July 19, 2025 - JS - Chart Date: 7/19/67

 

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!)

 

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Date:  7/19/25

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  July 19, 1967

 

 

 It's a beautiful day in Central New York. Farmers Markets, Library shows, GrassRoots, live theater....and there's always your friend the radio if you've had enough and just want to chill at home. I'm on tonight from 6-9pm with a special spotlight on the summer of 1967, and we'll have room for your requests and dedications and trivia prizes and more. Rockin' Remnants - WVBR 93.5 FM or streaming worldwide.

 

Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia

 

 

We played “Everlasting Love” by Carl Carlton. Who else had a Top Forty hit with it?

 

(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)

  

A Girl Like You – Young Rascals (7/67; #10 – this was the follow-up to their smash #1 hit “Groovin’,” and was part of the soundtrack to a fabulous summer of music. Tonight we hear the punchy 45 mono mix, and the name of the session bass player remains unknown, but what a bass line it is!)

 

 

Let the Good Times Roll & Feel So Good – Bunny Sigler (7/67; #22 Pop, #20 R&B – he was based in Philadelphia and was part of Gamble & Huff’s musical empire. This rousing version of the Shirley & Lee classic was paired with their “Feel So Good,” and sounds stunning in stereo tonight!)

 

 

Silence Is Golden – Tremeloes (7/67; #11 Pop, #1 UK for two weeks – this song was written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio for the 4 Seasons and was first released as the B-side to “Rag Doll,” but The Tremeloes had the big hit version – especially in their native England.)

 

 

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (7/67; #19 Pop, #3 R&B – Marvin had recorded a string of duet singles with members of Motown’s female roster of singers, but the magic really kicked in when he was paired with young Tammi Terrell under the production guidance of songwriters Ashford and Simpson. This was the beginning of a short but most beautiful chapter in the annals of Pop music.)

 

 

Windy – The Association (7/67; #1 for four weeks – composer Ruthann Friedman is one of the many voices that can be heard in this stunning record. That’s session drummer Hal Blaine doing the fills and Wrecking Crew member Joe Osborn on bass, but the Association singers were topnotch and member Terry Kirkman was wailing on the recorder at the end. Tonight we hear the mono 45 mix, just the way it sounded that summer.)

 

 

Make Me Yours – Bettye Swann (7/67; #21 Pop, #1 R&B for two weeks – this was the song atop the R&B charts on this date back in 1967. Bettye Swann wrote it and sang her heart out, and it was the most successful single in the history of the tiny Money Records label.)

 

 

(I Wanna) Testify – Parliaments (7/67; #20 Pop, #3 R&B – these guys were a Doo Wop outfit from Jersey City that struck gold on the Revillot Records label. Within two years they would morph into Parliament/Funkadelic and blaze a trail that no one could have predicted. George Clinton was the main man behind the whole thing.)

 

 

*  May I – Bill Deal & The Rondells (1/69; #39 – they were a white horn band from Virginia Beach who scored a rocking hit with this Maurice Williams composition. Going out to Pete who grew up in Chicago and hosted WICB’s Blues show for quite a while, in addition to playing lots of live shows throughout the region.)

 

 

 

Come on Down to My Boat – Every Mothers Son (7/67; #6 – this record first appeared in May and finally peaked on this week in July of 1967. On the air I apparently referred to their having been “clean cut and nattily dressed,” which led to some teasing on social media. Well, you decide for yourselves: was I really off the mark?)

 

 

Spotlight on Censorship:

 

We continue our feature on singles that were edited for content that might be deemed unsuitable for the general public (and that might be banned in certain markets). Last week it was for the word “Hell” in one song, and for references to “making out” in a car in another. Tonight it’s all about sex.

 

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison (7/67; #10 – this was Van Morrison’s debut single on the Bang Records label, and it was already controversial enough, in that “brown-eyed” was code for “brown-skinned.” The fact that she had also “grown” so much within months of having made love in the green grass behind the stadium was just too much. The label spliced in the second half of the previous verse to replace the “making love” part, and that seemed to satisfy the censors.)

 

 

Let’s Live for Today – Grass Roots (5/67; #8 – JH played this song last week during his birthday calendar segment, but there’s a subtle edit in this version that probably flew under everybody’s radar. The original lyric said “I got to feel you inside of me,” but somebody at Dunhill Records felt that that could be interpreted as a homosexual reference, so they re-recorded it to say “I got to feel you beside me.” Really.)

 

 

*  White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane (7/67; #8 – meanwhile, here’s a song that’s clearly about using drugs, but it’s disguised as a children’s story and nobody seemed to notice. Pills, hallucination, “feed your head….” This one clocks in at #438 in the RS500, and helped propel their Surrealistic Pillow LP to platinum status.)

 

 

*  Lipstick on Your Collar – Connie Francis (6/59; #5 – word has come that Connie Francis passed away the other day at the age of 87. Listener Barbara remembers growing up to her records – especially the Italian ones – and wanted to hear something. Here’s her first big uptempo single, powered by session guitarist George Barnes’ hot licks. He was a NY Jazz player who actually appeared on lots of records, and makes this one swing!)

 

 

Smoke From a Distant Fire – Sanford-Townsend Band (6/77; #9 – these guys burst upon the scene seemingly out of nowhere, and would soon go back to where they had come from. The record was recorded in Muscle Shoals, and this single is their claim to fleeting fame.)

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

July 13 – Roger McGuinn (Byrds) – age 83

 

 

July 14 – Jim Gordon (drummer) – born 1945

 

 

July 15 – Linda Ronstadt – age 79

 

 

July 16 – Tony Jackson (Searchers) – born 1940

 

 

July 17 – Phoebe Snow – born 1950

            – Nicolette Larson – born 1952

 

 

 

July 18 – Dion DiMucci – age 86

            – Brian Auger – age 86

     – Martha Reeves (Vandellas) – age 84

     – Bobby Sherman – born 1943

 

 

 

July 19 – Bernie Leadon (Eagles) – age 78

           

 

 

 

 

5D (Fifth Dimension) – The Byrds (7/66; #44 – the group followed their groundbreaking “Eight Miles High” with this trippy number written and sung by Roger McGuinn and it, too, was considered by some Program Directors to be too blatantly about drug use to be added to the rotation. That may explain its poor chart performance.)

 

 

Classical Gas – Mason Williams (6/68; #2 for two weeks – Mason Williams was the musical director for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and performed this piece at least twice on the show. It turns out that session drummer Jim Gordon provides the percussion on this recording. A few years later he’d become a member of Derek & The Dominos.)

 

 

Different Drum – Stone Poneys (11/67; #13 – future Monkee Mike Nesmith had composed this song, and the group had a big hit with it, mostly thanks to their dynamic lead singer. Her name was Linda Ronstadt, and she’d soon branch out on her own to become an international superstar.)

 

 

Someday We’re Gonna Love Again – Searchers (8/64; #34 – bassist Tony Jackson had been with the group from the beginning, but he’d begun to grow disillusioned as they moved towards a softer sound. This was the final single that features his bass playing before he left Liverpool for London. He probably should’ve stayed.)

 

 

Lotta Love – Nicolette Larson (11/78; #8 – she was born in Montana, raised in Kansas City and eventually migrated to LA where she got work as a busy session singer. The peak of her career, though, was her version of this Neil Young song.)

 

 

(I Was) Born to Cry – Dion (4/62; #42 – after parting ways with The Belmonts, Dion cut a string of great records with the Del Satins. This was the flipside of the Top 5 hit “Lovers Who Wander,” but I think that it outshines the hit side.)

 

 

Jimmy Mack – Martha & The Vandellas (5/67; #10 Pop, #1 R&B – this one had languished in the vaults for two years before Martha persuaded Berry Gordy to give it a listen. He heard its potential and had the group re-record it with vocal support from The Andantes. It subsequently became one of the great songs of that summer!)

 

 

Julie Do Ya Love Me – Bobby Sherman (8/70; #5 – Bobby was raised in Santa Monica and his good looks and proximity to Hollywood got him an acting job in the hit TV show Here Come the Brides. As had become standard procedure, teen heart throbs were expected to take a stab at singing, too. Bobby was signed to Metromedia Records and had a number of hits. He passed away three weeks ago at age 82.)

 

 

Poetry Man – Phoebe Snow (1/75; #5 – she was born and raised in the NYC area, and this was the record for which she’s best remembered. It also earned her a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys the following year. Sultry and jazzy and dripping with atmosphere, it is.)

 

 

Inner City Blues – Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express (8/73; dnc – this version of the Marvin Gaye tune was released as a single from the Closer To It! LP, and Brian Auger actually took over the singing duties for this one album. It was released as a B-side in the UK and an A-side here in the States, but probably got more airplay on FM radio.)

 

 

Tequila Sunrise – Eagles (6/73; #64 – multi-instrumentalist Bernie Leadon was a founding member of the group and played B-bender electric guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin on this surprisingly low-charting gem. He also added background vocals. Tasty stuff!)

 

 

*  Abraham, Martin & John – Dion (11/68; #4 – tough Italian rocker Dion made a surprising comeback as something of a Folk Rocker in 1968. This is the definitive version of Dick Holler’s composition, released as the entire nation was reeling from the shooting deaths of both Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. Tonight we hear a slightly extended mix with about an extra ten seconds of swirling harp and strings. Going out to my buddy Jason.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

8-9pm

 

  

*  Everlasting Love – Carl Carlton (9/74; #6 Pop, #11 R&B – Carl Carlton was a young teenager when he first started recording, and he was the real deal. This song had previously been a hit in 1967 for The Love Affair in the UK and for Robert Knight in America. It would also reach #32 as a duet with Rachel Sweet and Rex Smith in the summer of 1981. Scottie requested it.)

  

 

Don’t Pull Your Love – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (6/71; #4 – they had apparently previously been performing together as the T-Bones, when the success of “No Matter What Shape” became a hit and somebody needed to perform it “live.” This song had been pitched to both Elvis and the Grass Roots, but they both passed.)

 

 

Happy – Blades of Grass (7/67; #87 – two different groups released this song simultaneously: The Sunshine Company on the west coast and Blades of Grass back east. On July 19^th this version was at #96 and the other version was at #97. A few weeks later, this version would peak at #87 and the other version would top out at #50. It may well have been a bigger hit if sales hadn’t been split between the two groups.)

  

 

Carrie Ann – The Hollies (6/67; #9 – this song was co-written by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks, allegedly inspired by Marianne Faithfull. It was also their debut single for their new label, having just left Imperial Records. It was a hit, but Graham Nash was becoming disillusioned about singing Pop “fluff” and would soon leave for greener pastures.)

 

 

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead – Fifth Estate (7/67; #11 – this Connecticut group was signed to Jubilee Records and had an out-of-the-blue hit with this Harold Arlen composition, which was apparently the highest-charting version of any song relating to The Wizard of Oz. It would also be the group’s watershed moment.)

 

 

What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) - Junior Walker & The All-Stars (6/69; #4 Pop, #1 R&B - this record is in its first of two weeks at the top of the R&B chart, and is the most melodic of the band's singles to date. Swirling strings, sweet saxophone and an infectious melody: a winning combination!) 

 

Everlasting Love – Robert Knight (9/67; #13 – this was the first version of this oft-recorded number to chart in the States, released on the tiny Rising Sons Records label.)

 

 

Ridin’ in My Car – NRBQ (6/77; dnc – this is another terrific summertime tune released on a tiny label, but it never achieved any chart success. The band, though, has a cult-like following and is widely respected in the music world. Guitarist Al Anderson wrote and did the singing on this one.)

 

 

Shower the People – James Taylor (7/76; #22 – this is one of JT’s sweetest anthems, and the chorus includes his then-wife and musical partner Carly Simon. I have to confess that I cranked it up in the studio and sang along at the top of my lungs.)

 

 

Tighter, Tighter – Alive and Kicking (6/70; #7 – Tommy James was the co-writer and producer of this record, which coincided with a self-imposed break from singing and performing.)

 

 

Evil Ways – Santana (1/70; #9 – the Bay Area band’s electrifying appearance at Woodstock in August helped to propel their debut LP into the stratosphere, and this was the single that really launched their hit-making career. I’ve always loved how the opening drumroll pans from one speaker to the other.)

 

 

Poor Poor Pitiful Me – Linda Ronstadt (2/79; #31 – by now, everything she recorded turned to gold – so it’s surprising to me that this one didn’t chart higher. Warren Zevon was the writer, but hearing it sung from a woman’s perspective makes it all the more powerful.)

 

 

These Eyes – Guess Who (4/69; #6 – this was the group’s first charting single for the RCA label, co-written by the team of Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings. It was also the first startlingly stereo single I’d ever purchased as a kid, and it sounds as fresh today as it did back then.)

 

 

Please Mr. Please – Olivia Newton John (6/75; #3 for two weeks – this was ONJ’s fifth consecutive Top Ten Pop single, and up in Ithaca, NY a young fellow named JR had fallen hook, line and sinker for that face. He was not alone.)

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Trivia Answer

 

 

Robert Knight charted with it in 1967. Rachel Sweet and Rex Smith would take it to #32 in the summer of 1981.

 

Congratulations to Dave from Ithaca, for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of movie passes!

 

 

 

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 (7/26/25):  Gregory James with a spotlight on Oldies in languages other than English

 

 

 

Thanks for tuning in - and for voting us Ithaca's Best Local Radio Show in the most recent 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!