May 17, 2025 - JH: Songs From The Sopranos, II

 May 17, 2025

Host: Jan Hunsinger (JH)

Spotlight: Songs from "The Sopranos, II"

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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 chart dates during/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise noted

·     a glossary of terms is below the playlist

6:00 - 7:00

OPENING THEME:  Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969 - #29: produced by Jimi Hendrix)

*It Was a Very Good Year - Frank Sinatra (1966 - #28: song won "Old Blue Eyes" a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance)

Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation (1974 - #1: song spent one week at #1 and is considered one of the first disco songs)

Sally Go Round the Roses - The Jaynetts (1963 - #2: Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet" kept the Bronx girl group out of the top spot)

Dawn (Go Away) - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (1964 - #3: one of the top singles of 1964)

Daniel - Elton John (1973 - #2: from the LP "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player", Paul McCartney's "My Love" kept it from being #1)

Gloria - Them (1965 - #93; 1966 - #71: featuring a young Van Morrison, the song ranks #208/RS500)

Jim Dandy - LaVern Baker (1957 - #17: one of her 20 songs to chart on the BB Hot 100, it ranks #343/RS500)

Ain't That a Kick in the Head - Dean Martin (1960 - DNC: used in the film "Ocean's 11", the song gained popularity when re-released in a 1989 compilation CD of Dino's hits)

Foreplay/Longtime - Boston (1977 - #22: from the group's debut album)

The Gypsy Cried - Lou Christie (1963 - #24: Christie co-wrote his first hit, which sold over a million copies for the falsetto singer)

Crying - Roy Orbison (1961 - #2: Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack" kept the song from #1, but it ranks #69/RS500)

When You Dance - The Turbans (1956 - #33: one-hit wonder for the Philadelphia group)

Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites (1972 - #1: lead singer Eugene Record wrote and produced this hit for the Chicago group)

7:00 - 8:00 The Birthday Calendar

Background song: Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield (1974 - #7: song became a hit after being used in the movie "The Exorcist")

May 11:
Eric Burdon - 84
Arnie Silver (The Dovells) - 82
Les Chadwick (Gerry and the Pacemakers) - b. 1943

May 12:
Burt Bacharach - b. 1928
Norman Whitfield - b. 1940
James Purify - b. 1944
Steve Winwood - 77

May 13:
Ritchie Valens [Valenzuela] - b. 1941
Mary Wells - b. 1943
Peter Watts (Mott the Hoople) - b. 1947
Stevie Wonder - 75

May 14:
Will "Dub" Jones (The Coasters) - b. 1928
Bobby Darin [Walden Robert Cassotto] - b. 1936
Troy Shondell - b. 1939
Jack Bruce (Cream) - b. 1943
Derek "Lek" Leckenby (Herman's Hermits) - b. 1943

May 15:
Eddy Arnold - b. 1918
Trini Lopez - b. 1937
Lenny Welch - b. 1938
Mike Oldfield - 72

May 16:
Roger Earl - 79
Barbara Lee (The Chiffons) - b. 1947

May 17:
Pervis Jackson (The Spinners) - b. 1938
Malcolm Hale (Spanky and Our Gang) - b. 1941
Keith [James Keefer] - 76

We Gotta Get Out of This Place - The Animals (1965 - #2: Eric Burdon was lead singer for the group; the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil written song was popular with American troops in Viet Nam and ranks #233/RS500 but the Beatles' "Help" kept it from topping the BB Hot100)

You Can't Sit Down - The Dovells (1963 - #3: Len Barry was a member of the doo-wop group from Philadelphia)

Ferry Cross the Mersey - Gerry and the Pacemakers (1965 - #6: Les Chadwick played bass for the Liverpool group; song about their hometown river)

This Guy's in Love With You - Herb Alpert (1968 - #1: one of the dozens of hit songs written by Burt Bacharach, it spent 4 weeks at #1)

I Can't Get Next to You - The Temptations (1969 - #1: one of the many hit songs that Norman Whitfield wrote and produced for Motown Records)

Let Love Come Between Us - James & Bobby Purify (1967 - #23: Bobby was James Purify's cousin, Robert Lee Dickey)

Feelin' Alright - Traffic (1968 - #123: Steve Winwood was lead singer for the Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith, and Traffic, as well as having a solo career)

Come On, Let's Go - Ritchie Valens (1958 - #42: first charting single for the artist who died at age 18 in the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper)

My Guy - Mary Wells (1964 - #1: Smokey Robinson wrote this hit for "The Queen of Motown")

All the Way From Memphis - Mott the Hoople (1972 - #10UK: Pete Watts played bass for the band; song received FM radio play but failed to chart in the US)

A Place in the Sun - Stevie Wonder (1966 - #9: Wonder has sold over 100 million records world-wide and has won 25 Grammys)

Charlie Brown - The Coasters (1959 - #2: "Dub" Jones sang bass for "The Clown Princes of Rock and Roll"; song was written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller; "Venus" by Frankie Avalon held the #1 spot)

Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin (1960 - #6: based on a French song written in 1946)

This Time - Troy Shondell (1961 - #6: one-hit wonder that was a million seller)

*Badge - Cream (1969 - #18: Jack Bruce played bass for the trio; song was co-written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison)

Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits (1965 - #1: song was #1 on May 17, 1965; "Lek" Leckenby played the distinctive guitar intro)

Make the World Go Away - Eddy Arnold (1965 - #6: song was #1 on the Country charts and epitomized the "Nashville Sound" of that era)

If I Had a Hammer - Trini Lopez (1963 - #3: Lopez was a singer, guitarist, and actor)

Since I Fell for You - Lenny Welch (1963 - #4: song was written in 1945 by Buddy Johnson)

Fool for the City - Foghat (1976 - #45: Roger Earl was the drummer for the group)

One Fine Day - The Chiffons (1963 - #5: song was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and it's King playing piano on the record)

It's a Shame - The Spinners (1970 - #14: Pervis Jackson was the bass singer for the group, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023)

Like to Get to Know You - Spanky and Our Gang (1968 - #17: Malcolm Hale was lead guitarist and arranger for the Sunshine pop group)

Ain't Gonna Lie - Keith (1966 - #39: his next single, 98.6, was his big hit)

Bell Bottom Blues - Derek and the Dominoes (1971 - #91; 1973 - #78: from the classic LP "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)

My Lover's Prayer - Otis Redding (1966 - #61: the "King of Soul" is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music)

Dirty Work - Steely Dan (1972 - DNC: from their debut album, "Can't Buy a Thrill")

When the Battle Is Over - Delaney & Bonnie (1969 - DNC: early release by the duo)

Swingtown - Steve Miller Band (1977 - #17: in 1979 the song was used to advertise the Ford Mustang)

Allegheny Moon - Patti Page (1956 - #41: 1 of 41 charting singles for "The Singing Rage, Miss Patti Page" during the rock'n'roll era)

CLOSING THEME:  Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959 - #1 for two weeks; brothers Santo [steel guitar] and Johnny [rhythm guitar] Farina from Brooklyn)

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 May 24, 2025: John Simon (JS) with the best of the '50s, '60s, and '70s.

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