December 6, 2025 - JS - December '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!)

 

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

 

Date:  12/6/25

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  December 1967 Plus

 

 

I'm back on the air one more time tonight (my last show until 2026), and will be shining a light on early December of 1967. If you were around back then you'll know most of these records, but even so: get ready for some new stereo treats, some punchy mono the way you remember it, a little tribute to Steve Cropper and a smattering of holiday music - plus your requests. I promise something for everybody and all are welcome at 93.5 FM or streaming at wvbr dot com from 6-9pm. Don't be a stranger!

  

 

 

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)

 

The Rain, The Park and Other Things – The Cowsills (12/67; peaking at #2 in its first of two weeks – this record marked the chart debut of the Rhode Island family band who would become the prototype for ABC television’s Partridge Family a few years later. The band consisted of five brothers, their little sister and their mother. Three remaining siblings continue to tour on the popular “Happy Together Tour” circuit.)

 

Bend Me, Shape Me – American Breed (12/67; at #41, headed to #5 – this Chicago group was signed by the Acta Records label and had a couple of singles that never quite charted before this one broke through. The band would go through several changes and eventually morph into the ‘70s Funk band called “Rufus!”)

 

 

 

Honey Chile – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (12/67; at #30 this week, headed to #11 Pop and #5 R&B – this was the record that finally gave Martha Reeves top billing using her full name. It would also be their final big hit, and Ms. Reeves would leave the Motown family to branch out on her own a couple of years later.)

 

 

 

Incense & Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock (12/67; down to #3 from #1 last week – this was a group that seemingly came out of nowhere to climb all the way to the top spot on the Billboard chart. The lead singer on this song wasn’t even officially in the group when they decided to add lyrics to their psychedelic musical track. Tonight we hear a recently-created stereo version that gives each instrumental element a bit more of a chance to be heard.)

  

If I Could Build My Whole World Around You – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (12/67; at #47 this week, headed to #10 Pop and #2 R&B for two weeks – these two singers were paired by Motown management and assigned to writer/producers Ashford & Simpson, and the match was brilliant. This was their third consecutive smash hit and there would be several more before Tammi was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. It was a tragedy that unfolded very publicly, and is still felt today.)

 

 

Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares (4/62; #1 for two weeks – this is an annual request-and-dedication to me, the deejay, every year after my Thanksgiving-ish birthday. Shelley was born into show business - her aunt was actress Nanette Fabray - but she wasn’t a singer. That aside, the television studios wanted all of their young stars to record Pop records that could be promoted on their respective TV shows: Ricky Nelson, Kookie Byrnes, Annette Funicello, Patty Duke, Sajid Khan…the list goes on. In this case, it led to solid gold!)

 

 

 

I Love How You Love Me – Paris Sisters (9/61; #5 – this San Francisco-based sister act got its start under Phil Spector’s wing, and this was their biggest hit of them all. Several artists have also recorded hit versions, but this one epitomized “Oldies” on the radio when I was a boy and it’s still a favorite.)

  

When I Fall In Love – The Lettermen (11/61; #7 – this trio was made up of singers who basically had the same vocal range, so their three-part harmonies were extremely tight. They made a career of singing “oldies,” and released a bunch of hit records over the next ten years. For a splendid example of their blend just watch the first two minutes of this video. You won't regret it!)

  

Scarborough Fair – Simon & Garfunkel (11/66; NR – the million-selling Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme LP was named after the refrain to this song. It would later be used in the soundtrack to The Graduate, and would be released as a single in the spring of 1968. Tonight we hear it in its stunning mono 45 version.)

 

 

 

Let’s Hang On – 4 Seasons (10/65; #3 – this single was cut during the band’s golden age of hitmaking years, continuing the long string of great records that started with “Dawn” and “Rag Doll” and that would lead right into 1968, when they’d start doing more topical and/or edgy material. The hits would keep coming, but not like this! Tonight we hear a custom-edited version from my friend Jon Hilton, who extended the fade by about 20 seconds at my request.)

 

 

45 Corner:  Baby You Got It – Brenton Wood (12/67, at #51 this week, headed to #34 Pop, #30 R&B – this was the follow-up to his signature classic “Gimme Little Sign,” which had filled the airwaves that previous summer. The instrumentation was similar, as were the beat and the backing chorus, but it never quite recaptured that earlier record’s magic.)

 

 

 

Holidays Are Coming Radio Commercial (a vintage Coca Cola commercial from the early Seventies to ease you into the season!)

 

Snoopy’s Christmas – Royal Guardsmen (12/67; #1 on the Xmas chart for five weeks – this was the group’s third consecutive “Snoopy” single, and they’d chart two more before they were done. It was released on this date in 1967 and was a big hit on NYC radio. Chicago, too – reaching the Top Ten in both markets. Nationally, it reached #1 on Billboard’s Xmas chart – and stayed there for five weeks!)

  

Susan – Buckinghams (12/67; debuting at #74, headed to #11 – this Chicago group scored 5 Top Twenty singles in 1967, but this was their last great record. After this one, producer James William Guercio left them to work with two big horn bands on Columbia, and the Buckinghams lost their focus. Curiously, this record had an added 30 seconds of instrumental weirdness that most stations edited out. Many listeners were dismayed when they bought the record and played it at home!)

 

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

November 30 – Paul Stookey (P,P&M) – age 88

            – Rob Grill (Grass Roots) – born in 1943

            – June Pointer – born in 1953

 

 

December 1 – Lou Rawls – born in 1935

            – John Densmore (Doors) – age 81

            – Gilbert O’Sullivan – age 79

 

 

December 3 – Andy Williams – born in 1927

 

 

December 4 – Chris Hillman (Byrds) – age 81

            – Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys) – 1944

           

 

 

December 5 – Little Richard – born in 1932

            – Jim Messina – age 78

 

 

December 6 – Mike Smith (DC5) – born in 1943

            – Jonathan King – age 81

           

 

 

The Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Paul Stookey (8/71; #24 – Paul was the best man at Peter Yarrow’s wedding, and had written this song for the occasion. Over the years it’s become one of the most frequently performed wedding songs in the English language, and Paul’s only charting single as a solo artist.)

 

 

 

Midnight Confessions – Grass Roots (10/68; #5 – the L.A. group was hoping to shake their reputation as a “Folk Rock” band by adding horns and a driving Motown-style rhythm and arrangement. Rob Grill was the lead singer here, but LA session player Carol Kaye laid down that opening bass line and drove this record right up the charts.)

  

Happy – Pointer Sisters (9/79; NR – June was the youngest of the four sisters in the group, and got to sing lead on this Keith Richard song from their Priority album. Other songwriters who contributed to this LP included Robbie Robertson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Graham Parker.)

 

 

 

Touch Me – The Doors (12/68; #3 – guitarist Robbie Krieger borrowed the opening guitar lick here from the 4 Seasons’ “C’mon Marianne” two years prior. Drummer John Densmore thumps that beat like nobody’s business, and Jazz player Curtis Amy adds a blistering sax solo. Tonight we hear the original 45 on TT #1.)

 

 

 

Clair – Gilbert O’Sullivan (11/72; #2 for two weeks – the Irish singer had one of the biggest hits of the year in “Alone Again Naturally,” and this one nearly followed it to #1 a few months later. The object of his lyrical affections is his niece Clair, whose voice can be heard in the closing lines of the fade.)

 

 

 

Almost There – Andy Williams (11/64; #67 – I, for one, could listen to Andy Williams sing the phone book and be content. His output on the Columbia label was enormous, and this gem was quietly tucked onto the back of “On the Street Where You Live,” but it began to get airplay of its own and reached the lower regions of the chart. It apparently comes from the film I’d Rather Be Rich.)

 

 

 

Wendy – Beach Boys (10/64; #44 – this record deserved a much better showing than #44, but it was part of a four-song EP that baffled record buyers, and record sales partly contribute to chart success. This was one of the final studio albums that featured Dennis Wilson on drums, because Brian Wilson began to exclusively use studio musicians on the group’s records. Hal Blaine would soon become the drummer on all of their recordings.)

  

Dead End Street (with Monologue) – Lou Rawls (3/67; #29 Pop, #3 R&B – Lou Rawls had been a close associate of Sam Cooke’s, and eventually signed a long-term deal with Capitol Records. This biographical sketch was one of the first topical records of the genre, and opened with a separate spoken-word section. Capitol actually divided the record into two sections for those wanted to cut directly to the song part!)

 

 

 

Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds (12/65; #1 for three weeks – two of the Byrds’ first three singles for Columbia reached #1 and two of them had been written by Bob Dylan. This one, though, was adapted by Pete Seeger from the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes, and may be the best of them all. One difference between this and “Mr. Tambourine Man”: the Byrds actually got to play on this one. That’s Chris Hillman on bass.)

  

Angry Eyes – Loggins & Messina (8/75; dnc – this was an edited-down version of a seven-minute album track from 1972. It was released as a single and failed to chart, but Columbia slipped  it onto a B-side three years later and that’s what we hear tonight. Jim & Kenny switch verses and most of the soloing comes in long after the record fades.)

 

 

 

45 Corner: I Don’t Know What You’ve Got But It’s Got Me, Pt. 1 – Little Richard (12/65; #92 Pop, #12 R&B – Little Richard burst upon the scene wearing eye make-up and pounding on his piano like a wild man, but toned it down and actually stopped performing for several years. When he returned he cut some sultry Blues-tinged records like this one. Written by Don Covay, it became well known in the R&B world. Pop radio found it less compelling.)

 

 

 

I’ll Be Yours – Dave Clark 5 (12/65; dnc – this was the B-side of the group’s only #1 single: “Over and Over.” Mike Smith was the keyboardist and lead singer for the Manchester quintet, and many consider him to have been the key to their success. He’d eventually die in relative poverty, and those in the know hold Dave Clark largely to blame for his lack of acclaim and financial security.)

    

Where the Sun Has Never Shone – Jonathan King (1/66; #97 – before he was a record producer and industry big wig, Jonathan King was a recording artist. His first and biggest hit was “Everyone’s Gone to The Moon,” and this follow-up record was a thinly-disguised attempt to recapture its predecessor’s glory. It failed to catch on, but it's an interesting glimpse into the times.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

8-9pm

  

 

Tribute to Steve Cropper

 

 

 

Steve Cropper was a founding member of Booker T & The MGs, who also happened to be the house band for Stax Records in Memphis. His guitar licks can be heard on records by Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Sam & Dave and so many more. He died three days ago at age 84, but not before leaving an impact on countless guitar players and music lovers around the world. My notes add “Don’t discount the significance of him being a member of a biracial band in Memphis Tennessee in the early Sixties, either.”

 

Soul Man – Sam & Dave (12/67; at #17 this week, down from a peak of #2 Pop, and in its fifth of seven weeks at #1 on the R&B chart – this was the duo’s biggest hit, and it was propelled by Steve Cropper’s shimmering guitar work. When the producer asked him to help come up with an intro, he took out a Zippo lighter and used it as a slide. Check out Sam Moore shouting “Play it, Steve” in the middle of the song!)

 

  

(Sittin’ By The) Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding (3/68; #1 for four weeks – Otis Redding had finally broken through to a broader audience after his legendary set at the Monterey Pop Festival that summer, and he and Steve started to compose this classic song while still in California. It was recorded on December 7th and released weeks after Otis’ death in a small airplane on December 10^th. In February it would become Billboard’s first posthumous #1 single, where it would stay for four weeks.)

 

 

60^th Anniversary of Rubber Soul by The Beatles 

 

 

Music writers and historians often point to this album as being a defining moment in the Beatles’ career: the point where they began writing about adult themes and becoming true artists. It was released on this date in1965, but the version we heard here in The States is different from the UK edition. Three significant songs were removed from the US version: “Drive My Car,” “Nowhere Man” and “If I Needed Someone,” replaced by two gentler songs from the British Help! LP – partly to help the record tie into the burgeoning Folk Rock scene. Here are two tracks that appeared on both editions.

 

I’m Looking Through You – The Beatles (Side Two of the US Capitol Records version opened with “It’s Only Love,” followed by John Lennon’s “Girl.” Track three was this Paul McCartney number, and the US version left in two false starts by Paul on acoustic guitar. Here it is!)

 

 

In My Life – The Beatles (after about 3 seconds of silence, John Lennon’s classic guitar lick kicks in and one of his most acclaimed compositions unfolds. Producer George Martin famously added a keyboard solo that was actually played in a slightly lower key and then sped up to sound like a harpsichord, and this song has become a staple of memorial services around the world.)

 

 

When I Need You – Leo Sayer (5/77; #1 – this lilting ballad goes out at the request of listener Scottie, and is one of a string of big hits by the English musician.)

 

  

We Are Family – Sister Sledge (5/79; #2 – they were a sister act from Philadelphia, and this was their shining moment. It was a big hit on dance floors, but also doubled as an anthem for women and family reunions.)

 

In & Out of Love – Diana Ross & The Supremes (12/67; peaking at #9 – Diana had recently been given top billing, and founding member Florence Ballard was already rumored to be on her way out. In fact, Diana was already preparing to leave the trio to start a solo career, and their production/writing team was about to leave Motown. For all of those reasons and more, this record is mostly forgotten to time – but I think it’s a great one that should’ve done better!)

 

 

 

Neon Rainbow – Box Tops (12/67; peaking on this date at #24 – their very first single was “The Letter,” which spent several weeks at #1 in the early Fall. This one had a much different feel to it, and almost seemed like a different band – but that most certainly is Alex Chilton on lead vocals, and it’s another fine Memphis track.)

  

Since You Showed Me How to Be Happy – Jackie Wilson (12/67; at #46 this week, headed to #32 Pop and #22 R&B – he was known in some circles as “Mr. Excitement,” and his career was revitalized when producer Carl Davis took over. One of his first moves was to hire members of Motown’s house band The Funk Brothers to lay down the musical tracks. This was the follow-up to the R&B #1 “(Your Love Keeps Liftin’ Me) Higher & Higher,” and while it didn’t equal the previous record’s success, it’s an exciting record indeed!)

 

 

 

Daydream Believer – Monkees (12/67; second of four weeks at #1 – I’d earlier mentioned the power of having your new record featured on your own TV show, and that’s an advantage that led to an unprecedented string of big hits for this made-for-TV group. This one was written by John Stewart of Kingston Trio fame, and it was the first record on which all of the group members got to play their own instruments.)

 

 

 

45 Corner:  Hooked on a Feeling – Jonathan King (11/71; #10 UK – Memphis songwriter Mark James had written this song in 1968 and BJ Thomas had had a big hit with it, but English producer/performer Jonathan King had a curious idea: what if he gave it a Reggae beat? To achieve that end, he created an a capella intro that went “Ooga-chaka, ooga chaka,” and recorded it himself. Two years later a Swedish group used his quirky musical intro and found themselves with a worldwide smash. They called themselves Blue Swede.)

 

 

 

 

Do You Wanna Dance – Mamas & Papas (11/68; #76 – by November of 1968, the quartet had disbanded – but they were still contractually obliged to release a few more records. Dunhill mined their very first album and selected this song to be the next M&Ps single, which was not only NOT composed by John Phillips, but also featured him as the lead vocalist. It sort of flopped, but I love it.)

  

Over You – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (10/68; #7 – the Pennsylvania group was known for their quasi-military outfits and Gary Puckett’s nearly-operatic vocals, plus material that was largely based on the singer’s creepy predatory overtures or his lamenting over infidelity. This one was a completely different animal: it opens with a lovely oboe figure and is laden with harp and strings. Tonight we hear the mono 45 version as we say goodnight. See you on 1/13/26!)

 

 

 

 

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

  

 

Congratulations to Caitlin from Trumansburg, for correctly answering the question and winning a $25 gift card to Asempe Kitchen in downtown Ithaca.

 

 

 

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 (12/13/25):  Gregory James with a spotlight on songs about walking!

 

 

 

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!