October 3, 2026 - JS - Early October '68 and More

 

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: October 3, 2026

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  October 1968

 

Tonight from 6-9 on the radio with special guests in the studio, good tunes, good company and your requests. We'll pick up where JH left off three weeks ago, play some leftovers from my last show and fold in your requests and dedications. Rockin' Remnants on WVBR.

 

 

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)

  

Workin’ On a Groovy Thing - Patti Drew (10/68; #62 Pop, #34 R&B – Brill Building writers Neil Sedaka & Roger Atkins rarely collaborated, but they wrote this one and they’d hit paydirt when the 5^th Dimension would tackle it one year later. This is the first of many versions that would be recorded over the years, and it provided the template for the big hit version.)

 

 

Midnight Confessions - Grass Roots (10/68; #5 – they’d started as a Folk Rock vehicle for songwriters PF Sloan and Jeff Barri, but wanted to expand their sound and decided to take a crack at a “Motown-sounding” record by adding horns, driving drums and a rolling bass line. It proved to be a good move, and would lead to a long and healthy string of hits well into the Seventies.)

 

 

The House That Jack Built - Aretha Franklin (10/68; #6 Pop, #2 R&B for two weeks – once she landed at Atlantic Records, the floodgates opened for Aretha, who would eventually come to be known as “The Queen of Soul.” This was her eighth consecutive Top Ten single for the label, and was paired with her version of “I Say a Little Prayer.” She was absolutely on fire!)

 

 

Over You - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (10/68; at #25 this week, headed for two weeks at #7 – this was a departure from the group’s usual fare, which consisted largely of songs about illicit romance. It’s short and sweet and is one of those rare Pop hits that features a prominent oboe line.)

 

 

Street Fighting Man - Rolling Stones (10/68; #48 for two weeks – this record inexplicably stalled at #48 on the Pop charts, but it‘s one of the band’s most ferocious singles. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks it at #301 in its list of the 500 greatest singles of all time. Turn it up!)

 

 

*  You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (10/76; #1 – this one debuted in October and would work its way all the way to the top in January of 1977, thanks in part to Leo’s Bee Gees-like falsetto vocal and its driving quasi-disco beat. If you were tuned in last time, I inadvertently played the wrong Leo Sayer song. Like the Royal Canadian Mounties, we always eventually get our….record!)

 

 

*  Kiss You All Over – Exile (10/78; #1 for four weeks – this request/dedication goes out to John from Cheryl, tuning in together from Florida. It would hold down the #1 slot for four weeks in October of that year. Get a room, you two!)

 

 

You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore (12/63; #2 for three weeks – she was a teenager from Teaneck, New Jersey. Signed to Mercury Records and under the guidance of producer Quincy Jones, she recorded a string of teenage laments like “It’s My Party” and “Judy’s Turn to Cry” before this one exploded onto the airwaves. It clearly resonated with the record-buying public, and is considered something of an early Women’s Empowerment anthem.)

 

 

These Boots Are Made for Walking - Nancy Sinatra (2/66; #1 – let’s consider this a one-two punch. Frank Sinatra’s little girl was promoted as a sex symbol with knee-high white boots and short, tight skirts – but she clearly wasn’t gonna take mistreatment lying down. This one struck a nerve around the world: it was also #1 in The UK, in Australia, in South Africa, in Denmark and Singapore.)

 

 

Home of the Brave - Bonnie & The Treasures (10/65; #77 – two versions of this Mann-Weill composition were released on August 28, 1965. Jody Miller’s more-polished release on Capitol Records would work its way all the way up to #25. This “Wall of Sound” version released on Phil Spector’s Philles Records label stalled at #77 after just five weeks on the chart before it disappeared. It’s very hard to find, but well worth the search.)

 

 

Yesterday - The Beatles (10/65; #1 for two weeks – this is basically a solo Paul McCartney record with a string quartet accompaniment, and it was unlike anything the Beatles had previously released. It would also go on to become one of the most-covered songs in the history of recorded music. Here it is in the original mono mix.)

 

 

*  Anastasia - Pat Boone (1/57; #37 – it turns out that this was the B-side of Pat Boone’s #1 hit “Don’t Forbid Me,” and I had never heard of it. We dug it out of the vinyl record library, but I misread the record label – again – and it took three tries to finally play the correct track. It was worth the labor. Thanks, Molly, for calling it in.)

 

 

Farewell Andromeda - John Denver (9/73; #89 – I had played the stereo version of this last time out, but tonight we hear the mono side of the radio station promo 45. My studio guest said “This sounds really familiar.” It may because it was also licensed for use as a Folger’s Coffee commercial back in the Seventies.) 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

September 27 – Meat Loaf – born 1947

            – Randy Bachman (Guess Who) – age 83

 

 

September 28 – Ben E King – born 1938

 

 

September 29 – Tommy Boyce – born 1939

            – Mark Farner (Grand Funk) – age 78

 

 

 

September 30 – Cissy Houston – born 1933

            – Johnny Mathis – age 91

            – Marilyn McCoo (5^th Dimension) – age 83

 

 

 

October 2 – Don McLean – age 81

            – Mike Rutherford (Genesis) – age 76

            – Sting – age 75

 

 

October 3 – Chubby Checker – age 85

            – Lindsey Buckingham – age 77

 

 

 

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - Meat Loaf (4/78; #11 – this was the lead single from one of the biggest-selling albums of the decade. Written by Jim Steinman and produced by Todd Rundgren, it boasted an all-star studio band including E Street pianist Roy Bittan, who opens the song. I confess that I had picked this track to feature a couple of days before the news about “The Cornell Seven” broke, and I apologize if anyone felt triggered or betrayed.)

 

 

Laughing - Guess Who (7/69; #10 – guitarist Randy Bachman was co-writer here, and the song starts with a quiet guitar lick. He’d eventually leave the band to form Bachman Turner Overdrive, but he really made his mark as a founding member of the Guess Who.)

  

Spanish Harlem - Ben E King (12/60; #10 Pop, #15 R&B – King had been the lead singer of the “new” Drifters after the original members were summarily dismissed, and this was his first outing as a solo artist. He shared composing credit with Phil Spector, and notable covers would be performed by both Aretha Franklin and Laura Nyro, among others. This, though, is the original.)

 

 

Misty - Johnny Mathis (10/59; #12 – Johnny had been a track and field stand-out in his native San Francisco, but he turned down an invitation to the 1956 Olympic tryouts in favor of a music career. We’re all the better for that decision, and this one is apparently considered his “signature song.”)

 

 

Unchained Melody - Sweet Inspirations (9/68; #73 – Cissy Houston was the lead singer for the group, which had first made its mark doing session singing for artists including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke and even Van Morrison; that’s them on “Brown-Eyed Girl.” Atlantic Records signed them to a recording contract, and they released a string of singles for the label, including this haunting version of the theme from the film Unchained.)

 

 

One Less Bell to Answer - 5th Dimension (10/70; #2 for two weeks – the southern California quintet made their mark singing the songs of NY songwriter Laura Nyro and LA writer Jimmy Webb, but this one was a Bacharach-David number that was basically a solo showcase for singer Marilyn McCoo. She absolutely killed it!)

 

 

I Wonder What She's Doing - Boyce & Hart (12/67; #8 – these guys, meanwhile, were instrumental in making The Monkees big radio stars, writing and producing much of the group’s early material and singing and playing on their recordings. They finally landed a contract as a duo with A&M Records, and this was far and away their biggest hit.)

 

 

Gimme Shelter - Grand Funk Railroad (9/71; #61 – guitarist Mark Farner wrote and sang much of the band’s material, but they covered this Rolling Stones song convincingly. Capitol released an edited version as a single, and that’s what we hear tonight. Scratchy and loud!)

 

 

Castles in the Air - Don McLean (2/71; dnc – before his breakthrough with “American Pie,” this song was released as a single to little notice. It was later paired with his big hit “Vincent,” with added synthesizer and strings. Ten years later it would finally chart in a re-recorded, slower version. Tonight we hear the stripped down original version on the Media Arts label.)

 

 

Follow You, Follow Me – Genesis (4/78; #23 – Peter Gabriel had left the band, so bassist Mike Rutherford also took on guitar duties and drummer Phil Collins took on the role of lead vocalist. This song from the Then There Were Three LP was co-written by the three remaining members, which would remain their successful formula for the next decade.)

 

 

Message in a Bottle – Sting (11/82; dnc – this had been a massive hit for bassist Sting’s trio The Police four years prior, spending three weeks at #1 in the UK. Tonight we hear a solo version recorded for Amnesty International’s Secret Policemen’s Other Ball LP. You can see his live performance below.)

 

 

 

Landslide - Fleetwood Mac (6/75; NR – after the California duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks had joined the venerable British Blues band, their first album together reached #1, sold 7,000,000 copies and yielded three Top 20 singles. This song wasn’t included on either side of any of them, but it’s considered one of their greatest “hits,” nonetheless. Listen in headphones to hear Buckingham’s multi-layered guitars. Stunning!)

 

 

Back in the USSR - Chubby Checker (4/69; #82 - after a long run at Cameo-Parkway Records, the “King of the Twist” signed with Buddah Records and took a stab at this song from The Beatles’ White Album. It’s a blistering record with a tight horn section and a great vocal performance, but it mostly fell on deaf ears.)

 

 

 

8-9pm

 

 

*  Taxi - Harry Chapin (3/72; #24 – Harry was a storyteller who toured relentlessly. This was his first charting single, and it was so compelling that he was prompted to write a follow-up called “Sequel” nine years later. That one would make it to #23!)

 

 

*  Make Your Own Kind of Music - Mama Cass Elliot (10/69; #36 – I rarely do this, but this is the second time tonight that I’m playing a song that I’d played on my previous show. This is the first single released using her last name, and tonight we hear a mono version from a radio station promo LP. If you’d like to hear her sing it live, find the 9/19 blog post. It’s pretty cool….)

 

 

*  Sweet Cherry Wine - Tommy James & Shondells (3/69; #7 – this release was sandwiched between to group’s two big chart hits “Crimson and Clover” and “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” The band was starting to release more sophisticated and topical material, and this was a thinly veiled anti-war song, going out to Peggy from Scottie.)

 

 

Sad Eyes - Robert John (10/79; #1 – he’d gotten his start as a teenaged recording star under the name “Bobby Pedrick, Jr.” He’d later sign with Atlantic and change his name to Robert John, adopting that signature falsetto singing voice. This would be his only #1 record, and it was peaking on this very date in 1979.)

 

 

You're Only Lonely - John David Souther (10/79; #7 – JDS was part of the Laurel Canyon music scene and was closely connected to both the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, with whom he’d done some recording. He co-wrote Eagles hits “Best of My Love” and “New Kid in Town,” among others. This was his highest charting single as a solo artist, and he’s joined by back-up singers Phil Everly, Jackson Browne, and three Eagles: Frey, Felder and Henley.)

 

 

I Can See the Sun in Late December – Stevie Wonder (9/76; NR – this is one of four bonus tracks from Stevie’s Grammy-winning multi-platinum Songs In the Key of Life LP that were finally released just five days ago, to coincide with record’s 50^th anniversary. At the time of the original release, he needed two 12” albums PLUS a 7” 4-song EP to contain the music he’d created. This one has languished in the vaults since then, although Roberta Flack had a chance to record it in 1975. Tonight we hear 26-year old Stevie Wonder’s version.)

 

 

Hey Jude - The Beatles (9/68; #1 for nine weeks – tonight marks the second of nine weeks that this record would sit atop the Billboard charts in 1968. It was the band’s first release on their new Apple Records label, along with Mary Hopkins’ “Those Were the Days” – and both would prove to be worldwide sensations. Tonight we hear the original mono 45 version, faded just a little before its 7:12 ending.)

 

 

Rock Me On the Water - Jackson Browne (8/72; #48 – Curiously, this single was released five months after Linda Ronstadt’s version. The single mix we hear tonight is a different take from the LP version, and also runs :30 seconds shorter. Drums, bass and guitar are played by Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar and Craig Doerge. That’s Jackson’s friend David Crosby on harmony vocals.)

 

 

 

That’s it for me! See you on October 24^th for more musical fun.

  

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 (10/10/26):  Gregory James with a spotlight on Artists A-Z, Part II

 

 

 

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