As covered in our legendary series "Who Played The First Beatles Record In America", this is the chart that started it all. (In fact, Dick Biondi, the guy who handled the honors, is even pictured on the front of the survey ... the week that "Please Please Me" by the mis-spelled Beattles first appeared on a U.S. chart ... and ELEVEN MONTHS before it first charted nationally!)
Skeeter Davis had the #1 Single AND the top Featured Album of the Week with her monster hit "The End Of The World", still one of my all-time favorites. You'll also find Jan and Dean at #10 singing a song written for a VERY young Linda McCartney! And Peter, Paul and Mary debut on the charts this week with their '60's classic "Puff, The Magic Dragon". (Hey, maybe they should re-release this one now that all these states are on board with legalizing marijuana!!!)
*****
Here's an oldie but goodie from KOIL, circa 1959. Some GREAT tracks on this chart ... and a list of 50 tunes to boot!
Just look at this list of Who's Who '50's stars ... The Coasters, Frankie Avalon, Lloyd Price, The Chipmunks, Brook Benton, The Crests, Andy WIlliams, The Diamonds, Annette, Duane Eddy, Jack Scott, LaVern Baker, Ricky Nelson, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin, Conway Twitty, Perry Como, Connie Francis, Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Jimmy Rogers, Fats Domino, The Fleetwoods, The Chordettes, Johnny Mathis and Peggy Lee ... they're ALL here. (So where the heck is Elvis?!?!?) Well, he's in the army!!! The chart is dated just 5 1/2 weeks after the fatal plane crash that took Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper ... which might help explain their presence on this chart. Then again, it just MIGHT be because these guys were making some GREAT music back then.
Let's listen to a few of them, shall we? ('Cause Lord knows you sure ain't gonna hear 'em on the radio anymore!!!)
And finally, a trip down to Kentucky, where we see Chicago's New Colony Six are doing VERY well indeed, holding down the #2 Spot with "I Will Always Think About You". In fact, catching "Soul Coaxin'" by Raymond LeFevre at #3 is quite a surprise, too! (Note to Ron Smith: Maybe THIS is where all your votes are coming from in your Labor Day Oldies Countdown Poll!!! A heavy concentration of Kentuckian voters perhaps!) One of Dave The Rave's favorite groups, Chery Slush, is in at #14 with "I Cannot Stop You" ... and it's kinda fun to see a couple of Country / Pop duets sitting at #10 and #11 with "Country Girl, City Man" by Judy Clay and Billy Vera and "Playboy" by Gene and Debbie, another one of my favorites, down from #6 the week before.
More British Invasion History this week in Forgotten Hits ...
This week in Billboard Magazine, I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND begins its seventh week at #1, followed by SHE LOVES YOU at #2 and PLEASE PLEASE ME at #3. Other BEATLES hits on the countdown: I SAW HER STANDING THERE (#15), MY BONNIE (#26), TWIST AND SHOUT (premiering at #55) and FROM ME TO YOU (#73)
The British Invasion is in full swing with DUSTY SPRINGFIELD's hit I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU at #12, THE DAVE CLARK FIVE at #20 with GLAD ALL OVER, NEEDLES AND PINS by THE SEARCHERS, making a huge leap from #75 to #46 and THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS at #61 with HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (a song THE BEATLES used to do in their club days … and even performed live on BBC Radio at the time)
"Twist And Shout" jumps over all of the competition to take over the #1 Spot on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey this week in 1964, a position it will hold for a total of four weeks. (How it missed the #1 position in Billboard it beyond me … it was #1 absolutely EVERYWHERE else, including Cash Box and Record World ... and on just about EVERY local chart we've ever seen from 1964!!!)
The Fab Four have four of the Top Five Records this week with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at #2, "Please Please Me" at #4 and "She Loves You" at #5. "Glad All Over" climbs to #6 and "I Saw Her Standing There" holds on at #8. Cliff Richard just misses The Top Ten as "It's All In The Game" climbs to #11. "Needles And Pins" sits at #26, followed by "Hippy Hippy Shake" at #32.
Also happening this weekend ... The Dave Clark Five make their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing "Glad All Over", "Bits And Pieces" and "Do You Love Me". (They appeared the week before, performing their current hit "Glad All Over" ... and reaction was SO good that Ed invited them back to play three numbers the following week.
re: The Saturday Surveys: Hey Kent, Ha Ha! I don’t know if I would call it a typo or what, but in your Sunday Comments on the “KENO” Survey reported being from Reno, Nevada, but the survey says they’re in Las Vegas, and reporting at #6 on their Wax To Watch was Theme From “A Summer Place” By “The Four Freshmen”. As I recall, The Freshmen never released "Summer Place" in the summer of '65, it was “The Lettermen”. Oh, what the heck ... Lettermen, Freshmen, Beach Boys ... what’s the difference ... they all sing those funny chords anyway and were on Capitol Records. Gary Pike
Kent, I think I sent both of those Bobby Fuller charts to a guy who was supposedly writing a Bobby Fuller book years ago and then never heard from him again or about the book. Anyway, at the time, I pointed out that if he checks the KENO chart, he'll find TWO Fuller obscurities on the chart! "She's My Girl" is on its way down at 12, but "Let Her Dance" is on its way UP at 31! Clark Besch
>>>These look similar?? Same week March, 1966. WKYC is from Cleveland and WCFL is from Chicago. (Bill Hengels)
The WCFL and WKYC charts look similar because before Ken Draper took WCFL programming over in late 1965, he had had the same position at WKYC in Cleveland, where he incorporated these ideas. Not only that, but Draper brought MUCH of his WKYC DJ crew with him, including Jim Stagg, Jim Runyan, Dick Williamson and eventually, Jerry G Bishop. The Sound 11 countdown with its short snippets of the top 11 songs in order also followed, becoming the Sound 10 Survey. By coincidence, WCFL was at 1000 on the dial while WKYC was at 1100! That's the rest of the story. Clark Besch
re: This And That: VVN is reporting the updated list of The Top 100 Best Selling Singles in Great Britain's History ... and it's a decidedly British list to be sure. The Beatles have fallen to #8 with "She Loves You", four places behind Paul McCartney and Wings' "Mull Of Kintyre" ... which Elton John, Band Aid and Queen still hold down the top three spots. (One surprise would have to be the two John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John "Grease" duets in The Top 20!!!) Some of these artists barely scraped the surface on our side of the pond ... but it's an interesting list nonetheless ...
This year's rankings ... (with their 2010 position in parenthesis)
#1 - (1) Candle in the Wind (1997) / Something In the Way You Look Tonight - Elton John #2 - (2) Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid #3 - (3) Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen #4 - (4) Mull of Kintyre / Girls School - Wings #5 - (6) You're the One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John #6 - (7) Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood #7 - (5) Rivers of Babylon / Brown Girl in the Ring - Boney M #8 - (8) She Loves You - Beatles #9 - (11) Love is All Around - Wet Wet Wet #10 - (9) Mary's Boy Child - Boney M #11 - (10) Unchained Melody/(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover - Robson & Jerome #12 - (12) I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder #13 - (14) Barbie Girl - Aqua #14 - (15) I Want to Hold Your Hand - Beatles #15 - (13) Anything is Possible / Evergreen - Will Young #16 - (16) Believe - Cher #17 - (17) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams #18 - (18) Last Christmas / Everything She Wants - Wham! #19 - (21) Imagine - John Lennon #20 - (19) Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John Read more: http://www.vintagevinylnews.com/2014/03/britains-biggest-selling-hits-of-all.html#ixzz2veSRYB33
You'll find the complete list of 145 titles here: Click here: Adele and Rihanna score UK's latest million selling singles
Hi Kent - You are AMAZING! Thank you for the Aerosmith story on The Bellnotes' song "Ive Had It". I must have missed reading it in your previous email. Glad Steven Tyler liked it. I always thought it was a catchy tune with a great arrangement! Have you heard it?
When in doubt ask the Master! Thank you again!! Carolyn I don't know if ANYONE has ever heard the Steven Tyler version! (lol) I think he said he was about fourteen years old at the time (and really shouldn't have been singing in bars!)
Kent ...
Scott Shannon just finished interviewing Frankie Valli. Here's my report:
Frankie called in from Florida, he just got back from Asia. According to Scott - Frankie Valli had 38 Billboard Hits and seven #1's. The only American recording artists to have hits before, during and after the Beatles era.
Frankie said that Clint Eastwood called him to tell him the Jersey Boys Movie is completed. Since Frankie has been traveling, he hasn't seen it yet. http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/closing-in-on-80-years-of-age-there-is-still-no-stopping-frankie-valli/
Frank B.
We have been anxiously awaiting the release of this film ... although I still can't believe that Clint Eastwood is in any way involved ... he must be a major Four Seasons fan, too ... or was a knocked out by the Broadway Production as we were. As for The Four Seasons and/or Frankie Valli being the only American recording artist to have hits before, during and after the Beatles era, I'd have to dispute that one ... their west coast counterparts, The Beach Boys, immediately come to mind ... and I'll bet I could come up with at least another dozen or more if I stopped and thought about it. (kk)
And, speaking of films I'm really looking forward to seeing ...
Hi Everybody -
We're having two premieres for Wages of Spin II ... in Los Angeles April 23rd (Industry) and April 29th in Philly. This is an amazing story that will garner a lot of national interest. There is a trailer link below.
Shawn
Here is the final teaser / trailer link for Wages of Spin II "Bring Down That Wall"
Fanny Monday??? Is this a hint that with spring coming, we all need to tone up? If so, I'm on it, Kent!! (Where's that bike?)
Shelley
I'm honestly not sure what inspired me to do that ... it just sounded like a good idea (and a great mix of songs) to have some fun with. (Of course some folks on the list will insist that I must have had my head up my ass Monday morning ... but that's another story.) kk
Kent,
I really enjoyed the four songs you posted on Monday, especially the second one. Let me explain if you will.
My mother's mother, my grandmother, was named Frances N. Taylor. Now her kids as well as her grand kids called her Mom. But to her many friends whom she had known through the years, she was simply known as and called FANNY. Where she got that nickname I have no idea. She was not, I repeat, not a big woman. Excellent choices for today. Thanks again for posting FANNY by the Bee Gees. You wouldn't believe how many times in a row I've played it this morning.
Larry
Hey, we love 'em, too. (Of course in OUR house you have to sing all these lyrics as "Frannie" ... but that's something I've come to live with.) kk Hey Kent, I don't know if you had thought about it but tonight I thought of
some more songs that were somewhat related to the songs you posted on your
website Tuesday. How about SHORT FAT FANNIE and one by the Kingsmen
I always liked out of 1965, ANNIE FANNIE. And another song on a
somewhat related subject, who could ever forget Jimmy Castor's BERTHA BUTT
BOOGIE? Larry I almost went with "Fannie Mae" by Buster Brown ... but it just didn't seem to fit the flow of the other songs that went so well together. (kk)
>>>Someone once asked me what the first music video I ever saw was, and I answered "Eh Cumpari" by Julius LaRosa. What? That came out in 1953! Growing up in an Italian family, my father collected many records by Italian-American artists; Sinatra, Como, Dino, Lanza, etc. We often played the 45 of LaRosa's novelty song, one, to hear the funny pronunciation of the musical instruments in the lyrics, and TWO, to watch the print of Julius' face on the label, go round and round on the record player! It was our first music video experience! I don't know how far the song went up the charts, but it was a minor hit in this area, and I still smile when I hear it. (John LaPuzza) Regarding the first music videos, remember that prior to the release of Al Jolson's "The Jazz Singer" in 1927 (a film often erroneously pointed to as the first "talking movie"), many experimental sound shorts were produced by Warner Brothers, Thomas Edison's Studios and others. In 1894 or 1895 W.L.K. Dickson of the Edison Studios actually produced this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6b0wpBTR1s -- a sound film recording of a musical performance -- a/k/a a music video!
Most early experiments consisted of a single take by a single camera pointed at a vaudeville act – such as this clip of Eddie Cantor in 1923: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9VkR95f2tA Later studios shot one-reeler musical short subjects, such as this one featuring Artie Shaw in 1938 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXVxE_YeP4). Some of those pre-rock musical one-reelers went beyond simply recording a performance to the point of actually acting it out or even presenting the tune as an illustrated song -- which is exactly what takes place in today’s music videos. In 1940 along came Soundies (single song B&W 16mm music videos shown in bars on coin-operated small screens) ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijnfdLFhn2o ). In 1951 Snader Telescriptions took the same idea but instead syndicated their footage to individual TV stations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNH21uBFnPI 1958 brought the flood of Scopitones, a rebirth of the Soundies idea except now the footage was mostly in color:
As for the nice set-up of Perry Como's "Round and Round" using the line “And here's another Forgotten Hits Reader who likes to watch his music go 'round and 'round” -- here's another track more related to the music itself doing exactly the same thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-0v80tlEMo
-- Gary Theroux
Great choice ... and another chance to feature FH Reader and often contributor, Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon! (By the way, I just checked ... and Julius LaRosa's 1953 recording of "Eh Cumpari" peaked at #2. (kk)
Hey Kent ...
Haveyou have heard the latest Verizon commercial ... (they play it 15 times a night
on commercial and cable tvl). I was curious about it so I Googled it. The lyrics
are "there's nothing more I can do but sing it ... na na na na na ... na na na."
(Hope I got enough na's in there.) Anyhow, it's sung by Ladyhawke from New
Zealand. It's catchy and she has a good voice. What's troubling to me is why
the advertisers have to go to New Zealand to find a good rock song. Aren't there
enough oldies and good rock songs here in America? Shame on them for having
limited sight. They must be very young ad guys. If they had any sense they
might have looked deeper into the attic trunk and dusted off some of the 45's.
There, they would have rediscovered some of the treasured oldies that have been
spoken about. It would have been nice.
Blossmworld
The song is almost impossible to avoid ... but catchy as hell! Which means it's working ... it sticks in your head and here we are talking about it... which is pretty much the advertiser's goal. Honestly, I think they accomplished what they set out to do ... and who knows, maybe even created a hit record in the process. (I've watched the video clip a couple of times, now that you've told me who this neat little track is by!) kk
Click here: ?
Ladyhawke - Blue Eyes (Official Video) - YouTube One other Monday morning observation ... after playing Pretty Ballerina, I opened Ron Smith's Chicago Top 40 Charts book and realized that Walk Away Renee did not make the WLS Top 40. Back when oldies radio featured songs from the 60's, Walk Away Renee was the only one you would ever hear. Pretty Ballerina made it to number 16 according to Ron's book.
Phil Nee - WRCO I've got NO explanation for that one ... for some strange reason their version of "Walk Away Renee" failed to chart on both WLS and WCFL. Stranger still is that The Four Tops' remake version made The Top Ten a year later here in Chi-Town. (kk)
Thought you guys might enjoy this - it's on AXS tv, which on AT&T is channel 1106, several times in the next few days. 11 pm tonight, 8 & 11 pm tomorrow (Tues.) Thurs. at 6 pm and Sun (3/16) at 12 pm. I haven't seen it yet , but I will tonite. This is a great channel to see concerts if you haven't seen it yet.
Marlene
More than four decades since Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first-ever concert at the legendary Woodstock festival, its members continue a creativ
More than four decades since Crosby, Stills & Nash played their first-ever concert at the legendary Woodstock festival, its members continue a creative partnership that is one of the most influential and enduring in music. Tonight at 8 ET|5 PT, multiple GRAMMY® winners and Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame alums, David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash speak openly with us about their personal lives, enduring friendship, and the music that defined a generation on an all new“The Big Interview.”
Join me tonight for an exclusive interview with CSN at 8 ET|5 PT, then see the living legends on tour this month.
THOUGHTFUL & INSIGHTFUL: AXS TV NEWS & DOCS
Kent, Kent, Kent! “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” by the DC5, better than “Glad All Over” and “Bits & Pieces”???????????? That is Asylum Talk!!! Ken
>>>Funny thing is I didn't like the first two Dave Clark Five singles ... and still consider "Glad All Over" and "Bits And Pieces" amongst their weakest tracks. (kk) Never cared much for the DC5 as I was a die-hard Beatles fan. I only liked "Glad All Over" and it ends there. Alex Valdez
Hey Kent ...
Regarding 50 Years Ago This Weekend (The
Beatles and The Dave Clark Five) ... and today being the anniversary of MacMac
being knighted, I am all "Beatled" out. I don't know about you but I have seen
the Beatles appearance on Ed Sullivan's show dozens of times ... too numerous to
mention. Thanks for the link, though, for all of those fans who haven't seen
it.
As a woman I am "taken back" at the screaming hysterical female fans.
"Geez, get a grip - why the hysterics ... there's a lot of fish in the sea." I
guess it was the "Beatle tidal wave" and peer pressure that swept them away. I
would venture to say that the girls in the tv clip are embarrassed to look at
that clip today. Being a "hysterical" female is not a compliment in this day and
age and not something that most women would want to be known for.
I have
wondered if the Beatles would be the success they are if it weren't for George
Martin. He was the genius behind the band. I think the Beach Boys (their
American counterparts) did more on their own. Brian Wilson is the genius behind
the Beach Boys - he didn't have a George Martin - (he had his Dad, Murry Wilson, which
doesn't say much.) Murry was a good businessman but not an arranger like
Martin. In all honesty, I do like some of the Beatles songs. However, in the
words of RVB (my oldies roomie bud) "the Beatles are overrated." I tend to
agree.
Blossmwrld
This is going to be so much fun.
I sure hope you can attend.
A fantastic afternoon.
Lots of good food available!
Dance floor also!!!!! DJ Stu
re: Disgusted With Radio: As far as your radio rants go, I haven’t listened to music radio in the car in fifteen years. Now I have an 8000 song MP3 player mixing all of my faves. The DJ patter for me is a thing of the past though many of the songs will automatically bring back those memories. Mark
>>>The much BIGGER problem, of course, is the fact that
the disc jockeys ... and the folks running the radio stations today ... don't
have a CLUE as to what the facts are. (kk) I concur
Kent! They have the facts wrong ... what's second nature, even instinctive to us
oldies fans, they guess about and are usually wrong. It's frustrating to us to
hear the distorted facts. Kent, since you are a "professional" at what you do;
unlike the current crop of djs, and so knowledgeable, I was wondering if you
might consider becoming a radio dj or teaching a class in oldies music
appreciation. I am confident that you would be a "shoo-in". Sandy I'm not so sure it isn't any less frustrating from the teaching level ... check out the email below! (kk)
Kent,
It is SO true. What Paul McKenzie COULD have accomplished with musical
notes through V just boggles the mind! Imagine 'Jimmie Crack Corn' with that
much depth. :-P
Yeah ok, Kent ... now try being a teacher and hearing that misinformation and yelling
out, "NOOOOOOOOOO ... I told my students to turn ON the radio! TURN IT OFF,
TURN IT OFF!!!!
Old assignment: Listen to radio station (call numbers given) for
at least one hour and identify title, decade and performers of five songs
played.
New assignment: Listen to radio station (all stations are the same) for at
least one hour and identify one TRUE fact heard. News reports included.
Precisely why we need you Kent ... to preserve the truth. THANKS, MR. CRANKY PANTS! Stacee This won't help you one little bit, but I just have to say that the same thing happens every day in the movie world, where misquotes and misinformation are now imbedded in the minds of people everywhere as fact. Probably happens with sports trivia, and most scary of all, in real history. Not a whole hell of a lot one can do about it. I used to go on tirades in the chatrooms. At least you have a wider base of "listeners". Good luck. Hil It's just SO frustrating to see the facts so blatantly distorted and misrepresented! Makes it nearly impossible to trust ANY source as "reliable." We've gone from "if it's in The National Enquirer, it must be true" to "If I read it on the Internet, it must be true." But this simply isn't always the case. I'll never forget when Abraham Lincoln, before he was a vampire slayer, posted on his Facebook page that you can fool some of the people all of the time - and all of the people some of the time - but you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd - now that's sound advice if I ever heard it. (kk)
