Here's another chart with Sonny Geraci sitting in the Top Spot ... only this time, it's with Climax ... where he's holding down the #1 Position with "Precious And Few".
Again, look at the variety on the radio back then ... '70's soft-rock favorites like The Carpenters, Bread and Carole King sharing space with hard-rocking artists like Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, T-Rex and Faces!
And then, just to REALLY throw things out of kilter, you've got The English Congregation singing "Softly Whispering I Love You" at #20 and a little Classical Pop with Apollo 100's version of "Joy".
Also in The Top Ten ... one of our very first Forgotten Hits interviewees, Beverly Bremers!
This WLS chart from 1969 now has sentimental meaning to me ... here in Chicago our new FH Buddy Tommy Roe leaps 16 positions to the #1 spot on the charts with his monster hit "Dizzy". Other "Friends of Forgotten Hits" artists like The Turtles and The 1910 Fruitgum Company, Dionne Warwick, The Rascals and Paul Revere and the Raiders are also represented in the Chi-Town Top 40 for this week in 1969. And, of course, the pictured jock is none other than Kris Erik Stevens, who has ALSO participated with Forgotten Hits quite a few times these past few years! (I was 15 when this chart hit the streets ... never in my WILDEST dreams would I have dared to imagine that I'd be writing about ... and corresponding with ... these artists some 45 years later!)
Finally, jumping ahead ten years this week, we find a chart from the short-lived WE-FM (courtesy of Jack Levin). You'll definitely find some Bee Gees / Disco Flavor on this one ... Rod Stewart (who we just called a rocker in '72 when he was singing with Faces) was now prancing around in leotards asking the world if we thought he was sexy ... I, for one, have always voted "no" in this discussion! (lol) Disco was everywhere in March of '79 ... "Le Freak" by Chic, "Y.M.C.A." by The Village People, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Shake Your Groove Thing" by the comeback kids, Peaches and Herb, "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn, "Heaven Knows" by Disco Queen Donna Summer and "I Love The Night Life" by Alicia Bridges ruled the airwaves ... but there was still some decent pop music floating around, too. Three of my favorites bring up the rear of the chart: "Dancin' Shoes" by Elton John's drummer Nigel Olsson, "Lady" by The Little River Band and "Song On The Radio" by Al Stewart. (In fact, The Little River Band and Al Stewart are both coming to Chicago this year to perform at Ron Onesti's Arcada Theatre ... and I can't wait to see them!)
Even more amazing ... ALL of the venues in 1979 that were hosting the biggest concerts in Chicago are long since gone. But all of these acts are still playing to packed house today, some 35 years later! Amazing!
Forgotten Hits continues its look back at The British Invasion ...
BILLBOARD:
Being a leap year, there was a chart for February 29th this year … and on it, The Beatles had THREE Top Ten Hits: I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND (#1), SHE LOVES YOU (#2) and PLEASE PLEASE ME (#6). This had never happened before … even ELVIS PRESLEY never had three Top Ten Hits at the same time! (THE BEATLES had promised to be "bigger than Elvis" … could they have been right?!?!?
They also held the #28 spot (I SAW HER STANDING THERE) as well as the #42 spot (MY BONNIE). In addition, novelty hits like MY BOY FRIEND GOT A BEATLE HAIRCUT by Donna Lynn and THE BOY WITH THE BEATLE HAIR by The Swans are also climbing the lower region of the chart this week (at #95 and #99 respectively) … clearly THE BEATLES were the hottest thing happening at the moment … with a LOT of attention being paid to their grooming methods! (lol)
Meanwhile, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD was at #14 with I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU and THE DAVE CLARK FIVE climbed to #53 with GLAD ALL OVER.
WLS:
For the first time in the short history of The WLS Silver Dollar Survey, we've got two records tied for the #1 Spot … as "I Want To Hold Your Hand" wraps up its fifth straight week at #1 and is joined by "She Loves You", which will replace it at the top of the chart the following week. "Please Please Me" reaches the Top Ten (at #5) as does "I Saw Her Standing There" at #10, giving The Fab Four FOUR of The Top Ten Records in Chicago!!! (They'd expand that count to five the following week, capturing exactly HALF of The Top Ten Records in Chicago!)
"Glad All Over" climbs to #14 and Cliff Richards' "It's All In The Game" leaps from #31 to #18. The British Invasion is in full swing. (And, as we all know, England Swings like a pendulum do!) A group called The Viceroys have the #28 hit with a track called "Liverpool" and The Searchers premier at #36 with their version of "Needles And Pins", a full week sooner than it would debut in Billboard.
I consider it a crime against nature that the ONLY song you're guaranteed to hear today by Elvis Presley is "Suspicious Minds". Granted, it was a HUGE #1 Hit ... and it's a GREAT song ... but this means that The King's entire recorded output before 1969 has been permanently eradicated from the airwaves ... and I'm sorry, but that's just WRONG!!! We've covered this before in Forgotten Hits ... Elvis had 123 other charted Billboard Hits before "Suspicious Minds" reached the summit in 1969 ... and radio seems content to ignore each and every one of them. Instead of rotating perhaps another 40 great songs that listeners would LOVE to hear once in a while, they play "Suspicious Minds" fifteen times a week instead!
So our suggestion here is skip one rotation today and play THIS one instead ...
Same theme ... and the bonus is the guy even SOUNDS like Elvis!!! (Not to mention the fact that it was #1 in virtually every city in the country back in 1964 when Terry Stafford had his biggest hit ... a song that out-Kings the King in my opinion ... Elvis' own version pales in comparison!)
How about this? Instead of playing "Crazy On You" by Heart fifteen time a week, save yourself some time and play this one instead!
Think about that for a second ... if you add up all the time the deejay will save by not having to say "on you" every time that Heart record plays ... and multiply that by 40 - 50 times a month ... why, lo and behold you just MIGHT have enough time to squeeze in another playing of "Jack And Diane"!!! Here's one ... since you're going to play "Call Me" by Blondie several times a day anyway, surprise your audience by announcing "Call Me" ... and then giving THIS one a spin!!!
For all of us out there who have od'd on Steve Miller, try this break in the action ...
Next time ... instead of spinning "The Joker", give THIS one a test drive!
And here's one more, just for fun. One of the cleverest songs ever written has got to be "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh ... LOVE it!!! But they've played it to death ... it's reached the point that I can't even appreciate the essence of the song anymore ... and that, too, is a crime against nature. Wanna shake up your audience? Play 'em this one instead ...
Got some suggestions of your own? Send 'em in ... and we'll try to feature a couple more each week. The whole concept here is: Instead of THAT ... play THIS ... Who knows ... maybe SOME day radio will actually get the hint!!! Separate yourself from the pack ... Step outside the "CLONES" ... And venture into the "Forgotten Hit Zone"!!! Dare to be different ... Play the unexpected!
Some of you enjoyed our suggestions yesterday ... others felt it's a losing battle ... and (as Billy Joel tells us at least nine or ten times a day) you may be right ... we can't change this by ourselves. It's going to take an army to win this war ... and we need your help. Why can't we enjoy the best of BOTH worlds? Why can't the playlists be expanded to offer more variety, along with the endless stream of same-old / same-old? You'll still get your dozen favorites every hour ... but they'll be mixed in with other songs you'll also enjoy.
To prove a point, here are a few more ideas ...
Instead of 867 - 5309 again and again and again, how about
once in a while?
Instead of Brown-Eyed Girl ...
how about Green-Eyed Lady?
One of my favorite songs of all time is "Hotel California" by The Eagles ... but as much as I love it, I DON'T really need to hear it fifteen times a week. (Overplay is ruining this one for me ... and there ARE other hotels out there you know!)
Another one that just seems to play ad nauseum is "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John ... GREAT song ... but you've done it to death ... it's actually gotten to the point where I don't feel ANYTHING for it anymore ... just a "white noise" numbness. Why not break that monotony with this one?
Here's a clever break in the action ... From the "Last Train To Clarksville" to the "Next Plane To London"!!!
There is SO much Fleetwood Mac on the radio ...
Instead of "Go Your Own Way", why not ...
Instead of Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock And Roll" playing six times a day for 25 years straight now (damn you, Tom Cruise!) how about ...
And HERE'S a clever idea ... Skip Steve Miller's "Take The Money And Run" and play THIS one instead!
I just want radio to be NORMAL again ...
And wouldn't "normal" be the status quo???
OK, I'm done ... But can you SERIOUSLY tell me that any one of these songs wouldn't sound better coming out of your radio today than what you're actually going to hear instead?
C'mon guys ... mix it up a little ... Dare To Be Different ... Play The Unexpected!
If you're like many of us out there, you've grown tired of what today can only be described as "Groundhog Day" programming in radio ... the same set of artists and songs, all day, every day, without any break in the action that even remotely suggests a dash of creativity and surprise ... a hint of personality or an utter of "Wow"!
When I'm forced to listen to the radio today (no longer the pleasure and the passion it was for me growing up when I couldn't wait to hear what they were going to do, say or play next), it's a constant exercise of button-pushing, trying ... HOPING ... to find something ... ANYTHING ... different down the dial. But most days end the same ... the final button pushed is simply to turn the damn thing off. There's just NOTHING out there worth listening to anymore.
So today we offer a few alternative suggestions ... just a "break in the action" from the normal every day hum-drum of radio, circa 2014.
If you're sick and tired of hearing 12-14 Steve Miller songs each day, why not try THIS one on for size? Next time you're ready to play "Rock'n Me", click on THIS one instead ... ... Same concept ... same idea ... but give your listener a break from the day-long deluge of repeats ... and surprise them with something unexpected.
Or ... maybe instead of "Jet Airliner" for the fourth or fifth time today, why not give THIS one a spin?
Likewise, instead of "Jack And Diane" for the 9th or 10th time today, how about a little Paul and Paula instead???
When's the last time anybody played THAT one on the radio?!?!
Or perhaps instead of "Hurts So Good" ... a little "Hurt So Bad"???
And here's a little game I play with myself when I'm driving ... "How many times today will I turn off "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey?
The other day I think I broke my own record ... TWICE in less than five minutes ... as soon as it ended on one station, it started up on another ... first time in my life I've ever prayed for more commercials!!!
That's OK ... I've got a solution for this one, too ...
But the REAL stickler for me last week was the fact that I had to turn off Boston FIVE TIMES in the same hour!!! Seriously?!?!? The play lists in Chicago are SO tight that every single one of our stations cannot think of ANYTHING else to play other than another Boston song? Man, I used to LOVE "More Than A Feeling" ... thought it was one of the greatest rock songs of all time ... and now I rarely make it past the first three notes. GIVE IT A REST ALREADY!!!
And what's up with Foreigner? I swear they didn't play these songs this often when they were out!!! Yet it seems that lately EVERY time I turn on the radio, it's another Foreigner song blasting my way. I LOVE these guys ... but there's only so much you can take!
Get creative! Instead of Foreigner, salute The Immigrant ...
Instead of "Cold As Ice" ... "Treat Me Nice" ...
Instead of "Hot-Blooded", how about a little "Fever"?
How about a little spin on "Feels Like The First Time"???
The options are out there, people ... have some fun with this!
Sick of Led Zeppelin 25 times a day? There IS a solution!
Stairway to Heaven ...
Whole Lotta Love ...
The consultants that keep telling you THESE are the songs we want to hear are WRONG!!!!! Ask the REAL people ... the people who listen ... or, better still, the people who USED to listen and don't anymore because you have driven us away with your non-stop repetitive bullshit. Want to REALLY find out why radio ratings are down? Then ask the people who have left ... because that's where you'll find the REAL answer to that question ... and I can assure you ... wholeheartedly ... that it's NOT the reason all these know-it-all consultants are insisting it is. Plain and simple, you've driven us away by continuing to insult our intelligence. We now look for ANY other means of entertainment than the torture of what today passes for terrestrial radio! And you've only got yourselves to blame. Mix it up a little ... give some of these songs a rest ... and program some of the thousands of other tracks that are already in your library. I smiled from ear-to-ear Friday night when I was driving home and heard The River play "The Story In Your Eyes" by The Moody Blues (by request, I might add ... how about that ... something NOT on the usual playlist, coming by suggestion from a listener who cares!) During that same hour on our now SIX radio stations programming Classic Rock and Classic Hits I heard two Bob Seger songs, three John Mellencamp songs, two more by Journey, four by Led Zeppelin and four by Pink Floyd ... plus two each by Foreigner, The Who and Billy Joel. It was such a WELCOME relief to FINALLY hear something else ... and it took a listener to make it happen. And once again, consulting big-wigs, there's your clue ... YOU'RE TALKING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE ... your research is jaded and COMPLETELY out-of-sync with reality. GET A CLUE before we're all gone for good.
re: The Saturday Surveys: Hi ya Kent,
Got a kick out of that west coast chart from back in '65 that had "Andrea" by the SunRays listed at #5. I played the living daylights out of that song. But as many of your in house music experts know, the "Rays" truly knocked the door down with their driving, yet poignant rocker, "We all live for the Sun."
The song appears to be a nothng more than a youthful tribute tribute to California sun, bikinis, milk shakes and 30 foot waves ... but, timeout! Dig the finale. When their lead singer closes with, "take your girl by the hand, walk with her in the sand and always, yes alwayyyyssss, we gotta live for the sun", it has always struck me as the closing of the virginal songwriting window that permeated the early and mid 60's. There almost seems to be a tear in his voice.
The Beatles were experimenting, super groups would soon become the norm, the Stones caught hell for the line "Let's spend the night together" on the Sullivan show.
You know what's odd? If the Rays were playing a county fair or a fish fry this weekend, I'd go see them.
Finally, should the group have been called the "Revenge of Murry" in tribute to Beach Boys father, producer and pistol whipper Murry Wilson?
Chet Coppock,
Host: Blackhawks Heritage Series Regular contributor Fox32 News
>>>Despite billing itself as "Anchorage's ONLY Authentic Tabulation of America's Most Popular Music" .. and the huge disclaimer at the bottom that says "The Tunedex is Copyrighted ... broadcasting or reproduction is not legal", it turns out that this chart is actually IDENTICAL to The Billboard Hot 100 published that very same week. (kk)
I know I've seen Tunedex before. Let me rummage around my collection and see. Jack
I've seen it, too ... on any number of the charts submitted for our new Saturday Surveys feature. I can only assume that it was some type of "measuring" service for the trade, monitoring either sales or airplay on a national level ... as their name appears on charts we've seen from all over the country. Which kind of makes you wonder just how "local" any given local radio station survey may have really been! (kk)
Kent,
In today's surveys posted, especially that of Anchorage Alaska, Joel Whitburn said he wasn't familiar with the word Tunedex, as it applied to their weekly survey. I am not sure but I believe that word, tunedex, was used a lot on radio surveys back in those days. Here in OKC, KOMA's weekly surveys from 1961 - 1963 were referred to as Top 40 Tune Dex Surveys. Those from 1964 - 1965 were known as Sing Along Surveys while those from 1966 - 1968 were called All American Survey. Larry Neal
Digging a little deeper we found a website (similar to ours actually, regularly running copies of old surveys) ... as well as DOZENS and DOZENS of images of old Tunedex Charts from around the country. In fact, we even came across a website broadcasting music from the '50's and '60's ... so OBVIOUSLY "Tunedex" meant something to a great deal of us back then ... am always interested in learning more ... so send us your thoughts and memories! (kk)
In 1942 George Goodwin, a radio-station director, initiated a subscription service, the Tune-Dex which he hoped would serve as a card catalog for the music industry, helping individuals in film, radio, recording, and advertising in the day-to-day routine of operations involving programming or licensing. The front of each 3 - by -5 - inch card gave the most familiar phrases of a pop-song melody, with lyrics and chord symbols -- shorthand guides to piano and guitar accompaniment. The back of each card identified the copyright holder and the performing-rights agency controlling the song's licensing, and it gave references to published versions of the song. In May 1942, Goodwin sent out the first monthly issue of 100 Tune-Dex cards. The Tune-Dex was a huge and immediate success, adopted industry-wide. It ran to 25,000 cards and ended in 1963. It also sounds like these cards were used as the basis for those "Fake" Music Books that were published, showing you how to play along with the hit record of the day. Clearly the charts we've seen extend beyond 1963 ... so I'm sure there's more to the story ... but this is what we've come up with so far. (kk)
Hi Kent, Interesting to read the list of British Invasion hits in the USA. More interesting to me is, I was on the recordings highlighted in red ... It was a busy period!
>>>There's only one Beatles record on this chart ("Eight Days A Week" sits at #19) ... but the British Invasion is in full force ... 15 of the Top 40 Hits are by British acts, including Petula Clark, Herman's Hermits, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Shirley Bassey, Chad and Jeremy, The Kinks, Ian Whitcomb, The Zombies, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, Peter and Gordon, The Searchers and The Bachelors (and nipping at the heels are Georgie Fame with "Yeh Yeh" and The Who with "I Can't Explain". (Even the Pick Hit Album of the Week has a decidedly British feel to it ... "Mary Poppins" holds down the top spot!) kk
OK, pay your $12 and listen to the nation's #1 station as it was on the day the Beatles landed in NYC in 1964. Bob Lewis show for one hour on WABC on Feb 7, 1964, can now be heard here if you are a subscriber. Exactly as it was ... http://www.reelradio.com/rf/blwabc020764.html#blwabc020764
In re-listening to my Beatles radio montage (featured on The Forgotten Hits Website on Wednesday, February 19th-kk), I got tears in my eyes because these times were SO important in my life then. So exciting to hear a new Beatles tune -- even over and over again! PLUS, having songs like "Hey Bulldog" months ahead of release was great too. Anyway, since someone was mentioning the DJ's on surveys, the taped segment in my montage included KRLA DJ Charlie O'Donnell doing the American Bandstand top 10 board countdown because he sometimes hosted AB when Dick Clark was not available. Charlie was Dick's announcer for commercials and opening introduction. KRLA was amazing back then as were most of the LA top station jocks. Casey Kasem went on to AT40 after doing a teen TV'er in LA. Eubanks brought the Fab 4 to town and went on to host the Dating Game. Jimmy O'Neil was the Shindig host and Biondi was BIONDI! KFWB across town had TV stars, too, and I believe Roger Christian even got co-writing credits on some Beach Boys / Jan & Dean hits, if I remember correctly?
Clark Besch
Yes, Roger Christian and Brian Wilson were pretty tight and Roger was a HUGE supporter of the early Beach Boys efforts. They wrote together from time to time. It's interesting to watch the Bob Eubanks interview on the new CNN / Tom Hanks '60's Special ... he explains not only how he got the money to bring The Beatles to L.A. but also how the arrival of The Beatles changed the way radio was done ... in Bob's words, there were NO other requests ... EVERY phone call for EVERY song was for something by The Beatles! An exciting time to be sure! (kk)
Speaking of The Beatles ... their 50th U.S. Anniversary ... and their L.A. connection ... the absolutely PERFECT book has just come out that addresses just these things ... "It Was Fifty Years Ago Today: The Beatles Invade America and Hollywood" by our FH Buddy Harvey Kubernik is available now ... and features many first-hand memories of these exciting times. More information (and ordering information) can be found here: Click here: It Was 50 Years Ago Today THE BEATLES Invade America and Hollywood: Harvey Kubernik, James Cushing: 9780989893688:
And how funny is this?!?! The sale price at Amazon.com is $19.64!!! (lol) kk
Actually, Kent, on the back of the WLS survey you posted today with the Beatlesque jocks, if you flip it over, the survey that week is the "Silver BEATLE Survey"!!!
Wonder why Gene Taylor is trying to steal Riley's thunder calling himself "Ringo Taylor"?? There was ONLY ONE Ringo Ron Riley, or as mother Weber's eldest son called him "Ringworm Ron Riley." If you listen closely on the Beatles radio montage you posted from me a few days ago, I believe that is Gene Taylor outro-ing "Not a Second Time" saying "That's one of the originals ..." If you heard the reel, it was pretty amazing and I'm fairly sure this was taped during the Beatles week on WLS that we are celebrating. They played THIRTEEN songs in a row without comment on my tape with only the comments heard at the end. Can you imagine AM radio in 1964 playing 13 songs in a row commercial free??? AMAZING! Even with the Drake format, it was not likely more than DJs celebrating "this is the second of four in a row!"
Clark Back then radio was doing all kinds of things "out of the norm" ... this Beatles take-over was a whole new phenomena ... jocks and programmers had never seen anything like it ... EVERYTHING was coming up Beatles. (In fact, on next week's WLS chart, 2/28/64, you'll find "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" TIED for #1!!!) kk
Speaking of the Beatles' "My Bonnie", how many of us out there felt totally ripped off by this 45? You buy it and it sounds NOTHING like the Beatles. Sure it rocks, but with Sheridan vocals, sounds nothing like Lennon's later "Ain't She Sweet" early recording gleaned from these old tapes.
It reminds me a bit, too, of the Dave Clark Five's similar situation with the Congress 45 "I Knew It All The Time." It hit the racks just as DC5-mania was in full bloom in May, 1964. Unlike "My Bonnie", it featured a nice pic sleeve of the band, so if you were a fan, you bought it expecting another totally amazing tune from this new wonderband! Instead, it had Mike Smith singing in some weird low vocal style with the band adding "Yeah Yeah Yeahs" ala the fabs. Of course, NONE of the DC5 45s sounded like the Beatles otherwise. What a piece of crap that was. Luckily it didn't ruin their budding career. It was their only non-top 15 hit in 1964 out of the seven chart 45s that year for the group! Thank God that Clark Weber (or Tom Hanks or Clark Besch) never gave up on these guys!!! The DC5 were fabulous!
It happens over and over (pun intended) thru the decades with cash-in 45s trying to screw up a good run of hits -- altho some turn out to be great additions. "Bruce" by Rick Springfield was a bit embarrassing, while Hall & Oates' "She's Gone" re-release after hitting it big came as a blessing for them. Many others over the years with similar events happening.
BTW, if you were like me and thought "Maybe the B side of the new DC5 purchase is better?" NOOOOO! Try out "That's What I Said." Likely the equivalent to the fabs' "You Know My Name"?? The opening phone call bit is enough to pull the needle across the rest of the 45! :)
Clark Besch Misrepresenting "My Bonnie" as a Beatles record was pretty under-handed ... but I still think it's a great recording ... and might have been a hit by ANY artist (including Tony Sheridan, had it been properly promoted at the time.) I wonder how differently things might have turned out had "My Bonnie" been a success in 1961 ... my goodness can you even imagine The Beatles having to stay on as Tony's back-up band, being allowed to perhaps sing a song or two of their own during a concert tour?!?! It's almost unthinkable ... and makes me think things happen for a reason ... and this record bombing was, in hindsight, an INCREDIBLY good thing!!! It still drove a fan into Brian Epstein's record shop looking for a copy of the record ... which inspired Brian to check out this hot, new Liverpool talent during a lunch session at The Cavern ... almost immediately thereafter becoming their manager. For all the negativity surrounding Epstein's skills as a manager he certainly worked his butt off to get his young band noticed. By the way, I didn't buy "My Bonnie" when it first came out ... but found it in one of those cellophane packages of ten or twelve 45's that they sold at the dimestore for 99-cents. Inside that pack (prominently displayed on the front) was "My Bonnie" in a picture sleeve ... with a sticker price of 9-CENTS!!! I'm not sure what it's worth today ... but I'd say I probably better than doubled my investment, wouldn'tcha think?!?!? (kk)
re: The Wrecking Crew:
Hi Kent,
I noticed in the comments today that The Wrecking Crew documentary is close to you and that you were going to try and catch it.
I would definitely see it if you can. I saw it here in the Twin Cities a year or two ago and it's fabulous. It actually gave me goosebumps hearing the "music of my life" all coming out in little tiny chunks. It's a great film and Denny was there and couldn't have been a nicer person.
I'm so glad this movie is finally going to be out.
Bill
I've actually seen the film several times - in fact I've owned a copy for about five years. (Denny was kind enough to send me an advance "screening copy" for our very first "Wrecking Crew" review several years ago.) My main reason for going would be to finally meet Denny. We've probably talked 50 times but never actually met! Plus seeing it on a big movie screen with great sound would be awesome. Hardest part for me is never knowing what time I'm going to get out of work - 60 hour weeks has been the norm for me lately - and this has a 7:00 start and is a good hour's drive away. but I'm hoping I can find a way to swing it. Haven't given up yet! Over the years, Denny has told me that he has met Forgotten Hits Readers at nearly every venue the film has been shown ... so word of mouth has ALWAYS been good. Now it'll be nice to finally have the "official" copy with all the outtakes and little tribute bits in it. Hoping we can work it out. (kk)
re: 20 Feet From Stardom: We finally had a chance to watch this hot new Oscar-nominated documentary last night ... good stuff ... it does not disappoint. (The scene of Merry Clayton singing "Gimme Shelter" with The Rolling Stones is worth the price of admission alone!) Probably a tad longer than it needed to be, there are enough note-worthy performances here to hold your attention ... I have a whole new level of respect for artists like The Waters and Lisa Fischer ... and now would LOVE to see Darlene Love live in concert! Definitely worth a viewing or two ... and now available on DVD, BluRay and OnDemand cable viewing. (kk)
re: ASCAP List: Hi Kent,
Definitely a fun list. They list Come Together as being written by Paul, though. I always thought it was John?
OK I still think it was.
Bill
I saw that, too ... but I can assure you that "Come Together" was a John song all the way. I remember Paul making a comment there near the end of The Beatles how he would have liked to have sung more harmony on the song with John ... and that in his heart, he believed John would have wanted him to ... but their relationship was so strained at this point that neither one asked the other. Paul got in a few lines of harmony here and there ... but that was about it. (kk)
Saw the ASCAP top 100 which to me is very interesting stuff. I cannot understand how Unchained Melody and Mack The Knife are not on the BMI or ASCAP top 100. The amount of airplay from the most popular version plus other hit and muzak versions should place them in the top 10 of one of the lists. Also I noticed Yesterday is in both the BMI and ASCAP lists. I thought one registered with one or the other. Mark As far I as I've always known, The Beatles' compositions were registered through BMI ... so I'm not really sure why "Yesterday" would be on BOTH lists or "Come Together" would be on this one. Did you see the news story last week that when Michael Jackson's back taxes were being investigated, the pop star claimed The Beatles' Music Catalog at "zero value"!!! Ooops! Not QUITE accurate, I'm afraid ... especially THIS year when sales of Beatles-related merchandise are expected to go through the roof! Latest reports have Jackson's estate having to pay back something like $700 Million in back, unpaid taxes! Yikes! (kk)
re: Nobody But Me:
So which has more "no's" in it? "Tell Her No" or "Nobody But me"??? Repeated lyrics are always interesting that they could still be hits. Take for instance "Leave me Alone / Ruby Red Dress" or "Ain't No Sunshine" with their constant repeated lines ... more I'm sure.
Clark Besch
I remember at the time deejays asking how many times The Beatles said the word "love" in "All You Need Is Love" ... and probably "yeah" in all the "She Loves You" yeah-yeah-yeah's, too! Something about a repetitive hook that gets you nearly every time ... but can also wear you down more often than not. (kk)
Kent,
Your reader Bruce was correct, of course, in that the song by the Human Beinz was a remake of the song done earlier by the Isley Brothers which you posted. The great majority of the time I have always preferred the original version as opposed to the remake. However, in this case I liked the Human Beinz' version of NOBODY BUT ME better.
The only thing different was the names of the dances in the two particular versions. Dances that were popular at the time in which each version was recorded.
Larry Neal
I like The Outsiders' version better of "Respectable", too ... better than the Isley's AND better than The Rolling Stones'. This one should have been a much bigger hit than it was in my opinion. (It reached #15 in Billboard in 1966.) And with all the talk about Sonny Geraci of late, I'm happy to feature that one here today. (kk)
re:
GOOD SHOW!:
Hi
Kent, My wife Flo and I caught the Burton Cummings concert January 17 at the
Orleans in Las Vegas and it was a stellar show! When you hear he and his band
perform you can be rest assured this is the "real" Guess Who ... and the bonus
is, you also get the songs from his solo career. Burton was in fine voice and
his band in great form and, with the North American Continental Curling Cup
being held at the same venue, the audience had lots of his loyal Canadian fans.
You could tell he was excited and proud to be playing Vegas and it was reflected
in his performance and the countless standing-ovations. And his
between-the-songs banter was bright and positive with no reflecting on "the band
now touring as the Guess Who." I think he has finally reached some peace in
knowing that he and his band are the only ones that can truly deliver the sound
of the original hits -- after all, when you are the original lead singer on the
hits you certainly hold the cards. I don't know how everyone did in the casino
but if you were lucky enough to catch either one of his performances in the
showroom, you definitely hit the jackpot! Peace, Tim Kiley
Wish we could have seen
Burton again in Las Vegas ... I heard the shows were outstanding. And he's GOT
to be feeling good about himself, turning these crowds on again time after time,
each and every night. No question about it ... he's still got it ... and it's
GREAT to see that he's still out there sharing it with the fans.
(kk)
re:
Bill Medley:
The Time of
My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir by Bill
Medley
From an early age, Bill Medley had a
passion for music. School glee club and amateur singing contests soon gave way
to the albums of Ray Charles and Little Richard. That raw R&B influence
would profoundly shape Medley’s musical future. As the
pioneering “blue-eyed soul” group the Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley and late
partner Bobby Hatfield sang such huge hits as “(You’re My) Soul and
Inspiration,” “Unchained Melody,” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the
latter recognized by BMI as the most-played song of the twentieth century.
Medley’s duet with Jennifer Warnes for theDirty Dancingsoundtrack,
“(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life,” became a worldwide No. 1 single on its way to
winning an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe. But
Medley’s story isn’t just about the hits and the awards. It’s about an immensely
talented man who reached the pinnacle of fame, success, and excess, until the
shocking murder of his wife, Karen. In time, this tragedy eventually helped him
renew his commitment to both faith and
family.
re: It's That Time Of Year
Again!!!
"Less
tax-ing, more fun” remains the
mission of Hz So Good’s 7th annual I.R.S., as in “It Really
Shoulda” been a Top 10 hit.
If you’ve taken part before - maybe even won
something - you know it’s true. And this year we’ve made it easier than ever to
file your “I.R.S. form” and tell us what songs you feel ‘really shoulda’ been
top 10. Since this year’s “I.R.S. Top 104” will be counted down in its entirety
this April on Rewound Radio, all you have to do is visit their website to
fill out your “E-Z form.” (You can also still email your list of songs to this
email address, if you’d prefer.) All guidelines / rules / fine print is laid out
on Rewound’s I.R.S. page.
From now
until April, I’ll be posting more info about this year’s I.R.S. on Facebook, in
a new dedicated group room. If we’re not already connected there, find (and
friend / follow) me (RichAppel7) and ask to join the group "H&z Rock's I.R.S. ('It Really Shoulda' been a top 10 hit!) Top 104."
As in prior years, random I.R.S. filers
will receive “refunds” in the form of 4-disc sets of the 7th annual I.R.S. Top
104 as well as other prizes to be announced. Remember to include your full
name and complete mailing address in your E-Z form or email to be eligible for
any of these prizes.
Deadline for all I.R.S. forms is April 1. Over the weekend leading
up to this year’s other IRS deadline (Friday April 11 and Sunday April 13),
we’ll count down the 7thannual I.R.S. Top 104 and draw winners – more
details on that soon.
So,
let the 7th annual I.R.S. begin! Preparers are standing
by.
