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The Saturday Surveys (3-1)

March 1, 2014, 5:00 am
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Here's another chart with Sonny Geraci sitting in the Top Spot ... only this time, it's with Climax ... where he's holding down the #1 Position with "Precious And Few".

Again, look at the variety on the radio back then ... '70's soft-rock favorites like The Carpenters, Bread and Carole King sharing space with hard-rocking artists like Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, T-Rex and Faces!

And then, just to REALLY throw things out of kilter, you've got The English Congregation singing "Softly Whispering I Love You" at #20 and a little Classical Pop with Apollo 100's version of "Joy".



Also in The Top Ten ... one of our very first Forgotten Hits interviewees, Beverly Bremers!





This WLS chart from 1969 now has sentimental meaning to me ... here in Chicago our new FH Buddy Tommy Roe leaps 16 positions to the #1 spot on the charts with his monster hit "Dizzy".  Other "Friends of Forgotten Hits" artists like The Turtles and The 1910 Fruitgum Company, Dionne Warwick, The Rascals and Paul Revere and the Raiders are also represented in the Chi-Town Top 40 for this week in 1969.  And, of course, the pictured jock is none other than Kris Erik Stevens, who has ALSO participated with Forgotten Hits quite a few times these past few years!  (I was 15 when this chart hit the streets ... never in my WILDEST dreams would I have dared to imagine that I'd be writing about ... and corresponding with ... these artists some 45 years later!)




Finally, jumping ahead ten years this week, we find a chart from the short-lived WE-FM (courtesy of Jack Levin).  You'll definitely find some Bee Gees / Disco Flavor on this one ... Rod Stewart (who we just called a rocker in '72 when he was singing with Faces) was now prancing around in leotards asking the world if we thought he was sexy ... I, for one, have always voted "no" in this discussion!  (lol)

Disco was everywhere in March of '79 ... "Le Freak" by Chic, "Y.M.C.A." by The Village People, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Shake Your Groove Thing" by the comeback kids, Peaches and Herb, "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn, "Heaven Knows" by Disco Queen Donna Summer and "I Love The Night Life" by Alicia Bridges ruled the airwaves ... but there was still some decent pop music floating around, too.

Three of my favorites bring up the rear of the chart:  "Dancin' Shoes"  by Elton John's drummer Nigel Olsson, "Lady" by The Little River Band and "Song On The Radio" by Al Stewart.  (In fact, The Little River Band and Al Stewart are both coming to Chicago this year to perform at Ron Onesti's Arcada Theatre ... and I can't wait to see them!)








Even more amazing ... ALL of the venues in 1979 that were hosting the biggest concerts in Chicago are long since gone.  But all of these acts are still playing to packed house today, some 35 years later!  Amazing!
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The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 02 - 14 )

March 1, 2014, 10:02 pm
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re:  Scott Shannon:  
The truth can finally be told! 
Scott Shannon's "surprise announcement" at WPLJ a couple of weeks ago had actually been in the works for awhile.  Starting tomorrow (Monday, March 3rd), he'll be the new morning voice of WCBS-FM in New York ... playing oldies again ... AND word has it that The True Oldies Channel will continue to operate as well!  
This HAS to make Shannon a pretty "happy camper" at this stage of his career.  And who knows ... just MAYBE there's hope here for K-Hits after all!!!  Perhaps with Shannon on board, the CBS-affiliate can finally pursue its dream of becoming Chicago (and the Midwest)'s WCBS-FM ... one of the most popular and listened-to radio stations in New York and, thanks to online streaming, the world. Congratulations, Scott ... let the music begin!!!  (kk)  
On Monday, I'll be listening to Scott Shannon --- for the VERYFIRST TIME. 
Being a loyal WCBS-FM listener, I never heard him on WPLJ. Never knew he had a co-host, till I read it in the newspaper this week. 
We're expecting anothersnow storm, Sunday into Monday, to welcome Scott to WCBS-FM ... might help his ratings ... people will stay home and listen to the radio instead of going to work.  
So what I want to know is this:  Are you going to get up early to listen to your pal Scott's debut on WCBS-FM, or am I going to have to tell you about it ?  
Too bad BobShannon is no longer with WCBS-FM.  We would've had Scott Shannon, morning drive time and Bob Shannon, evening drive time.  
I think this is the first song Mr. Shannon should play at 6:00 AM, on March 3 --- kicking off his WCBS-FM Career.  
Frank B.

 
You're going to have to tell me about it!  (lol)  Even when Micky Dolenz was the morning deejay I think I only heard a total of about four hours of his show spread out over three months!  Unfortunately the only way for me to listen is at the computer ... and that one hour time difference is HUGE at 5 am!!! 
After 22 years on the air in New York City, I don't think Scott (or CBS-FM) has to worry about any shortage of listeners ... I think it'll be good for the station, too ... Scott Shannon is a Hall Of Fame Broadcaster ... and for good reason.  His credentials are impeccable. 
But I'll betcha that even if Bob Shannon AND Scott Shannon were BOTH at WCBS-FM, they STILL wouldn't play the great classic Henry Gross hit "Shannon" on the air ... it just doesn't fit their definition of the "Classic Hits" format.  (Not the way a Simple Minds song does anyway.)  
Naturally I wish Scott the best ... and I'm sure this was a long, hard, thought-out move.  I just hope he's able to keep The True Oldies Channel going ... 'cause I have a much better chance of hearing "Shannon" on THAT station than any other.  (kk)




Don't get too excited over WCBS-FM. They're New York's
version of K-Hits -- John Cougar Mellencamp, Huey Lewis and all. The format actually works in NY and Philly. CBS-FM may play a few more oldies and have better weekend programming, but it's not the WCBS of old(ies).  Scott Shannon might be able to break the format every once in awhile ... but I know that even with Shannon on board, I'll still have to wake up to Foreigner. There would be no change in the station's strategy.
-- Anonymous by request  

From Tom Cuddy, shortly after the announcement was made public:  
CBS Radio just made it official, announcing that legendary personality Scott Shannon would indeed be joining Classic Hits WCBS-FM / New York for mornings, starting Monday, March 3. "Not often does a legendary morning drive personality become available with the experience of waking up New Yorkers for more than 25 years,” said Don Bouloukos, SVP / Market Manager, CBS Radio New York. "CBS-FM is a heritage station, and the perfect place for Hall Of Famer Scott Shannon.  We are thrilled to welcome Scott and his award-winning personality to CBS-FM and the CBS Radio family."Scott Shannon in the Morning will also feature Mr. G with weather and Joe Nolan with traffic. With Shannon in morning drive, current morning personality Dan Taylor moves to middays, followed by Broadway Bill Lee in afternoons, Joe Causi from 7 - midnight, and Dave Stewart manning the overnight shift. PD Jim Ryan said, "We've assembled an enormously talented team to help listeners start their day off right, with all the authenticity and character of a great local New York radio show. That theme continues throughout the day with an ensemble of proven personalities who are beloved by the audience. This is one of the strongest lineups in all of radio."

re:  Repetitive Regret:



Kent:
Please understand that I agree totally with you about the lack of diversity on music radio stations. I hate the concept of the "fab 500" or whatever the limits are. HOWEVER, I think you'd be surprised how many people are perfectly thrilled just to hear the songs they know and do not want to be challenged.
As an example, I was out with my mother-in-law a few years ago and some song came on the radio (this was before I had sirius-xm capability in my car and when I went to change the station she said something to the effect of "I want to hear the songs I know on this station (KLUV), I don't want to hear some strange (it was top 10 BTW) Righteous Brothers song you know. The song I wanted to hear with Just Once in My life -- all she ever wanted to hear was Unchained Melody.
My point is, she is perfectly right and there are a ton of people like her who don't want to hear new songs in their oldies.
Keep fighting the battle, although this is a losing battle.
Rich
I think there's a way to do BOTH ... we just have to "de-program" all the damage that's been done during the past 25 years of "narrowcasting"!!!  (kk)

Hey Kent,
I really enjoyed Monday's "Forgotten Hits", with the alternative songs and comments. Like you, I wish that the stations would limit playing the same songs by the same groups, over and over again. I'm not advocating a ban of those groups from the airwaves, but why can't we hear some of their OTHER hits? How about Foreigner's "I Don't Want to Live Without You", or Journey's "Girl Can't Help It"? (I used to love to sing "Don't Stop Believin" until the radio and "Glee" shoved it down our throats.) Why not play Grand Funk's "Bad Time" or REO's "Don't Let Him Go"? And please, PRETTY PLEASE, no more "Play That Funky Music"!
- John LaPuzza

Kent,
As for the songs you hear over and over on these stations go, I have to agree with you on getting sick of the redundancy of 100 songs (or less) daily.  HOWEVER, you make two points that have problems.  One, when you said you hoped for more commercials, THAT would make stations to be HAPPY and program these songs even more!  Second, as much as I wish I was wrong, when MOST of us at work totally gag (me, especially) when the opening of "Don't Stop Believin'" comes on, I work with several Detroit transferees that start to sing along especially when the "born and raised in south Detroit" lyrics come along.  They LOVE hearing this piece of crap over and over.  BTW, it's ONLY a piece of crap because of the overplay.  IF these songs were not played to death, I know many would still be faves, as I chose the songs to be in my fave 45s way back in the 70's and 80's and many still sit in those boxes, albeit untouched for some time for obvious reasons.  Back then, I had no idea they would played FOREVER! 
Clark Besch
When I made the comment about "praying for more commercials", I was being sarcastic ... although I will ABSOLUTELY admit that I will turn off "More Than A Feeling" and listen to a radio commercial instead if it's the fifth time today I'm hearing that same damn song ... or I'll simply turn the radio off all-together.
I have always maintained that these are GREAT songs ... I, too, loved each and every one of 'em ... bought 'em and played 'em and would still love them today had I not been beaten over the head to oblivion by them due to this incessant "need" by radio to ruin them for me.  It's funny because in the right context I can listen to every single one ... it's just the non-stop bombardment that has turned me off of many GREAT tunes forever.  (kk)

Hey, Thanks, Kent, for playing Hurt So Bad.  It was a Mort Garson arrangement using a Wrecking Crew rhythm section.  I agree with you whole heartedly on your Monday’s opening opinion statement.  You know what would be an interesting concept for just an hour or two’s worth of  programming ... playing some major artists flops that the general public didn’t even know was a single release.  I think a radio audience would love to hear the 45’s that never were.  I know I would,  especially if an artist didn’t have a hit with a particular song and then someone else recorded it and was successful.  They truly could be called the Lost Hits.  Again thanks for your good work.
Gary Pike(formerly of The Lettermen)  

Kent,
Just like yesterday, I scrolled down and played some three or four seconds of the choices of songs you posted on your website today. I know what to expect tonight when I get home from work and which songs I'll be hearing in their entirety. Love those Cat Mother and the all Night News Boys!
Larry  

I applaud your approach ... classic rock radio in Chicago is pitiful ... virtually unlistenable.
Give me death ... give me anything but "Jack and Diane" ... and I'm a Mellencamp guy! 
Why not throw in "Check It Out" or "Scarecrow" once every 15 days?
Keep up the great work, my man!
(Anonymous by Request)  

Radio in Chicago is the worst -- we're at an all-time low.  I had really hoped your campaign to bring the oldies back might offer a reprieve -- but it sounds like we're destined to live in classic hits hell a while longer.  Don't give up the fight -- the listeners need someone to fight on their behalf! 
Top 10 Kid  

I still think radio ain't ever gonna change but I am so far out of that loop that I don't suffer. 
What I wanted to say is that I think your latest suggestions are clever, very clever, and also very listenable.
I am fast approaching 80 so I don't have time to deal with stuff on mainstream radio. I sympathize with all of you who do listen and if you make a dent in the rockheadedness of those who program the stations, it will be an accomplishment. Gonna go listen to Ella, Frank and Nat now.
Hil  

 >>>Why can't we enjoy the best of BOTH worlds? Why can't the playlists be expanded to offer more variety, along with the endless stream of same-old / same-old?  You'll still get your dozen favorites every hour ... but they'll be mixed in with other songs you'll also enjoy. (kk)  
WHY can't we have it more than one way??  Because as much as we say everyone is an individual, we prefer to treat people as one big whole.  It is cheaper and takes less thought, therefore less work, to have one size fits all.  I struggle with this everyday in the school system.  I am still using any and all means possible to inspire students in learning even though they give me 'one size fits all' curriculum.  That also means when they canvas opinions, they do not look at the demigraphics they used.  It doesn't matter.  We are all the same.  HUH??!!  frustration
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano    

I couldn’t agree more, Kent. However I honestly don’t think radio cares. As long as they have some listeners and they can fool sponsors to keep paying the bills, what do they care? It’s sort of like the Cubs (sorry if I offend) ... they sell out every game win or lose, so what’s the motivation to spend more money to improve? But I digress.
A few years ago I called the Loop to offer my suggestions of playing their ‘deep tracks’ as a routine. I actually spoke to Bob Stroud. In a nut shell he said, with an attitude, it would never happen. I personally have more 50’s – 70’s music at home to out-play any station in this market hands down (I’m sure your catalog beats mine by a mile). Currently I don’t even listen to commercial radio for music. Either I drive in silence or play some of my CDs. At work I have started playing www.rewoundradio.com since January 1. The clients love it ... many ask what station it is. I wish I could get rewound in my car. 
Thanks for all the effort you provide here day in, day out.
Scott Schultz,
McHenry, IL.
We've converted quite a few listeners to Rewound Radio ... hands down the best variety out there ... they play just about everything.  I, too, wish there was a way to pick it up in my car ... sure beats what I'm hearing now! 
Check out what Bob Stroud is doing now on The Drive ... they're playing more "deep tracks" than ever (probably part of the Cumulus take-over from a few months ago ... most likely an effort to distinguish the station from all the other Classic Rock / Classic Hit stations in town playing the exact same music.)  Good News / Bad News:  It's nice NOT to hear nothing but the same old tracks over and over and over again .. but now we're hearing stuff we've NEVER heard before ... so there's absolutely NO familiarity factor ... and a lot of of it simply isn't any good.  I find myself connecting less and less with The Drive's current play list ... and, for a while there, they were my "go to" station.  (kk)

On the bright side, WLS Radio Legend Clark Weber sent me THIS note last week  (which caused me to execute one of those "knowing smiles"!!! ...

Hi Kent;
Today's Chicago Trib has a story on the A&E pages regarding "Prime Time TV is going gray!" 
The article points out that the median age of a TV watcher is now 54. I know the same bench mark can and should be applied to radio. Which in turn might just force these simpleton programmers to begin to target the 50 plus music audience. The economic necessity of staying financially solvent will have more of an impact then you and I banging our chest over their programming stupidity.
Clark 
That's an encouraging statistic (although we've both been touting it for years now to nothing but deaf ears!!!)  We enjoy good tv (some of the best, most-intense dramas ever are on the air right now ... these are thought-provoking episodes that stick with you LONG after the program has ended) more than the movies lately, as you just never know what you're going to get after shelling out your $35 for movie tickets, popcorn and a drink ... FAR too many disappointments in that area of late! 
Of course there's also a WHOLE lotta crap on tv, too ... some of which does very well.  (I guess there's an audience for everything) ... all the MORE reason to think that bubblegum, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Bee Gees, hard rock, disco, doo wop, Elvis, folk, Motown and Soul, and good old rock and roll can all still exist side by side on the radio dial, just like the did back in the good old days!  (kk)  

Hi Kent,
We hear ya!  Now if only the rest of the county and the world could. I love your selections. A natural radio programmer you are. What say you on doing that show we talked about? Not only can you pontificate on air, but play the music you, and so many others, so passionately enjoy.  It's a natural extension to Forgotten Hits.
- Bish 
WRLR
I'll tell ya, Bish, it's getting more and more enticing.  How else is all of this great music going to survive?!?!  (kk)  

re:  HOW ABOUT (THIS INSTEAD OF THAT):
Kent ...
On 2/26 you said go with "Suspicion" instead of "Suspicious Minds."
Any other day I would agree with you.
2/26/1956:  According to Ron Smith's book, Elvis' first million seller "Heartbreak Hotel" debuted on the Billboard Chart on this day.
How about these combinations. I say play both songs.
Call Me = Call Me Irresponsible
The Joker = The Joker Went Wild
It's Magic = The Magic Touch
Eyes = Green Eyes
Sixty Minute Man = Can't Do Sixty No More
Frank B.

Hi Kent,  
It is probably other songs that are being played to death on this side of the Atlantic, but we certainly have the same problem. And it also seems to be that the radio stations are playing songs that fit into their concept (the keywords being commercialism, or easy to listen to i.e. smooth) and not songs that made the prospective artists famous, let alone the ones with most artistic merit.
Here are my suggestions: 
Instead of Nazareth “Love hurts” (which is the only song you ever hear from Nazareth in my part of the word), how about giving the excellent “My White Bicycle” a spin?
The Moody Blues: All you ever hear here is “Nights In White Satin”, how about “Go Now” for a change?  
And Kent, I know you like Kiki Dee, but over here all you ever get on the radio is her (awful) duet with Elton John “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. Hardly anyone remembers that she was an accomplished solo artist. How about “Amoureuse” for a change?  
One band very popular in Europe was Slade, who really started the glitter movement in the UK, and were incredibly successful from 1970 - 1973. But all you ever hear on the radio is “Far Far Away” or “My Oh My” … (if you in fact hear Slade at all … these days folk seem to prefer The Sweet, who only jumped on the bandwagon back in the day) but these songs aren’t what Slade were all about. Slade were “Get Down And Get With It” or “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” … But these songs are never played, ever.  
Hotel California– The Eagles (how about Desperado?), Against the Wind– Bob Seger (that was our song once upon a time when I met my wife … I can’t listen to it anymore), Eileen– Dexys Midnight Runners (how about Geno for a change?), Driver’s Seat– Sniff and the Tears (ever heard Night Life from their second album?), the list is endless.  
Unfortunately I don’t expect anything to change, as the masses seem to love their radio the way it is…. We are the ones with exotic tastes, the people that cling on to music from ages gone. That is our problem.
Cheers -
Dave
We can't even get them to play the legitimate hits much less some of the obscure tracks you're talking about!  (lol)  Makes you long for the days of Pirate Radio, doesn't it???  (Then again, I guess that's what the Internet is for these days!)  
But I DO love your Kiki Dee suggestion ... that was always one of my favorites (but never a hit here ... some soft-rock '70's airplay and that was about it.)  Even her biggest hit here ("I've Got The Music In Me") gets ignored.  (kk)



>>>I consider it a crime against nature that the ONLY song you're guaranteed to hear today by Elvis Presley is "Suspicious Minds". (kk)
Same thing out here on THE oldies station KRTH. Plus, it seems they think that Roy Orbison only had one hit ("Oh Pretty Woman")! Also, no 50's at all anymore. Outrageous.
Davie Allan   

Here are some of my "alternative hits" that oldies / classic rock / classic hits stations should be playing ...  
• Instead of "Ramblin Man" by the Allman Brothers and "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, how about Bob Seger's "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man"???
• Instead of "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies, how about "Sugar On Sunday" by The Clique???
•  Instead of "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang, how about "We're Having A Party" by Sam Cooke???•  Instead of "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, how about "Sweet Hitchhiker" by CCR??? 
•  Instead of Eric Clapton's "Lay" trilogy ("Layla '71", "Layla '92" and "Lay Down Sally"), how about "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me" by Robin McNamara??? 
•  And instead of "Stairway To Heaven" by Zeppelin, how about "Stairway To Heaven" by Sedaka???
Regards,
Uncle T. Jay
"The Vinyl Arkhives" 
KAFM Radio
Love the Clique suggestion ... one of our favorites here, too.  Nearly everything by Creedence Clearwater Revival still gets airplay ... but somehow "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" and "Someday Never Comes" seem to have gotten the short end of the stick.  "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me" would sound pretty good right about now, too!  (kk)




Kent,
Who is doing the song "Call Me" that you posted today?
Stacee
Chris Montez ... good one, no???
Good one ... YES!!!!
And yet another legitimate Hit (#22 in both Billboard and Cash Box in 1966) that radio ignores.  (kk)

Instead of Hotel California, play Hotel Happiness.
Instead of Don't Stop Believing, or even Don't Stop, how about just plain Don't?
Instead of More Than A Feeling, play I Got The Feeling, or I've Got A Feeling.
Instead of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, play Dirty Water.
Instead of Take The Money & Run by Steve Miller, play Take The Money & Run by Crosby & Nash.
Instead of Knockin' On Heaven's Door, play I Hear You Knockin' (any version).
Instead of Pink Floyd, play King Floyd.
The list goes on ...
Jack
It does ... if you just apply even an ounce of creativity into your programming.  (Again, something that is sorely lacking today.)  kk

While we know how we feel about the current state of radio and, apparently, we know how radio management feels about the subject, I wonder how the DJs feel about playing the same songs multiple times a day, especially since they aren’t held to a top 40 chart format. To me the target group to ask would be WLS FM jocks. I  would imagine they wouldn’t want to publicly come out against the current state of affairs but might do so anonymously. What do you think?  
Scott from McHenry, IL
I think we all know what they'd say "off the record" ... but I have to laugh as I am reminded of one of the very few funny lines in the Adam Sandler movie "Funny People".  The Adam Sandler character and the Seth Rogen character go to see James Taylor perform and I believe he's singing "Fire And Rain" ... and afterwards they ask him "Don't you get tired of playing the same songs every night" to which James replies "Do you ever get tired of playing with your dick?"  lol
That being said, I think ANY deejay in America working on terrestrial radio today in the so called Classic Hits / Classic Rock / Greatest Hits Of All Time formats would be absolutely lying if they said that they didn't mind play the exact same crap, day in and day out, day after day for all eternity.  (But you're right ... most wouldn't dare do so publicly!)  These guys know there is SO much more music to choose from ... and they certainly didn't get into radio to become an automated / auto-pilot jukebox.  Some have a little more freedom to step outside the mold once in awhile ... so we get interesting programs like "Rock And Roll Roots" with Bob Stroud.  Even some of the All-Request Shows make for a nice break in the action ... except I'm hearing more and more a listener calling and asking for something that the station doesn't have ... and that's just WRONG!!!  (Then why do an all-request show?!?!  If you're just going to play the exact same crap you play the REST of the day, don't PRETEND to care about what the listeners REALLY want to hear!!!)
Unfortunately this same saturation existed back in the golden hey-days of Top 40 Radio, too.  Only back then, popular songs only stayed on the charts for 8-10 week.  Because it was such a fruitful time in music history, brand new music was coming out constantly ... and you could tell when a deejay genuinely liked a new song.  (Think about it ... groups were releasing 3-5 singles a year back then!  Heck in a 15 month period between October, 1966, and December, 1967, The Monkees released four ALBUMS!!!  And each and every one of them went to #1!)
The big difference now is that within the context of a "greatest hits" format, you now have over 10,000 songs to choose from ... so why are they only playing 200 or 300 of them?  And the ones that they ARE playing hardly qualify as The Greatest Hits of All-Time.
I still believe that you can do both ... play those 200 - 500 "proven hits" along with a mix of OTHER legitimate oldies hits at a lower rotation and give your audience the best of both worlds.
I absolutely insist that a format where you introduce a dozen "new" songs each week (meaning songs that fit the format but aren't already on your play list) into your programming ... and then let the listeners decide if they'd like these to stay as part of the play list ... would benefit all parties concerned.  More variety ... more audience participation ... and at least the ILLUSION that your vote counts!  (Imagine that ... a radio station that LISTEN to their listeners ... and then gives them what they want.  Whodathunkit?  Why a concept like that might actually breed loyal listeners who wouldn't dare change the channel to listen to something else.  Yeah, you're right ... it'll never work ... what radio station would want an audience like THAT?!?!?)  Better to just keep feeding them the exact same crap ... hey, it's worked so far, right???  (kk)

And, of course, as a result, all you get is Radio Ga-Ga.  (kk)



Kent -
I'm following your blog this week on the above concept; I'll bite.  But this time, I'll let you figure out what I'm talking about.
1)  "Low Rider" has a great groove, but it's accumulated way too much mileage.  How about leaving it in the garage for a while and trying this swift model.  But watch it; it might drive your pappy to drinkin'.
2)  "Evil Woman" is a great ELO song, but listening to the radio, you'd think Mr. Lynne & co. were a two-hit wonder.  (And "Don't Bring Me Down" is even more overplayed!)  Let's keep the title, but make it by a bird of a different feather.
3)  "Only the Good Die Young" has already done so with its repeated playings.  Yet we never hear the story of three good men who died young ... and you shouldn't have to wander far to hear about them.  
I just got hit by another brainstorm that I couldn't possibly pass up.  Listening to the radio, you'd think that Santana's only songs were "Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways", and "Oye Como Va" (and sometimes "Smooth".)   But hold on; there's more Santana to be played.  And brother, you shouldn't stop with Carlos.  And staying with "Oye Como Va", you can still get your fix of Spanish singing - from the other side of the pond, where the Eurovision Song Contest is in the wind every spring - a wind strong enough to touch.
I'll let you know if I can come up with some more alternative song ideas.
Sincerely,
Todd W. Zimmerman
Well, I got all of them ... and my guess is that most of our readers will, too.  Some pretty clever suggestions, Todd ... and I especially like the last two!  (kk)



>>> Still havingfun with these  (kk)  
Andwe're still enjoying these. All of your suggested "alternates" are well regarded by FH readers, and we may take them for granted since the masses are simply not hearing them any more. As Peter, Paul, and Mary sang: "The radio won't play it." 
David Lewis

Here's one more of my own ... ABBA had fourteen Top 40 Hits ... and six of those made it all the way into The Top Ten.  (They were even bigger worldwide.)  So how come the ONLY thing we ever hear them play on the radio is "Dancing Queen".  Sure, it was a #1 Hit.  But break it up a little.  The musical "Mama Mia" was a HUGE success ... a whole new generation discovered and fell in love with the music of this Swedish pop sensation.
Here's one of MY favorites ... followed by perhaps the PERFECT alternative choice to one more endless spin of "Dancing Queen".  (kk)






re:  The Saturday Surveys:  
Hi Kent ... 
Very cool ... from #17 to #1 ... now that's a move ... and back when radio was king. Thanks for sharing.  
Tommy Roe 

Hi Kent,
I have been following your articles concerning the state of "Oldies" radio, or the lack of it, and in today's issue the lack of variety that we hear in music on a single station today as opposed to yesteryear.  The music formats are so segmented today -- the days of ever having the music variety of years past are long gone -- in the Rock format we now have them segmented into Active Rock, Adult Rock, and Alternative and in Adult Contemporary we now have Hot Adult Contemporary, Urban Adult Contemporary, and plain ol' Adult Contemporary.  Except for a very few stations, Oldies and variety are fast disappearing. 
As much as we would like things to remain as they once were, they are not and will not.  When you have large corporations owning and programming today's radio across the nation it is now going the way of television.  Though it is not quite as noticeable in larger markets as it is in smaller markets, today local programming is becoming a thing of the past.  Voice tracking is becoming more and more prevalent limiting localization and spontaneity.  You may not notice it in Chicago but hop in your car and head out to Smaller Market, U.S.A. and you'll hear Vic Voice-Track on five different stations being listened to by people that have never heard of this person, never seen this person, and will never see this person.  Some of these stations are most likely live and local three to four hours a day, and the days of calling in your request, speaking with a live air-personality, or hearing your call on the radio are a goner.  Today it is 800-numbers and e-mail requests, and we can only hope that the few radio stations that provide live and local spontaneous entertainment 24 hours a day catch big numbers and start a trend so radio returns to entertain the people from near rather than afar.
Peace,
Tim Kiley    

Hello Kent: 
I found this website for you:  http://radiotapes.com/surveys.html    
This one has about 400 surveys from the Twin Cites area, WDGY, KDWB, KSTP-AM when they were the music station and some others.  I see some go back to 1957.  Hope you like.  
Pete   

Don't Say You Don't Remember!!!!!
I think I wore out your button ... man, I remember.
Shelley


Kent,
In today's comments you mentioned that for the first time, there were two records tied for first place on WLS's Silver Dollar Survey. I don't know if that happened more than one time in Chicago, but here in OKC it happened just once as far as I know.  
For the week of June 10, 1959, HEARTACHES BY THE NUMBER and THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, recorded by Ray Price and Johnny Horton, respectively, were tied for number one. Prior to that week, THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS had beennumber one for six consecutive weeks.
Columbia Records had quite a few artists on the survey on that week back in 1959. Most of the artists were country singers that had records that crossed over from the country charts to the pop charts. Two of the exceptions were Johnny Mathis and the Four Lads.  
I did notice one thing, however.  On the back of the survey a contest was being run in which the winner would receive a Columbia Model 612 Phonograph, along with 10 LP records as well as a handsome (their words) carrying case.
Probably most if not all of the albums were on Columbia. This is just a guess on my part.
Larry
My guess is you're probably right!!!  (Nah, no payola back then in radio!  Lol)  Oklahoma went with the Ray Price version of "Heartaches By The Number"???  The big hit was by Guy Mitchell, another #1 Record for Guy after "Singing The Blues" topped the charts in 1956.  (Boy, BOTH of those songs would sound pretty good right now!  When's the last time you heard EITHER of these tracks played on commercial radio?!?!?)  kk






All the talk has been how The Beatles dominated the top lists in 1964. In 1965 Herman's Hermits had at least one song on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey for 28 consecutive weeks. This includes a time where Peter had both the #1 & #2 songs of the week. Not as impressive as the top four, but it's still impressive. One of the songs they kept out of the top spot was Ticket to Ride. 
Jack  
Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits were HUGE here in Chicago.  They scored FOURTEEN straight Top Ten Hits in The Windy City, including three #1's ("I'm Into Something Good", "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" and "Silhouettes"), three #2's ("I'm Henry The VIII, I Am", "Just A Little Bit Better" and "There's A Kind Of Hush" and three #3's!!!  ("Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", "Wonderful World" and "Listen People".)   Noone continues to book numerous stops per year in the Chicagoland area ... and the fans turn out in droves to see each and every one of them.  (You can catch them at Ron Onesti's Arcada Theatre on May 30th with special guests Jay and the Americans.)  kk
One of MY favorites by Peter Noone and the boys ... this long-forgotten, over-looked hit makes for the PERFECT piece of pop music!

re:  Diggin' Forgotten Hits:   
WOW ... I love this site. Keeps me young; jogs the memories; and it is a great lasting history lesson!  Keep 'em spinning!
Bob Hale
WLS 1960 - 1964! 
Thanks, Bob ... that means a lot!  (kk)





Where can I get one of these???
Bill
We never actually made any!!!  I think Frannie made two of them for me as a gift back in 2000 and we never took it any further.  Funny thing is over the years several readers have written in saying that they would LOVE to buy a Forgotten Hits T-Shirt as a means of showing their support for all that we do here.  (Hmm ... maybe we should have taken the whole idea more seriously!!!  Lol)  kk
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Chuck Negron Concert Review

March 3, 2014, 3:58 am
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Chuck Negron says: 
A man wanted to know why I wear dark glasses on stage ... and it was night.  I didn't know it was night. Floyd Sneed and some of the other band members put together this song.  Cory and Danny weren't there.  When they came back they pulled me aside and said, "Man, are you high?"
"That's a good bet, but why are you asking?" 
"You're singing about a freeking frog!"
And, after overcoming frog prejudice and bias, Jeremiah became famous. 
And the phoenix rises from the ashes.  

Floyd Sneed was there!  He played drums and bongos on some of the most memorable songs ever recorded, but I had never seen him perform before and now in front of me the original drummer of Three Dog Night was pounding out rhythms with Chuck Negron as in times past.  Chills.  The concert rang out like my Three Dog Night Greatest Hits album.
Years ago, with two cars full of my kids and their friends, we headed to Meadowbrook Park in Hamden, CT.  "Mom, are we really going to see Three Dog Night?" 
"Well, we are going to see two out of three of the Dogs."  
A few years later, Chuck Negron returns to tour and I tell them, "It is now time for you to meet the third Dog." 
Hence when I texted my son saying I was at a Chuck Negron concert with Floyd Sneed on drums, I received this response.  "Wow, that sounds awesome!  I LOVE Chuck Negron.  Did he perform Eli's Coming?" 
I love my kids.  

I will jump right into 'Eli's Coming' for my son Troy, 
and Kent's Frannie.  OOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGG!!!!!
They gave the most amazing call / response version I have heard. 
Howard Laravea on a Hammond B3 started stage right with vocal tones.  Danny Mishkit picked it up stage left in response vocals.  This continued for a minute before the words ELI'S COMING rang out from Howard, to be echoed by Danny.  Chuck steps up to the mic and claps for the show-offs (;-P) then hits hard with the strong announcement that ELIIII'S COOOOOMING.  Let me tell you that I had chills way before Eli showed up in force on the stage.  I just hope I never meet him now, but I have definitely been warned.  Frannie, you shoulda' been there!
To quote my son, "Chuck Negron is like a fine wine. He has gotten better with time."  His vocals are strong, and remembering that he was one of three lead singers in the same group staggers the mind to think of the power of three.  Still nothing is lost here with the single.  Starting with 'Family of Man' and ending with 'Joy To The World', this was a dynamite place to be.  A packed house, with listeners at the wall, and autograph signing afterward.   

Here is a change ... no encore.  We honestly sat, just trying to think what he left out that could be an encore (we thought of about four possibilities between the six of us).  Nobody was cheated here in any way.  Floyd was a dynamic beat accomplice, switching to conga and tambourine as needed.  "You guys BETTER say hi to me!  Not bad for a grampa!"  Let me name the other three who completed this tight unit:  Frank Reina on drums and percussion, John Leftwich on bass, and Terence Elliott on guitar. 
I was with a couple of friends who are true-blue Negron fans and they kept telling me, "He's just a really nice guy."  Well, I sent him a short tweet to ask for the names of his band and less than four minutes later there was a return tweet with my answer.  You know, maybe he's just a really nice guy, but he's for sure a great singer. 
-- Shelley J Sweet-Tufano 

With all three members of Three Dog Night out touring to full houses (and sounding GREAT by the way!) it really IS a shame that they can't resolve (or set aside) their differences and team up to bring back one of the greatest and most successful bands of all time. 

We're seeing the "Two-Thirds" version of Three Dog Night in March (March 28th to be exact) at The Arcada Theatre, where Ron Onesti has brought Cory Wells and Danny Hutton back after a sold-out show a year ago.  They, too, have a couple of original band member on board ... and now that Chuck Negron is back playing with Drummer Floyd Sneed, it just seems a natural.  (I'm telling you, a world tour would rake in MILLIONS ... and leave millions of satisfied fans in its wake.) 

Chuck Negron will be back as part of the 2014 Happy Together Tour ... and he'll once-again wow audiences just as he did last summer as a headliner.  Scroll back on The Forgotten Hits Website and you'll find all the tour dates ... and then be sure to pick up tickets when the show hits your area. 

Arcada Theatre tickets are ALWAYS available thru the oshows.com website ... and besides the Three Dog Night concert on March 28th, you'll find an INCREDIBLE list of acts coming up in beautiful Downtown St. Charles!   (kk)

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Tuesday This And That

March 4, 2014, 4:32 am
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re:  SCOTT SHANNON:  
SCOTT SHANNON -  formerly of the SCOTT & TODD SHOW,  the bane of Jock-tober, an annual ball-busting of the lamest radio hosts in North America by OPIE & ANTHONY on Sirius-XM Radio ... bravely, did a 15 minute on-air phone-in to the O&A SHOW dazzling them and winning them over with his 'no-holds-barred' attitude and abandon-ment of 'lame'.THE AFTER-CALL VERDICT - O&A are now Scott Shannon fans and are convinced that TODD, who stayed behind helming the 'old show' by himself was holding Shannon back.  SHANNON is a great fit as morning man on NYC POWERHOUSE OLDIES STATION - WCBS-FM !  At an age and point in his career where he can tell the 'powers' to kiss-his-derriere, it looks like listeners can expect great, NEW, things from him.  
GARY  
www.RIPRenfield.com  

Kent ...
From the sounds of things, Scott will be playing mostly '70's and '80's on his WCBS program ... no point in tuning in to hear that ... we get nothing but that (times six) here in Chicago!  I'm hoping he'll also stay true to his roots 'though and still slip in more than the occasional Rascals song or '60's oldie like he did at WPLJ.  (And with Big Jay Sorensen being the other "blast from the past" at the station, one can only hope that more '60's tunes will find their way into the mix.)  Most of us (if choosing to listen over the Internet) will probably opt for the True Oldies option rather than the WCBS option ... but living in New York and being able to pick him up live on the radio is a different story.  I like to be entertained and smile a few times before I get to work in the morning ... otherwise I'm just a crabby old man!  (lol)  kk  

>>>What I want to know is this:  Are you going to get up early to listen to your pal Scott's debut on WCBS-FM, or am I going to have to tell you about it?  (Frank B)  
>>>You're going to have to tell me about it!  (lol)  Even when Micky Dolenz was the morning deejay I think I only heard a total of about four hours of his show spread out over three months!  Unfortunately the only way for me to listen is at the computer ... and that one hour time difference is HUGE at 5 am!!! (kk)   
Kent ...
-- Don't You ( Forget About Me ) = Simple Minds
-- Murray The K, Alan Freed, Dan Ingram (WABC All-Americans), Scott's Resume, WHTZ - Newark, Z100 -The Morning Zoo, First Scott and Todd Program (June, 1991), Last Scott and Todd Program  (February, 2014), Thank You & Bye Buckaroos, The Tradition continues:  Scott Shannon In The Morning on WCBS-FM, March 3 , 2014 ... Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor ... Mr G's Forecast  (He got it wrong ... 4 to 8 inches of snow ... we got maybe 1 inch) ... Sports ... Everybody loses ... Academy Award Report (Debbie Rodriquez) ... Traffic with Joe Nolan ... he knows Scott ... they worked together before.
Scott said "It's like the first day of school. I had to lay out my clothes last night and my lunch box.
Back Stabbers by The O' Jays
Scott said he came in the other night and sat in with Big Jay Sorenson to get the feel of the place.
You May Be Right by Billy Joel
So far Cousin Brucie called in to wish Scott luck ... Chicago's Robert Lamm called in from Canada.
In the Hall Of Fame (All Day), music from 1983 ... first year Scott Shannon was on New York Radio.
Frank B.
Actually, that's a pretty damn good play-by-play ... Scott Shannon sent me this clip of his first break at his new gig ... I told him, "Hey, it's just like falling off a bicycle" ... you never really forget how to do it!!!  (lol)  
Remember back when we were kids and all our Grandparents were these old fogies that retired when they turned 65?  Here's Scott Shannon starting the next chapter of his illustrious career at 66 ... and still lovin' every minute of it ... he's been living the dream of a 15 year old nearly 50 years now.  I don't care what ANYBODY says ... our generation has GOT to be the coolest grandparents ever!!!  (kk) 


Kent ...
Scott just signed off.
Jon Bon Jovi called in to wish Scott good luck ... 
Too much information:  At 9:40 AM Scott stepped out to use the restroom.   
Micky Dolenz of the Monkees called in. He just got back from England.  He was in the play "Hair."  He's looking to get back to Broadway here in New York. Three weekends in March, there'll be a Monkees Convention in New Jersey.
Micky was the morning DJ on the old WCBS-FM when they were replaced by JACK-FM. He said the hardest job he ever had was being a Disc Jockey.
Now I'm signing off.  
Frank B.

Kent -
While reading through today's comments, two or three things came to my mind immediately.
First, at the beginning where your readers and you were discussing Scott Shannon and his new air shift beginning on Monday at WCBS-FM, the first record I thought of was Shannon's 1969 ABERGAVANNY which I think you have featured before.
Your reader, Stacee, wanted to know who did the song of CALL ME that you posted.  Once in a BLUE MOON (as the Marcels would have said), you post a song that I am not familiar with or have never heard before. I don't really know how difficult it would be for you to list the songs and the artists or groups who did them. Most of your readers know who they are anyway, but ONCE IN A WHILE (as the Chimes would have said), one gets posted that one does not know.
One of my favorite all time foreign language songs of the rock era is ERES TU. I am not sure but I believe the flip is the same song in English.
My mother's all time favorite had to have been Guy Mitchell's SINGING THE BLUES.
Thanks again for another great Sunday Comments. Really enjoy reading it.
Larry Neal

Most of the time, we DO list the song title and artists ... seems like every time we don't somebody write in to ask!!! So it's just easier to list them.  Usually when I don't it's more for the element of surprise ... or in keeping with the theme of the day (like our recent "Game Day" / Super  Bowl extravaganza. 
I believe the flipside of the hit "Eres Tu" was, in fact, the English translation of the song ... which makes it all the more surprising that it was the foreign version that radio played and people bought.  (I remember working with a girl at the time who was of Spanish decent and she literally translated the entire song for me before I knew there was an English translation on the flip side!  lol)
I don't care what ANYBODY says ... "Singing The Blues" AND "Heartaches By The Number" would STILL sound great coming out of the radio today.  This is not true of all of the songs of this era ... but I guarantee you these two tracks would find a whole new audience that would welcome them into their hearts. (kk)

You often talk about "The Wrecking Crew" film. You should bring to your audience's attention the Oscar nominated "20 Feet from Stardom", taking a look at the value and importance of background singers. Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Claudia Lennear, Tata Vega, Lisa Fischer, The Waters. We've heard them for decades as integral parts of the music we listen to. But we seldom know their names. It is truly an amazing story of the impact and careers of these voices. The film is nominated as Best Documentary at this year's Oscars, although doubtful we'll get much coverage on it tonight.
The film synopsis: The untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century. Triumphant and heartbreaking in equal measure, the film is both a tribute to the unsung voices who brought shape and style to popular music and a reflection on the conflicts, sacrifices and rewards of a career spent harmonizing with others. These gifted artists span a range of styles, genres and eras of popular music, but each has a uniquely fascinating and personal story to share of life spent in the shadows of superstardom. Along with rare archival footage and a peerless soundtrack are intimate interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger and Sting to name just a few.
In process of being released on DVD. You can watch a trailer at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2396566/
Ken Voss  
We've probably covered this film about 25 times now ... and, for the record, it's already out on DVD ... as well as OnDemand. And, Sunday Night it WON The Academy Award for "Best Documentary" at this year's Oscars Ceremony!  Without a doubt, a great film ... but it still can't touch The Wrecking Crew documentary in my opinion.  (kk)

A "20 Feet From Stardom" highlight for me is the Merry Clayton segment when she talks about recording "Gimme Shelter" with The Rolling Stones.
I found this short clip on YouTube of her discussing her amazing vocal with Terry Gross during a "Fresh Air" interview.  
Click here: ? Merry Clayton isolated vocal on Gimme Shelter - YouTube

And check it out ... Darlene Love crosses over into BOTH films!!!

>>>I would LOVE to see Darlene Love live in concert!  (kk)  
Darlene was on The Colbert Report Monday night (2/24). After the interview, with a five-piece band and three background singers, she did an outstanding version of "He's A Rebel."
– Randy Price 

Speaking of Darlene Love, Ron Smith tells us that the "Wrecking Crew" screening scheduled for Joliet in March has been cancelled ... or, at the very least, postponed.  (Apparently they're still trying to make arrangements for a showing at an alternate location in the same area ... so stay tuned to these pages for updates.  Meanwhile, plans are moving forward for a commercial release ... so you'll soon be able to enjoy this great film in the privacy of your own home!)  kk

And, speaking of Ron Smith, here's another interesting tidbit from the Guru of Oldies Music
(www.oldiesmusic.com):  
David Palmer, an original member of Steely Dan, filed a lawsuit Friday (February 28) in Los Angeles Superior Court looking for past performance royalties he says are due him on Internet and satellite airplay of songs he sang on in 1972 and 1973. The money is not insubstantial, since he did receive an $8,000 royalty payment as 1/6th of the group for a nine-month period in late 2012 and early 2013. The suit seeks an accounting going back to 2000. David sang lead on the songs “Dirty Work” and “Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)” and backup on other tracks, including “Reeling In the Years.”  
So this would mean that Steely Dan as a group earned $54,000 in Internet and satellite performance royalties in one year (that's not counting songwriting) from just those songs off the first two albums. A far cry from the one penny royalty check Janis Ian was showing a couple of weeks ago. I guess Walter and Donald and company are a LOT more popular than her.
-- Ron Smith

Absolutely one of my all-time favorite Steely Dan songs ... so pay the man!!! (kk)

AMERICA'S POP MUSIC HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES FORMAL INDUCTION CEREMONY FOR MONKEES
Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz to receive awards at Monkees Convention
Convention slated in Meadowlands, N.J., March 14 to 16
The Monkees will be formally inducted into America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame with a presentation at the Monkees Convention in Meadowlands, New Jersey, Saturday, March 15 at noon.
Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz will each receive awards marking their 2014 selection. The Monkees topped the 2014 Hall of Fame public vote.
Also elected into the 2014 Hall of Fame were the Bee Gees, Tony Bennett, the Carpenters, Chicago, Buddy Holly, Elton John, Carole King, Dean Martin, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, the Platters, Simon & Garfunkel and the Supremes.
This will be Mike Nesmith’s first-ever Monkees Convention. He will be performing his show, “Movies of the Mind” Saturday, March 15 at 9 p.m. The weekend will also include performances from Micky Dolenz, Coco Dolenz, Christian Nesmith and Circe Link, Jonathan Nesmith and Jessica Nesmith, the Blue Meanies and the 1910 Fruitgum Company, among others.
Actress Ami Dolenz will be signing copies of her new children’s book and participate in a question-and-answer session with sisters Emily and Georgia Dolenz.
A special tribute to the late Davy Jones is also planned.
Among others in attendance will be Billy J. Kramer, Butch Patrick (“The Munsters“), Larry Storch
(“F-Troop”), and the Monkeemobile. Tickets are available at www.monkeesconvention2014.com.
The Monkees and the 13 other 2014 inductees join The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Vinton and Stevie Wonder in America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame.
Inductees had to have a charted song prior to 1971 to be considered. Inductees are publicly selected from 25 nominees chosen by a music industry panel based on the breadth, depth and influence of the artists’ recordings.
A feasibility study to determine the size and location of a permanent Pop Music Hall of Fame facility is underway. Current plans are for a large, multi-use performance venue as well as both permanent and rotating exhibits. America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame is based in Canonsburg, the home of Perry Como, Bobby Vinton and the Four Coins, who together placed nearly 200 songs on the Billboard charts. Canonsburg is just south of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Election of the third class of inductees will be in September 2014.
For further information on the hall of fame, visit americaspopmusichalloffame.org

Speaking of Music Hall of Fames, don't forget to cast your vote in this year's ballot for The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame.
This year's nominees (revealed here first in Forgotten Hits a few weeks ago): Alabama,The Coasters, Joe Cocker, Jim Croce, Bill Haley & the Comets, Herman’s Hermits, The Hollies, Whitney Houston, The Kinks, Reba McEntire, Conway Twitty, and Sarah Vaughn. More information here:
Click here: Hit Parade Hall of Fame  

Clark Besch tells us about a brand new Cryan' Shames CD release coming out in April .. the MONO Version of their "A Scratch In The Sky" LP (with bonus tracks) on the Now Sounds label ...

Kent -
Check out this new release on my fave band ...
Clark   

The Cryan' Shames- A Scratch In The Sky: Deluxe Expanded Mono Edition CD

[CRYAN%20SHAMES%20am] 

• ESSENTIAL SUNSHINE / PSYCH POP FROM 1967!
• RARE LATE MONO MIX — FIRST TIME EVER ISSUED ON CD!
• SOURCED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES!
The Cryan’ Shames’ second album, 1967's A Scratch In The Sky, is an unsung gem of that heady musical era. The set’s distinctive mix of youthful garage-rock energy, sophisticated psychedelic-pop songcraft and forward-thinking studio experimentation reflects the spirit of the times and captures the sound of an ambitious band of young perfectionists (already regional stars in their hometown of Chicago) making a quantum creative leap into exciting new territory.
On A Scratch In The Sky, The Cryan’ Shames trade in the familiar rock ’n’ roll and soul covers that dominated their first album for a set of haunting, emotionally resonant, and experimental original compositions (plus a transcendent reading of the Carole King / Gerry Goffin-penned Drifters classic ‘Up on the Roof’) that are bolstered by adventurous soundscapes.
In addition to the album — presented in its original MONO mix for the first time on CD — two non-LP singles and five single versions are included, and all are sourced from the ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES.
The deluxe, full-colour booklet also includes rare photos and extensive liner notes by music historian Scott Schinder that feature the participation of original band members. Mastered by ALAN BROWNSTEIN from the ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES!
Reissue Produced by STEVE STANLEY.
Track Listing:
THE ORIGINAL MONO ALBUM
1.    A CAROL FOR LORELEI
2.    THE SAILING SHIP
3.    IN THE CAFE
4.    MR. UNRELIABLE
5.    THE TOWN I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO
6.    UP ON THE ROOF
7.    IT COULD BE WE'RE IN LOVE
8.    SUNSHINE PSALM
9.    I WAS LONELY WHEN
10.    COBBLESTONE ROAD (SHE'S BEEN WALKIN')
11.    DENNIS DUPREE FROM DANVILLE
BONUS TRACKS
12.    YOUNG BIRDS FLY (Non-LP Single)
13.    THE WARM (Non-LP Single)
14.    THE SAILING SHIP (SINGLE VERSION)
15.    UP ON THE ROOF (SINGLE VERSION)
16.    IT COULD BE WE'RE IN LOVE (SINGLE VERSION)
17.    SUNSHINE PSALM (SINGLE VERSION)
18.    I WAS LONELY WHEN (SINGLE VERSION
Audio CD  (April 28 2014)
Label:  Now Sounds
It looks like this is essentially the same as the Sundazed release from several years ago, only in mono (???)  Are they still using your liner notes?  Wasn't "Mr. Unreliable" also a completely different single mix?  Surprised to see that's not here.   (kk)
Indeed it was.  I think the bonus cuts are directed more at the softer sounds of pop that Now Sounds aims for.  Thus, the country feel of "Georgia" is also not included here.
Someone else is doing the liners.  I am helping with photos.  It is not the same as the Sundazed release in that several of these songs sound different in mono.  Things are mixed louder or whatever at times.  Listen to this 45 mix of "It Could be We're in Love" vs the stereo mix.  Drums are much louder on original 45 mix.
Clark
In that case, a "necessary add" to my collection!  (lol)  Thanks for sharing with the class, Clark!  (kk)

Speaking of The Cryan' Shames, Clark also sent in copies of these vintage newspaper articles about original Shames Drummer Dennis Conroy ... harkening back to the old school dress codes many of us grew up having to face! 





Most people only remember one of Jim Gold's hits.  Radio will occasionally play "Nice To Be With You" - and generally won't touch his cover of Mac Davis'"I Believe In Music" - but we remember those two pretty quickly.   Here's the one that's easy to forget.
David Lewis


Yep, Gallery had THREE Top 25 Hits in 1972 ... "Nice To Be With You" (their biggest) reached #1 in Cash Box Magazine.  (It peaked at #4 in the other two major trades.)  "I Believe In Music" (I still hear this one more often than the Mac Davis version) hit #12 and so did "Big City Miss Ruth Ann".  (kk)   

Folk Legends Peter, Paul & Mary's 1962 Debut Album To Be Released On Hybrid SACD By Audio Fidelity March 4, 2014 
“One of the best albums to come out of the 1960s folk music revival” 
Camarillo, CA - The group that transformed American folk music into '60s pop, legendary Peter, Paul & Mary's debut 1962 self-titled album will be released on Hybrid SACD by Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity on March 4, 2014. One of the best albums to come out of the 1960s folk music revival, the trio's debut release featured two of the biggest folk hits of all time, “Lemon Tree” and “If I Had A Hammer”, along with such classics as “500 Miles” and “Where Have All The Flowers Gone.” Peter, Paul & Mary's first album introduced one of the most popular, innovative and enduring folk music groups of all time!
'Peter, Paul & Mary' is a collection of the best songs that the group knew, stirring in its sensibilities and its haunting melodies, crossing between folk, children's songs, and even gospel; light-hearted just where it needed to be and earnest where it has to be. For a young group on their first album, this was meticulously produced and already showed their incredible sense of professionalism. The angelic voice of Mary Travers blends with Peter Yarrow's tenor and Paul Stookey's bass on some gorgeous harmonies.
It's one of the rare folk albums to reach US #1, staying in the Billboard Magazine Top Ten for 10 months, including seven weeks in the #1 position. At the Grammy Awards of 1963, their recording of “If I Had A Hammer” won the Best Folk Recording and Best Pop Performance by a Vocal Group awards. This classic recording helped to bring modern folk stylings to a mass audience for the first time. The album's innocent good spirit and optimism remains infectious even 50 years later!
Tracks:  Early In The Morning / 500 Miles / Sorrow / This Train / Bamboo / It's Raining / If I Had My Way / Cruel War / Lemon Tree / If I Had A Hammer / Autumn To May / Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
Mastered by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering

This will bring back memories for all and it goes all the way back to January 1950 for you really "old timers"!   
Enjoy!   
Danny 
http://www.45rpmdb.com/Top10.html   

All over the news this week was the fact that Kiss will NOT be performing together at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony ... apparently these guys just can't set aside their differences for the sake of the fans for even one night ... even though it's the FANS who made them what they are.  (Seriously ... they're all in make-up anyway ... you could send ANYBODY up there to perform and told us it was the original members and I'll betcha half the audience wouldn't have known the difference anyway!!!)

And Steve Perry last week confirmed that he is NOT rejoining Journey.  (Of course he knew that all along ... because apparently he was the guy who started the rumor that he WAS rejoining Journey!!!  lol)  Other band members don't seem to miss him ... which is really too bad ... because Perry had one of the most distinctive voices in rock.  (I miss him!)

Meanwhile, Vintage Vinyl News is reporting that Michael McDonald will rejoin The Doobie Brothers for a country duets album ... not clear yet if he'll be on all the tracks or just one of the guest vocalists ... but this will be the first time that McDonald has performed with the band since 2010.  (kk)  

>>>Tommy Roe's connection to the Beatles in 1963 has resulted in his participation in anniversary Fab Four celebrations -- but what about the other headliner on that tour: Chris Montez?   I went to Chris' website to see what he was doing in conjunction with the annniversary and was surprised to learn that the most recent entries in his performance schedule are from 2011.   Does anyone know what's going on with Chris?  (Gary Theroux)
When we first received this email we did some checking and told you all that Chris was performing at this year's Winter Dance Party at The Surf Ballroom on the anniversary of Buddy Holly's last performance there.  Now he's off to for a tour of the UK where he'll be performing in Liverpool at The Cavern (along with none other than Tommy Roe!) as part of Liverpool Beatles Week.

Here is more tour information, sent in to us by Chris' manager Pam Dixon ...  

Hello Kent!
Chris Montez is keeping busy! 
The Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom Clear Lake was awesome! The ladies on the stage are Ritcie Valens' sisters , Connie and Irma, who surprised Chris on stage dancing to La Bamba.
He had a show last weekend where Chris performed as part of the Spring Doo Wop Cavalcade at The Ameican Theatre in Lancaster, PA on March 1st.  
And finally, as promised, here are the tour dates for Chris Montez’ UK tour. He has a show in Vienna Austria before the tour starts.  
The Long Night Of Rock And Roll with Andy Lee Lang, Chris Montoez, Chris Andrews and The Monroes -
Stadthalle - Vienna, Austria - Friday, March 14, 2014. 
This is the link to the tour website will all dates and other artists names: 
Chris will also be appearing at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool UK on August 26th with Tommy Roe during Liverpool Beatles week.


re:  He Was Our First:
Ron Smith's OldiesMusic.com website is reporting:
Christopher Jones, who played Max Frost in the movie "Wild In The Streets," died January 31 of cancer at a medical center in Los Alamitos, Caliornia. He was 72. Though he portrayed Max Frost in the movie, the vocal on the song "Shape Of Things To Come" (#22-1968) was by Paul Wybier. Christopher also starred on TV's "The Legend Of Jesse James" and the movies, "The Looking Glass War" and "Ryan's Daughter."
"Shape Of Things To Come" was the VERY First song EVER featured in Forgotten Hits back in 1999 over Thanksgiving Weekend when we first launched our little newsletter to a captive list of 35 subscribers!  Wow!  Numerous attempts since then to contact Paul Wybier and have him help us celebrate during one of our fourteen anniversaries since then have all failed ... we know WHERE he is ... he has just chosen not to respond.  Too bad ... but we don't give up that easily.  (Hey, we're still trying to nail down Bobbie Gentry, too!!!)  Sad to hear about the passing of actor Christopher Jones ... at the age of 72 he was 42 years past the "expiration date" of everyone targeted in the movie over the age of 30!  (kk)

re:  Tunedex:  
Kent,
My station has been on the air 24/7 since January of 2008.  I modeled the station after WHK 1420 AM, my favorite station while growing up in Cleveland. I incorporated the cover of one of my old "Fabulous Fifty Tunedex" sheets from my record buying days back in the early 60's.  Johnny Holliday was THE jock in Cleveland back then. Johnny was gracious enough to record station ID's for me.  WHK played the hits, a lot of local Cleveland artists like Andrea Carroll, the Grasshoppers, Bocky & the Visions and a LOT more. At least half of my 5200+ play list are songs most listeners have never heard or haven't heard in 50 years or so.  I call these songs you SHOULD have heard.  My transistor was tuned to local Cleveland stations during the day and at night, depending on the weather, I listened to big signal stations WLS, WBZ, and CKLW.  I loved listening to the radio back then, and try to recreate the same feeling with my station.  Just like my old baseball cards and comic books, if I had only hung on to all those TUNEDEX sheets. They're now popping up on Ebay for big bucks. They were guides for record collectors just as Joel Whitburn's books are today.  Ironic that Joel didn't know about them.  Kent - thanks for helping to keep the memories alive.  
Chuck Benjamin
TUNEDEX MEMORIES
24/7 50's & 60's Internet Radio at: 

I have to say that Tunedex was just a term used by stations born out of the use of rolodex's, which organized information in the days before computers and such.  Tunedex was just a term developed to use by stations for their lists which organized their songs in popularity order.  That's my opinion.  Stations used the term "survey" most of the time, but many opted to try and develop terms less used and new ideas such as "Color radio""Fab Forty""Nifty Fifty", etc.  Billboard chose "Hot 100" while Cash Box chose "Top 100."  Even the term "Boss Radio" was used by non-Drake stations in 66 / 67. 
Here in Lincoln, Ne, KLMS reigned king of Top 40 radio, yet KLIN tried to compete in late 1966 and early 1967.  For about six months, KLIN called them "Boss Radio" with no special graphics or programming other than the national top 40.  At a time when KLMS was programming local hit records, KLIN tried to go "basic" proven hits.  They failed within six months and switched back to their MOR styled news format.  The interesting tie-in to FH is the fact that for those six months, they published their own "Boss 40".  The best part of these surveys was that the back side had comments on what was going on with top 40 radio hitmakers.  Otherwise, the list itself was a bit familiar to us.  I had to fold the attached survey because it was legal paper size length and I could not copy the bottom of the chart which told the true story of KLIN's programming and downfall.  Note that the bottom reads "Listings compiled with the help and cooperation of Billboard Magazine's 'Hot 100'".  Not only was it compiled with the help of the Hot 100, it was EXACTLY the same chart!!  This KLIN chart has ending date of Jan 5, 1967 and is the same chart as Billboard's week ending Jan 7 chart!  Somehow, Billboard was giving stations early info to do things like this.  I always thought AT40 was the first to do such, but in reality, it seems to have been going on for years!  Maybe they traded info on record sales, but obviously KLIN did not care about local sales or they;d have their own chart!  I am guessing KLIN paid for a service.  Anyway, Joel will likely find that Billboard DID offer their chart early to some stations.
Clark Besch
Apparently a MUCH more common practice than anyone realized at the time.  But I've got to be honest with you ... when I was growing up here in Chicago in the mid-to-late '60's, my whole radio world was WLS and WCFL ... I didn't even know there was such a thing as Billboard or Cash Box.  I guess I just never thought beyond our own radio borders ... I figured it if was a hit here, it was a hit EVERYWHERE.  That's what I still find so fascinating about looking at all these chart from all over the country.  (Be sure to check The Forgotten Hits Website EVERY Saturday for our new "Saturday Surveys" feature ... most of which come from the above-mentioned Clark Besch!)  kk

re:  ASCAP / BMI :
Hi Kent,
If it's Sunday morning, it's "Meet the Press" ... and Forgotten Hits.  Great job as always.
Yes, seeing Paul McCartney as the sole writer of "Come Together" on the "ASCAP 100" list of songs was disconcerting, to say the least.  But here's the explanation:  Paul changed his performance rights affiliation from BMI to ASCAP several years back, so now they are the administrators of his royalties from radio, TV, film and Internet play.  If you looked up the song on the BMI site, you'd see John Lennon cited as the sole writer which, of course, he actually was.  But like all John and Paul songs from the Beatles era, the copyright is credited to "Lennon and McCartney."
People that pay close attention to songwriting credits will notice that there are lots of collaborators seemingly omitted from that ASCAP list.  For example, I noticed that the late Linda Creed was absent from the credit on "The Greatest Love of All."  That's because the legendary Philly lyricist was affiliated with BMI.
So in cases such as these two, ASCAP and BMI split the administration of royalty payments to the respective writers.  If there were three writers involved and two of them were affiliated with one performance rights entity while the remaining one was aligned with the other, it would be a 66 2/3 - 33 1/3 split.
There's also another significant administrator, SESAC, that has a measurable presence in the songwriting community. 
Regards,
Scott Paton
I figured there HAD to be a reasonable explanation for it ... thanks for providing one, Scott!  (kk)

And, speaking of the (lately) ever-present Beatles ...

re: The Beatles:  
Kent -  
You wondered what the MGM 45 record of My Bonnie is worth. There are several releases of it. My price guide book from 1978 said that the copy you have is not worth much, although it is a 1200% return on investment.
 

I also bought in the "cut out" bin two Beatles records on 45.

Bill

What is the notation on the bottom right, just inside the white square rule to the left of the MGM lion trademark?  Starts with "Recorded"?
-- BOB FRABLE,
Easton, PA

It says:  "Recorded by Deutsche Grammophon Polydor Series"  (kk)

As far as the reel radio promotion goes, I’m not so sure that WABC was the #1 station in NYC. WMCA with a comparably weak signal equaled or bettered WABC in the overall rating up to 1967.
Mark

Hi Kent:  
Of the four tracks MGM released on singles by The Beatles, there is one interesting piece. If you flip over “Why”, you get a rare piece - A Beatles Instrumental!! And this is all Beatles - no Sheridan. Great Guitar Instro featuring young George! 
Ken  
Ken's referring to "Cry For A Shadow", a very "of-the-times" instrumental written by (believe it or not) George Harrison and John Lennon ... before a single Lennon - McCartney track was every professionally recorded!  The title is in reference to Cliff Richards' legendary back-up band, The Shadows ... who had quite a few instrumental hits of their own!  (kk)
Kent ...
Heard this today on WCBS-FM.  The third Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was on tape. It was taped right after their first appearance.
Frank B.
This is true.  (We covered that a couple of times now in Forgotten Hits ... including as recently as last Friday!)  Actually it sounds like this appearance was actually filmed even BEFORE the first live show aired on February 9th (same weekend but during an afternoon pre-show performance) ... by the time the third program aired, The Beatles were already back home in London!  (kk )

Frank also sent us this Beatles Profile Quiz ... have fun with it ...
Which Beatle are you???


re:  ELVIS:
Billboard Magazine remembers Elvis:

Hey kk!
Here are a few other Elvis numbers that are not Elvis.
Instead of a song everybody has heard period by the King of Rock 'n' Roll how about a clone from The King of The Fuzz Guitar and crew!
This sound clip features the vocals of Ralph "Russ" Viot aka "Val" who was Davie Allan's rhythm guitar / vocalist in The Arrows in the '66 era and he is doing an excellent man from Memphis impression. Davie has told the story how Russ bolted out upset from watching the movie "The Wild Angels" when only seven seconds of the tune got featured.   
"Heavenly Blues" (Peter Fonda) exclaims ..."Leave it on!" referring to the radio his biker babe "Mike" (Nancy Sinatra) just turned off and she hurtfully tells him "No!" and Russ, disillusioned by the process of the business procedures of soft shoe shufflers, let hurt set in.
Russ ventured from The Arrows not too long afterwards and left us too young at the same age as Elvis left us also.
But I betcha you could play that tune "Lonely In The Chapel" on the radio today and people who thought Elvis sang Be Bop A Lula and then some would buy into it was Elvis!
OK so I'm big on Davie Allan & The Arrows
ORION! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luZ4JuoBL1Q Jimmy ELiIS  
Vibeman

re:  And, Finally, Elvis AND The Beatles!:  
Hi Kent,
I can honestly say that I'm getting an education reading your website.
One of the things that I really like about Forgotten Hits is setting me straight on artists and their songs.
I really thought the guy singing "Suspicion" was Elvis Presley and the group singing "Needles and Pins" was The Beatles.  Good to know I am never too old to learn something ... Thanks!
Stacee

re:  On The Radio:
>>>Check out what they're doing now on The Drive ... playing more "deep tracks" than ever (probably part of the Cumulus take-over from a few months ago ... most likely an effort to distinguish the station from all the other Classic Rock / Classic Hit stations in town playing the exact same music.)  Good News / Bad News:  It's nice NOT to hear nothing but the same old tracks over and over and over again .. but now we're hearing stuff we've NEVER heard before ... so there's absolutely NO familiarity factor ... and a lot of of it simply isn't any good.  I find myself connecting less and less with The Drive's current play list ... and, for a while there, they were my "go to" station.  (kk)
The Drive is owned by Hubbard, not Cumulus (Cumulus bought Q-101 and the Loop, not the Drive).
Ron Smith
Oops!  My bad.  (kk)

Good Morning Kent,  
I had to smile at your finding my suggestions „obscure“. Of course, I tell the story from my point of view, and that is of someone who was born and who grew up in England and later relocated to Hamburg, Germany. Let me assure you, all the alternative suggestions I made were hits in the UK. I am not, of course, too familiar with the finer points of Oldies in the USA.  
Of course this is my theme, having run something similar of one of my Facebook pages a year or so ago. And although the songs we are talking about vary from city to city and country to country, the point being made is the same all over the world, and that is that the so called “Oldie Radio Stations” are killing off the very Oldies they should be preserving by reducing the artists featured to certain songs.  
I will try to use a couple of American examples here with which you may be more familiar to drive the point home. One artist I loved when I was in my late tweens, early twens was Bob Seger. He was commercially at the height of his fame. Albums like “Stranger In town” and “Against the Wind” were full of hits: Hollywood Nights, Still the Same, We’ve got tonight, Against the Wind all stormed into the European Charts (I assume in to Billboard too). But what has survived? As I noted before it’s probably different from town to town, but all you ever hear where I am is Against the Wind. The others simply don’t exist anymore.  
And so it is with Steve Miller. I recall you mentioning that you are fed up of listening to “Take the money and Run” and “Rock n me”. Well these I two songs that I badly miss… all you hear of Steve Miller here is “Abracadabra”.  
You’re right of course as far as Internet Radio is concerned. A couple of years ago I started my own station with a provider in Germany (www.laut.fm/totaloldies is anyone is interested). It’s not overly successful and I don’t do a lot of promotion for it, it only really gives me personally something to listen to (no live dj-ing, just one song after another), but the point I’m trying to make, is that I can follow the user statistics live, and I have noticed that people start to turn off as soon as anything that might be considered “obscure” comes on.   
Have a great day!  
Dave 
We literally OD here in The States on Steve Miller and Bob Seger music.  All kidding aside, between the two of them I easily hear (aka turn off) their music at least a dozen times a day ... EVERY single day ... and I used to love BOTH of these artists ... have many of their albums and loved nearly all of their hits ... but this complete saturation has ruined their music for me.
Steve Miller tunes in CONSTANT rotation include Take The Money And Run, The Joker, Rock'n Me, Fly Like An Eagle, Jet Airliner, Jungle Love, Swingtown and your Abracadabra.  
There's also non-stop Bob Seger, with tracks like Night Moves, Rock And Roll Never Forgets, Old Time Rock And Roll, Against The Wind, The Fire Down Below, Her Strut and Turn The Page (a song that wasn't even ever a single).  To a lesser degree we also hear Still The Same, Hollywood Night, Feel Like A Number and Katmandu ... so you'd probably LOVE it here ... for about a month ... until radio ruins these songs for you, too.  And that's the REAL shame ... most of these are GREAT songs that I've loved for years ... and now I can't stand to listen to a single one.
I cannot help but wonder how the artists themselves feel about this over-saturation of their music.  Are they, too, concerned that all this "over-exposure" is causing listener burn-out ... or do they just happily cash the royalty check every month?  (kk)

re:  Percy Sledge:
From Tom Cuddy:

Percy Sledge - Percy Sledge's Manager Plays Down Liver Cancer Diagnosis

by WENN | 20 February 2014

 

 

 

Percy Sledge's manager has assured fans the R&B veteran is not dying, despite cancelling a U.K. tour after he was diagnosed with liver cancer. 
The When A Man Loves A Woman singer, 73, was forced to pull out of plans to take part in David Gest's Legends of Soul trek earlier this month (Feb14), leaving the producer to break the news of his friend's health troubles to the audience.
He reportedly told a crowd in Stockport, England, "Percy won't be with us tonight, I'm afraid. He's in hospital with liver cancer. I know we are all going to pray for him."
Sledge's spokesman Mark Lyman has since revealed the star actually underwent surgery to have a cancerous polyp removed from his liver in January (14) , and he was advised by doctors against taking the long-haul trip from the U.S. to the U.K. to give him extra time to recover at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
But Lyman reveals the singer's cancer battle is looking positive and Sledge will resume his live gigs on 1 March (14), when he is booked to perform at the R&B Reggae Festival in Kingston, Jamaica.
Lyman tells the National Enquirer, "He's not dying. In fact, he's going to Jamaica for a concert next week...
"It (the surgery) wasn't a big deal. He was in and out of the hospital in two hours and has been at home ever since." 

re:  Surfin':  
Kent,
I enjoyed Sunday's Comments as usual. I noticed one thing however.  This is no big deal but it was something I caught. Your posting of I LIVE FOR THE SUN fades out at the end while the original recording
on 45 ended abruptly or cold.  Through the years I believe Ricky Nelson's recording of TRAVELING MAN
fades on the radio while the original ended cold.
Larry
Unfortunately that's one of the downsides of featuring music from CD's ... which is often the ONLY version available.  We've seen it from time to time over the years ... but there's not much we can do about it.  (kk)

I will agree with Chet Coppock that "Andrea" by the Sunrays beats out its predecessor, "I Live For The Sun" ...  but just barely!  "Andrea" was the record that knocked my favorite 1960's record, "Look Through Any Window" off #1 on my own charts for a week in early 1966! 
You might be interested in the fact that the Sunrays recorded for Tower records and in fact, their "Car Party" / "Outta Gas" car record was the FIRST 45 released on Tower Records!  Tower 101 in September, 1964!  Our own David Allan and the Arrows had the first Tower CHART record with "Apache '65", for which he recently sent the Tucson radio chart listing in February, 1965. Besides Davie on lead guitar, Mike Curb was on keyboards for that 45.
Ian Whitcomb would scrape the bottom of the charts on Tower with his "This Sporting Life" before the label would get a big hit with Freddie & The Dreamers'"I'm Telling You Now" shortly after.  The Arrows followup "Dance the Freddie" / "Moon Dawg '65" was certainly tied to their first 45 AND the Tower Records' new sensation!
Although the Sunrays would be the first to issue a 45 on Tower, the Arrows would be the first to issue a 45 on Sidewalk Records.  The above "Apache '65" was leased to Tower after it was originally released as Sidewalk 1.  That label would later give us the Mugwumps'"Jug Band Music" local hit as well as early 45's by the Electric Flag and the Stone Poneys ... AND our very own FH member Gary Myers' Portraits!  BTW, the label was owned by Arrows' early member Mike Curb -- the same guy who went on to "Burning Bridges" fame and a successful political career. 
I was happy to work on the Arrows CD retrospective, "Devil's Rumble: Anthology '64-'68" for Sundazed just a few years ago.  This CD comp encompasses all the greatness David played on in those amazing 60's California years!
Clark Besch

>>>Should the group The Sunrays have been called the "Revenge of Murry" in tribute to Beach Boys father, producer and pistol whipper Murry Wilson?  (Chet Coppock)
Hey Chet,
Your "Revenge of Murry" statement got me thinking ...
How's this for the "chapters" in a book about the mercurial Murry Wilson?
Murry, along with his wife Audrey, provides an home in which Brian, Carl and Dennis (mostly Brian) discover a joy for music
Murry hits the "big" time when his song "Two-Step Side-Step" is featured on the Lawrence Welk radio program in 1952
Murry produces an environment of fear as he, reportedly, physically and emotionally abuses his boys
Murry hears the musical magic of the then future Beach Boys upon returning home on Labor Day weekend 1961 and gets them into Hite Morgan's studio to cut a demo
Murry forges a relentless campaign to get the boys a recording contract and finally succeeds with Capitol Records 
Murry, as their agent, runs Beach Boys records to DJs far and wide and drives their station wagon across much of the country as he helps them become a household name among teenagers across the country and beyond
Murry becomes obnoxious and insufferable during Beach Boys recording sessions and is eventually fired by his son Brian (see / hear Help Me Rhonda studio tapes)
Murry attempts to recreate his Beach Boys success with the Sunrays, who had two hits using a Beach Boys summer-surf sound
Murry is satirized in Brian's strangely serious "I'm Bugged at My Old Man"
Murry, to the astonishment of Brian (and the rock world), sells Sea of Tunes for a paltry sum that is decades later overturned
Murry, to the astonishment of Beach Boys fans worldwide, co-writes Break Away with Brian and, apparently, participates in the recording sessions. Break Away is all about inner reflection and the fight for freedom to "make a (new) way..."
Did father and sons end on a note of resolution? Greater understanding? Maybe even forgiveness? God only knows.
Phil
PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot,net

re:  The Saturday Surveys:
Kent,
You ain't going to believe this. Just now while perusing your charts on this day and week back in Chicago in the year of 1969, they just played a commercial on my television of a car company with the background music of Sammy Davis' I"VE GOTTA BE ME which was number 4 in your Chicago town.
Where is Rod Serling when you need him?
Your survey of WAEB showed 20 records on their playlist. Ours had 20 records in positions from 1 to 20. However, also listed was 10 records as being HIT BOUND and 10 records which were listed as EXTRA for a total of 40 records on our survey No albums were listed on our survey.  This is the first survey I have seen with this many albums listed.
Larry Neal
It was GREAT to get a comment from Tommy Roe after he saw that his hit record "Dizzy" leaped from #17 to #1 that week in 1969.
Back in the mid-'70's and into the early '80's, the WLS Survey used to show The Top 45 45's and The Top 33 33's ... a GREAT chart!  (kk)

 
Hi Kent,
This is great stuff. There are thousands of possibilities and I want to get in on a little bit of the fun. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to programming. How about this: Instead of Proud Mary by C.C.R., Mary Lou by Fletcher Williams; Instead of One by Three Dog Night, One Night Stand by Magic Lanterns or One Night by Elvis; instead of the Association's Windy, how about Wind's Make Believe; For something from Chicago besides Saturday in the Park, how about Lowdown or Dialogue; instead of Black Magic Woman by Santana, Everybody's Everything; and even though I love the Fat Man, I'm tired of hearing Ain't That A Shame ... How about Shame Shame Shame by Shirley and Company; Mama Told Me Not to Come?, NO, Motorcycle Mama by Sailcat or That's Alright Mama by Elvis. This is Great stuff that I am fortunate enough to hear on one local station (WGVU 1480 / 850) but nowhere else. Keep up the crusade! 
Dube 


And a couple more from me ... after hearing Journey's "Who's Crying Now" FOUR times this weekend (man, I used to LOVE this song ... and I'll bet I was actually IN the car less that three hours alll weekend!), how about just ONE playing of The Top Five Connie Francis Hit "Who's Sorry Now"???  (kk)


Of course there are OTHER alternatives for over-played Journey songs that might sound refreshing coming out of your radio once in awhile ...

For example ...

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT ...

FAITHFULLY ...


ANYTIME ...

LOVIN' TOUCHIN' SQUEEZIN' ...

and SEPARATE WAYS ... 
↧

Helping Out Our Readers

March 5, 2014, 4:15 am
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re:  Helping Out Our Readers:  
>>>I know this is a LONG SHOT!!! ... But maybe you or one of the dedicated Forgotten Hits fans can pull this one from somewhere.  I'd like to know the song and artist of an instrumental (the worst kind of song to not the know the title to) track used in an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  Here's the episode on Hulu.  This is front the 1st season, and the song appears around 9:15 and continues throughout a very odd scene for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, with an outdoor montage of footage.  http://www.hulu.com/watch/668 
The title of this episode is "Bess, You Is My Daughter Now" from the show's first season.  This song has been used in the series at least one another time, albeit in a short snippet only.  It might just be generic TV music, but this full length song leads me to believe this track might exist somewhere.  Now I have a hunch the artist might be Patrick Williams, who was responsible for scoring several films and shows.  His personal website confirms some work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  William's body of work is quite extensive. Anyway, it is a long shot, but any way somebody might be able to put a name to the song I linked to, or maybe even a confirmation that it is indeed part of Williams' work?  Thanks Kent and FH Readers.  (AJK) 
>>>I investigated Patrick Williams' site and, based on what I'm hearing here, I'd have to say that it's a real strong possibility that he supplied the music for this track.  It seems his "incidental music" used in both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Columbo regularly get comments and requests.  But it ALSO sounds like most of these snippets never even got song titles ... he was just told to fill "x" minutes of screen time and come up with something based solely on that criteria.  He also doesn't own any of the rights to his own music ... so he has no way of making it available to interested parties and, surprisingly, it sounds like there have been THOUSANDS of requests over the years.  I received this response from Jason Lee, an associate of Patrick Williams with a bit more detailed explanation.  (kk) 
>>>My name is Jason Lee.  I work with Patrick Williams, and was forwarded your message in hopes that I could assist you.  It's a tough inquiry, as all of that music is owned by FOX (formerly MTM Enterprises). Often times there were no actual "titles" to the pieces other than a cue# and the length of the piece.  Pat does not have any of the music from that show in his personal archive, as it's owned by FOX, so it's pretty much impossible to track down the information you're looking for unless you were to contact the studio directly ... and even then, I can't imagine it being an easy task.  Pat gets requests almost daily for his music from the Marry Tyler Moore Show and especially the work he did on Columbo.  Unfortunately, we're not able to re-release any of this music or make it available for people to enjoy.  Thanks for your inquiry, Kent.  Sorry I don't have a better answer for you.  (Jason Lee) 
I was recently introduced to SoundHound and Shazam by a friend I had asked to help me ID a song for which I didn't have a name and artist.  Apparently these and a handful of other apps and programs just need as little as a hummed tune to ID the song name and the artists who have recorded it.  It isn't a perfect science (what is?) but can you even imagine the technology it takes to perform this magical miracle?  BTW, I'm not promoting anything ... and I don't have stock. 
Pittibg 
I think the biggest key factor here (in this case anyway) is that it's highly likely the song doesn't even have a title!!!  Theoretically, that leaves nothing to identify.  I still suggest just burning the audio to your computer from the Hulu link ... because even if we could eventually nail down the actual name (assuming there even is one!), Patrick Williams wouldn't have the rights to this music anyway ... despite creating it!  (kk)  

>>>I'm trying to produce a documentary about the local Boston, MA, music scene in the 60's and was writing to ask if you could post this on your website. I'm trying to find any archive video from the mid 1960's concerning some local Boston, MA, Rock Bands that anyone might have in their archives that they could share or may know of that might have aired on any local TV or news shows on any networks from the years 1966 - 1969. The main bands I'm looking for footage of are Orpheus, Pandoras, Ill Wind, Teddy & The Pandas, Rockin' Ramrods, Barry & The Remains, Ultimate Spinach, Beacon Street Union or any one else associated with that scene at that time. I know a lot of these bands had done some TV over those years so I'm hoping some may be around.  Any help would be much appreciated.   (Lenny Scolletta)  
lennys09@verizon.net  
I don’t know about local Boston broadcasts, but there are a couple of national videos from The Remains. One was from Hullabaloo in ’66 and also they were on Ed Sullivan in ’66. They do “Diddy Wah Diddy” on Hullabaloo, and a song not on their LP or single on Sullivan. Both are in color and very cool. I know there is also an Orpheus video of “Can’t Find The Time” floating around. Off the top of my head I can’t remember the show. You tube is also a good place to try & find material.  
Ken 


Has the strong similarity between Mike Curb's "Burning Bridges" and Pink Martini's "Splendor In The Grass" been discussed on FH?

David Lewis
I can honestly say "No" ... nor am I familiar with the Pink Martini track you're referring to ... I did a quick search on Amazon but the 30-second preview sounded nothing at all like "Burning Bridges" ... so I really don't know.  Have you got a copy to share with the class???  (kk)


I wasn't familiar with this band until recently. A young friend told me she enjoyed their music, and that they were well-known - so I decided to check them out. Less than ten seconds into this track you'll recognize it as "Burning Bridges" (written by Lalo Schifrin and sung by Mike Curb's friends for the flick "Kelly's Heroes.") You'll also hear a Russian classic in this track.
The story behind and about Pink Martini is quite interesting.
David  
Click here: http://pinkmartini.com/hidden/bio/  
Fans of "The Sound Of Music" will find it cool to see that Pink Martini is working with the Great-Grandchildren of The Van Trapp Family!  (kk)

Got this request from Fred Glickstein of The Flock ...
Favor -  could you post this for me? I'm looking for a few people with whom I did musical projects in the late 70s, early 80s. I am doing a musical project and need to contact these folks. Please post the following info and have whoever replies send you the contact info.  
Here are their names: 
1. Steve Misic - Guitar, played in a group called the Strategic Air Command with me, Ron Karpman, Arch Terrance,  and Tom "Flash Commander" (Can't remember Tom's last name).
2. Tom "Flash Commander" - Like I said, don't remember his last name but remember that it sounded Polish. 
3. J.B. Skye - Songwriter and vocalist ...
Last I heard he was living on one of the Caribbean Islands.
It would also be great if anyone had any pictures of Strategic Air Command.
There is one more name and I'm working on getting his last name. I now have Kenny (The "Fonz") and he played keyboard and sang.
Thanks So Much,
Freddy Gee!  

Kent, 
I found your website on a google search. I have an instrumental from the late fifties / early sixties on cassette I've been trying to identify since around 1971! It was played on a Boston College radio station WERS when they had an oldies show on Saturday nights and was played as a News Roller intro. If I send you a copy of it on CD, you think you could take a shot at who the artist may be, or the name of it? 
Appreciate your time.  Wish I could get posted  somewhere as the theme has been eating my brain for almost 45 years!!!! 
Thanks, 
John Sampson 
Leominster, Ma  
Instrumentals are always tough ... but if you'll send me an MP3 of this track, I'll be happy to post it on our website and see if we get any suggestions.  Thanks, John!  (kk)

And here it is!

I've never heard it before ... but maybe one of you has!  (kk)     

I'm looking for title and composer of gorgeous classical guitar composition that came along right around the same time as Classical Gas.  I believe it also made the top 40 but I'm not sure though.
RolePole07
Like I said without a sound clip, instrumentals are virtually impossible to guess at.  1968 gave us a few Top 40 Instrumental Hits:  Love Is Blue (odds are it isn't this one ... the "classical guitar" bit is what's throwing me here), Grazing In The Grass, The Horse, The Good The Bad And The Ugly, Soul Limbo, Soul Serenade and Ame Caline (Soul Coaxing) all hit Billboard's Top 40 ... and Mission Impossible just missed.  My suggestion would be to take this short list, slug them all into YouTube and see if you find the one you're looking for.  (kk)
I dont have a sound clip.  I know it has a lot of syncopation ... absolutely gorgeous.  I would like to the score to it.  Sorry, but no sound clip.
RolePole07
I'm also thinking that you should try the "Airport" Love Theme ... and the Theme from "Midnight Cowboy" ... neither is from 1968 but they're both still from around that era ... and perhaps more inline with what you're looking for.  There's also the "Phoenix Love Theme" from '66.  Maybe it's one of these. (kk)

Good Day, 
I have often heard a classic Rock N Roll protest song about Chicago that you can hear in the background the words "Go see Obama" but I cannot remember who performed the song or the title. I'm getting senile in my advanced years but still enjoy Rock music. Even today's rock music stirs my music appreciation for the genre. 
Would you please enlighten me to the title and group of that song? 
Best regards, 
Robert Whited 
still rocking @ 65
Not familiar with that one ... but it must be fairly recent if they're screaming about Obama!  (lol)  Anybody else out there have any ideas on this one?  (kk)  

Hi Kent -
I'm wondering if you would be able and willing to do me a gigantic favor by helping me to advertise my fundraising event to the Chicago people on your distribution list. Or even on the website??
I am head of a 501(c)(3) organization called OPPA (Orchestra Parents & Patrons Assoc) and we raise funds strictly for the Lyons Township (La Grange) high school orchestra. They're planning a trip to France in 2015 and our goal is to raise over $100,000 to help defray the cost for the families. Many of us can't afford the $3,700 price tag. This could very well be the one and only time some of these kids ever get to go out of the country. It's professional and educational experience that will be invaluable and unforgettable to them.
The talent schedule is as follows
LTHS orchestra
Far-Sighted (my son Mitch's band) with Special Guest Shirley King (BB King's daughter)
Buzz Kilman and the Blues Rocket Scientist. (Radio legend and star of Silence of the Lambs ... EMT operator in the elevator scene)
I'm inviting local celebrities to volunteer their time for a meet and greet that people would pay extra for. 100% of the proceeds will go towards this trip and the orchestra program as a whole. It's family friendly and there will be things for kids to do.
The flyer is attached. Thanks for your consideration!!
P.S. I'm also welcoming vendors to purchase space at the event.
Kristy
I'm not really sure that this fits what we do here ... but having kids who were also very active (and prolific) in the arts, I'm inspired to do my part in helping your son Mitch and his class make the trip if only by letting the FH Readers know that such a fund-raising effort exists.  (And how cool is it that he's performing with B.B. King's Daughter?!?!?)
I don't really have a local "Chicago only" list ... but if any of our generous readers out there (no matter WHERE you are) feelinspired to contribute to such a worthy cause, I'll be happy topass the information along.  (So if any generous, kind-hearted souls out there would be interested in helping some High School Kids pursue their love of the arts ... and take part in this trip to France ... please let us know.)  
Like I said, not normally what we do here, but I'M feeling especially kind-hearted today, too,  and I'm all for helping out a friend and fellow musically-inclined dreamer!!! (kk)


Hi Kent,
I was recently thinking about a couple of 60's top 40 radio station themes. KFWB's logo became "Image Pt 1" by Hank Levine and actually charted; KRLA's was "That's Where It's At" by the T-Bones. Can you or your readers think of any other radio ID's that were made into full-length recordings that were released on 45's?
-- Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
I know quite a few programs had "theme songs" ... the first one that immediately comes to mind is "Play Those Oldies, Mr. DeeJay" by Anthony and the Sophomores, a big hit in Philadelphia and other spots up and down the East Coast that did virtually nothing anywhere else. (It actually DID chart here in Chicago but never made the national trades.)  The song is still be used as the theme song for several Doo-Wop Internet Radio Programs.  (Here in Chicago, popular radio favorite Art Roberts used to do a program called "Hey Baby, They're Playing Our Song" ... which I believe inspired local Chicagoland Songwriter James Holvay to write a song by that title which became a Top Ten Hit for The Buckinghams in 1967.  Actually, Holvay wrote FOUR big hits for The Bucks:  "Kind Of A Drag", "Don't You Care", "Hey Baby" and "Susan".) 
Several jocks have written in in the past talking about their theme songs ... in fact, we were shocked to learn that Scott Shannon used to sign off every day with "Cherish" by The Association!  But as far as RADIO STATIONS using a particular theme, I'm guessing these were pretty few and far between ... but let's see what the list comes back with.  (And if you've got copies of a couple of these, let me know!)  kk   



Hi Kent -
Saw your excellent write-up on the group the New Colony Six with several song postings. Wondering if you might have (or be able to post) the b-side of their last single, Run, which came out on MCA. 
Thanks, 
Mark  
Actually, we just DID that!!!  Scroll back to January 4th of this year and you'll find it there.  A B-Side that sounds nothing at all like anything else the band ever did.  (kk)   

Can you please help me by naming left to right the members that are pictured here?





I am sure that a guy named Gus Pedigo is second from the left, as he was on the recording of the album Last Kiss.  Can you verify that and supply the names of all of the pictured?

Thank you so very much  
Vicki  
Just to be sure, I went to Sid Holmes, who wrote a very definitive book about the history of "Last Kiss" ... and played with The Cavaliers for quite awhile.  He tells us: 
Top L to R:  Lewis Elliott - Gus Pedigo - Roland Atkinson - Buddy Croyle - Mike Hodges
Pettigo is deceased.
Lewis, Roland, and Buddy cloned Wayne Cochran's second recording of "Last Kiss" note for note in the studio in San Angelo, Texas in 1964. Former member Jim Wynne (not shown) from the '62 group played piano. His piano work was the only original part of the recording. Frank sang it 64 times in a three hour period one afternoon before getting the master. Roland Atkinson claimed for 40 years that his girl friend sang behind Frank. After searching for 40 years and finally running her down in Odessa, Texas, she said he was full of it, as she'd never been in a recording studio. Roland also claimed the short tour they were on September of 1964 was the Dick Clark Show of Stars ... more b.s. It was a whirlwind tour that featured the Animals who had just arrived in the U.S. with their #1 hit "House Of The Rising Sun." Frank was the opening act, as "Last Kiss" was #63 on the charts at the time. A short time later they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.
The guys pictured above played behind Frank in the studio a few weeks after the record hit and managed to record some of the worst songs in history. The girl who sang behind Frank on Last Kiss is still unknown today as her voice was dubbed in a few days later.
Keep in touch as Rodney Wilson (Frank's son) and I have been going after royalties as when Last Kiss was recorded he was under an exclusive contract with me covering 1963 - 1966. 
Take care,
Sid

By the way, you can pick up a copy of Sid's book "Rockabilly Heaven" here:  
Click here: West Texas Music Hall Of Fame
It tells the WHOLE story behind the hit song "Last Kiss" and the band that recorded it, J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers.  (kk)
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50 Years Ago This Weekend

March 7, 2014, 4:00 am
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Leap year kicked in this past week in 1964, throwing all of our anniversary dates off by a day ... but we're still doing our best to recreate the evolution of The British Invasion once a week here in Forgotten Hits. 

On the Billboard Magazine chart dated March 7, 1964, THE BEATLES kicked off the month with three of the top four singles in the land … I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND (still #1, now for the SIXTH straight week), followed right behind by SHE LOVES YOU (#2) and PLEASE PLEASE ME (#4).  Dusty's record I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU has stalled at #14 while I SAW HER STANDING THERE, GLAD ALL OVER and MY BONNIE continue to climb (at numbers 18, 23 and 31 respectively.) 

New on the charts are THE SEARCHERS, at #75 with NEEDLES AND PINS (you may recall it premiered here in Chicago a week earlier), a song (ironically) written by American Sonny Bono!  Rounding out The Hot 100, you'll find HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE by THE SWINGIN' BLUE JEANS at #80 and FROM ME TO YOU (the flipside of the U.S. re-release of PLEASE PLEASE ME, but a #1 Hit on its own back home in Jolly Ol' England) at #86, giving THE BEATLES a total of SIX songs in The Hot 100 this week.  

Here in Chicago, The Beatles hold down the Top Three Spots on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey dated March 6th with "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Please Please Me".  "I Saw Her Standing There" is at #8 and "Twist And Shout" is brand new at #10 in its first week on the chart.  This gives The Beatles exactly HALF of the Top Ten Records in Chicago. 

Other British Acts making a showing this week include The Dave Clark Five at #12 with "Glad All Over", Cliff Richard at #20 with "It's All In The Game", The Searchers at #25 with "Needles And Pins" and The Swinging Blue Jeans premiering at #29 with "The Hippy Hippy Shake".  In "related" news, you'll also find The Viceroy's hit "Liverpool" at #32 while The Carefrees debut on the chart at #23 with "We Love You Beatles".



 

On TV, Ed Sullivan welcomed The Dave Clark Five for the very first time on his March 8th program.  (They performed "Glad All Over".)  They were back a week later to do three more songs ... and became favorites of The Ed Sullivan Show, appearing a total of a dozen times over the next four years.   
Click here: Dave Clark Five | Ed Sullivan Show   



And, speaking of The Dave Clark Five ...   

Forgotten Hits Reader Tom Cuddy sent us this great piece of news the other day ...   
Click here: PBS gets 'Glad All Over' about Dave Clark Five


Next to The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five were, without a doubt, my favorite British Invasion Act at the time ... one of the most exciting Christmas Gifts I ever received was their first "Greatest Hits" album ... ALL hits and no filler ... I played it Over And Over (pun intended) again and again till I started to wear out the grooves!  (Their singles were pressed SO loud that they sounded distorted every time you played them.  Now granted, that was part of their "sound" ... but at times it was just too much ... especially on the crappy little record player that I had at the time ... so getting the LP with CONSIDERABLY clearer sound was quite a bonus!)  And I played the heck out of it.  
I'm looking forward to seeing what PBS has put together ... Dave Clark has always been pretty tight with sharing his archives ... he owns the rights to virtually every appearance they ever made! ... so it'll be interesting to see what they've come up with ... although I hear it's pretty much a career retrospective, 1964 - 1970.  Be sure to check your local listings starting on April 8th to see when this will be showing in your area.  (kk)  

More on Tottenham Quintet ...  

Over the years it has been reported that Ed Sullivan REALLY favored The Dave Clark Five ... and that, in fact, the group appeared more times on his program than any other act ... other than Topo Gigio, of course! 

But I've seen that number of appearances distorted SO many times over the years that I couldn't help but wonder what the REAL number of appearances really was. 

So I went right to the source ... Andrew Solt, who owns the rights to EVERY Ed Sullivan Show ever broadcast.  (Andrew's official Ed Sullivan Website ... link above ... shows the count at 12 ... but the USA Today article we link to above puts the number at 18.)  I've seen 15, 16, 18, "over 20" and 24 reported by other media sources ... but WE wanted to report the REAL number.

Andrew connected me with Greg Vines, the guy in his organization who maintains the logs of EVERY Sullivan broadcast.  (Not only is Greg the guy who would know ... but he also has the official documentation to back it up!)

Here's what he told me:    

Hi Kent, 

Regarding The Dave Clark Five ... the reason for the discrepancy is a little complicated.  They appeared on the show 16 times, but three of those appearance were repeats ... and one was film clips of earlier performances.  We don't count the repeats or film clips so that's how our number comes to 12.  

Here's a breakdown of their appearances:  

03/08/64  (honored above)  
03/15/64 
05/31/64 
11/01/64 – REPEATED ON 7/11/65 
02/14/65 – REPEATED ON 8/8/66 
06/20/65 
11/14/65 
02/20/66 – REPEATED ON 7/24/66 
04/24/66 – ON TAPE & IN STUDIO 
06/12/66 
11/20/66 – FILM CLIP – NOT IN STUDIO 
3/26/67 
12/21/69 – FILM CLIPS FROM EARLIER PERFORMANCES 

Hope this helps.   

All the best,

Greg Vines
SOFA Entertainment
Andrew Solt Productions
Los Angeles, CA 90069 
edsullivan.com

Thanks, Greg, it sure does!!!  (Again, you can always count on Forgotten Hits to bring you the most accurate truth possible!  And, in this case, the definitive correct answer.) 

Inspired, I decided to do a little more digging.  

Here's what The Dave Clark Five performed during each of those "new" appearances:

03/08/64 - Glad All Over
03/15/64 - Do You Love Me, Bits And Pieces, Glad All Over
05/31/64 - Can't You See That She's Mine, Do You Love Me
11/01/64 – (REPEATED ON 7/11/65):  Any Way You Want It, Because
02/14/65 – (REPEATED ON 8/8/66):  Everybody Knows, Any Way You Want It
06/20/65 - Glad All Over, Come Home, I Like It Like That
11/14/65 - Over And Over, Catch Us If You Can
02/20/66 – (REPEATED ON 7/24/66):  Over And Over, At The Scene
04/24/66 – ON TAPE & IN STUDIO:  Catch Us If You Can, Try Too Hard
06/12/66 - Look Before You Leap, Please Tell Me Why
11/20/66 – FILM CLIP – NOT IN STUDIO:  Sitting Here Baby, Nineteen Days
3/26/67 - I've Got To Have A Reason, You Got What It Takes
12/21/69 – FILM CLIPS FROM EARLIER PERFORMANCES - This was a clips show that spotlighted British Artists The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, Petula Clark, Herman's Hermits and The Rolling Stones (along with other highlights broadcast live from Ed's stage during the 1960's.)  

Wow!That show already sounds better than anything that's on TV today!!!  Also included were performances by Diana Ross and the Supremes, who performed a medley of Baby Love, Stop! In the Name of Love, Come See About Me, My World Is Empty Without You, You Can't Hurry Love, The Happening, You Keep Me Hangin' On, Reflections, Love Child and I Hear a Symphony along with their latest (and last hit with Diana Ross) Someday We'll Be Together.

And finally ...

Don't miss our buddy Carl Wiser's Songfacts.com interview with Dave Clark ...

You'll find it here:  
Click here: Dave Clark: Songwriter Interviews

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The Saturday Surveys (3-8)

March 8, 2014, 5:00 am
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Here's a chart sent into us by Davie Allan ... who just happened to have the #1 Record of the week over at KFXM.  His instrumental giant "Blues' Theme" tops the chart for this week in 1967 ... placing him ahead of some pretty important (and heavy!) competition ... The Beatles are at #2 with their two-sided hit "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever", The Turtles are at #3 with their monster hit "Happy Together" and The Rolling Stones have just fallen out of The Top Ten with THEIR two-sided hit "Let's Spend The Night Together" [shown here as the A-Side] / "Ruby Tuesday"!



Also in The Top Five is one of OUR favorites, Emitt Rhodes and Merry-Go-Round with their first chart hit, "Live", a track that did MUCH better on The West Coast than it did nationally.



Actually, you'll find quite a few hits on this survey that barely got noticed nationally ... a GREAT example of what these local surveys meant back then!



The Beatles and The Stones also made The Top Ten on this Cleveland Chart from the year before.  (And there's Sonny Geraci yet AGAIN topping the charts!)

Unusual Top 20 Hits include "Time" by The Pozo-Seco Singers (I've always liked this song ... just never expected to see it in The Top 20!) and "From A Distance" by P.F. Sloan.  Sloan is best known for his song-writing so it's rare to see him on the charts singing one of his own hits.  In fact, the best this track could do in Billboard was to "bubble under" for exactly one week at #109!

Take a look at the bottom quarter of the chart and you'll find a decidedly country feel ... chart hits include the latest from Roger Miller, Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash and Slim Whitman, along with country-flavored tunes by Billy Joe Royal and B.J. Thomas.

It's also kind of surprising to see a Bobby Sherman record as one of the "Very Important Premiers" ... he wouldn't really break into the charts for another three years!









Man, why doesn't radio play this one?!? One of the finest recordings B.J. Thomas ever made in my opinion!

A couple of weeks ago we promised Canadian Forgotten Hits Reader Doug Thompson that we'd feature his March CHUM Chart when the date came up.

Canada was a little late to the party with their coverage of "I Want To Hold Your Hand".  It had already held the top spot here in The States for six weeks by the time it finally reached #1 up north.  But that's only because Canada jumped on a couple of OTHER Beatles hits first instead.  (As we saw a few weeks ago, The Fab Four held down the #1 and #2 spot in January with "She Loves You" and "Roll Over Beethoven").

Here, they've captured SIX of the Top Ten positions  (with seven tracks if you count the charted B-Side "I Saw Her Standing There".)

Still holding on to Top Ten positions are the aforementioned "She Loves You", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" ... but joining them this week are "Please Please Me", "From Me To You" and "Love Me Do".  (You'll also find The Beatles at #30 this week with "All My Lovin'"!)

The biggest mover of the week, however, belongs to The Trashmen ... who leap from #50 up to #25 with their rock - novelty hit "Bird Dance Beat"!  (I've got to admit that I'm a little bit perplexed by this one ... it's essentially the exact same song as "Surfin' Bird" ... only about 800% WORSE!!!  The "novelty" was fun the first time around ... but this recording pretty much sucks!!!)




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The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 09 - 14 )

March 9, 2014, 7:36 am
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re:  50 Years Ago This Weekend  (The Beatles and The Dave Clark Five):  
After we ran our 50th Anniversary piece the other day spotlighting The Dave Clark Five, Josh Solt (son of Andrew) sent us this link to THEIR posting celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' arrival in America ...  
You might enjoy this "Beatles in America" infographic we created which has been viewed over a million times in the past few weeks: http://www.edsullivan.com/beatles-in-america/ 
Best,  
Josh  

Kent -   
Thanks for tracking down Greg Vines and getting the definitive answer to the question "How many times did the Dave Clark Five appear on the Ed Sullivan Show?". What threw me off when I first fact-checked it was the Tom Hanks speech at the Hall of Fame induction, where it says they were on 18 times. Often, these figures are confabulated by the artists themselves and then reported as truth. Memory is quite fallible.
Carl Wiser
www.songfacts.com  
Yeah, this one has bothered me for a while ... there was just such a HUGE discrepancy ... and, as you said, even Dave Clark himself has greatly exaggerated their number of appearances.  (Not that twelve is anything to shake a stick at ... considering The Beatles only officially made four ... but they DID send in video clips, too, much as The DC5 did.)  kk   

Hi Kent:   
A DC5, British Invasion memory ... In the Summer of ’64 my Brother and his two friends were having an all night card party. The only record they played all night was “Glad All Over”. I believe they got up to 220 plays of the 45. I saw the 45 the next day and it was white from play, but still sounded Great! Took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’!!  
Ken
Funny thing is I didn't like the first two Dave Clark Five singles ... and still consider "Glad All Over" and "Bits And Pieces" amongst their weakest tracks.  For me they REALLY got things going with hits like "Can't You See That She's Mine", their version of "Do You Love Me", "Because", "Catch Us If You Can", both versions of "Everybody Knows" and their remakes of "I Like It Like That", "You Got What It Takes", "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "Over And Over".  And I'll put a couple of their B-Sides ... "Hurtin' Inside" and "I Miss You" ... up against the very best of The Beatles' ballads ... these are two of my all-time favorites. (kk)

Hi Kent -
I really enjoyed your "50 years ago" email ~~ Those were the days.
The British Invasion was my favorite time in music.
I agree with you about the Dave Clark Five. My favorite was their love song "Because".
Any songs the Cryan Shames did was GREAT. I have all their albums and they are all great recordings.
When you have time, check out "I've Had It" by The Bell Notes. I finally got a copy and will add it to my juke box.
Carolyn
Actually, we just featured "I've Had It" a short while ago.  Steven Tyler mentioned that when he and his friend Ray Tabano (also of Aerosmith fame) were teenagers, they used to go check out The Bell Notes at Ray's father's club ... and once got up on stage between sets and performed this song as one of his very first appearances ever singing live in front of an audience.  
In his biography "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?", Tyler says:  
"When I was about fourteen, I hung out with Ray at his dad's bar on Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx.  Not bad for a hangout.  He would let us drink beer.  A local Bronx R&B group, The Bell Notes, used to perform there and, between their sets, Ray and I would sing their 1959 hit 'I've Had It'.  We'd also do the old Leadbelly song 'Cotton Fields', but in the collegiate folk song style of The Highwaymen, who had a hit with it in 1962."   
As you know, I'm a MAJOR Dave Clark Five and Cryan' Shames fan, too ... so we ALWAYS welcome the chance to feature one of their tunes on the website. (kk)

And here's a chance to celebrate Beatles Week on "Caravan To Midnight", the John B. Wells program ...  
Here is BEATLES WEEK guest lineup for Caravan To Midnight: The John B. Wells Program: 
Monday March 10: Harvey Kubernik 9-11  
Tuesday March 11: Ken Scott 9-11  
Wednesday March 12: Elliot Mintz 9-11   
Thursday March 13: David Leaf 9-11   
Here is the Show website:  www.CaravanToMidnight.com  

re: Could You Please (not) Repeat That?:  
>>>after hearing Journey's "Who's Crying Now" FOUR times this weekend  (kk)  
I hear all those songs you put up by Journey on our disgusting "The Big O" who says they will play anything you want.  A true joke.  It is on at work constantly day after day over the speakers and I and another radio guy there constantly diss the station music which we are not allowed to change. 
Last night, he said to me "They just played this like 20 minutes ago."  They proceeded to play the same song six times in a row.  Obviously a programming glitch, but I just kept not believing it as one followed another.  It was a song they play all the time, but I had no idea who or what it was.  Later, they played "Come Sail Away" three times in two hours.  IF there was a LIVE broadcaster at the station "taking requests", I doubt they would have made these mistakes!  
Clark Besch  
Scroll back and check the website again ... you'll see that we offered "alternative programming" to the same Journey songs they play non-stop all day long. I figured you didn't really need to hear these again since odds are they'll pop up four or five times today anyway every time you turn on your radio.  
In fact, I just thought of another one ...  
Instead of "Wheel In The Sky" ... how about ...


Kent,
You mentioned today, as you have previously, of hearing the same songs by Steve Miller over and over and over again. I thought of one by him I haven't heard in years and that is his 1968 recording of LIVING IN THE U.S.A. I just got it out, played it, needless to say, enjoyed hearing it again. I checked and it was a moderate hit here in OKC back in late 1968. Don't know how well it did in your town.
Larry Neal
While not as ridiculously over-played as some of his other hits ... I turned off "Jungle Love" three times yesterday! ... we still hear "Living In The U.S.A." once in awhile here in Chicago, primarily on the Classic Rock stations.  I really like ALL of Steve Miller's hits ... I just don't need to hear them fifteen times a day ... every single day!  (I'd like 'em a whole lot more if they spread it out a little!)  kk

Then again, instead of hearing "Jungle Love" (not even that big of a hit ... it peaked at #23 in Billboard!) three time in the same day, wouldn't it be nice just once to turn on the radio and hear THIS instead???

>>>Check out what they're doing now on The Drive ... playing more "deep tracks" than ever ... most likely an effort to distinguish the station from all the other Classic Rock / Classic Hit stations in town playing the exact same music.  Good News / Bad News:  It's nice NOT to hear the same old tracks over and over and over again .. but now we're hearing stuff we've NEVER heard before ... so there's absolutely NO familiarity factor ... and a lot of of it simply isn't any good.  (I swear I've never heard so much AC/DC in my entire life!)  I find myself connecting less and less with The Drive's current play list ... and, for a while there, they were my "go to" station.  (kk)
Kent -
I feel your pain!!
I have switched to The River 95.9.  They play what WDRV used to play. You can sing to all the songs. I agree that the Drive is playing too many obscure songs. Why don't they play deep tracks from artists we know?  When they play the "hits" A-Z Weekend, about 2000 songs, there are too many "filler" songs that I have never heard!  I only listen to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots now.
Here is the play list from 95.5 right now. You know all the songs.  
Feeling That Way / Anytime - JOURNEY
(I Know) I'm Losing You - ROD STEWART
You Give Love a Bad Name - BON JOVI
Gold Dust Woman - FLEETWOOD MAC
Somebody to Love - JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
Pride and Joy -  STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE
Hitch a Ride - BOSTON
Feel Like Makin' Love - BAD COMPANY
My City Was Gone - THE PRETENDERS
Moondance - VAN MORRISON
Victim of Love - THE EAGLES
Turn It On Again - GENESIS
You Can't Always Get What You Want - THE ROLLING STONE
Centerfold - THE J. GEILS BAND
Run Like Hell - PINK FLOYD
Oye Como Va - SANTANA
Free Fallin' - TOM PETTY
Renegade - STYX
Wrapped Around Your Finger - THE POLICE
Wanted Dead or Alive - BON JOVI
Addicted to Love - ROBERT PALMER
Rock and Roll Never Forgets - BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND
Love In An Elevator - AEROSMITH
Rock and Roll - LED ZEPPELIN
White Wedding - BILLY IDOL  
I checked the Drive's play list for the same timeframe and they have played, The Eagles, Pink Floyd, Santana, Bob Seger, The Kinks (Lola) live, the same Santana song!, Steve Miller, and The Stones. It seems like they are playing the same songs except the Drive is playing your favorite artist, who you can't get enough of, Billy Joel. LOL.
Somebody's Baby - JACKSON BROWNE
Animal - DEF LEPPARD
Move It On Over - GEORGE THOROGOOD AND TRAVIS TRITT
High On You - SURVIVOR
Hey You - PINK FLOYD
Big Shot - BILLY JOEL
Here I Go Again - WHITESNAKE
Feeling That Way / Anytime - JOURNEY
Lola (Live) - THE KINKS
Urgent - FOREIGNER
Rock The Casbah - THE CLASH
The Joker - STEVE MILLER BAND
Down Under - MEN AT WORK
Oye Como Va - SANTANA
Hold On Loosely - .38 SPECIAL
Desperado (Live) - THE EAGLES
Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE
Bill
I've been monitoring this pretty closely the past few weeks, making it a point to listen to the radio ... and ONLY the radio ... a couple of times a week, to and from work ... which ranges from about 45 minutes to an hour each way.  As you play log indicates, it's the exact same artists ... and, quite often, the exact same songs, everywhere you turn.  I routinely switch between The Drive, The River, The Fox, The Loop, K-Hits and WLS-FM ... but have found myself listening more and more to the CURRENT hits of the day (which are also over-saturated with repeated plays) on stations like B-96, KISS-FM, The Mix and My-FM ... just to escape the full-on assault of repetition on the so-called Classic Hits / Classic Rock stations.
Since this is my preferred genre, I've weeded through my six Chicagoland options ... and determined that the station playing the most variety of familiar songs is, indeed, The River.  That being said, they are missing a GOLDEN opportunity to expand that play list in the same vein and draw even more listeners to their station.  (Unfortunately, the often weak signal limits the amount of time you can actually listen if you venture out of the western suburbs ... but I have to agree ... this new mix of deep tracks on The Drive ISN'T the material I would typically listen to or have an interest in.  There are enough "hit" artists to draw from and still play album cuts that rarely get a spin without venturing so far off the path.  My guess is the next ratings book will prove me right.  (kk)

Kent,
A little while ago I was out in my car and the song JACK AND DIANE was playing. When it was done, the DJ told the name of the song and then after a very brief pause said, "Man! I haven't heard that song in at least three hours!" I almost died of laughter. As you know, even the DJ's are getting tired of the same old same old.
Larry

re:  Rumors Of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated:
Now HERE'S a major revelation ... 
After we ran this photo and comment last week ...


Top L to R:  Lewis Elliott - Gus Pedigo - Roland Atkinson - Buddy Croyle - Mike Hodges
Pettigo is deceased.  (Sid Holmes)    

We were QUITE surprised to get this email:   
Hi Kent,
Thank you so much for the information ... BUT Gus Pedigo (sitting across from me right now) is very much alive and well in Ocala, Florida, still playing music.  Makes one wonder, though, how that rumor started ... maybe that is why he is not listed as one of the musicians on most bios of Last Kiss. 
Thanks,
Vicki
Wow!  (Just goes to show you that you NEVER know who's reading Forgotten Hits!!!)
Naturally we shot a copy of this off to Sid Holmes right away ... unfortunately when something like this happens it brings into question the accuracy of other details ... some distorted for so long that the actual facts get blurred sometimes.  Here's what he told me:
Now, that's good news. My information came direct from Lewis Elliott and Roland Atkinson.  It now appears they just might want him "dead" in order to keep him from getting any credits(?)
I would like to talk with Gus if you can supply me with his phone number or e-Mail address.
Thanks!
Sid
Will do ... with SO many members of The Cavaliers passing through over the years (most of whom claim to have been on the "Last Kiss" hit record), it would have been a band of about 40 members in the recording studio that big day in 1964 when this #1 Hit was laid down ... and we all know that this couldn't possibly be the truth.  You can catch the whole convoluted story here:

re:  Guess Who:
The often contentious issue of ownership to song music and lyrics comes up again today (March 7th) in The Toronto Star, where Randy Bachman gives his take on some of the ownership issues between him and Burton Cummings related to some of The Guess Who’s hits.  The Star’s excerpt is taken from Randy’s new book “Tales From Beyond The Tap”.  
Mike Ogilvie  
Mississauga ON

re:  The Saturday Surveys:
Agreed, Kent.  "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is one of BJ's best, and just a butter-smooth vocal delivery.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
B.J.'s got one of the smoothest voices in pop history ... everything he did just seemed so effortless ... yet fit the song perfectly.  We can't wait to see him again at The Arcada Theatre on November 7th.  (kk)

Kent,   
I especially enjoy the surprises the surveys give me.  They help bring my memories back in focus.  I wouldn't have remembered "Happy Together", "Penny Lane" and Emitt Rhodes and Merry-Go-Round's "Live" being the same time period much less the same month and year (and 1967 at that!).  Great songs and wonderful memories from all of them. 
Tom
I have always tended to associate certain songs together ... one perfect example is "Happy Together" by The Turtles and "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tommy James and the Shondells.
Here in Chicago, these two tracks battled it out for the #1 spot on our local charts ... and even exchanged that position a few times, each returning to the top and replacing the other.
Funny thing is, I wouldn't have associated that happenstance with February at all, when "Penny Lane" was at its peak on the charts ... so I agree that these Saturday "refresher courses" bring a truer reality to the times as they were.  (kk)

These look similar?? Same week March, 1966.  WKYC is from Cleveland and WCFL is from Chicago. Notice the different chart positions for different parts of the country? Time Won't Let Me was # 1 in Cleveland, a Cleveland band. That song wouldn't hit the Chicago chart until April 7, four weeks later. Conversely, Gloria, a Chicago group, was # 3 with 4 weeks on the survey, Cleveland had it at entering the survey # 20.
As Spinal Tap would say, "IT'S GOT 11, IT'S ONE MORE!"


Bill  
Yes, I've mentioned before how similar some of these charts looked across the country ... things that we thought were unique and exclusive to Chicago were actually being done in other major markets all over the country.  (The biggest surprise for me was seeing how many radio stations had their own "Silver Dollar Survey", a moniker that I thought was exclusively ours here at WLS.  (In fact Clark Weber told me how they would send the jocks out with their promo people and their interns to find people listening to WLS at the beach and then actually GIVE them a handful of silver dollars just for listening!)  Ahh yes, THOSE were the days in radioland.  (Scroll down below for a vintage WLS clip ... a true "time stamp" of that era.  (And it is SO cool to see these stations reward their local talent, back in the day when radio could do such a thing!)  kk

Hey Kent,
On that KFXM survey that Davie Allan sent you I noticed that "Acapulco Gold" by the Rainy Daze checks in at Number 24.  Is it just me?  Every time I hear that record I swear that it sounds like Jim Morrison and the Doors clowning around!
Regards,
Scott Paton

>>> An unusual Top 20 Hit was "From A Distance" by P.F. Sloan.  Sloan is best known for his song-writing so it's rare to see him on the charts singing one of his own hits.  In fact, the best this track could do in Billboard was to "bubble under" for exactly one week at #109!  It's also kind of surprising to see a Bobby Sherman record as one of the "Very Important Premiers" ... he wouldn't really break into the charts for another three years!  The biggest mover of the week, however, belongs to The Trashmen ... who leap from #50 up to #25 with their rock - novelty hit "Bird Dance Beat"!  (I've got to admit that I'm a little bit perplexed by this one ... it's essentially the exact same song as "Surfin' Bird" ... only about 800% WORSE!!!  The "novelty" was fun the first time around ... but this recording pretty much sucks!!!)  kk
"From a Distance" is a GREAT song indeed.  Also, the Bobby Sherman track you refer to is a take off on the commercial "Happiness is the taste of Kent" Cigarette commercial jingle of the day.  As for the Trashmen, I disagree whole heartedly with you.  I LOVE "Surfin' Bird", which may be the first "hard rock" song ever!  "Bird Dance Beat" may be a clone, but I love it, too.  It's funny that FH reader and WLS vet, Bob Hale, must have hated those songs, too, as I have tapes of both songs being made fun of by Bob in 64 on the air as he did the Silver Dollar Survey show.
Clark Besch

We seem to be out-voted on "Bird Dance Beat"! 

Correction - Nothing The Trashmen did ever “Sucks”!!!!!
“Sucks” more aptly refers to most crap since 1974. See Rap / Hip-Hop, etc.. etc.   
Ken

Kent,
Enjoyed looking at Saturday's surveys as usual. I have got to be honest with you though. I probably wouldn't have admitted this fifty years ago, but I have always liked BIRD DANCE BEAT by the Trashmen, just a tad better than their SURFIN' BIRD. That kind of tells you about my taste in music LOL.
I checked and BIRD DANCE BEAT  made it up to #18 for the week of March 19, 1964 here in OKC. It was sandwiched between two Motown greats by the Temptations and Marvin Gaye.
Larry Neal  

re:  This And That:  
Got this from FH Reader Dave Barry after all our recent talk about Darlene Love and the hit film "20 Feel From Stardom" ...
The year of Darlene Love began last summer, when she appeared in "20 Feet from Stardom," the Oscar-winning documentary about the lives of background singers. Love sang on "The Colbert Report" last week, then breathed life into the 86th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday with a blast of gospel during the "20 Feet" acceptance speech.  
Does she have plans for an encore?
Love appears at City Arts & Lectures this Friday night, in conversation with Steven Winn. The Nourse Auditorium visit is her first in San Francisco in more than a decade. In addition to the on-stage discussion, Love will perform a concert, complete with band and background singers of her own.
We spoke to her last Wednesday, not long before she was set to take a flight from New York to California for the Oscars.
Q: What was your first reaction to the finished ("20 Feet From Stardom") product?
A: I was shocked at how good it was. It was like, "Wow, you guys really dug deep. You got some things in there I didn't know about."
Q: "20 Feet" covered your time as a housecleaner in Los Angeles. Was there a big break immediately after that that helped get you back on track as a singer?
A: The first job I got after that happened was on the cruise ship - on Carnival Cruise Lines, believe it or not. When I got on the ship, people recognized who I was. They said, "Why are you on a cruise ship?" I said, "Because I need a job." ... Word got around. Producers and people would see me. They said, "You need to get to New York. People need to see you."
It was a humbling situation. I was down and out and I had to get on the ship. But I never thought it was below me to do what I was doing.
Q: This sounds like the plot from a "The Love Boat" episode.
A: It actually ended up being a love boat for me, because that's where I met my third husband!
Q: You're kidding.
A: No. (Laughs.) He was the chief steward on board.
Q: You married Gopher?
A: I'm telling you, it's definitely a love story. Still married 30 years later.
Q: You have only four film credits on your IMDB page, all playing Trish Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" movies. How did that happen?
A: The movie world is strange. ... I was working in Manhattan at The Bottom Line, and the casting director was a fan. He called my manager's office and said, "Do you think Darlene Love would be interested in being in a movie with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover?" And my manager said, "Why not?"
I talked to the director, Dick Donner, and he said, "As far as I'm concerned you've got the part." I said, "This ain't hard. This is easy. What else do I have to do?" They had been auditioning, and they picked me to be Danny's wife in the only four movies I've ever done.
Q: Are you still in touch with your movie husband?
A: Every once in a while we talk, but we're not as close and I'd like to be, because we're in different worlds. He's in the acting world and I'm in the singing world and very rarely do they meet.
Q: Have you ever been sitting in a movie theater, and hear one of your songs that you didn't know was in the film?
A: When we first went to see "Gremlins," I took my children, and there it was: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" opened a whole segment of the movie. I was like, "Are you kidding me? I didn't know anything about this song being in there."
There were others. "Father of the Bride" had "Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry." I had no idea it was going to be in there.
Q: What are you going to sing when you come out to San Francisco?
A: I do a lot of my old things. They wouldn't let me off the stage if I didn't. I start my show off with "He's a Rebel." I start with one of my songs and end with one of my songs. And in the middle I do gospel, because I love gospel songs. ... I do medleys with one of my male backup singers. He sings one of Roberta Flack's songs, and one Righteous Brothers song. They're going to get a little bit of everything with Darlene Love.
Q: Are you extra nice to your background singers?
A: Believe it! You just hit it on the head. It's funny, you don't have to be extra nice. I just treat them the way I would want to be treated as a background singer. I was blessed, because when I was a background singer they were really nice to me.
Darlene Love: City Arts & Lectures. 7:30 p.m. Friday. Nourse Auditorium, S.F. www.cityarts.net. For the complete Q&A with Darlene Love, go to Peter Hartlaub's pop culture blog the Big Event, http://blog.sfgate.com/ thebigevent.
Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle's pop culture critic. E-mail: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub   

We told you that the film "20 Feet From Stardom" won The Academy Award for Best Documentary Sunday Night.  Vintage Vinyl News ran a clip of Darlene Love's acceptance speech (which has apparently since been removed from the website for copyright infringement by The Academy.)  Too bad ... I never got to see this air ... but you CAN read all about it here:
And, if you HAVEN'T seen this film yet, please do ... you'll be glad you did.  Available on DVD as well as On Demand.  (kk)

Speaking of great new music documentaries, THIS one certainly looks like a winner.
It's the sequel to "Wages of $pin", the Shawn Swords film from a few years ago that exposed the whole Payola Scandal of the late '50's and early '60's ...
This footage is amazing ... and there's an up-coming screening that some of you may wish to attend.  (We're trying to get a screener copy of the film so we can review it here on the website).  Meanwhile, check out this incredible clip ...

Hi Everybody -
 Here is the final teaser / trailer link for Wages of Spin II "Bring Down That Wall" ...
Premiere Tickets at www.characterdrivenfilms.com
This story is amazing!!!
James Brooks Theater, UCLA Campus ... Tickets:  www.characterdrivenfilms.com

Big story last week was the fact that Michael Jackson may have a 31 year old biological son!
I just can't believe this may be true!
Nicki
What's the part that you find most shocking ...
The fact that Michael Jackson might have a 31 year old son?
Or the fact that Michael Jackson might have had sex with a woman?!?!?  (kk)
Hahaha all of the above. I wonder if this really is the story of Billie Jean lol
Nicki
LOL, never thought of that ... and actually the timing fits!!!  Things that make you go "Hmmm" ... I wonder!  (kk)

Kent ...
Maybe your readers might want to hear highlights from Scott Shannon's debut. I didn't know that Robert Lamm was from Brooklyn, New York, and lived in New York City for twenty years before moving to California.
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2014/03/03/scott-shannon-premieres-on-the-cbs-fm-morning-show/
As for Day Two, all the first day debut excitement is over.  Scott re-played Jon Bon Jovi and Micky Dolenz interviews.  Second day and he's already resorting to re-runs.
Lee Mazzilli, ex-Met and Yankee player, called in from Spring Training.  He's a current Yankee coach. He said the Yankees are ahead of schedule ... looking good. Turntable Tuesday in the Hall Of Fame.
Rounding out Scott's first week on WCBS-FM:
Wednesday = Arsenio Hall, late night TV, called in .
Thursday = Mystery  Caller. Here's the hints Scott gave us:  Hint One = 1970's TV show and recording star.  
Hint Two = #3.  
I couldn't guess who it was.  #3 is for "Knock Three Times".  Now I know it's Tony Orlando.
Scott told this story ... he was in Las Vegas with his family, going to Tony's show. He told Tony not to announce that he was there. Tony not only tells the audience about him, he goes over to Scott and stands on his table to sing him a song.
Friday = Things have quieted down. Scott re-played the Robert Lamm interview from Monday.
So far it seems that Joe Nolan (Traffic), Debbie Rodriguez (News) and Mr G (Weather) are much more involved in the Scott Shannon Show than they were on the Dan Taylor Show. On Dan's show they gave their report and left. On Scott's show, they kind of hang around for the whole show.
That translates to more talking and less music. They won't tell us exactly what happened but something happened between Scott and Joe. They say things like "We talked it over" and "We straightened it out." ... "We're friends again."   If they won't tell us what happened, they shouldn't say anything at all.
Kent, have you ever heard of  "The Cookie Diet?" Scott was raving about it ... said they tried it at his old station and everybody lost 25 to 30 lbs. in forty days. Here's how it works ... They send you these special cookies.   Every time you get hungry you eat a cookie. At night you eat a sensible meal.
Frank B.
You've got to remember that Scott has been doing this for something like 137 years now ... so at some point it's just business as usual.  Still, a TREMENDOUS amount of hoopla for the move over to WCBS-FM and he seems genuinely happy to be there.  (Still hoping between him and Big Jay they can infuse more '60's music into the line-up ... but much like K-Hits here, the focus seems to be more '80's music with some '70's hits sprinkled in.  Apparently in the minds of the people who count in radio, the '50's and '60's are gone.  Thank God he's still doing The True Oldies Channel where he can feature he music he TRULY loves.) 
I did some research on the cookie diet ... sounds like the results are pretty amazing (if you can afford to invest $250 a month into the program!!!)  And that's "per person" ... so if Frannie and I BOTH decided to get on this kick for a couple of months, we'd have to get second jobs to keep up the payments!!!  That being said, it DOES sound like it really works.  Here's a promo clip that Frank sent me if you're interested ... (and can afford $500 a month worth of cookies!!!  Heck I just spent $20 on Girl Scout Cookies ... that would have bought me about 2 1/2 days of THESE babies!!!)  kk
This one is great if you're from Chicago - all of our memories of those golden years when we were young.
For the guys not from Chicago, sit back and enjoy the music of the times that we all enjoyed!  
Have a great day.  
Ed

Speaking of growing up in Chicago, I just got this video link from FH Reader Joseph L Pytel, Jr ... it's a recent interview with songwriter James Holvay, who wrote four of The Buckinghams' biggest hits! 
Check it out!   Rock N' Roll Stories - James Holvay:  http://vimeo.com/88115020

And, speaking of The Buckinghams ...   

Just finished reading the Wrecking Crew Book. Not a bad book, but something bugs me about it but can't really put my finger on it -- anyway I digress.
In the book The Buckinghams are mentioned as one of the bands that the Wrecking Crew did tracks for. Just curious if you know or if one of the Buckinghams on the list might be able or willing to tell us just how much of their material they were able to do their own tracking for? 
Thanks. 
Bill
We've talked with all of the Bucks about this in the past ... and all of them acknowledge that much of the music they recorded in New York was supplemented by studio musicians ... no big deal really, as that's just the way record were made back then.  In fact keyboardist Marty Grebb went so far as to say that the ONLY Buckingham who appeared on EVERY record was Dennis Tufano ... and that's because he was the lead singer.  ALL of the other members assumed "sidemen" roles whenever necessary to capture the sound the producers were looking for ... back then it was all about making the best hit record you could ... as quickly (and as cheaply) as you could.  There just wasn't time to "experiment" in the studio and wait for the musicians to learn their parts.  To their credit, ALL of these bands then took the skills they learned by watching these seasoned professionals and went out on the road and performed letter-perfect versions of the hits.  (kk)    

ROCK ICONS ALICE COOPER AND PAUL RODGERS JUST ADDED TO ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE III
Wow!  Check out THIS killer line-up!
The Doobie Brothers, Alice Cooper, Paul Rodgers, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dave Mason's Traffic Jam, Blue Oyster Cult, Uriah Heep, The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, Rik Emmett of Triumph, The Edgar Winter Band, Ten Years After, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, Pat Travers Band, The Artimus Pyle Band, Swamp Da Wamp and The Blue Lords
*Stay tuned for further possible additions!

And, speaking of Alice Cooper ...

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTARY OF A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ICON TO BE UNLEASHED
SUPER DUPER ALICE COOPER 
WORLD PREMIERE AT 2014 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL (TFF) 
Click Here to View Official Trailer:http://www.bit.ly/CoopDoc   
New York, NY (March 6, 2014) — Eagle Rock Entertainment, in association with Banger Films, are proud to announce the world premiere of Super Duper Alice Cooper at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, where it will screen as part of their Spotlight section. Taking us through his life and career, ALICE presents his story in the first ever “doc opera” film - a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation, and rock opera.
Super Duper Alice Cooper is the twisted tale of a teenage Dr. Jekyll whose rock n’ roll Mr. Hyde almost kills him. It is the story of Vincent Furnier, a preacher’s son who struck fear into the hearts of parents as ALICE COOPER, the ultimate rock star of the bizarre. From the advent of Alice as front man for a group of Phoenix freaks in the 60’s to the hazy decadence of celebrity in the 70s to his triumphant comeback as 80s glam metal godfather, we will watch as Alice and Vincent battle for each other’s’ souls. Alice’s story is told not only by the man himself, but through exclusive interviews with members of the original Alice Cooper band, Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon, and Dee Snider.
Super Duper Alice Cooper is the creation of Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn at Banger Films, producers of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009 SXSW Audience Choice Winner) and Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010 Grammy-nominated and Tribeca Audience Choice Winner), and much-lauded filmmaker Reginald Harkema, winner of the TIFF Special Jury Prize for his film Monkey Warfare.
The 13th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 16 to April 27 at locations around New York City.
For more information on Super Duper Alice Cooper, please visit www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com or like the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/superduperalicecooper
Alice Cooper needs no introduction.  Still touring the world, with over 100 concerts scheduled in 2014, and hosting his internationally syndicated “Nights With Alice Cooper" radio show five nights a week for over a decade, Alice shows no sign of slowing down.
For more information on Alice Cooper, please visit:

>>>Our own Davie Allan and the Arrows had the first Tower CHART record with "Apache '65", for which he recently sent the Tucson radio chart listing in February, 1965. Besides Davie on lead guitar, Mike Curb was on keyboards for that 45.  Ian Whitcomb would scrape the bottom of the charts on Tower with his "This Sporting Life" before the label would get a big hit with Freddie & The Dreamers'"I'm Telling You Now" shortly after.  The Arrows followup "Dance the Freddie" / "Moon Dawg '65" was certainly tied to their first 45 AND the Tower Records' new sensation!  (Clark Besch)
Speaking of "Moondawg '65", I'm planning a remake for the 50th anniversary of The Arrows album (2014/2015).
Thanks,
Davie Allan

Kent;  
I was 66 in December, 2013.  
I grew up in an old house that had an OLD wind up record player ... the records were 1/4 inch thick and some had the Edison label.
Have two older brothers and the record we liked was BARNICLE BILL ... annnnd ... I have yet to be able to find the same take  on YOUTUBE, (NOOOO idea as to the singer) as was ours. We got a kick out of how he told the gal talking to him, "AWWWW, shut up, you crazy woman, you drive me mad ..."
HOWWWW did we play the damn thing???  
Took a piece of paper, like writing stuff and made a megaphone, then ran a two inch long beedle through it, and drawed it over the vinyl.
My first record that I bought was the 45 Good Luck Charm by Elvis ... first LP was Elvis' Golden Records, 1958 or 59 issue.
First record ever was in Kiddygarden ... names were exchanged and the person who got my name was a girl.  Got it from my sister (eldest of us 6) and two older brothers.  At the time, she was my girl friend.    Record??  "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
I-ronicly,  I am the one of the five guys who would become Born Again (JOHN 3;3)To look over the varied radio hit charts from other readers, ONE THERE from TRANA 1050 CHUM,  from the late 50's / early 60's, and as much as they list the big time hits, it's nice to also to see the titles we have longggg forgotten.
As I've said,  I heard many songs I LIKED, yet they only got three or four airplays that I heard ... and then into obscurity.
That's why I loved flea markets, going through the 45's.
NOW you can punch up Ral Donner and hear I GOT BURNT or James Cole and hear THE FOOL.
YOUTUBE is now OUR OWN JUKE BOX ... and they've got almost everything!
MILORD (IN FRENCH)! by Bobby Darin is now there.
Punch up some songs and listen to the 45 edition, then the LP take.
I.E. I'M MOVIN' ON by Hank (Sluch) Snow.  FIRST heard that on an LP at home ... then had the chance to get the 45 and am glad, I didn't ... TWO completely DIFFFFERENT takes ... the LP has much more punch up.  Hank Snow did FOOL SUCH AS I ... I heard his first, then Elvis' ... like 'em both.
Then, as I say, MOVIN' ON by Hank.  Elvis' version is tooo bluesy.  Knowing Elvis, he likely did the song three or five different ways.  To me, RCA issued the wrong take.
Have you ever played a CD where you can see it spin as it plays??
I bought a boom box (YEARRRRRRS ago) and didn't notice that there was a window in it until I put a disk in and closed the lid.  Couldn't believe the speed of that thing!
Sooo, I went back to the store and asked the sales person in that department if THEY knew what the rpm numbers were.  They tended to look at me as if I was crazy (NOT that they were wrong) for asking this stoopid question.  There's NO 45s, 33s or 78s anymore, so what's the difference?  It was as if that information is none of my business.

Got same reaction when I called the distributor of the make ... THEYYYYY wondered why I was interested in knowing.  Google it, Kent, unless you already know the answer.  The RPM is FASSSSSST.
HOW to get slightly wiser than you are now???  NEVER be afraid to ask a question about that in which   you are INTERESTED but IGNORANT.
Out fer now -
Robert Black      
Kincardine and Willowdale
OK, you got MY curiosity up ... what IS the speed (RPM) of a CD playing???
So I DID Google it ... and came up with at least a dozen different answers ...
Although the general consensus seems to be right around 500 rpm, depending on which track you're listening to.  (It's position on the disk affects the speed at which it is read.)
And, if you want to see a CD playing at 23,000 rpm (and then self-destructing), be sure to watch THIS video!!!

And here's another Forgotten Hits Reader who likes to watch his music go 'round and 'round!


Hey Kent,
Do you think that the time when a music video could make or break a hit is long gone? I really hope so. Someone once asked me what the first music video I ever saw was, and I answer "Eh Cumpari" by Julius LaRosa. What? That came out in 1953! Growing up in an Italian family, my father collected many records by Italian-American artists; Sinatra, Como, Dino, Lanza, etc. We often played the 45 of LaRosa's novelty song, one, to hear the funny pronunciation of the musical instruments in the lyrics, and TWO, to watch the print of Julius' face on the label, go round and round on the record player! It was our first music video experience! I don't know how far the song went up the charts, but it was a minor hit in this area, and I still smile when I hear it.
- John LaPuzza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqatN1hrZvw

And, speaking of cool videos ...
My life just passed by in 30 seconds!  Welcome back Otto, Roger, Striker, Kareem, Shirley???  I thought we were flying over Lincoln, but it was Wisconsin!  Get me Rex Kramer!  Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit Airplane!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrV43xB6yY   

Our Forgotten Hits Buddy Henry Gross has announced some upcoming tour dates that kick off this week on the East Coast.  Let us know if you're fortunate enough to catch him in concert at any of these shows:
March 12th    Hill Country 30 West 26th St. NYC  9:30 pm
March 14th  Public Library Port Washington NY  8 pm
March 15th   The Ritz theater in Newburgh NY  8pm
March 16th   Miguels  Nazareth PA   3:00 PM 
March 16th   Randy's Man Cave  Bordertown, NJ     8pm
To all my friends,
I'm very happy to have these opportunities to play the songs I've worked so hard on over the years and look forward to meeting and greeting all of you. I've never lost my faith in the power of a song to bring joy and I'll be doing my absolute best to leave everyone smiling - even if I have to resort to digging into my bottomless pit of bad jokes! So if you're coming, for your own sakes ... don't encourage me! 
So .... until we meet I'll tell you what I tell everyone I love ... "I'll see you sooner than you want!"
Keep smilin'
Henry

re:  New Releases:
Heart's Legendary Second Album 'Magazine' Gets Reissued On Hybrid SACD
“A rare gem ... Evocative and controversial”
Camarillo, CA - Heart fans are ecstatic with the release of the band's evocative and controversial second album 'Magazine' on Hybrid SACD by Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity! 'Magazine' shows Heart while they were still an idealistically young band, before they became such a worldwide phenomenon. Their second album shows the same impassioned songs that marked the band's debut, 'Dreamboat Annie'. They were really hard rockers back then. Ann and Nancy Wilson wove a tapestry of gypsy meets modern woman, and it is highly involved in the early songwriting. The album features a mix of ballads and straight out rock-blues-metal at its purest.
'Magazine' was recorded in 1978 and was a victim of legal hassles with the label that delayed its release, yet the album boasts a mix of light and heavy tracks that are pure Heart. The rockin'“Devil Delight” and the bluesy-rock stomp of “Heartless” - one of their best songs ever! There's the beautiful, sweet acoustic moment of “Here Song” and the smooth “Just The Wine” and the Badfinger cover “Without You” - Ann's vocals are incredible, she has the chops to belt out like Janis Joplin! There's the pure, slow and chugging blues of “Mother Earth Blues” and the stomping live recording, “I've Got The Music In Me.”
Heart's 'Magazine' eventually went platinum and peaked at #17 on the album charts and the album's only single “Heartless” landed in the Top 40.
Tracks include: 
Heartless; Devil Delight; Just The Wine; Without You; Magazine; Here Song; Mother Earth Blues (live); I've Got The Music In Me (live)
Mastered by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering

TOTO AND EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE APRIL 29 RELEASE OF 35th ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND -
Lukather, Paich, Porcaro and Williams Working On Studio Album For 2015  
New York (March 6, 2014) --- Toto and Eagle Rock Entertainment have announced a April 29th release date for the band's 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND.  The title will be available in configurations that include 2CD, DVD, Blu-ray, and a deluxe edition featuring all formats with a 60-page book (Pre-book Order Date April 4, MSRP $19.98 Blu-ray, $14.98 DVD, $17.98 2CD, $79.98 Deluxe Edition).
Filmed on June 25, 2013 in Lodz, Poland, the offering captures the band in the midst of a standing-room-only European tour. The two-hour plus performance features Toto's hit stocked repertoire alongside other favorites.  The complete track listing is: Intro,  Medley: "On The Run" / "Child's Anthem" / "Goodbye Eleanor,""Goin' Home,""Hydra,""St. George And The Dragon,""I'll Be Over You,""It's A Feeling,""Rosanna,""Wings Of Time,""Falling In Between,""I Won't Hold You Back,""Pamela,""99,""The Muse,""White Sister,""Better World,""Africa,""How Many Times,""Stop Loving You,""Hold The Line," and "Home Of The Brave."  The set also includes behind-the-scenes bonus content.  Eagle Rock Entertainment has premiered the band's performance of "Hold The Line" which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibxxkNRumN4.
The 35TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR - LIVE IN POLAND release captures Toto's  European tour that hit 29 cities staging successful concerts Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.  Toto World Tour 2013 featured Luke, David Paich, Steve Porcaro on keyboards, and singer Joseph Williams, who sang the hits "Pamela" and "Stop Loving You" on the worldwide platinum release The Seventh One (1988).   Williams is also featured on the platinum certified Fahrenheit (1986), Toto XX (1998), the track "Bottom of Your Soul" on Falling In Between (2006), and the multi-platinum release Past to Present 1977-1990 issued in 1990.
Toto has revealed plans for 2014 that deliver what fans have been waiting years for.  The band will record a new studio album planned for release in 2015, their first since Falling In Between (2006).  Keyboardist and founding member David Paich recently shared, "The repertoire is coming together so naturally it is as though we never took a break from creating as Toto in the studio. For the fans who have been waiting patiently and continually showing the band support and love over the last decade or so, this one's for you. Collectively we can't wait to share these recordings with The World."
This April, they return to Japan for a seven show headlining sold-out arena tour that takes them through Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Sendai and Sopporo.  In August and September, Toto will hit the road as co-headliners with Michael McDonald, for their most comprehensive North American tour in years. 
Few ensembles in the history of recorded music have individually or collectively had a larger imprint on pop culture than the members of Toto.  As individuals, the band members can be heard on an astonishing 5000 albums that together amass a sales history of a HALF A BILLION albums.  Amongst these recordings, NARAS applauded the performances with more than 200 Grammy nominations. 
With over 35 years together and thousands of credits and accolades to their names, Toto remains one of the top selling tour and recording acts in the world. They are the benchmark by which many artists base their sound and production, and they continue to transcend the standards set by the entire music community, being simply synonymous with musical credibility. 
Band members have been South Park characters, while recently Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake offered a light-hearted homage via a comedy sketch around the band's hit  "Africa."  They are pop culture, and are one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles, and more than 35 years in to a career enjoy a multi-generational fan base.
TOTO also continues to raise awareness for ALS, for their brother and friend, Mike Porcaro, who has been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease.  The band commits energies towards fundraising for Police and Fire Departments of California and the Fallen Heroes initiative (http://www.fallenheroes.org/), and help the United Nations in their humanitarian endeavors through music.

re:  The I.R.S.:
No, not that one ... but I really SHOULD do my taxes this weekend!!!
THIS one ...
The official “I.R.S. form” and the “how to”:   http://www.musicradio77.com/IRS.html     

The 7th Annual I.R.S.! (as in ... "It Really Shoulda" been a Top 10 hit!)  
What songs "really shoulda" been Top 10 hits but never made it?
It's your call, when you fill out your I.R.S. form!
Using the "E-Z Form" below, send your list of songs that make you say "THAT really shoulda been a Top 10 Hit!" before April 1, 2014.
Any song that didn't reach the Top 10 in the U.S. is fair game - whether or not it was ever on any chart, ever released as a single or ever released in the U.S.
And it doesn't matter if you don't know (or care) whether songs were Top 10 or not.
We'll take care of all corrections.
It also doesn't matter how few or how many songs you send - just not more than 100, please!
Unless you specify otherwise, lists are assumed to be in rank order, title followed by artist.
Since this is a ranking of songs, do not list two sides of a single as one entry.
Likewise, do not list two or more versions of the same song as one entry.
As in past years, random I.R.S. filers will win a 4-disc set of the resulting 7th Annual I.R.S. Top 104 (plus other prizes),  based on what songs show up most on those forms and where they're ranked. 
So remember to include your full name and complete mailing address at the end of your list, to be eligible for any prizes.
Twitter: @RichAppel
I.R.S. on the radio:
* Rewound Radio - Click here: Rewound Radio: It's not how old it is... It's how GOOD it is!! -complete countdown kicks off April 11 on Bob Radil’s Friday Night 60s / 70s Show 6pm ET, concluding April 13 at noon ET - http://www.streamlicensing.com/stations/rewound/home.html
* Ron Gerber’s “Crap From The Past” on KFAI.org http://crapfromthepast.com/ (April dates TBD)
* Phil Nee’s “Those Were The Days” on WRCO 
Here are a few items concerning your Bobby Fuller Four story. I agree, that "She's My Girl" should have a big hit for the BF4. In fact, look at the Reno, Nevada Top 40 station KENO's music survey for the week of June 19-25, 1965.
"She's My Girl" is at #12, after making the Top 10 the previous week at #9. I don't know if it reached any higher than that position, however that's still a well-deserved placing and it's took bad Top 40 stations across the nation didn't follow KENO's lead. 

Bobby Fuller Four's "Let Her Dance" cracked the Top 20 (#19), on the KBLA survey pictured below.




re:  Clip Of The Week:
Courtesy of Frank B - you're gonna love this one!  Do You Wanna Dance?  You Make Me Feel Like Dancing ... You Should Be Dancing ... yep, this is a good one!  (kk)
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March 10, 2014, 4:14 am
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Why The Future Of Radio ... And '60's Music ... Is Doomed

March 11, 2014, 3:59 am
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OK, I'll admit upfront that I was tired and aggravated from a VERY long and grueling day at work BEFORE I got in my car to drive home ... but it's this kind of stuff that causes me to lose ALL faith in the future of radio and the music we love.

First up, the deejay on The Loop intro'd the next song he was about to play this way:

"No, it wasn't the drugs that made him come up with this title ... it was his young five-year-old son Sean's drawing of a classmate titled 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' that gave us one of The Beatles' greatest tracks."

Whaaaat?!?!  I found this to be ESPECIALLY interesting since Sean wouldn't even be born for another eight years!!!

Of course the PREMISE of the story is true ... but if you're going to go out on the air and tell it, at least get your facts straight.  It was John's son JULIAN who came home from school with the picture ... and this tale is probably one of the most famous stories in Beatles folklore.  Since Day One, The Fabs have insisted that "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" had absolutely NOTHING to do with LSD ... despite the fact that most fans and critics alike refused to believe it.  

Well, folks, it's true ... so get your facts straight before you go out on the air and broadcast lies.  (Julian also inspired Paul McCartney to write "Hey Jude", originally titled "Hey Jules" because he knew the young lad was going through a difficult time due to his parents impending divorce.)

Disgusted, I switched the channel ... only to hear K-Hits promoting some type of Motown Revue that includes The Temptations, featuring "original member Dennis Edwards".  

When did I cross over into The Twilight Zone?!?!

Edwards (a former member of The Contours) joined The Temptations in 1968, some 25 hits into their career.  (He replaced the problematic David Ruffin.)  To his credit, Dennis holds the distinction of handling the lead vocals on many of the group's biggest late '60's and early '70's hits, a period where they branched into a much broader scope of musical styles, including soul-psychedelia ("Cloud Nine", "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball Of Confusion" and "I Can't Get Next To You") as well as funk ("Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" and "Shakey Ground".)  He has left ... and returned ... to The Temptations several times over the years ... and, by all indications, is apparently back again ... but a quick fact check says that THIS isn't exactly true either!!!

Edwards fronts "The Temptations Revue", a Temptations TRIBUTE band who reportedly are more successful than the REAL version of The Temptations performing today (which DOES include the only surviving original member, Otis Williams.)

On the one hand, I agree that Edwards should hold some rights to perform under some semblance of The Temptations name ... he really DID sing all these hit records ... and I'm sure they put on a FINE show ... but there's a certain element to "Truth In Advertising" that is being blatantly misrepresented here.

The much BIGGER problem, of course, is the fact that the disc jockeys ... and the folks running the radio stations today ... don't have a CLUE as to what the facts are.  (I've already resigned myself to the fact that far too many of the people involved in radio today ... whether it be the on-air talent, the program director or the radio station manager ... probably weren't around when all this great music was being created ... and, as such, have no connection to the music they're playing at all.  But if you're going to blurt it out over the air, at least know what the heck you're talking about!!!)

The truth is, they'd prefer their deejays not talk at all ... just play the music and give out the call letters.  Meanwhile, it's the audience who is being cheated by being fed a bunch of crap that simply isn't true.  And, before you know it, these "falsities" get repeated as facts amongst those who might still have an interested in this music ... and pretty soon the whole world is turned upside down with misnomers and lies.  Worst part is, many of these artists aren't around anymore to set the record straight ... and sooner or later even Forgotten Hits will cease to exist despite our best efforts to spread "The Most Accurate Truth".  (Although I DO plan on being here In The Year 2525 just to see if Zager and Evans were right!!!)  kk

*****


While cruising this past weekend, I heard Tom Kent play Kiss You All Over by Exile.  He said "from the group that gave the World Country superstar Vince Gill".  I am not sure where he heard that.  Vince was the lead singer of Pure Prairie League for a time. 
Phil Nee - WRCO    

I'm amazed by the amount of erroneous information given out over the air by disc jockeys who really SHOULD know better.  (And this is certainly the case with Tom Kent!  He's been doing this quite awhile.)  You are correct ... you can clearly hear Vince's voice at the helm of Pure Prairie League's only Top Ten Hit, "Let Me Love You Tonight" from 1980.  (And no, he was NOT a member of Exile.)  His solo career kicked into high gear about twelve years later. 

During all The Beatles Celebration and hoopla going on in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of their first trip to America, I heard one disc jockey (who clearly wasn't even born yet at the time) telling his audience (with a great amount of enthusiasm and surprise in his voice) how their first single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was backed up with the German version of the same song ... and then admitting to his audience "Now there's something I didn't know."  OMG ... wrong on absolutely EVERY level.   

Another jock announced on February 7th (the anniversary of the date The Beatles first touched down on American soil) that this was the anniversary of the date "that The Beatles had The Top Five Records in America."  Hmm ... not exactly.  That didn't happen until April 4th.  And another played "Octopus' Garden" and then declared "one of only two songs ever written by Ringo Starr."  Of course, that's not true either, even if speaking only on a Beatles level.  Don't do just enough research to find a little piece of history worth talking about ... and then make up your own ending to the story ... you'll look like an idiot!  

How really sad this is ... and even sadder still is that some listeners will hear this crap and, not knowing any better, believe it ... and potentially repeat it ... eventually insuring history to be forever wrong in this regard.  And it's happening more and more.  I barely listen to the radio at all anymore ... yet I still hear crap like this being broadcast as "fact" but a bunch of people who don't ... but really SHOULD ... know better.    

Get it together, people.  As a broadcaster you have a fiduciary responsibility to broadcast these facts accurately to your audience ... so do your homework ... brush up on the medium you have selected to make your career ... and EDUCATE those listening to you.   You've got their ear ... and, if you're really good, their trust.   

That's why it is SO important to me to get the facts straight ... if not, what will people think 1000 years from now?!?!  (kk)



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Some Of Your Mid-Week Comments

March 12, 2014, 4:42 am
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re:  The Saturday Surveys:   
Hey Kent,  
Ha Ha! I don’t know if I would call it a typo or what, but in your Sunday Comments on the “KENO” Survey reported being from Reno, Nevada, but the survey says they’re in Las Vegas, and reporting at #6 on their Wax To Watch was Theme From “A Summer Place” By “The Four Freshmen”.  As I recall, The Freshmen never released "Summer Place" in the summer of '65, it was “The Lettermen”.  Oh, what the heck ... Lettermen, Freshmen, Beach Boys ... what’s the difference ... they all sing those funny chords anyway and were on Capitol Records.  
Gary Pike



Kent, 
I think I sent both of those Bobby Fuller charts to a guy who was supposedly writing a Bobby Fuller book years ago and then never heard from him again or about the book.  Anyway, at the time, I pointed out that if he checks the KENO chart, he'll find TWO Fuller obscurities on the chart!  "She's My Girl" is on its way down at 12, but "Let Her Dance" is on its way UP at 31! 
Clark Besch  

>>>These look similar?? Same week March, 1966.  WKYC is from Cleveland and WCFL is from Chicago.  (Bill Hengels)  
The WCFL and WKYC charts look similar because before Ken Draper took WCFL programming over in late 1965, he had had the same position at WKYC in Cleveland, where he incorporated these ideas.  Not only that, but Draper brought MUCH of his WKYC DJ crew with him, including Jim Stagg, Jim Runyan, Dick Williamson and eventually, Jerry G Bishop.  The Sound 11 countdown with its short snippets of the top 11 songs in order also followed, becoming the Sound 10 Survey.  By coincidence, WCFL was at 1000 on the dial while WKYC was at 1100!  That's the rest of the story.  
Clark Besch  

re:  This And That:  
VVN is reporting the updated list of The Top 100 Best Selling Singles in Great Britain's History ... and it's a decidedly British list to be sure. 
The Beatles have fallen to #8 with "She Loves You", four places behind Paul McCartney and Wings'"Mull Of Kintyre" ... which Elton John, Band Aid and Queen still hold down the top three spots.  (One surprise would have to be the two John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John "Grease" duets in The Top 20!!!) 
Some of these artists barely scraped the surface on our side of the pond ... but it's an interesting list nonetheless ...
This year's rankings ... (with their 2010 position in parenthesis)

#1 - (1)   Candle in the Wind (1997) / Something In the Way You Look Tonight - Elton John
#2 - (2)   Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
#3 - (3)   Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
#4 - (4)   Mull of Kintyre / Girls School - Wings
#5 - (6)   You're the One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
#6 - (7)   Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
#7 - (5)   Rivers of Babylon / Brown Girl in the Ring - Boney M
#8 - (8)   She Loves You - Beatles
#9 - (11) Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet
#10 - (9)   Mary's Boy Child - Boney M
#11 - (10) Unchained Melody/(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover - Robson & Jerome
#12 - (12) I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
#13 - (14) Barbie Girl - Aqua
#14 - (15) I Want to Hold Your Hand - Beatles
#15 - (13) Anything is Possible / Evergreen - Will Young
#16 - (16) Believe - Cher
#17 - (17) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
#18 - (18) Last Christmas / Everything She Wants - Wham!
#19 - (21) Imagine - John Lennon
#20 - (19) Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Read more: http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2014/03/britains-biggest-selling-hits-of-all.html#ixzz2veSRYB33
You'll find the complete list of 145 titles here:
Click here: Adele and Rihanna score UK's latest million selling singles

Hi Kent -
You are AMAZING!   
Thank you for the Aerosmith story on The Bellnotes' song "Ive Had It". I must have missed reading it in your previous email.  
Glad Steven Tyler liked it. I always thought it was a catchy tune with a great arrangement!  Have you   heard it?
When in doubt ask the Master! 
Thank you again!!  
Carolyn
I don't know if ANYONE has ever heard the Steven Tyler version!  (lol)  I think he said he was about fourteen years old at the time (and really shouldn't have been singing in bars!)  


  • Kent ...
    Scott Shannon just finished interviewing Frankie Valli.  Here's my report:
    Frankie called in from Florida, he just got back from Asia. According to Scott -  Frankie Valli had 38 Billboard Hits and seven #1's. The only American recording artists to have hits before, during and after the Beatles era.
    Frankie said that Clint Eastwood called him to tell him the Jersey Boys Movie is completed. Since Frankie has been traveling, he hasn't seen it yet. http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/closing-in-on-80-years-of-age-there-is-still-no-stopping-frankie-valli/
    Frank B.
    • We have been anxiously awaiting the release of this film ... although I still can't believe that Clint Eastwood is in any way involved ... he must be a major Four Seasons fan, too ... or was a knocked out by the Broadway Production as we were. 
    As for The Four Seasons and/or Frankie Valli being the only American recording artist to have hits before, during and after the Beatles era, I'd have to dispute that one ... their west coast counterparts, The Beach Boys, immediately come to mind ... and I'll bet I could come up with at least another dozen or more if I stopped and thought about it.  (kk)  


    And, speaking of films I'm really looking forward to seeing ...  

    Hi Everybody  -
    We're having two premieres for Wages of Spin II ... in Los Angeles April 23rd (Industry) and April 29th in Philly.   This is an amazing story that will garner a lot of national interest. There is a trailer link below. 
    Shawn
    Here is the final teaser / trailer link for Wages of Spin II "Bring Down That Wall"
    Premiere Tickets at www.characterdrivenfilms.com
    Trailer:   http://tinyurl.com/mb3lf2z     

    Fanny Monday???  Is this a hint that with spring coming, we all need to tone up?  If so, I'm on it, Kent!!  (Where's that bike?)
    Shelley
    I'm honestly not sure what inspired me to do that ... it just sounded like a good idea (and a great mix of songs) to have some fun with.  (Of course some folks on the list will insist that I must have had my head up my ass Monday morning ... but that's another story.)  kk  

    Kent,
    I really enjoyed the four songs you posted on Monday, especially the second one. Let me explain if you will.
    My mother's mother, my grandmother, was named Frances N. Taylor. Now her kids as well as her grand kids called her Mom. But to her many friends whom she had known through the years, she was simply known as and called FANNY. Where she got that nickname I have no idea.  She was not, I repeat, not a big woman. Excellent choices for today. Thanks again for posting FANNY by the Bee Gees. You wouldn't believe how many times in a row I've played it this morning.
    Larry

    Hey, we love 'em, too.  (Of course in OUR house you have to sing all these lyrics as "Frannie" ... but that's something I've come to live with.)  kk
    Hey Kent,
    I don't know if you had thought about it but tonight I thought of some more songs that were somewhat related to the songs you posted on your website Tuesday. How about SHORT FAT FANNIE and one by the Kingsmen I always liked out of 1965, ANNIE FANNIE.  And another song on a somewhat related subject, who could ever forget Jimmy Castor's BERTHA BUTT BOOGIE?
    Larry
    I almost went with "Fannie Mae" by Buster Brown ... but it just didn't seem to fit the flow of the other songs that went so well together.  (kk)      

    >>>Someone once asked me what the first music video I ever saw was, and I answered "Eh Cumpari" by Julius LaRosa. What? That came out in 1953! Growing up in an Italian family, my father collected many records by Italian-American artists; Sinatra, Como, Dino, Lanza, etc. We often played the 45 of LaRosa's novelty song, one, to hear the funny pronunciation of the musical instruments in the lyrics, and TWO, to watch the print of Julius' face on the label, go round and round on the record player! It was our first music video experience! I don't know how far the song went up the charts, but it was a minor hit in this area, and I still smile when I hear it.  (John LaPuzza)  
    Regarding the first music videos, remember that prior to the release of Al Jolson's "The Jazz Singer" in 1927 (a film often erroneously pointed to as the first "talking movie"), many experimental sound shorts were produced by Warner Brothers, Thomas Edison's Studios and others.  In 1894 or 1895 W.L.K. Dickson of the Edison Studios actually produced this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6b0wpBTR1s -- a sound film recording of a musical performance -- a/k/a a music video!  
    Most early experiments consisted of a single take by a single camera pointed at a vaudeville act – such as this clip of Eddie Cantor in 1923:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9VkR95f2tA   Later studios shot one-reeler musical short subjects, such as this one featuring Artie Shaw in 1938 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXVxE_YeP4).   Some of those pre-rock musical one-reelers went beyond simply recording a performance to the point of actually acting it out or even presenting the tune as an illustrated song -- which is exactly what takes place in today’s music videos.   In 1940 along came Soundies (single song B&W 16mm music videos shown in bars on coin-operated small screens) 
    ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijnfdLFhn2o ).  
    In 1951 Snader Telescriptions took the same idea but instead syndicated their footage to individual TV stations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNH21uBFnPI   
    1958 brought the flood of Scopitones, a rebirth of the Soundies idea except now the footage was mostly in color:  

    As for the nice set-up of Perry Como's "Round and Round" using the line “And here's another Forgotten Hits Reader who likes to watch his music go 'round and 'round” -- here's another track more related to the music itself doing exactly the same thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-0v80tlEMo 
    -- Gary Theroux
    Great choice ... and another chance to feature FH Reader and often contributor, Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon!  (By the way, I just checked ... and Julius LaRosa's 1953 recording of "Eh Cumpari" peaked at #2.  (kk)

    Hey Kent ... 
    Haveyou have heard the latest Verizon commercial ... (they play it 15 times a night on commercial and cable tvl). I was curious about it so I Googled it. The lyrics are "there's nothing more I can do but sing it ... na na na na na ... na na na."  (Hope I got enough na's in there.) Anyhow, it's sung by Ladyhawke from New Zealand.  It's catchy and she has a good voice.  What's troubling to me is why the advertisers have to go to New Zealand to find a good rock song.  Aren't there enough oldies and good rock songs here in America?  Shame on them for having limited sight.  They must be very young ad guys.  If they had any sense they might have looked deeper into the attic trunk and dusted off some of the 45's. There, they would have rediscovered some of the treasured oldies that have been spoken about.  It would have been nice.  
    Blossmworld
    The song is almost impossible to avoid ... but catchy as hell!  Which means it's working ... it sticks in your head and here we are talking about it... which is pretty much the advertiser's goal.  Honestly, I think they accomplished what they set out to do ... and who knows, maybe even created a hit record in the process.  (I've watched the video clip a couple of times, now that you've told me who this neat little track is by!)  kk
    Click here: ? Ladyhawke - Blue Eyes (Official Video) - YouTube  
    One other Monday morning observation ... after playing Pretty Ballerina, I opened Ron Smith's Chicago Top 40 Charts book and realized that Walk Away Renee did not make the WLS Top 40.  Back when oldies radio featured songs from the 60's, Walk Away Renee was the only one you would ever hear.  Pretty Ballerina made it to number 16 according to Ron's book.
    Phil Nee - WRCO 
    I've got NO explanation for that one ... for some strange reason their version of "Walk Away Renee" failed to chart on both WLS and WCFL.  Stranger still is that The Four Tops' remake version made The Top Ten a year later here in Chi-Town.  (kk)

     
    Thought you guys might enjoy this - it's on AXS tv, which on AT&T is channel 1106, several times in the next few days. 11 pm tonight, 8 & 11 pm tomorrow (Tues.) Thurs. at 6 pm and Sun (3/16) at 12 pm. I haven't seen it yet , but I will tonite. This is a great channel to see concerts if you haven't seen it yet.
    Marlene
    More than four decades since Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first-ever concert at the legendary Woodstock festival, its members continue a creativ
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    More than four decades since Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first-ever concert at the legendary Woodstock festival, its members continue a creative partnership that is one of the most influential and enduring in music. Tonight at 8 ET|5 PT, multiple GRAMMY® winners and Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame alums, David Crosby, Stephen Stills& Graham Nash speak openly with us about their personal lives, enduring friendship, and the music that defined a generation on an all new“The Big Interview.”

    Join me tonight for an exclusive interview with CSN at 8 ET|5 PT, then see the living legends on tour this month.

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    1px

    Kent, Kent, Kent! 
    “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” by the DC5, better than “Glad All Over” and “Bits & Pieces”????????????   
    That is Asylum Talk!!!   
    Ken 



    >>>Funny thing is I didn't like the first two Dave Clark Five singles ... and still consider "Glad All Over" and "Bits And Pieces" amongst their weakest tracks.  (kk)   
    Never cared much for the DC5 as I was a die-hard Beatles fan. I only liked "Glad All Over" and it ends there. 
    Alex Valdez 

    Hey Kent ... 
    Regarding 50 Years Ago This Weekend (The Beatles and The Dave Clark Five) ... and today being the anniversary of MacMac being knighted, I am all "Beatled" out.  I don't know about you but I have seen the Beatles appearance on Ed Sullivan's show dozens of times ... too numerous to mention.  Thanks for the link, though, for all of those fans who haven't seen it. 
    As a woman I am "taken back" at the screaming hysterical female fans.  "Geez, get a grip - why the hysterics ... there's a lot of fish in the sea."  I guess it was the "Beatle tidal wave" and peer pressure that swept them away. I would venture to say that the girls in the tv clip are embarrassed to look at that clip today. Being a "hysterical" female is not a compliment in this day and age and not something that most women would want to be known for.  
    I have wondered if the Beatles would be the success they are if it weren't for George Martin. He was the genius behind the band. I think the Beach Boys (their American counterparts) did more on their own. Brian Wilson is the genius behind the Beach Boys - he didn't have a George Martin - (he had his Dad, Murry Wilson, which doesn't say much.) Murry was a good businessman but not an arranger like Martin. In all honesty, I do like some of the Beatles songs. However, in the words of RVB (my oldies roomie bud) "the Beatles are overrated." I tend to agree.
    Blossmwrld    
     
    This is going to be so much fun.
    I sure hope you can attend.
    A fantastic afternoon.
    Lots of good food available!
    Dance floor also!!!!!  
    DJ Stu  



    re:  Disgusted With Radio:  
    As far as your radio rants go, I haven’t listened to music radio in the car in fifteen years. Now I have an 8000 song MP3 player mixing all of my faves. The DJ patter for me is a thing of the past though many of the songs will automatically bring back those memories.  
    Mark    

    >>>The much BIGGER problem, of course, is the fact that the disc jockeys ... and the folks running the radio stations today ... don't have a CLUE as to what the facts are.  (kk)
    I concur Kent!  They have the facts wrong ... what's second nature, even instinctive to us oldies fans, they guess about and are usually wrong.  It's frustrating to us to hear the distorted facts.  Kent, since you are a "professional" at what you do; unlike the current crop of djs, and so knowledgeable, I  was wondering if you might consider becoming a radio dj or teaching a class in oldies music appreciation.  I am confident that you would be a "shoo-in". Sandy
    I'm not so sure it isn't any less frustrating from the teaching level ... check out the email below!  (kk) 

    Kent,
    It is SO true.  What Paul McKenzie COULD have accomplished with musical notes through V just boggles the mind!  Imagine 'Jimmie Crack Corn' with that much depth.  :-P
    Yeah ok, Kent ... now try being a teacher and hearing that misinformation and yelling out, "NOOOOOOOOOO ... I told my students to turn ON the radio!  TURN IT OFF, TURN IT OFF!!!!
    Old assignment:  Listen to radio station (call numbers given) for at least one hour and identify title, decade and performers of five songs played.
    New assignment:  Listen to radio station (all stations are the same) for at least one hour and identify one TRUE fact heard.  News reports included.
    Shelley J Sweet-Tufano, proficient musical analyst


    Precisely why we need you Kent ... to preserve the truth. THANKS, MR. CRANKY PANTS! 
    Stacee   

    This won't help you one little bit, but I just have to say that the same thing happens every day in the movie world, where misquotes and misinformation are now imbedded in the minds of people everywhere as fact. Probably happens with sports trivia, and most scary of all, in real history. Not a whole hell of a lot one can do about it. I used to go on tirades in the chatrooms. At least you have a wider base of "listeners". Good luck.  
    Hil  
    It's just SO frustrating to see the facts so blatantly distorted and misrepresented!  Makes it nearly impossible to trust ANY source as "reliable."  We've gone from "if it's in The National Enquirer, it must be true" to "If I read it on the Internet, it must be true."  But this simply isn't always the case.  
    I'll never forget when Abraham Lincoln, before he was a vampire slayer, posted on his Facebook page that you can fool some of the people all of the time - and all of the people some of the time - but you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd - now that's sound advice if I ever heard it.  (kk)  

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    Playing The Music That Counts

    March 13, 2014, 4:25 am
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    50 Years Ago This Weekend

    March 14, 2014, 4:04 am
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    More British Invasion History this week in Forgotten Hits ...
    This week in Billboard Magazine, I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND begins its seventh week at #1, followed by SHE LOVES YOU at #2 and PLEASE PLEASE ME at #3.  Other BEATLES hits on the countdown:  I SAW HER STANDING THERE (#15), MY BONNIE (#26), TWIST AND SHOUT (premiering at #55) and FROM ME TO YOU (#73)

    The British Invasion is in full swing with DUSTY SPRINGFIELD's hit I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU at #12, THE DAVE CLARK FIVE at #20 with GLAD ALL OVER, NEEDLES AND PINS by THE SEARCHERS, making a huge leap from #75 to #46 and THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS at #61 with HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (a song THE BEATLES used to do in their club days … and even performed live on BBC Radio at the time)

    "Twist And Shout" jumps over all of the competition to take over the #1 Spot on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey this week in 1964, a position it will hold for a total of four weeks.  (How it missed the #1 position in Billboard it beyond me … it was #1 absolutely EVERYWHERE else, including Cash Box and Record World ... and on just about EVERY local chart we've ever seen from 1964!!!) 

    The Fab Four have four of the Top Five Records this week with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at #2, "Please Please Me" at #4 and "She Loves You" at #5.  "Glad All Over" climbs to #6 and "I Saw Her Standing There" holds on at #8.  Cliff Richard just misses The Top Ten as "It's All In The Game" climbs to #11.  "Needles And Pins" sits at #26, followed by "Hippy Hippy Shake" at #32.

    Also happening this weekend ... The Dave Clark Five make their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing "Glad All Over", "Bits And Pieces" and "Do You Love Me".  (They appeared the week before, performing their current hit "Glad All Over" ... and reaction was SO good that Ed invited them back to play three numbers the following week.

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    The Saturday Surveys (3-15)

    March 15, 2014, 5:00 am
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    We HAD to feature this one!!!

    As covered in our legendary series "Who Played The First Beatles Record In America", this is the chart that started it all.  (In fact, Dick Biondi, the guy who handled the honors, is even pictured on the front of the survey ... the week that "Please Please Me" by the mis-spelled Beattles first appeared on a U.S. chart ... and ELEVEN MONTHS before it first charted nationally!)





    Skeeter Davis had the #1 Single AND the top Featured Album of the Week with her monster hit "The End Of The World", still one of my all-time favorites.  You'll also find Jan and Dean at #10 singing a song written for a VERY young Linda McCartney!  And Peter, Paul and Mary debut on the charts this week with their '60's classic "Puff, The Magic Dragon".  (Hey, maybe they should re-release this one now that all these states are on board with legalizing marijuana!!!)

    *****

    Here's an oldie but goodie from KOIL, circa 1959.  Some GREAT tracks on this chart ... and a list of 50 tunes to boot!

    Just look at this list of Who's Who '50's stars ... The Coasters, Frankie Avalon, Lloyd Price, The Chipmunks, Brook Benton, The Crests, Andy WIlliams, The Diamonds, Annette, Duane Eddy, Jack Scott, LaVern Baker, Ricky Nelson, Ritchie Valens,  Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin, Conway Twitty, Perry Como, Connie Francis, Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Jimmy Rogers, Fats Domino, The Fleetwoods, The Chordettes, Johnny Mathis and Peggy Lee ... they're ALL here.  (So where the heck is Elvis?!?!?)

    Well, he's in the army!!!

    The chart is dated just 5 1/2 weeks after the fatal plane crash that took Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper ... which might help explain their presence on this chart.  Then again, it just MIGHT be because these guys were making some GREAT music back then.

    Let's listen to a few of them, shall we?  ('Cause Lord knows you sure ain't gonna hear 'em on the radio anymore!!!)












    And finally, a trip down to Kentucky, where we see Chicago's New Colony Six are doing VERY well indeed, holding down the #2 Spot with "I Will Always Think About You".  In fact, catching "Soul Coaxin'" by Raymond LeFevre at #3 is quite a surprise, too!  (Note to Ron Smith:  Maybe THIS is where all your votes are coming from in your Labor Day Oldies Countdown Poll!!!  A heavy concentration of Kentuckian voters perhaps!)

    One of Dave The Rave's favorite groups, Chery Slush, is in at #14 with "I Cannot Stop You" ... and it's kinda fun to see a couple of Country / Pop duets sitting at #10 and #11 with "Country Girl, City Man" by Judy Clay and Billy Vera and "Playboy" by Gene and Debbie, another one of my favorites, down from #6 the week before.








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    The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 16 - 14 )

    March 15, 2014, 10:02 pm
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    re:  The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame:  
    Cat Stevens seems to be the latest artist not interested in performing at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony.  In fact, he may not show up at all! Kiss captured all kinds of headlines a few weeks ago when they announced that they couldn't set aside their differences for just one night and treat their fans to a full-blown reunion ... and now Stevens is saying that he's not sure he'll make the trip back to America to attend the ceremony.  
    With Linda Ronstadt being unable to perform due to advanced Parkinson's Disease ... and Kurt Cobain also unable to attend (for obvious reasons), it sounds like those in attendance will be at best be treated to other artists paying tribute to the music of these artists rather than being performed by the artists themselves.  
    On the plus side, Peter Gabriel (who skipped the ceremony when Genesis was inducted) says he will be on hand to accept his "solo" award ... as well Daryl Hall and John Oates, who seem to be genuinely honored by their selection.  Also on hand will be The E Street Band, who are being inducted for "Musical Excellence".  Also earning inductions this year in the non-performing category are Beatles Manager Brian Epstein (posthumously) and Rolling Stones Manager Andrew Loog Oldhan.  The ceremony takes place on Thursday, April 10th, in Brooklyn, NY.  (kk)  

    And, on a related note, Gene Simmons went on Sirius / XM Radio last week and slammed The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for only inducting the four original members of Kiss.  Reading through this (from Vintage Vinyl News), I guess I can kinda see his point ... 
    Gene Simmons has slammed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over their decision to only induct the four original members of KISS.
    Simmons called into     Entertainment Weekly Radio on Sirius / XM to further explain why the band is refusing to play at the induction ceremony on April 10. The Rock Hall decided that they would only induct Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, ignoring other members such as the late Eric Carr and current members Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
    Simmons told the program "And then we found out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will only be honoring the original lineup with Ace, Peter, Paul and myself, and we said, ‘Oh okay, then we won’t be playing there. We’ll just accept the award. Thank you very much.’ And they go, ‘What are you talking about?’ and I said, ‘Well, you have a group like the Eagles who continue to be our contemporaries … and every member that has even been in the Eagles has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you’re only gonna honor the first lineup that was together for seven years? We’ve been around forty years. Tommy and Eric have been in the band 20 years — two and a half times longer than Ace and Peter."
    To be completely truthful, Singer has been the drummer for 23 years, since 1991; however, Thayer joined in 2002

    On Wednesday, Scott Shannon interviewed Gene Simmons of KISS on his show.
    Scott used to work for Casablanca Records and KISS was the first act signed by the label.
    They traveled a lot together, promoting the group.
    Gene talked about why they will not perform at the Rock - n - Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.
    Only original group members are allowed to perform.
    Gene said "It's like being invited to a party and told you can only bring your first girlfriend."
    He feels that this is an insult to two group members who have been with the group for over 20 years. (not original members.)
    I think he makes a good point.
    I would've let them sing one song with the original group members and one song with the current group members.
    Frank B. 
    I guess I kinda get it now ... some of these current members of bands have been with them longer than the originals and have earned their place as part of their history. 
    Good case and point:  Paul Revere and the Raiders - who boast band members that have been with the legendary wild man for 35 - 40 years!  How many of you out there have worked at the same job that long?  Truth is, there are very few BUSINESSES that have lasted that long!!!
    Both Doug Heath and Ron Foos have been Raiders for over 40 years now ... and keyboardist Danny Krause just passed his 35 year anniversary!
    While our FH Buddies Tommy Scheckel and Darren Dowler are relative "newbies" in Raider-land, they've spent their entire career in show-biz ... Tommy was the drummer for The Buckinghams for 27 years ... and before that beat the skins for another legendary wild man, superstar radio jock Jonathan Brandmeier (and the Leisure Suits!)  Darren Dowler was a Vegas headliner for decades ... and did a stint with The Lettermen.  In addition, his credits include singing with The Righteous Brothers, The Fifth Dimension, The Jordanaires, The Beach Boys, and many, many others. And to top that off, he was also the original lead guitarist for The Backstreet Boys!
    Paul just turned 76 years old himself and, despite some health problems last year, is still up there rocking and putting on one of the best shows of ANY genre.  And he's been doing exactly that for over 50 years now!  (Here's some guys who belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... 50+ years of nothing but "Feel Good" Music!!!)  We can't wait to see the guys again when they perform at The Arcada Theatre on April 13th.  Ticket information here:  Click here: oshows

    re:  The Beatles and The Beach Boys:  
    >>>Scott Shannon just finished interviewing Frankie Valli.  According to Scott -  Frankie Valli had 38 Billboard Hits and seven #1's. The only American recording artists to have hits before, during and after the Beatles era.  (Frank B)   
    >>>I'd have to dispute that one ... their west coast counterparts, The Beach Boys, immediately come to mind ... and I'll bet I could come up with at least another dozen or more if I stopped and thought about it.  (kk)  
    Good catch!  Too many people only remember the early surf and turf songs of the Beach Boys and forget their long and diverse catalog.  
    Phil  
    PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com   

    American recording artists to have hits "before, during and after the Beatles era" (if you define "the Beatles era" as 1964-70 and "hits" as Billboard Hot 100 chart singles) would include Herb Alpert, Freddy Cannon, Paul Anka, Louis Armstrong, Frankie Avalon, Tony Bennett, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Jerry Butler, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Gene Chandler, Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, Lou Christie, Nat "King" Cole, Perry Como (and that's just through the Cs!) plus many, many more -- including, of course, Frank Sinatra (a solo hitmaker from 1942 to 1980). 
    It's always dangerous to identify anything as being the "first" or the "only" because sure-as-shootin' somebody's gonna come up with at least one exception to that claim. 
    Gary Theroux 
    And that's not even citing some of the most obvious ones like Elvis, Rick Nelson, The Everly Brothers and literally dozens and dozens more.  (Hey, you came up with almost twenty just looking between A and C!!!)  That's why I was so surprised to hear Scott Shannon ... who certainly knows better ... make such a statement.  (kk) 

    If, in fact, that's what he said at all ... read on ...  

    UPDATE:  OK, I just listened back to the entire interview with Frankie Valli ... and that is NOT what Scott Shannon said.  What he said was The Four Seasons were the only American recording artists to have a #1 Hit BEFORE The Beatles, during The Beatles and AFTER The Beatles ... and that not even The Beach Boys had done that ... which is true ... at least according to Billboard Magazine.  (The Beach Boys' first Billboard #1 was "I Get Around" in 1964, by which time The Beatles had already invaded America.)  The distinguishing criteria, of course, is the #1 Hit status.
    So an IMMEDIATE Public Apology to all misled by Frank's original comment shown above ... and to Scott Shannon in particular for EVER doubting his wealth of musical knowledge!!!  (I should have known better than to think for a minute that he would make a bonehead mistake like that!!!  Lol)  kk  

    >>>I have wondered if the Beatles would be the success they are if it weren't for George Martin. He was the genius behind the band. I think the Beach Boys (their American counterparts) did more on their own. Brian Wilson is the genius behind the Beach Boys - he didn't have a George Martin - (he had his Dad, Murry Wilson, which doesn't say much.) Murry was a good businessman but not an arranger like Martin.  In the words of RVB (my oldies roomie bud) "the Beatles are overrated." I tend to agree. (Blossmwrld)   
    The Beatles also had Brian Epstein and the Beach Boys' greatly benefited from Murry Wilson's relentless door-to-door promoting. Both groups are superior and deserve the accolades sent their way but without Team Beatles or Beach Boys Nation, neither may have made it off the launch pad. Their early songs / singles only hint at greatness in the rearview mirror. 
    Are the Beatles "overrated"? IMHO, their unprecedented sociological impact causes many critics and fans to grant their mediocre songs classic status. Over rated? No. Blind worship of anything they released. Yes. Similarly, Brian Wilson may be a genius but not every tune he composed belongs in the Hall of Fame. 
    Phil  
    PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com
    With a catalog of music that has stood the test of time ... and still holds up just as well today ... and ultimately will outlive us all ... its hard to even fathom considering The Beatles as "overrated".  No, in hindsight they're not all priceless gems ... and some of that success was blown out of proportion by the mania ... but there are only a handful of songwriters (many of whom only served that purpose and were not performer themselves) who can boast a catalog of music this diverse and contemporary.  And look how rapidly they progressed from "She Loves You" to "Sgt. Pepper"!!!  Unheard of in pop music before or since.
    No question that the full weight of The Beach Boys' success was placed squarely on Brian Wilson's shoulders ... and it ultimately did him in ... but the music he created during that period of time is, if not completely unmatched, certainly is amongst the most elite of the elite.  Both groups will admit to this day that they inspired and fed off each other ... always trying to top the other with something even more unique and different.  The Beatles and The Beach Boys single-handedly took music in new directions we might otherwise never have seen.  Kudos for BOTH bands ... and all the contributions they've made by enriching our lives ... we truly are the winners here.  (kk)   

    re:  Fanny: 
    Hi Kent,
    A late follow-up on the Bee Gees'"Fanny" as I had missed the initial posting.
    While working at "American Top 40" in the late-'70s, I had the good fortune to meet and interview hundreds of recording artists and was befriended by a few in the process, one of whom was Andy Gibb.  As our birthdates were just a month and a day apart, we were contemporaries.  And while Andy's success was on a much grander and more glamorous scale, the fact that we were two kids in a business that was truly insane at the time probably contributed to our kinship.  He truly was a very good guy and, sadly, an inexplicably lost soul.  But I digress ...
    In the summer of '78, I made one of several trips to the Gibbs' home base in Miami to conduct support interviews with parents Hugh and Barbara Gibb, as well as associated personnel, for a series of radio specials on Andy and the Bee Gees.  One night, a major dinner was hosted at the house which Andy was renting.  The menu was made up of lots pf great southern comfort food, most notably the best fried chicken I have ever had, yet almost greaseless to the touch.
    The architect and chef of this unbelievable meal was a middle-aged black woman named Fanny.  I engaged her in conversation and found out that she often catered to the stars that would come into Miami to record at Criteria Studios, including other luminaries such as Eric Clapton and Crosby, Stills and Nash.  At some point in our chat, a lightbulb went off in my head and I asked her, "Are you the Fanny in the Bee Gees' song?"  Yes, she said.  Evidently, Barry, Robin and Maurice needed a two-syllable woman's name to fit the lyric.  "Fanny" fit the bill, and the Gibbs got to give an appreciative nod to the woman who was feeding them so well.
    Fanny, by the way, was an absolutely lovely human being who just radiated love and good nature.  I exhorted her to write a Rock And Roll Cookbook with recipes to the favorite dishes of the stars she had fed, but I guess it never happened.  What a shame.  The secret to that chicken alone is priceless.
    Later that year, I ran into Maurice Gibb at an event in Los Angeles and I told him that I had met his inspiration for the song "Fanny."  His reply was, "Yes, she's a luv.  But have you had her fried chicken?"
    All my best, Kent,
    Scott Paton     
    LOL ... TOO funny!  (I guess sometimes the stories behind the songs aren't always what you expect them to be!)  Thanks for sharing!  (kk) 

    I am one of the fortunate ones who got to see The Bee Gees a couple of times during their hey-day ... so sad to think that three of the four Gibb brothers are no longer with us.  Would LOVE to see Barry Gibb's show when he comes to town but once again ticket prices are in the stratosphere making it impossible for us to attend.  I'm curious as to how it will sound ... but have such great love and appreciation for their music that I know we'd love whatever Barry has come up with. (Frannie's never had the chance to see them ... so this would be one of those "bucket list" nights for us!) If any of our readers are able to attend, please drop us a line ... we'd love to run your review.  (kk) 
    Barry's "Mythology Tour" is coming to the States for a limited run in the coming weeks and, as he admonished the audience in a recent TV interview, "Don't come to this show expecting the Bee Gees.  That's not possible."  But he's joined onstage by his son Stephen and Maurice's daughter Sammy, and I'm certain that that familial support is the only thing that could have gotten Barry to take the stage again without his brothers. 
    I've always been a huge Bee Gees fan and felt very fortunate to have been befriended by some of their extended family.  My heart aches for Barbara Gibb, whom I believe is in her mid-90s now, at having lost three of her sons. 
    "Fanny" remains one of my Gibb favorites, and the more time that passes, the more I appreciate memorable moments of the past, including meeting the lovely namesake of the song.
    Local venues should be comp'ing you on tickets for all touring heritage acts, Kent, given the amount of coverage you provide.
    As always, thanks for all the hard work you put in every week to keep us aging music-heads entertained!
    Regards,
    Scott Paton

    re:  And Other Stories Behind The Songs:  
    Kent ... 
    Here's the story behind the hit "Travelin' Man", recorded 3/13/1961.  
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0x3XhuWbfw  
    As well as Rick Nelson's official video for the song, 1961:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtT0Zht60PI  
    And another story behind the hit ... http://www.nhregister.com/arts-and-entertainment/20140303/in-the-still-of-the-night-the-five-satins-recorded-biggest-hit-in-new-haven-church-basement  
    Frank B.


    re:  This And That:  
    Hey Kent.
    We found Terry Jacks - not easy to do since he doesn't use computers (he calls them "hell machines"). The "Seasons in the Sun" story has been distorted over time, so it was great to hear it from start to finish, beginning with Terry's days as a hotshot producer in Canada with The Poppy Family and ending with his career as an environmental activist. Along the way, there were failed recording sessions with The Beach Boys, a paperboy who convinced Terry to release his version of the song, and a meeting with the song's original composer, Jaques Brel, who told Terry the surprising story of where it was written (hint: there was a "Best Little" one in Texas).
    Here's the full interview:
    http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/terry_jacks_seasons_in_the_sun_/ 
    Be Well,
    Carl Wiser
    www.songfacts.com
    One of those "love it or hate it" songs to be sure ... but people sure loved it back in '74 when it topped the charts. I remember reading quite a bit about The Beach Boys' attempts at laying this one down so it's nice to see Terry talking about all that surrounded this legendary tune. 
    We recently heard from Gary DeCarlo, lead vocalist of Steam, who had the #1 Hit "Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye" back in 1969.  He, too, feels the story and circumstances surrounding that hit have been greatly distorted over the years.  We're hoping to run an interview with him soon in Forgotten Hits to once again "set the record straight".  Stay tuned for that!  (kk)


    The Jersey Boys Movie is coming out June 20th -- I can't wait!  
    Nicki  
    Me, too ... been waiting for this one!  (kk)  
     
    Be sure to tune in to Top Shelf Oldies (topshelfoldies.org) Wednesday night (March 19) at 8:00 ET for a special two-hour Third Anniversary edition of Randy on the Radio. I'll be featuring some of the rare stereo oldies from previous shows, along with the new ones you might not have heard before, as well as other great uncommon oldies. All shows archived athttp://ramtownmike.com/Wednesdayextras.html#randy  
    – Randy Price     

    One slight correction to today's post ... Crosby, Stills and Nash's first concert was NOT Woodstock. It was at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. I was there. August 17, 1969 at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, with Joni Mitchell as their opening act. By the time they got to Woodstock ...
    Ken Voss 
    ... they were scared shitless!!!  One of the most famous lines from the film where Graham Nash announces "This is our second gig"!!!  All the more surprising that anybody would run this as part of their ad copy promoting a new interview and radio special with the trio ... but that's exactly what they sent in!!!  (kk)

    >>>Thank you for the Aerosmith story on The Bellnotes' song "Ive Had It". I must have missed reading it in your previous email.    (Carolyn)
    One more note on "I've Had it."  If Carolyn lived in the Chicago area in 1964, she may have heard Chicago's own CRESTones, not the BELLnotes, singing that song on the radio.  The Crestones did a nice cover of it as a followup to their bigger local hit "She's a Bad Motorcycle".  Their version of "I've Had It" reached 21 on WLS' Silver Dollar Survey that summer.
    Clark Besch
     

      
    >>>After playing Pretty Ballerina, I opened Ron Smith's Chicago Top 40 Charts book and realized that Walk Away Renee did not make the WLS Top 40.  Back when oldies radio featured songs from the 60's, Walk Away Renee was the only one you would ever hear.  Pretty Ballerina made it to number 16 according to Ron's book.  (Phil Nee - WRCO)
    I have wondered about such things before, too.  In studying my surveys, I sometimes found that a song charted low and just did not click in some markets, but also found that often, by the time a station decided to go with the song, it was already "old news" or even had a follow-up released.  Thus, starting on a record that late made no sense and the station just dropped it right away.  Of course, with WLS and WCFL, it sometimes was a battle of stations, too.  If you read Tommy James' book, you can read how Jim Stagg was furious at James for giving WLS the world premier of "Crimson & Clover" so he had to make up for that by letting CFL have the next one.  Those station wars sometimes contributed to what charted and what did not.  I'll drop this to Clark Weber for his thoughts.
    Clark Besch

    >>>Kent, Kent, Kent!  “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” by the DC5, better than “Glad All Over” and “Bits & Pieces”????????????  That is Asylum Talk!!!   (Ken)
    Ken, yes, we all know Kent belongs in the asylum, but this is particularly disturbing!  Haha.  Now, if he says "I Knew It All The Time" is better, we'll just have to shoot him. 
    Clark Besch

    >>>The much BIGGER problem, of course, is the fact that the disc jockeys ... and the folks running the radio stations today ... don't have a CLUE as to what the facts are.  (kk)
    You ARE generalizing quite a bit there.  Ask Phil Nee and Bob Stroud!
    Clark Besch
    Exceptions to the rule, to be sure ... and there are plenty of these ... although that list seems to be fewer and further between than ever with all the cut-backs in radio of late.  But you've also taken that statement a bit out of context.  The NEXT sentence reads:  
    "Far too many of the people involved in radio today ... whether it be the on-air talent, the program director or the radio station manager ... probably weren't around when all this great music was being created ... and, as such, have no connection to the music they're playing at all."  (kk)


    re:  And, For Those Who Like The Hard Stuff ... : 
    LOTS of buzz about this one ... and ultimately the complete collection will be released, all with bonus material that has never before seen the light of day.  

    Led Zeppelin fans rejoice ... your time is gonna come! (kk)

    LED ZEPPELIN - FIRST THREE ALBUMS NEWLY REMASTERED
    		Atlantic - Swan Song
    The First Three Albums Newly Remastered, Each With An Additional Disc Of Previously Unreleased Companion Audio. Multiple CD, Vinyl, And Digital Formats, Including A Super Deluxe Boxed Set, Available June 3.
    http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1

    No matter how many times you may have listened to their music, you've never heard Led Zeppelin like this before. Beginning with the June 3 release of deluxe editions of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III, the band will launch an extensive reissue program of all nine of its studio albums in chronological order, each remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page. Led Zeppelin will also open its vaults to share dozens of unheard studio and live recordings, with each album featuring a second disc of companion audio comprised entirely of unreleased music related to that album.

    "The material on the companion discs presents a portal to the time of the recording of Led Zeppelin," says Page. "It is a selection of work in progress with rough mixes, backing tracks, alternate versions, and new material recorded at the time."
    Led Zeppelin
    Led Zeppelin II
    Led Zeppelin III
    Each album is now available for pre-order in the following formats:
    SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album on CD in vinyl replica sleeve

    Companion audio on CD in a new sleeve and on 180-gram vinyl (Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased October 1969 concert from Paris, II& III feature previously unreleased studio outtakes)

    Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating the first pressing

    High-def audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit (Live tracks are 48kHz/24bit)

    Hard bound, 70+ page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia

    High quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered

    Led Zeppelin will also include a replica of the band's original Atlantic press kit
    DELUXE EDITION 2 CD
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album, plus a second disc of unreleased companion audio (Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased October 1969 concert from Paris, II& III feature previously unreleased studio outtakes)
    DELUXE EDITION VINYL
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album and unreleased companion audio on 180-gram vinyl (Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased October 1969 concert from Paris [2 LP's] , II& III feature previously unreleased studio outtakes [Each contains 1 LP] )
    SINGLE CD
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album packaged in a gatefold sleeve with an 8 page booklet (Led Zeppelin III contains CD sleeve in a replica of the original vinyl, including the die cut holes and wheel)
    ORIGINAL ALBUM VINYL
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP's first pressing in exact detail
    DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
    		http://click.e.wbr.com/?qs=ac2b3b7b9f0ec20ba6e0446fd62c62a4296f111db76267363c8f6dfd98f8cdf1
    Remastered album and companion audio (Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased October 1969 concert from Paris, II& III feature previously unreleased studio outtakes)

    I heard about this - so psyched!!  I've got unreleased material that I downloaded but it'll be nice having official copies of previously unreleased Zep.  Also, we've got the two Zeppelin box sets (the 4-CD set that was released in 1990 and its 2-disc companion released in '93).  All of the tracks are out of order so what I did was I burned my own copies of the albums from the two sets.  As these new releases come out I won't need THOSE anymore.  I purchased them on LP in the early '80's, on CD in the late '80's, the box sets in the early '90's, and now this.  I'm a die-hard so I HAVE to have it all!  
    'Led Zeppelin III' was the first CD I ever purchased.  Got it in '86 - before I even had a CD player.  When I heard that the box set was being issued in '90, I got rid of all of them except for the third album.  I can't very well get rid of the very first CD I bought.   
    Thanks for sending!
    JacoFan       

    EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE DEEP PURPLE, LIVE IN CALIFORNIA 74  
    ~40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS EPONYMOUS CONCERT~ 
    ~ON CD AND DIGITAL FORMATS APRIL 1, 2014~  
    New York, NY (March 12, 2014)—In honor of the 40th Anniversary of the historic California Jam Festival, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Deep Purple Live in California 74 for the first time on CD and Digital Audio on April 1. [MSRP $13.98] 
    By the mid-seventies, Deep Purple was one of the biggest selling rock acts in America, and Live In California 74 demonstrates exactly why. Taking place at the end of their 28-date tour promoting Burn, the CD showcases the band performing before 200,000 people as the headliner of the Cal Jam Festival. Closing their trek with a triumphant climax, the potent line-up of Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), David Coverdale (vocals), Glenn Hughes (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), and Ian Paice (drums) pummel through an explosive set of songs from Burn, as well as classics like “Space Truckin’” and “Smoke On The Water.” 
    40 years later, this set still resonates as a concert for the ages. Previously released on DVD in 2006, the Live In California 74 album is an absolutely must-have for any Deep Purple fan’s collection. 
    Track Listing:  
    1.) Burn 
    2.) Might Just Take Your Life 
    3.) Lay Down, Stay Down 
    4.) Mistreated 
    5.) Smoke On The Water 
    6.) You Fool No One 
    7.) Space Truckin’

    The Legendary ALICE COOPER Welcomes YOU To His Nightmare! 
    Submit Your Questions Now For The “Keep Calm & Go Ask Alice Anything” Q&A 
    Submit Q&A Questions via  www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com 
    Forthcoming Official Documentary “Super Duper Alice Cooper” Premiering at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival Watch The Official Trailer Here: http://youtu.be/65LiL6R9L3I

     
    New York, NY (March 10, 2014) -- Banger Films, in association with Eagle Rock Entertainment, presents ALICE COOPER in Super Duper Alice Cooper, the brand new official ALICE COOPER documentary distributed by SpectiCast (As The Palaces Burn, Aerosmith: Rock for the Rising Sun, Morrissey 25: Live).  
    Super Duper Alice Cooper will premiere at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and will hit theaters nationwide beginning May 30, 2014. The film is the first ever ‘doc opera’ – a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation and rock opera that will cement forever the legend of ALICE COOPER. 
    In order to make Super Duper Alice Cooper as interactive for his devoted fans as he possibly can, ALICE COOPER is putting together a special pre-recorded “Keep Calm & Go Ask Alice” Q&A that will run following each theatrical screening. In order for Alice to give some wild answers, he’ll require some burning questions from fans, so he’s inviting YOU to ask him anything now via www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com (click the “Keep Calm & Go Ask Alice” graphic). Once the submission period is closed, Alice will personally handpick select questions and answer them via video, serving as the aforementioned Q&A.   
    So, do you want your question to be answered in the pre-recorded ALICE COOPER Q&A running after each and every screening in the U.S.? Of course you do! Submit your questions now via www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com.
     
    Super Duper Alice Cooper is the twisted tale of a teenage Dr. Jekyll whose rock n’ roll Mr. Hyde almost kills him. It is the story of Vincent Furnier, a preacher’s son who struck fear into the hearts of parents as ALICE COOPER, the ultimate rock star of the bizarre. From the advent of Alice as front man for a group of Phoenix freaks in the 60’s to the hazy decadence of celebrity in the 70s to his triumphant comeback as 80s glam metal godfather, we will watch as Alice and Vincent battle for each other’s’ souls. Alice’s story is told not only by the man himself, but through exclusive interviews with members of the original ALICE COOPER band, Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon, and Dee Snider.  
    Super Duper Alice Cooper is the creation of Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn at Banger Films, producers of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009 SXSW Audience Choice Winner) and Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010 Grammy-nominated and Tribeca Audience Choice Winner), and much-lauded filmmaker Reginald Harkema, winner of the TIFF Special Jury Prize for his film Monkey Warfare. 
    For more information on Super Duper Alice Cooper, please visit:  
    www.SuperDuperAliceCooper.com   www.facebook.com/SuperDuperAliceCooper   
    For more information on ALICE COOPER, please visit: www.alicecooper.com 
    www.facebook.com/AliceCooper www.twitter.com/realalicecooper  
    ALICE COOPER needs no introduction.  Still touring the world, with over 100 concerts scheduled in 2014, and hosting his internationally syndicated “NIGHTS WITH ALICE COOPER" radio show five nights a week for over a decade, Alice shows no sign of slowing down.       

    I'm quite sure that when The United States Post Office was first founded way back in 1775 they never dreamed they'd some day be honoring over-dosing, drugged out rock stars with commemorative postal stamps ... but the limited edition Jimi Hendrix stamp has just become available for purchase ... so stamp collectors and hard rock music fans alike can rejoice at this latest announcement.  (Ben Franklin must be looking down at us right now, smiling, while grooving out to "Foxey Lady" in the background!)


    The stamp was unveiled at SXSW in Austin at the Outdoor Stage in Buffer Park on Thursday.  Chief financial officer and executive vice presiden of the U.S. Postal Service, Joseph Corbett, had this to say: 
    "Combining influences from rock, modern jazz, soul and the blues with his own innovations, Jimi Hendrix helped found three new genres of music — heavy metal, jazz fusion and funk — and in doing so, left behind an indelible mark on pop music and popular culture generally. 
    "I'm especially pleased that we continue celebrating our Music Icons stamp series with the issuance of the Jimi Hendrix Forever Stamp." 
    Corbett was joined on stage by Janie Hendrix, sister to the late Jimi Hendrix, who said, "I am deeply touched and so are other members of the Hendrix family by the issuance of this stamp, and I wish to thank the United States Postal Service for bestowing one of our nation's highest honors on my brother Jimi.  While my brother has been cited many times as being among the most influential musicians of all time, the recognition implicit in his being portrayed on a U.S. postage stamp ranks as an unparalleled honor."  
    The stamp was designed by artist Rudy Gutierrez to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve and features a painting of Hendrix's face surrounded by colorful swirls and small icons that reference song lyrics or aspects of Hendrix's life. The various icons include flowers, a guitar, a mermaid and a butterfly. The stamp art shows Hendrix in performance, wearing one of his trademark vintage military jackets and playing one of his beloved white Fender Stratocaster guitars. 
    Jimi now joins the ranks of fellow musicians (and noted drug users) Janis Joplin (her stamp will be out later this year), Elvis Presley, James Brown (who also qualifies as a wife-beater), Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison (to come), Michael Jackson (to come), adulterer Sam Cooke and (and I REALLY don't get this one) John Lennon.  (Why is a British-born artist being honored with a U.S. stamp???) 
    So boys and girls, if you REALLY want to make your mark ... and be remembered as an important part of U.S. History ... be sure to ingest a little over the daily requirement of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and lsd ... as this will most certainly put you on the right path to infamy.  (kk)   

    re:  Lots Of Talk About This One!:  
    Click here: Watch Billy Joel Forget the Words to ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ « Radio.com News  
    In all fairness, there are an AWFUL lot of words to this song ... but Billy's right ... you fuck up one word and it's an immediate trainwreck ... and, of course, an immediate YouTube sensation!  (kk)
    ↧
    Search

    Radio's Infinite Wisdom

    March 18, 2014, 4:58 am
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    Another salute to the on-going wisdom of today's radio programmers.
     
    One of our comrades in arms fighting the oldies battle has fallen ... and we feel compelled to talk about it.
     
    Our good radio buddy Dave The Rave was fired from WIBG / Wibbage FM 94.3 a couple of weekends ago.  In fact, after a couple of false starts the Sunday Morning where we "sprung ahead" to Daylight Savings Time, they aborted the show after airing only the first few minutes ... and then afterwards informed him that it will not be returning to their line-up.
     
    For those of you unfamiliar with Dave or Dave's program, "Relics And Rarities" has been airing for a good many years on outlets like XM Satellite Radio and Top Shelf Oldies ... and recently has been syndicated for broadcast over a number of stations sprinkled across the U.S. as part of their weekend "specialty" programming.  It featured a mixture of hits ... forgotten hits ... and "shouldabeen" hits ... records that sounded like they fit into the musical landscape at the time but, for whatever reason, just never caught on.
     
    About the ONLY way to hear music like this today (with the incredibly tight play lists employed and enforced on terrestrial radio across the country) is on the Internet or through specialty programs like this one.  Typically, this is considered "weekend fare" ... a chance for the radio station to give their regular jocks some time off to spend with their families while the station broadcasts syndicated programs featuring music you don't always get to hear on the station ... Doo-Wop shows ... Elvis Only ... Breakfast With The Beatles ... Rock and Roll Roots ... Back to the '70's ... Cruisin' America ... SPECIALTY programs that step outside the confines of these tightly controlled play lists.
     
    Now I do know that Dave had been battling with the station for a while regarding the "obscure content" of his show.  He was playing songs that management told him "didn't test well", one of the most familiar and robotic answers program directors are programmed and conditioned to dispense.  At one point he was told to feature more songs "from the list".
     
    You all know the list I mean ... the dreaded "there is a copy of this list at EVERY radio station in America" list ... and"we ALL must play ONLY music from this list" ... because "anything else may be deemed too unfamiliar and drive listeners away".  So as suchwe, the listeners, are tortured by hearing the EXACT same songs every day at every stop on the dial. (We recently recounted the story of how Jeff James, one of our local jocks, was once reprimanded for playing "Come Monday" instead of "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffet, accused at the time of costingthe station 200 listeners by straying from that same dreaded list.  Because God knows the audience isn't intelligent enough to appreciate and accept ANOTHER song by Jimmy Buffet ... we can only digest one ... and that ONE is "Margaritaville" by golly.  That's why Buffet plays to sold out shows across the country where he performs a three hour set of nothing BUT "Margaritaville", right???)
     
    Fact is, making Dave the Rave ... or ANY other jock for that matter doing a program like this ... play songs from "the list" completely destroys the whole concept of "specialty programming"!  If you're only going to hear the same songs during these weekend "breaks" as you do all week long, where's the escape?  What's special about THAT?!?!  And furthermore, how do you call the show "Relics and Rarities" if you're REALLY playing "same old and same old"?!?!?
     
    I can assure you that NOBODY tunes in to Dave The Rave's Show to hear Billy Joel ... or Foreigner ... or Boston ... or Fleetwood Mac ... or Steve Miller ... or John Cougar Mellencamp.  The options to hear THIS music are literally ENDLESS ... you can turn on virtually ANY station in America and hear these exact same songs non-stop, 24 hours a day.  The escape IS specialty programming on the weekends ... and, as such, these programs have become very popular with the connoisseurs of music out there who have had enough of the cookie-cutter format being shoved down our throats on a daily basis by nearly every other radio station from coast to coast ... because that's what they THINK we want. 
     
    Two tracks specifically cited as being obscure were "The Monkey Time" by Major Lance and "Any Way You Want It" by The Dave Clark Five, a song we featured right here in Forgotten Hits a couple of weeks ago as an alternative suggestion to the Journey song by the same title that plays fifteen times a week on every Classic Rock and Classic Hits radio station in America.
     
    For the record, BOTH of these songs were Top Ten Hits.  Obscure?  Only because radio has rendered them so by completely ignoring them for the past fifty years.  But both were legitimate hits that fall squarely into what a good "Relics And Rarities" radio program should be playing.
     
    Most appalling to me is the fact that WIBBAGE (much like WLS here in Chicago, who we bitch about all the time) has a long-standing, rich heritage of radio broadcasting history.  It is, without question, one of the "bigs" ... and, as such, should know better.  Their audience ... and their legacy ... was built by playing these very tunes that now "don't fit" or "aren't on the list" ... and that's because the people in charge today haven't got a clue as to what good radio is ... or how good radio came to be.  And it's that penalty that the rest of us have to live with on a daily basis.  By the same token, I have to commend Dave for sticking to his guns ... and the integrity of his program ... by refusing to play songs "from the list".  It's not what "Relics And Rarities" was ever supposed to be ... and I give him credit for staying true to his fans.
     
    On the plus side, you can still catch Dave The Rave on Sunday Nights doing a three hour version of his show "Relics And Rarities" on Top Shelf Oldies ... and syndicated one hour and two hour programs also play on several stations that stream over the Internet so that you can tune in and listen regardless of where you live.  Archived shows (including the one that never got the chance to air in its entirety) can be found on Dave's website.  (See link below)
     
    As regular radio continues to drive us away, we've got to find other outlets to hear the music we enjoy.  This is a good place to listen.  Likewise, we regularly compliment the programming going on at Rewound Radio, who push the credo "It's not how old it is ... it's how good it is".  We're in favor of ANYBODY stepping outside the box and playing the hits that are NOT on the list ... and we applaud the radio stations and disc jockeys who do.  (kk)
     
     
    From Dave The Rave's Facebook Page (March 10th ... aka "The Morning After"):
     
    I was officially notified this morning that indeed my Sunday morning show on WIBG-GM has been terminated because it did not fit the current format of the station. I respect the right of a station to determine what they feel is in their best interests. Sometimes those decisions are good ones, and sometimes very poor decisions. But it is how radio works and I accept such.
    If you have any questions or comments please direct them to rickrock.wibbage@gmail.com. I do wish to thank the many great listeners of this station that I connected with over the almost five years I spent at     WIBG Wibbage FM 94.3. I thank the owner Rick Brancadora who hired me, and Bobby Emmons for recommending me. Just know that I maintained the integrity of what my show is about musically, and that as promised, I did not quit on the listeners. Archived shows at www.davetherave.com, and inquiries from other stations are welcome. Thanks for your support.
    ↧

    Some Of Your Mid-Week Comments

    March 19, 2014, 4:52 am
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    re:  The Infinite Wisdom Of Radio:
    Hey Kent,
    The only way I get to listen to a variety of oldies these days is to listen to Casey Kasem's American Top 40, broadcast here on Sunday mornings. He was one of my heroes, back in the early 70s. There are no "true" oldies stations here, and who wants to give a big chunk of the satellite radio fees to Howard Stern? I thought it would be interesting if you and your readers could come up with lists of the top 20 songs most played today. Put them all together, and come up with the tally. The project may be too hard to stomach, though. My guess is the song that comes out on top (at least in this area) is "Keep On Rockin' Me, Baby".
    - John LaPuzza
    Way back when, at the very beginning of Forgotten Hits back in 1999 till about 2002 we used to run our "Most Overplayed Oldies" campaign where readers would vote on the songs they are sick of hearing played to death ... songs they genuinely liked that radio has forever ruined for them by this complete overkill saturation.  (Of course back then there were all kinds of legitimate oldies stations up and down the radio dial ... at one time, we had three right here in Chicago.)
    Now the very term "oldies" is radio taboo and not to be uttered ... everything is "Classic Hits" and "Classic Rock" ... except the very "finite" definition encompasses only about 200 of the exact same songs by the exact same artists ... it's worse than we ever could have imagined.  (Back then some of the songs most often cited were "My Girl" by The Temptations, "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison, "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison and "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers ... all GREAT songs that radio ruined for us.  You'll still hear these four, of course, but nowhere near to the degree that you did 10-12 years ago. Now it just seems to be a steady stream of Journey, Foreigner, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel and Steve Miller ... once again, songs we USED to love ... that we now can't turn off fast enough.
    (I actually heard K-Hits play "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn yesterday ... and it sounded SO good to hear again.  Of course then they went straight into "867-5309" and "Don't Stop Believin'" ... but honestly wouldn't it be great ... and a WHOLE lot more tolerable ... to hear radio play at least one "Wow!" song every hour?  You know, be creative ... and give us a "pleasant surprise" once in a while.  (kk)
    Keep fighting the fight, Kent --
    You're never going to win --
    But it's entertaining as hell reading what you have to say!
    Rick
    I wonder if these wise young radio program directors will eventually tell the "Elvis Only" guy that he should try to play more Billy Joel songs during his program.  Or that "Breakfast With The Beatles" would probably draw a bigger audience if they slipped a little John Cougar Mellencamp and Steve Miller into the mix.  What the hell are these guys thinking?!?!  And when is enough FINALLY enough?!?!  (kk)
     
    re:  The Saturday Surveys:
    Hey kk!
    The Cherry Slush!
    Why do the grooviest combos ever from America only get underground status?
    Because they are just way too far out for the parents to allow their kids to give any support to them!
    This was a record that was hidden in that secret place if owned, right beside anything by Davie Allan & The Arrows and Jimmy Flint & The Stones "Hey Momma (Keep Your Big Mouth Shut").
     
    Kent,
    I want you to know that I am just ramblin' about anything and nothing in particular on the surveys posted this week. On WKLO's survey, who remembered that the Human Beinz had a followup to NOBODY BUT ME with the B.B B. tune TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT?
    On WLS's survey, I played the Shepherd Sisters' PLEASE DON'T MENTION MY NAME since for all practical purposes, I had never heard it before. It didn't make our survey here in OKC. What is the story again on the song LINDA that Jan and Dean recorded?  Did you know or remember that Adam Wade recorded it two years earlier in 1961 when he was under contract with Coed Records? That version made our survey as well.
    Larry
    The super-short story behind "Linda" (and probably the ONLY reason anybody still talks about it today ... because otherwise it's pretty much just a throw-away track) is the fact that it was written for a VERY young Linda Eastman, who went on to become the first Mrs. Paul McCartney back in 1969.  Other than that, I find it quite "forgettable".  (kk)
    Hi Kent
    ENJOY seeing the Record Surveys you send!
    The KOIL Top 50 Survey had "I've Had It by the Bell Notes as #3!!!
    The March 15, 1963, Silver Dollar Survey with Dick Biondi on it had a tune you NEVER hear either: "How Can I Forget" by Jimmy Holiday. (a real "tear jerker").
    Have you heard either one of those tunes?
    Keep up the great work.
    Carolyn
    I don't remember this one ... but the Jimmy Holiday single "How Can I Forget" was Jimmy's biggest hit, peaking at #57 on the Billboard Chart in the Spring of 1963.  Not likely you'll ever hear this one anywhere else but here!  So here goes!  (kk)

    Kent,
    Always love your "surprise" tunes in Forgotten Hits, and "Soul Coaxin'" by the Raymond Lefevre Orchestra was another example of great music that will never see the light of day except in your i-Pod.  So much impressive music just sits in the vaults, and when you hear it again you say to yourself "what a really great song ... why is that not getting any air-play."  I love really nice production.  I have always felt one of the finest pieces of production out of Motown was Martha & the Vandellas'"Dancing In The Street."  And "Venus" by Frankie Avalon and "Venus In Blue-Jeans" by Jimmy Clanton are other examples of songs that are well-produced and just sound great on the radio.  My wife and I were taking a little day-trip today and had a "formula" station on the radio and on comes "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison -- you know after hearing it 10,000 times, you just want to hit the button and say p-l-e-a-s-e -- come on, how about  "Gloria" or "Here Comes The Night" -- please, anything else by Van, because after a while, it becomes torture.  Safe without surprise seems to be today's formula -- oh yes, and don't forget those long stop sets!
    Peace, 
    Tim Kiley  
     
    re:  Diggin' Forgotten Hits:
    Hey ...
    You guys are sure making me feel a lot younger!!! Many thanks!!! Now, if WLS were starting all over, I'd sure send in a demo tape!!!!!
    Bob Hale
    WLS SHOULD start over ... and you'd be a welcome addition, Bob!  (kk)
     
    Thanks again for creating this network of kindred souls and the true fellowship that is evident in all your posts.
    Regards,
    Scott
     
     
     
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    The First Day Of Spring

    March 20, 2014, 5:00 am
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    FINALLY!!!

    Today it's supposed to be 50 degrees in Chicago ... and we might break 60 tomorrow!!! (Of course then the next five days we return to highs in the 30's ... with even a couple of chances of snow flurries!) ... but let me enjoy the next 48 hours while I can ... this has been, without a doubt, one of the most brutal winters ever!!!

    So, inspired to celebrate (call it early spring fever), we decided to look back today and review ...


    THE TOP 45  45's ...
    FROM 45 YEARS AGO TODAY ...
    THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING, 1969


    #45 - Try A Little Tenderness - Three Dog Night
                   (their first chart hit)


    #44 - I Can Hear Music - The Beach Boys
                   (a HUGE leap from #70 to #44 ... and one of my all-time favorites by them)

    #43 - No, Not Much - The Vogues
                   (another great remake hit by these guys)
    #42 - It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers
                   (Their first hit in quite a while ... this one jumped from #93 to #42 ... that's halfway up the chart in a single bound!)
    #41 - May I - Bill Deal and the Rhondels
                   (Another Forgotten Hits Classic)


    #40 - Don't Give In To Him - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
                   (Another in their on-going string of hits)

    #39 - I Don't Know Why - Stevie Wonder
                   (Does ANYBODY remember this one?!?!  I sure don't!)

    #38 - There'll Come A Time - Betty Everett
                   (The Shoop-Shoop Girl with a '69 comeback hit)

    #37 - Do Your Thing - The Watts 103rd Street Band
                   (Another one you might not recognize, even if by some miracle you heard it again!)

    #36 - Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose - James Brown
                   (Have you seen the previews yet for the brand  new James Brown bio-pic?  It looks absolutely AMAZING!)


    #35 - Ramblin' Gamblin' Man- The Bob Seger System
                   (A HUGE hit here in Chicago, it didn't do as well nationally ... but for most of our our first introduction to this rock mainstay.  Listen closely for a very young Glenn Frey on background vocals)


    #34 - Sophisticated Sissy - The Meters
                  Slowly creeping up the charts

    #33 - I'll Try Something New - DIana Ross and the Supremes with The Temptations - they had far greater success with their pairing on "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"

    #32 - You Showed Me - The Turtles
                   Still one of my favorites by these guys


    #31 - Touch Me - The Doors
                   One of those songs that you STILL hear each and every day!
     
    #30 - Mendocino - The Sir Douglas Quintet
                  And one that would sound GREAT coming out of your radio six times a month.  A much overlooked, long-forgotten classic that just feels good every time it comes on.


    #29 - But You Know I Love You - The First Edition
                   Still pre-Kenny Rogers top billing ... their follow-up hit to "Just Dropped In"

    #28 - Sweet Cream Ladies - The Box Tops
                 Everybody I know loves this song ... yet you NEVER get to hear it.  In fact, most of their hits are radio-ignored other than "The Letter"


    #27 - Twenty-Five Miles - Edwin Starr
                  Another great Motown / Soul Classic ... a year later he'd top the charts by declaring "War"

    #26 - You Gave Me A Mountain - Frankie Laine
                  Another PERFECT example that shows how EVERYTHING fit on the radio back in the day.  Frankie Laine?!?!  Being played side-by-side with The Doors, James Brown and Bob Seger?!?!?  And (still to come) Bubble Puppy, The Zombies, The 1910 Fruitgum Company and Tommy Roe?!?!  Man, what an AMAZING time in music!

    #25 - I Got A Line On You - Spirit
                  Another rock and roll classic


    #24 - Only The Strong Survive - Jerry Butler
                   The Ice Man cometh

    #23 - Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon - Paul Revere and the Raiders
                   How come we never get to hear this one?!?!


    #22 - Hot Smoke And Sassafrass - (by the aforementioned) Bubble Pupply
                   Psychedelic Rock at its finest!


    #21 - You've Made Me So Very Happy - Blood, Sweat and Tears
                  First major hit after the David Clayton Thomas take-over

    #20 - Rock Me - Steppenwolf
                  We featured this one just the other day in Forgotten Hits!

    #19 - The Weight - Aretha Franklin
                 The Queen of Soul covering The Band's classic ... perhaps a venture better left undun!
     
    #18 - This Magic Moment - Jay and the Americans
                  One of their very best ... and still one of my all-time favorite performances


    #17 - Baby, Baby Don't Cry - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
                  One of Smokey's finest

    #16 - Things I'd Like To Say - The New Colony Six
                  The boys from Chicago scoring nationally with this one!

    #15 - I've Gotta Be Me - Sammy Davis, Jr.
                  See what I mean about chart-diversity?!?!?

    #14 - Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In - The Fifth Dimension
                  From the Rock Musical "Hair" ... it would go on to become one of the biggest hits of 1969

    #13 - My Whole World Ended - David Ruffin
                  Bounced from The Temptations, David scored his first big solo hit with this one.

    #12 - Games People Play - Joe South
                  The recently-departed South wrote quite a few hits in the '60's for other artists ... this was the biggest one he kept for himself

    #11 - Galveston - Glen Campbell
                  Country, Pop, Soul, Funk, Bubblegum, M.O.R., Psychedelia, Folk Rock, Tex Mex ... all these genres sharing space on this week's chart ... and played side-by-side on the radio without a single hesitation ... not like the "segregated radio" we're force-fed today

    #10 - Run Away Child, Running Wild - The Temptations
                    Man, these guys are ALL over the chart this week!

    #9 - Crimson And Clover - Tommy James and the Shondells
                 And psychedelic pop!  One of their absolute finest ... and a revolutionary record at the time


    #8 - Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone
                 And so on and so on 

    #7 - This Girl's In Love With You - Dionne Warwick
                 Scoring a Top Ten Hit with her remake of the #1 Herb Alpert Hit from the year before ... only this time from a woman's point of view

    #6 - Time Of The Season - The Zombies
                 The Zombies had already split up by the time this record was racing up the charts!

    #5 - Indian Giver - The 1910 Fruitgum Company
                  A great bubblegum hit


    #4 - Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
                 Still a popular radio hit, discovered and embraced by a whole new generation.  (Hey, what's that in your hair???)

    #3 - Traces - The Classics IV
                 Another beautiful ballad by the beautiful voice of Dennis Yost

    #2 - Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival
                 One of their most popular tunes ever ... these guys could do no wrong in 1969 ... they had seven charted hits that year!

    #1 - Dizzy - Tommy Roe
                 Our Forgotten Hits Buddy Tommy Roe tops the chart with the biggest hit of his career.
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    50 Years Ago This Weekend

    March 21, 2014, 4:00 am
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    Every Friday, Forgotten Hits continues to look back at The British Invasion attacking our shores (and, in particular, our airwaves) with an onslaught of brand new sounds beaming over from Jolly Ol' England.  
    Here's what things looked like on the charts 50 Years Ago This Weekend ...
    BILLBOARD MAGAZINE:  3/21/64 - I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND FINALLY falls from the #1 spot, only to be replaced by SHE LOVES YOU, which had spent the previous four weeks stuck behind it at #2.  But not to worry … The Fab Four STILL have the Top Three Hits in the land, as right behind I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND at #2 is PLEASE PLEASE ME, holding down the #3 spot.  Their latest U.S. release, TWIST AND SHOUT, has joined them in the Top Ten, now sitting at #7.  (FOUR TOP TEN HITS in the same week!!! Insane!)
    Looking at the rest of what can only be described as "The British Chart Beat", I SAW HER STANDING THERE is at #14, GLAD ALL OVER (still climbing) is at #15, I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU is down to #21, NEEDLES AND PINS is up another 21 points to #25, HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE is knocking on The Top 40 Door at #41 with MY BONNIE right behind it at #42, FROM ME TO YOU has finally earned a bullet, moving from #73 to #58, THE BEATLES are in at #79 with a CANADIAN single, ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN and FOUR Beatles-related novelty hits are now on the charts: WE LOVE YOU BEATLES by THE CAREFREES at #73, MY BOYFRIEND GOT A BEATLE HAIRCUT at #83, THE BOY WITH THE BEATLE HAIR at #85 and A LETTER TO THE BEATLES by THE FOUR PREPS at #86.
    I guess you could say that this is the week they officially crossed-over to become a pop-culture phenomenon.  The Beatles were now affecting every aspect of our being.



    Meanwhile, check out The Top Five here in Chicago this week ... The WLS Silver Dollar Survey ranks them this way:  "Twist And Shout" is #1, "Please Please Me" is #2, "She Loves You" is #3, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" / "I Saw Her Standing There" (now showing as a two-sided hit) is #4 and "Glad All Over" is #5.  Rounding out the Top Ten are "We Love You Beatles" by The Carefrees at #9 and "It's All In The Game" by Cliff Richard at #10.  (And take a look at the unlikely trio holding down the other three Top Ten Spots:  The Beach Boys with "Fun Fun Fun", Bobby Vinton with "My Heart Belongs To Only You" and Sammy Davis, Jr. with "The Shelter Of Your Arms".  Now THAT's chart diversity folks!  lol)
    Other British Hits of note include The Swinging Blue Jeans at #18 with "Hippy Hippy Shake", The Searchers at #22 with "Needles And Pins" and The Beatles again, premiering at #36 with their latest hit, "Can't Buy Me Love".
    On the National Charts, Canadian imports of two Beatles album tracks, "All My Lovin'" and "Roll Over Beethoven" sold enough copies to make the U.S. Chart … but here in Chicago we were treated to cover versions of those tracks by The Princeton Five (later simply The Princetons of "Georgianna" fame) and Jimmy Griffin, who six years later would be hitting the charts as a member of Bread.



    Mike Baker salutes The British Invasion this weekend and next on his "Forgotten 45's" radio program ... more details below ...

    The 50th Anniversary Of The British Invasion   

    Many people have heard the 50th anniversary of The Beatles on American Radio but what followed was the British Invasion. The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman's Hermits, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who and many more invaded the American Charts.   

    Listen Sunday, March 23rd and 30th to the British Invasion from noon to 4pm followed by the History of Rock & Roll’s chapter on the British Invasion.




    Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s



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    The Saturday Surveys (3-22)

    March 22, 2014, 5:00 am
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    The WLS Chart in 1974 was down to just fifteen positions ... but look what's #1!

    Canadian group Wednesday's remake of the '60's classic "Last Kiss" (which only reached #34 in Billboard Magazine) was a HUGE hit here in Chicago.  In fact, WE started playing it again in our rock band Kumsah right around this time because it had become such a popular radio track.

    An eclectic mix to be sure ... a novelty hit by Dickie Goodman (ALWAYS extremely popular here in Chicago) ... the unusual ("The Lord's Prayer" by Sister Janet Mead?!?!) ... a foreign track ("Eres Tu" by Mocedades) ... and the God-Awful "Abra-Ca-Dabra" by The DeFranco Family ... quite possibly the worst record EVER recorded!!!

    When's the last time you heard ANY of these tunes???










    And, speaking of Canada, we reach back to 1959 for this batch ... Ritchie Valens tops this CKOY Canadian Chart with "La Bamba" ... and Buddy Holly's in The Top Ten, too, with "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", a song written for him by Paul Anka ... who was also immortalized in Annette's #14 Hit this week, "Tall Paul".

    Last week we mentioned the absence of Elvis Presely on the chart ... but this week in Canada his latest two sided hit premiers at numbers 22 and 27 (with "I Need Your Love Tonight" earning the better showing first time on the chart ... "A Fool Such As I" would become the real hit, eventually hitting #1.)



       

    Wrapping up this week's survey salute is this chart from WJET Radio.  Marvin Gaye's asking "What's Going On" ... and maybe that's because we've got two solo Beatle hits in The Top Five this week in 1971 ... "Another Day" by Paul McCartney is at #2 ... and "What Is Life" by George Harrison is at #5.

    You'll find some other real surprises here as well ...  

    "Lucky Man" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer (one of my very favorite songs of all time) is a Top Ten Hit ... and Magic Lantern is in The Top Ten, too, with "One Night Stand", a song that never climbed higher than #74 on the Billboard Chart.

    Quicksilver, Dusk (Bell's answer to Dawn ... who are also at #21), Salvage, a Billboard "Bubbling Under" hit by The Cowsills, "Freedom" by Jimi Hendrix (!), "When You Dance" by Neil Young (this week's "Pick Hit" no less!), Poco, John Lennon's future short-term back-up band Elephant's Memory, one of our heroes, Emitt Rhodes at #42 with "Live Till You Die" and a Zager and Evans hit (in 1971 ... "Hydra 15,000") make you scratch your head and wonder ... just what the heck kind of radio station WAS this?!?!?  (All the more bizarre when you see Andy Williams and Donny Osmond in The Top Ten!!!)

    Looks like they came out of Erie, PA ... and they're still on the air!


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