The Friday Flash

Rolling Stone Magazine has updated their list of The Top 500 Greatest Albums …

And now lists Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” as the #1 Album of All-Time.

(A reflection of the times perhaps?)

The Top 50 still includes some mainstays …

PET SOUNDS by The Beach Boys (#2), BLUE by Joni Mitchell (#3), SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE by Stevie Wonder (#4), ABBEY ROAD by The Beatles (#5), NEVERMIND by Nirvana (#6), RUMOURS by Fleetwood Mac (#7), PURPLE RAIN by Prince (#8), BLOOD ON THE TRACKS by Bob Dylan (#9) and THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL by Lauryn Hill (#10) … seriously?  Ahead of “Revolver” at #11, “Thriller” (#12), “Exile On Main Street” (#14), “Highway 61 Revisited” by Bob Dylan (#18) and “Born To Run” by Bruce Springsteen at #21.

Things get REALLY wonky the further down the list you go … but Top 50 Albums (of all-time???) by Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Kanye West, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., Wu Tang Clan, D’Angelo, Beyonce’ (WHAT?!?!), Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Outkast and Jay-Z.

(Somehow I just can’t picture a remake of “Almost Famous” being made today … a film VERY near and dear to the hearts at Rolling Stone … where the big sister is packing a case of albums for her little brother as a means of enlightenment … and it’s filled with ANY of the albums by the artists listed above!!!

You’ll find “Sgt. Pepper” down at #24 … and Carole King’s “Tapestry” right behind it at #25 … and “Let It Bleed,” “Ziggy Stardust,” The Beatles’ White Album, “Rubber Soul,” “Are You Experienced” and “The Velvet Underground and Nico” are in there, too … but that’s QUITE a shake-up in The Top 50!!!  (“Dark Side Of The Moon” … an album that rode the charts for DECADES … is down at #55!)

Their first Top 500 List came out in 2003 … and then they did it again in 2012.

This year’s list boasts 154 new titles, never making the list before.  (In addition, more and more “Greatest Hits” collections have been eliminated in favor of stand-alone album projects.)

You can view all 500 titles here:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/

Best Classic Bands ran a piece about “Hey Jude” moving into the #1 position this week in 1968 … and staying there for nine consecutive weeks.  Actually, this article, which also points out OTHER momentous occasions for this week in ’68 … such as Denny McLain winning his 31^st game (no pitcher has won 30 games in a single season since), Mickey Mantle playing his last major league game, “Hawaii Five-O” and “60 Minutes” making their television debuts (“Hawaii Five-O” currently leads our poll for All-Time Favorite TV Themes with over one votes thus far … for the record, “60 Minutes” doesn’t have any!), reads a lot like one of our Forgotten Hits calendar pages!

But the truth is, “Hey Jude” only held the top spot for nine weeks in Billboard Magazine.  (Here in Chicago, it was #1 for a week!)

Cash Box and Record World showed it at #1 for 7 and 4 weeks respectively, replaced by their own Apple Records act Mary Hopkin.  (Here in Chicago, besides Hopkin, “Fire” by The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and “Over You” by Gary Puckett in the Union Gap reached the top during The Beatles’ nine week Billboard reign.)

Still, it was the biggest Beatles hit of all time … here in The States.  Over in the UK, “She Loves You” holds that distinction.

Still worth another view I guess … if you’ve got just over seven minutes to spare …

You can check out the complete Best Classic Bands article here:  https://bestclassicbands.com/radio-hits-september-1968-9-25-155/

John Michael Coppola (Frankie in Chicago’s production of “Jersey Boys” and leader of The Four C Notes) found the quote I was looking for from Joe Pesci about the passing of Four Seasons founding member Tommy DeVito and forwarded it along to us:

The time he spent as part of the Four Seasons produced some of the most iconic music of that era and continues to inspire young musicians to this day. I will always remember him for his great voice and for the character that he was.  

-- Joe Pesci

He also provided the link to that quote:  

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/23/tommy-devito-four-seasons-founding-member-dies-of-covid-aged-92)

My stack of Mac Davis ones is pretty big, too, but I kept none in my faves BY HIM.  I did not know he wrote "A Little Less Conversation."  WOW!!  Put him on the board in '68, but set him up for life in the new century!  I think my oldest solo Mac 45 was on VJ 1964 or so! 

Check out the 45 I mentioned by Everyday People.  Pretty catchy, I think.  I am guessing this might BE Mac Davis, himself.  It was an Abnak yellow vinyl promo in STEREO!  A 1970 45 that was probably one of the last Abnak 45s, I suppose.  Got airplay in Kansas when I was growing up.  Psychedelic pop?  Fuzz meets Partridges?

Clark Besch

If I'm not mistaken, I think Mac Davis actually used to work for Vee Jay Records back in the mid-'60's, trying to get and keep a foothold in the music business.

I just found him to be a very personable, likeable guy.  (C'mon ... you HAD to like that rockabilly clip I ran!!!) 

In my haste to prepare the remembrance pieces on Helen Reddy and Mac Davis the other day, I neglected to mention that Davis also wrote the Kenny Rogers and the First Edition hit “Something’s Burning,” a Top Five Hit in 1970. 

And DIDJAKNOW that Helen Reddy's first single here in The States was her version of the Mac Davis tune "I Believe In Music"?  Now how cool is THAT??? (kk)

 

Don't misconstrue what you watched last night on the presidential debate.  

It was not really spite, hatred, under your breath, jargon, insinuation or sarcasm that was used.    

That debate was really a subliminal tribute to the late Mac Davis. 

You heard guys REALLY saying "It's hard to be humble,""A little less conversation, a little more action,""Another little baby child is born in the ghetto,""Memories pressed between the pages of my mind,""I've got everything a man could ever need," and "Can't you feel it ...  Here it comes ... FIRE ... Something's burnin'."   

Mac Davis making a political statement thru two candidates???

Clark 

I may be a minority, but I found Helen Reddy's contribution to pop music to be minimal. She got lucky with I Am Woman and rode the wave for as long as she could. I don't agree with the idea of her being a feminist icon. 

Thankfully, I don't listen to oldies radio, so I do not need to hear airings of a mediocre song catalog at best. 

Jack Levin

While I can’t call myself a Helen Reddy fan, I absolutely liked a good portion of her songs (once we got past “I Am Woman.”)

I wasn’t able to listen to oldies radio on Wednesday so I didn’t hear what kind of tributes stations like Rewound Radio, True Oldies and Me-TV-FM may have put together to honor these two big ‘70’s stars.  But I’m sure it was something fitting … as it should be.

Not your taste … and I get that …

But the statistics prove that you are in the minority on this one …

And not by just a little bit!

Like it or not, Helen Reddy was a STAR!!! (And a big one at that!)  kk  

Some nice coverage of both Helen Reddy and Mac Davis by our friends at The Second Disc ... well worth reading ...

https://theseconddisc.com/2020/09/30/in-memoriam-mac-davis-1942-2020/ 

https://theseconddisc.com/2020/09/30/in-memoriam-helen-reddy-1941-2020/ 

 

And here's an interesting article from Billboard Magazine, showing the similar trajectory of their careers in the 1970's ...https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9457412/mac-davis-helen-reddy-music-tv-stars?utm_campaign=Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=daily_digest

 

Morris Mac Davis  

Lubbock, TX 

Wednesday January 21, 1942   /  Tuesday September 29, 2020

 

"Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me"

Hey Kent,

Another Writer / Artist / Musician has left the planet.

(My Mac Davis experience)

It was 1972, ("Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me"), and we were playing what we use to call The U.S. Steel Mill circuit on 28th Street.

"Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" was just one of the songs on our play list.

Well ... after a few rounds of that song with your Girlfriend in the front row, I can tell you that every attempt at a relationship goes right out the front door (What's in a Song)!  But!  But! Baby!!!

This is the time where most will say ... Ah, then it wasn't meant to be.  

But I've got to tell you ...

It is really hard to measure if it was meant to be when you're performing "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" to your Girlfriend!

(My Mac Davis experience) 

 

... Oh so many years later ...

Mary, Would You Write Me A Letter 

* 

I remember Mary Ann and the color of her hair 

I was so in love with her two kids without a care 

Those days are gone, and we can't go back - 

Been many years since then 

Each time I think of Mary Ann 

We're back in school again 

*

Mary, would you write me a letter 

Tell me how you loved the things we use to do 

And if you would include those old photographs of you 

'Cause I'm trying to pretend Wwe're back in school again 

Mary, would you write me a letter 

*

You know sometimes you lose at love and open up another door 

Someone always comes along to change our lives once more 

And in our hearts we hold those keys that unlock memories from the past 

Each time I think of Mary Ann, these things I'd like to ask 

* 

Mary, would you write me a letter 

Tell me how you loved the things we use to do 

And if you would include those old photographs of you 

'Cause I'm trying to pretend we're back in school again 

Mary, would you write me a letter 

* 

Mary, would you write me a letter 

Tell me how you loved the things we use to do 

And if you would include some old photographs of you 

'Cause I'm trying to pretend we're back in school again 

Mary, would you write me a letter 

* 

'Cause I'm trying to pretend we're back in school again Mary, would you write me a letter 

* 

I remember Mary Ann, and the color of her hair

L J

L J Coon

 

Mac Davis is probably best known as a songwriter ... 

Some of the songs he gave away to other artists became bigger hits than his own. 

One of his that I particularly like that he DIDN'T write falls right into the Forgotten Hits category we talk about all the time ...

A song you NEVER hear ... but will remember immediately the next time you do. 

Here's "Rock And Roll, I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life," a #15 Hit in 1975, written by Kevin Johnson, who also charted with it a couple of years before.

(If I'm being totally honest, I actually like the Kevin Johnson version better ... but you're probably not going to remember that one because it only made it up to #63 ...

But hey, we're here to salute Mac Davis today ... so that's exactly what we're going to do!)  kk

 

 

I met Helen Reddy circa 1977 when Kim Fowley was producing the "Ear Candy" album for her. I was at the "You're My World" session. David Carr of the Fortunes and Rick Henn of the Sunrays were the arrangers Kim brought in. One night Chris Darrow, who had played dobro on a Cajun-influenced  track, gave me his phone number.  

I went to all "The Midnight Special" television show tapings in Burbank. Reddy was a guest a couple of times.  

I never bought records by Helen Reddy, but "Angie Baby," written by Alan O'Day, produced by the very underrated Joe Wissert, is terrific. What a spooky recording with a haunting alluring vocal and arrangement. One of the best-ever examples where the songwriter's cryptic lyrics, the perfect singer and a veteran producer showed us how a hit record is done.    

Harvey Kubernik

Alan was a good friend to Forgotten Hits ... I ran an exclusive piece the other day where he explained the story behind "Angie Baby" ... GREAT track.

Not a lot of people have ever heard Alan's version ... but I love it!  He is missed. (kk)

 

 

When I woke up this morning and heard the news about Helen Reddy and Mac David, I immediately went to the Forgotten Hits page.  There is something about the way you cover these things that makes me feel like I'm talking with a friend ... it just seems much more personal ... and much more personable ... than simply reading a "just the facts, ma'am" news report.  I appreciate the way you are able to communicate your own grief and love for this music ... something the impartial news report cannot seem to do.

We have lost so many of our favorite artists these last few years ... but you seem to always treat them with respect and put their career and contribution in perspective.

Thank you for Forgotten Hits ... MY source for oldies news.

Jennifer

Thank you so much for the kind words.

As I have said from Day One, I am ALWAYS a fan first ... but I also have to call 'em as I see 'em ... this is what our readers have come to expect and I never lose sight of this.

That being said, I always try to offer constructive criticism in a negative review ... more of a "Would you consider this?" sort of thing ... but always offered from the fan perspective.  (I recently told Tommy James that the songs his fans would most like to see him perform in concert that he doesn't include in his act is "She," a Top 20 Hit from early 1970 that includes just a touch of psychedelia.  Will he do it?  Who knows ... but where else ... and WHO else is going to tell him something like this???)

By the way, this Sunday Tommy will be talking about Forgotten Hits on his Sirius / XM Gettin' Together program.  (Not sure to what extent ... but still REALLY cool to be mentioned!) kk

It was sad to read about the loss of Mac Davis and Helen Reddy. I have played both artists hundreds of times since their debuts in the seventies.  

I think Texas In My Rearview Mirror is an underrated song.  Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me is personal favorite.  It is one of those cheesy '70's guilty pleasures.    

I had a crush on Helen Reddy. She was great as the only regular host of the Midnight Special, which I watched every week.  Aint No Way To Treat A Lady was one of my favorites

back in the day.  

In the mid-70's I bought a stereo with a cassette player (which was hard to find at that time).  The first cassette I bought was Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits.  

I did have the chance to chat with her on my show in the 1990s.  It was so cool to be able to tell her how much I appreciated her music.

Phil Nee - WRCO

Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits is the one to buy ... LOTS of great music on that CD.

Mac Davis switched record labels too many times to collect all of his hits in one place ... but he recorded good music on all of them ... so I have THREE Greatest Hits by him in my collection.  (kk) 

 

Lost in the shuffle of all the Helen Reddy / Mac Davis press, we should also note that Wednesday marked the passing of Francis Rocco Prestia, inovative bass player and founding member of Tower Of Power.  (He's the guy who put a lot of the "funk" into their unique sound!)

Essentially best known for their horn section (and the not so illustrious career of their lead singer, Rick Stevens, who did jail time for murder), Prestia's "finger style funk" helped to define the band's overall sound.  He was much admired by other musicans (and wowed by fans.)  kk

From someone already 85, best wishes to Jerry Lee Lewis. Of course, my fourth favorite singer of all time, Johnny Mathis turns 85 on September 30. My three favorites, in order, are Ella, Nat and Frank. 

Hil

My guess is you won’t find Mrs. Miller ANYWHERE on this list!!! 

Congrats on the Big 85, Hil … it’s the new 50!!!  (Yeah, right!!!  I'm still nearly twenty years away and still wake up screaming for the "oil can" every morning!!!)  kk

And here's a bit of good news ...

Despite a report earlier this week that John Records Landecker wouldn't be kicking off his new show on WGN Radio until after The Chicago White Sox finished their post season play, Landecker is now telling media columnist Robert Feder that he'll be back on the airing starting on Monday, October 5th.

John's new program is going to be called “The John Landecker Radio Oasis,” and it will air from 7 to 10 p.m. weeknights.

Landecker explained the show's title this way:

“It is a three-hour oasis from the stressful world we all share. All that stuff you heard all day? I’m not talking about any of it. I’m going for entertainment and fun. Will there be music? Yes, but in a way that is totally unique. Boogie Check? Yes. Stay tuned — more will be revealed!”

Hi Kent,

I enjoyed reading the Sunday Comments and was happy to see a mention of our Dick Biondi Day celebration.  Thanks for being part of it and for helping spread the word. A special shoutout to Ray Graffia, Jr., Bruce Mattey, and the New Colony Six band members for closing our 4 hour program.  We love you guys and thank you for a great finale to our Dick Biondi love fest!

I enjoyed seeing Chubby Checker’s  “The Twist” video so much that I posted it on The Dick Biondi Film Facebook page.  (BTW, Kent and Frannie, if you need some help with the Forgotten Hits Facebook page, let me know.  I’m no expert, but I’ve been learning for the past 6 1/2 years.  

Stay safe everybody!  

Pam Enzweiler-Pulice

Director

The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story

Thanks, Pam.

Frannie now has Administrator rights to the page so I’m going to turn things over to her.  We at least want to maintain a presence, even if it’s just to run links to some of the key articles we’re running each week … or for special features like the new Favorite TV Themes Poll.

Hopefully, if she can devote some time to this in the next week or two we’ll only be TWENTY years behind the times!!! (lol)

[Hey … that’s ok … our who method of operation here is Living In The Past!!!]  kk

kk:

What happened to the DOO-WOP Countdown?

Oh … Maybe that was my idea.

Could John B. Sebastian win again?

Here’s the latest COUSIN BRUCIE REPORT –

He says one rule - No talk about the election or Corvid-19.

Brucie seems to be settling into a pattern -- mostly phone and e-mail requests.

He did talk about Tommy DeVito's death.

Been doing a contest - Caller #77 and Caller #107.1 wins a Cousin Brucie hat plus Norm N. Nite's new book plus some CD's.

Those numbers come from the two stations he's on ... 77 in New York City and 107.1 on Long Island.

He played "PRETTY LITTLE ANGEL EYES" by Curtis Lee ... said that Curtis introduced the song at one of his Palisades Park shows. Flip it over for great Doo-Wop Ballad. Cousin Brucie is bringing back one of his old bits. He calls it "THE MAGIC CIRCLE." He played -- from February 13 , 1965 -- #1 - "YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING;" #2 - "DOWNTOWN; “ #3 - "THIS DIAMOND RING."

I'll save you the trouble of doing a "MOVIE THEME COUNTDOWN"…

#1 = "BLACKBOARD JUNGLE" with "ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK" by Bill Haley & His Comets.

FB

Ultimate Classic Rock ran a poll the other day naming The Ten Worst Kiss songs ...

And all I could think about was "How could you possibly limit the list to just ten???"  (kk)

Speaking of which, Chuck Buell sent us this as "The Quote Of The Day" ...

Hi Kent - 

A re-mastered HD video has just been posted to YouTube. This highly entertaining one hour film includes plenty of participation from Hometown Hero Jim Peterik. 

Clive

This is by far my favorite Brian Wilson solo album ... I have the original dvd for this ... but here's a great chance for others to see it (and in high definition, too!)  

Thanks, Clive!  (kk)

Brian Wilson - Imagination (1998 Documentary)

Kent: 

Have you ever heard The Bee Gees write a song? 

This is audio from the actual writing session for “How Deep is Your Love”

Tom Cuddy

https://youtu.be/M5k0NGEP6ZQ 

Always fascinating to hear how a song comes to life.

Tom also sent us this time-appropriate clip ...

Billboard is reporting this week that Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 #1 Hit “Dreams” tripled its sales and doubled its streams after a Tik-Tok video went viral.  For the three-day period of September 25th - September 27th, "Dreams" racked up 2.9 million on-demand U.S. streams and 3000 in digital download sales -- numbers up 88.7% and 374%, respectively, from their totals in the prior three-day periods, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. (The song also climbed as high as No. 24 on Spotify's US Daily chart on Sept. 27.)  Incredibly, “Dreams” is Fleetwood Mac’s only #1 Single on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart.  (Their follow-up release, “Don’t Stop,” topped the Cash Box Singles Chart.)

Meanwhile, Earth Wind and Fire’s “September” (#4, 1979) saw a similar spike after “the 21^st of September,” mentioned in the song’s lyrics.  (This is the third straight year this has happened!)

Billboard reports that on-demand audio streams of the song rose from 340,000 on Sept. 20th to 1,187,000 on the 21st, a gain of 249%.  Meanwhile, the song also jumped a whopping 622% in day-to-day sales, from a negligible figure on Sept. 20 to 2,000 on Sept. 21st.  The full-week sales spike for "September" resulted in the song re-entering Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart at No. 19 for the chart dated Oct. 3.

I’m telling you, this music is TIMELESS!!!  (No reports of any Beethoven or Bach tunes increasing in significant sales during this … or any OTHER time for that matter.  I’m sure we can expect to see the same type of loyalty and respect for the music of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z and Kanye West forty years from now.  (kk)