January 9, 2021 - GJ - January #1 Records

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:  January 9, 2021

Host:  Gregory James

Feature: January #1 Records 1955-1985

Birthday Calendar

January 3

Stephen Stills 76 years old  

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) 75 years old  

George Martin  (b. 1926  d. 2016)

January 4

Bill Isles (O’Jays co-founder and singer)  (b. 1941  d. 2019)  

January 5

Sam Phillips (founder of Sun Records)  (b. 1923  d. 2003)

Wilbert Harrison (b. 1929  d. 1994)  

January 6

Sandy Denny  (Fairport Convention)   (b. 1947  d. 1978) 

Doris Troy  (b. 1937  d. 2004)  

Nino Tempo  86 years old  

January 7

Kenny Loggins 73 years old  

Paul Revere Dick (Raiders keyboardist)  (b. 1938  d. 2014)  

January 8

Shirley Bassey 84 years old  

Little Anthony  80 years old  

Robby Krieger (Doors guitar) 75 years old 

David Bowie (b. 1947  d. 2016)  

Elvis Presley (b. 1935  d. 1977)   

January 9

Jimmy Page 77 years old  

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

* a glossary of terms is below the playlist

Title    Artist    Year    Weeks at #1 (or peak position)

6:00-7:00

OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock n’ Roll—Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)

Mr. Sandman    Chordettes 1955  (7 weeks)

Archie Bleyer, the founder of Cadence Records and the conductor on this track, is the voice of the Sandman.

I Feel Fine Beatles 1965  (3 weeks)

This track was one of the earliest uses of recorded guitar feedback in pop music.

Lucy in the Sky w/Diamonds    Elton John    1975  (2 weeks)

John Lennon provided backing vocals and guitar under the name of Dr. Winston O’Boogie.

Like a Virgin Madonna    1985 (6 weeks)

Madonna once posed the question, “How can you be like a virgin?”

Sixteen Tons Tennessee Ernie Ford    1956 (7 weeks)

This track also topped the C&W chart for ten weeks. 

The Sound of Silence   Simon and Garfunkel    1966  (2 non-consecutive weeks)

The original acoustic version of the song did not initially succeed, but eventually caught on with college students in Boston. Without consulting Simon and Garfunkel, producer Tom Wilson re-mixed the track with Al Gorgoni and Vinnie Bell on guitars, Bob Bushnell on bass and Bobby Gregg on drums.

Escape (The Piña Colada Song) Rupert Holmes  1980 (1 week)

The original lyric was “If you like Humphrey Bogart..”  Rupert Holmes, by his own account, does not drink piña coladas.

Saturday Night Bay City Rollers    1976 (1 week)

The Rollers were known as “the tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh.”

Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell 1957  (10 weeks)

Mitchell was also a film and television actor.

I’m a Believer Monkees   1967  (7 weeks)

This was the biggest selling record of 1967. Neil Diamond, who composed the song, played acoustic guitar on this track.

You Don’t Have to Be a Star     Marilyn McCoo/Billy Davis    1977  (1 week)

This Grammy-winning record spent six months on the Billboard charts. James Jamerson played bass.

Starting Over John Lennon 1981  (5 weeks)

This was Lennon’s first single released after he returned to recording music in 1975 (hence its title), and it was his last single released during his lifetime.

At the Hop Danny and the Juniors    1958  (5 weeks)

Dick Clark suggested that the lyrics be changed from “Let’s all do the bop” to “Let’s go to the hop.” Before payola became illegal, Dick Clark negotiated receiving half of the song’s earnings in exchange for playing the song on American Bandstand—and also possibly because he had contributed to the song’s lyrics.

Hello Goodbye Beatles   1968  (3 weeks)

The song’s coda was improvised during the recording session. The words have been transcribed as “Hela-heba-hello-ah.”

Physical Olivia Newton-John   1982  (9 weeks)

This song was originally offered to Tina Turner, who passed on it. The guitar solo is by Steve Lukather.

7:00-8:00

Rock & Roll Woman   Buffalo Springfield   1967  #44 

Lemon Song   Led Zeppelin 1969 DNC  

Love Train   O’Jays 1973     #1 

Let’s Work Together  Wilbert Harrison   1970 #32 

Most famous for “Kansas City,” multi-instrumentalist Wilbert Harrison wrote this song which was covered in the same year by Canned Heat, whose version peaked at #26

Just One Look   Doris Troy   1963  #10 H100,  #3 R&B  

Horace Ott on piano. Troy says the record was made as a demo, but Atlantic Records liked it so much, they released the demo as the finished product.

Who Knows Where the Time Goes?  Fairport Convention  1969    NR   

Composer Sandy Denny on vocals, Richard Thompson on guitar.

All Strung Out    April Stevens and Nino Tempo   1966  #26  

Nino and April are brother and sister, born in Niagara Falls.

What a Fool Believes   Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald

They composed the song together and Loggins released a version before the Doobie Brothers did, but it lost out to the latter version.

Kicks    Paul Revere and the Raiders #4  1966 

Composer Barry Mann said the song was in reference to Gerry Goffin who was struggling with drug addiction at the time.

Light My Fire  Shirley Bassey     1970   NR

Check out the audience reaction to her smokin' performance.

Love Me Two Times      Doors 1968 #25  

Hurt So Bad    Little Anthony and the Imperials 1965   #10  

Suspicious Minds    Elvis Presley 1969    #1 

His last #1 record.

This Is Not America     David Bowie/ Pat Metheny Group  1985     #32 

Theme from the film “The Falcon and the Snowman.”

8:00-9:00

You’ll Never Walk Alone  Gerry and the Pacemakers    

Released in US in 1964, in 1965 reached #48. Gerry Marsden died on Sunday January 3, 2021 at the age of 78.  

*The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore    Walker Brothers   1966    #13 

Requested by Scottie for Brooktondale Peggy and the Honey Hive Crew.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes Platters  1959     (3 weeks)

While the song’s lyricist Otto Harbach liked the Platters’ version of the 1933 composition, the widow of composer Jerome Kern contemplated seeking a legal injunction to prevent the record’s release.

El Paso     Marty Robbins  1960 (2 weeks)

This record also reached #1 on the C&W chart and won a Grammy. Vocal harmonies are by Bobby Sykes and Jim Glaser and the Spanish guitar is by Grady Martin.

Maneater Hall and Oates    1983 (4 weeks)

John Oates claimed in an interview that the song was not originally about a woman but about New York City.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head  B.J. Thomas 1970 (3 weeks)

Too Much Heaven Bee Gees  1979 (2 weeks)

There are nine tracks of three-part harmonies for a total of 27 voices heard in the final mix. The horn accompaniment is by James Pankow, Walt Parazaider and Lee Loughnane of Chicago (the band).

Say, Say, Say Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson  1984 (6 weeks)

Most of the song’s lyrics are attributed to Michael Jackson. Paul McCartney played guitar, synthesizer, percussion and bass guitar. Chris Smith plays harmonica.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine   Marvin Gaye  1969  (7 weeks)

The song was recorded by Gaye in 1967, but not released as a single. The track was included on his LP “In the Groove” and disc jockeys began playing the album track which finally convinced Berry Gordy to release it as a single.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight Tokens    1962      (3 weeks)

The song was written by Solomon Linda, a Zulu singer, and originally recorded in 1939 for the Gallo Record Company in Johannesburg. The Tokens’ version was actually the B-side to a song called “Tina.”  Anita Darian sings the wordless soprano line. 

My Sweet Lord George Harrison 1971 (4 weeks)

This was the first #1 single by a former Beatle. Harrison’s slide guitar on the track became a hallmark of his technique. 

You’re So Vain Carly Simon 1973   (3 weeks)

Klaus Voorman plays the bass guitar intro. The second verse is about Warren Beatty. Simon has revealed the identities of the three men in the song to a few people, like Taylor Swift, Howard Stern and Dick Ebersol. She has yet to leave a voicemail at the Rockin’ Remnants Hotline.

There! I’ve Said It Again Bobby Vinton    1964  (4 weeks)

This was Vinton’s third #1 hit, and it was the last #1 Billboard hit before the Beatles first made it to #1 on February 1, 1964.

Time in a Bottle Jim Croce 1974 (2 weeks)

A sweet love song Croce wrote in 1970 for his newly pregnant wife Ingrid. The lyrics express something we are all living through right now:

“If I could save time in a bottle

The first thing that I’d like to do

Is to save every day till eternity passes away

Just to spend them with you.”

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

BB = Billboard Magazine, publisher of the Hot 100 and other charts

H100 = Billboard Hot 100

Bubbling Under = songs that were ranked but fell below the top 100

CW = Billboard’s chart for country and western records

R&B = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records

RRHOF = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

RS 500 = Rolling Stone Magazine’s ranking of the top 500 singles of all time.

Host January 16, 2021: Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on Burt Bacharach.

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!

January 2, 2021 - JS - Early 1961

 

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:  1/2/21

Host:  John Simon

Feature:  Early 1961

 

 

A quick heads-up: JS will be going "live" this Saturday night, starting with a spotlight on the first weekend of 1961. Brace yourself, but that was SIXTY years ago! You can call in requests that night, or you can get a head-start here. Happy New Year, everybody. Have a safe and happy celebration!

 

 

 

(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist – and to find a glossary of terms)

 

 

 

 

Playlist

 

 

·      look for YouTube links after selected entries

 ·      songs with * were requests 

 · songs in bold print are from the chart date

·      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)

 

I Count the Tears - Drifters (#17 Pop, #6 R&B - this would be Ben E. King's final single as lead vocalist with the group, and his first solo record was released on this very date back in 1961. We'll hear that one later in the show.)

 

* Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Shirelles (at #2 this week, headed to a two-week run at #1 starting next week - this record has the distinction of being the first #1 record by an all-Black Girl Group. Rolling Stone ranks it at #126 in the RS500, and it's one of the most recognizable Goffin-King songs of them all.)

 

Last Date - Floyd Cramer (down to #3 this week - this record spent four weeks at #2, and was one of four versions on the chart this very week. Lawrence Welk had a competing instrumental version, while Joni James and Skeeter Davis had vocal versions. Skeeter's actually used Floyd Cramer's version as its musical accompaniment!)

 

He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler (down to #13 from a peak of #7 - this one also spent seven weeks at the top of the R&B chart. That's Curtis Mayfield providing the duet vocal on the choruses. Like Ben E. King, Jerry Butler was just leaving his established vocal group to start a solo career. In this case, it was The Impressions.)

 

* Moon River - Jerry Butler (10/61; #11 - this song was from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's, and was recorded by a number of acts, including the composer Henry Mancini. Again, Curtis Mayfield was the producer, and it's him playing that tasty recurring guitar lick.)

Angel On My Shoulder - Shelby Flint (at #77, headed to #22 - Shelby Flint was a high school kid from San Diego who wrote this pretty little number when she was 17. By the time she was 20, she'd been signed to Valiant Records and this was storming up the chart.)

Spanish Harlem - Ben E. King (debuting this week at #86 - the lead singer for the Drifters decided to branch out on his own, and this was his first solo release. This one would peak at #10 on the Pop chart, and would later be recorded by a number of artists, including Aretha Franklin and Laura Nyro.)

I'll Save the Last Dance - Damita Jo (down to #41 from a peak of #22 - Ben E. King and his Drifters had taken Save The Last Dance For Me to #1 and it was still on the chart when their latest single had started its ascent. Meanwhile, this answer record nearly reached the Top Twenty. It was released on Mercury Records, which had no relation to The Drifters' Atlantic Records label.)

If We Make It Through December - Merle Haggard (1/74; #28 Pop, #1 C&W for four weeks - this was Merle Haggard's most successful crossover record. It was his only Top Forty single on the Pop Chart, but he'd score thirty-eight #1s on the C&W charts over a forty year career.)

* It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley (8/60; #1 for five weeks - based on the melody for O Sole Mio, this one also spent nine weeks at #1 in the UK. Going out to Sue in South Carolina.)

* Tossin' & Turnin' - Bobby Lewis (7/61; #1 for seven weeks! - this goes out at the suggestion of former WVBR DJ DZ Stone. It was the biggest hit of 1961. Sadly, we lost Bobby Lewis back in April of this year at the ripe old age of 95.)

* I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline (5/61; #12 Pop, #1 C&W - this one is ranked at #241 in the RS500, and it goes out to Barbara in Danby. A little sublime slice of  smooth "countrypolitan" balladry, featuring Floyd Cramer on the piano.)

* Telstar - Tornadoes (12/62; #1 for three weeks - John-from-Freeville called this one in. He used to work with a scientist from Bell Labs named Walter Brown, who was one of the main brains behind the Telstar project, and this is the anniversary of his passing. How cool is that???)

Walk Right Back - Everly Brothers (bubbling under - and heading to #7 on the Pop chart, #1 in the UK, going out to my kid brother Doug who's tuned in from Escondido tonight.)

 

I Love Music (Pt. 1) - O'Jays (1/76; #5 Pop, #1 R&B - an old friend was tuned in from New England. When he heard my brother's name, he called in and asked me to play something for his old friend. I picked this one! "To Dougie from Chuck.")

 

 

 

7-8pm

 

 Birthday Calendar

 

 

December 27 – Mike Pinder (Moody Blues) – age 79

 

December 28 – Alex Chilton (Box Tops) – born in 1950

 

December 29 – Bobby Comstock – born in 1941

            – Barbara Alston (Crystals) – born in 1943

            – Ray Thomas (Moody Blues) – age 79                                      

            – Marianne Faithfull – age 74

            – Yvonne Elliman – age 70

 

December 30 – Skeeter Davis – born in 1931

            – Del Shannon – born in 1939

            – Mike Nesmith (Monkees) – age 78

 
            – Davy Jones (Monkees) – born in 1945

            – Jeff Lynne (ELO) – age 73

 

December 31 – John Denver – born in 1941

 

January 2 – Earl Grant – born in 1931

            – Roger Miller – born in 1936

           

 

Uptown - Crystals (3/62; #13 - Barbara Alston sang lead on the girls' first two singles, but eventually stepped back in deference to La La Brooks. This was her last shining moment at center stage.)

 

Your Big Brown Eyes - Bobby Comstock & The Counts (1/61; dnc - these youngsters from Ithaca, NY made the big time back in the day. This record never made it nationally, but it's a local favorite. Bobby C would've been 80 years old this week, but we lost him back in the early Spring.)

 

As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithfull (11/64; #22 - Andrew Loog Oldham, Mick Jagger & Keith Richard met her at a party and offered her their new song. She made the most of it.)

 

Neon Rainbow - Box Tops (11/67; #24 - this was the second single from the young group from Memphis. Their first was The Letter, which came out of nowhere to top the charts. Alex Chilton was lead vocalist on both records.)

 

I Don't Know How to Love Him - Yvonne Elliman (4/71; #28 - she was born in Honolulu and would record a string of hits in the Seventies. This was the first of them, and she'd sing it again in the move Jesus Christ Superstar. Helen Reddy had simultaneously released her own version, and the two competed for record sales.)

 

Watching & Waiting - Moody Blues (11/69; dnc - Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder both turned 79 this week. They had been founding members of the group, and both were instrumental to this recording: Pinder literally, as the keyboardist, and Thomas as co-writer. It was selected to be the hit single from their latest album, but it never caught on. That said, three people contacted me directly to ask more about it.)

 

What Am I Gonna Do With You - Skeeter Davis (11/64; #123 Pop, #38 C&W - Lesley Gore recorded this as an album track and Skeeter Davis had some success with it on the Country charts. It's a gorgeous record that deserved to be hear more widely.)

 

Girl - Davy Jones (11/71; dnc - this was released on the Bell Records label and was prominently featured in a Brady Bunch episode, but the public never responded. Subsequently, it became a much sought-after collector's item. Tonight we honor Davy Jones who would've turned 76 this week.)

 

Joanne - Michael Nesmith and the First National Band (8/70; #21 - after The Monkees disbanded, Mike had the most successful career as a musician - and this was his highest-charting single. Tonight you hear the original 45.)

 

Can't Get It Out of My Head - Electric Light Orchestra (12/74; #9 - Jeff Lynne was the mastermind and chief songwriter for the group. He'd later surface as a member of The Traveling Wilburys, along with George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.)

 

Engine, Engine #9 - Roger Miller (5/65; #7 - today would've been his 85th birthday, but Roger died from lung cancer at age 56. He was a songwriter, a composer, a prolific whistler and a gifted humorist, best known for King Of The Road. Tonight we hear the poignant side of the man.)

 

Runaway - Del Shannon (3/61; #1 - Charles Westover changed his name to Del Shannon, and this was his first national hit. It made it to the top of the chart and was ranked as the #5 record of the year. Not too shabby!)

 

(At) The End (Of The Rainbow) - Earl Grant (9/58; #7 - Earl Grant was best known as a gifted keyboardist, but he was also a really smooth vocalist who left behind this stunning gem. Today would've been his 90th birthday.)

* Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver (3/74; #1 - this lilting album track had been tucked onto a B-side a year earlier, and that should've been it....but it somehow started to catch on and was re-released as an A-side. The single version was edited down to 3:10. Tonight we hear the 5 minute LP version.)

 

 

8-9pm

 

*  New Orleans - Gary "US" Bonds (just off the chart - down from a peak position of #6. This was his first nationally-charting single, and soon he'd hit the top of the charts with Quarter To Three. He's still out there doing shows, and did a couple of them right here in Tompkins County just two years ago)

 

*  Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers (7/65; #4 - this was tossed off as a B-side, but DJs flipped for it and it became Bobby Hatfield's signature song. Going out to my old friend Sandy from Albuquerque!)

 

*  Signed, Sealed & Delivered - Stevie Wonder (6/70; #3 Pop, #1 R&B for six weeks - this became The Obamas' theme song during the 2008 campaign, and Stevie sang it live at one of the Inaugural events. Turn it up!)

 

When She Was My Girl - Four Tops (8/81; #11 Pop, #1 R&B - After Motown, they signed with ABC-Dunhill. After that, they were pretty much done...until they signed with Casablanca and started up again with renewed vigor!)

 

Goin' Out Of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials (11/64; #6 - "Little Anthony" Gourdine was a kid from The Bronx who cut some terrific records with The Imperials. Tonight we hear the hard-to-find original mono single mix, sounding just the way it did back in the day. By the way...he was friends with the aforementioned Sandy from Albuquerque!)

 

*  You Are My Only One - Ricky Nelson (1/61; headed to #25 - listener Tom Preston suggested a double-shot from our chart date: two songs that had decidedly different takes on the theme of monogamy. They're both ballads and they sound great back-to-back.)

 

 

*  Jimmy's Girl - Johnny Tillotson (1/61; headed to #25 - see directly above!)

 

Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go - Hank Ballard & Midnighters (down to #52 this week - this one had reached #6 on the Pop chart and spent three weeks at #1 on the R&B chart. Another one that should be cranked to 10!)

 

* Mr. Blue Sky - ELO (6/78; #35 - listener Gina felt that I could've picked a better tune to play for Jeff Lynne's birthday, and this was her pick. Given the gloomy weather forecast for the week, she just may have been onto something. Happy Birthday, Mr. Lynne.)

 

Day After Day - Badfinger (1/72; #4 - George Harrison sat in the producer's chair for this session, and also added some slide guitar to the recording. Leon Russell played the piano part.)

 

Shop Around - Miracles (at #32 this week - headed to #2 on the Pop chart, this one would also spend EIGHT weeks at #1 on the R&B chart, prompting Berry Gordy to reward Smokey Robinson with a vice president's title at Motown Records. Ironically, the original recording was pulled and replaced by this more-energetic version, even though it had already started to be distributed. Hear that version below!)

 

There's a Moon Out Tonight - Capris (debuting at #88 - this one would eventually reach #3 on the Chart, and would become something of a Doo Wop standard. The Italian-American quintet hailed from Ozone Park in Queens and this was their only major hit.)

 

The Age For Love - Jimmy Charles (this one was at #86 a week earlier, dropped off the chart for this week, and would re-surface the following week, eventually crawling up to #47. His big hit was "A Million To One," but this is a really nice record that deserved a better fate.)

 

1921 - The Who (11/69; dnc - "Got a feeling '21 is gonna be a good year...." This comes from the rock opera Tommy and wasn't released as a single, but it's a nice way to end the first show of '21. See you in a few weeks, everybody. Stay safe.)

 

 

 

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 (1/9/21):  Gregory James with a spotlight on #1 Records In Early January, 1955-1985

 

 

 

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.

 

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