Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Coppock's Topics

Completely this week's "Twin Bill / Doubleheader" ... 

Another edition of Coppock's Topics ...

More of Chet Coppock's free-form musical observations ...

EXCLUSIVELY in Forgotten Hits!  

Eric Burdon and the Animals knocked the ball out of the park with their 1965 classic, "Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood." But, time out! Eric's vocal finishes in the runner up spot behind Joe Cocker's gritty- guts out performance of the song some four years later on his debut album.  

I'm just curious. Does anybody know if on again - off again, from time to time, Beach Boy, David Marks, collects any dough in royalties? It seems like the reunited Beach Boys were at the Chicago Theatre about, you know, a year ago. 

Do yourself a favor. Log on to youtube and check out the Fantastic Four's "You Gave Me Something." It’s a soul classic that was on the charts in Chicago on old WVON in the mid-60's for about 12 minutes. Just a melodically beautiful song. 
Reflections of Fleetwood Mac, who recently performed at the United Center. I never dreamed I would see Lindsey Buckingham covering notes that Stevie Nicks couldn’t reach if you gave her a 50 foot pole. 

Speaking of which, has it been 25 or 30 years since Roger Daltrey was capable of hitting every note on "Baba O'Riley?" How many people do you know who think think "Baba", released a mere 42 years ago on "Who's Next" is actually "Teenage Wasteland?"   

Styx should be ashamed of the way it has treated songwriting genius Dennis DeYoung. Dennis, of course, is a big time White Sox fan. I recall him flying former Sox boss Tony La Russa on the group's private jet to a Midwest concert one day after the Southsiders were bumped out of the 1983 ALCS by the O's. Hello, do the other Styx old timers ever remind themselves that Dennis wrote all six of the group's top 10 hits.  

Did you know that Terry Jack's lugubrious "Seasons in the Sun" was Billboard's #2 song on its 1974 top 100 scorecard … just back of Streisand's "The Way We Were." When I think of "Seasons" I genuinely believe that the arrival of Disco was a blessing.  

If you're scoring at home, the first 45 I ever bought - and still have - is Chuck Berry's phenomenal "Rock And Roll Music", purchased when Ike was in office. I still cringe whenever I hear The Beach Boys lame 1976 cover of that song. But, I break out in hives when I hear the genius of Chuck Berry covering the God-awful "My Ding a Ling." If someone can explain to me just how the hell that song was the St. Louis Tiger's only number one hit, please contact me on facebook or through Forgotten Hits. 
Finally, do you still find the Bobby Fuller 4's "I Fought The Law", a wonderful guilty pleasure?