Rockin’ Remnants
Rockin’ Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook, and tune in to 93.5 FM or stream the show every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. Eastern. (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: May 9, 2026
Host: Gregory James and John Rudan
Features: Songs with Food in the Title and Songs with Cold Vocal Openings
Tonight's show is a repeat of GJ's May 11, 2024 show for the first two hours and a new hour curated and hosted by John Rudan.
Birthday Calendar
May 5
Georgia Dobbins (Marvelettes) b. 1942 d. 2020
May 6
Davey Johnstone (Elton John guitarist) 75 years old
Bob Seger 81 years old
Leon Hughes (original Coaster) b. 1930 d.2023
May 7
Johnny Maestro (Crests, Brooklyn Bridge) b. 1939 d. 2010
Jimmy Ruffin b. 1936 d. 2014
May 8
Philip Bailey (Earth Wind and Fire) 75 years old
Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds bassist) 83 years old
Ricky Nelson b. 1940 d. 1985
Toni Tennille 86 years old
May 9
Billy Joel 77 years old
Richie Furay 82 years old
Tommy Roe 84 years old
Dave Prater (Sam and Dave) b. 1937 d. 1988
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 subsequent dates) unless otherwise noted
* glossary of terms is below the playlist
6:00-7:00
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock n’ Roll—Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Peanuts Little Joe And The Thrillers 1957 #22
Little Joe Cook’s falsetto singing may have been an influence on Lou Christie and Frankie Valli (who covered “Peanuts” with the Four Seasons in 1963).
Bread And Butter Newbeats 1964 #2
Another song with falsetto singing, this time by Larry Henley. This recording has turned up in several TV commercials.
Peanut Butter Marathons 1961 #20
The recording group was actually The Vibrations. The Marathons were under contract to a different label, so they changed their name to The Vibrations. The melody is identical to “Hully Gully.”
Hully Gully Olympics 1960 #72
*Apple Peaches Pumpkins Pie Jay and the Techniques 1967 #6
Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson sang backup on this track. John Simon put in this request
Mashed Potato Time Dee Dee Sharp 1962 #2 H100 #1 RB
The Orlons sang back up on this track by the 17-year-old Dee Dee Sharp.
Peppermint Twist Joey Dee and the Starliters 1962 #1
This live recording should not be confused with the 1961 song “The Peppermint Twist” by Danny Peppermint and the Jumping Jacks.
Hot Pastrami Dartells 1963 #11
Dick Burns of the Dartells has said that the band simply lifted the melody of Joey Dee’s “Mashed Potatoes,” changed the lyrics and renamed it “Hot Pastrami.”
Mashed Potatoes Joey Dee and the Starliters 1961
A Taste Of Honey Herb Alpert 1965 #7
Winner of four Grammys. By this time, there were two actual members of Tijuana Brass in addition to Herb Alpert—the rest were the Wrecking Crew. Hal Blaine played the drums that drove the song along.
Van Morrison’s custom on the album was to record his vocals live with no overdubbing.
RC Cola And A Moon Pie NRBQ 1972 NR
In some parts of the country in the mid-20th century, this was called “the working man’s lunch.”
Cheeseburger In Paradise Jimmy Buffett 1978 #32
Jambalaya Brenda Lee 1956 DNC
Brenda Mae Tarpley first recorded Jambalaya when she was 11 years old.
Polk Salad Annie Tony Joe White 1969 #8
It was nine months between when the record was released and when it finally charted due to popular demand.
Dixie Chicken Little Feat 1978 DNC
Backing singers included Gloria Jones, Bonnie Raitt (seen in the video below), Danny Hutton and Bonnie Bramlett.
7:00-8:00
Please Mr. Postman Marvelettes 1961 #1
Georgia Dobbins co-wrote “Please Mr. Postman” but left the group before it was recorded.
All the Girls Love Alice Elton John 1973 NR
This track from Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” was a favorite of Davey Johnstone who played guitar on the track. Kiki Dee was a backing singer and the lyrics told a tale about a fictional and tragic girl. The song was not inspired by Alice Cooper.
Roll Me Away Bob Seger 1982 #27
Roy Bittan played piano, Waddy Wachtel played guitar and Russ Kunkel played drums on this song about a man and his motorcycle.
Down in Mexico Coasters 1956 #8 RB
This was their debut single.
Worst That Could Happen Brooklyn Bridge 1969 #3
Written by Jimmy Webb, the song was rumored to be about someone named Susan.
Stand By Me Jimmy and David Ruffin 1970 #61 H100
From the album “I Am My Brother’s Keeper.”
That’s the Way of the World Earth Wind and Fire 1975 #5 RB #12 H100
Philip Bailey was the high voice for Earth Wind and Fire.
I Write the Songs Captain and Tennille 1975 NR
Many people think this song was written by Barry Manilow (who did write a lot of songs), but it written by Beach Boy Bruce Johnston. Because Johnston knew Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon from their work with the Beach Boys, he gave the song to them and they made the first album recording of the song.
Stroll On (Train Kept a Rolling) Yardbirds 1965 DNC
This version was heard in the film “Blow Up.”
It’s Late Ricky Nelson 1959 #9 H100 #30 RB
Nelson’s cover version was released and charted 21 years before composer Dorsey Burnette’s original was released on a compilation album in 1980.
My Life Billy Joel 1978 #3 H100 #2 AC
Everybody Tommy Roe 1963 #3
Recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals.
Only You Know and I Know Dave Mason 1970 #42
From “Alone Together,” one of the coolest looking vinyl releases of the 1970’s with a stellar group of musicians including Leon Russell, Larry Knechtel, Carl Radle, Jim Capaldi, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Bonnie Bramlett and Rita Coolidge.
Fresh Garbage Spirit 1968 NR
Or as it might be titled today: “Natural Compost.”
Wear Your Love Like Heaven Donovan 1967 #23
Lyrically, the song is like an Impressionist painting. Donovan’s Scottish dialect was in full force in this song.
8:00-9:00
Charlie Brown – Coasters – 1959, Not about the cartoon Charlie Brown and Charles Shultz said it misrepresented his character, but he never sued because it was such a common name.
Hooked On A Feeling – Blue Swede – 1974 – BJ Thomas original with the rather unique “ooga-chaka” vocal intro.
Hanky Panky – Tommy James and the Shondells – 1966 – First charting single reached #1 on the Hot 100 for two weeks in July’66.
Delta Dawn – Tanya Tucker – 1972 – She did the original version, but Helen Reddy had the #1 single in 1973.
Hey Jude – Beatles 1968 – Number one for 9 weeks and the Hot 100 #1 single of 1968.
Nowhere Man - Beatles 1966
No Reply - Beatles 1964
Eleanor Rigby – Beatles 1966 – Released in the US as a two-sided single with Yellow Submarine.
Percy’s Song – Fairport Convention – 1969 – Written by Bob Dylan about a fatal car crash and a 99 year sentence at Joliet Prison.
You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Rolling Stones – 1969 – Intro vocals by the London Bach choir, and they come back again on the fade out.
I’ve Seen All Good People – Yes – 1971, two parts; the first titled "Your Move" was released as a single in 1971 and reached number 40 in the US; The second part is "All Good People."
Fat-Bottomed Girls – Queen – 1978 – The album Jazz came with a great picture that you can see, and buy, online.
Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas – 1976 – Prog-rockers breakthrough hit single, #11 on the Hot 100.
CLOSING THEME: Sleep Walk – Santo and 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
H100 = Billboard Hot 100
RB = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records
Host May 16, 2026: Jan Hunsinger.
Feature: Tenth Anniversary as a Remnants host.
Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to Rockin’ Remnants every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. Eastern on WVBR (93.5 FM in Ithaca NY) or streaming on WVBR.com.
Thanks again to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
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