Tommy James takes over the top spot with "Crimson And Clover," a track that WLS secretly recorded when Tommy visited the station several weeks before. (Tommy heard them playing it on his way to the airport, shortly after he left the station ... and was none to happy about it!!!)
Tommy James always did very well on the WLS Chart ... and this one will stay at #1 for three weeks. (He had previously topped the WLS Silver Dollar Survey with his hits "Hanky Panky," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Mirage" and "Mony Mony" ... and will reach #1 again later this year with "Crystal Blue Persuasion.")
Interesting to see a couple of '50's artists making their way up the chart this week as Elvis Presley's latest, "If I Can Dream," climbs from #19 to #14, and Paul Anka's remake of "Goodnight, My Love," sits at #18, a jump of eight places from #26 the week before.
Also note the push for a young audience by way of younger DJ's with the plug for frequent Forgotten Hits Contributor Chuck Buell's program. (You'll find this campaign particularly interesting when you read our Tuesday This And That page next week!)
Also happening this week in '69:
January 7th – Scaffold, a British Music and Comedy Group that included Paul McCartney’s younger brother Michael (using the stage name Mike McGear) hit the #1 Spot on the British Pop Singles Chart with the novelty tune “Lily The Pink.” The track includes background vocals by Elton John and Graham Nash and Jack Bruce of Cream playing bass.
January 8th - Elvis turns 34
January 10th – George Harrison walks out of a recording session for what would later become The Beatles' “Let It Be” album and film, announcing that he is quitting the band immediately. (George was frustrated that so much time was being spent on Lennon and McCartney tunes with little consideration being given for the music that he was writing … and the fact that Paul was becoming especially domineering in the studio.) Some of George’s musical backlog would wind up on next year’s solo release, “All Things Must Pass” … the first album by a solo Beatle to hit #1 on the US Albums Chart. (When Harrison left, John Lennon reportedly quipped “Well, we could get Eric Clapton” … a reference to George’s friend who helped out on The Beatles’ White Album by playing guitar on George’s track “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Ironically, Lennon WOULD take Clapton with him when he played with The Plastic Ono Band at Toronto’s Peace Festival later that year.)
January 8th - Elvis turns 34
January 10th – George Harrison walks out of a recording session for what would later become The Beatles' “Let It Be” album and film, announcing that he is quitting the band immediately. (George was frustrated that so much time was being spent on Lennon and McCartney tunes with little consideration being given for the music that he was writing … and the fact that Paul was becoming especially domineering in the studio.) Some of George’s musical backlog would wind up on next year’s solo release, “All Things Must Pass” … the first album by a solo Beatle to hit #1 on the US Albums Chart. (When Harrison left, John Lennon reportedly quipped “Well, we could get Eric Clapton” … a reference to George’s friend who helped out on The Beatles’ White Album by playing guitar on George’s track “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Ironically, Lennon WOULD take Clapton with him when he played with The Plastic Ono Band at Toronto’s Peace Festival later that year.)
January 12th – The first Led Zeppelin album (titled simply “Led Zeppelin”) is released in the United States. The band had recently changed their name from The New Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin after Keith Moon of The Who said that their heavy metal, progressive rock sound would go over like a lead zeppelin. (Keith was wrong … Led Zeppelin would dominate the charts for most of the ‘70’s.)
Also on this date … The New York Jets beat The Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III (By the way, Anita Bryant sang The Star Spangled Banner for this event!)
January 13th – Elvis Presley begins recording what will become known as “The Memphis Sessions” at American Studios, under the watchful eye of Chips Moman, a move that will help to turn his career around. The albums “From Elvis To Memphis” and “Back In Memphis” will come from these sessions. Hot on the heels of his comeback television special in December, and looking at his career with a newly minted fierce determination, Presley in poised for his return to the pop charts and the Las Vegas stage. These sessions will produce two #1 Singles, “In The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Mind” along with the Top Ten Hit “Kentucky Rain.” (This is the first time Elvis has recorded in Memphis since he left Sun Records back in 1956.) This new era will also mark the end of Elvis' cheesy movies ... by all accounts, The King Is Back!
WATCH FOR OUR SPECIAL ELVIS FEATURE TOMORROW IN FORGOTTEN HITS!
