Rockin'
Remnants
Rockin' Remnants is broadcast from WVBR-FM Ithaca. Check out our webpage, like us on Facebook,
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Date: 9/10/22
Host: John Simon
Feature: Songs That Start With The Chorus (and not the Verse)
Playlist
· watch for YouTube links after occasional 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)
Stop! In the Name of Love - Supremes (3/65; #1 for two weeks - Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote a lot of big hits for Motown, and many of them started with the chorus. This was the fourth of five consecutive #1's they wrote for the trio, and there would be another five before they'd leave to create their own label.)
1-2-3 - Len Barry (9/65; #2 pop, #11 R&B - he had left the Dovells to strike out on his own, and he hit this one outa the park! The folks at Motown thought that it sounded very much like one of their own, and they actually sued to get Holland-Dozier-Holland added to the songwriters' credits.)
Jimmy Mack - Martha & The Vandellas (3/67; #10 Pop, #1 R&B - another Holland-Dozier-Holland creation that had languished in the vaults for a couple of years. They dusted it off, added background vocals by The Andantes, and ended up with a smash!)
Fallin' In Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (8/75; #1 - these guys had two big hits that started with a catchy chorus. This one went all the way to the top!)
Give Me Just a Little More Time - Chairmen of the Board (1/70; #3 - this was one of the first releases on the Invictus Records label, which was established by Holland-Dozier-Holland after they'd left Motown over contractual disputes. They were legally unable to use their real names, so they attributed the composition to two of their trusted employees.)
Maybe I Know - Lesley Gore (8/64; #14 - many of the songs tonight begin with a musical introduction, but this one gallops full-steam right out of the gate. From Tenafly, NJ it's the fabulous and sassy Lesley Gore!)
I've Been Lonely Too Long - Young Rascals (1/67; #16 - Atlantic Records was impatient for a successful repeat of their chart-topping hit Good Lovin'. This one eased some of the pressure, and their next one would spend four weeks at #1. No more "covers" for The Rascals!)
* I'd Like to Teach the World To Sing - New Seekers (12/71; #7 Pop, #1 UK for four weeks - called in by a listener in New Jersey, this one almost didn't make the cut - but it's so darned infectious that it doesn't matter. It started as a Coca Cola jingle, and was crafted into a big radio hit.)
* It's So Easy - Linda Ronstadt (10/77; #5 - Linda covered a bunch of old rockers, and she knocked this Buddy Holly tune right out of the park. Her LA studio cats were on fire at this stage of the game.)
With This Ring - The Platters (2/67; #14 - when lead singer Tony Williams left the group, many left The Platters for dead. New singer Sonny Turner was great, but the record label wouldn't release their records without Tony's voice, and they floundered for years until Musicor picked them up. Producer/writers Luther Dixon and Popcorn Wiley hired members of Motown's Funk Brothers to play in the studio. This was the result.)
Bernadette - Four Tops (3/67; #4 - Holland-Dozier-Holland strike again, and this one featured singer Levi Stubbs at his pleading best. It was also propelled by a James Jamerson bass line that just won't quit. Solid gold!)
* Day By Day - Godspell (5/72; #13 - going out from Scottie to Brooktondale Peggy, and to all of you and your loved ones, too. This one takes the theme to a whole other level: I actually think that there IS no verse - just the chorus, over and over again!)
Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino (10/56; #2 Pop for three weeks, #1 R&B for eleven weeks! - just three chords, but it's one of the best records ever. In fact, Rolling Stone ranks it at #82 in its RS500. It opens with chorus.)
One Fine Day - Chiffons (6/63; #5 - that's Carole King playing the piano (and singing along, too). Her songwriter demos were so good that producers would often just wipe her vocal track and add other singers. This, in fact, just might be one of those.)
* You're the Reason I'm Living - Bobby Darin (1/63; #3 - this one was called in from Florida by a guy who knows his Oldies. When I asked him if he was certain that this met the criteria he said "Yep - starts cold!" He was right.)
7-8pm
Birthday Calendar
September 4 – Gram Parsons (Byrds) – born in 1934
September 5 – Al Stewart – age 77
– Freddie Mercury – born in 1946
– Joe Frazier (Impalas) – born in 1943
– John Stewart – born in 1939
September 6 – Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) – age 79
September 7 – Gloria Gaynor – age 73
– Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) – age 71
– Buddy Holly – born in 1936
September 8 – Jose Feliciano – age 77
– Patsy Cline – born in 1932
September 9 – Dee Dee Sharp – age 77
– Otis Redding – born in 1941
Gunga Din - The Byrds (12/69; NR - multi-instrumentalist Gram Parsons joined the band as a drummer in '68 and left after a couple of years, but he contributed this gem to the Easy Rider album. He'd later record a couple of LPs with Emmylou Harris and achieve legendary status before dying from alcohol-related issues.)
Armstrong - John Stewart (9/69; #74 - John's career kicked into high gear when he joined the Kingston Trio, and his fortune was made when the Monkees recorded his Daydream Believer. He went onto a solo career, and recorded this tasty paean to John Armstrong's July 1969 walk on the Moon, an event that captivated the entire world.)
Midnight Rocks - Al Stewart (8/80; #24 - Scottish Folk Rocker Al made a big splash with his distinctive sound, but it was short-lived and this was his final charting single. Yes, the ubiquitous Al Stewart saxophone is still there.)
45 Corner: Us & Them - Pink Floyd (3/74; #101 - bassist/songwriter Roger Waters composed one of the biggest-selling albums of all time: Dark Side of the Moon spent 962 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart! Harvest Records attempted to follow up the chart success of the album's single Money with an edited version of Us & Them. They edited down the 7:49 album track to a 3:22 45, but it stalled at #101.)
I Can Hear Music - Larry Lurex (9/73; #115 - Larry Lurex was actually a pseudonym for young Freddie Mercury, who would eventually achieve superstar status as the front man of the band called Queen. This is his cover of the Ronettes/Beach Boys hit.)
Never Can Say Goodbye - Gloria Gaynor (4/74; #55 R&B - first the Jackson 5 took it to #1 R&B and Isaac Hayes to #5 R&B, both in the Spring of '71. Gloria Gaynor's version hit #55 R&B four years later - this time with a Disco beat!)
Kid - The Pretenders (6/79; #33 UK - this wasn't released as a 45 here in the States, but it made a splash in the UK. America would get Brass In Pocket as its first Pretenders single. Both of them were from the pen and heart of Chrissie Hynde.)
Chico & The Man - Jose Feliciano (1/75; #96 - the show debuted on NBC TV on September 13, 1974. Young Freddie Prinze grew up about forty blocks north of Jose Feliciano's NYC home, and right around the corner from me! Although it didn't sell very many records, it's a great TV theme song.)
45 Corner: Chestnut Mare - The Byrds (12/70; #121 - Gram Parsons played on this oddball album track, which Columbia Records edited down from 5:08 and sped up to run 2:54 to ensure more radio play. It's one of the worst butchering jobs in recording history, in my humble opinion - but you should hear it with your own two ears! FM listeners were never subjected to this edit, and the long version remains a staple of Album Rock radio.)
Spotlight On Three Stars Who Died in Airplanes:
Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline and Otis Redding all appear on this week's birthday calendar. Each of them died way too young, and we can only imagine what they may have created had they lived longer. We'll start with a tribute to Buddy Holly, who was only 22 when he died. He was among the inaugural class of the R'n'R Hall of Fame, and his songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in the biz.
Oh, Boy! - Buddy Holly & The Crickets (11/57; #10 - they were a rockin' trio from Lubbock, Texas, fronted by a lanky white boy with black-rimmed glasses. They had nine chart hits between 8/57 and 2/59, when Buddy's plane went down on what Don McLean dubbed as "the day the music died.")
Words of Love - The Beatles (12/64; NR - The band partly took the name "The Beatles" as a nod to The Crickets, and John Lennon has named Buddy Holly as a major influence. Here, John, Paul & George added Everly Brothers-style harmonies to a favorite Buddy Holly song.)
That'll Be the Day - Linda Ronstadt (8/76; #11 - this blistering cover of the Crickets' first #1 hit was one of several Buddy Holly tunes that Linda would record. Three of them charted for her, as well.)
Leavin' On Your Mind - Patsy Cline (1/63; #83 Pop, #8 C&W - she was producer Owen Bradley's favorite female singer, and her records featured Nashville's famed "A-Team" of studio of players: Floyd Cramer on piano, Chet Atkins on guitar, Bob Moore on bass, the Jordanaires on background vocals.... This was her final charting single before she died at age thirty in an airplane crash in the hills of Tennessee.)
A Tribute to a King - William Bell (4/68; #86 Pop, #16 R&B - Otis Redding's plane went down on December 10, 1967. His Dock Of The Bay was released three weeks later and became the first posthumous #1 record in Billboard history. A few weeks later, Stax label mate William Bell recorded this tribute to his friend with help from Booker T and The MGs. Although it was released as a B-side, DJs flipped it over and it helped to ease the collective pain of Otis' loss.)
Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley (3/67; #2 Pop, #2 R&B for five weeks - Otis had helped get Arthur signed and into the studio. Furthermore, he adapted a Sam Cooke melody and created this tribute to Soul stars of the day - and had his band play on the track. Today it stands as a fitting memorial to one of the greats.)
8-9pm
* Try a Little Tenderness - Otis Redding (12/66; #25 Pop, #4 R&B - and now let's hear from Otis himself, along with Booker T & The MGs and the Memphis Horns, going out to Tony & Sue in South Carolina. This one is ranked #207 in the RS500.)
Soul Twistin' - Chubby Checker [and Dee Dee Sharp] (3/62; #3 - this blistering duet is getting played in honor of Dee Dee Sharp's birthday, even though her name never appeared on the record's label! She'd record other records through the years and she also became Mrs. Kenny Gamble at one point. She should've gotten credit for this record, though!)
Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home) - Impalas (3/59; #2 - these Brooklyn teens had one Black member, and he was lead singer Joe "Speedo" Frazier. The "uh-oh" in the beginning of the song was actually a mistake, but they left it in - and it turned out to be a key element of the record!)
* When Will I Be Loved - Everly Brothers (5/60; #8 - back to our theme of "First, the Chorus!" Linda Ronstadt's version was requested by two different listeners, but we've already played her twice - so it's time for the originators!)
It's a Shame - The Spinners (8/70; #14 Pop, #4 R&B - co-written with Syreeta Wright, this one was produced by Stevie Wonder, who was also a drummer on the recording. This was the group's biggest hit at Motown, and just a hint of what would come when they moved to Atlantic Records.)
* Rich Girl - Hall & Oates (3/77; #1 for two weeks - going out to John in Freeville. It starts with the chorus, it drops the "B word," and it was the first of their six #1 records. They'd go on to become the biggest duo of the Eighties.)
* Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam (12/69; #1 for two weeks - going out at the suggestion of Lars, who'd suggested the theme in the first place. This was a studio group and they recorded this number at the last minute to fill their studio time. Originally a B-side, it has the distinction of being the only #1 record I can think of without a bass!)
Oh How Happy - Shades of Blue (5/66; #12 - they were that rare Detroit group that was completely unaffiliated with Motown Records. And in the "hot-rotation" department, this record was also played in the 5:00 hour during Gregory James' "Happy Hour" show this afternoon!)
Jolene - Dolly Parton (11/73; #60 Pop, #1 C&W - this was the first of Dolly Parton's twenty crossover Pop-charting singles, and it starts very nicely with the chorus.)
Black Pearl - Sonny Charles & Checkmates, Ltd. (5/69; #13 Pop, #8 R&B - many people consider this to be Phil Spector's final great production. It had all of the ingredients: topical relevance, a big "wall of sound" production and the soaring voice of Sonny Charles.)
Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees (1/79; #1 for two weeks - their soundtrack work for Saturday Night Fever had yielded three consecutive #1's. This record would pick up where those left off, and would lead to two more consecutive #1s, making them the hottest group in the world at the time!)
Every Kinda People - Robert Palmer (3/78; #16 - I hate to say it, but I may have miscalculated: this one doesn't start with chorus, after all. Still, it's a terrific lost single that deserves to be heard again.)
* Strawberry Fields Forever - Beatles (2/67; #8 RS500: #76 - going out at the suggestion of David in Vancouver. We also had requests for She Loves You and Help!, all of which would've qualified. How many Beatles songs can you think of that start with the chorus???)
* Monday Monday - Mamas & Papas (5/66; #1 for three weeks - technically, it starts with "Ba-Da, Ba-Da-Dada," but once it gets started it does open with the chorus - and it IS a great record.)
Her Majesty - The Beatles (10/69; NR - and now we interrupt our regular program to acknowledge the passing of Elizabeth II. God save the Queen!)
CLOSING THEME: Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Congratulations to Cathy from Ithaca and Gina from King Ferry for calling in and winning concert and theater tickets (respectively)!
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
(9/17/22): Gregory James with a spotlight on song titles that start with "It's...."
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!
