April 2nd, 1966

Chicago's own Shadows Of Knight hit the #1 spot on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey

And they're not the only ones ...

You'll see that The New Colony Six are back at #25 with their second release, "I Lie Awake" ...

And The Buckinghams make their first chart appearance with their cover of the  James Brown tune "I'll Go Crazy."

Although neither of these two records will even crack Billboard's Hot 100, "Gloria" will go on to become a national Top Ten Hit.

(It was inspired by a comment that WLS disc jockey Clark Weber made after hearing the original Van Morrison / Them version ... 

"If somebody can record a 'cleaner' version of this song, it could be a #1 hit."  The Shadows Of Knight's manager Bill Trout heard the comment, took it to his band and had them work up and record a new version that same night.  Trout then delivered the new master to Clark Weber the following morning and Clark put it on the air.  It was an immediate hit ... and it's still loved and highly regarded today.)

Some 46 years later, Forgotten Hits Readers voted The Shadows Of Knight and "Gloria" as their All-Time Garage Band Favorite! 

https://fhgaragebands.blogspot.com/ 

(You'll find The New Colony Six, The Buckinghams, The Cryan' Shames and The Ides Of March on that list as well!) 

April 1st, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

4/1/66 – The Troggs record “Wild Thing,” which goes on to become a HUGE worldwide hit.  (We just ran a tribute to the song's writer, Chip Taylor, who passed away last week.)

Also on 4/1, John Lennon bought a copy of the book “The Psychedelic Experience and The Tibetan Book Of The Dead” by Timothy Leary.   

A line in the book’s introduction, "When in doubt, relax, turn off your mind, float downstream" inspired him to write the song “Tomorrow Never Knows” (originally titled “The Void”) which The Beatles recorded five days later for their “Revolver” album.

John told producer George Martin that he wanted it to sound like a thousand Monks chanting in the background.  I don’t know that they achieved that … but they certainly DID create a unique sound that makes the record.

 

Also on 4/1, the last original episode of "The Flintstones" aired on ABC.

The prime time animated series (the first in television history) launched in September of 1960 and aired 166 episodes during its six season run.  It's a poorly kept secret that the series was originally inspired by "The Honeymooners."

The program was an immediate success, coming in at #18 in the annual ratings.  It was even nominated for a Best Comedy Series Emmy, another first for an animated program. 

March 31st, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

3/31/66 – Elvis Presley’s new movie “Frankie And Johnny” (costarring Donna Douglas of “Beverly Hillbillies” fame) opens in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

    

 

Also on 3/31, The US Supreme Court reverses the ruling of a Massachusetts court that the book “Fanny Hill” is obscene.  (Our tax dollars at work)

 

March 30th, 1966

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

3/30/66 – Barbra Streisand’s TV special “Color Me Barbra” airs on CBS

Tough week for the Stones ...

Also on 3/30, 85 rioters are arrested at a Rolling Stones concert in Paris