THE WEEKLY WCFL CHARTS:
Kent,
A few of us have discussed Crabby Appleton's Go Back (on another message board) and it seems that the song is a favorite among many folks -- but the song's performance suffered on the national charts as it peaked around the country at different times.
The song made #21 in Record World, #30 in Cash Box and #36 in Billboard, reaching its peak in July, 1970. The single spent 13 or 14 weeks on the national charts, at a time that most Top 10's spent 14-15 weeks on the charts. It seems that in some of the areas of the country, the song reached its zenith in the Spring, while it was a Summertime his in other parts of the country. And, of course, the main play it gets these days is when some stations run the old re-broadcasts of American Top 40 from 1970.
Joe Cantello
Roswell, Ga
Well, we sure played the heck out of it at our house! (It was my brother Mark who first bought the 45.)
Far too often in our research of the charts we’ve seen a similar situation where a song, well-loved by many in different regions of the country, never got the fair representation it deserved on the charts due to not have enough momentum in all of these places at the same time. (Jim Pilster of The Cryan’ Shames told me how The Shames would go play one area of the country and after their show, their records would sell like crazy … by which time they were already off playing somewhere else. However these shows might have been a month or two AFTER that record was first released … so it never had enough sales to register. (It was also VERY hard to find a record in many cities unless that record was a Top 40 Hit on that city’s own big Top 40 station … so 45’s by The Cryan’ Shames might have to be special-ordered to reach areas that otherwise wouldn’t have carried it.)
That’s where shows like American Top 40 did their best service … introducing us to songs that OUR local stations might not be playing … but were having an impact elsewhere around the country.
“Go Back” didn’t even get a consistent shake here in Chicago! It peaked at #12 on the WCFL Chart … but didn’t chart at ALL on WLS, just across the river. Now how on earth is THAT possible if both stations were measuring local sales, airplay and listener requests? But we’ve seen 20-40 point spreads in the major trades as well, depending on which sources they were tracking at any given point in time.
Still a great track in my book … and it does continue to get some scattered airplay here in Chicago.
BTW … you referred to it as a “Summertime Hit” in certain regions of the country … and it DID earn a few votes in our Summer Favorites Poll … but only four points total … so not enough to register on the final countdown. (Officially, that made it #491!) kk
The only song that ever made 7 weeks (or even 6!) at #1 on my personal charts was this week's WCFL pick hit, "All Right Now."
I can still remember the first time I heard the song.
I was sitting in my mom's car waiting for her to get out of some church meeting after she took me downtown in Dodge City so I could look at records while she was in her meeting. I got done and was tuning the radio in the car (aged 14) and listening to KLEO Wichita and on came this great song. That month, we got the promo free from our local country station. I was perplexed by the short / long copy as the short side looked like this:
Note that the TIME is listed as 2:70!!!! I guess that was to fake DJs and radio people into thinking this was an under 3 minute version they could play????
At the time, I thought "How stupid is that?" Later, I found it cool to be hoodwinked again.
Columbia listed Billy Joel's "The Entertainer" 45 as 3:05 on the label and the song even said in the lyrics "If you're gonna have a hit, ya gotta make it fit, so they cut it down to 3:05." I immediately thought, "That is cool that Billy could make this song exactly 3:05 to fit those lyrics!!!" Well, when you PLAYED the 45 and timed it out, it did NOT end at 3:05, but close ... 3:11 by my watch for that edited form.
Clark Besch
Not unlike Simon and Garfunkel’s “Fakin’ It” in 1967. (Hey, whatever it took, right???) We covered this one ages ago … and our story even got picked up by Mental Floss a short while later …
Kent:
I was thrilled that you gave props once again to a 1970 tune that deserved to do better on the charts than it did. I’m referencing Five Flights Up and “Do What You Wanna Do.” That’s a tune that could have been done by the Delfonics, Stylistics, Blue Magic or Smokey Robinson. It was on a small independent label. Had it been released by a major label, I bet it would have been a Top Ten tune.
There’s great authenticity in the version you shared with FH readers because you can hear the scratchy vinyl at the beginning. I wasn’t sure whether you were aware that Eric Records re-mastered the song in stereo and released it in 2012 on “Hard To Find 45s on CD,” Vol. 13, the Love Album. It’s pristine.
Were you aware that the Five Flights Up session was engineered by Larry Cox, who went on to produce “Precious and Few” by Climax (Sonny Geraci)?
Here’s the stereo mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUUTvk3mM1I
The gentleman who wrote “Do What You Wanna Do” and sang lead on the track, James Bingham Jr. (J.B.) 10 years ago filmed a You Tube video at his home where he performed the song on an acoustic guitar. He proved he hasn’t lost his soulful and smooth voice!
-Tom Cuddy
I have always loved this song. (J.B. has every right to be proud of his tune … and you’re right … he still sounds great … especially for a guy just singing in his bedroom!!!) Check out “All Alone By The Telephone,” evidently a solo recording by Bingham. The video is also available on YouTube:
This guy should be out there singing as part of the soul revues … he’s got a GREAT voice that would definitely Wow! an audience.
This is another one of those whose chart performance makes absolutely no sense at all.
Billboard ranked it at #37 … but it finished twelve places higher in Record World, where it peaked at #25 … and managed a #29 showing in Cash Box.
Here in Chicago, it was a bonafide Top Ten Hit … reaching #6 on the WLS Chart and #9 on the WCFL Chart.
I actually do have the stereo Eric version … but there’s something else different about that mix other than the mono to stereo scenario. I think it’s slowed down a bit and just doesn’t have the fullness of the original single … it’s like it’s too “clean.” (But it sure beats my 45 copy soundwise that I posted! Lol)
Oldies Radio / Soft Rock Radio / “Souldies and “Dusties” should pay a little more respect to this great tune. (kk)
SUMMER FAVORITES LIST:
Kent,
About the summer list ...
First, I am thinking that "Summer in the
City" may have resonated more this year because it has been HOTTER
everywhere in the US generally. Denver will have its hottest August EVER with 15 days at over 90 so
far. The wildfires and all that resonate with the opening lines "Hot
town, summer in the city."
Also, Gary Lewis was partly right about
Cook/Greenaway being from Nashville. My former boss told me about staying
with Roger Cook in Nashville and I looked it up and he moved to Nashville in
1975. SO, he did write hits in both England and Nashville. Just not
Green Grass there.
Clark Besch
Three more from Frank B … who is obviously enjoying our
Summer Countdown …
(You should be checking it out every day, too!)
More about your #1 song …
FB
kk –
Brian Hyland did a Virtual Roundtable Interview
with La La Brooks on Facebook on Friday (3 to 4:30 PM, EASTERN TIME.)
If I remember correctly, you said that Brian
has four songs on the Top 200 Summer Songs Countdown. You know he"ll be
talking about that Bikini Song!
Frank B.
He had four songs NOMINATED … only two made the list.
“Stay And Love Me All Summer” (a great track, actually) came
in at #489 … and “The Joker Went Wild” (a BIG song during The Summer of ’66)
finished at #355.
The rest (the best???) are still to come …
One just missed The Top 20 …
And the other (that “bikini song” … the First 45 I ever
bought with my own money) JUST MISSED making The Top 50.
Stay tuned! (kk)
kk:
This is a 51 minute interview with Bob Kulik.
Now who, you say, is Bob Kulik?
Bob Kulik is a former 30 year member of Thee
Happenings ("SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER".)
He is currently a member of Jukebox Legends, a
New Jersey Group.
Frank B.
As you would expect, “See You In September” made our Top 200
list. “I Got Rhythm” (Summer of ’67) was
also nominated … but fell a little short of the countdown, finishing up at
#341. (kk)
>>>We’ve
been putting together these Summer Countdowns for the past twenty years now and
have always set the criteria as ‘Which songs evoke the spirit of summer for
you?’” (kk)
Kent,
We completely agree with you on this.
It’s not just songs about summer things (sunshine, warm weather,
vacations, beach trips) that rekindle summer memories in the minds of our
listeners, but it’s also all the songs that were played often enough during summer
months to forever create an association in your mind with that season.
I don’t know how Gary Theroux can say that “It’s Too Late” by Carole
King “doesn’t evoke the season.” It was #1 for five straight weeks during
the peak summer months of 1971. If you were anywhere near a radio that
summer, you’re going to remember that the summer of 1971 was when you were
introduced to Tapestry (and, most likely, when you went out and bought a
copy of Tapestry). It will be as vivid a memory as a new Schwinn
bike you got or the baseball cards you bought at the dime store that particular
summer. Sure, songs featuring specific sunny images will always be
associated with the summer season in general, but any song that receives
significant airplay between June and August will forever be linked in our minds
to what we were doing when that song was playing on the radio during that
particular summer.
Your readers concur. Look at all the non-summer themed songs
they’ve chosen for your list so far. “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Close to
You,” and “Sherry” are just a few examples. You were wise to cast a wide
net for “Your All-Time Summer Favorites.”
Rick O’Dell
Me-TV-FM
Thanks,
Rick … this has certainly been OUR experience.
I
know your annual Summer Of Me feature has always drawn heavily from our list of
Summer Favorites … I’m hoping this year’s batch (now expanded to 280 titles
including all of the “Honorable Mentions”) might even provide a few new
suggestions. Summer Anthems like the
ones we mentioned before are as much a part of our summer memories as anything
else … and will forever be associated that way if you grew up listening to this
music. How can you hear these tunes today,
even some fifty years later, and NOT think of summer when you hear
them?!?! (kk)
THIS AND THAT:
Kent:
I was listening to LAFOS at work and he mentioned you had sent him a link to a repeat of a 1970 radio aircheck which was being aired on Saturday and there would be a link to listen later as well. Do you have that link to send me please?
I wish I had paid more attention, but I was working after all.
Thanks!
Rich Klein
I was listening to LAFOS at work and he mentioned you had sent him a link to a repeat of a 1970 radio aircheck which was being aired on Saturday and there would be a link to listen later as well. Do you have that link to send me please?
I wish I had paid more attention, but I was working after all.
Thanks!
Rich Klein
Sorry, but there no link that I’m aware of.
Every Saturday from noon to 3 Rewound Radio salutes a top 40
radio station or dee jay from back on the day and then plays actual airchecks
and clips of these guys. It’s all part of their DJ Hall Of Fame Series.
This past Saturday was a Detroit station (WKNR … aka KEENER)
that Sam used to listen to when he was growing up there so I thought he might enjoy
hearing the tribute … but it was on at the same time as his own show so I knew
that he couldn’t listen. (Although at
one point he told me that he was seriously thinking about skipping HIS show
that he could listen to the Keener Salute!
Lol)
I’ve asked Allan Sniffen of Rewound Radio before why they
don’t post a podcast after the program airs so that others can enjoy it, too,
should they miss it (as I did on Saturday Afternoon.) Good case in point … I was ALSO listening to
LAFOS … but for some reason I lost the feed at the one hour mark … and I
couldn’t get it back no matter how many times I tried. Thankfully, the station sends out a podcast
link so that anyone who missed the program “live” can still tune in and enjoy
the show.
I would think this would be a HUGE plus for Rewound Radio …
especially since good word of mouth is also a powerful tool … and, in addition
to Sam, I told several other FH Readers who grew up in the Detroit area, to
tune in and listen … but got regrets from several of them because they didn’t
open my email until after the show had already aired.
I’m sending this note to Allan again to see if he might
reconsider doing it – because otherwise your ONLY option to hear it is to listen
live. (kk)
Allan Sniffen’s Reply:
Hi Kent:
Posting any show that includes full length versions of songs that can been downloaded (as opposed to "streamed") involves significantly higher royalty payments for use of the music. A podcast is basically just that -- the ability for users to download the songs.
Anyone who is doing that and not paying royalties is illegal. I know there are lots of people doing so probably in ignorance. Should SESAC, ASCAP (and the rest) decide to go after them, they'll have a huge financial liability.
Rewound Radio is bigger than the vast majority and therefore more visible. As it is, I pay about $2500 a year to legally stream the music. If I start posting files that can be downloaded, that number will go up. A lot.
Now you know :)
Posting any show that includes full length versions of songs that can been downloaded (as opposed to "streamed") involves significantly higher royalty payments for use of the music. A podcast is basically just that -- the ability for users to download the songs.
Anyone who is doing that and not paying royalties is illegal. I know there are lots of people doing so probably in ignorance. Should SESAC, ASCAP (and the rest) decide to go after them, they'll have a huge financial liability.
Rewound Radio is bigger than the vast majority and therefore more visible. As it is, I pay about $2500 a year to legally stream the music. If I start posting files that can be downloaded, that number will go up. A lot.
Now you know :)
-- Allan
I appreciate that … I feel some sense of obligation to
report back to the readers and the listeners who, like me, love your station …
and your explanation is a very reasonable one that all makes sense.
I know there are a number of oldies stations on our list who
don’t stream at all for similar reasons – plus, I’ve learned that while I
thought they may be selling themselves short by not reaching a larger audience
thru streaming, THOSE listeners don’t count toward a station’s ratings or have
an impact on better advertising revenue.
(I realize that this is not an issue in your particular case probably,
but it’s definitely a factor for most.)
I guess I’ve always believed in strength in numbers … which
is why we mention your station all the time … and encourage oldies fans to tune
in and listen. (Another thought is that
a lot of stations … even the big guns like Sirius / XM … do “repeat broadcasts”
during the week … “Catch the countdown Sunday at Noon, Tuesday Night at Nine
and Friday Morning at 10 am” … that sort of thing. Perhaps a rebroadcast of something like the
Dee Jay Hall of Fame might “lessen the load” for you programming-wise in some
fashion. Again, just a thought.)
As always, thanks, Allan, for your insight! (kk)
It's not so much
advertising revenue as it is "use of the music". It's a common
misconception that if you're not making money, you don't have to pay.
"Not for profit" isn't an exemption. Unfortunately, because
Rewound Radio is a legitimate I.R.S. 501(c) Not For Profit entity, that does
help with the royalties to some extent but it's still not a free pass.
Also -- I'd like those who post shows / music to realize it's not legal to do so without paying royalties. They seem to think otherwise and they're wrong.
Also -- I'd like those who post shows / music to realize it's not legal to do so without paying royalties. They seem to think otherwise and they're wrong.
-- Allan
Hi
there Kent,
I
just can't let this one go without commenting on it.
In
your summer songs count down list, you wrote in part:
>>>The ONLY song in the history of the Billboard
Pop Chart to reach #1 in two separate chart runs. (And yet this guy STILL isn't in The Rock And
Roll Hall Of Fame!!! The only artist to
EVER top the chart TWICE ... and that's not good
enough for Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame consideration.
Go figure!) kk
Actually,
there's a darn good reason why Chubby Checker hasn't been considered for entry
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and that's because of his attitude!
It's
certainly expected that most recording artists will be very proud of their
accomplishments. Look at all that Elvis accomplished, and he had the moniker of
the King of Rock and Roll all his life. But when it comes right down to
it, Elvis was always very humble to everyone. Oh sure, he became more
confident as his career progressed, but Chubby Checker is just the
opposite. I didn't think that anyone had a larger ego than that of Jerry
Lee Lewis, but Chubby Checker is even worse. He is boorish and conceited.
I've
read interviews where, according to Chubby, he invented rock and roll, just
because of that song the Twist which, first of all, he didn't write, and
secondly, he wasn't even the first person to record it.
But
as far as Chubby Checker is concerned, given that adults not only accepted the
twist, but embraced it … after all, even the Kennedys were twisting … he was
the one that invented rock and roll, and none of the great recording artists
before him … Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Paul
Anka, the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly … even matter in the history of rock
and roll in his eyes, and that's simply not true.
Not
only that, but Chubby has made it very clear during several interviews that he
would NOT accept having an exhibit inside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
No,
that's not what he wants!
He
expects because he is so great, and he invented rock and roll, to have a statue
placed
outside the Hall of Fame … so perhaps now, knowing that he has this attitude,
you can better understand why the Rock And Roll Hall of
Fame
has hesitated to make Chubby Checker a member. They are certainly not
about to erect a statue of his likeness outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
no matter what he wants.
Sam
Ward
Not having heard any of Chubby’s alleged comments first hand, I can
only comment from a logical point of view … and my own experiences.
While Chubby is not in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame … and
has never even made the ballot … his song “The Twist” was recently inducted as
one of the most important records of the rock and roll era … and deservedly so.
The Rock Hall would NEVER feel any sense of obligation to
erect a statue outside to honor Chubby Checker … if they listed ALL of the
deserving artists for a Rock And Roll Mount Rushmore, Chubby wouldn’t even make
The Top 100 in the scheme of things … and, big as his record was … and as big
of dance craze as it ignited … that’s
just the plain and simple truth.
Again, not hearing any of this first hand, it all sounds
like a bit of bravado to me … kinda like Chubby emulating Muhammad Ali or
Little Richard or somebody … in good-natured fun, mind up … to play up his
importance in rock and roll’s history.
(Let’s face it … Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and to a lesser extent,
Chuck Berry ALL claimed to have invented rock and roll … but … other than maybe
Berry … nobody ever took them seriously … no matter how much they may have
believed it themselves!)
Several years ago when we ran our lengthy feature on The
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, we campaigned for Chubby’s induction. While we talked to many “deserving and
denied” artists in the process of pointing out some of the most obvious
“shoo-ins” that The Rock Hall had ignored, we never got to Chubby directly … it
was always thru his “handlers” who told us flat out to “back off … don’t worry
about Chubby … The Rock Hall will take care of itself.”
As we can see, he’s still on that Deserving and Denied list
some twenty years later … and STILL has never even made the ballot.
I’ve had occasions to email him for other reasons since …
and have NEVER received a reply to ANY question I asked.
Maybe he’s just a private person … but that presents a
totally contrary description of the man that you describe in your email.
Having met SO many of these artists now during the course of
doing Forgotten Hits, I have found MOST to be EXTREMELY appreciative of their
continued success, thanks to their fans. (I’ve also run into a few complete
assholes, one being one of Chubby’s labelmates back in the day!)
But I just roll with the punches. The group we’ve assembled here LOVES this
music … it is such a HUGE part of our lives …
We’ve just learned that sometimes it’s better to cherish the
memories than to deal with the realities of real life. (kk)
For your First 45’s section:
The first records I ever bought were four 45's.
I got a transistor radio for Christmas in 1964
when I was 10, but it took just over two years before the music became a part
of my daily life. I had become a Monkees fan and wanted to hear their
songs, you see. I'm from the Chicago area as you are - WLS and WCFL were
interchangeable for me. All the great DJ's from those two stations during
the second part of the 1960's were who I listened to while doing my homework,
or outside with friends, and even when falling asleep! Literally, the soundtrack of my life!
What an awesome time it was to get into the music!
So, in the summer of ‘67 when I was 12 I
finally bought my first records. They were Windy by the Association,
Light My Fire by the Doors, Happy Together by the Turtles, and Pleasant Valley
Sunday by the Monkees ... all four at once.
After that, I ended up with a gazillion 45's
that covered the years 1967 to about 1975. I still have around 60-70 of
them! Somehow, the 45's are what has survived from my record collection
of albums and singles both.
Racheal Myers
You can read hundreds (maybe even THOUSANDS!) more First
45’s stories on the other Forgotten Hits Website. (In fact, we evidently listed more than would
fit … as a number of these have started falling off the list over time!) But that’s ok … just keep sending us your
First 45’s memories and we’ll add another page if we have to! (kk)
>>>EDITOR'S NOTE: This is probably the ONLY time you'll ever see me and Claudia Schiffer appearing in photographs together ... so enjoy it while you can ... I know I am! (kk)
Oh yeah???
This is what I see when I scroll down …
Clark Besch
LOL … me, too … although I don’t always see ME in that photograph!!! (lol) kk
