We're bringing in the New Year right ...
Officially ... tomorrow ... at 6 am Chicago Time ...
THE BOBBY DARIN STORY
FINALLY hits The Forgotten Hits Web Page.
In fact, we're making it a Bobby Darin Weekend ...
Rave Reviews from the first time the series ran back in 2003 - 2004 ...
Bobby's Greatest Hits ..
And some overlooked gems, covered by other artists along the way.
You do NOT want to miss this one!!!
Be sure to check out Forgotten Hits TOMORROW ... as the clock turns 2016.
(By the way, we OFFICIALLY declare 2016 as "Sweet Sixteen" here in Forgotten Hits!!!)
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
A Tuesday Short Stack
Still lots of running around this week ...
AND working on FINALLY getting our Bobby Darin Series posted to the site ...
(yes, Frank, it's really happening!!!)
So please be patient while we continue to share WHAT we can ... WHEN we can!!!
re: Congratulations:
To Stacee McDermott of Springfield, Missouri ... she's the winner of the brand new Joel Whitburn book Complete Cash Box Charts of the Sixities. (No small accomplishment this time around, I might add ... we had over 150 entries to choose from ... but Stacee was the winner in our random drawing so congrats to you ... your book shipped yesterday.)
Other Forgotten Hits fans who would like to add this essential book to their collections can do so here:
http://www.recordresearch.com/billboard_chart_collections/cash_box_top_100_charts_the_sixties.php
re: Feeling Sad:
There are people who pass thru your life ... not necessarily someone you met or who made a lasting, life-changing impression on you the way, say, a Beatle or someone like Muhammad Ali might ... not an "idol" per se ... or a mentor ... not someone you aspired to be ... not someone you gave a whole lot of thought to on a regular basis ... yet you really appreciated them being there every time you had the opportunity to see them ... it's hard to put into words exactly ... just somebody who touched your life and made you smile every single time, in a way that no one else could.
I lost one of those people this past weekend when Meadowlark Lemon passed away.
No, I never met him ... never saw him play live (although I probably DID see him showboat it for the television cameras a couple hundred times!) At the point I could have seen him, Lemon was well past his prime and the memory SO far outweighed the current reality that I didn't want to do anything that might taint that image. I just wanted to always remember what he made me feel like every time I saw him.
Lemon played for The Harlem Globetrotters for 24 years ... and traveled the world numerous times over, performing his schtick before millions of people. He was the "clown prince" of basketball ... and probably could have been one of the most talented people to ever play the game ... yet chose instead to entertain.
re: Peter Cetera:
Hi Kent -
I'm just as anxious as everyone else to hear what Peter Cetera has to say about the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony ... will he or won't he?
Having read all the previous posts on his site, including the teaser he dropped the other day ... I've got to say he has a rather consistent sarcastic streak in his postings. But, I do think he is rather happy / satisfied that Chicago is finally "in".
Going back to an October post, he is keenly aware of the fan voting, and wary of the committee's tactics:
October 24, 2015:
Hold your horses, all you folks that are so excited about this Hall of Fame voting. Let me remind you that whomever has this vendetta that has kept the original Chicago out of the HOF is still in charge. We should have been in years ago, of course, and that’s my point. They have put in so many who don’t belong that it’s an insult to think that they might have to be forced to at least finally put us in the nominee category. Also, this fan vote only counts for ONE vote out of the hundreds of voters out there so there’s still a chance for them to finagle their way out of “letting” us in. I also heard something about Chicago fans cheating by voting early and voting often! Keep it up because you never know what might happen!
Ciao,
Peter
My opinion ... the chip on his shoulder may just keep him away from the ceremony. I hope I am wrong!
- Mike Lane
It would be a shame to have waited THIS long and then snub your nose at The Hall when the FINALLY let you in. Those original albums were revolutionary ... these guys are LONG overdue.
That being said, I hope you're right ... that Peter IS a "Happy Man" ... and will enjoy his moment in the spotlight with his former bandmates. (He can always go back to hating them a day or two later!!!) kk
re: Richard Marx:
Richard Marx (the star of our last concert of 2015) married girlfriend Daisy Fuentes over the Christmas Holiday Weekend in Colorado. (There ARE worse ways to spend an evening!!!) Congratulations to the happy couple. (kk)
re: Elk Grove's Already Jammin' With Their 2016 Summer Concert Series:
AND working on FINALLY getting our Bobby Darin Series posted to the site ...
(yes, Frank, it's really happening!!!)
So please be patient while we continue to share WHAT we can ... WHEN we can!!!
re: Congratulations:
To Stacee McDermott of Springfield, Missouri ... she's the winner of the brand new Joel Whitburn book Complete Cash Box Charts of the Sixities. (No small accomplishment this time around, I might add ... we had over 150 entries to choose from ... but Stacee was the winner in our random drawing so congrats to you ... your book shipped yesterday.)
Other Forgotten Hits fans who would like to add this essential book to their collections can do so here:
http://www.recordresearch.com/billboard_chart_collections/cash_box_top_100_charts_the_sixties.php
re: Feeling Sad:
There are people who pass thru your life ... not necessarily someone you met or who made a lasting, life-changing impression on you the way, say, a Beatle or someone like Muhammad Ali might ... not an "idol" per se ... or a mentor ... not someone you aspired to be ... not someone you gave a whole lot of thought to on a regular basis ... yet you really appreciated them being there every time you had the opportunity to see them ... it's hard to put into words exactly ... just somebody who touched your life and made you smile every single time, in a way that no one else could.
I lost one of those people this past weekend when Meadowlark Lemon passed away.
No, I never met him ... never saw him play live (although I probably DID see him showboat it for the television cameras a couple hundred times!) At the point I could have seen him, Lemon was well past his prime and the memory SO far outweighed the current reality that I didn't want to do anything that might taint that image. I just wanted to always remember what he made me feel like every time I saw him.
Lemon played for The Harlem Globetrotters for 24 years ... and traveled the world numerous times over, performing his schtick before millions of people. He was the "clown prince" of basketball ... and probably could have been one of the most talented people to ever play the game ... yet chose instead to entertain.
I, for one, feel blessed to have seen him. Like I said, he ALWAYS put a smile on my face, no matter how many times I had seen the same routine. After joining The Globetrotters right out of high school in 1954, legend says he missed only one game ... it happened in 1955 after eating a bad bowl of goulash in Germany ... but he never missed another one, performing in (according this his own calculations) over 16,000 exhibitions over the next 40 years. (Do the math ... it's staggering ... that would be the equivalent of playing one game a day ... EVERY day ... for 44 straight years!!! Probably a little far-fetched, don'tcha think???)
Regardless, he entertained me EVERY time he appeared on TV ... The Harlen Globetrotters played in The Olympics ... they were immortalized in cartoons!!! Heck, Meadowlark even made a movie appearance or two over the years!!!
I'll miss ya, Meadowlark ... and I'll never forget ya! (kk)
Regardless, he entertained me EVERY time he appeared on TV ... The Harlen Globetrotters played in The Olympics ... they were immortalized in cartoons!!! Heck, Meadowlark even made a movie appearance or two over the years!!!
I'll miss ya, Meadowlark ... and I'll never forget ya! (kk)
re: Peter Cetera:
Hi Kent -
I'm just as anxious as everyone else to hear what Peter Cetera has to say about the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony ... will he or won't he?
Having read all the previous posts on his site, including the teaser he dropped the other day ... I've got to say he has a rather consistent sarcastic streak in his postings. But, I do think he is rather happy / satisfied that Chicago is finally "in".
Going back to an October post, he is keenly aware of the fan voting, and wary of the committee's tactics:
October 24, 2015:
Hold your horses, all you folks that are so excited about this Hall of Fame voting. Let me remind you that whomever has this vendetta that has kept the original Chicago out of the HOF is still in charge. We should have been in years ago, of course, and that’s my point. They have put in so many who don’t belong that it’s an insult to think that they might have to be forced to at least finally put us in the nominee category. Also, this fan vote only counts for ONE vote out of the hundreds of voters out there so there’s still a chance for them to finagle their way out of “letting” us in. I also heard something about Chicago fans cheating by voting early and voting often! Keep it up because you never know what might happen!
Ciao,
Peter
My opinion ... the chip on his shoulder may just keep him away from the ceremony. I hope I am wrong!
- Mike Lane
It would be a shame to have waited THIS long and then snub your nose at The Hall when the FINALLY let you in. Those original albums were revolutionary ... these guys are LONG overdue.
That being said, I hope you're right ... that Peter IS a "Happy Man" ... and will enjoy his moment in the spotlight with his former bandmates. (He can always go back to hating them a day or two later!!!) kk
re: Richard Marx:
Richard Marx (the star of our last concert of 2015) married girlfriend Daisy Fuentes over the Christmas Holiday Weekend in Colorado. (There ARE worse ways to spend an evening!!!) Congratulations to the happy couple. (kk)
re: Elk Grove's Already Jammin' With Their 2016 Summer Concert Series:
Quite a line-up has already been set for next July's series of shows ... all are free concerts in the park including incoming Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer (should he choose to participate)! Peter Cetera on The 4th of July, LeAnn Rimes on July 12th, Foreigner on Sunday, July 17th, followed by a big fireworks display and then Michael McDonald, closing things out for the season, on July 26th. Elk Grove has been putting together some killer line-ups for these well-attended events for several years now ... where else are you going to see this kind of talent absolutely free??? Mark your calendars now so that you don't miss ANY of these big shows. (kk)
re: Mystery Tune:
In this 1971 WLS Larry Lujack Aircheck, there's a song at 10:28 from the group Free and Easy titled "Are You Goin' My Way." Larry doesn't clearly say that title, but the track appears on Big Tree 118, and I've never heard it before. Are you familiar with it as something heard often in Chicago in '71?
David Lewis
I did a fair amount of searching for this one and can't find anything listed for either of our big 50,000 Watt Top 40 Stations for this era. All of the other songs Lujack plays are readily identifiable ... but not this one some reason. Checking all three national trades, I don't see that it charted (or bubbled under) there either ... nor could I find it anywhere on YouTube ... but a Big Tree Records singles discography backs up your claim of being single release #118 in 1971. Any help out there from anyone? (kk)
TRACK LIST: "I Feel The Earth Move" by Carole King"; "I'm The Only One" by Lobo, a fellow Big Tree artist; "Where You Lead" by Barbra Streisand (ironically another Carole King song from her "Tapestry" album); then they mysterious "Are You Goin' My Way" by Free And Easy, a song I can honesty say I've never heard before, followed by "How'd We Ever Get This Way" by Andy Kim, a big hit for Andy in Chicago 1968. Then "Summer Sand", a long-forgotten hit by Tony Orlando and Dawn. A few more familiar tracks follow.
This is hardly a WLS A-List of tunes: "I Feel The Earth Move" was a B-Side, peaking at #15, Lobo's hit was ALSO a B-Side that reached #11 on the WLS Chart, the Streisand track got limited airplay but never actually charted, nor did "Are You Goin' My Way", so all in all a pretty weak set of music for a big-time Top 40 Radio Station!
re: This And That:
Kent ...
Elvis knocked Adele out of the #1 spot in England, with his new album.
The King is back!
http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Elvis-Presley-Philharmonic-Orchestra/dp/B013CWFOR6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1451262312&sr=1-1&keywords=elvis+presley+if+i+can+dream
The King is back!
http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Elvis-Presley-Philharmonic-Orchestra/dp/B013CWFOR6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1451262312&sr=1-1&keywords=elvis+presley+if+i+can+dream
By the way, I go to Sonny O's Pub near my house in Valley Stream, New York.
I got to know this guy Steve. He comes in and takes the money out of the machines, including the Jukebox.
Since I'm the only one who plays the Jukebox, he always leaves me some free credits. Most of my friends play Quickdraw and other games.
On Sunday, Steve taps me on the shoulder and says " I left you some free plays on the jukebox.
You better hurry up --- somebody might get there ahead of you and play a song that's less than 50 years old. "
I thought that was a great line ... also a true statement!
Finally, I've been listening to Rewound Radio ... It's Not How Old It Is ... It's How GOOD It Is.
They've been playing their Top 77 Countdown. I thought you might want to check it out.
They come up with the top 77 'cause it used to be WABC 77 AM on the dial.
They come up with the top 77 'cause it used to be WABC 77 AM on the dial.
They keep saying its a top 77 Countdown but on 12/26/2015 they started at noon with song #110 - "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty.
At 2:00 PM The Top 77 Countdown started.
Song #77 - "Elusive Butterfly" by Bob Lind.
Here's the top 20 --
Here's the top 20 --
1 = " Hey Jude " - Beatles
2 = " Satisfaction " - Rolling Stones
3 = " Light My Fire " - Doors
4 = " American Pie " - Don McLean
5 = " Let It Be " - Beatles
6 = " MacArthur Park " - Richard Harris
7 = " Born To Run " - Bruce Springsteen
8 = " Stairway To Heaven " - Led Zeppelin
9 = " Bridge Over Troubled Water " - Simon & Garfunkel
10 = " Rag Doll " - Four Seasons
11 = " In The Still Of The Night " - Five Satins
12 = " She Loves You " - Beatles
13 = " I Want To Hold Your Hand " - Beatles
14 = " Good Vibrations " - Beach Boys
15 = " God Only Knows " - Beach Boys
16 = " Be My Baby " - Ronettes
17 = " Runaway " - Del Shannon
18 = " My Girl " - Temptations
19 = " Waterloo Sunset " - Kinks
20 = " Like A Rolling Stone " - Bob Dylan.
They tell me this was the 18th time they've done this countdown. First time I listened to it. Never heard song # 19 before.
Frank B.
2 = " Satisfaction " - Rolling Stones
3 = " Light My Fire " - Doors
4 = " American Pie " - Don McLean
5 = " Let It Be " - Beatles
6 = " MacArthur Park " - Richard Harris
7 = " Born To Run " - Bruce Springsteen
8 = " Stairway To Heaven " - Led Zeppelin
9 = " Bridge Over Troubled Water " - Simon & Garfunkel
10 = " Rag Doll " - Four Seasons
11 = " In The Still Of The Night " - Five Satins
12 = " She Loves You " - Beatles
13 = " I Want To Hold Your Hand " - Beatles
14 = " Good Vibrations " - Beach Boys
15 = " God Only Knows " - Beach Boys
16 = " Be My Baby " - Ronettes
17 = " Runaway " - Del Shannon
18 = " My Girl " - Temptations
19 = " Waterloo Sunset " - Kinks
20 = " Like A Rolling Stone " - Bob Dylan.
They tell me this was the 18th time they've done this countdown. First time I listened to it. Never heard song # 19 before.
Frank B.
I LOVE Rewound Radio and have promoted it many, many times in the past. (Obviously a list like this is much more to our liking!!!) But I'm guessing it's also fan-based votes that would propel a track like "Waterloo Sunset" by The Kinks in to the #19 position!
FH Reader Bob Lind will be pleased to see HIS big hit record kicking off the countdown at #77! And FOUR Beatles songs in The Top 20??? Plus TWO by The Beach Boys and tracks like "Rag Doll", "Satisfaction", "In The Still Of The Nite" and "Be My Baby" ALL making The Top 20!!! Wow!
Rewound Radio is good-time listening all year round ... and on the weekends they featured vintage airchecks from some of the biggest and best Top 40 Radio Stations across America. Once you tune in, you'll never tune out! (kk)
http://stations.pronetlicensing.com/rewound/home.html
http://stations.pronetlicensing.com/rewound/home.html
Monday, December 28, 2015
50 Year Flashback - December 28th, 1965
This is it ... our final chart of 1965, bringing to a close our weekly feature spotlighting charts from around the US from fifty years ago.
Last year we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of The British Invasion, which was a HUGE undertaking ... this year we went all over the country to run actual radio station surveys from back in the day. Once again, I'd like to thank Clark Besch for providing the lion's share of the charts used in our feature.
(We're going to take a break from this next year ... but may have a few other surprises up our sleeve so please stay tuned.)
So, wrapping up the year, here is a chart from KIOA, who give us The Top 9 Plus 40 Survey. (49 Hits??? Now THAT's different!!!)
The Beatles top the chart (as they did nearly everywhere) as 1965 turns into 1966. But check out the #2 song ...
It's one of my all-time favorites ... and one that we've featured several times before in Forgotten Hits.
This was a Top Ten Hit here in Chicago, too ... but it's SO cool to see it at #2 ... "Georgianna" by The Princetons.
Another favorite of mine from this week sits at #4 ... "Lies" by The Knickerbockers ... but there are some REAL unusual titles in The Top Ten, too ...
"Snowflake" by Jim Reeves???
"Hole In The Wall" by The Packers???
"In The Midnight Hour" by Little Mac???
Even Barry Young's hit "One Has My Name" is a bit of a surprise.
Perhaps like Donny and Marie a decade later, the station was a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll!
You'll find Buck Owens a little bit further down the chart, too.
You'll also find the David and Jonathan version of "Michelle" at #38. (I still can't believe that Capitol didn't release this as a single, especially the way they butchered the rest of The Beatles' early catalog!) And Danny Hutton's got an early solo hit sitting at #44 with "Big Bright Eyes"
We hope you have enjoyed this weekly feature ... and wish everybody a Happy New Year!!! (And now it's on to 2016!)
Last year we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of The British Invasion, which was a HUGE undertaking ... this year we went all over the country to run actual radio station surveys from back in the day. Once again, I'd like to thank Clark Besch for providing the lion's share of the charts used in our feature.
(We're going to take a break from this next year ... but may have a few other surprises up our sleeve so please stay tuned.)
So, wrapping up the year, here is a chart from KIOA, who give us The Top 9 Plus 40 Survey. (49 Hits??? Now THAT's different!!!)
The Beatles top the chart (as they did nearly everywhere) as 1965 turns into 1966. But check out the #2 song ...
It's one of my all-time favorites ... and one that we've featured several times before in Forgotten Hits.
This was a Top Ten Hit here in Chicago, too ... but it's SO cool to see it at #2 ... "Georgianna" by The Princetons.
Another favorite of mine from this week sits at #4 ... "Lies" by The Knickerbockers ... but there are some REAL unusual titles in The Top Ten, too ...
"Snowflake" by Jim Reeves???
"Hole In The Wall" by The Packers???
"In The Midnight Hour" by Little Mac???
Even Barry Young's hit "One Has My Name" is a bit of a surprise.
Perhaps like Donny and Marie a decade later, the station was a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll!
You'll find Buck Owens a little bit further down the chart, too.
You'll also find the David and Jonathan version of "Michelle" at #38. (I still can't believe that Capitol didn't release this as a single, especially the way they butchered the rest of The Beatles' early catalog!) And Danny Hutton's got an early solo hit sitting at #44 with "Big Bright Eyes"
We hope you have enjoyed this weekly feature ... and wish everybody a Happy New Year!!! (And now it's on to 2016!)
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Chicago Still Making News This Week!
From Peter Cetera's website yesterday ...
December 23, 2015:
Peter Speaks:
ATTENTION!!! IMPORTANT
ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING HALL OF FAME!!!
Yes, that’s right.
Yes, that’s right.
Tell all your
friends, tell the press, tell radio, TV, newspapers, why you can even tell The
Pres, Hillary, Trump, everyone.
I will make an important announcement on this
site after the New Year that will shock the WOOORRRLLDD!
Ok, maybe not the world
but at least maybe parts of the USA and Canada!
I'll have a statement that
will come from me and me only regarding my participation in The Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame.
Until then, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I'll
speak to you shortly after New Year’s day with my earthshaking announcement
regarding the Hall Of Fame!
Ciao,
Peter
Seriously???
OK ... well now he's just being an asshole!!!
Checking Cetera's site (where this message was posted yesterday) there is absolutely NO prior mention of Chicago being selected for induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... NOTHING!!!
But now, midst all the hoopla and speculation, THIS is what he's posted?!?!?
Whatever ... we've been campaigning for Chicago's induction since Forgotten Hits first began in 1999 ... and consider it both a GROSS oversite on The Rock Hall's part that it took so long ... and a GREAT honor that they are FINALLY being recognized.
Chicago's music was revolutionary for its time. Many have argued that they degenerated into a soft rock band ... but it was those soft rock hits that gave them all their #1 Records and kept them on the map. (Technically, you can credit ... or blame ... most of this on Peter Cetera ... and his working relationship with David Foster!)
So we'll wait patiently for the big announcement (although by this point I have to confess that Peter may have aligned himself with The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame more closely than he imagined ... because now I simply don't care about EITHER of them!!!) kk
Kent,
We would all be disappointed if Cetera doesn't join in on this long
awaited celebration of the decades of accomplishments they all deserve! But, with
that said, you reach out to about anyone and everyone that cares, so remember
the quote: "You attract more flies with honey than you do vinegar". So, as a
fan I am hoping that if this reaches far enough, we would all be grateful to hear
the music in its truest form.
Merry Christmas to all!!
Laurie
Hoffman Estates
Merry Christmas to all!!
Laurie
Hoffman Estates
Hey, nobody was more excited than me to see them finally get in ... but Chicago is a BAND ... and has NEVER been about any one individual. Look at their history and you'll see that they survived the terrible loss of Terry Kath, perhaps one of the greatest and most underrated guitar players of our time ... and have still been going strong now for thirty years sans Cetera. I would LOVE to see them all reunited to accept this award and perform again as a unit in the true spirit of why they formed in the first place. (I feel the same way about drummer Danny Seraphine, who I've gotten to know a little bit thanks to the benefit concert for Marty Grebb earlier this year.) Rejoice in your accomplishments and remember what got you hear. The world wouldn't even know who Peter Cetera is were it not for his years with Chicago. Set it all aside and embrace the moment. (kk)
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Happy Holidays!
re: Chicago ... What
Gives???:
Despite ALL kinds of press to the contrary, founding CTA /
Chicago member Peter Cetera is now saying that he will NOT be performing at The
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony next April with his former
bandmates.
I don't get it ... Chicago has waited FOREVER to claim their
rightful spot at The Rock Hall ... and now Cetera doesn't want to
participate???
While he has yet to make a formal statement to the press, I
expect much more to be said about all of this in the days to come. (Merry Frickin' Christmas!!!)
Members of
Deep Purple who are not being inducted by The Hall have been QUITE vocal of
late!)
Rumors that Cetera will soon be joining forces with Mike Love
of The Beach Boys in a new musical venture called The Spoiled Sports have not officially been confirmed. (kk)
re: Merry Christmas ... Happy New Year
... Joyous Holidays!:
Dear Kent -
A
Very Merry Christmas to You and Your Family.
May 2016 be another great
year for Forgotten Hits!
God Bless You for keeping Oldies Rock and Roll
Alive!!!!
Carolyn
Right backatcha, Carolyn ... and everybody else on the
list who have helped keep this thing going for an incredible sixteen
years.
Lots more great stuff coming up in the years to come.
(kk)
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Tuesday This And That
Congrats!:
Congratulations to FH Reader (and MAJOR Davie Allan fan and supporter) Boobie Auten of Currie, North Carolina, who wins the Davie Allan two-fer ... his new CD's "Davie Allan and the Arrows 50th Anniversary" and "King Of The Fuzz Guitar" ... it couldn't have gone to a bigger fan or more deserving winner. Congratulations, Vibeman ... and thanks again, Davie, for making this Christmas so special. (kk)
John and Paul at The Grammys ... (Oops! Wrong Paul!!!):
WHAT THE HEEEEEYYYYYY!!!
Congratulations to FH Reader (and MAJOR Davie Allan fan and supporter) Boobie Auten of Currie, North Carolina, who wins the Davie Allan two-fer ... his new CD's "Davie Allan and the Arrows 50th Anniversary" and "King Of The Fuzz Guitar" ... it couldn't have gone to a bigger fan or more deserving winner. Congratulations, Vibeman ... and thanks again, Davie, for making this Christmas so special. (kk)
John and Paul at The Grammys ... (Oops! Wrong Paul!!!):
WHAT THE HEEEEEYYYYYY!!!
From Andy Williams reaction coming back on stage, something non-allowable at the time, in the way of vocal exchange must have happened in those pre-empted seconds. It was obviously NOT a legitimate news break. OK, someone find out for us ... I am curiouser and curiouser each day that goes by.
Shelley Sweet-Tufano
A little bit of digging ('cause I'm quite sure I would have remembered something a momentous as this!!!) shows that somebody cut together two completely separate Grammy pieces ... John Lennon and Paul Simon presenting an award in 1975 (with Art Garfunkel showing up to accept on behalf of Olivia Newton-John ... that part was legit) and then, after Lennon's comment, "Where's Linda", they cut away to an audience shot of Paul and Linda McCartney coming up to accept an award on behalf of The Beatles' recording "Let It Be" (which is why THAT is the song you hear playing in the background as they come up to and leave the stage) from the 1971 ceremony. Then, whoever created this video, spliced in a fake News Report to make it look like the official reunion of John and Paul was pre-empted and lost forever, meaning the whole world (other than the "live in studio" audience) missed it ... but, as you surmised, the break-in was fake. By the time it cuts back, you see Paul and Linda leaving the stage ... from four years earlier. Mystery solved ... but a GREAT piece of work, I must say!!! (And Paul and Art are hysterical!!! PAUL SIMON: "I thought I told you to wait in the car." ART GARFUNKEL: "Writing much, Paul?" Fantastic!) Mystery solved. (kk)
Here is the uncut video of the actual footage from 1975:
FH Reader Paul Haney corroborates our findings ... and even provides the footage from 1971 when The McCartneys surprised everyone by being on hand to accept the Grammy for "Let It Be.
Hi Kent,
Hi Kent,
That clip of Paul Simon and John Lennon at the 1975 Grammy Awards with the “CBS News Special Report” (which actually has no news content) was quite obviously doctored . there was NOT a John and Paul reunion on that night. Somebody just pasted in footage of Paul and Linda McCartney from the 1971 Grammy Awards on the way to and from the stage accepting the award for the Let It Be album.
Paul Haney
This was still a pretty momentous occasion ... I would have NEVER expected John Lennon to go along with this ... and yet he looks like he's having a ball up there. (I guess I would have expected something like this during his "Lost Weekend" period ... but Yoko was right there with him, sitting in the audience.) And Andy Williams was in top form having a little fun at his ex-wife Claudine Longet's expense ... also completely out of character for the guy who hosted so many Family Christmas Television Specials over the years! Still, he cracked me up. (He describes their relationship as starting out with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and ending with "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"!!!) A year later Longet would shoot and kill her lover, Spider Sabich, while skiing in Aspen, Colorado.
The 1975 Grammy Awards still had a few awkward moments ...
Olivia Newton-John winning multiple awards for "I Honestly Love You", a song I find virtually unlistenable to today. (I wasn't a big fan of it back then either!) It won for both Record of the Year AND Best Pop Female Vocal Performance.
Then ... as they still do to this day ... they read the awards presented the day before for what I like to call "the least crowd pleasing categories" ... and, in what can ONLY be described as a COMPLETE lack of good judgement, they announced first The Best Childrens' Recording as "Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, Too" ... and then followed that by awarding The Best Comedy Recording to Richard Pryor's "That Nigger's Crazy"!!! (Perhaps somebody thought Tigger and Nigger flowed off the tongue with some sense of poetry??? Who knows!!!)
Ironically, Paul McCartney and Wings won for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a duo, group or chorus. (Now THAT would have been a cool award to have Lennon present!!!) kk
Kent,
I’m pretty sure the end of the video, suggesting that Paul
and Linda McCartney came onto the stage where John Lennon and Paul Simon were
presenting, is fake.
From the research I’ve done on the web, there’s no indication
that Paul and John reunited that night. In fact, the official Grammy website
says Paul wasn’t even there: “Ironically,
while an absent Paul McCartney won a GRAMMY at the 17th Annual GRAMMY Awards
(Best Pop Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus for Band On The Run), this should go down
as an extremely winning night for the very present John Lennon, too.”
Ian Berger
No, we've figured it out ... see above for a more detailed explanation. I still say it would have been AWESOME to have John Lennon ... COMPLETELY out of his element appearing on a show like this ... have to present the Grammy to Paul McCartney and Wings!!! Now THAT would have made a few headlines! (kk)
Chicago
From a new interview with Robert Lamm regarding The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony ... sent in by FH Reader Tom Cuddy ...
Obviously Terry Kath was such a huge part of the band first decade. Will someone from his family be representing him at the ceremony?
The only person who is interested in Terry’s career is his daughter, who has been working
on a documentary on him for the last few years, but it’s really about her discovering who he is. That would be the only person I could think of who would be relevant.
on a documentary on him for the last few years, but it’s really about her discovering who he is. That would be the only person I could think of who would be relevant.
What about Peter Cetera and [original drummer] Danny Seraphine – are they going to attend?
They will.
Will they perform with you?
Oh yeah.
So, if people buy a ticket to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, they’ll see Chicago with Danny Seraphine on drums and Peter Cetera singing, if not playing bass.
Right.
You can read the whole thing here:
Bobby
Darin
Kent
...
I'm sitting here
listening to Wild Wayne's 40th Christmas show and catching up with Forgotten
Hits.
12/19/1958 =
Bobby Darin records "Mack The Knife."
12/ 20/1973 =
Bobby Darin dies after heart surgery.
This time of the
year we can hear Bobby Darin's 1960 Christmas hit "Christmas Auld Lang
Syne."
I'm thinking your
subscribers want to know more about Bobby Darin.
What do you think?
Frank B.
Frank B.
It's pretty rare
to even hear Bobby's Christmas tunes anymore. (Kinda weird in hindsight that he
died almost exactly fifteen years to the DAY after recording his biggest hit,
"Mack The Knife"!!!)
Bobby's Christmas
single (released in 1960) was actually a two-sided hit ... "Christmas Auld Lang
Syne" performed a little better on the charts, peaking at #32 in Music Vendor
(despite a #51 showing in Billboard). The flipside (which, I believe, was
actually the intended A-Side), "Child Of God", didn't get that high ... #72 in
Music Vendor and #95 (for all of one week) in Billboard.
I thought that if
time permitted over the holidays, I would FINALLY try and get the Bobby Darin Series posted to the
other site. As usual, I've already fallen behind ... but I haven't completely
given up hope yet.
Typically this
time of year our mail slows down as everybody has all kinds of holiday plans ...
so we'll see what we can do. If by some miracle, I can actually make it, you'll
be amongst the first to know!!!
Thanks, Frank ...
and Merry Christmas to you and yours. And thank you for your ongoing support of
Forgotten Hits! (kk)
UPDATE: Current Goal -- THE BOBBY DARIN STORY -- posted on January 1st, 2016!!! (We're getting REALLY close ... Stay Tuned!)
On The Radio
Kent,
Since you mentioned
you are wrapping up the 50-Year flashbacks for a while, I figured I'd share this
with your internet fans:
However the spirit of WIXY lives
on ...
There is a internet radio site called wixy1260online.com. For several years now, they have
successively recreated the essence of WIXY with jingles, call-in giveaways, old
commercials, snippets of the real WIXY, and even some occasional Chickenman
episdes. And they do make personal appearances!!! They also boast of having
enough music in their library that most songs (outside of requests) are heard
only ONCE ... A ... WEEK! And what a deep library it is.
Tim Kubat
Sounds great, Tim ... I listened for a little while last night. And how great to be able to promote a play list that deep!!!
We have (had?) a station here in Chicago that attempted (and claimed) to do the same thing using the old WCFL call letters ... but it never even came CLOSE to recreating the sound and feel of this era. I would think a radio station with that kind of legacy (assuming they still had access to their old library of shows, jingles, promotions, etc) would make for a GREAT addition to the AM dial ... especially if they could air it at the same frequency as way back when. I know that if done properly, I would definitely listen ... if only to hear the vintage clips of the jocks who dominated that station back in its hey-day! (kk)
This And That
Hey Kent,
I stumbled upon this video and HAD to send it to you! One of the members of "The Wrecking Crew" was the great mallet percussionist, Julius Wechter. He played marimba, vibes, drums, tympani, xylophone, and other instruments on TONS of recordings. One of his most famous is the vibraphone and tympani work he did on The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" ("Lets Go Away For Awhile"). He can also be seen on "The Wrecking Crew" documentary film, being interviewed with other members of the crew. He played marimba and vibes on all of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass tracks. Because of this and his friendship with Alpert, The Baja Marimba Band was formed. Herb thought that having another 'South of the Border' recording act, on his A&M record label, would be popular at the time. He was right. Wechter assembled a group of studio players, who also could be very funny, to release albums and make TV appearances. Here is a sample of how entertaining the band was, doing a cover of "Taste of Honey". What fun to be in a group like that! A big part of the number is the drum solo by Frankie DeVito (who happens to be Danny DeVito's first cousin). I've never seen a funnier routine, behind a set of drums.
- John LaPuzza
I stumbled upon this video and HAD to send it to you! One of the members of "The Wrecking Crew" was the great mallet percussionist, Julius Wechter. He played marimba, vibes, drums, tympani, xylophone, and other instruments on TONS of recordings. One of his most famous is the vibraphone and tympani work he did on The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" ("Lets Go Away For Awhile"). He can also be seen on "The Wrecking Crew" documentary film, being interviewed with other members of the crew. He played marimba and vibes on all of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass tracks. Because of this and his friendship with Alpert, The Baja Marimba Band was formed. Herb thought that having another 'South of the Border' recording act, on his A&M record label, would be popular at the time. He was right. Wechter assembled a group of studio players, who also could be very funny, to release albums and make TV appearances. Here is a sample of how entertaining the band was, doing a cover of "Taste of Honey". What fun to be in a group like that! A big part of the number is the drum solo by Frankie DeVito (who happens to be Danny DeVito's first cousin). I've never seen a funnier routine, behind a set of drums.
- John LaPuzza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksF2EXFNOOc&feature=player_detailpage
Dean Ford should do “Rainbow” again as well! A nice follow up
tune. I always liked that one too. I think a Dean Ford & the Gaylords re-do
might be pushing it though!
Ken
Marmalade had a pretty impressive string of hits in The U.K.,with some great tracks on the list. I'm really not sure why some of those didn't cross over here in America. Coming off a record as big as "Reflections Of My Life", they would have had a built-in radio audience waiting to hear what else they could do. (If you've never heard Marmalade's Greatest Hits, pick up a copy ... some GREAT, overlooked tracks on this one ... from an American perspective anyway. Back home in Great Britain, they had a dozen Top 40 Hits!) kk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)