It just may be my favorite week of radio all year …
The polls are closed … and the votes have been tabulated …
And all week long Rewound Radio will be playing back your 2021 All-Time Favorites (in no particular order, other than the OFFICIAL Top 77 Countdown that kicked off on Sunday, December 26th.) Actually, they usually count back The Top 100 … but then also play ALL of the other 3000+ titles that received votes and nominations on this year’s ballot.
It’s a great week of
songs you don’t hear every day … with minimal repeats … and, when it’s all
over, they’ll publish the COMPLETE list of songs in ranked order.
Frank B sent us this
official announcement from Mike Riccio the station …
Hi ... and
thanks to all of you who voted for your favorite song(s) in the 24th Annual Top
77.
And
starting today, Sunday, at noon, you can hear the results, counted down in
order from #77 to #1.
And after
that, enjoy this entire holiday week featuring the songs that got votes, the
number that they ended up as, and even request the song(s) you voted for to
find out how they did.
Yes ...
You can
hear the countdown of the Top 77 LIVE and in order on Rewound Radio starting
today, December 26th, beginning at 12 noon and then played in random
order ALL week long between Christmas and New Year’s.
Here's the
link for Rewound Radio ... https://rewoundradio.com/
Also this
year, as in the past, you can get a copy of the complete list of over 3000
songs that got votes, where they finished on the survey, plus lots of facts and
information about the songs and results. Be listening for Rewound for details.
Sincere
thanks again for making this survey so successful for 24 years in a row!
Mike
Now I WILL caution you
that “Hey Jude” has come in at #1 in something like 19 or 20 of those 24 years
… so maybe this year we’ll finally get a chance to see something else grab the
top position …
Of course, I can’t
promise you that … but I CAN promise you a GREAT week of listening … so
bookmark this page now (if it isn’t already … and, if it ISN’T already, shame
on you for denying yourself the chance to listen to the best oldies station in
the world!!!) kk
UPDATE:
Frank B sent us some details once the countdown started ... and yes, "Hey Jude" tops the chart yet again. (A few surprises on the list ... but not many. Listening today I did hear a few things out of the ordinary, including Adele placing in The Top 500 with "Rolling In The Deep!" Thus reiterating Rewound Radio's slogan of "It's Not How Old It Is ... But How GOOD It Is."
kk ...
I'm sitting here listening to REWOUND RADIO TOP 77 COUNTDOWN.
And I'm thinking to myself, "What other project can I give my pal Kent to work on?"
How about a "ONE-WORD TITLE COUNTDOWN????"
I'll help you get started ...
"ONE"
plus
"WORDS"
Here are The Top 20:
20 - Cherish = Association
19 - Wichita Lineman = Glen Campbell
18 - Hotel California = Eagles
17 - I Want To Hold Your Hand = Beatles
16 - Aquarius - Fifth Dimension
15 - My Girl = Temptations
14 - Stairway To Heaven = Led Zeppelin
13 - Can't Find The Time = Orpheous
12 - Be My Baby = Ronettes
11 - American Pie = Don McLean
10 - Ain't No Mountain High Enough = Diana Ross
9 - In The Still Of The Night = Five Satins --- YEAH!!!
8 - Light My Fire = Doors
7 - Mac Arthur Park = Richard Harris --- SHOCKED ME WITH THIS ONE
6 - Good Vibrations = Beach Boys
5 - Rag Doll = Four Seasons
4 - Bridge Over Troubled Water = Simon & Garfunkel
3 - Satisfaction = Rolling Stones
2 - God Only Knows = Beach Boys
1 - Hey Jude = Beatles
HOT OFF THE PRESSES
Every day this week starting at noon they will be playing countdown songs.
Even if a song got just one vote, they will play it.
AND HERE ARE THE SONGS THAT MADE EVERY COUNTDOWN, 24 YEARS IN A ROW (1998 - 2021)
SHE LOVES YOU / Beatles ( 2021 # 22 )
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND / Beatles ( 2021 # 17 )
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN / Led Zeppelin ( 2021 # 14 )
AMERICAN PIE / Don McLean ( 2021 # 11 )
IN THE STILL OF THE NITE / Five Satins ( 2021 # 9 )
LIGHT MY FIRE / Doors / ( 2021 # 8 )
GOOD VIBRATIONS / Beach Boys / ( 2021 # 6 )
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER / Simon & Garfunkel / ( 2021 # 4 )
SATISFACTION / Rolling Stones / ( 2021 # 3 )
HEY JUDE / Beatles / ( 2021 # 1 ) --- Made The Countdown 23 out of 24 years. Missed the first year, 1998.
FB
Missed the first year but then finished at #1 for something like 20-21 years in a row. Not a bad comeback, eh? (Personally, I say it's time to give something else a turn ... but that's just me. The fans have spoken.)
By the way, in our own Top 333 Most-Essential Classic Rock Songs Countdown from a year ago, "Hey Jude" finished at #37 ... in fact, it wasn't even the top Beatles song on the countdown ... those distinctions belonged to two George Harrisongs ... "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (#14) and "Here Comes The Sun (#19) kk
Later this week (Friday to be exact!) we will be running our countdown of The Top 71 Hits of 1971 based on our Super Charts.
In the meantime, here
is a countdown (based on sales) of the 20 Biggest Albums of that year … and it’s
quite a list! (How many of these did YOU
own at the time???)
Top Selling
Albums of 1971: What a Year! | Best Classic Bands
Kent -
Wishing you a Happy New Year, my friend.
Here's to great things happening and live shows
coming back full force again.
Cheers,
Ron Dante
Hi, Kent,
Marti and I thank you for mentioning the
upcoming “Pop Stars” excerpts series ... and including it as one of your
special features for 2022. We’ll keep
’em coming your way as we carve out time to prepare them.
The Henry Diltz photos should be terrific.
We're glad that he gave you permission to post those.
Sincerely,
Jeff, with regards from Marti
As you both know, I
just LOVE your books and have referred to them many times over the years. This new feature presents the opportunity for
other oldies fans to discover them as well … and pick up copies for their own
music library. So I thank YOU for
allowing us to share these great interviews with our readers. (kk)
>>>It's A Very Big Week In Forgotten Hits As We
Bring 2021 To A Close (kk)
SOUNDS GREAT. YOU DESERVE A RAISE. AT LEAST A COST OF LIVING
INCREASE.
Frank B
Amen to that! Thanks, Frank! (kk)
Love it all! Happy New Year, Kent!
Carol Ross
Hi Kent -
Looking Forward to all your Forgotten Hits Highlights
for 2022!!
You always do a FANTASTIC job keeping us all
informed on the latest and the greatest news.
I agree with your top five Gene Pitney songs.
I would only put "She's a Heart Breaker to #2 ... LOL
Bang a Gong and keep Rockin', Kent!
A Great New Year to You and Your Family !!!
Carolyn
The review in David
McGrath’s Gene Pitney book is less than flattering when it comes to “She’s A
Heartbreaker,” I song that I, too, loved when it was out … and it’s still up
there with my Gene Pitney favorites. (The
fact that broke from his own formula is perhaps its greatest appeal!)
Here are some of the
comments made in McGrath’s book:
“Worst Gene Pitney hit
ever!”
“Pitney, who heard the
criticisms of the record from the moment it was released, remembered that his
label’s president, Art Talmadge, hated it so much, he initially refused to put
Pitney’s name on it. ‘On the initial
pressing of my record,’ Pitney recalled with a laugh, ‘the artist was listed as
P.G.’
Pitney goes on to say, “Most
of my records aren’t considered collector’s items. I’ve been told that one, with the P.G. is.”
In his own analysis,
McGrath writes:
“Favorite Lyric: You’re kidding, right?”
“But then concedes that
“Gene LOVED this song … and LOVED singing it in concert. ‘It adds some balance to my show,’ Gene
explained. ‘You know, after this ballad
and that sad song, you need something uptempo.
‘Heartbreaker’ fills the bill.”
My Top Five Gene Pitney
Favorites (as disclosed last week):
#1 - A Town
Without Pity
#2 - It Hurts
To Be In Love
#3 - (I Wanna)
Love My Life Away
#4 - She's A
Heartbreaker
#5 - Only Love
Can Break A Heart
Long-time FH Reader Frank B. and I have been comparing notes as we both read the new Gene Pitney biography by David McGrath.
Frank just sent me this story to share with our readers …
I Got This One From Brian Hyland ...
(Don't remember If I Told You About It Before.)
Brian and Gene Were Always Roommates On Dick Clark Tours.
One City Had A Contest -- Win A Date With Gene Pitney.
Contest Winner Calls The Room and Brian Answers The Phone.
She Wants To Talk To Gene.
First Question -- Do You Like To Play On The Monkey Bars?
Of Course, Brian Couldn't Stop Laughing.
Frank B.
Earlier this year we told you the
story about how Spencer Elden, the baby pictured naked on the Nirvana album
cover “Nevermind,” was suing the band for life-long damages (and child
pornography!) all these years later.
We dismissed the charges as
completely bogus after all this time … and told you how Elden has been
profiting and benefiting from being the “Nevermind” baby for decades, posing
for new photographs of himself both in the pool and with a great big “Nevermind”
tattoo on his chest … and now, at year’s end, the band apparently (and
officially) agrees, calling his case “not serious” in a newly issued statement.
According to a statement issued by
the band (and published in Billboard Magazine), "Elden has spent three
decades profiting from his celebrity as the self-anointed ‘Nirvana Baby.'" They also cited Elden's Nevermind chest tattoo
and his multiple recreations of the album cover in adulthood,
and alleged that he "used the connection to try to pick up
women."
Nirvana further note that the statute of
limitations for a federal child-pornography lawsuit is ten years from
the point that a victim "reasonably discovers" it, which
means Elden would have realized the cover was problematic in 2011
(when he was 20 years old). Given the stratospheric success of Nevermind in the '90s,
the band claims this is unlikely. "The Nevermind cover
photograph was taken in 1991. It was world-famous by no later than 1992. Long before 2011, as Elden has pled, Elden
knew about the photograph, and knew that he (and not someone else) was the baby
in the photograph. He has been fully aware of the facts of both the supposed
'violation' and 'injury' for decades."
Billboard also notes that Nirvana
could be preparing a more thorough response to Elden's suit based on a more
fundamental argument: that the Nevermind cover
does not constitute child pornography ...
"Elden's claim that the photograph on the Nevermind album cover
is 'child pornography' is, on its face, not serious. A brief examination of the photograph, or
Elden's own conduct (not to mention the photograph's presence in the homes of
millions of Americans who, on Elden’s theory, are guilty of felony possession
of child pornography) makes that clear."
Ultimate Classic Rock, also covering this story,
notes that in October, Dave Grohl admitted he hadn't
given the Nevermind lawsuit
much thought. "I think that there’s much more to look forward to and much
more to life than getting bogged down in those kinds of things,” he said. "And,
fortunately, I don’t have to do the paperwork."
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Kent, and all the rest of the FH folk.
I have heard the Mamas and Papas tune before, but that was only because it came on one of their Greatest Hits packages, I believe.
The Frank Mills song I have heard on our local radio station back in the day, but it was sung by someone else, in a different key, too. <grin>
I won’t be waiting to hear either one of them again.
Haha!
Bill Scherer
Love Me, Love Me Love by Frank Mills got good
play here in Wisconsin ... I remember it well. The song has always
reminded me of Daisy A Day by Jud Strunk.
I spoke with Frank Mills by phone in 2007 and I had the chance to ask
him about the record that made it to number 8 on the Adult Contemporary Chart
in the first part of 1972. Frank was just out on his own after
being in the group the Bells (Stay Awhile) when his solo
record came out. He would have an
instrumental number one seven years later with Music Box Dancer.
Phil Nee
“Music Box Dancer” I
know … that song was a MONSTER hit in 1979 … but I’d never heard the track
“Love Me, Love Me Love” until we featured it the other day. (Then again, I never knew Frank Mills was
involved with The Bells’ hit “Stay Awhile” … his name isn’t even mentioned in
Joel Whitburn’s book.) kk
Phil also tells us …
I just taped an interview with Susan Cowsill. This was the first time that I have had her
on the show. It was so much fun to speak with her.
Paul Cowsill was on the program about 20 years
ago. The Cowsills do a great version of Wont You Be My Neighbor on the
Thank You, Mister Rogers Music & Memories project. They will be
on the Happy Together Tour and Flower Power Cruise in 2022.
Check out Susan singing 'If You Could Read My
Mind' on youtube. She is among the
artists performing songs on the Ladies Sing Lightfoot project.
If
You Could Read My Mind - YouTube
My interview will air on Saturday night,
January 1st, on wrco.com
(click on the 100.9 headphones)
Phil
I only met her once - would love to have her participate with
FH as I think she’d make a great addition - she’s been on my “to get” list for
years!!! (kk)
She seems to have a great memory. She was too young at the time of their fame to be taking mind altering things that would have clouded the memory. Her and I are close to the same age so we have the same memories of watching Friday night tv when the Partridge Family aired along with the Brady Bunch, Room 222, and Love, American Style. Of course, the Cowsills sang the theme for season one. That should have been a hit record.
Susan's memories are very happy. She says that not
everyone has videos of their favorite childhood moments. Dean Martin was very nice to her and all of
the celebs that they met seemed to treat them well.
Phil
OK, here’s another book
I’ve got to read …
Ringo Starr has
published his memoirs and the books will start shipping on Valentine’s
Day. You can get the standard edition
for $59 … or a signed, limited edition for $495 (while supplies last)
Titled “LIFTED — Images and Memories In My Life with the Beatles
From Across The Universe,” the book comes with a beautifully designed hard
cover with jacket, many rarely seen images overlaid with captions and quotes by
Ringo Starr with help from best-selling author and award-winning TV
writer-producer David Wild. In the Forward, Ringo will explain the origin and
motivation for the exciting new book. Proceeds from LIFTED, including a
Limited-Edition Signed Book, signed by Ringo Starr, will benefit The Lotus
Foundation and will be Sold Exclusively Online at Julien’s Auction.
Ringo describes it this way:
I am not writing this book as a Beatle historian … I’m writing this book as a Beatle — and there’s only a couple of us who can do that. I didn’t keep all these photos. These fantastic images came back to me in recent years from here, there and everywhere — online and off — and have somehow helped me get back to seeing my life with The Fab Four through fresh eyes. A lot of the photos in this book I spotted on my phone and on my computer and “lifted” them because they brought back so many fabulous memories. In recent years, I’d gather these Beatles photos that I sometimes barely remembered. After a while, I thought, how great it would be to “lift” these fantastic photos and some of my other favorites for charity and tell my true tales that they inspire about what the four of us — John, Paul, George and Ringo — went through back in the day. And the best thing is that it’s all for a good cause because the money is going to our Lotus Foundation.
When people ask
me about the Beatles, I often tell them, `You better ask Paul,’ because somehow
he seems to remember everything. But along with great projects like Get Back,
seeing so many of these amazing Beatles images has really brought back those
days to me and all the love and friendship that we four shared back then. So
this is a book full of Beatle images that many people haven’t seen and stories
that I’m sharing with a little help from my longtime writer friend, David Wild.
We’ve all been through a pretty tough time for a lot of people who’ve been
locked down, and this book has really lifted my spirits and took me back to
where I once belonged in a whole new way. And in the end, that’s why this new
book is called Lifted. The Beatles changed my life forever. So it’s about
getting back and giving back.
And he’s doing it all for charity …
The proceeds of the book will benefit The Lotus Foundation, whose mission funds supports,
participates in and promotes charitable projects aimed at advancing social
welfare in diverse areas including, but not limited to substance abuse,
cerebral palsy, brain tumors, cancer, battered women and their children,
homelessness, and animals in need.
You can pre-order your copy now:
$59 standard edition or $495 for the autographed
edition:
Julien's - Catalog
Details (juliensauctions.com)
ZZ Top is the latest
act to sell their “entire music interests.”
With the passing of Dusty Hill last year … and having just celebrated
their 50th anniversary together, I guess they figured it was
time. (As pointed out several times this
past year, this seems to be the going trend in “cashing in” on your life’s
work.) BMG, who reportedly paid $50
million for their catalog, also made multi-million deals with Tina Turner,
Motley Crue and Mick Fleetwood this past year.
(kk)
From Tom Cuddy …
Dissecting Phil Spector's 'wall of sound' technique
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/phil-spectors-wall-of-sound-technique/
And let’s not pass up a chance to plug our OWN Phil
Spector series once again …
Phil
Spector Revolutionized The Way Records Were Made ...
(fhphilspector.blogspot.com)
And then this, also
from Tom … a clip of Berry Gordy being interviewed on CBS Sunday Morning, prior
to The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony that aired earlier this past week … Berry Gordy
reflects on career and legacy ahead of the Kennedy Center Honors - YouTube
Plus …
Engineer Bruce Swedien on the making of Michael Jackson's
Thriller: "I went in when Eddie Van Halen was warming up and I left
immediately. It was so loud - I would never subject my hearing to that kind of
volume level!"
https://www.musicradar.com/news/michael-jackson-thriller-bruce-swedien-quincy-jones-eddie-van-halen
Hi, Kent ...
I
was reading your item about Martin Scorcese doing a film about Jerry Garcia, and
it brought back a vivid, sad memory of the period just prior to Jerry's demise.
July
13th, 1995, was the hottest day on record in the Chicago area, registering 104
F at O'Hare (the official monitoring site) and 106 at Midway. On that
day, I was doing my daily walk, thinking how miserable some people must have
felt to be outside (by July 19th, 436 had passed on from the heat, and the
number kept climbing, topping 1000).
That
same evening, the Dead played a concert at Soldier Field, and I'd felt bad for
the poor folks out in that horrible heat. Later, I'd wondered if the temps had
anything to do with Garcia's passing, which occurred on August 9th, at a rehab
facility. Sure didn't help him any. Sad day for us all.
Mike
And then …
Wow - thanks for
sending over that Jerry Garcia article by Harvey Kubernik … gotta make some
time to peruse it all.
I may not be the biggest Garcia / Dead fan in
the world, but I'd be interested in seeing the film when it comes out.
I wonder if Mr. Kubernik could use the info I
sent to you as part of any reference material, for the film or whatever.
I saw the Dead at Alpine Valley in the mid-80s;
the place was so clouded with the smell of grass that we could hardly breathe.
And the noise at the back, where we were, was so bad that we could hardly hear
the show. Of course, we were so stoned that we hard knew that there WAS a show.
;-(
But it was an experience I'll never forget.
And, speaking of
the Dead, would you believe the weekly Greatful Dead hour show on WDCB 90.9 at
College of DuPage just went on! ;-)
Mike
Paul Mitchell of The Floaters has
floated on. Their cross-over hit “Float
On” went all the way to #2 on Billboard’s Pop Single Chart in 1977. (It was a weird record for sure! So much so that even Cheech and Chong came up
with a parody for it called “Bloat On,” which charted at #41!) As if the song itself wasn’t already
over-the-top enough, check out this live performance that blows away the most
commonly circulated clip. (kk)
Me-TV remembers some of television’s losses from this past year …
In
Memoriam: Remembering the TV stars we lost in 2021 (metv.com)
I found this in The Times Square Chronicles by G. H. Harding …
https://t2conline.com/the-glorious-corner-280/
ONLY
IN MY DREAMS AT 35 — Could it really be 35 years since
Debbie Gibson’s “Only In My Dreams” ruled the radio roost? Yes, it is and last
week, Gibson hosted a Cameo-video
event celebrating that fact. From her home base in Las Vegas, she welcomed a
host of fans as well as Fred Zarr, who produced the song. Zarr, long removed
from the music business was a welcomed presence. He said that originally, he
was going to work with two other producers (the legendary M&M team), but when they
became unavailable, he got the spot. He said he listened to all her demos and
“Dreams” certainly stood out.
Gibson had the original demo and
played it and it was surprisingly close to Zarr’s finished product. All things
considered, Zarr’s work would mark a decisive moment in pop music, when other
artists like Shannon, Tiffany, and Alicia would rule the charts – way before
Britney, Taylor and Kelly. The difference with Gibson was the fact that she
wrote it. She stills hold the record for the youngest artists ever to have
written, performed and produced a #1 record.
Guitarist Ira Siegal who was on
her first album Out
Of The Blue, as well as her current album, The Body Remembers, also appeared
as did one of her original dancers Buddy Casimano.
I well recall Gibson’s very first gig at the Limelight in NYC eons ago.
After her performance, there was never any doubt that she would become a major,
major presence in the music scene.
Her original PR-man David
Salidor was also on hand and submitted this remembrance, “I had heard ‘Dreams’
as a demo in 1985 and was struck by its originality and brilliance. I knew it
would be a massive hit. When it came out the following year - and,
released twice, though that’s another story - its power was enormous. It
established her as a major new artist in the business.”
Great time; great memories. Salidor submitted the attached photo
of him and Gibson at the long-gone, much-missed club 4D. The late Chuck Pulin-snapped
this. Thanks to Heather Moore for arranging this for us.
We just recently purchased the new Alan Parsons Live Project concert video of the band performing in The Netherlands when word came out this week that ANOTHER brand new concert video will be released in February … this time of the APLP performing live in Tel Aviv, only this time backed by a full orchestra.
As one might expect,
much of the tracks (and even the exact song line-up) are virtually the same …
but Parsons says that this pairing with The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra
affords them the opportunity to perform some songs they don’t typically get to
do in a live concert setting.
“We had been booked to
play here with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and I thought it might be a
great opportunity to record a video of the show. Whenever I have an opportunity to play with a
symphony orchestra, I always try to incorporate songs into the setlist that we
wouldn’t otherwise be able to perform live, such as the epic ‘Silence and I’
from the Eye in the Sky album. Tom Brooks, our keyboard
player, is also an incredibly talented orchestral arranger. He arranged and
conducted all of the orchestral pieces for this particular performance, using
former Alan Parsons Project conductor Andrew Powell as inspiration for the scores
of some of the other songs included in the show.”
The complete track list
for the new 2-DVD/Blu-Ray set is:
1. One
Note Symphony*
2. Damned
If I Do*
3. Don’t
Answer Me*
4. Time*
5. Breakdown
/ The Raven*
6. Miracle*
7. Luciferama*
8. Silence
And I
9. I
Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You*
10. Don’t
Let It Show*
11. The
Sorcerer’s Apprentice
12. Standing
On Higher Ground*
13. As
Lights Fall*
14. I
Can’t Get There From Here*
15. Prime
Time*
16. Sirius
/ Eye In The Sky*
17. Old
And Wise*
18. (The
System Of) Dr. Tarr And Professor Fether*
19. Games
People Play*
* -
songs common to both DVDs
(Meaning the ONLY new tracks you get “set aside” for
orchestral treatment is “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and “Silence And I”)
Speaking of live shows, Billy Joel has announced his plans
for 2022 concerts, which will see him step outside of his month residency gigs
at Madison Square Garden and venture out for specific gigs at specific venues
next year.
The announced dates so far include:
January 14th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
January 28th – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
February 12th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
February 26th – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
March 12th – Orlando, FL – Camping World Stadium
March 24th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
April 8th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
April 23rd – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
May 14th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
June 10th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
June 25th – South Bend, IN – Notre Dame Stadium
July 9th – Detroit, MI – Comerica Park
July 20th – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
August 11th – Pittsburgh, PA – PNC Park
September 23rd – Houston, TX – Minute Maid Park
More dates are expected to be announced … but it looks like
Billy will be doing about two shows a month and (as of right now anyway) still
averaging a show per month at MSG. (kk)
From our buddy Quent Lang, currently of The Dinosaur Exhibit
but putting this one together on his own with Julie Caselli on vocals …
Special
thanks to Erin O’Brien and Dave Forte for adding a beautiful graphic and
posting my latest song “WHEN THE WAR IS OVER” on YouTube.
If you
served in the military, or know friends or family of those affected by extended
deployment, feel free to pass it along to them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRqLnVaLU_M
Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year !
Quent Lang
Kent:
THANK
YOU so much for featuring both of my music videos (“Sweet Soul” and “Silent
Night / Amen”) in your newsletter.
I want
you to know that I very much appreciate all your support of my music.
Thanks
again, Kent.
MERRY
CHRISTMAS!
James
Merry
Christmas to you and yours as well.
“Sweet
Soul” just may be the surprise hit of the year for me - I absolutely love it.
You have perfectly captured the feel of the era - I hope some of the jocks on
our list have added it to their play lists. It deserves to be heard, savored
and enjoyed by all. Curtis and Major Lance would be proud!
kk
Kent:
I can’t
get a better endorsement than that!
THANKS,
man.
James
I heard about Tom Konard’s passing through
your website. Tom used to send me
envelopes full of music surveys from around the country and looking at some of
the ones I saved, I noticed that if you didn’t know the radio station, a lot of
them do not identify their city.
I am including one I found of Chuck Buell from
1970, since he contributes to your blog.
Love your site.
Carolyn / Minneapolis
Thanks, Carolyn!
(Boy, if you happen to
have a 1972 survey from Vermont in that stash, I SURE would like to get a copy
of it!!!)
Chuck’s been great about contributing new bits as well as reminiscing about the good old days at WLS here in Chicago. He can add this survey to his collection (if he doesn’t already have a copy!) kk
New clips coming to The Ed Sullivan YouTube Channel in
January include:
Avail 1/2 – Rowan And Martin – Say It Backwards Charades
(orig air date 2/7/60)
1/3 – Gary Lewis and the Playboys – Count Me In (3/21/65)
1/5 – The Harlem Globetrotters (2/9/58)
1/7 – Allan Sherman – Return To Camp Granada (4/24/66)
1/9 – Herman’s Hermits – Just A Little Bit Better (6/19/66)
1/10 – Connie Francis – Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You
(1/26/62)
1/13 – The Association – Dubuque Blues (11/9/69)
CHRISTMAS LEFTOVERS:
Did
you get a chance to listen to this year’s Top 100 Favorite Christmas Songs
special with Wink Martindale, written by our FH Buddy Gary Theroux? Me-TV-FM ran it continuously beginning on
Christmas Eve straight thru Christmas Day.
A
pleasant surprise was hearing “Morningtown Ride to Christmas, a song they
issued in the 2000’s.
Originally
a hit (with slightly different lyrics in 1967), this was always a favorite of
mine by them. (It was their follow-up
single to the chart-topping “Georgy Girl.”)
This
one fared better here in Chicago than it did on the national charts, peaking at
#25 (vs. #41 on the national charts)
I
always loved this melody. Give it a
listen and see if you remember this one.
(kk)
Billboard’s Hot 100 for
Christmas Week shows two dozen vintage Christmas songs in The Top 100 that were
originally issued back in the day when vinyl was the only game in town!
As mentioned the other
day, Mariah Carey sits at the top of the heap with “All I Want For Christmas Is
You” (1994), followed by Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (#2,
1960), “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms (#4, 1957), “A Holly Jolly Christmas”
by Burl Ives (#5, 1964), “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” by Andy
Williams (#7, 1963) and “Last Christmas” by Wham (#9, 1998) … and that’s just
The Top Ten! (60%)
Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz
Navidad” is up from #14 to #11 this week, The Ronettes are at #13 with “Sleigh
Ride” (up from #17 the week before), Nat “King” Cole moves from #20 to #15 with
“The Christmas Song” (“Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire”), Dean Martin’s up a
notch at #17 with his version of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow” and
“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” now sits at #19 for Perry
Como. (That makes 11 of The Top 20!)
Christmas songs also
sit at numbers 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 36, 41, 44, 49 and 50 in The Top 50,
bringing the total now to 23 out of The Top 50 tunes, or 46% overall.
Geoff Lambert’s weekly
oldies sheet makes this observation (as you’ve heard some of these songs for
the 200th time over the weeks leading up to the holiday) …
You might wonder how much cash the writers of the Christmas
songs make? According to Spotify, between the 1st of November
and December the 28th, 2020 Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around The
Christmas Tree had 138 million Spotify streams with a potential pay-out of
$620,000.
Geoff
I thought you and your followers might enjoy this Christmas classic by the one and only STATUS QUO - the great unknown British band in the U.S. but fortunately not over the entire rest of the world.
Nick Frankart and Alan Benson
Thanks, guys! (Not a bad tune at all!) Alan has written a nice profile of the band Status Quo, known primarily here in American for their big 1968 hit “Pictures Of Matchstick Men.” They went on to have, however, a decades-long career in Great Britain that we rarely caught a glimpse of. (I remember running their version of “Fun Fun Fun” that they did with The Beach Boys several years ago!) kk
And, since we’re talking The Beach Boys, here’s a list of 75 Cool Things About Carl Wilson …
In honor of what would
have been his 75th birthday on December 21st …
And how about these closers from Chuck Buell …
Well, Kent, imagine my surprise when I got this Holiday Present from You!
I get it! Most people get me something that says "BATTERIES Not included!
THANX!!!
Chuck Buell!
! ! !
HA! (lol)
Actually, a pretty
clever idea!! (kk)
CLIP OF THE WEEK (#1):
I’ve
never seen this one before … and in crystal-clear quality, too!
Here
are The Nashville Teens (who actually came from about 4200 miles outside the Nashville city limits) doing their big 1964 hit “Tobacco Road.” (kk)
CLIP OF THE WEEK (#2):
Probably
one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen on Saturday Night Live …
Thank you to Chuck Buell, who made my Christmas Eve with this one!
