OK ... now you've put tears in my eyes ... just reading the top 100 Summer Songs. Some people take medicine ... I stream music. They can't REALLY hear me when I sing softly along with my MP3 player in the WalMart, can they? (Looks furtively around) Oh, heck, I made a lousy adult, anyway ... I just wanna be a perpetual teenager.
Still can't believe "Indian Lake" didn't make even the top 100 ... that is so evocative of the inland summer experience ... not all swimming took place on CA ocean beaches! Please do another countdown again soon ... DJs programmed us that way.
Pttibg
Music is THE very best form of medicine, don'tcha know!!! I agree ... it's hard to believe that "Indian Lake" didn't make the list ... I sure thought it would ... so did Scott Shannon, who played it as an "extra" ... while it's certainly deserving, it only got 23 votes! We've got another Forgotten Hits Poll coming up ... and, as soon as we find out if somebody's gonna count it down, we'll be sure to let you ... and ALL of our readers ... know! Thanks! (kk)
Summer favorites?
How about:
Summer – War
Spill The Wine – Eric Burdon and War
Low Rider – War
All Day Music – War
I think just about anything by War!
John Harold
Kent,
Jumping on the bandwagon regarding the 40 All Time Favourite Summer Tunes. Offering for a short time the opportunity to grab each and every song on the list from my collection. Bonus B side of each 45 comes with each summer hit song you grab. Check out all 40 songs out at http://sixtiesoldiesguy.yolasite.com/
sixtiesoldiesguy
Rich
Thanks, Rich ... happy to pass this link along! (kk)
Hi Kent,
Thanks for all the time you took to allow everyone to vote for their Summer Favorites and then for compiling the List of Top 100 Singles. Like you, I was listening Monday as Scott Shannon featured the Top 20 Hits plus some Extras on his Show at the True Oldies Channel.
Obviously you, Scott, Randy Price, and I are all huge Oldies fans. Here is a copy of a message I have just sent to Scott Shannon. Hopefully you will agree that a few of the songs on my List were at least worthy of some consideration. Congratulations on a very interesting website. I wish you the best.
Phil Zorn
Here is a copy of my email to Scott Shannon:
Hi Scott,
As one of your regular listeners at the True Oldies Channel, I realize that the Top 20 Summer Favorites that you played on Monday were taken from a list created at forgottenhits.com. So I understand that it is actually no more your list than it is mine, but I believe both of us were intrigued by the good singles both making and missing the list.
You mentioned several very deserving singles that much to your and my amazement were not on the original Top 40 List posted at the Forgotten Hits website. Due to apparently many questions regarding songs that were missing, they now have an expanded list of 138 singles including the "Honorable Mention" section.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: You can find that "expanded" list here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your All-Time Summer Favorites)
I put together a List of 51 singles that I could not recall from memory as being on the full list at Forgotten Hits. Three of them were actually included, but that still left 48 singles chosen based on three different criteria --- several lists of Beach Music Classics; actual hits during Summers from the 50's, 60's, or 70's; and songs that simply make me feel good every time I hear them on the True Oldies Channel.
So here is the list of 48 singles that I wish had gotten some consideration, but were over-looked entirely by the voters who selected the list.
Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Baby I Need Your Loving - The Four Tops
Baby I'm Yours - Barbara Lewis
Backfield In Motion - Mel & Tim
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy - The Tams
Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations
But It's Alright - J.J. Jackson
Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You - Wilson Pickett
Gimme Little Sign - Brenton Wood
Give Me Just A Little More Time - The Chairmen Of The Board
Go Now - The Moody Blues
Goin' Out Of My Head - Little Anthony & the Imperials
Grease - Frankie Valli
Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler
Have Mercy Baby - The Dominoes
Hello Stranger - Barbara Lewis
Hey Baby - Bruce Channel
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
I Can't Stop Dancing - Archie Bell & the Drells
I Love Beach Music - The Embers
I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
It Will Stand - The Showmen
I've Got Sand In My Shoes - The Drifters
Just One Look - Doris Troy
Knock On Wood - Eddie Floyd
Love's Theme - The Love Unlimited Orchestra
Memphis - Lonnie Mack
Mony Mony - Tommy James & the Shondells
More Today Than Yesterday - The Spiral Staircase
Mr. Lee - The Bobbettes
Ms. Grace - The Tymes
My Girl - The Temptations
My Guy - Mary Wells
Night Fever - The Bee Gees
Ooh Poo Pah Doo - Jessie Hill
Our Day Will Come - Ruby & the Romantics
Pipeline - The Chantays
Reflections - The Supremes
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
Summertime's Calling Me - The Catalinas
Thank You John - Willie Tee
There's Gonna Be A Showdown - Archie Bell & the Drells
Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um - Major Lance
What Kind Of Fool - The Tams
Whispers (Getting' Louder) - Jackie Wilson
With This Ring - The Platters
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
Being from the Southeast portion of the United States, I am probably a bigger Beach Music fan than the majority of your listeners in other sections of the country. But several of these were major Pop Hits. Hopefully you will find at least some of these worthy of some consideration.
Would it be possible that you could offer a Weekend Special featuring the best of Summer Songs, Beach Music, and Surf Hits? That should cover a lot of bases with a wide variety of listeners at one time. Thanks as usual for all the Great Music. I believe quite a lot of us are regular listeners in Atlanta. Good Luck.
Phil Zorn
Hi Phil!
First of all, thank you for your support ... glad you were able to enjoy Scott Shannon's playback of The Top 20 Summer Favorites. We're STILL getting feedback on the list ... "Under The Boardwalk" by The Drifters seems to be the most obvious oversight ... but hey, YOU guys did the voting! (lol)
You've put together an interesting list, and there are some great songs on there, but I can honestly say that only ONE of those titles was even nominated as one of the 392 titles we had to choose from. (That would be "Pipeline" by The Chantays.)
I would LOVE to see Scott put together a whole weekend of Summer Favorites ... even call it "The Last Blast Of Summer" and run it in September ... let's face it, we've got literally HUNDREDS of Summer Favorites to choose from!
(What do you think, Scott???) kk
What a blast!!! I had great listener response and higher numbers than usual! And I also got some great feedback about your web site ... so all in all we knocked it out of the park! YEH BABY!!
Thanks so much! I hope this is the start of a wonderful eternal summer romance ...
Moochas Smoochas!
DJ Scarlett
I can honestly say that I had absolutely NO idea that this "Summer Favorites" thing would catch on to the degree that it did ... I'm shocked, overwhelmed ... and couldn't be happier. We have heard from SO many deejays around the country who have been airing many of the summer favorites from the list ... and receiving EXCELLENT response from their listeners. I think we DID hit a home run on this one! Thanks, Scarlett! (kk)
re: THE BEACH BOYS:
I worked in the record industry in sales and distribution for 25 years and saw my share of free shows with comp tickets. The last few years have been tough, having to really PAY for shows, so I am quite selective. I paid the $60 to see Brian Wilson and can tell you that it was the BEST show I have ever seen, better than any Beach Boys show. The musicianship, soaring harmonies, and intricate solos left my jaw dropped for the whole night. Brian doesn't need Mike Love and I can't imagine that the "Beach Boys"put on a show anywhere near as good as Brian's. Brian owes Mike Love NOTHING. Without Carl and Dennis, there is only ONE Beach Boy.
joeseadog
We've seen Brian a few times now, too, and it is ALWAYS an excellent show ... MAJOR kudos to the band who, as I said before, REALLY love, cherish and respect his music ... it shows in every note they play and sing. Glad to see that he's back out there entertaining us again! That being said, I absolutely would have gone to see a full-blown 50th Year Beach Boys Anniversary Reunion ... no, it'll never be the same without Carl and Dennis ... but as many times as I've seen them (and I'll bet it's close to 25 times!), I have NEVER seen The Beach Boys WITH Brian Wilson. That alone would be worth the price of admission for me! (kk)
Meanwhile, Al Jardine clearly doesn't need Mike Love's help to take HIS show on the road ... and he's got a new solo album out to boot! Visit Al's website via the link below for all the details ... and, while you're there, be sure to check out the video to Al's reworking of The Beach Boys' #1 Hit "Help Me Rhonda" (with a little help from Steve Miller) ... you can also listen to a sample of his new version of "California Dreamin'", featuring David Crosby, Glen Campbell and John Stamos! All the details are here:
BEACH BOYS FOUNDING MEMBER AL JARDINE WILL TOUR IN SUPPORT OF HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM: Download Available June 29th at iTunes Music Store
BURBANK, Calif. - June 25, 2010 - Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine, who started the group in 1961 with the Wilson brothers (Brian, Carl, and Dennis) and their cousin Mike Love, will release his new solo album, A Postcard from California, through the iTunes music store on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010. To support this eagerly anticipated musical event, Jardine will be playing a series of concerts this summer with his Endless Summer Band, which features members of the original Beach Boys touring lineup, Ed Carter, Bobby Figueroa and Billy Hinsche, along with Jardine's sons, Matt and Adam. A Postcard from California touches upon California's history, natural beauty, and other ecological issues. It also revisits Jardine's number one hit with the Beach Boys, "Help Me Rhonda," in a new version with the legendary Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band supplying additional vocals, and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers on bass. An exclusive video of the recording session is posted on the official website at http://www.aljardine.com, along with music samples from the album, tour dates, reviews and other details. "The songs on this album have a timely theme, especially in these days of the Gulf oil spill and global warming," Jardine reveals. "However, my live show will also have plenty of hit songs for all audiences to enjoy."
Here's an idea:
Hey Kent ...
How about we play the Beach Boys 25th Anniversary twice. Would that work? lol!
Frank B.
Works for me ... back then we had ALL of The Beach Boys still with us (and a great reunion concert, too!) Sadly, those days are gone forever ... fortunately, I've got something like 50-60 hours of Beach Boys material stored on video so we can relive those magical moments as often as we like ... whenever we like! (kk)
re: MARK ESKIN / and THE NEW COLONY SIX:
A few weeks back, we told you about the unexpected passing of Mark Eskin, guitarist for The New Colony Six and the John Lennon Tribute Band, Instant Karma. In fact, we even ran a short tribute on The Forgotten Hits Web Page, which was picked up by a number of other websites, who added in their own tributes to this talented man. (You can find the original here: Click here: Forgotten Hits: 4/25/10 - 5/2/10)
We told you at the time about the very unique memorial service they held in Mark's honor and memory ... where the audience participated in singing many of Mark's favorite songs, making it more of a joyous remembrance of the music that he loved and SO enjoyed sharing with us than the sad occasion typically surrounding a wake or memorial service.
Now comes word that they've actually set up a Mark Eskin YouTube Channel, featuring many of these performances from that night. Forgotten Hits Reader David Lewis sent us this short note (kk):
Mark Eskin Memorial Sing-Along Videos are now available here: http://www.youtube.com/user/beatlemarktribute
Of particular note are the performances of "I Will Always Think About You", a Chicagoland #1 Hit for The New Colony Six, featuring singer and composer Ronnie Rice leading the crowd in a sing-along ... as well as some incredibly moving performances by "New Jay", John Reincke, of Jay and the Americans ... his rendition of the Roy Orbison Classic "Crying" (also a hit for Jay and the Americans back in 1966) is especially stirring.
Meanwhile, current New Colony Six Vocalist / Guitarist Bruce Mattey tells me that the band HAS found a replacement for Mark (musically speaking) for their upcoming summer dates ... but that the shock of his passing still hasn't quite sunk in yet ... it was SO unexpected. In fact, they MAY actually turn out to be "The New Colony Six ... Plus One!!!"
Yes, we have a new member as Mark's replacement. For upcoming shows, however, we will also bring in a second keyboard player. We may become the NC6 + 1. We'll see how it works and go from there.
Bruce Mattey
NC6 Founder Ray Graffia, Jr., elaborates:
It took a pair of talented folks to handle Mark's multiple roles ... our two new players for this summer will be:
Greg Favata, also of the Renditions (as is Gary and sometimes Bill) - guitar and vocals ... and Mike Hanko, who also backs Ron Hawking and is in the New Image Band -on keyboards - which now gives us the benefit of two terrific keyboard players
Debut of the NC6 with revised lineup, again with seven musicians (as we had at the time of the "Attacking A Straw Man" album), will be 7-15, a Thursday evening, in Deerfield. I believe the location is at the corner of Deerfield and Waukegan Roads, where, I believe they hold a Thursday evening concert series every year. I think the location may be called Deerfield Square Shopping Center, but I'm unsure ... I am pretty certain that the concert will be ~90 minutes beginning at 7 PM.
With Mark's passing, we held up scheduling anything beyond the pair of dates we already had in place, and since the other one is near the border of WI and the U.P. of Michigan, around Marinette, WI, methinks you'll want to catch us on the 15th. For folks waaaay north in Wisconsin or living in the Upper Peninsula of MI, details for our 7-18 date can be found here: http://www.porterfieldscruisinoldies.com/.
Colony rehearsals show promise and our last one was really, really strong so we'll see how it plays out with Mark watching from above and Mike and Greg each filling one of his boots. Still hard to imagine him not being on stage, but, as you know, Mr. Harrison wrote the line, "Life goes on within you and without you ..." Whether voiced or not, my efforts this season are dedicated to his memory and, of course, Les Kummel, Howard Bedno, and, above all, my dad.
Happy Pappy's Day!
Peace,
Ray
It'll be interesting to see the new line-up. Congratulations to the two new members ... I've known Greg for 30+ years and we actually played in a band together eons ago ... he's one of the guys responsible for the non-stop traffic jingle that plays in my head from the MacKay In The Morning Show!!! (lol) Talk about your EARWORMS!!! (Have you read Artie Wayne's blog about this?!?!? We've ALL got 'em!)
Click here: 2010 June « Artie Wayne On The Web
(Scroll back to June 16th!)
And as much as Mark LOVED The Beatles, you just KNOW that he had to love The Rutles, too!!! Check out this from FH List Member Clark Besch:
re: THE RUTLES:
The Beatles "Love" caused such a stir that Dirk, Stig, Nasty and Barry have decided to give their catalog a new remix too! Theirs is called, of course, "LUNCH"! You can hear the whole lovely new stereo song mix at below site. 42 minutes for FREE!!!! It's a crazy rehash of Rutle songs in an all new way! How cool is that?? Comes complete with notes on how the engineers mixed this and that ... and oh yeah, that other thing too! Enjoy!
http://www.rutleslunch.net/
re: AND BEATLES, STUFF, TOO!:
From child star to Beatles Fan Extroidinaire, Benjy Greeberg has a story filled with excitement!!!
Remember the kid on the Gumby advertisements? That was Benjy!!!
Sid Bernstein’s close friend? Benjy!!!
Had his Beatles collection featured on the Oprah show? Uh-huh, Benjy!!!
Met Sir Paul twice in one lifetime? Yep, Bejy!!!
His story is funny, interesting, and sooooo worth a read! I think you’ll enjoy this issue of “Meet the Beatles Fans.” It will make you smile. http://www.ontherockbooks.com/meet22/BenjyGreenberg.html
It’s also very artfully arranged, thanks to the great work of webmaster, Tim Coulter … who rocks.
And … (shameless plug) … don’t forget to pre-order your copy of Shivering Inside today (via the website below my name). I have about 15 signed, dated posters of the gorgeous cover left. (The numbered ones are sold out.) The poster, book, and mailing for both all comes to $30 … a pretty darn good value, eh?
See you all at the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans! I can’t wait!!!!
Luv,
Jude
Jude Southerland Kessler
http://www.ontherockbooks.com/
The Fest For Beatles Fans runs August 13th - August 15th here in Chicago ... complete details can be found here: Click here: The Fest
re: ANOTHER PASSING:
Hi Kent,
Another passing to add: Creator of the amazing guitar solo in Carpenters' "Goodbye to Love" (Tony Peluso)http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65A09L20100611
Peace!
Chip Cogswell
First Choice PROductions
Burleson, Texas
And a VERY fine solo that is, too ... blew me away the very first time I heard it ... and so unlike ANYTHING else featured on a Carpenters single before! (I'm reading "Little Girl Blue" right now, the Karen Carpenter biography Ron Smith told us all about a week ago or so ... still pretty early into it ... got it for Fathers' Day ... but things are just starting to get interesting ... so far the book really portrays the mother as the true villain here ... anxious to see where it goes from here!) kk
re: REMEMBERING MICHAEL JACKSON:
Hard to believe it's been a year ... lots of Jacko's music all over the radio and TV again this past week ... and this from Artie Wayne:
Kent ...
From now until the end of time, millions of words will be written about Michael Jackson and his influence in music, dance, and fashion, but the most important gift he has given the world is everlasting hope and inspiration. Over 300,000 thousand of Michael's fans all over the world have praised this tribute filled with personal remembrances, rare photos, and 30 of his videos.
MICHAEL JACKSON R.I.P. ROCK IN PERPETUITY!
http://artiewayne.wordpress. com/2009/07/07/michael- jackson-the-grand-finale/
Respectfully,
Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.wordpress. com/about-artie-wayne/
re: AND FROM SICK BAY:
Here's the latest on Gregg Allman's liver transplant:
David Lewis
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-06-24/allman-gets-liver-transplant-mayo
I'm sorry but I just have to ask ... is ANYBODY out there really surprised by this story?!?!? (kk)
re: TRIVIA QUESTION:
>>> Here is my "Goodfellas" trivia question: At the bar scene, just before Frank Vincent gets killed, standing at the bar drinking, one of Frank Vincents crew is a man who's lead singer of New York 50's group. (They had a #1 Hit ) Name the singer and the group. (Frank B)
The answer to the Goodfellas question is Vito Picone, lead singer of the Elegants of "Little Star" fame.
Clay Pasternack
re: THE NOW GENERATION:
A couple of weeks ago one of our readers mentioned a local television program from the early '70's that spotlighted popular music of the day ... now comes this link to a website that actually features brief clip montages from this program (kk):
Hi Kent,
This is a link for the show, from the summer of 1970, I mentioned in a recent e-mail.
http://www.thenowexplosion.net/
Eddie,
Orange, CT
re: PASSING IT ALONG:
Heartfelt Congratulations to Musician GRAHAM NASH, awarded an OBE from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, 6/14!
NASH, of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash fame was quoted:
"Everything I learned about being a decent human being I learned in England ... and I am grateful to be honored by the country of my birth."
The OBE is a service award which stands for "The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire." GRAHAM NASH has long been a fan of Philly's Pioneer Rocker, CHARLIE GRACIE and will again appear on Charlie's new CD ... scheduled for release this Fall. Stay Tuned for Details.
(Pic: Charlie with Graham and Stephen Stills)
Congrats from the Gracie Family to a fine man a great talent and a good friend.
Charlie Gracie, Jr.
re: MORE COMMERCIAL FAVORITES:
Hi KK -
Just got through reading your latest updates on your website. Really enjoy what other readers know about rock and roll music and want to know. For the last several years, I have seen brand new commercials for the first time on television. These particular commercials stand out to me, not of what they are selling, but the music which is being used in the background. For example, about 2-3 years ago there was a commercial on TV advertising a cell phone company, I believe. What I remember about the ad was the instrumental background being used. It was the 1959 recording of WOO HOO by the Rocketeens on Roulette Records. I sometimes would like to know who and why people come up with old songs like that to use in the background. Younger viewers would not be familiar with them.
Larry N. Boyington,
aka Larry Neal, former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA
One of the ways we're keeping some of this great music alive that we all know and love for future generations to ALSO enjoy is its use in television commercials, tv shows and movie soundtracks. No, this wasn't the original intent of this music when it was first created by these talented songwriters ... but I'm in favor of ANYTHING that helps keep it around, helps breed familiarity and allows future generations to enjoy it as much as we did. Nothing pleases me more than to be out walking somewhere and seeing a bunch of young, barely teen-aged girls singing "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" or "Sugar Sugar" or any number of OTHER popular songs from our era ... and, from what many of them have told me, they LOVE 'em!!! (Might not always admit it to their friends ... but they do!) A few years ago we were at Six Flags / Great America and each mini-section within the theme park had different music playing ... one section was all '60's, another was all '70's, and so on. In fact, part of the entertainment even included a Jimi Hendrix impersonator ... and you should have seen the "kids" (from 8 - 48) lined up to watch him perform! (kk)
re: CORRECTIONS:
Hey Kent,
Thanks for the news blast on the Prunes and Gregg Rolie - I forwarded the link to both bands. One small mistake I made ... Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes last name is with one L (Mark Tulin) not two (sorry)Thanks again and more info very soon!
Billy
So noted and passed along. Thanks, Billy! (kk)
Hi Kent,
Why do do spell my last name Lyt in your newsletters????
Sam Lit
President / CEO
Hy Lit Radio Technologies Inc.
www.HyLit.com
Apologies, Sam ... I can only assure you that it is NOT intentional!!! Must be a mental block of some sort ... after I type "Hy" (with a "y") I end up typing "Lit" with a "y" nearly every time, too. Normally, I go back and fix them when proof-reading but I see that I did, in fact, miss one in our last newsletter, so I do apologize. I wish I could promise you that it'll never happen again ... but I think we both know better!!! (lol) kk
***
Computer Gods willing, we'll have brand new Forgotten Hits postings all week long here on the web page ... so be sure to check back often!!! Meanwhile, keep those cards and letters comin', folks ... we love it! (kk)
