*Survey courtesy Mark Prellberg
2-2-68 WROK Rockford, Illinois
This station was VERY well known by the locals and a great outlet for the scene that was happening there in the 60's. The biggest of those likely was Fuse who morphed into Cheap Trick. Not being that far from Chicago and the big AM giants, the music of Chicago bands battled with Rockford's scene for attention on WROK, too. Usually, a local band was pictured on these mini-lists (another cop from WCFL mini-spin idea).
This week, 50 years ago, the local combo, Missing Links, was on top of the Rock with their cover of the Stones' "Under My Thumb," with the B side at #2, another cover. Their version of the Temptations' "Get Ready" at #2 would move to #1 the following week and be joined by another local band, the Iron Gate, with THEIR more polished version of the same song! Who says "it's lonely at the top?"
-- Clark Besch
This is an unusual chart in many ways ... three of The Top Four songs never charted nationally and yet right there in the thick of it are The Beatles with "Hello Goodbye!" (The Fab Four also occupy the #11 spot with "Magical Mystery Tour," an ALBUM track!)
Any idea if the Chicago Prophibition song is the same one that was a hit for Georgie Fame? "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees is still hanging on at #14 ... and how about "Sunshine Of Your Love" already falling down ten spots when it just premiered nationally a couple of weeks ago?!?! (I love the fact that the group is shown as "The Cream," which is the way they were billing themselves early on ... I don't think the record label showed them that way, 'tho, did it?)
Chicago's New Colony Six have one of this week's hot premiers ... and the never-ending typos continue on charts from around the country as The First Edition premier at #28 with "I Just STOPPED In." (kk)
This Week in '68:
1/28/68: The Fifth Dimension perform “Up Up And Away” and “Carpet Man” on The Ed Sullivan Show. (Harvey Kubernik)
1/28/68: Jim Morrison of The Doors is arrested at a Las Vegas Adult Movie Theater for public drunkedness after harassing a security guard. (Harvey Kubernik)
That same day The Doors are offered half a million dollars to star in a film ... but the movie never happens. (Ron Smith)
1/30/68: Bob Dylan and the Band record a 14 song demo that will see the light of day decades years later when The Basement Tapes are released over a series of LPs. (Harvey Kubernik)
1/30/68: Bobby Goldsboro records “Honey.” It will top Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart for five weeks beginning in April. (Harvey Kubernik)
[By Week #3 the sale of barf bags will hit a record high. - kk ... just kidding ... hey, I bought the record, too! And so did my Mom!]
2/1/68: Lisa Marie Presley is born to proud parents Elvis and Priscilla ... EXACTLY nine months to the day after their May 1, 1967, wedding! (Ron Smith)
2/3/68: Today marks the 9th Anniversary of the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash - Rock and Roll's first tragedy. (kk)
2/1/68: Lisa Marie Presley is born to proud parents Elvis and Priscilla ... EXACTLY nine months to the day after their May 1, 1967, wedding! (Ron Smith)
2/3/68: Today marks the 9th Anniversary of the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash - Rock and Roll's first tragedy. (kk)
