July 5, 2015 - JS - Save the Country

 

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!

 

Date:  7/5/25

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  Sounds of Summer+

  

 Tonight: it's a tag-team Rockin' Remnants show on WVBR with JS & JR. I'm on from 6-8 (with a GrassRoots qualifier and a bunch of cool tunes), and he's on from 8-9 with an hour of Seventies treats. Tune in for a mini feature on songs censored for airplay back in the day and a bit of topical kindling at the top of the show.

 

  

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)

 

Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (5/69; #2 Pop, #1 UK for three weeks – CCR was allegedly the first band signed to play at Woodstock, and by the end of the year would prove to have been the most successful singles band of the year. Unfortunately, they were scheduled to follow another Bay Area band – the Grateful Dead, whose set was disrupted by equipment failure and sloppy playing. Creedence went on late, and John Fogerty was seething. You can hear it in this live performance from that night. The urgency of the performance, the tale of hurricanes and raging storms and the political tumult of the times all ring true today. Crank it up and feed your fire!)

 

 

Revolution – Beatles (9/68; #12 – The Beatles had just launched Apple Records and their first single featured a “Paul” side and a “John” side. Paul’s Hey Jude became a runaway hit, but this one blasted out of speakers for 13 weeks and was close enough to the Democratic Convention in Chicago that year that the two are forever linked. That’s Nicky Hopkins on piano.)

 

 

 

Monster – Steppenwolf (12/69; #39 – this was a nine-minute album track that was heavily edited to create a radio-friendly single, but that version left out some of the best parts. Here’s a compromise: a self-created edit that combines Monster/Suicide/America into a 6-minute piece.)

 

Save the Country – 5^th Dimension (6/70; #27 – here’s one more for our state-of-the-union opening set, written by HS of Music & Art alumnus Laura Nyro. Producer Bones Howe enlisted the Wrecking Crew to lay down the musical tracks, and that’s Larry Knechtel’s swirling organ work. This is an upbeat call to action that has a swinging beat and a message of hope and unity.)

 

 

 

Eight Miles High – The Byrds (5/66; #14 – we’re getting ready to do a mini-feature on songs censored for radio play, and this is sort of an appetizer. It came out of the band’s challenging trip to the UK, where they were met by a hostile press and lukewarm crowds. The song was musically experimental and the lyrics certainly implied drug use, which led to a broadcast ban in some markets. Still Rolling Stone has ranked it as #115 in their RS500, and it’s widely recognized as a masterpiece.)

 

 

Hungry – Paul Revere & The Raiders feat. Mark Lindsay (6/66; #6 – here’s another American band on the Columbia Records label, but there was no ambiguity about the music or the lyrics: this was a steadily driving rock ‘n’ roll record featuring one of the great singers of the era, and it came in a picture sleeve!)

 

 

Big Bad John – Jimmy Dean (11/61; #1 for five weeks – Jimmy Dean was about to be let go by his record label and really needed a hit. He hastily composed this song on an airplane ride and recorded it in Nashville. Lyrically, it tells the story of “one helluva man” who saves the day – but label censors made him re-record that line to say “one big, big man” and the rest is history. It was one of the biggest hits of the year and it won the Grammy Award for C&W Record of the Year. These days, the edited version is pretty hard to find!)

 

 

Rhapsody in the Rain – Lou Christie (4/66; #16 – Lou Christie’s lush ballad almost never got on the radio because of its overt sexual content: this one is about a couple making out in a car to the rhythm of the windshield wipers. They made him go back in and change “making out in the rain” to “fell in love in the rain” and “our love went much too far” became “our love came like a falling star.” This version is now the one that’s hard to find.)

 

 

Angel of the Morning – Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts (5/68; #7 – Chip Taylor had written this one and Evie Sands recorded it for the Cameo-Parkway label, but the label was in the process of going under and the song basically dropped out of circulation. A copy, though, did make its way to the American northwest where an obscure bar band took a crack at it. This is their version, and tonight we hear a rare stereo rendering of it.)

 

 

*  Try a Little Tenderness – Three Dog Night (2/69; #29 – their very first charting single was a reworking of the Otis Redding hit – which was, itself, a reworking of an old standard. Their next 18 singles would all be Top Twenty hits, and they’d go on to be one of the biggest bands of the Seventies. This one goes out to Peggy from Scottie.)

  

A Little Bit O’ Soul – Music Explosion (6/67; #2 for two weeks – this Ohio bar band exploded out of nowhere on the Laurie Records label and seared themselves into the public consciousness. They’d have one low-charting follow-up single, but this is their main claim to fame!)

 

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

June 29 – Little Eva – born 1945

 

 

June 30 – Florence Ballard (Supremes) – born 1943

 

           

 

July 1 – Debbie Harry (Blondie) – age 80

           

 

July 2 – Paul Williams (Temptations) – born 1939

           

 

 

July 3 – Judith Durham (Seekers) – born 1943

            – Fontella Bass – born 1940

 

 

 

July 4 – Bill Withers – born 1938

 

 

 

July 5 – Terry Cashman – age 84

            – Robbie Robertson – born 1943

 

 

Some Kind-A Wonderful – Little Eva (1962; NR – this Goffin/King number was released on the hastily-created Little Eva LP hot on the heels of her big #1 single “The Locomotion.” In fact, most of the songs on the album were Goffin-King creations. The Drifters had taken this song to #32 the year before.)

 

 

Back in My Arms Again – Supremes (5/65; #1 – this was the trio’s fifth consecutive #1 record after floundering for several years at the label and almost being dropped from the roster. Five of their next seven singles would also reach #1, before internal issues would lead to the firing of founding member Florence Ballard.)

 

 

Don’t Look Back – Temptations (12/65; #83 Pop, #15 R&B – Paul Williams had been singing lead for the group before David Ruffin was promoted into that role. This was actually the B-side of “My Baby,” another David Ruffin song that reached the Top Ten, and became one of Paul’s final featured performances.)

 

In the Flesh – Blondie (10/76; dnc – this was an early B-side for the group from their final LP on the Private Stock label, and it actually made it to #3 in Australia…making it the group’s first charting single. Their move to Chrysalis Records would ultimately result in five #1 hits, and seal their status as Pop Music royalty.)

 

 

Morningtown Ride – The Seekers (2/67; #44 Pop, #1 UK – speaking of Australia, this group was the first group from down under to reach the Top Five in the US, the UK and in their home country. This one was a much bigger hit overseas, but it became a singalong favorite at at least one sleepaway camp in the Adirondacks. I can attest to that!)

 

 

Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing – Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure (2/65; #33 Pop, #5 R&B – she was a St. Louis native who became a star for the Checker Records label in Chicago, and released a couple of duets singles with this Soul journeyman. Greg Allman would later record a cool version on his debut solo album, too.)

 

 

 

A Song That Never Comes – Cashman, Pistilli & West (10/68; dnc – these NYC songwriters recorded under several names and also founded their own successful record label. This one was released as a single on the ABC label, but never got much airplay outside of New York City. It would, however, later become a hit for Mama Cass Elliott.)

 

 

Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers (7/71; #3 for two weeks – this was one of his most enduring hits and Rolling Stone has ranked it at #258 in their vaunted RS500 listing. It was used to great effect in the 1999 rom-com Notting Hill to reflect the passage of time. Check it out!)

 

Up On Cripple Creek – The Band (11/69; #25 – believe it or not, this was their highest-charting single. Almost all of them were penned by Canadian guitarist Robbie Robertson, whose birthday would’ve been today.)

  

Good Morning Starshine – Oliver (5/69; #3 for two weeks – this was one of five successful singles drawn from the score of the Tribal Rock musical Hair. It would also be the first big hit from the North Carolina folkie.)

 

  

Make It With You – Bread (6/68; #1 – David Gates had been a writer/producer/arranger in LA for nearly a decade before forming a band to perform his music. This was their first major release and would top the chart two months later – helping them to become Pop radio regulars in the early-to-mid Seventies.)

 

  

*  What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye (3/71; #2 Pop, #1 R&B for five weeks – this was the title track of an album that Motown almost refused to release. It was too political, too understated and not nearly “commercial” enough. Marvin Gaye threatened to leave and Motown relented, and the album yielded three Top Ten hits. Rolling Stone ranks this single at #4 in their RS500. Going out to David in Vancouver.)

 

 

*  Lies – The Knickerbockers (12/65; #20 – this band from Bergenfield, NJ released what some have called “the greatest John Lennon record” that John actually had nothing to do with. The request had been for Cream’s “Politician,” but I ran out of time – and I’m still fuming about the state of our union. I took the liberty of subbing it out with this one. Grrr…..)

  

 

8-9pm

 

John Rudan presents an hour of Seventies music for your listening pleasure!

 

 

Good Lovin’ – 1978 – Grateful Dead

Good Lovin’ Gone Bad – Bad Company

Hey St. Peter – 1978 – Flash & The Pan

Where To Now St. Peter – 1970 – Elton John

 

No Sugar Tonight – 1970 – The Guess Who

No Spitting On The Bus – Steve Gibbons Band

Never Been Any Reason – Head East

I’ve Been Searchin’ So Long – Chicago

 

Oh Girl – 1972 – The Chi-Lites

I’d Love To Change The World – Ten Years After

Give One Heart – 1975 – Orleans

Don’t Leave Me This Way – Thelma Houston

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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 (7/12/25):  Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on July of 1965

 

 

 

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!

June 28, 2025 - JS - June's Tunes

 

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!

Date:  6/28/25

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  Early Summer

 

 

It's the final Saturday of June and there's a lot to do out there tonight, but you always have the option of staying at home with your radio! Good tunes, good company, plus a chance to qualify for a 4-day pass to GrassRoots. I'll be on Rockin' Remnants from 6-9pm and would love the company. Join me at 93.5 on your FM dial or streaming worldwide. It'll be good!

 

 

 

Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia

 

 

I played The 5^th Dimension’s “Aquarius/Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine In” during the birthday calendar. Can you name three other charting singles from the Tribal Rock Musical “Hair?”

 

(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)

 

Walking In Rhythm – Blackbyrds (2/75; #6 Pop, #4 R&B – we kick off tonight’s show where JH left off last week: Summertime Music. This one came out a couple of months before the official season, but it’s evocative of lazy days boppin’ in the sunshine.)

 

 

 

Sitting in the Park – Billy Stewart (6/65; #24 Pop, #4 R&B – Billy’s most enduring hit was his version of Gershwin’s “Summertime,” but this has always been a personal favorite – and JH played the other one last week.)

 

 

 

I Live for the Sun – Sunrays (9/65; #51 – Murry Wilson was the overbearing manager of his sons’ group The Beach Boys until Brian finally stood up to him and fired him. Murry immediately recruited another batch of young musicians and declared that HE was the reason behind the band’s success, and that this new group of his would prove it. History has not been kind to Murry Wilson.)

 

 

Beach Baby – First Class (7/74; #4 – they were a British studio group featuring lead vocals by Tony Burrows, who also sang lead on “Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes,” “My Baby Loves Love,” “United We Stand” and “Gimme Dat Ding” – all under different group names! One music writer called it a "fantastically-produced slice of Californian fantasypop,” and I second that assessment.)

 

Gonna Get Along Without You Now – Skeeter Davis (5/64; #48 – preteen sisters Patience & Prudence had charted with this one about five years earlier, but there’s something refreshing and magical about Skeeter Davis’ delivery, and the line “I haven’t even seen you since way last June” forced my hand.)

 

   

  

*  Reach Out of the Darkness – Friend & Lover (5/68; #10 – husband-and-wife duo Jim & Cathy Post recorded this hippy-dippy paean calling for unity and understanding, and it clearly struck a chord. They’d follow it up with one more single, but this was clearly their crowning moment.)

 

 

*  Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks (8/66; #14 Pop, #1 UK for two weeks – the band toned down their crashing grungy sound a bit for this sardonic and melodic slice of social commentary regarding taxes and middle class living, and earned themselves a bona fide summertime classic!)

 

 

*  Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow the Sun) – Del Shannon (11/64; #9 Pop, #3 UK – this was Del’s third and final Top Ten hit and it featured the unique keyboard stylings of Max Crook, who’d designed an early synthesizer that he dubbed the “Musitron.” Going out to Greg on the West Hill.)

 

 

Live – Merry-Go-Round (5/67; #63 – Emmit Rhodes has often been compared to Paul McCartney in terms of his songwriting style and multi-instrumental acumen. This is one of his earliest creations, and it would later find a much larger audience when the Bangles covered it on their debut album in 1984.)

   

 

 

*  Pretty Ballerina – Left Banke (1/67; #15 – this was the second of three singles penned by Mike Brown and inspired by young Renee Fladen, the girlfriend of Left Banke bassist Tom Finn. I just found out that Renee is yet another graduate of the High School of Music & Art in NYC. Small world!)

 

 

45 Corner:  Yours Until Tomorrow – Vivian Reed (6/68; #118 Pop, #40 R&B – this Goffin-King composition has been recorded by an impressive array of artists including Dee Dee Warwick, Gene Pitney and Cher, but this version came the closest to breaking through. In fact, it reached the Top Ten in NYC on WMCA that summer, where is where I first heard it. Tonight we hear the scratchy copy of the record I bought in 1968!) 

 

 

Matchbox – Carl Perkins (2/57; dnc – this was released as the B-side of a low-charting single on Sun Records, but it’s particularly noteworthy because it was recorded on the day that three other Sun musicians convened for an impromptu session that became immortalized as “The Million Dollar Quartet.” The musical play closes at our local Hangar Theatre tonight. Last chance!)

 

 

*  Ariel – Dean Friedman (4/77; #26 – he was a one-hit wonder from Paramus, NJ and this was his shining moment. Tonight we hear the full-length LP version that includes certain lyrics edited out for the single release, including the part about her being “…a Jewish girl.”)

 

 

Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy – The Tams (6/68; #51 – a rollicking up-tempo good-time tune from the purveyors of Carolina “Beach Music,” coming to you on a scratchy 45.)

 

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

June 22 – Peter Asher (Peter & Gordon) – age 81

            – Howard Kaylan (Turtles) – age 78

            – Todd Rundren – age 77

 

June 24 – Mick Fleetwood – age 78

            – Bruce Johnston– age 83

     – Jeff Beck – born in 1944

     – Colin Blunstone (Zombies) – age 83

 

 

 

June 25 – Eddie Floyd – age 88

            – Carly Simon – age 82

 

 

June 26 – Billy Davis, Jr. (5^th Dimension) – age 87

            – Georgie Fame – age 82

 

 

June 27 – Doc Pomus – born in 1925

           

 

June 28 – David Knights (Procol Harum) – age 80

 

 

 

I Go to Pieces – Peter & Gordon (1/65; #9 – several of the duo's first hits were written by Peter’s sister’s boyfriend, a certain Paul McCartney. This one, though, came from the pen of Del Shannon, and the opening guitar lick just explodes out of the speakers. Peter continues to appear with a new duet partner: Jeremy Clyde. Does that name ring a bell?)

 

 

She’d Rather Be with Me – The Turtles (5/67; #3 for two weeks – this was the follow-up to their smash “Happy Together,” also composed by the team of Alan Gordon & Gary Bonner. The only two records keeping it out of the top slot were “Groovin’” and “Respect,” which traded places for a few weeks at #1.)

 

 

Beck’s Bolero – Jeff Beck Group (5/67; dnc – this was released as the B-side of “Hi-Ho Silver Lining,” but the line-up was different from anything else on the Truth album. Jeff had assembled Yardbirds associates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, along with the Who’s drummer Keith Moon in the hopes of starting a new supergroup. Keith chose to remain with The Who, and the other two later teamed with Robert Plant and John Bonham to form that new group. Jeff soldiered on in other configurations.)

 

 

Dreams – Fleetwood Mac (6/77; #1 – speaking of “super groups”: this band released a steady stream of big hits once Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks had joined the ranks. This one was written by Stevie, and opens with a thunderous roll from drummer Mick Fleetwood. Maybe thunder doesn’t only happen when it’s raining…..)

 

Beach Girl – Pat Boone (9/64; #72 – Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher were closely associated with Brian Wilson, and were students of his craft – both as a composer and a producer. They teamed to compose, produce and sing background vocals on this surprisingly good Pat Boone record, and it gave Pat one of his final charting singles.)

 

 

Summertime – Zombies (6/64; NR – this wasn’t released as a single here in the States and only appeared on a European EP, but it highlights the soulful beauty of lead singer Colin Blunstone’s voice and shows a side of the group that wasn’t known to many.)

 

 

I’ve Never Found a Girl – Eddie Floyd (7/68; #40 Pop, #2 R&B for two weeks – he was best known as a Soul “shouter,” but Eddie wrote most of his own material and this was a lush string-laden ballad that nearly topped the R&B chart that summer.)

 

 

Love is the Answer – Utopia (10/77; dnc – this was the closing track on the group’s Oops! Wrong Planet LP and is one of Todd Rundgren’s finest anthems. Their version never charted, but it did get a lot of FM radio play – and England Dan & John Ford Coley would release a successful version a year later.)

 

 

 

The Right Thing to Do – Carly Simon (4/73; #17 – this was released as the follow-up to her #1 smash “You’re So Vain,” and was purportedly written regarding her then-new relationship with James Taylor. Well done!)

 

 

 

Aquarius/Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine In – 5^th Dimension (4/69; #1 for six weeks – much has been made about how this record further fed the success of the Broadway musical Hair, and about session player Joe Osborn’s remarkable bass lines, but tonight let’s focus on the gospel-styled free-form vocals of Billy Davis, Jr. over the final minute and into the fade of the record, captured nicely here on video.)

 

  

Yeh Yeh – Georgie Fame (2/65; #21 Pop, #1 UK for two weeks – he’d mostly been known as the keyboardist of Billy Fury’s band, but when the Blue Flames found themselves on their own and needing a singer, he stepped into the role. The version of this song released here in the States omitted the cool saxophone solo, but tonight we’ll hear the version that went to #1 in the UK.)

 

  

Save the Last Dance for Me – The Drifters (9/60; #1 for three weeks – Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman composed a slew of great songs. Tonight we’ll feature just two of them, starting with the one that may have been covered the most. This version features the lead vocals of Ben E. King, and spent three weeks at the top of the charts.)

        

Suspicion – Terry Stafford (3/64; #3 for two weeks – Elvis had recorded this, but RCA opted to use it as an LP track. That left Terry Stafford free to release it as a single, and he did it in his most Elvis-like voice. Not only was it a hit, but it managed to reach the Top 5 in the thick of the British Invasion. “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” were busy occupying #s 1 and 2 that month.)

 

    

 

  

8-9pm

  

A Whiter Shade of Pale – Procol Harum (6/67; #5 Pop, #1 UK for six weeks – David Knights played bass in the organ-based Procol Harum, and this record became one of the signature sounds of the Summer of Love. Matthew Fisher and Robin Trower get most of the credit, but that bass line is a thing of steady beauty.)

 

  

What the World Needs Now is Love – Jackie DeShannon (5/65; #7 – Jackie was a fine songwriter, but this version of the Bacharach/David tune would be her biggest hit. It was recently recorded by a slew of Broadway stars, and I’m adding the video here. Please do check it out!)

 

 

 

*  Everybody is a Star – Sly & The Family Stone (1/70; dnc – technically, this was a two-sided #1 single – but it was the other side that’s listed as the hit. That would be “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf.” This was a belated request to acknowledge Sly’s passing last month.)

 

 

*  Your Big Brown Eyes – Bobby Comstock & The Counts (11/60; dnc – Bobby Comstock was one of Ithaca’s biggest musical success stories, and he went on to record on a number of national labels. He also famously formed the backing band for multiple Rock ‘n’ Roll revival shows at Madison Square Garden and beyond. This is one of his most beloved records on the local scene.)

 

 

Send Me Some Lovin’ – Little Richard (10/56; #54 Pop, #4 R&B – we had a request for “Directly From My Heart to You,” an uncharacteristically understated record from Mr. Penniman. I couldn’t get my hands on it, but I thought that this might do the trick in a pinch.)

  

*  Reflections of My Life – The Marmalade (3/70; #10 – this one seemingly came out of nowhere with a quiet intro, a burst of bass guitar and a very tasty guitar tone-setting on the solo. An underplayed gem, I’d call it.)

 

 

*  Footstompin’ Music – Grand Funk Railroad (1/72; #29 – this one goes to Peggy from Scottie, and to all of you as well. Most of their songs were guitar/bass/drums, but this one is organ-driven and pretty cool.)

 

 

 

All I Need – Temptations (5/67; #8 Pop, #2 R&B for four weeks – these guys were at the peak of their powers between 1965-1968, featuring their classic line-up. Within a year, though, everything would change. David Ruffin was out, a whole new production team was at the helm, and the songs were decidedly more topical and issue-oriented. Still, the hits kept coming….)

 

 

 

Bernadette – Four Tops (4/67; #4 – you had James Jamerson on bass, Levi Stubbs out front and Holland-Dozier-Holland writing and arranging and producing. That was all about to change, as well – but no need to dwell on that when you could be dancing around the room or singing along with the quartet!)

 

 

Walk a Mile in My Shoes – Joe South (1/70; #12 – Joe South was a prolific songwriter and session guitarist who finally stepped out front to become a star. This was one of a string of social-commentary records that also happened to be danceable and have a catchy chorus!)

 

 

Along Comes Mary – Association (6/66; #7 – this was their breakout record on the Valiant label, and many program directors were reluctant to air it because it seemed to somehow be promoting drug use. Tonight we hear the punchy mono single version, and I say “turn it up - loud!”)

 

 

Love (Can Make You Happy) – Mercy (5/69; #2 for two weeks – this amateur wedding band from Florida landed a deal with the tiny Sundi Records label, and that should’ve been the end of the story, but….they captured something magical with this session and their record took off despite no advertising budget and an inadequate distribution network. Soon, Warner Brothers would sign them – but they’d only manage one subsequent charting single before fading back into oblivion.)

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Trivia Answer

 

 

“Hair” yielded a number of charting hits, including the Cowsills’ version of the title track, Oliver’s “Good Morning Starshine,” Three Dog Night’s “Easy to Be Hard,” The Happenings with “Where Do I Go/Hare Krishna” and Carla Thomas’ R&B hit “Where Do I Go.”

 

Congratulations to Mike from the West Hill, for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis!

 

 

 

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 (7/5/25): John Simon for two hours and then John Rudan with a spotlight on Seventies music.

 

 

 

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!