First up, another one of those "Solid Gold" Surveys put out by WLS ... but this one isn't a current chart at all!
It's a look back over their three year history of broadcasting Top 40 Rock And Roll at the station. As such we get a listing of the biggest hits of this era, topped by Ray Charles and "I Can't Stop Loving You" from 1962.
Seeing "The Bubble Man" at #2 is quite a surprise, especially when you consider some of the classic rock and roll hits placed elsewhere on the countdown. Interesting, too, to see The Four Seasons with all three of their #1 Hits all solidly entrenched in The Top 20.
1960 is represented by only three tracks in this Top 40 Listing: "Exodus" by Ferrante and Teicher, "Poetry In Motion" by Johnny Tillotson and "Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Elvis Presley. (The station published their first Silver Dollar Survey in October of '60). Quite honestly the only one of these songs that doesn't sound EXTREMELY dated would have to be the Johnny Tillotson hit.
1961 has TEN entries ... 1962 has 17. And 1963, barely eight months old, already has ten records on this recap chart!
We're featuring six tracks this week that we feel absolutely would still sound fresh on the air today ... if somebody would just PLAY them!!!
Chicago's very own Cryan' Shames top this WCFL Chart from 1967 ... they would hold that spot for four weeks here in Chicago, despite never climbing any higher than #89 on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart. The only other local hit on this week's list is "Take Me Back" by The Flock (new on the chart at #17)
Another record that did very well on our local chart is "Run Run Run" by Third Rail ... it's part of the up-and-coming "Action Ten" this week at #24.
Finally, a 1970 chart featuring our FH Buddy Chuck Buell. Nothing particularly unusual about this chart ... except when is the last time you heard "Morning Much Better" by Ten Wheel Drive?
Neil Diamond's reissued, remixed hit "Solitary Man" premiers on the chart this week ... and my personal favorite track from this week in 1970 has got to be "Hi-De-Ho" by Blood, Sweat and Tears! We went to go see them almost exactly a year later (August 27, 1971) for my birthday ... the opening act that night was Linda Ronstadt (man, what a GREAT double bill) ... and in Linda's back-up band were Glenn Frey and Don Henley. Linda left the stage for two songs so that Glenn and Don (who she announced would soon be leaving) could play a couple of THEIR songs that night ... so our audience was treated to both "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman" ... BEFORE they were even officially called The Eagles. (Not a bad birthday present if I do say so myself ... all these years later!)
By the way Glenn and Don went on to have a couple of other hits you might be familiar with as well ... and, 43 years later are still playing to sold out houses all over the world!
