March 7, 2026 - JS & GJ - Early March 1967

 

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:  3/7/26

Host:  John Simon w/ Gregory James Feature:  Early March 1967

 

Today on WVBR's Rockin' Remnants it's the two-man team of Gregory James and yours truly. 

Our tagline is "Big hits, B-sides and Lost Treasures," and tonight you'll get some of each - along with theater tickets, weather reports, reminders to change your clocks and witty and informative banter. 

 We’ll open with five big #1 hits from early March in the 1960s and then spend some time in early March of 1967. Those titles will be in bold type.  Come join the fun!

 

(scroll down 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)

 

Duke of Earl – Gene Chandler (3/62; #1 Pop for three weeks, #1 R&B for five weeks – for a while, everybody in America was walking around singing “dook-dook-dook, Duke of Earl…!” It was a runaway smash on both of the major music charts, and became both Gene’s signature song and his honorific title. He continued to release top-notch singles well into the Eighties, but this was his finest moment.)

 

 

My Girl – Temptations (3/65; #1 Pop, #1 R&B for five weeks – this was the first single to feature David Ruffin on lead, and was written for the band when Mary Wells’ “My Guy” had topped the charts. The group approached songwriter Smokey Robinson about writing one for them, too, and he quickly composed one of the most enduring hits of all-time. Below, you'll find a very cool truly live television performance.)

 

 

Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone – Supremes (3/67; #1 Pop and R&B – writers/producers Holland-Dozier-Holland could do no wrong when it came to The Supremes. This was their third consecutive chart-topper, following a previous string of five #1s in a row, and would soon be followed by another #1 from the film The Happening. Trouble, though, was brewing in Detroit and the trio would announce their departure from the Motown family within the following year.)

 

 

(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding (3/68; #1 Pop for four weeks, #1 R&B for three weeks – this was the first posthumous #1 of the modern era, and was started by Otis when he’d spent some time on Bill Graham’s yacht in the San Francisco bay. Guitarist Steve Cropper helped put the finishing touches on it, and Otis added some whistling at the end when he ran out of words.)

 

 

Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone (3/69; #1 Pop for four weeks, R&B for three – this simple one-chord song with an infectious child-like chorus went on to become Sly’s biggest hit, and became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement of the late Sixties. As we discussed on the air, this version from the Playing for Change people is worth checking out, too!)

 

 

I Think We’re Alone Now – Tommy James & Shondells (3/67; at #31, headed to #4 – this record spent a whopping 17 weeks on the Billboard chart, and cemented the band’s claim as Roulette Records’ best-selling act. That helped ensure that Tommy had artistic license to continually evolve and grow as an artist. Future songs would touch on psychedelia, religion and anti-war themes. This one would also later chart for both The Rubinoos and Tiffany!)

 

 

Soul Time – Shirley Ellis (at #73 this week, headed to #67 Pop and #31 R&B – she was best known for her novelty songs like “The Name Game” and “The Clapping Song,” which she co-wrote with her partner Lincoln Chase. This one, though, was all her – and producer Charlie Callello.)

 

 

I’ve Been Lonely Too Long – Young Rascals (at #22 this week, headed to #16 – this was when the band really started coming into their own as writers as well as top-notch performers. Atlantic decided that 2:57 was too long for airplay, so they edited out one verse plus the organ solo to release a 2:04 version. CD versions are either the mono 45 version or the more anemic stereo LP version. Tonight we get the best of both worlds: the punchy album version in mono, thanks to long-time listener Barbara, who donated her pristine copy of the mono LP!)

 

 

59^th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) – Harper’s Bizarre (at #42 this week, headed to #13 – Paul Simon wrote it and S&G included it as the B-side of their 1967 hit “At the Zoo,” but that paved the way for this trippy West Coast band to record and release their version – which my co-host Greg says "...sounds like a cross between Baroque Rock and a commercial jingle.” I concur!)

 

 

Western Union – Five Americans (at #58 this week, headed to #5 – they were a Texas garage band that finally found the gimmick that would get them a hit: they loosely replicated the sound of a telegraph transmission by singing a series of “dit-duh-dits” over and over again. Tonight we hear a stunning stereo version that reveals all of the hidden elements – the interplay of guitars, the organ line and all of the vocal shenanigans that blended together to create a hit record!)

 

 

45 Corner: Love You So Much – New Colony Six (in its second week at #75, heading to a peak of #61 – they were a rockin’ Chicago sextet that would soon change their sound to become a more mellow adult group, but this number came galloping out of the speakers on the small Sentar Records label. CD versions are all stereo, but they all lack the immediacy and power of this version.)

 

 

Ruby Tuesday – Rolling Stones (this was the #1 record on this date in 1967 – originally designated as the B-side of the Stones’ latest record, this one got most of the airplay because the A-side was deemed too suggestive and even “dirty.” That was the song called “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” When they played it on Ed Sullivan’s show, they were required to sing “Let’s spend some time together.” Mick complied.)

 

 

Jimmy Mack – Martha & The Vandellas (at #50 this week, headed to #10 Pop and #1 R&B – the basic tracks had been recorded three years prior, but languished in the vaults until Martha demanded that Berry Gordy give HER group some of the attention that he was doting on Diana Ross’ group. When this track was played during an A&R meeting, he demanded that they release it as a single. The recording was tweaked with added vocal support from The Andantes, and it was the group’s second R&B #1.)

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

March 1 – Harry Belafonte – born in 1927

            – Roger Daltrey – age 82

            – Mike D’Abo (Manfred Mann) – age 82

 

 

March 2 – Lou Reed (Velvet Underground) – 1943

            – Karen Carpenter – born in 1950

 

 

March 3 – Mike Pender (Searchers) – age 85

            – Jennifer Warnes – age 79

 

 

March 4 – Miriam Makeba – born in 1935

           – Bobby Womack – born in 1944

           

 

March 5 – Eddy Grant (Equals) – age 78

            – Andy Gibb – born in 1958

 

 

March 6 – Mary Wilson (Supremes) – born 1944

            – Kiki Dee – age 79

 

 

March 7 – Chris White (Zombies) – age 83

           

 

 

 

 

I’m Just a Country Boy – Harry Belafonte (12/67; dnc – from his album In My Quiet Room, this was a reimagining of a song that he’d recorded in 1957, and was released as the B-side of the non-charting “Annie My Love.” The musical arranger was none other than Hugo Montenegro. As an aside, a caller asked me to encourage you to check out Richard Manuel’s version.)

 

 

Ring Bell, Ring Bell – Miriam Makeba (1/68; dnc – this was released at about the same time as the Harry Belafonte record, and I thought that they paired nicely. It was the B-side of her low-charting “Malayisha,” which was the follow-up to “Pata Pata,” and tonight we hear the mono single version. It’s a really sweet tune.)

 

 

Fox On The Run – Manfred Mann (2/69; #97 – this one barely squeaked under the wire, but it’s gone on to become something of a Bluegrass standard. Lead singer Mike D’Abo was also a composer, and his catalog includes “Handbags and Gladrags” and “Build Me Up Buttercup!”)

 

 

Say It Ain’t So, Joe – Roger Daltrey (7/77; NR – Murray Head was the writer of this one, but Roger Daltrey does a beautiful job with it on his One For The Boys album. That’s his Who band mate John Entwistle playing the bass, and this cool video also has Keith Moon on drums. Keith wasn’t on the album, though.)

 

 

Rock ‘n’ Roll – Velvet Underground (8/73; dnc – this one had actually been recorded in 1970, but was paired as the B-side of the non-charting “Sweet Jane.” It’s also one of the greatest testaments to the power that radio has to open a young person’s eyes to the world outside their bubble. I’m still stunned that it was never released as a single.)

 

 

Rainy Days & Mondays – Carpenters (5/71; #2 for two weeks – requested by listener Barbara, who shares a birthday with Karen Carpenter, this was another Paul Williams composition. It perfectly captured the melancholy magic of a rainy Monday. Meanwhile, there’s a Carpenters tribute act playing tonight at the Hangar Theatre here in town, and I’ll bet that this one was on their setlist.)

 

 

Easy To Be Hard – Jennifer (5/69; #128 – her full name was Jennifer Warnes, but her early singles left that part off the record label. She’d gotten her professional start on the stage in the LA cast of the musical Hair, and Parrot Records released a two-sided single with “Let the Sunshine In” on the other side. This side got more airplay, but just barely.)

 

 

Breezin’ – Gabor Szabo / Bobby Womack (9/71; #43 R&B – the remarkable Bobby Womack was the composer of this one that would later become one of George Benson’s biggest hits. Bobby himself had written songs for Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin, had played guitar on sessions for them and others, and was also successful as a singer/recording artist on his own. This forgotten gem was on the Blue Thumb label.)

 

 

Take Me for What it’s Worth – Searchers (2/66; #76 – founding member Mike Pender had taken over as lead singer, leading to bassist Tony Jackson’s departure from the group. This was another angsty plea for acceptance written by P.F. Sloan, and I believe that it deserved a better showing!)

 

 

(Love Is) Thicker Than Water – Andy Gibb (3/78; #1 on this date – Andy was the youngest of the Gibb brothers, and those Bee Gees often appeared on his recordings. He scored several big hits in his twenties, but his life was cut short and we’ll never know how far he may have gone had he lived past 30….)

 

 

Baby Come Back – The Equals (9/68; #32 – before embarking upon a solo career, guitarist Eddy Grant was a member of this multiracial British group, as well as being their main writer. Originally a B-side in the UK, it was re-released in 1968 and spent three weeks at the top of the charts.)

  

On a Magic Carpet Ride – Kiki Dee (12/68; dnc – although she didn’t make much noise over here, Kiki Dee had a long career in her native England. This song was the B-side of the British single “Now The Flowers Cry,” and has subsequently become a favorite on the Northern Soul dance scene in the UK. BTW, it was co-written by American Teddy Randazzo, who’d written a number of hits for Little Anthony & The Imperials.)

 

 

 

Where Did Our Love Go – Supremes (8/64; #1 for two weeks – after half a dozen singles on the Motown label, the “no-hit Supremes” suddenly found themselves on top of the world. Mary Wilson was supposed to sing lead on this one, but Berry Gordy had a hunch that Diana might be more marketable. After nearly being dropped from the label, the trio would score four more consecutive #1 hits and would go on to become the most successful girl group of the decade.)

 

 

The Immigrant – Neil Sedaka (3/75; #22 – Neil Sedaka passed away ten days ago after a long and illustrious career as a writer and a performer. This single was released on Elton John’s Rocket Records label, and is now inextricably linked with John Lennon, whose immigration issues were prominently in the news at the time of its release. Some pressings actually included a dedication to JL. Our own Remnants DJ “JH” used to be a high school history teacher, and apparently used to use this song in his classes when covering the topic of Immigration.)

 

 

 

8-9pm

Nothing’s Changed – The Zombies (10/65; dnc – this song was used in the film Bunny Lake Is Missing and was written by bassist Chris White. It was never released as an A-side, but it’s haunting and atmospheric, and features the splendid vocals of Colin Blunstone.)

 

 

 

Spotlight on the Marvel Comics limited-series Wonderman, streaming on Disney Plus

 

 

Occasionally TV and movies incorporate popular music so effectively that they deserve to be recognized (and even promoted). This limited series is so much more than a superhero story, and features the resplendent Ben Kingsley, reprising his role as “The Mandarin” from Iron Man 3. Highly recommended and binge-worthy!

 

 

She’s About a Mover – Sir Douglas Quintet (4/65; #13 – San Antonio rocker Doug Sahm was encouraged by his label to come up with a more British-sounding name, so they settled on The Sir Douglas Quintet. The label also change the title of his song from “She’s a Body-Mover” to this one. Of course, once you know that you can’t NOT hear it that way! And in the height of the British Invasion, it all worked!)

 

 

Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – Waylon Jennings (3/78; #41 Pop, #1 C&W for four weeks – this was one of several successful crossover hits for Country superstar Waylon Jennings, and is use to great effect in the final episode of Wonderman.)

 

 

Everybody’s Talkin’ – Nilsson (8/68; #113 * 8/69, #6 – folkie Fred Neil had written this and released it as a single to little notice, but Nilsson included a version on his Aerial Ballet album and also released it as a single, where it landed at #113. A year later it was included in the film Midnight Cowboy, and that made all the difference. It also earned Nilsson a Grammy Award and an Academy Award nomination. The film is referenced several times in Wonderman, which makes a lot of sense in retrospect. 

The version below is the one that appeared in the film, and is slightly different than the version that's readily available.)

 

 

Thunder & Lightning – Chi Coltrane (9/72; #17 – I played this song for her birthday back in November if you want more info. It goes out from listener Scottie to Peggy, and it’s a good fit for this rainy night as the seasons start to change.)

 

 

Daylight Savings Time – Keith (6/67; #79 – he recorded two albums for Mercury Records and released a handful of singles. This one, however, is most appropriate on this night when we do, indeed, change our clocks for daylight savings time. Spring is coming and summer isn’t far behind….)

 

 

Oh Babe What Would You Say – Hurricane Smith (1/73; #3 – he was a recording engineer at Abbey Road studios for many years and worked on all of The Beatles albums up and through Rubber Soul, but somehow found himself on the other side of the microphone at the age of fifty! This was his one big hit, and it sounded nothing like anything else on the radio at the time.)

 

 

Right Time of the Night – Jennifer Warnes (3/77; #6 – we heard her in the birthday calendar as simply young “Jennifer,” but here she is in a lush power-Pop production that was her biggest hit as a solo artist. That said, she’d be back with two big #1 hits in the Eighties with movie hits accompanied by duet partners Joe Cocker and Bill Medley.)

 

 

I Love Her, She Loves Me – NRBQ (1/78; dnc – this was from their studio album mysteriously titled NRBQ At Yankee Stadium, and was released as a single paired with “Green Lights.” Neither side charted, but this was a leftover from my Valentine’s Day show, and I really like it.)

 

 

The Last Song – Edward Bear (1/73; #3 for two weeks – they were a Canadian trio from Canada with a singing drummer, and they took their name from a character from the Winnie-the-Pooh universe. This, however, isn’t REALLY our last song of the night!)

  

Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) – The Monitors (4/66; #100, #21 R&B – in light of current events and the rumor that the US may be reinstituting a military draft, we bring you this Motown group’s only Pop charter, and it just slipped in under the wire! The Monitors’ real claim to fame is that their lead singer Richard Street would join the Temptations about five years later. Let’s hope that cooler heads prevail, and that this military madness ends as soon as possible. See you next month!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Michael from Newfield, for winning a pair of tickets to see Milkweed at the Kitchen Theatre!

 

 

 

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 (3/14/26):  Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on The Music of Laurel Canyon

 

 

 

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!