Saturday, May 22, 2021

Saturday, May 22nd

Monday (May 24th) marks Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday … 

 

We will commemorate the event by rerunning our “Songs of Dylan” pre-website series from 2004 all week long.

 

Harvey Kubernik has a lengthy tribute running in Music Connection right now, offering quotes from a variety of sources about Dylan’s impact on the music scene (and life in general) ...

https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-happy-80th-birthday-bob-dylan/


... but of all of them, my favorite is the piece by Gary Pig Gold, who gives us

 

80 GOOD REASONS TO CELEBRATE BOB DYLAN’S BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR

 

 1.  His previous 79 years

 2.  Most notably, between the hours of 8 and 9 pm on the evening of May 17, 1966, in the Manchester Free Trade Hall

 3.  Chronicles: Volume One

 4.  Blonde on Blonde … in MONO, of course

 5.  Not to mention Columbia single # 4-43683

 6.  “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” … Before the Flood version especially

 7.  He recorded no less than Elvis’ “That’s Alright, Mama” at his very first “electric” session

 8.  He recorded his first – and so far only – # 1 song at the age of 78
 9.  He totally gets Smokey Robinson

10.  He wrote the best-ever Picnic song

11.  Introduced the Fab Four to jazz cigarettes (…Is it any wonder then that he later…)

12.  Portrayed the coolest-ever Wilbury

13.  His Theme Time Radio Hour

14.  The band he used when he performed at Newport in 1965

15.  The wig he used when he performed at Newport in 2002

16. “I’m looking for a place that will collect, clip, bath and return my dog. I want a dog that’s gonna collect and clean my bath, return my cigarette, and give tobacco to my animals, and give my birds a commission. I’m looking for somebody to sell my dog, collect my clip, buy my animal and straighten out my bird. I’m looking for a place to bathe my bird, buy my dog, collect my clip, sell me cigarettes and commission my bath. I’m looking for a place that’s gonna collect my commission, sell my dog, burn my bird, and sell me to the cigarette. Gonna bird my buy, collect my will, and bathe my commission. I’m looking for a place that’s going to animal my soul, knit my return, bathe my foot and collect my dog. Commission me to sell my animal to the bird to clip and buy my bath and return me back to the cigarettes.”

17.  In fact, the entire Eat the Document film

18.  His performance at the 1991 Grammys

19.  His Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech at the 1991 Grammys!

20.  His 1963 Tom Paine Award acceptance speech … possibly

21.  “If Dogs Run Free”

22.  “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” … listen to the melody, too

23.  Invited Brian Jones over during the Great Northeastern Blackout of 1965

24.  Asked Frank Zappa (!) to produce Infidels
25.  His canned goods inventory scene in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

26.  His Live Aid, um, performance

27.  His $4 million, twelve-acre, ranch(es)-style six bedroom, seven bathroom, recording-studio-equipped onion-shaped copper-domed Point Dume “Malibu Taj Mahal” complete with 20-foot whale-tiled fireplace and vintage full-sized automobile suspended from the living room ceiling

28.  Has more unauthorized bootleg recordings out there than the Beach Boys have Greatest Hits albums

29.  That rap number he recorded with Brian Wilson

30.  That limo ride he took – and filmed – with John Lennon in ’66  (see # 17)

31.  Always carries a large light bulb

32.  Always remembers to remember Buddy Holly

33.  Masked and Anonymous

34.  “I’ll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours”:  he said that

35.  His harmonica playing

36.  His lead guitar playing … on the first 12 bars of “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” especially

37.  Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower”

38.  Suze’s “Cough Song”

39.  Race Marbles’ “Like a Dribbling Fram” even!

40.  He walked out on Ed Sullivan (unlike Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger)

41.  But, he had breakfast with then-governor Jimmy Carter in 1974

42.  He recorded the definitive version of “The Boxer”

43.  He recorded the definitive version of “Froggie Went a-Courtin’”

44.  He even recorded the definitive “Yesterday” … with George Harrison on guitar!

45.  His masterful telephone etiquette with A. J. Weberman

46.  His Victoria’s Secret commercial

47.  Those long, pretty damn dirty fingernails on the cover of Nashville Skyline

48.  That long, damn funny promotional video for The Original Mono Recordings box set

49.  His long-time friendship, and mutual admiration society, with Johnny Cash 

(also see # 17) (again)                                                                                                                    

50.  His Chopped Liver band

51.  His “Must Be Santa” video!  

52.  “Lenny Bruce”

53.  Elston Gunn(n)

54.  Renaldo and Clara … yes, all FOUR hours of it

55.  He hung out – a LOT – in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (with Grizzly the Wrestler) during the making of Hearts of Fire

56.  He not only hung out, but motorpsycho’d around New Orleans with Eric Burdon during the making of Oh Mercy

57.  Tarantula (especially page 10)

58.  Wrote “Lay Lady Lay” for the Everly Brothers and/or Midnight Cowboy

59.  Recorded “Buckets of Rain” with Bette Midler

60.  Auditioned Dharma Montgomery for his band

61.  Revisited

62.  Got the non-evil eye from Gorgeous George

63.  Got Milton Glaser to paint his idol’s name into the hair on his Greatest Hits album poster (see # 7)

64.  He (inadvertently) wrote the theme song for “Absolutely Fabulous”

65.  He showed up on “Pawn Stars”

66.  … to autograph his Self Portrait, no less!

67.  Performed for the Pope

68.  “Judas!”

69.  Soy Bomb!!!

70.  Granted an interview to the American Association of Retired Persons magazine to promote his Sinatra album

71.  Was once almost – almost – the new King of Comedy on HBO via Larry Charles
72.  Rode in a Chrysler 200 (and an old elevator) in a Super Bowl commercial

73.  Talked back to Watson in an IBM commercial
74.  Managed to once rhyme “Delacroix” with “employed”
75.  Managed to mix Allen Ginsberg with Bill Haley’s Comets on The Basement Tapes

76.  Put John F. Kennedy, among many others, at the top of the Billboard charts in 2020 with “Murder Most Foul”   

77.  Shortly thereafter, Bob sold his entire song catalog of over 600 titles to the Universal Music Publishing Group
78.  … and it only earned him $400,000,000.00
79.  Remember, ’way back in 1967, the man realized “I’m Your Teenage Prayer” (also on those Basement Tapes), but …
80.  He’s younger than that now

 

Be sure to check back on Monday to catch the replay of our SONGS OF DYLAN Series.  (kk)

 

And watch for Chrissie Hynde's new Bob Dylan tribute album, "Standing In The Doorway," available August 20th ...  https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/chrissie-hynde-bob-dylan-tribute-album-listen-stream/?mc_cid=f84684d123&mc_eid=f8f75f98ed

Friday, May 21, 2021

The Friday Flash

Carl & Lisa! Beautiful reimaging of a great song. Tasteful video that matches the mood. Wonderful arrangement and guitar work by Mike Aquino. It’s a home run! 

Jimbo

VERY positive feedback on this one thru all their social media sites.  Funny how a song you’ve known backwards and forwards for 55 years can take on a whole new meaning with just the slightest inflection that changes the whole tone … and meaning … of the song.  Very well done indeed.  (kk)

Carl told me …

I am very pleased with the way the video came out, especially considering the fact that Lisa and I had to work virtually.  (She’s in Alabama doing the Legends show playing Cher) I think it came out great!

You always fear your fans might react negatively, but everyone has really embraced it. The song and video was her concept. We both worked on it separately and she put it together. We had Greg Bizzaro clean it up a little. Lisa is very creative and a very talented singer. 

Carl

In addition to showcasing her own talents, Lisa has made quite a career out of portraying Cher … check out all the info on her website …

https://lisamcclowry.com/

Hi Kent,

I loved, loved, loved reading your entire blog, being a huge fan of The Beach Boys, Paul McCartney and our own homegrown Rockstar, Carl Giammarese. Carl and Lisa McClowery‘s video touched me deeply. Kudos on the new version of “Don’t You Care” … the arrangement, the vocals, the presentation — Well done, guys!

It’s always a pleasure to read forgottenhits.com.  Thank you, Kent! And thank you, Clark, for always putting your two cents in. Love you guys!

Pamela Enzweiler-Pulice

Director “The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story”

Kent

I hesitated several times to send you this email, but for me, I like the original version of DON'T YOU CARE rather than the one you posted on the video. I am one of those that most of the time prefer the original recording than a remake of years later.

Larry

No debate there … the original will always be the preferred favorite … this is the arrangement that made the song a hit … but what makes THIS particular reinterpretation so special is that it has completely changed the context of the song and the lyrics, arrangement aside. (Kudos again to Mike Aquino for his exquisite guitar work here.  We have singled Mike out several times before in the past … he is another one of Chicago’s musical treasures.)

Listening to the song initially didn’t quite do it for me either … but the very first time I watched the video, I totally got Lisa’s vision … and by the second time, I was already having an emotional reaction.  (Choked up and teary eyed)  I found it to be that powerful … and subsequent viewings have inspired that same emotion each and every time.  It turns “Don’t You Care” into a TOTALLY different song.

Sure, I love the original … it has always been one of my favorite Buckinghams tunes.  (In fact, I have always preferred it to their National #1 Hit, “Kind Of A Drag.”)  But I can TOTALLY accept and appreciate this brand new interpretation and reimagination.  And the feedback we’re seeing online definitely seems to be leaning that way.  (kk)

Carl’s track is beautiful 

Peter Noone 

I agree with you on Carl and Lisa's new take on "Don't You Care."  I'm really impressed with how good it is and how 2021 it feels.  This sparse arrangement is as successful a makeover, in my opinion, as any '60s song can get.  Yes, you've got to watch the video to get the entire effect of the song, but the song can stand on its own even without it.  Carl's amazing, of course, and Lisa's incredible.  There's nothing in music that's beyond her grasp.

Rick O’ Dell

Me-TV-FM

Hi Kent,

Much thanks to you for featuring Lisa and I on our recording and video of Don’t You Care … I really appreciate it. We wanted you to have the exclusive. I am so glad you enjoyed it!

So far, the fan response has been very positive. I’m really happy for Lisa … she is very talented and works so hard in this business of music and deserves all the accolades.

Once again, thank you for giving us the space on Forgotten Hits … it is much appreciated.

Carl

My pleasure, Carl.  (kk)

Kent,

Got a question for you ...

Have you ever been, say, driving along in your car and you start singing or humming a song of which you remember the artist or group but for some reason, you can't come up with the title of the song? Or vice versa? Well, I hate it when that happens to me. In other words, the song title or/and the artist or group. It's on the tip of my tongue.  (It's especially tough when it's an instrumental!)

Well, the songs on DOCTOR CASEY, now, I knew in the back of my mind that John D. Loudermilk recorded CALLING DR. CASEY, but didn't juggle my brain when I texted you last. Now, John D. Loudermilk recorded a song in 1961 about a course I did not have the opportunity to take in high school (or college for that matter). It was a course on the LANGUAGE OF LOVE.

Finally, one John D. Loudermilk, aka Johnny Dee, aka SITTIN' IN THE BALCONY. I am not sure, but I believe he recorded those songs at a studio located on TOBACCO ROAD.

Larry Neal

John D. Loudermilk wrote SO many great songs, many of which I include on my own list of personal favorites.  (“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” immediately comes to mind … what a beautiful marriage of music and lyric.)

He didn’t enjoy as much success as a recording artist, however, although the two titles you mentioned were, in fact, his biggest hits.  (“Sittin’ In The Balcony” hit #13 in 1957 in Music Vendor and #15 in Cash Box … but only reached #38 in Billboard … and “Language Of Love” topped out at #23 in Music Vendor as well, besting its Billboard showing by nine places.)

Other hits written by John D. Loudermilk include “Ebony Eyes” (the Everly Brothers’ hit), “The Pale-Faced Indian” (which became “Indian Reservation’), the Glen Campbell hit “I Wanna Live,” “Abilene” and “A Rose And A Baby Ruth” (both hits for George Hamilton IV), nearly ALL of Sue Thompson’s hits (“Norman,” “Paper Tiger,” “Sad Movies Make Me Cry” and “James, Hold The Ladder Steady”), “Talk Back Tremblin’ Lips” for Johnny Tillotson, “Thou Shalt Not Steal” for Dick and DeeDee, “Waterloo” for Stonewall Jackson and, of course, “Tobacco Road,” recorded by just about everybody.  (kk)

In regards to that other email I sent you earlier today, this morning on the car radio a commercial came on of whose product or service I don't know or can't remember, Well, towards the end of the commercial, the announcer (female) told everyone to have a "bright sunshiny day."  I said 'OH BOY! OH BOY! … Now what song is that little phrase from???  It went over and over in my mind until I had a little help with it. Took me about two minutes but I want to thank Gilbert O' Sullivan for helping me.

Larry

And the very first song I thought of was by The Brady Bunch!  (lol)  kk

And, since you mentioned instrumentals, I’ve just gotta tell ya that Me-TV-FM will be saluting the biggest instrumental hits this weekend on their popular “Songs Too Good For Words” feature.  (I love it because they’re so easy to sing along with!)  It all kicks off tonight at 7 pm Central.

Ironically, this week’s Satellite Survey on Sirius XM’s 60’s on 6 Channel counted down The Top 50 Instrumental Hits of the ‘60’s as compiled by our buddy Dann Isbell in his book, “Ranking The ‘60’s.”  (Subscribers can listen whenever they want On Demand.)

And, of course, many years ago, we ran TWO All-Time Top Instrumentals polls of our own … one mathematically computing the biggest chart hits based on their actual chart performance at the time … and a second poll of your all-time favorites, as voted on by our Forgotten Hits Readers, thus ranking in order the instrumental hits that have best stood the test of time.

You can catch both of these features here:

http://forgottenhits.com/top_50_instrumental_hits_1955_-_1979

Speaking of radio, congratulations and best wishes to our FH Buddy Greg Brown who is calling it a career after 51 years on the air (most of them right here in Chicago!)

Greg has been the constant voice on any variety of the different oldies stations we’ve experienced here over the years … and a mainstay at WLS for decades now.

We wish him the very best in retirement.  (kk)

And, in other Chicago Radio news …

Ran across this site a while back, and forgot it was in my list of tagged sites.  I'm almost positive you know about it already,
but just in case....

http://chicagoradiospotlight.blogspot.com/
Mike

Actually, yes … but I haven’t seen it in years so thanks for the revisit.

Rick Kaempfer, of course, covered the Chicago Music Scene for decades … so his archives run pretty deep.  LOTS to read and enjoy here.  Thanks, Mike!  (kk)

>>>I had one of those under-dash players in the late 60s. I'd love to find one today.

(Mike)

I have never seen this under dash player before.  In 1966, we got a VERY SMALL portable record player that we took on a trip, but the bumps in the road made it pretty useless to try and play records, IMO.  We only used it on one trip to my memory.  I don't think Mike M would want to play HIS expensive 45s on that under dash player either.

Clark

Eric Records has four brand new, all stereo releases of late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s classics, many presented in true stereo for the very first time.  (You have to see this list of titles for yourself in order to appreciate what a great collection this is!)

And you can do just that, right here:

https://www.ericrecords.com/index.html

They’re calling the new series STEREO EXPLOSION … and you’ll want to add these to your collection right away!  (kk)

You’ll find their Johnny Crawford Collection here, too …

https://www.ericrecords.com/johnny_crawford.html

kk …

Some interesting facts from Wild Wayne's 2013 interview with Lloyd Price ...

Lloyd said that 178 different people recorded "LAWDY MISS CLAWDY," including Elvis and the Beatles.

He also said that every four minutes it was played somewhere.

Before Lloyd Price went in the Army, he was the big star for SPECIALTY RECORDS.

When he got out of the Army, Little Ricard was the big star at SPECIALTY RECORDS.

Larry Williams, Lloyd's driver, was now recording for SPECIALTY RECORDS.

FB

Yep … pretty much all facts we covered in our obituary (although I don’t know that I would agree that The Beatles officially recorded “Lawdy Miss Clawdy.”  They certainly PERFORMED it back in their early club days … and even used it as a “warm-up exercise” during the filming of “Let It Be” … but they didn’t formerly record it.  Chicago’s very own Buckinghams did, however, and earned a #36 Hit.  (#24 here in Chicago.)  kk


Here’s a link to our Lloyd Price obit …

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2021/05/lloyd-price.html

And a couple of links to the interesting story behind his #1 Hit, “Stagger Lee” …

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2009/01/story-of-stagger-lee-part-1.html

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2009/01/story-of-stagger-lee-part-2.html

(Now be sure to send Wild Wayne copies of what WE’VE done!!! … Back in 2009!!!  Lol)  kk

And, speaking of Little Richard, some of you may find this interesting …

It is being billed as “Little Richard’s Final Message” … and it runs about an hour …

But so strange to see Richard Penniman “stripped down” and looking his age, while preaching from his heart.

I haven’t watched this yet, just stumbled on it this morning while watching something else..

Larry White

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTXfx4h4iPs

And, since we’re now officially in Golden Oldies Mode, check out this clip sent in by Frank B …

kk:

Fred Parris Talks About His Inspirations And Early Career …

Fred Parris | Oral Histories | NAMM.org

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/fred-parris 

Frank B

Here’s an interesting piece of information I learned from Diane Diekman’s Country Music Newsletter … I had no idea that this had been going on for all these years!  (And such a GREAT song, too!)

Authorship of "Cathy's Clown," a 1960 hit for the Everly Brothers, has been legally determined, the Tennessean reports. Brothers Don and Phil Everly repeatedly said Don started the song and Phil finished it. But in the early 1970s, their relationship fractured, and they began arguing about which one owned the rights to the song. In 1980, Don demanded Phil sign over rights to royalties and public credit. Under protest, Phil eventually did, his family says. After Phil died in 2014, his heirs insisted he wrote half of the song and should have retained rights to it. In 2017, Don sued, asking the courts to formally declare he was the sole author. The case went to the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and was sent back to the Middle District of Tennessee District Court in Nashville for a bench trial. The judge ruled that Phil's heirs couldn't prove they'd made their claims in a timely manner, thus barring their arguments from carrying weight in the case. Don Everly is now the sole author of "Cathy's Clown."

Diane’s newsletter also reports that a poster advertising the Hank Williams show in Canton, Ohio, on New Year's Day, 1953, has sold at auction for $150,000 -- the highest price ever paid for a concert poster at auction.

That was the show Hank didn't make, because he died in the back of his Cadillac at age 29 while on his way to Canton. Saving Country Music reports the authenticated and restored cardboard poster was auctioned by Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas, Texas. It was discovered decades ago in a barn in Canton and has changed hands numerous times over the years. It was featured in the recent Ken Burns documentary on country music. Only two other posters from the concert are known to exist.

 


Kent,

I just now saw a commercial on television with the product being Heinz Ketchup. Now I may have seen this one before, but don't really remember. To me, it was a new commercial for Heinz. In the background were the Drifters singing their hit version of THIS MAGIC MOMENT.

Larry

Yep, I’ve seen this one several times, too … I think it may have been around for awhile … but still always nice to hear our music being used in this way.  (kk)

From FH Reader Tom Cuddy …

John Lodge Says Moody Blues ‘Won’t Tour Again’
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-lodge-moody-blues-wont-tour/

Funnily enough, we get updates regularly regarding solo projects by both John Lodge and Justin Hayward … too bad they can’t do a few more projects together.  (We were fortunate enough to see them at one of The Drive’s Birthday Parties a few years ago and were quite impressed.  Frannie’s the bigger fan and went to see them at Star Plaza with her sister a few years back, too.  They’ve downscaled some since then, doing solo shows at places like The City Winery.)

All I can say is Never Say Never … both guys are making new music … and have a legion of fans out there who would allow them to sell out any theaters they chose to visit.  (kk)

Tom also tells us …

Netflix Announces Docuseries on Pop Music History
https://pitchfork.com/news/netflix-announces-docuseries-on-pop-music-history/

MUCH more “modern” pop than I would be interested in … not quite sure how this qualifies as “pop music HISTORY” since they seem to be leaving off the first 40-50 years of the story!  (kk)

On the other hand, I would be MUCH more interested in THIS new release, coming in October …

First Official Authorized Biography Of The Carpenters Coming This Fall
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/authorized-carpenters-biography-announced/

Best Classic Bands ran segments on “One Toke Over The Line” being performed on The Lawrence Welk Show and the universal appeal of the “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” Coke commercials that permeated the early ‘70’s … BOTH topics covered here in FH in the recent past.  (Naturally, we’re not mentioned in any way, shape or form, which I only find aggravating as we ALWAYS give credit to THEIR publication when running links to interesting articles they feature.)  They even tied the Coke ad into the series finale of “Mad Men,” another FH reference from a short while back.  (We even had commentary from Chuck Buell, who did the voiceovers for literally dozens of Coke radio ads over the years, featuring all the latest and greatest pop music celebrities singing their own version of the popular Coca-Cola jingle, incorporated into something that resembled their OWN recent hit on the charts.)  But what’s that old saying … “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”???   Hey, WE all know what we did here … so I guess it’s cool that OTHERS are discovering it, too.  (kk)

Interesting story about the song "Little Latin Lupe Lu"

If you haven't seen this interview, it’s sort of interesting - with Bill Medley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgXxQrf99go

Radio Ted

Here’s a chance for you to nominate artists for The Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame … complete information on the website …

https://www.roadtorock.org/hall-of-fame-2021?utm_campaign=ba420dd0-6c43-443d-8bc5-cd1f72f10e4b&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=da769e21-1213-4c31-a45d-08c948e152b4

From Second Disc, THIS for all the Emitt Rhodes fans out there …

Omnivore Recordings has a special treat being released TODAY!!!


In 2016, the label released Rainbow Ends, the sublime final album by pop wunderkind Emitt Rhodes (who sadly passed away in July 2020).  Now, Omnivore is returning to the earliest days of Rhodes’ career with The Palace Guard’s All Night Long: An Anthology 1965-1966.  Rhodes, who would burst onto the major-label scene with A&M’s 1967 release of The Merry-Go-Round from his band of the same name, formed The Palace Guard out of the ashes of local band The Emerals.  Emitt, on drums, was joined by Rick Moser, Mike Conley, Chuck McClung, and brothers David, John and Don Beaudoin.  The Palace Guard, all clad in the manner of the Queen’s Guards, never reached the same level of fame as that other band from their hometown of Hawthorne, California, but they did release six singles that went on to become highly-coveted collectors’ items.  Following Rhodes’ departure to join The Merry-Go-Round, the group pressed on as house band of The Hullabaloo Club and continued to gig until disbanding in mid-1970.  All Night Long brings together all twelve Palace Guard sides (originally released on Orange-Empire and Cameo/Parkway and including their lone single backing Don Grady of My Three Sons fame) as restored and remastered by Michael Graves.  Rick Moser shares memories of the Guard in his new liner notes as well as photos from his personal collection.  This slice of SoCal pop-rock history is out tomorrow from Omnivore!

The Palace Guard, All Night Long: An Anthology 1965-1966 (Omnivore OV-424, 2021) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1.  All Night Long (Orange-Empire single OE-331, 1965) 

2.  Playgirl (Orange-Empire single OE-331, 1965) 

3.  A Girl You Can Depend On (Orange-Empire single OE-332, 1965)

4.  If You Need Me (Orange-Empire single OE-332, 1965)

5.  Falling Sugar (Orange-Empire single OE-400 (A-side), 1966)

6.  Oh Blue (The Way I Feel Tonight) (Orange-Empire single OE-401 (B-side), 1966)

7.  Saturday’s Child (Parkway P-111, 1966)

8.  Party Lights (Parkway P-111, 1966)

9.  Calliope (Parkway P-124, 1966)

10.  Greed (Parkway P-124, 1966) 

11.   Little People – Don Grady and The Palace Guard (Orange-Empire single OE 9164-7, 1965)

12.  Summertime Game – Don Grady and The Palace Guard (Orange-Empire single OE 9164-8, 1965)

Speaking of new releases, I had a chance to listen to the new “Dolenz Sings Nesmith” album and wanted to just jot down a short review.  I have listened to the new cd a couple of times now ... and it's growing on me.

My first reaction, even before putting it in the cd player was (sounding every bit like an American Idol Judge here) "Song Choice, Song Choice, Song Choice." 

Some of these are pretty obscure Neztunes that MOST people will not be familiar with.  (Let's face it, Mikes BEST known tracks are the ones he wrote while he was with The Monkees.  He just never retained the audience he had as a solo artist, so his post-Monkees tunes just don't roll off the tongue like "Mary Mary," "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," "You Just May Be The One," etc., do.  But Micky has already sung a lot of those songs, so I get why he wouldn't simply want to redo them.  Still, I SURE would have loved to hear Micky take on "Don't Call On Me" in his "Since I Fell For You" voice ... that's one of my all-time Monkees favorites.)

That being said, Micky sounds great.  I have always considered him to be one of the greatest pop/rock voices of the '60's who never really got his due for that gift or the appreciation he deserved.  (Between you and me, I kinda wish he'd drop the "Broadway Micky" voice 'tho,  because unless it's used in the perfect scenario, it tends to take away from just how good he really can sing ... and in many cases he's even gotten better with age.)

The one thing that comes across is the LOVE that Micky and Mike's son Christian shared in putting together this project ... it's a huge selling point for the album.

"Carlisle Wheeling" was the perfect choice to lead off the album ... and I did pick up a few new favorites like "Keep On" and "Propinquity."  I also like "Only Bound" quite a bit.

The few reworkings that he does do are complete revamps of the familiar ... the Indian interpretation of the ever-popular "Circle Sky" sounds like it could have been on the "Sgt. Pepper" album and again, grows on you after repeated listens.  "Tapioca Tundra" not so much.  (That one was already strange enough to begin with ... it didn't need any additional enhancements!!!  Lol)  I also like the new recordings of "Different Drum" and "Nine Times Blue."

Micky says he’s been wanting to do this album forever … so I’m glad that he’s finally been able to get it off his chest.  (I’m not sure if any of these new arrangements will find their way to the live stage when The Mike And Micky Show … now being billed as The Monkees Farewell Tour … resumes later this year.  My guess is, probably not, as the two do an admiral job of switching off on the lead vocals throughout the performance as it is, already performing a few “deep tracks” along the way … so this (along with last year’s live CD) make for fitting bookends of the Mike and Micky years.  (kk)

Micky’s PR Guy David Salidor sent me a couple of other reviews on the new LP …

https://www.yahoo.com/now/micky-dolenz-monkees-farewell-tour-142646774.html 

https://www.thenyindependent.com/music/206906/micky-dolenz-singing-michael-nesmith/


NEXT WEEK IN FORGOTTEN HITS:  In honor of his 80th Birthday, next week we’ll be rerunning our “Songs Of Bob Dylan” Series from 2004 in Forgotten Hits.

The series features several of Dylan’s songs as sung and interpreted by others (which, of course, offers the upside of not having to listen to Bob warble these tunes himself!!!)

Despite the way that reads, it’s actually a tastefully done series saluting some of Bob Dylan’s very best songs … and it has never run on the website before … so be sure to check it out!

Be sure to check out Gary Pig Gold’s “80 Reasons To Celebrate Bob Dylan’s 80th Birthday” list on Saturday (5/22), along with the link to Harvey Kubernik’s EXCELLENT 50+ Page salute to Dylan (featuring contributions from DOZENS of artists and contemporaries) running in Music Connection … and Me-TV-FM’s salute to Dylan’s music, running all day long on Monday (5/24) as their Day of Dylan.  (According to Rick O’Dell, the programming will feature about 30% of Bob performing his own songs and 70% of his songs as interpreted by others.)

So LOTS of Bob coming your way over the next several days.  (kk)