks; brothers Santo [steel guitar] and Johnny [rhythm guitar] Farina from Brooklyn)
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