Now ... not all the songs I voted for say Summer but most imply them if not outright mentioning summer. I'm sure there are a bajillion hit songs that made it big on the airwaves during summer, but I never remember when a song was a hit (month or even year) and I did not mention all the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean songs (Catch a Wave, Surfer Girl) because I consider almost all of their songs "summery" I tried to mix it up a bit.
Shar
As you'll see, we received a little bit of everything in the way of nominations ... songs about summer, songs with summer in the title, songs that were big hits during the summer and songs that just evoke that feel-good, summer feeling ... and that is EXACTLY what we were looking for. When all was said and done, 342 different songs were nominated ... and over 9200 votes were cast ... so I think we got a pretty good representation of what the Summer Favorites really are. In fact, the #40 Song earned 76 votes ... and #1 scored nearly 350 ... based on that, I'd say The Oldies Nation has spoken!!! Be sure to check back tomorrow to see the complete list of Your Top 40 Favorites ... and please listen to Scott Shannon, Scarlett Hayze and Phil Nee as they play many of these on their radio programs! ("Listen Live" weblinks appear below.) kk
IT'S A SUMMERTIME BLAST-OFF MONDAY ON THE TOC ... FEATURING THE TOP SUMMER SONGS AS VOTED ON BY THE FANS OF FORGOTTEN HITS!!!!
SCOTT SHANNON / THE TRUE OLDIES CHANNEL
Click here: True Oldies Channel
Thank you thank you thank you!!! I'm excited to be airing your Top 20 Summer Countdown! My "Summer Solstice" show will be Monday night 7-9 pm live on http://myrevolutionradio.com
I will promo the heck out of your web site because I believe in what you are doing to keep our music alive and well ...
Did you know I grew up next door to Chuck Conlon (of the Nightcrawlers and "Little Black Egg" fame) ... also Ronnie and the Daytonas ... Ronnie (Ron Cruise) now cuts hair for a living and he is my brother-in-law's hair stylist! Oh, I am from Daytona Beach! :)
moochas smoochas!
Scarlett Hayze
Small world ... I think Ronny is also the brother-in-law (or something like that) of Mr. C who does "The Flip Side Show" over at Radio Free Nashville on Tuesday Nights! Here's a link for HIS program, too!!! (kk)
Click here: The Flip Side Radio Show - HOME PAGE
(Speaking of The Flip Side Show, you'll find a comment from Mr. C regarding our recent Bill Haley feature below!) kk
The Forgotten Hits Top 40 Summer Countdown will air on Saturday night June 26th, from 6:00 pm-?
Phil Nee - Wrco Fm 100.9
WRCO is moving into brand new facilities this week and will then air our Summer Favorites Countdown Special NEXT Weekend in the Richland Center area of Wisconsin. Since they're not streaming yet, we're working to put the COMPLETE Countdown on our Forgotten Hits on the Radio Web Page ... so stay tuned for more details as that develops. (kk)
Here are the songs I associated with summer, which to me meant getting out of school.
1961 Quarter To Three by U.S. Bonds ... I still think U.S. Bonds is the coolest recording artist name EVER. I don't understand why Gary Anderson later dissociated himself from this name and this song.
1961 Pomp And Circumstance by Adrian Kimberley ... my sentiments, exactly.
1961 Summertime by the Marcels ... The Marcels did show tunes the way they were meant to be done.
1962 Party Lights by Claudine Clark ... Summertime, all your friends are partying and you're grounded ... who can't relate to that?
1962 Sherry by the Four Seasons ... like nothing I had ever heard before
1963 Easier Said Than Done by the Essex ... Musical superheroes ... protecting our freedom by day, topping the charts by night.
1963 Rev-Up by Manuel & the Renegades ... You had to be in Chicago.
1964 Let's Have A Party by the Rivieras ... I'll go for that.
1964 The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz & Astrid Gilberto ... what's a summer without unrequited love?
1965 She's About A Mover by the Sir Douglas Quintet ... On my way to my high school graduation I passed by a band playing this song in their garage, so I associate it with winning my freedom from the hell that was high school.
I could add every Beach Boys song, Jan and Dean song, and surf or car instrumental recorded before 1966 but I promised myself I'd stop at ten songs.
Ed Erxleben
Great list, Ed. (Of course NONE of these titles actually made the final Top 40 but you clearly have a deep association and affection for these tunes!) BTW, Frannie kicked herself for not thinking of "The Girl From Ipanema", one of her ALL-TIME favorites. I never really thought of this one as a summer song, but after your nomination came in, I received six others for this tune, so it did ultimately end up with seven votes. And while "Summertime" received votes for Billy Stewart, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin and even Fantasia Barrino, yours was the ONLY one cast for The Marcels' version! And I want you to know that "She's About A Mover" has been playing virtually non-stop in my head since you mentioned it ... so today we're sharing the love on that one! Thanks, Ed! (kk)
I am really looking forward to seeing the results of the voting for these great summer songs. I'm sure the other list members will have some very interesting choices!!
Thank You,
Eddie,
Orange, CT
Well, you've only got to hold your breath for 24 more hours, Eddie!!! And please tune in to some of the radio programs listed above, too, to listen to some of your favorites! (kk)
Waiting with bated breath for the top Summer Songs and telling everyone about it ... love, love, love these favorites lists.
Pttibg
We HAVE kinda become known for these now, haven't we?!?!? (lol) And I've got a couple of other cool ideas coming up, too! Thanks to all the readers who vote regularly to make these efforts such a great success. (kk)
re: BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS:
KK,
I enjoyed reading the interview with Marshall Lytle in the FH Newsletter today.
Coincidentally, I bought an entire collection of 45s recently, which included two records by Bill Haley and His Comets. I played them recently on The FLip Side Radio Show. Here's a picture of "Burn That Candle" -- notice "Fox Trot" printed on the label. Honestly I don't know which side is "A" and which is "B." The first one has the songs "Burn That Candle" and "Rock A-Beatin' Boogie." The second record has "Razzle Dazzle" and "Two Hound Dogs." All four songs have that distinctive ticking sound mentioned in the interview, and you just can't play these records without tapping your foot.
Mr. C
According to Joel Whitburn's Pop Single Book, "Burn That Candle" charted as the A-Side, peaking at #16 on The Billboard Best Sellers Chart in 1956. "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie", the flip side, reached #23. Incredibly, neither record made the Cash Box Chart. "Razzle-Dazzle" / "Two Hound Dogs" preceded it on the charts, with "Razzle-Dazzle" reaching #15 on the same chart. (Looks like "Two Hound Dogs" charted as a tag-along B-Side.) These two singles followed Haley's landmark chart-topper "Rock Around The Clock". Another great Top Ten Hit that you don't hear much anymore is "See You Later, Alligator", #6 in 1956 ... it's the way Marshall Lytle signs all of his emails! (kk)
re: SAGITTARIUS:
There's no more accurate description than the one M. Marvin offered: this sounds like the Mamas and Papas dropped in at a Beach Boys session. But it's Glen Campbell on lead? Amazing!
David Lewis
It truly IS amazing ... I've heard Glen sing "pop" before ... even on Brian Wilson's "Guess I'm Dumb" which predated ALL of his country cross-over hits ... and he's NEVER sounded this good. It's an EXCEPTIONALLY great track ... a lifetime favorite! (kk)
Kent,
I loved reading about "My World Fell Down." "Another Time" is even prettier, if it could possibly be imagined. "Another time / you'll see my face when you're not looking / And turn to me / To answer all the questions in my eyes / Another time ... you'll find me in a game / And ask if you can stay and play along / But another time has come, and already gone ... " Gorgeous lyrics, breathtaking melody and harmonies. It isn't too surprising that the record never went anywhere, but this is what I consider a perfect example of the kind of music we could only get to hear --- in the Sensational 6Ts!
Bob Rashkow
Kent,
I was groovin' on the backstory to My World Fell Down until you connected the dots:
>>>DIDJAKNOW: "My World Fell Down" was written by Geoff Stephens ... who ALSO wrote the '60's #1 Classic Hit "Winchester Cathedral"!!! (kk)
Wasn't it Winchester Cathedral that took the Grammy away from Brian Wilson / Beach Boys' Good Vibrations? When that happened back in 1966, MY world fell down!
Phil
PrayForSurf.net
re: ANITA HUMES OF THE ESSEX:
Don't know if you have posted this news. What great records the Essex made. Charlie aka the Autumn King on KPOO
http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/don-rhodes/2010-06-09/goodbye-anita-humes-chappelle?v=1276080869
Yes, we covered her passing last weekend ... how sad ... we are losing SO many of our favorite artists lately! (kk)
re: JIMMY DEAN:
I want to see if I can scoop Ron Smith twice in a week. R.I.P. Jimmy Dean, king olf the breakfast sausage.
Jack (Rock And Roll Never Forgets)
Actually, we scooped quite a few people with this one ... in fact, if I had posted this the moment I first found out (rather than waiting until the following morning's special Comments Page) I think we would have beat everybody else by about 2 1/2 hours ... but since I knew I had a Comments Page going out in the morning anyway ... and figured that by then the whole world would know ... I just held it till morning. (Honestly, we don't scoop very often ... but this was a rare case where we could have!) kk
I also heard that Jimmy's widow is holding an open-to-the-public wake and viewing ... and that the casket will be inscribed "Here lies a hell of a man", a tribute to his #1 Smash "Big Bad John".
By the way, here is Ron Smith's official report:
Jimmy Dean, television host, actor, entrepreneur and country singer who was due to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, died Sunday night (June 13) of natural causes at the age of 81. Born in Olton, Texas in 1928, Jimmy dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and joined the Merchant Marines for two years before enlisting in the Air Force. Stationed at a base in Washington D.C., Jimmy played in an area band, then formed his own after he was discharged. In 1952 he recorded his first single for Four Star Records. "Bummin' Around" reached #5 on the country charts and launched his career. He was offered a local television program, which introduced viewers to artists like Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline. In 1957 he moved to New York to host a morning network program for CBS-TV and signed with Columbia Records. It was then that his spoken-word recordings crossed over to the pop charts. "Big Bad John" in 1961 topped at #1 for five weeks. It was followed by "Dear Ivan" (#24-1962), "The Cajun Queen" (sequel to "Big Bad John" which got to #22 in 1962) and it's flip-side, "To A Sleeping Beauty" (#26-1962) and "P.T. 109" (the World War II story of John F. Kennedy which made #8 in 1962). His last appearance on the pop charts was "I.O.U." (#35) in 1976, though it re-appeared two more times on the country charts. All told, he charted 26 times on the country charts and 14 times on the pop charts. Jimmy was the first guest host of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" on NBC-TV and hosted his own variety program, "The Jimmy Dean Show" on ABC from 1963-1966 (where he gave a big break to puppeteer Jim Henson who was later to create the Muppets). He also appeared on TV's "Daniel Boone" and played the villian in the 1971 James Bond film, "Diamonds Are Forever." In the late '60s, he began the Jimmy Dean Meat Company and became the spokesperson for its pork sausage. The company was sold to Sara Lee but he continued to perform in its commercials for twenty more years.
-- Ron Smith
Kent ...
I'm deeply saddened to announce the passing of another legend. I considered Jimmy Dean to be the first successful rapper with his classic “Big Bad John”. Although the song was rooted in country music, the “talking blues” approach made it more accessible to a wider audience. Here is the man, the song, and the video!
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/jimmy-dean-r-i-p-rock-in-perpetuity/
Respectfully,
Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/
... and, speaking of scoops ...
re: CHICAGO RADIO:
Whoa!!! Did we actually scoop Rob Feder on this one?!?!? Here's a copy of his column, which ran on his Vocalo website on Friday:
Imagine being able to access an all-star lineup of great Chicago radio personalities hosting a wide array of popular music formats — all for free and on demand.
It’s here now: Without fanfare, Kurt Hanson’s Chicago-based AccuRadio.com has launched Chicago Radio Online, a dream lineup of seven distinct formats hosted by some of the most popular local disc jockeys of the past four decades. (Here is the link.) It’s also available as an app for both the iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch platforms.
Among the legendary voices featured are those of Tommy Edwards, Clark Weber, Fred Winston, Mitch Michaels, Danae Alexander, Doug Dahlgren, Linda Marshall, Scotty Brink and Rick O’Dell. O’Dell doubles as program director and midday personality at Venture Technologies Group’s smooth jazz WLFM-FM / LP (87.7). Chicago Radio Online’s formats include:
Chicago’s Best Oldies
Chicago’s Adult Hits Mix
Chicago’s Love Songs
Chicago’s Real Oldies Channel
Chitown Smooth Jazz
Classic Hits Chicago
Classic Rock Chicago
Each format also provides a list of artists that can be customized to individual tastes. Listeners can further tailor the formats by easily skipping over any songs they don’t like.
Billed as “the world’s leading independent, multichannel, personalizable Internet radio station,” AccuRadio features more than 430 channels and subchannels of music. The site claims to reach more than 400,000 unique listeners per month (and up to 1,000,000 unique listeners per month during the Christmas season), divided about 60 / 40 male / female and almost equally divided among the 25-34, 35-44, and 45-54 age groups.
AccuRadio founder and CEO Hanson’s ambitious plans for expansion got a big boost last December when he brought on John Gehron, the veteran radio executive and revered industry statesman, as lead management consultant. Gehron, who first worked with Hanson at WLS-AM (890) in the ’70s, is leading the company’s efforts to establish online versions of AM and FM stations for terrestrial broadcasters.
Hanson, who also is founder and publisher of the daily web-based periodical “RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter,” is widely regarded as one of the industry’s leading authorities on digital radio. Veteran media consultant and futurist David Martin has called him “the pride of Chicago Internet ninjas.” Said Hanson: “My fervent belief is that after three previous ‘Golden Ages’ of radio — the entertainment programs of the ’30s and ’40s, the ‘AM Top 40’ era of the ’60s and ’70s, and the ‘AM talk / FM music’ era of the ’80s and ’90s — we’re on the cusp of entering a fourth ‘Golden Age’ of radio, driven by Internet-delivered forms that will offer consumers variety, personalization, and ubiquity of access. In this new era, there are going to be huge opportunities for radio professionals — in marketing, in sales, in programming, and in management — plus loads of exciting entrepreneurial opportunities as well.” -- Robert Feder
Of course, thanks to a tip from Ron Smith, WE told you all about this exciting new channel back on June 6th!!! Let's hope this thing takes off in a big way ... it's GREAT to hear some of these legendary voices back on the radio again! (kk)
re: FREDDY CANNON:
>>>I saw this item on eBay and thought you might be interested. It's a cool Freddy Cannon item ... maybe you can pass it on to him!! (Clark Besch)
HI KENT,
PLEASE THANK CLARK FOR THOSE PHOTOS ... ALSO FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. I LOVED MAKING THOSE SUMMER RECORDS.
WHATS GREAT ABOUT YOUR PAGE KENT, YOU ALWAYS DO YOU HOME WORK!
THANKS!
FREDDY BOOM BOOM CANNON
Thanks Kent. I am sure I have tons of Freddy photos (as well as most all of his 45s), so I will send these once in awhile when doing CD research. He's one of the classics. His songs really make you happy like many do not.
Clark
I had the pleasure of writing the liner notes for Freddy Cannon’s most recent compilation of his most well known tunes. Twenty five tunes in all -- right off the masters that Freddy owns. One of the facts I learned in my research is that Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone Magazine that “Brown Sugar” was inspired by Freddy’s “Tallahassee Lassie.”
Tom Cuddy
re: DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK:
Here's an interesting recording I stumbled across the other day ... it's Lulu with Paul McCartney doing a brand new track called "Inside Thing" built around Paul's classic "Let 'Em In" ... it's actually kind of a neat arrangement ... it's even got the obligatory / contemporary rap sequence!!! You gotta hear it to appreciate it! Wonder what ever happened to this thing? (Very strange ... a year or two ago we discovered a GREAT track that Macca recorded with George Michael that for, whatever reason, never made its way here Stateside ... which was better than ANYTHING he's done recently.) And this Lulu duet is pretty interesting, too! (kk)
... and, speaking of Paul McCartney ...
re: PAUL McCARTNEY:
Sir Paul celebrated his 68th Birthday last Friday ... (jeez, remember when he was 64!!! And the very THOUGHT of Paul at 64 seemed like a LIFETIME away?!?!?) ... ALL kinds of GREAT McCartney Music on the radio ... and this birthday greeting from Charlie Gracie, Jr ... (kk)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SIR PAUL McCARTNEY TODAY!
The former Beatle, responsible for writing 32 U.S. chart-toppers (24 in the U.K.), celebrates # 68 today, June 18th! Of the 500-plus songs in his catalogue, Sir Paul chose "Here, There and Everywhere" and "Blackbird" as his two personal favorites!
Philly's First Rocker, Charlie Gracie, was in London with Sir Paul a few years back when he covered one of Charlie's hits: "Fabulous," as part of his "Run Devil Run" cd series. McCartney often recalls seeing Gracie when the young Philly rocker headlined at theaters like the Liverpool Empire in the late 1950s. Notice "Fabulous" on the earliest known Beatles' set list dating from 1960 ... and auctioned off by Sotheby's for a healthy sum in the early 2000s. McCartney comments on Charlie's live performace of "Guitar Boogie" in his (Gracie's) upcoming enhanced Cd release this fall entitled: ROCK N ROLL PARTY!
Charlie Gracie, Jr.
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
KK,
Larry Boyington here in OKC. Love your website and news on the oldies.
Got a rhetorical question for you.Through the years, people I know and sometimes I don't know, come up to me and ask me if I know the name of the artist or group that did a particular song or maybe they know the group or artist and want to know the name of a song that singer did. I like to think my knowledge of the music is above average and I help them the majority of the time. Do any of your readers occasionally write in wanting to know the title of a song, if the artist or group is know, or possibly if the title is known, then who sang it?
The past week, I have discovered on you tube videos two songs in which the person who had the website wanted to know if anyone knew the titles of the songs. Now they were both instrumentals and that makes it tougher. No lyrics to maybe come up with a title. Some instrumentals may be familiar with people but can't place a title. Also, through the years, there has been songs in which the title of the song is not included in the lyrics of the song.
Larry (aka Larry Neal, Wax Museum)
Actually, we get that a lot ... that's why we started our "Helping Out Our Readers" column ... and, with the wide range of readers, collectors, deejays, artists, historians and vinyl junkies on our list, we've developed a pretty good track record when it comes to solving many of these mysteries. Always a fun challenge ... but WE get to discover some new music along the way, too! Glad that you're enjoying Forgotten Hits! (kk)
(Watch for another "Helping Out Our Readers" Column next week on The Forgotten Hits Web Page!)
Thanks for what you are doing!
Bobby Crafford, a member of Sonny Burgess and Legendary Pacers since 1957. Our band started in 1955 and we recorded on Sun Records and we are still playing 100 dates each year.
Great to hear from you, Bobby ... please share some of your memories with our readers from time to time! (kk)
Hello Forgotten Hits,
Terrific website with terrific articles and content!
Sign me up!
Bill Turner / Blue Smoke Band
Welcome aboard, Bill! (kk)
BOY, YOUR LATEST ENTRIES SURE PACKED A PUNCH!
I THINK I PLAYED THE JERRY G. BISHOP SONG TEN TIMES IN A ROW! I COULD HEAR THE OUTSIDERS & GARY LEWIS (AMONG OTHERS) INFLUENCES IN THERE!
REGARDING YOUR SUMMER HITS LIST, HASN'T ANYONE OUT THERE HEARD OF "CRUISIN' MUSIC" BY THE RASPBERRIES OR "HOT ROD USA" BY THE RIP CHORDS? I'VE ALSO BEEN INVITED TO THE BEACH BOYS RAVINIA SHOW IN SEPTEMBER (MY FIRST IN MANY YEARS), AND FYI ..."YOU BABY" IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF TUNES I'D CHOOSE TO BRING ON A DESERT ISLAND!
REGARDING THE COWSILLS, SUCH SADNESS FOR AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED FAMILY! THEY ALSO HAPPEN TO BE PERSONAL FRIENDS, BUT GEEZ, I CAN'T THINK OF A WORSE ROCK N ROLL NIGHTMARE STORY. GOD BLESS THEM ALL!
I REMEMBER MEETING ANITA HUMES BACKSTAGE AT THE 2003 PBS TAPING, SHE WAS SO NERVOUS! AND IF WE KEEP LOSING THEM AT SUCH A QUICK PACE, MY PHOTO BOOKS WILL HAVE TO BE RE-NAMED "ROCK & ROLL HEAVEN"!!
KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK, AND I'LL SEE YOU JUNE 29TH @ THE BIONDI DEDICATION ...
MICHAEL G. BUSH
Yep, I am LOVIN' hearing that Jerry G. Bishop song again! "Cruisin' Music" by The Raspberries and "Hot Rod USA" both received Summer Favorites votes ... but nowhere near enough to make the list ... great summer songs nonetheless.
Frannie and I LOVE "You Baby" by The Turtles ... I recently asked Howard Kaylan if he sings along with it when he hears it on the radio the way the REST of the world does everytime it comes on. Incredibly, he doesn't!!! (I just don't know how that's possible!!! lol)
That really is a sad ending to the Barry Cowsill story ... some day they'll make a film about this musical family ... one NOT starring Shirley Jones and David Cassidy ... and then their music will become appreciated again for all the joy it brought us. (kk)
Be sure to visit The Forgotten Hits Web Page tomorrow to see
Your Top 40 All-Time Favorite Songs Of Summer!!!
