Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Oct 5, 2013 - JS - 1966


Rockin' Remnants






Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our
web page, 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!)





Date: October 5, 2013
Host: John Simon
Feature: 1966







Back in the golden age of Top 40 Radio they'd play the #1 record once an hour. This Saturday we'll play the 45 version of the #1 record on this date in 1966 (slightly sped-up, sonically compressed for more audio punch and deftly edited to guarantee frequent airplay) and then we'll play the album version in hour #3. We'll also play some low-charting treasures you never hear any more, some sure-fire Motown dance hits, a little bit of Apple Festival music, we'll give away some State Theatre tix, AND we’ll play your requests - all for free on your radio! 6-9 p.m. on 93.5 FM or wvbr.com.









Birthday Calendar     



Sept 30 – Johnny Mathis – 78 years old

             –  Marilyn McCoo – 70 years old
             –  Frankie Lymon – born in 1942, died at 25


Oct 1 – Richard Harris -  – born in 1930
          


Oct 3 – Chubby Checker – 72 years old
          – Eddie Cochran – born in 1938, died at 21


Oct 5 – Steve Miller – 70 years old

        




 

Playlist


(songs in bold are from the spotlight date of 10-5-66; yellow song titles are YouTube links; songs with * were requests; all chart information comes from the Billboard Hot 100 unless otherwise noted)



6-7 p.m.

 

OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock 'n' Roll - Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys -1969 - peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, produced by Jimi Hendrix

Cherish – The Association [in its 3rd and final week at #1, this is the mono 45 version]

Black Is Black – Los Bravos [peaking at #4 in its 2nd week]

 

I’m Ready for Love – Martha & Vandellas [bubbling under and headed only to #9 Pop, #2 R&B]

You Were On My Mind – We Five [one of several versions of this song written by Sylvia Fricker (Ian & Sylvia), reached #3 in the Summer of ‘65.  Member Michael Stewart was the brother of John Stewart, and producer of Billy Joel's Piano Man LP]
 


* Hang On Sloopy – The McCoys [a telephone request from the mother of a 2 year-old nicknamed “Shoopy”]

Guantanamera – The Sandpipers [down to #35 from a peak of #9]

Dandy – Herman’s Hermits [at #48, headed to #5, written by Ray Davies of The Kinks]

 

Little Green Apples – OC Smith [Fall of 1968; #2 Pop & R&B]

Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie – Jay & Techniques [reached #6 in the Summer of ‘67]

 

One Bad Apple – Osmonds [spent 5 weeks at #1 in early 1971 (and reached #6 R&B), recorded at Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama and intended to sound just like a Jackson 5 record. It obviously came close…]

Bus Stop – The Hollies [down to #15 from a 3-week run at #5]

* Summer Wind – Frank Sinatra [#34 after a peak of #25]

 

Sand In My Shoes – The Drifters (the follow-up to Under the Boardwalk)

Mr. Dieingly Sad – The Critters [peaking at #17]

 All Summer Long – Beach Boys [never released as a single, but one of the greatest end-of-Summer songs of the Rockin’ Remnants era]

 


7-8 p.m. (birthdays and more from October 1966)


* The Joker – Steve Miller Band 

 

C’mon Everybody – Eddie Cochran [#35 in 11/58]

The Class – Chubby Checker [his first hit on Cameo-Parkway Records (#38 in June of 1959), this was Chubby’s pre-Twist specialty: impersonations of contemporary singers]

Venus – Johnny Mathis [his first single after his return to Columbia Records, it only reached #111 in June of 1968]

 

Wedding Bell Blues – Fifth Dimension [the first single to feature Marilyn McCoo as a lead singer, spent 3 weeks at #1 in November of 1969]

Walk Away Renee – Left Banke [at #14, headed to #5]

* Don’t You Just Know It – Huey “Piano” Smith & The Clowns [reached #9 in the Spring of 1958]

Gimme Little Sign – Brenton Wood [reached #9 in the early Fall of 1967.  Brenton's real name is Alfred Smith.]

 

Pollyanna – Classics IV [originally released under the name “The Classics,” they were forced to change their name AND a rival record label threatened to penalize radio stations for playing this 4 Seasons-soundalike record; it was at #110 this week and starting to race up the chart. It suddenly stopped dead in its tracks at #106. Lead singer Dennis Yost and the Classics IV would later find chart success by featuring his distinctive singing voice]

A Satisfied Mind – Bobby Hebb [at #83 this week, headed to #39 Pop and #40 R&B]

All Strung Out – Nino Tempo & April Stevens [their debut on the White Whale record label, this single was at #29 this week and headed to a peak of #26]

Melody for An Unknown Girl – The Unknowns [peaking in its second week at #74, this Parrot Records single featured the teenybopper supergroup of Steve Alaimo and “Raiders” Mark Lindsay and Keith Allison, with Mark Lindsay playing the sultry saxophone line]

 

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – Jimmy Ruffin [at #11 this week, headed to #6 R&B and #7 Pop on the Motown subsidiary “Soul Records” label]

Mr. Spaceman – The Byrds [at #56 this week, headed to #36]

* Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire [on Dunhill Records, reached #1 on September 25, 1965]


8-9 p.m. (‘70s Hour)


Ballad of “A Man Called Horse” – Richard Harris [non-charting single from June of 1970 on Dunhill Records, from his film of the same name]
 


* Stay Awhile – The Bells [requested last week, this Canadian ballad reached #7 in the Spring of 1971]

Strawberry Letter 23 – Brothers Johnson [6/77; #5 Pop, #1 R&B]

Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday [reached #8 in the Spring of ’85; lead singer Aimee Mann will be appearing at the State Theatre next weekend]

* Some Guys Have All the Luck – Persuaders [the request was for “some Motown-styled Soul.” These guys took this song to #7 R&B and #39 Pop on the Atco Records label ten years before Rod Stewart recorded his Top Ten version]

Pretty Lady – Lighthouse [11/73; #53 -  the final charting disc from this Canadian band]

 

Cloudy – Average White Band [released as a single on Atlantic, reaching #55 on the R&B charts in the Spring of 1977]

East Bound and Down – Jerry Reed [from the movie “Smokey & The Bandit,” this single stalled at #103 on the Pop charts but spent 2 weeks at #2 C&W in the Summer of ‘77]

 

Back to The Sixties – Tight Fit [10/81; #89 – a British studio group with a medley of Dancing in the Street, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, You Really Got Me, Do Wah Diddy, Black Is Black, Bend Me Shape Me, When You Walk in the Room and Mony Mony]

Cherish – The Association [the #1 record from our chart date this week, here is the mono LP version – a little bit slower than the hit 45 and with a repeat of the tag line (“And I do…cherish you”)]

 




CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny - 1959 - #1 for two weeks
 







Next week: KV with a spotlight on October 1956 and JR doing the ‘70s for the second half.









Thanks for tuning in! 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.







Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Sept 28, 2013 - JS - Joe Osborn, etc.


Rockin' Remnants






Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our
web page, 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!)





Date:  September 28, 2013
Host:  John Simon
Feature:   bass player Joe Osborn






From the Rockin’ Remnants Facebook page:



“JS is back in Air One with an opening spotlight on Wrecking Crew bassman Joe Osborn - another unsung studio legend. We'll also be shining the birthday spotlight on Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen and Ben E. King (all born on 9/23), as well as a boy from Liverpool and a crossover C&W chanteuse from the land down under. Throw in your requests and a tribute to the late Jackie Lomax and you've got yourself a full evening of good, cheap fun! 6-9 on Saturday - wherever you may be on wvbr.com or 93.5 FM.”


As mentioned above, Joe Osborn (stalwart member of the famed “Wrecking Crew” studio musical conglomerate) gets his moment in the sun this evening. His bass lines can be heard on hundreds of songs from the mid ‘60s into the ‘70s (when he then relocated to Nashville for session work there) and we’ll hear some of them tonight (in bold below). You can read more about his body of work here.

 






Birthday Calendar



Sept 23 – Benjamin Nelson (Ben E. King) – 73 years old

        Bruce Springsteen – 63 years old 

        Ray Charles – born in 1930

Sept 24 – Gerry Marsden (The Pacemakers) – 71 years old

              
Sept 26 – Olivia Newton-John  – 65 years old

   






Rock and Roll Trivia



1) This Atlantic Records vocal group had 11 Top 10 R&B hits before their first Pop hit, and all of the members were fired by their manager in 1958.


2) Their manager hired a different group and re-named them after the group he had just disbanded. Their first release is considered by many historians to be the first Rock ‘n’ Roll single to use a full orchestral backing.


3) Among their lead singers over the years were Rudy Lewis, Clyde McPhatter and Ben E. King.


(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)










Playlist




(songs in bold are from the spotlight feature, yellow song titles are YouTube links, songs with * were requests; all chart information is from the Billboard Hot 100 unless otherwise noted)






6-7 pm


OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock 'n' Roll - Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys -1969 - peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, produced by Jimi Hendrix

Poor Side of Town – Johnny Rivers  [at #20 on this date in 1966, headed to #1 (note: this was Johnny Rivers' only #1 record - and the only one of his charting songs he wrote)]

Windy – Association [just down from a 4 week run at #1 in the Summer of ‘67]

Midnight Confessions – Grass Roots [at #17 on this date in ’68, headed to #5]

Aquarius – Fifth Dimension [spent 6 weeks at #1 in the Spring of ’69, and Joe Osborn's driving bass line is one of the main reasons this song rocks as hard as it does]

 

This Diamond Ring – Gary Lewis & The Playboys [#1 in January 1965]

People Say – Dixie Cups [an end-of-summer treasure, #12 in the Summer of ’64]

Summer’s Come and Gone – Brandywine Singers [11/63; #129; a reworking of “All My Trials” in the style of the Kingston Trio]

 



* Money – Barrett Strong [2/60; #23]

(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet – Reflections [4/64; #6]

* (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher – Jackie Wilson [8/67; #6 * #1 R&B, featuring the uncredited studio playing of Motown’s James Jamerson on bass and other members of The Funk Brothers]

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin (#37 on this date in 1967, headed to #8; this song was written specifically for Aretha)

A Girl Like You – The Rascals (7/67; #10; their follow-up to the #1 smash Groovin')

* Susan – The Buckinghams [#11 in late 1967; the single featured a 45-second psychedelic “freak-out” section that most radio stations edited out for airplay; tonight we play the original Columbia Records 45 with said freak-out intact]

 

* Chapel of Love – Dixie Cups [3 weeks at #1 in June of ’64; dedicated tonight to William and Kristin, married in Newfield two weeks ago. Congratulations!]


7-8 pm (birthdays and more)



Save the Last Dance for Me – Drifters (with Ben E. King on lead vocal; #1 on this date in 1960 for three weeks  -  their only chart-topper)

So Much Love – Ben E. King [5/66; #96 – written by Goffin-King and released on Atco]

 

You Don’t Know Me – Ray Charles [7/62; #2]

One Mint Julep – Ray Charles [3/61; #8 * #1 R&B (an instrumental recording with Ray Charles on the Hammond organ)]

I’ll Be There – Gerry & The Pacemakers [12/64; #14]

Please Mr. Please – Olivia Newton-John [6/75; #3 for two weeks]

Both Sides Now – Judy Collins [11/68; #8 – her highest charting single, written by Joni Mitchell; the 45 version played tonight isn’t available on CD or LP]

 

Never Throw Your Dreams Away – Joanie Sommers [released as a b-side in 1966, from the brand-new CD “Come Alive: The Complete Columbia Singles”]
 


What’s A Matter Baby (Is it Hurting You) – Timi Yuro [7/62; #12]

Come Alive (You’re in The Pepsi Generation) – Joanie Sommers 

 

* Leader of The Pack – Shangri-Las [10/64; #1]

* Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles [#1 in November of 1960]

* Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters [6/64; #4 Pop * #1 R&B for 3 weeks, featuring Johnny Moore on lead vocals]


8-9 pm (‘70s Hour)


Spirit in The Night – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band [4/76; #97, written by Bruce Springsteen]

 

Born To Run – Allan Clarke [5/75 on EMI Records in The UK, did not chart; written by Bruce Springsteen and released before the E Street Band’s recording]

 

This Time It’s RealTower of Power [9/73; #65]

* Wildflower – Skylark [2/73; #9]

(I Know) I’m Losing You – Rare Earth [8/70; #7 – 45 version, unavailable on CD]

 

Only Living Boy In New York – Simon & Garfunkel [4/70; non-charting b-side of Cecilia. This 45 edit isn't available on LP or CD]

MississippiJohn Phillips [5/70; #32 – 45 version not available on CD]

 

Melting Pot – Booker T & MGs [3/71; #45 (their final charting single)

Wonderful Summer – Front Porch [10/71; #129 – radio station promo 45 on Jubilee Records]

 

Sour Milk Sea – Jackie Lomax [#117 on this date in 1968 for just 2 weeks; released concurrently with Hey Jude by The Beatles and Those Were the Days by Mary Hopkin; this record was written and produced by George Harrison, who also played guitar on it, with Paul McCartney on bass, Ringo Starr on drums, Eric Clapton on guitar and Nicky Hopkins on piano. Jackie Lomax passed away on 9/15/13 from cancer]

Come and Get Your Love – Redbone [1/74; #5]


CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny - 1959 - #1 for two weeks










Trivia Answer

 
THE DRIFTERS. 

 


Congratulations to Ed in Houston, who knew the answer and won a large one-topping pizza from Papa John’s!




Host Next Week (Oct 5): John Simon, spotlighting Oct 1966








Thanks for tuning in! 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