The Saturday Surveys (10-25)

Here's an interesting chart from KLEO from this date in 1969.

Check out this week's #1 Record ... "The Train" by The 1910 Fruitgum Company!  That one didn't even make The Top 50 in Billboard.  (In fact, it was their last Hot 100 Hit!)

Kind of surprising as their biggest, best-know hits have got to be "Simon Says", "1,2,3 Red Light" and "Indian Giver", all Top Five national smashes.

And look at this late-charting hit for Dino, Desi and Billy ... "Hawley" sits at #9 (down from #7 the week before).  This one didn't make The Billboard Chart at all!!!

Just outside The Top Ten: "Any Way That You Want Me", the original Evie Sands version, is at #12.  Chicago's own American Breed also took a crack at this great, overlooked Chip Taylor song.  And The Hardy Boys (mentioned here a few weeks ago) break into The Top 20 this week with "Love And Let Love" (perhaps a precursor to McCartney's "Live And Let Die"???)

I also like the John Beland track at #25, "Baby, You Come Rollin' 'Cross My Mind".  And how about this one???  "Which Way You Goin' Billy" premiers this week at #36 ... a full FIVE MONTHS before it hits The Billboard Chart!!!  (It's not like this was a "local hit" by a local band ... The Poppy Family came from CANADA ... and this chart was published by a radio station out of Kansas!!!)

And we'd be remiss if we didn't point out a couple of unusual obscurities.  Peggy Lee is at #15 with her big comeback hit "Is That All There Is" ... and congenial television host Art Linkletter (who lost a daughter to drugs) airs his heartfelt pleas with "We Love You, Call Collect" at #34.  (Try to make it through this one without shedding a tear, knowing that Art, so well loved by America, went through this very anguish on a personal level.)

Here's a KILT Chart from 1970 with a few surprises ... Mark Lindsay's solo hit "And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind" (a Neil Diamond tune) holds down the #5 spot on this week's survey.  (This one only got as high as #44 in Billboard.)

And check out one of my all-time favorite "FM Rock" tracks, "Fresh Air" at #12 for Quicksilver Messenger Service.  (This was a #49 Billboard charter ... but I couldn't get enough of this tune ... then and now!!!)

There are several great songs on this chart that radio doesn't play anymore ... but I maintain that they would STILL sound great coming out of your speakers as a "Wow!" song.

Tracks like "Gypsy Woman" by Brian Hyland, "Lucretia Mac Evil" by Blood, Sweat and Tears, "Let's Work Together" by Canned Heat and even Glen Campbell's version of "It's Only Make Believe".  (Glen'll be all over the radio again once this documentary starts to make the rounds in wide release.)

And check out ZZ Top at #25, a full FOUR YEARS before they'd crack The Top 40 on The National Charts for the very first time!  (Of course this WAS a Texas radio station!!!)

1974 was NOT one of my favorite years in music ... but this WOKY has me questioning that line of thinking ... LOTS of great tracks here amongst the bland!!!

"Honey Honey" by ABBA was a #4 Hit ... nationally it stopped at #27.  I've always been fond of The Osmonds' hit at #7, too, "Love Me For A Reason" ... beautiful song with some incredible harmonies.  And I like the clever way they listed "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night", on THIS chart shown as by Elton John Lennon!  (lol)

You never hear "Longfellow Serenade" by Neil Diamond anymore ... not that I'm particularly fond of this track but it WAS a pretty big hit for him in his new "spoken-song" style.

One of my all-time favorite hits of the '70's, "So You Are A Star" by The Hudson Brothers jumps up six places to #15, followed by "Jazzman", a GREAT Carole King tune that you still hear once in awhile.

Not so much the case with "I've Got The Music In Me" by Kiki Dee, a rocker that will absolutely get the crowd going (if radio would only play it!)  And I remember being particularly fond of Paul Davis' "Ride 'em Cowboy", too, back in the day.

And look at The New Colony Six at #24 with "I Don't Really Want To Go", another non-charter nationally, but evidently still quite popular in Wisconsin circa 1974!  (This one didn't even make our charts here in Chicago!)  You'll also find our Forgotten Hits Buddy Henry Gross making an appearance at #27 with "Meet Me On The Corner".

Nope ... not a bad chart at all!

50 Years Ago This Weekend

10/24, 10/25, 10/26 -    

DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY holds at #1 for its second week for MANFRED MANN this week in 1964 on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart.  A SUMMER SONG by CHAD AND JEREMY also holds at #7 … but HAVE I THE RIGHT by THE HONECOMBS finally breaks into The US Top Ten at #10.  

TOBACCO ROAD by THE NASHVILLE TEENS continues to climb, this week from #25 to #15.  We've got a four song block by British Artists as we move down the chart:  I’M CRYING is up to #24 for THE ANIMALS, EVERYBODY KNOWS by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE leaps 15 places to #25 for THE DAVE CLARK FIVE, I LIKE IT now ranks at #26 for GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS and PETER AND GORDON are up eleven places to #27 with I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.  THE KINKS round out The Top 40 with YOU REALLY GOT ME, now the #40 song in America.  

ALL CRIED OUT is at #42 for DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, FROMA WINDOW falls to #50 for BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS and MATCHOX drops from #17 to #52 for THE BEATLES.  

On the UP side are SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES (climbing from #87 to #61!), I’M INTO SOMETHING GOOD by HERMAN'S HERMITS (up from #79 to #64), TIME IS ON MY SIDE by THE ROLLING STONES (at #65 with a bullet, up from #80) and WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM by THE SEARCHERS, making a HUGE leap from #97 to #71.  

HAVE I THE RIGHT by THE HONEYCOMBS FINALLY dethrones OH, PRETTY WOMAN this week to take over the #1 Spot on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey after a five week reign on top.  In a VERY unusual turn of events, The Big O would reclaim the top spot for one more week a week later!  It's six weeks on top of the chart now puts it ahead of THE BEATLES' I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND as the record with the most weeks spent at #1 in 1964!  (Nevertheless, it still placed behind I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND on WLS' Year-End Chart, issued January 1, 1965.)  

Also in The Top Ten this week in Chicago:  TOBACCO ROAD by THE NASHVILLE TEENS (#4), DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY by MANFRED MANN (#5) and FROM A WINDOW by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS (#9).  

Elsewhere on the chart, we find YOU REALLY GOT ME by THE KINKS at #13, I'M CRYING by THE ANIMALS at #16, EVERYBODY KNOWS by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE at #18, MATCHBOX (still inexplicably shown as being by THE BEATLE'S) at #24, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES at #26, DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD, a GREAT song by THE OVERLANDERS, at #27 and I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD by HERMAN'S HERMITS at #29.  

Another record I recently discovered sits at #28 on this week's WLS Chart.  It's by Canadian Singer TERRY BLACK and sounds about as British as any other hit out right now (in a CLIFF RICHARD sort of way.)  It's called UNLESS YOU CARE and is an undiscovered gem.  (Give a listen and see if you don't agree.)

Through The Eye Of The Tiger - Our Review Of The New Jim Peterik Biography

 

Before we go any further, we should probably first establish the fact that Jim Peterik is NOT ... nor is he ever likely to be ... the President of the Frankie Sullivan Fan Club ... a point he makes ABUDANTLY clear in his new biography "Through The Eye Of The Tiger" (BenBella Books, cowritten with Lisa Torem).

 

Nevertheless, it's still an intensely entertaining book to read ... so many of Peterik's anecdotes are presented with crystal-clear recollection (perhaps a tribute to the fact that he didn't spend most of his rock and roll celebrity days locked in a drug-induced fog but rather enjoyed both living the dream and living in the moment.)

 

I have read hundreds and hundreds of rock biographies over the years but I have NEVER read a book that struck so close to home for me.  Jim and I grew up in the same suburb and went to the same high school and, as such, our paths crossed numerous times over the years (although it was a very one-sided coexistence ... naturally, I knew who HE was because HE was in The Ides Of March ... so EVERYBODY knew who HE was ... I was just some punk kid from Berwyn three or four years behind him in school who showed up at countless concerts over the years NOT because these guys were my local heroes ... but rather because these guys made some REALLY great music.)

 

As such, I have been to and walked through all of the old haunts he describes so vividly in his book ... Balkan Music ... Cermak Plaza ... the auditorium at Morton West High School (where years later we would attend the street-naming ceremony proclaiming a section of Home Avenue near Riverside Drive in Berwyn "Ides Of March Way" ... MY first time there since my own graduation in that same auditorium some 40 years earlier!)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Ides Of March Get Their Way

 

When Jim talks about picking up his then girlfriend / now wife Karen at her parents' home on Clinton Avenue in Berwyn, WE were there, too, as my best friend in High School, Brad Gould, lived directly across the street ... and we would nod and wave whenever Jim pulled up in his little green sports car (an MG maybe???) to pick Karen up for a date.  (My friend Brad, who was immortalized in Forgotten Hits folklore years ago when I suggested that his first album should be called "The Gould, The Brad And The Ugly", recorded HIS first demo record at Balkan Music, too ... and we stopped in there religiously every Friday to pick up the latest copy of The WLS Silver Dollar Survey because Balkan Music had the REAL survey, not the one with the "generic" Sears ad on the back that you got every week if you picked the survey up at Sears instead!!!)

 

What I didn't know (until I read his book) is that Jim met Karen at a Turtles concert at Riverside-Brookfield High School in 1968 ... a concert I also attended (because I went to school there my freshman year!)  He recounts SO many places and experiences (Salerno's Pizza ... all the old Berwyn "hot spots" where so many of us kids hung out back in the day) ... it all came rushing back as if part of what I was reading was my OWN biography!  (I guess I never really realized how many times I stepped in his footsteps along the way!  Of course, that became a bit more difficult several years later when he formed Survivor and was off touring the world ... and I was still stuck here at home in the Chicago suburbs!  lol)  But at the time, we were all just kids, growing up in the same place where there wasn't always a lot to do ... so we found ways of creating our own entertainment!

 

I vividly remember being at The Ides Of March farewell concert at Morton West High School in 1973, too ... one of the scariest days of my life when the girl-half of the couple we were with started to freak out and have a seizure in the parking lot after the show after her boyfriend slipped her some PCP ... we went right from the concert to MacNeal Memorial Hospital where they pumped her stomach, the whole while as she frantically tried to tear her own skin from her body because she "felt trapped inside".  It was one of those moments you never forget ... and (white sheep of the family that I am, aside) just one of the many reasons why I never so much as even tried a mind-altering drug in my entire lifetime. (Yeah, I know ... what a square ... but I can live with that!!!)  Ahh ... memories ... thanks, Jimbo!  (lol)

 

After The Ides split up, some of the guys teamed with members of The Cryan' Shames (one of THEIR favorite local groups at the time ... Jim ALWAYS wanted to capture the magic of those Cryan' Shames harmonies on his Ides Of March recordings) ... and performed as The Ides - Shames Union for a little over a year.  (Search our website and you'll find some vintage photos, recollections and even an EXTEMELY rare recording of this short-lived venture!)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Ides and Shames Union

 

Meanwhile, Peterik continued to evolve as a solo artist, cutting jingles for awhile, sitting in with other bands (including laying down a KILLER vocal on a Chase track "Run Back To Mama" in 1974, shortly before the fatal plane crash that took them away from us), honing his skills by writing songs for other artists and even kicking around the idea of a solo career under the name of Chalmers Garseny.  (Don't ask!)  We have featured countless Ides tracks over the years here in Forgotten Hits ... (we used to salute them on the 15th of March every single year!) ... from the pure pop brilliance of "You Wouldn't Listen" to the chart-topping timeless brass of "Vehicle" to the laid back, country rock feel of "L.A. Goodbye" ... to several lesser known album tracks that we felt deserved far more attention than they received at the time ... and always looked at The Ides Of March as one of Chicago's premier bands of the '60's and '70's.

 

But, as big as they were, even I wasn't expecting the Jim Peterik comeback of Survivor (originally intended to be billed as The Jim Peterik Band, an idea that quickly went out the window when they hired a lead singer to front the band.)  I figured they had had their moment ... and now it was on to other things ... boy, was I wrong!

 

I will be the first to admit that I have underestimated just how big and how popular Survivor really were ... eight Billboard Top 40 Hits including five Top Ten's and a #1 Single ("Eye Of The Tiger") that won over millions and millions and millions of music fans ... and has become a part of the DNA of every person born since 1982.  When you read Jim's story of the band's world travels (and immense popularity in foreign countries), their regular rotation on MTV with all their "big hair" videos and their in-demand compositions for OTHER films after "Rocky III" pushed them over the top, you, too, will truly be amazed at the wild ride these guys enjoyed (and endured).

 

You'll also get a real close look of what it's like when a band is tearing itself apart from the inside ... Peterik, a world-class, accomplished guitar player was delegated to play keyboards instead in the band HE founded so that Frankie Sullivan could be the shining focal point on guitar.

 

Jim has worked with SO many great artists along the way ... not the least of which include .38 Special and Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys ... plus some of the biggest names in rock have partaken in his World Stage Concert Events, all sharing the stage equally for the good of presenting some great, live music.  Jim proficiently plays ALL genres of music and fits in with ease no matter what the occasion.  (Over the years we've seen him entertain with his own band, a stage full of music superstars, or as a solo act with just an acoustic guitar in a radio studio, in a book store at a book signing or at a company Christmas party ... he just loves ... and LIVES ... to entertain.)  He's written and published over a thousand songs ... and even wrote the definitive book on the subject ... "Songwriting For Dummies", part of the immensely popular Dummies "How To" book series. 

 

The book is full of "life lessons" he learned along the way (both professional and otherwise) ... humorous anecdotes regarding the stories behind some of his most popular and best-known songs ... as well as his down-to-earth efforts to retain some sense of normalcy with his family.  (Well, as normal as one can be anyway, at age of 64 with knee-high boots and purple hair!)  Without giving any more away, I'm going to suggest that you pick up a copy of "Through The Eye Of The Tiger" and read it for yourself ... with the advance promise that you WILL enjoy it.  (A couple more reviews follow mine ... as well as a link to a GREAT interview Jim just did with Carl Wiser of Songfacts ... you'll want to be sure to check that out, too!)

 

Click here: Through the Eye of the Tiger: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Survivor's Founding Member: Jim Peterik, Kevin Cronin, Lis

 

*****

 

Our FH Buddy David Salidor attended a book launch party for the new Jim Peterik biography "Through The Eye Of The Tiger" a couple of weeks ago and had a great time visiting with the Chicagoland legend. (He even sent along a few photos of the all-star event!)

 

L-R: dis COMPANY's DAVID SALIDOR / LESLIE GOLD (The Radio Chick) / 

CARMINE  APPICE at last week's launch party for the JIM PETRIK book 

'THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIGER' (Benbella Books) at The Cutting Room in NYC.

  (Photo by Lynne Peters)   

 

PEPPY CASTRO (of THE GOOD RATS) / GENE CORNISH (of THE RASCALS) / 

CARMEN APPICE (of VANILLA FUDGE) / and JIM PETERIK (SURVIVOR / IDES OF MARCH)

 at the New York Launch Party for Jim's new book THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIGER.

 (Photo by Lynne Peters)

 

David also sent us a link to a review of the party that was published on the Times Square Gossip website, written by G.H. Harding: http://www.timessquaregossip.com/2014/10/rosie-odonnells-view-is-not-whoppi.html

Below, you'll also find his review of the book:

JIM PETERIK / THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIGER 

(REVIEW BY DAVID SALIDOR)   

I just finished the Jim Peterik book (Through The Eye Of The Tiger / BenBella Books) and just loved it … and I’ve been reading most of them, from the Tommy James book to the Sammy Hagar book ... and loving them all. 

I first heard “Vehicle” when it came out in 1970 and it was an instant attraction between us. Those horns … (I can hear them in my head like it was yesterday) just pulled me in. And those lyrics ... just killer!  It was kick to hear how Peterik wrote that song about driving his then girl-friend (and, now his wife) around everywhere. 

You can hear it in the lyrics: I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.

I also loved that some his early records appeared on the Epitome Label … which he said every pronounced at Epi-Tome. He’s got a great way of telling these stories. Just loved it.

They certainly don't write ‘em like that anymore and when I recently went to relive the song again, I was knocked out by how well it held up.

From The Ides Of March, Jim went onto to form Survivor. I sort of knew their story, but in vivid and sometimes heartbreakingly detail, he describes what the band was all about, and I was amazed to learn that he segued so successfully from guitar to keyboards for the band.

The whole “Eye Of Tiger” story is pretty revelatory, too; and so was working with the legendary Scotti  Brothers. I was at Atlantic for a bit myself back in the day, so I met the brothers on many occasions. 

I also dug the band’s follow up hit “Burning Heart,” which was earmarked for a follow up Rocky-film.

His travails with the band are the stuff of legend and while what happened wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before, still, you feel for the guy.

I think the one thing that I got more than anything else out of the book, is how serious he takes his craft; taking a Sony-recorder with him everywhere. Songwriting is, or, used to be a highly valued profession and I’ve always had the utmost respect for purveyors of the craft.

You have to be in it, to win in could well be the motto of the book, too.

His post-Survivor activities, with Pride Of Lions and even The Beach Boys is pretty terrific, too. Imagine my surprise opening up that last Beach Boys album and seeing Jim’s name on it.

I think if you’re a survivor (!!!) in this business, you’ll just love this one. I met Jim for a few at a book launch in New York his week and he was exactly as I’d imagine; sharp, savvy and taking care of business.

A must-read for sure.

-- David Salidor

*****

One more from our FH Buddy Carl Wiser who brings us the always-interesting Songfacts.com website ...

He not only sent us a review of Jim's book ... but also a link to a brand new, exclusive interview he did with Peterik, now up on his site:      

It's hard to write a compelling rock n' roll memoir when your Led Zeppelin story is about declining an invitation to party with the band. Jim is courteous, responsible, unfailingly polite, a believer in moderation, and still married to his high school sweetheart. The conflict comes from his relationship with Frankie Sullivan, his creative partner in Survivor and also his nemesis.

As Jim tells it, he acquiesced to Sullivan's demands for the sake of harmony, and these demands were questionable: refusing to use Rocky III footage in the "Eye of the Tiger" video and skipping the Grammy Awards when they were nominated for the song. You keep waiting for fistfights and smashed guitars (a-la the Eagles), but it just kind of fizzles out, which is really how so many relationships end.  

 

It's also the story of getting that one big shot, and answering the bell with a knockout. That call came from Sylvester Stallone, and the knockout punch was "Eye of the Tiger."  

 

I found Jim's story compelling, as so much of it is about striving for success, then confronting the challenges that come with it. 

 

-- Carl Wiser / Songfacts 

 

Meanwhile, here's our interview with Jim Peterik:

http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/jim_peterik_of_survivor/

 

Tuesday This And That

The comments continue to runneth over ... so here are a few more!

re:  The Saturday Surveys:  
Kent,

The one thing I somewhat noticed in the surveys today was KPOI's song position #5 by Jan and Dean. Loved how they abbreviated the "B" side of the record. One of those songs I haven't heard in a long time. I am almost sure they probably abbreviated Ray Steven's song from 1961 with an almost like number of words.

Larry

You mean JPPUQDFAPTGAPP???  Probably so!  (lol)  kk    

>>>In a rather unusual move, K-POI shows the popular new tracks for each of the 18 weeks ... and here is where The British Acts REALLY rule  (kk)

Kent,

These unranked songs are still the current week's popular tunes below the top ranked ones.  The dates are the dates the songs premiered originally on the KPOI chart. 

Clark Besch

Kinda shocking to think that they'd still be playing songs that debuted in June into mid-October, especially at a time when the average chart length of a legitimate hit was maybe 7-8 weeks tops.  "Tell Me" by The Rolling Stones is hardly what one would consider to be a "major hit".  Even the tracks from "A Hard Day's Night" would have felt dated by then!  (kk)

On this week's Saturday surveys, I, too, have never seen The Yardbirds at #1 and you don't want to know how many surveys have passed thru my hands over the years. Did you look closely at the KRLA survey? Dick Biondi was a jock there at the time. I'm wondering about the Monday Night Football TV listing at KOOK. It must have been a special occasion as MNF wasn't a regular feature yet.

Jack

I didn't notice that but you're right ... Monday Night Football first premiered in 1970 ... so seeing it on a chart from 1968 IS a bit of a shocker!  (kk)    

re:  Diggin' Forgotten Hits:

Hi Kent -
Really enjoyed your "Massive Thursday Comments", especially the photos.
Long live Rock and Roll and All the Memories.
Carolyn
 

So "Lies" is by the Knickerbockers ... one more song (in a list that seems to be getting longer all the time) that I thought was a Beatles song. I have really been getting an education since I signed up on Forgotten Hits. Thanks, Kent. 
Stacee  

Kent,

Enjoyed immensely Thursday's FH. You said at the end that you had some ideas for what to do on Sunday, but wasn't sure. I am sure some of your readers will advise you on any ideas they may have.  It seems to me that on my calendar I saw that today or possibly tomorrow, is national "bosses" day. But today or tomorrow is not Sunday. Sunday is the 19th of the month, so I hope you don't have some sort of NERVOUS BREAKDOWN over this. You know me and that if I can come up with any ideas (silly or otherwise), I'll e-mail you.  If you decide at the last minute not to post anything this Sunday, and you do need a rest now and then, that is understandable.  But if you decide not to do anything this Sunday, I just have one thing to say and that is SUNDAY WILL NEVER BY THE SAME without our weekend FH.

Larry Neal

Well, by now you know we went with our "open letter" Get Well Card to Freddy Cannon ... which I'm told made him VERY happy.  So we done good!  (lol)  kk

UPDATE:  Actually, we got a couple of BEAUTIFUL emails from Freddy and his wife Jeanette after our "Get Well Wishes" ran on Sunday ... which we'll share with you later in the week.  Vintage Vinyl News also picked up our story on both Freddy's heart surgery and reconnecting with his original demo for "She's My Rock And Roll Baby" / "Tallahassee Lassie" ... so several brand new readers discovered Forgotten Hits for the very first time this week ... which is ALWAYS a good thing!  (kk)   

re:  The Grass Roots:  
Man, how VERY, very cool this had to be to see ... and at the LIBRARY no less!!!  
FH Reader / Regular Contributor Tom Cuddy just sent us this bit of news from Pasadena, California:     
Two original members of The Grass Roots took part in an unannounced reunion last night (Thursday). Creed Bratton and Warren Entner not only shared a stage for the first time in 42 years, they were joined for the first time ever by the singer-songwriter-producer who played a crucial role in band's story.   
The free show took place at the South Pasadena (California) Public Library and was billed as PF Sloan and Friends. Sloan, who co-created and co-produced the group, also sang their first hit, "Where Were You When I Needed You." Needing a band to tour behind the song, he recruited the musicians who became The Grass Roots. 

After Sloan performed solo, Bratton -- who was the original group's guitarist and singer but is better known these days for his role on TV's The Office -- did a short solo set. He was joined by Sloan and then Entner. Now a music manager who's worked with such groups as Quiet Riot and Rage Against the Machine, Entner played guitar and keyboards and sang in The Grass Roots until 1972. 

The trio performed "Where Were You When I Needed You," "Temptation Eyes" and "Let's Live for Today." Afterwards, Sloan said, "What a thrill to be on stage with a group I started, but was never able to sing with. This is a dream come true for me." 

While The Grass Roots still exist, the current lineup has no original members. Sloan, who also wrote songs for The Turtles, The Mama's and the Papa's and others, was announced yesterday morning as one of this year's nominees for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

Mike McCann / Premiere Radio

Wouldn't it be something of Warren and Creed decided to get back together ... and put the 100% FAKE Grass Roots out of business once and for all?!?!  (kk)   

And, speaking of Nominees for The Songwriters Hall Of Fame, here is this year's list ...   

2105 SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME NOMINEES  
Tom Petty, Vince Gill, Cyndi Lauper, Elvis Costello, Cat Stevens and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds are among the performing songwriters being considered for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

The organization announced its 2015 nominees Wednesday. Other performers up for the honor are Gloria Estefan,  Toby Keith, Steve Miller, Steve Winwood, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, and Harry Wayne "K.C." Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band. 

Non-performing songwriters being considered are Linda Perry, Allee Willis, Rod Temperton, Motown songwriter William "Mickey" Stevenson, Bobby Braddock, Bob McDill, Rudy Clark and Randy Edelman. Songwriting duos Mike Chapman & Nicky Chinn, Sandy Linzer & Denny Randell, P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri and Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia will also compete. 

Winners will be inducted next June at a New York gala. 

The 2014 inductees included Ray Davies, Donovan, Graham Gouldman, Mark James and Jim Weatherly.    

re:  The 2015 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees: >>>The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic (again), Green Day, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Kraftwerk, The Marvelettes, N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails, Lou Reed, The Smiths, The Spinners, Sting, Stevie Ray Vaughan, War and Bill Withers.  (kk) 

Just saw the latest group nominated for the Rock N Roll hall of (Sh)Fame ... no Chicago, Moodies, Raiders, New Colony 6,  Montanas, Cryan Shames, Coachmen ... Chic is a second time nominee.  UGH!!!  Two disco hits???  Bill Withers???

ONLY because the Hall of Shame is supposed to include ground-breakers would I accept Kraftwerk and Joan Jett, but none of the others.  Sting, maybe.  I would NEVER consider those three IF they would nominate the GOOD artists still left out from 60's. 

It WOULD be interesting to see Kraftwerk do "Transeurope Express" using Robots at the acceptance while performing LIVE in Germany simultaneously. 

Clark Besch

Although I was never a fan, I can accept Chic's consideration if only because of Nile Rodgers' innovative contribution to the world of funk and R&B (and they actually had FIVE Top 40 Hits, including two #1 Records ... not that that has ANYTHING at all to do with getting into The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame ... add three letters to their name and you'll find a band from right here in The Windy City that has charted over fifty times and never even made the ballot!)

Rodgers is still relevant today, scoring a MAJOR hit record (and Grammy Winner) last year with Daft Punk's "Get Lucky", a merging of MANY different musical styles that created a sound all its own.  (And they've already done the robot acceptance thing ... so they beat Kraftwerk to the punch there, too!  lol)  kk   

Green Day could be the last relatively recent rock band to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Not one band / artist in the last 20 years comes to my mind as deserving, not that most of this year's crop deserve it either. I would vote for Green Day and Joan Jett for sure.

Jack Levin

When it comes to women who rock, I can't think of anybody more deserving than Rock And Roll Hall of Fame status than Heart ... we campaigned for them for years and they were finally inducted in 2013, twelve full years after they first became eligible for induction ... to me yet another GROSS oversight by the nominating committee.  I swear Britney Spears will get in before many of our '50's, '60's and '70's favorites that are repeatedly snubbed year after year after year.  (Meanwhile, noted "rocker" Bonnie Raitt was inducted way back in 2000 ... and we all know what a rocker SHE was!!!)

And yet The Rock Hall has absolutely NO trouble at all double-inducting the same artists again and again ... this year both Sting and Lou Reed are nominated for their second trip to the ceremony ... while HUGE, ground-breaking artists like Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, The Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra, The Guess Who and early rockers like Chubby Checker, Paul Anka and Freddy Cannon have never even made the ballot.  As I said, I see no reason to even watch the ceremony this year.   (kk)   

re:  Maydja Laugh!:

Kent, now THAT's funny.   Thanks for sharing.   Rick Barr - New Colony Six / Shadows Of Knight

Rap is to good music as Spam is to fresh meat ... Brad

Hysterical!!  Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords
Hahahaha!!  David Lewis

Great!  Denny Flannigan

Love it!  Clark Besch

Can somebody please destroy it!!!  Ken Freck

LOL!  Bob

Mildly funny and obvious  Al Kooper

(Party pooper ... betcha Al forwarded this to 200 people after he saw it!  lol  kk)  
Kent, Very good! Would you believe when I saw this, I immediately thought of the Venture's 1964 instrumental RAP CITY as well as Lou Christie's 1966 hit RhAPsody IN THE RAIN.   Larry Neal

HA! All the best, Roger McGuinn

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!  Sam Boyd

Not very practical as a school instrument skill.  It could be mastered in one semester.  THEN what would we teach?  :-D    Shelley Sweet-Tufano

HA!!!! Perfect   Kristy White    

re:  Glen Campbell:

As many in this group may know, Glen Campbell was with the Champs before his serious studio work began. I believe it was his stint with the Champs that 1st brought him to SoCal, as he joined them on the road.

Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
 

Hey Kent,
What a powerful and sad video you showed of Glen Campbell's, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You". A few years back, singer / songwriter, John Stewart, composed one of his last songs about his experience with Alzheimer's, "I Can't Drive Anymore". When he was first diagnosed, his doctor, by law, had to report John's condition to the DMV, that in turn, automatically revoked his driver's license. It's interesting that you included Bobbie Gentry's "Ode" video, too, as she and Campbell made a successful duet album together.
- John LaPuzza

Most of us grew up with the music of Glen Campbell, a true "cross-over" artist in every sense of the word ... and just such a likeable guy.  (It was painful to watch his "lost years" of drug abuse and Tanya Tucker!)  I can't wait to read this book to see his life from one of his child's perspective.  That video is SO emotional ... hard to watch, but impossible not to.  The documentary "I'll Be Me" opens in limited release next week (just in time to qualify for Oscar consideration) ... it'll open wide several weeks later ... and I, for one, cannot wait to see it ... an emotional roller coaster ride to be sure. (kk)

Kent:

Thank you so much for the great display in Forgotten Hits.  This has been an incredible week for Debby Campbell and I.  We had a wonderful turn-out for our book signing on Monday evening at the Santa Monica Barnes & Noble on the Third Street Promenade.  And that was also the day that we found out that the book hit the Top Ten Best-Sellers list in the Nashville daily newspaper "The Tennessean."  "Life With My Father:  Glen Campbell" is now officially a best-seller:  the fourth one of my writing career.

In addition, Debby and I will be presenting Glen's story live on stage in the Toronto area for three dates we will be doing in November.  Debby and I will be narrating and saluting the key events of Glen's life and career, and we will be accompanied by a full band who will perform his Greatest Hits.

I am attaching the poster below.  Many thanks from Debby Campbell and myself for being so supportive of this book.  It is a fascinating look at Glen's complicated and eventful life, and a sympathetic tale about how a daughter of divorce has remained an active part of her father's life, in spite of a lot of family conflict and drama.

The video you ran is definitely a sad ending to an amazing career ... so touching.

Cheers,

Mark Bego    

re:  This And That:

Tim Hauser, a founding member of The Manhattan Transfer (an the only original member still performing with the band) passed away last week.  And '60's Motown recording artist Jimmy Ruffin has been reported as "gravely ill" and hospitalized in Las Vegas.  (Jimmy's brother David was famously in The Temptations ... by Jimmy had a mega-hit of his own in 1966 with "What Becomes Of The Broken-Hearted".  (He reached The Top Ten again in 1980 with "Hold On To My Love" on RSO.)  kk    

Chet may want to hear some more Pearl Jam, but where I live, the only difference between Pearl Jam and Steve Miller, is that Steve Miller has a 20 year head start on being overplayed. That being said, you never hear any of his music prior to The Joker (late 1973/early 1974).

Jack

It must be me ... big as they were, I've heard virtually NO Pearl Jam on the radio over the past twenty years ... kinda like Nirvanna ... the ONLY track you EVER hear by them is "Smells Like Teen Spirit". (Not that I'm complaining, mind you!)  kk    

Kent,

On Thanksgiving Day we are going to have a special show! Karl Green, an original member of the rock group Herman's Hermits, will be touring the US doing a series of concerts and has agreed to visit with us on In a Nutshell in the WRLR studio. This should be a blast! Thought you'd like to know.

WRLF Producer / Host Al Weissman

Click here: WRLR 98.3FM - The Voice of Lake County - Program List 

We missed Karl the last time he made the rounds through Chicago so this should be fun to listen to.  Meanwhile, Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone, The Grass Roots and The Buckinghams have teamed up to give us "A Salute to the '60's", which makes its way to The Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana, on February 7th ... tickets are already on sale now.  (kk)   

Hi, Kent.

I wonder what that MOR station you were listening to while in Normal visiting your daughter was.   Is it possibly the former WAKC, which was a country station I worked at in Normal in 1972-3 while an ISU student?   The only stations licensed to the twin towns of Bloomington and Normal at the time were WJBC AM and FM in Bloomington, WAKC in Normal and the college radio station WGLT (on the ISU campus in Normal).  I'm impressed that the format of whatever station you were listening to includes ANY New Colony Six material as most small stations like that only run syndicated formats with very limited playlists consisting of only top nationally charted hits.   "Long Time To Be Alone" is also one of my favorites by the NC6, a first-rate band I got to host in concert.  Even though The New Colony Six never managed to become huge hitmakers coast to coast, Midwestern radio stations played them a lot and I have salted NC6 tracks into some of the various artists CD box sets I've compiled over the years for Reader's Digest and others.  While their upbeat hits like "Roll On" and "I'm Just Waitin' (Anticipatin' For Her To Show Up") were excellent, the NC6 will always best be remembered for their sensitive songs of romantic introspection, from "I Want You To Know" and "Can't You See Me Cry" to "I Could Never Lie To You," "Things I'd Like To Say" and "I Will Always Think About You."   It's funny how a lot of us bought those records as young teens because of the way they SOUNDED.   It was only later, after we'd hit a few bumps in our own rocky roads to love, that we fully understood the portraits of feelings their words and music painted.   And for some of us, the stories in those NC6 songs came true.

Gary Theroux

I never heard them give the call letters ... listened for about 45 minutes before the over abundance of instrumentals made me change over (although I did hear a really cool instrumental jazz-arrangement of the Roberta Flack hit "Where Is The Love".)  It was a pretty eclectic mix of music ... everything from The Lettermen to The Critters' "Mr. Dieingly Sad" to a back-to-back pairing of "The Very Thought Of You" by Nat "King" Cole into "Think Of Laura" by Christopher Cross.  But when I heard "Long Time To Be Alone" come on, I was TOTALLY shocked!  Here in Chicago, you're likely to hear a New Colony Six song or a Cryan' Shames song at Portillo's Restaurant ... but that's about it ... they don't even play them on the radio here anymore.  From coast to coast if you were going to hear a New Colony Six song at all, I'd expect it to be one of their two biggest national hits, "I Will Always Think About You" or "Things I'd Like To Say" ... but that'd be about it.  To hear a song that peaked at #93 nationally was quite a shock (to say the least!)  kk

How about little sample of the music that "Rocked Your Socks" back in the ooooold days?

Clark Weber 
PS: Even my friend the other Clark named Dick on Bandstand would have approved of this one!

I love it!  In the past week, we've reported about getting Freddy Cannon's original demo recording of "Tallahassee Lassie" back into his hands, a fan returning Bobby Rydell's notebook and now, big news about Billy J. Kramer's socks!!!  (lol)  Read on ...   

50 years ago, Dee Elias was having the time of her life trying to meet the Beatles and she recorded all of her adventures in her diaries from 1964 - 1966.  Along the way, she had encounters with Sonny & Cher and Simon & Garfunkel.  But what happened when her and her friends stumbled upon a sleeping Billy J. Kramer in his hotel room?  You’re not going to believe what you’re about to hear! Watch Dee meet Billy J. on stage at the Fest for Beatles Fans in L.A. this past weekend:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5675AoXM7YA&feature=share  
For more information on Dee Elias and her book, go to: www.ConfessionsOfABeatlemaniac.com.  
Jennifer Vanderslice   

>>>And that, in a nutshell, is the "gray area" of One Hit Wonders. You're right ... Roy Head DID hit The Top 40 again with "Apple Of My Eye" (#23) and "Just A Little Bit (#37), both in 1965 ... but is there ANYBODY out there who knows or could sing a line or two from either of these songs?  Sadly they're both forgotten AND forgettable ... not really the kind of songs anybody's going to miss.  In this day and age where radio programs at best 200-300 songs ... and we're pushing for 9000 ... quite honestly, NEITHER of these "hits" would make our play list either!  (kk)

Well, that's a real shame because Just A Little Bit is perhaps my second favorite Roy Head record (and the first isn't Treat Her Right!). 

Tom Diehl

Be watching for a brand new album by pop songstress Dionne Warwick ... 

LEGENDARY SINGER DIONNE WARWICK TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM: “FEELS SO GOOD”   AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 
ALBUM FEATURES DUETS WITH WORLD-RENOWNED GUEST ARTISTS ...
REPERTOIRE IS “CLASSIC DIONNE”  
New York, NY (October 16, 2014) –  Legendary Grammy Award-winning singer, Dionne Warwick, is set to release a star-studded duets album entitled, “Feels So Good”, on Monday, October 27, 2014 through Bright Music Records / Caroline.  The 14-track album features an anthology of Warwick classics written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, with each song reborn as a duet with a refreshing and vibrant twist, as well as four new original duets with some of music’s brightest star.  
DIONNE is touring the world during 2015 in support of this new release.   
Joining Warwick on this multi-genre musical venture are artists who have cherished and admired Warwick’s body of work throughout the years, including:  Ne-Yo, Jamie Foxx, CeeLo Green, Gladys Knight, Billy Ray Cyrus, Eric Paslay, Cyndi Lauper, Mya, Ruben Studdard, Phil Driscoll, Ziggy Marley, Cheyenne Elliott and David Elliott.  
“I’m thrilled to release a new album with some of today’s greatest singers and songwriters,” says Warwick.  “Throughout my career, I’ve always enjoyed creating music through collaboration and this experience has been no different.  The fresh energy with these artists, producers and my new label is truly inspiring.  I am also very excited to have this project benefit Unite4good, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to unite us all in bringing more good into the world.” 
Warwick is one of the most decorated and successful recording artists of all time with fifty-six singles having reached the BILLBOARD Hot 100, 5 Grammy Awards, including three songs inducted into the Grammy “Hall of Fame” and millions of records sold world-wide.  
“Feels So Good” will be Warwick’s twenty-eighth full length album and is poised to become a “timeless classic”.

And here's a nice 30-minute peek into a brand new PBS Television Special spotlighting Chicago, courtesy of MAJOR Chicago fan Tom Cuddy!
http://video.whyy.org/video/2365343294/

Tom also sent us a really good review for the reunited Fleetwood Mac concert ... from right here in Chicago!
http://chicagoandthensome.blogspot.com/2014/10/concert-review-fleetwood-mac-at-united.html  

Kent ...

On Tuesday, 10/21/14, Scott Shannon will be talking to Neil Diamond on his morning show. This is the day that Neil's new CD "Melody Road" hits the stores.

Scott said that they made up T-Shirts "Neil F****** Diamond."

What genius thought of this idea?

Tell me Kent, when you think of Neil Diamond -- is the "F-Word" the first thing that comes to your mind? So out of character for him.
Frank B.   
I dunno ... but somehow I'm flashing back to FH Reader Steve Sarley's "Davy 'Fucking Jones'" campaign when Jones appeared at The Arcada Theatre several years back! lol (kk)     

Great song by Paul Revere and the Raiders: DO UNTO OTHERS (and it's flip side PEACE OF MIND)
Two from Freddie Cannon: TRANSISTER SISTER and IF YOU WERE A ROCK-AND-ROLL RECORD
And a Gamble / Huff classic: A LOVE THAT'S REAL by the Intruders
Sincerely,
Tal Hartsfeld    

Kent,  
Enjoyed reading the tributes and get well wishes to Freddy Cannon today. 
I am curious about something. You said at the end of your FH that in 1962 you were looking at and reading comic books, especially those of Superman in Action Comics. Did you ever keep your comic books through the years or were you like me, kind of misplaced them or threw them away? I bought practically them all including the Superman comics, Dell Publishing comics of Donald Duck, etc. 
One thing I didn't get rid of were my records, books and magazines on records and music, and books and magazines on television and movies.  
Larry Neal  
I've told this story a few times before in Forgotten Hits ... so I guess I can tell it again. 
I had a pretty amazing comic book collection ... mostly Superman and Batman related (their own magazines as well as their respective spin offs like Action and Detective Comics.)  In addition to buying each new edition at the corner drug store, I got a number of "hand me downs" from older brothers of friends of mine who outgrew the hobby ... so much so that at one point I had "Batman" Number Two in my collection, which filled probably four two-to-three foot tall piles in my bedroom closet. 
One day when I was about 11 or 12 my father decided that it was time for me to learn how to swallow a pill ... prior to that I had tried several times but just couldn't do it ... some type of gag-reflex kicked in and I'd end up chewing four children's aspirin at a time instead of ever mastering the art of swallowing a handful of pills whole.  (Somehow I just never seemed to fit in with the drug-induced '60's!!!  lol) 
So in order to get me to do this, he gathered up ALL of my comic books ... the COMPLETE collection and put them out in the "burner" outside in the garbage ... told me that if I couldn't swallow the pills he was going to burn them all.  (Tough love???  To the max!)  

What I didn't get was patience and understanding ... this was going to happen today ... or else.  What I DID get was added pressure to perform the feat ... which made it absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for me to do so.  I choked and cried and spit and damn near vomited instead ... and then had to endure watching my complete collection go up in smoke as he made good on his threat to burn them all.  I don't think I ever bought another one. (Hey, thanks for drudging up this emotionally scarring event for me all over again!!! Lol) Flash forward 40 years and I'm at a collectors convention at Navy Pier here in Downtown Chicago ... and I see "Batman #2" on display ... on "sale" for $1250 ... I can't even imagine what that collection I had at 11 might be worth today ... or how much longer I may have added to it (much less how many more "collectors editions" I might have bought over the years had I kept the hobby and passion alive.)  Instead, all I have is this "joyful" memory of watching my entire collection literally go up in smoke. 
However, DC has since put together some VERY nice collectors editions recreations and reproductions of their original work dating back to the '30's, '40's, '50's and '60's ... and from time to time I have purchased these just as a keepsake of a simpler time.  I've read a few from time to time ... but that pre-teen passion is gone ... cool to look back and remember ... but it just isn't the same.  (kk)   

ONE MORE THING:

Don't forget to get your entry in for your chance to win a copy of Joel Whitburn's new book "The Comparison Charts".  The deadline is Midnight, October 31st.  (I know these questions are tough ... but the answers ARE achievable ... as this goes to press, we have TWO correct entries thus far ... so why not take a crack at it yourself!) Email your answers to forgottenhits@aol.com ... and they stay tuned to see the answers when we announce the winner on Monday, November 3rd!  (kk)