December 14, 2019 - JH: Colorful Songs

Host: Jan Hunsinger (JH)
Date: December 14, 2019

Spotlight: Colorful Songs - songs with colors in the title.


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!

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 chart dates during/after Aug 1958) unless otherwise noted

·     a glossary of terms is below the playlist

 OPENING THEME:  Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll – Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969 - #29: produced by Jimi Hendrix)

[Background music: Green Onions - Booket T. & the M.G.s (1962 - #3: has been described as one of the best instrumental rock and soul songs)]

Silver Bells - Jim Reeves (1963 - NR: from his 1963 LP "Twelve Songs of Christmas")

Silver Moon - Mike Nesmith and the First National Band (1971 - #42: Nesmith's post-Monkees group has received much credit for influencing the country-folk-rock genre; this was their first charting single after "Joanne")

Silver Bird - Mark Lindsay (1970 - #25: the former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders was backed by the Wrecking Crew on this hit)

Silver Threads and Golden Needles - The Cowsills (1969 - #74: the group's cover of the Springfields hit was produced by Bob "Waddy" Wachtel, who went on to sserve as a session guitarist for Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and Warren Zevon, among others)

Sister Golden Hair - America (1975 - #1: the group's second #1 single was written by Gerry Beckley, who said he was inspired to write it by Jackson Browne)

Silence Is Golden - The Tremeloes (1967 - #11: their cover of the Four Seasons tune written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe)

Gold - John Stewart (1979 - #5: Stevie Nicks provided background vocals on Stewart's cynical view of the music industry)

Golden Years - David Bowie (1976 - #10: Bowie said that he offered the song to Elvis Presley to record but the King turned it down)

Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey (1965 - #8: from the James Bond movie of the same name starring Sean Connery)

45 Corner

Yellow River - Christie (1970 - #23: Jeff Christie was vocalist, bassist, and songwriter for the tune that went to #1 in the UK and sold 30 million copies worldwide; he was inspired by the idea of a soldier going home after the Civil War )

Mellow Yellow - Donovan (1966 - #2: Paul McCartney is among the background voices in the song, which is not, as rumored, about smoking dried banana peels)

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John (1973 - #1: title track from John's seventh album, the song ranks #380 on the RS500)

Yellow Submarine - The Beatles (1966 - #2: title song to their animated film; Donovan assisted with some of the lyrics, mostly written by Paul as a song for Ringo)

Birthday Calendar:

[Background Music: Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado and His Orchestra (1955 - #1: song spent 10 weeks at the top of the charts, a huge hit for the "King of Mambo")]

December 8:

Sammy Davis Jr. - born 1925

Jerry Butler - 80

Bobby Elliott (Hollies drummer) - 78

Jim Morrison (The Doors) - born 1943

Gregg Allman - born 1947

December 9:

George Baker (Johannes Bouwens) - 75

Donny Osmoond - 62

December 10:

Chad Stewart (Chad & Jeremy) - 78

Jessica Cleaves (Friends of Distinction) - born 1948

December 11:

Willie Mae "Big Momma" Thornton - born 1926

David Gates - 79

Brenda Lee - 75

Jermaine Jackson - 65

December 12:

Frank Sinatra - born 1915

Connie Francis (Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero) - 82

Terry Kirkman (The Association) - 80

Dionne Warwick - 79

Dickey Betts (Forest Richard Betts) - 76

December 13:

Tony Gomez (The Foundations) - born 1938

December 14:

Frank Allen (The Searchers) - 76

That Old Black Magic - Sammy Davis Jr. (1955 - #13: Davis was famous as a comedian, singer, actor, and entertainer)

He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler (1960 - #7: a Philadelphia DJ nicknamed him "The Iceman")

Just One Look - The Hollies (1964 - #98: their cover of the Doris Troy song begins with a drum flourish by Elliott)

Blue Sunday - The Doors (1970 - NR: from their 5th album "Morrison Hotel")

Little Green Bag - George Baker Selection (1970 - #21: song originally began as "Little Green Back", as a reference to US dollars; used in the film "Reservoir Dogs")


Deep Purple - Donny and Marie Osmond (1976 - #14: the tune was originally published in 1933 with lyrics added in 1938; Nino Tempo and April Stevens, another brother-sister duo, took it to #1 in 1963)


From a Window - Chad & Jeremy (1965 - #97: Paul McCartney wrote the song for the duo, who appeared on the Dick Van Dyke Show and The Patty Duke Show in 1965)

Love or Let Me Be Lonely - The Friends of Distinction (1970 - #6: Jessica Cleaves also sang with Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Parliament Funkadelic)


Hound Dog - "Big Mama" Thornton (1953 - DNC: her version of the Lieber and Stoller classic was meant to be an anthem to black female power, but it was eclipsed by Elvis' version 3 years later)

Make It With You - Bread (1970 - #1: David Gates wrote and played all the instruments except the drums on the group's first hit)

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee (1958 - DNC: although it did not chart until 1960, the song has become a perennial holiday favorite and has sold over 25 million copies)

Christmas Won't be the Same This Year - Jackson Five (1970 - NR: Jermaine took the lead vocals on this song from their Christmas LP)


The Moon Was Yellow - Frank Sinatra (1962 - #99: song was a hit for Bing Crosby in 1934)

Blue Winter - Connie Francis (1964 - #24: one of 56 BB Hot 100 singles for the singer)


Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies - The Association (1966 - #35: song is about Eastern mysticism)


Message to Michael - Dionne Warwick (1966 - #8: one of many of her hits written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David)

Blue Sky - The Allman Brothers (1972 - DNC: song was written and sung by Dickey Betts)

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations (1969 - #3: million-seller for the multi-racial British soul group that has become popular at Wisconsin Badger football games)


When You Walk in the Room - The Searchers (1964 - #35: Frank Allen sang dual lead on the Jackie DeShannon-penned tune; group took their name from the classic 1956 John Ford movie)

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley (1964 - #40: song was originally recorded in 1957, released as a single in 1964)

Blue Velvet - The Clovers (1955 - DNC: song was written in 1950, Bobby Vinton took it to #1 in 1963)

Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan (1975 - #31: from his class "Blood on the Tracks" LP; song ranks #68/RS500)


Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins (1956 - #2: Perkins wrote the rockabilly song which has been covered many times, most notably by Elvis; #95/RS500)


*The Green Door - Jim Lowe (1956 - #1: Lowe was a New York City DJ and radio personality)

White Christmas - The Drifters (1954 - DNC: Clyde McPhatter on lead vocals and Bill Pinckney on bass for this doo-wop version of the classic holiday song)


White on White - Danny Williams (1964 - #9: born in South Africa, Williams was known as "Britain's Johnny Mathis")

White Room - Cream (1968 - #6: bassist Jack Bruce wrote the music and sang lead vocals)


Black and White - Three Dog Night (1972 - #1: song was originally written in 1954 in response to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, but the Three Dog Night version cut out the verse relevant to the case)

Black Slacks Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones (1957 - #17: Bennett co-wrote the hit song for the rockabilly group from Spartanburg, S.C.)

Black Pearl - Sonny Charles and the Checkmates Ltd. (1969 - #13: the one major hit for the group from Fort Wayne, IN was produced by Phil Spector)

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 This Week (12/21/19): John Simon (JS) with a spotlight on loose ends and leftovers. 

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 streaming here. 

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

December 7, 2019 -GJ- You and I

  

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:  December 7, 2019
Host:  Gregory James
Feature:  You and I

Birthday Calendar

December 1
Sandy Nelson (Teddy Bears Drummer)  1938

John Densmore (Doors drummer)    1944

Bette Midler  1945

Jaco Pastorius   (Weather Report bassist)  (b. 1951  d. 1987)

Lou Rawls     (b. 1935  d. 2006)

December 2
Tom McGuinness  (vocalist/bassist Manfred Mann)   1941

Britney Spears     (Mickey Mouse Club alumna)   1981

Peter Carl Goldmark   (b. 1906  d. 1977)
Inventor of the LP microgroove recording system.

December 3
Ozzy Osbourne    (Black Sabbath)  1948

Mickey Thomas  (Elvin Bishop/Jefferson Airplane/Starship)       1949

Andy Williams       b. 1927  d. 2012

December 4
Freddy Cannon    1940

Bob Mosley  (Moby Grape vocalist/bassist)    1942

Chris Hillman (Byrds, et. al.)      1944

Southside Johnny       1948

Gary Rossington  (Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist)  1951

Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys)     b. 1944   d. 1983

December 5
Little Richard 1932

Jim Messina  1947

J.J. Cale (b. 1938    d. 2013)

Kim Simmonds     (Savoy Brown, etc.)     1947

Sonny Boy Williamson (b. 1899   d. 1922)

December 6
Mike Smith  (Dave Clark Five singer/keyboardist)  (b. 1943  d. 2008)

Dave Brubeck      (b. 1920   d. 2012)

Ira Gershwin (b. 1896   d. 1985

December 7
Bent Fabric   Danish pianist      1924

Tom Waits    1949

Harry Chapin     (b. 1942   d. 1981)

Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia


QUESTION: Which two singing groups played during the 7:00 hour hailed from the Queens borough of New York City?
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)

 Playlist

·     blue song titles are YouTube links

·     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

Title         Artist    Peak Chart Spot      Release Year       


6-7pm  
OPENING THEME:  Good Old Rock ‘n’ Roll
Cat Mother & the All-Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)

You       George Harrison  #20 1975

Musicians on this Motown inspired track include Leon Russell, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Carl Radle, Ronnie Spector (for whom the song was written) and a sax solo by the aptly named Jim Horn.

*You Baby   Turtles          #20 1966

Written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Originally a surf band called the Crossfires, the group revamped itself as a folk rock group and originally spelled its new name The Tyrtles.

I Need Your Lovin’  Don Gardner/Dee Dee Ford  #20 1962

This track on Fire Records had two parts that totaled 5:45, complete with a gospel style false ending.

I Just Don’t Understand  Ann-Margret       #17 1961

Ann Margaret was born in Sweden and became a U.S. citizen. The track was one of the first to feature fuzz tone guitar. 

You Haven't Done Nothin' Stevie Wonder #1   1974

Background vocals by the Jackson 5 who get called out by Stevie. This track was his fourth #1 pop hit and 10^th #1 R&B hit.  Wonder plays every instrument on the track except bass played by Reggie McBride. U.S. President Richard Nixon, the target of the song, resigned two days after the record was released forty-five years ago. What’s old is new again…

I Will Follow Him       Little Peggy March      #1   1963

Little Peggy became the youngest female artist to have a #1 single on the Billboard chart—she was fifteen.

You Send Me  Sam Cooke #1 (Hot 100 and R&B) 1957

This track was originally intended to be the B-side to “Summertime” on the Keen label.  Background vocals by Lee Gotch and the Pied Pipers.

*Without You      Nilsson          #1   1972

With this recording, Nilsson won the 1973 Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal. Gary Wright on piano, Klaus Voormann on bass, Jim Keltner on drums and John Aribe on acoustic guitar. Requested by Barbara from Danby.

*I Should Have Known Better         Beatles   #53   1964

This track was composed by John Lennon specifically for the movie “A Hard Day’s Night.”  The harmonica intro by Lennon was one of the last such intros in the Beatles canon. Requested by Dave from Ithaca.

I Can Never Go Home Anymore Shangri-Las  #6 1965

This quintet from Cambria Heights in Queens, was comprised of two sets of sisters (one of them twins) and a friend. They were still in high school when they signed their first record contract. You can really hear their Queens accents on the spoken sections of their records. The group’s name came from a restaurant in Queens.

You Baby You           Cleftones      #78 1956

Like the Shangri-Las, the Cleftones hailed from the borough of Queens. This song was written by Berman Patterson, second tenor, and Warren Corbin, bass.

*I Saw the Light  Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Roy Acuff

Roy Acuff on lead vocals, Earl Scruggs on banjo, Doc Watson on guitar, Vassar Clements on fiddle. Requested by Betsy.

You Can Have Her    Roy Hamilton  #12 (#6 R&B) 1961

Hamilton was Epic Records' first star, recording the label’s first #1 hit “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” This track on Epic was Hamilton’s last hit record.

I Believe You     Dorothy Moore     #27 (#5 R&B)  1977

Moore started singing in her church choir as a girl. Her biggest hit was “Misty Blue.”

*I Believe in Music    Gallery   #22 1972

Written by Mac Davis after someone at a party asked him if he believed in the occult and he replied that he believed in music instead. Requested by JSF for Brooktondale Peggy and the Honey Hive Crew.

7-8pm

To Know Him Is to Love Him Teddy Bears  #1  1958
Phil Spector was one of the three vocalists. Sandy Nelson on drums.

Break On Through    Doors     DNC       1967
John Densmore sets up a bossa nova beat to kick the song off. After the Doors disbanded, Densmore worked as a playwright and a screen and stage actor.

Friends        Bette Midler  #40        1973
Midler played Tevye’s oldest daughter Tzeitel on Broadway from 1966-1969.



Birdland       Weather Report   1977
Jaco Pastorius on bass and background vocals.

You Can Bring Me All Your Heartaches 
Lou Rawls  #55  1966
Rawls is the harmony voice on Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me.”

Iron Man       BlackSabbath       #52 1972
Ozzy Osbourne spoke the song’s immortal opening line through an oscillating metal fan—and I don’t mean a member of his audience.

Fooled Around and Fell In Love  
Elvin Bishop Group     #3   1976
Bishop figured Mickey Thomas’ voice would sound better on this song than his own. Guess he was right.

The Dedication Song      Freddy Cannon   #41      1966
Gotta love a song about dedications on the radio!

Bitter Wind  Moby Grape DNC
Bob Mosley sings lead on this non-charting track. This track sounds really good through headphones or ear buds.



Have You Seen Her Face       Byrds    #41 1967
Written by Chris Hillman, sharing vocals with Roger McGuinn who plays spectacular guitar.



Keep a Knockin’   Little Richard  #8  (#2 R&B)  1957 
Do you think maybe John Fogerty was influenced by Little Richard?



You Better Think Twice  Poco      #72 1970
Jim Messina wrote the song and produced the album.



Crazy Mama              J.J. Cale        #22 1972
Cale’s style has been called the Tulsa sound. He could not afford a drummer, so he used an early drum machine on "Crazy Mama," with Carl Radle adding bass and Mac Gayden playing crazy good slide guitar.

I’m Tired      Savoy Brown        #74   1969
Kim Simmonds was born in Wales and now lives nearby in upstate NY.



Shiver Me Timbers   Tom Waits    DNC       1974
Two musicians: Waits on piano, Jim Hughart on double bass.

8-9pm

Old College Avenue Harry Chapin  DNC     1973 
Chapin attended Cornell for awhile, so it is conceivable that this song is set on Ithaca’s College Avenue.




*You Are So Beautiful     Joe Cocker  #5   1975
Co-written by Billy Preston who wrote the song about his mother. Arranged by Jimmy Webb with Nicky Hopkins on piano. Requested by Barbara.



*I Got You, Babe               Cher and Sonny   #1   1965
The jury is out on whether the wind instrument featured so prominently on the track is an ocarina or an oboe. Requested by John of Freeville.

*You Really Got Me  Kinks      #7   1964
Composed by Ray Davies with a guitar riff played by Dave Davies who called the track “a love song for street kids.” Legend has it Dave Davies sliced the speaker cone of his guitar amp to get the track’s distinctive guitar sound. Requested by Terry.

*I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night
Electric Prunes     #11 1967
Written by the songwriting team of Nancie Mantz and Annette Tucker who took inspiration from the Rolling Stones. The wavering guitar sound at the beginning of the track was actually the original tape recording played back in reverse. Requested by Tom of Groton.



*I Who Have Nothing   Ben E. King  #29 (#16 R&B)   1963
Lieber and Stoller provided the English language lyrics to this song originally written and recorded in Italian. They also produced Ben E. King’s version, using the spectacularly percussive orchestral track from the original Italian recording.

You Can’t Lie to a Liar     Ketty Lester  #90 1962
Lester was also a stage, movie and TV actor, playing Hester-Sue Terhune on Little House on the Prairie and Helen Grant on Days of Our Lives.



I Keep Forgettin’          Chuck Jackson #55         1962 
This Lieber and Stoller song gets a spectacular percussion track in this original version on the Wand label.



You Brought the Woman Out of Me
Evie Sands   #50  1975
Due to corporate espionage, theft and bad timing, several of Sands’ early recordings were covered by other artists with greater success. But she persisted and continued to write and produce music.



You Keep Tightening Up on Me  Box Tops #92 1970
The track was recorded at America Sound Studio on Thomas Street in Memphis, and the musicians were the house band known as the Memphis Boys.



I Will Be in Love With You
Livingston Taylor  #30 1979
Livingston actually began his musical career before his brother James did. He teaches a course called Stage Performance Technique I at Berklee College of Music.


 

I Can Hear Music       Beach Boys  #24 1969
Carl Wilson sings the crystalline lead vocal line. He also produced the track, which was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector.

I Can’t Let Go     Hollies    #42   1966
This song was originally recorded by Evie Sands.

I Want You Back    Jackson 5  #1   1970
The song has been sampled over 60 times, and the descending chord progression of the chorus has been called the greatest in pop music history.

You Can’t Sit Down  Dovells   #3   1963
This track gives a shout out to Philadelphia’s South Street, which was an Orlons recording of the same name in the same year.



You Are My Sunshine     Ray Charles  #7   1962
Featuring the Raelettes with a scorching solo by Margie Hendrix.

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

Trivia Answer

The Shangri-Las and the Cleftones started their careers in Queens, NY.

Congratulations to Barbara from Ithaca, for correctly answering the question and winning a vintage WVBR T-Shirt!

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 on December 14, 2019
Jan Hunsinger with a spotlight on “Colorful Songs.”

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 here.
  

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