Hi there Kent,
Since several members of the New Colony Six read this blog quite frequently, I would like to share a story with them, and with FH readers about a song that was NOT a hit for the New Colony Six, but which brought tremendous happiness to this lovely woman that I know.
Before I get into the story, I would like to say here, that in my own humble opinion, I feel that the song I Will Always Think About You is one of the most beautiful and powerful love songs EVER WRITTEN!!! This song came out 54 years ago now, and yet, if I am feeling at all sad or melancholy, even after all these years and thousands of plays of this song, it can still make me cry. The combination of the chord progressions and the lyrics just make me shiver with sadness. I can even be in a good mood, and this song can make me weep. I just love that song so much, and I think it is my absolute favorite love song of all time, even beating out what used to be my favorite loved song, This I Swear by the Skyliners. I have cried to that song so many times after so many unfortunate break ups, and it's a song that never loses its beauty for me, even though I've heard it so many times. I am always so moved and I become very emotional whenever I hear that song. Don't get me wrong, I also really love Things I'd Like To Say very much as well, but there's just something about I Will Always Think About You that has stood the test of time, and always gets me very emotional every time I hear it because I think it's so beautiful.
Well, this woman that I know named Maggie knew that I was really into music quite heavily. She is quite a bit younger than me, having been born in that great year of 1967. On the second day that we got together, we were just talking about music in general, and suddenly she asked me about a New Colony Six song that I had never heard before, in fact, I had never heard of this song at all. Now admittedly, not being from Chicago, I missed all kinds of great New Colony Six songs that weren't hits in the Boston or Burlington, Vermont areas that I am only becoming familiar with now, in large part, Kent, thanks to this blog.
Anyway, this song was not a hit for them, so it's a
pretty obscure song. The song is called Summertime's Another Name For
Love, and Maggie asked me if I could somehow find this song for her. It
was in a pile of records that she found at Mack's Milk, which for you Americans
that's kind of like a Canadian version of 711. Anyway, she found this
record when she was very young, only six or seven years old when she first
heard the song, but she absolutely loved it. Now, according to the ARSA
music surveys website, only two radio stations played this song, KIMN in Denver
and CKEC in New Glasgow Nova Scotia here in Canada. Well, I did manage to
find an mp3 file of the song, and when I played it to her, she jumped up and
down like a little kid and gave me lots of hugs and kisses for finding this
song for her, and letting her hear it after all these years. She was SO
HAPPY to hear this song again for the first time in over forty years.
Now, since this song is so special to her, I wonder if any of the members of
the New Colony Six have any special memories about recording that
song. It's obviously much easier to remember things about the big hits
than the non-hits ... but I'm sure she would find any thoughts about this song
that is so special to her from any of the group members a real treat, and a
wonderful thing to read. She doesn't know I'm doing this either, so this
will be a real surprise to her. So, that's my story and it just proves
that even a song that was not a hit at all can be very important to someone,
and have special memories for that one person as in the case of this song.
Sam Ward
The song was written by Pat McBride, one of the founding members of The New Colony Six and sometimes lead vocalist. It was first released as an album track on their “Revelations” album in 1968 … and then also wound up on the B-Side of their “Can’t You See Me Cry” single, which is most likely where your friend Maggie would have heard it.
I’ve been in contact with various members of The New Colony Six for over ten years now on a somewhat regular basis … but Pat McBride … my most likely source to get you some insight into this track … has NEVER returned a single one of my emails. Never. And it sounds like he has also cut ties with the other members of the band … so I knew hearing from him on this really wasn’t going to be an option.
So instead, I went to both Ray Graffia, Jr., and Ronnie Rice … probably the two most recognized names associated with the band all these years later … and asked them if THEY had any special memories about this track that they’d like to share.
As you’ll see below, not particularly … no offense to Maggie, but it doesn’t seem to have been a band favorite! In fact, in completely separate conversations, both Ronnie and Ray gravitated toward talking about the A-Side, “Can’t You See Me Cry,” instead.
Original NC6 founding member Ray Graffia, Jr. took the approach of answering Sam’s questions point for point below …
While Ronnie just kinda riffed (which is what he always does! Lol)
Read on ...
Happy to send my two cents, Kent, and hope that may hear another or two members of the band as well. I am honored to be remembered at all, let alone to the extent Sam shares in his note to you below.
First, our original correspondence, inviting Ray, Ronnie Rice and Gerry Von Kollenburg to respond to Sam’s glowing email …
I received a very interesting email the other day from one of our readers
I shall read on with great anticipation... with apologies to Carly Simon!
VERY complimentary to The New Colony Six and I wanted to share it with you
Now, with even greater anticipation... with more apologies to Carly Simon!
But also to see if you might have any special memories, insights or commentary to make on the song he is referring to, "Summertime's Another Name For Love."
Great tune and may have been a “B” side to a single but at least made it into one of our four albums!
[EDITOR’S NOTE: “Summertime’s Another Name For Love” was, indeed, the B-Side of The New Colony Six’s 1968 Hit “Can’t You See Me Cry.” Although several of the group’s B-Sides were nominated for “Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides” honors several years ago when we did our poll, surprisingly, this one was not. – kk]
It looks like Pat wrote this one, but he has yet to EVER return a single response to one of my emails over the past ten years!!! lol) ... so if any of you happen to be in contact with him, perhaps you can forward this to him as well to see if he might like to comment. I just think it would be a real treat to hear from as many of you as possible with ANY type of memories you may care to share. (He's clearly VERY high on "I Will Always Think About You," too!!!)
Will leave those thoughts to Ronnie, but can share that from nationwide radio surveys sent to my dad when he created and then headed up Centaur / Sentaur / Sentar Records, it was one of our four #1 hits somewhere (or many places) in North America. The other three were Can’t You See Me Cry, Things I’d Like To Say and I Confess. Love You So Much and I Want You To Know both hit #2. We also charted four @ #4, one lone @ #6 and three more topped at #7. Final charting oddities is that we had four additional tunes hit Top 20 AND Come & Give Your Love To Me, the original “A” side to Things I’d Like To Say, was still climbing after hitting #8 in Iowa but then, as per Larry Lujack’s recommendation, we flipped the single to make “Things ...” the “A side!
Thank you very much for whatever you're able to send.
Much appreciation for you and Sam asking. Any further queries can be directed to whomever, including myself, who might make time to respond to a fan like Mr. Ward, for whom I send lots of love and a photo or SEVEN I’ll attach here from our more recent “Cornerstones of Rock” gigs as both Ronnie and I are a part of those concerts, along with the current NC6’s Bruce Mattey! BTW, the reason for sending seven pictures is because, as you can see on our final album covers – front and back, we actually added a 7th member early on but never changed the band’s name fearing that folks would think NC7 was a copy band for NC6!
Here are those two photos:
RJG, Jr.
And now on to Sam’s letter … and Ray’s responses …
Hi there Kent,
Since several members of the New Colony Six read this blog quite frequently, I would like to share a story with them, and with FH readers about a song that was NOT a hit for the New Colony Six, but which brought tremendous happiness to this lovely woman that I know.
Anticipation ... again with apologies to Carly Simon!
Before I get into the story, I would like to say here, that in my own humble opinion, I feel that the song I Will Always Think About You is one of the most beautiful and powerful love songs EVER WRITTEN!!!
No argument here, Sam.
This song came out 54 years ago now, and yet, if I am feeling at all sad or melancholy, even after all these years and thousands of plays of this song, it can still make me cry.
In other words, you are proclaiming this tune of ours, right? Can’t You See Me Cry:
That link takes you to a live 1968 ABC TV network appearance we made at the San Antonio, TX, World’s Fair, filmed at the Hemisfair Theater, where the TV Director loved the look of my tambourine but, because it interfered with my vocal track, he forbade me from playing it, so forced me to merely hold it. Lame to me but he was a TV honcho and I was a ~21 year old rock dude. Also, re: that tune, I wrote it as a true story reflection of being so taken by a new girl who moved onto my parents’ home’s block that, having been rejected in a try to gain favor, at about age 11-12, that I used to hang around in the alleyways behind her house, by their garbage cans, just trying to catch a peek of her passing by their windows. True story and might have been arrested these days but, back then, just an absurdly heavy case of puppy love rebuff.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Perhaps THIS is the tune that deserves the honor and the credit as rock’s first stalker song!!! Lol – Just sayin’ – Lord knows there have been many others over the years, The Police’s “Every Breath I Take” typically being cited as the first … but this minor hit from ’68 should be recognized as well … although the much earlier released “Turn Around, Look At Me” might also qualify! Lol - kk]
The combination of the chord progressions and the lyrics just make me shiver with sadness. I can even be in a good mood, and this song can make me weep. I just love that song so much, and I think it is my absolute favorite love song of all time, even beating out what used to be my favorite loved song, This I Swear by the Skyliners. I have cried to that song so many times after so many unfortunate break ups, and it's a song that never loses its beauty for me, even though I've heard it so many times. I am always so moved and I become very emotional whenever I hear that song.
Your sharing what just preceded this gave me the incentive to share the Can’t You See Me Cry story with you, Sam.
Don't get me wrong, I also really love Things I'd Like To Say …
(originally a “B” side as noted far above)
very much as well, but there's just something about I Will Always Think About You that has stood the test of time, and always gets me very emotional every time I hear it because I think it's so beautiful.
Well, this woman that I know named Maggie knew that I was really into music quite heavily. She is quite a bit younger than me, having been born in that great year of 1967. On the second day that we got together, we were just talking about music in general, and suddenly she asked me about a New Colony Six song that I had never heard before, in fact, I had never heard of this song at all. Now admittedly, not being from Chicago, I missed all kinds of great New Colony Six songs that weren't hits in the Boston or Burlington, Vermont areas that I am only becoming familiar with now, in large part, Kent, thanks to this blog.
Amen, re thanking Kent, Mr. Ward! Anyway, this song was not a hit for them, so it's a pretty obscure song.
Can be found on our Revelations album, the third of our quartet (Breakthrough, Colonization, Revelations, Attacking A Straw Man)
The song is called Summertime's Another Name For Love, and Maggie asked me if I could somehow find this song for her. It was in a pile of records that she found at Mack's Milk, which for you Americans that's kind of like a Canadian version of 711. Anyway, she found this record when she was very young, only six or seven years old when she first heard the song, but she absolutely loved it. Now, according to the ARSA music surveys website, only two radio stations played this song, KIMN in Denver and CKEC in New Glasgow Nova Scotia here in Canada. Well, I did manage to find an mp3 file of the song, and when I played it to her, she jumped up and down like a little kid and gave me lots of hugs and kisses for finding this song for her, and letting her hear it after all these years. She was SO HAPPY to hear this song again for the first time in over forty years.
Great story again, Sam; Pat McBride would be proud to have heard it but while he’s still around, he no longer remains in contact with the rest of us founders ... c’est la vie, right? Anyway, all six of us still remain above the grass – blessed to be sure!
Now, since this song is so special to her, I wonder if any of the members of the New Colony Six have any special memories about recording that song. It's obviously much easier to remember things about the big hits than the non-hits ... but I'm sure she would find any thoughts about this song that is so special to her from any of the group members a real treat, and a wonderful thing to read. She doesn't know I'm doing this either, so this will be a real surprise to her.
Best I have is to confirm that you/she will hear my voice as the high harmony vocal every time we repeat the chorus.
So, that's my story and it just proves that even a song that was not a hit at all can be very important to someone, and have special memories for that one person as in the case of this song.
Sam Ward
Amen, my friend, Amen!
Blessings of peace, health and happiness, my friend ...
Ray Graffia, Jr.
And I also talked to Ronnie Rice, who filled in a few of his own memories on this track …
kk: We received this very nice letter, almost a glowing letter about a song that I don’t think anybody really knows … I mean, it was just kind of an album track …
RR: Yeah it was …
What I liked that Pat did was “Prairie Grey,” which I thought was a cool thing … I liked the instrumental on it … but I personally don’t remember much about this one. I don’t even know if I liked it! (lol) I don’t think I liked it. I really don’t even remember the tune. I just didn’t think it was that great.
kk: To be honest with you, I had to dig it out and listen to it again … because I didn’t really remember it either!
RR: You wanna hear something funny … what I DO like off that album … I DO like “Can’t You See Me Cry” … the recording … not the way Ray and Bruce do it today in the Cornerstones show, but the original recording of it … and it’s funny because I wasn’t even on the session because I didn’t like it at the time. And now that I’m older and I listen to it, I’ll tell you the truth, I like the recording … I like the original version of “Can’t You See Me Cry.” But now when Ray does it with Bruce, they’ve stripped it down and Ray sings it with a little more concern, it just doesn’t come across as smooth as the original recording did. I have really grown to love that record.
kk: It’s funny because I can remember listening one morning when Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards came back on Real Oldies Radio and they played that song on the air … and Larry was like, “Wow, what was that?” (And as you know, he was a big fan of The New Colony Six at the time … and HE was the guy who got you to flip the record over and push “Things I’d Like To Say” instead of “Come And Give Your Love To Me” … Lujack knew INSTANTLY that “Things” was a hit … and he said, “You’re pushing the wrong side of the record.” And then once the jocks flipped it over, it became the biggest national hit the group ever had!
But anyway, after they played “Can’t You See Me Cry” the first time and Little Snot-Nosed Tommy explained to Ol’ Uncle Lar what it was, they played a few more songs and Lujack came back on and said, “You know, I want to play that New Colony Six song again … can we do that? I really like that song.”
For me, I think that “Can’t You See Me Cry” has gotta be one of the original stalker songs … one of the first songs of that genre …
RR: (Laughing) That’s funny! That’s funny! That’s hilarious! I think that’s very funny. I’m gonna tell Ray that!
We did that on a television show … I can’t remember the name of it … “Scene 70” maybe … or something like that. It was a national show. Anyway, it was a summer replacement series for “The Jerry Lewis Show” and Lloyd Thaxton was the host … and I remember asking Lloyd “So how many people do you think will be watching this thing tonight” and he said “Oh, I dunno … probably about thirty million” … and I was just kind of struck by that and I remember say, “Oh … that’s nice!” (lol)
And Ray did “Can’t You See Me Cry” and then I was supposed to do “I Will Always Think About You” … and then when I looked at the playback … and I remember Les Kummel was with us at the time … when I watched it back and it got to the part where the background goes “for you,” Les sang “for you” (simulates a HORRIBLE creak in his voice) and all I kept thinking was, “OK, that’s it … I just wanna go back to Chicago! Because all I could think about was “Oh my God, it’s gonna be embarrassing!” Whatever.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Actually, it was called “Showcase ’68 … and I believe that this is where the clip Ray that referenced above came from … taped at the 1968 San Antonio, Texas State Fair – maybe Ray can clarify. –kk]
And then we did a lot of local TV shows … we did a few national things, but we did a lot of local series, too. In different parts of the country, they had all these local tv things that had musical guests and one of them was Upbeat … somebody just told me about that because I had forgotten all about it … but that was one of the more popular ones.
kk: I wish more of this stuff existed because it sure would be cool to see it again. And actually, I guess a lot of it DOES exist … they just want a gazillion dollars if you want to license it!
RR: Upbeat was cool … that was a cool show … and I think on the show that we were on, the original Temptations were on there … and so was The Brooklyn Bridge. And The Brooklyn Bridge … with their lead singer, Johnny Maestro … what a voice! What a voice! Man, he was good.
kk: I just think it’s great that you can look back at all this stuff and have good memories of it all … it really was a magical time for The New Colony Six … and for music in general … a very exciting era to be a part of … and you guys were right there in the thick of it.
RR: I was blessed to get what I wanted – to get to do what I wanted to do – and I’m still doin’ it -most people never even get the chance.
kk: It’s true – and all these years later, people still remember the songs and they still mean something to them. I mean, a glowing letter like this one from Sam … you’re not even really aware at the time that your music is having that kind of an impact on people. I think sometimes you don’t realize how many lives you touch.
RR: Well, that’s exactly right … you don’t think about that … and I never thought about that … and now people come up to you and tell you that and maybe “I Will Always Think About You” was their wedding song, so that’s a nice feeling. Because you’re right, no, you don’t think about it at the time – I never thought about it. I just thought, “Yeah, we’re lucky we’ve got a winner” … and today when you see what kind of recognition people give you … or you go on the internet and people tell you what they think, it is VERY rewarding … and you can appreciate it all a lot more. Because, let’s face it, if it weren’t for them … the audience is everything.
Speaking of The New Colony Six, current leaders Ray Graffia, Jr. and Bruce Mattey will be headlining another Dick Biondi Fundraising Event on June 16th as part of the Lemont Car Show.
More details below …
Bring a chair and join us Thursday, June 16th (rain date Thursday, June 23) for an evening of incredible entertainment, food, beverages, and fun at the biggest classic car club show in the south suburbs! See legendary bands perform --
Ray Graffia
Jr. & Bruce Mattey from legendary 60s band, The New Colony
Six
Chicago's Original Garage Band The Cave Dwellers
Jimy Sohns, Lead Singer from The Shadows of Knight
Joe Cantafio, Keith Grant and Dean Milano
Emceed by Dennis "Big Bopper" Secara
Place your bids at our Silent Auction tables, get your official Dick Biondi Tee
and mug, and bring your friends to support the Dick Biondi
documentary. Admission at the gate is $10 cash only.
All proceeds benefit the Dick Biondi Film project.
Pam Pulice
And I guess we had the wrong date posted for the group’s upcoming Cornerstones Of Rock appearance at Milwaukee’s Summerfest …
CORRECTION: Summerfest has The Cornerstones Of Rock show booked on the 25th (Saturday), not the 23rd (Thursday) of June. Personally, I think it should be on the 23rd as that is (or was) Senior Day and there were substantial discounts for our age group on that day. Ever since the pandemic, a lot of the Senior specials and programs have disappeared.
Robert Campbell
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A few other photos Ray Graffia, Jr., sent in ... from some of these Cornerstones performances ...
These shows are ALWAYS a good time. (They'll be at The Genesee Theatre on October 1st, too!)
And let us not forget their upcoming induction into The Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next month either!!!
This all takes place on Sunday, June 5th, at The Rialto Theater in Joliet, IL … and tickets are still available. It is my understanding that members from various phases of the band are scheduled to appear and perform (but probably not Pat McBride!!! Lol)
More information here: https://www.roadtorock.org/
The New Colony Six have ALWAYS held a place deep in the heart of Forgotten Hits …
So congratulations again to one and all! (kk)
Another Chart Hits Recap (in a bit more detail this time around):
Peak Position Shown in (BB) Billboard Magazine (CB) Cash Box Magazine (RW) Record World Magazine – the three national trade publications – as well as WLS and WCFL, Chicago’s two 50,000 Watt Top 40 Radio Sations and, on the top entry (TT) – a chart discontinued in early 1966 when WCFL made transition over to Top 40 Pop, formerly known as The Top Tunes Of Greater Chicagoland
The New Colony Six charted 19 titles in all between the national and local charts … but, as Ray Graffia, Jr., mentioned above, some of their B-Sides also made some of the local charts elsewhere around the country as well. This chart shows the best “consensus” of their overall appeal … although I can promise you that even the briefest listen to some of these tracks will sway you over immediately to the “fan” side of the band. Garage, Punk, Pop, Ballads, Rock … these guys really did it all. (kk)
|
YEAR |
ARTIST |
SONG TITLE |
BB |
CB |
RW |
WLS |
WCFL |
TT |
|
1966 |
The New Colony Six |
I Confess |
80 |
71 |
64 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
|
1966 |
The New Colony Six |
I Lie Awake |
111 |
-- |
97 |
20 |
19 |
-- |
|
1966 |
The New Colony Six |
Cadillac |
-- |
-- |
-- |
27 |
EX |
-- |
|
1967 |
The New Colony Six |
Love You So Much |
61 |
55 |
55 |
2 |
4 |
-- |
|
1967 |
The New Colony Six |
You're Gonna Be Mine |
108 |
98 |
-- |
8 |
12 |
-- |
|
1967 |
The New Colony Six |
I'm Just Waitin' (Anticipatin' For Her To Show Up) |
128 |
-- |
-- |
14 |
16 |
-- |
|
1967 |
The New Colony Six |
Treat Her Groovy |
-- |
-- |
-- |
12 |
12 |
-- |
|
1968 |
The New Colony Six |
I Will Always Think About You |
22 |
22 |
19 |
1 |
1 |
-- |
|
1968 |
The New Colony Six |
Can't You See Me Cry |
52 |
69 |
52 |
10 |
13 |
-- |
|
1969 |
The New Colony Six |
Things I'd Like To Say |
16 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
3 |
-- |
|
1969 |
The New Colony Six |
I Could Never Lie To You |
50 |
40 |
40 |
7 |
13 |
-- |
|
1969 |
The New Colony Six |
I Want You To Know |
65 |
71 |
62 |
11 |
14 |
-- |
|
1970 |
The New Colony Six |
Barbara, I Love You |
78 |
93 |
82 |
13 |
29 |
-- |
|
1970 |
The New Colony Six |
People And Me |
116 |
-- |
-- |
32 |
-- |
-- |
|
1971 |
The New Colony Six |
Roll On |
56 |
63 |
63 |
-- |
10 |
-- |
|
1972 |
The New Colony Six |
Long Time To Be Alone |
93 |
-- |
95 |
-- |
13 |
-- |
|
1972 |
The New Colony Six |
Someone, Sometime |
109 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
19 |
-- |
|
1974 |
The New Colony Six |
Never Be Lonely |
-- |
-- |
123 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
1974 |
The New Colony Six |
I Don't Really Want To Go |
-- |
-- |
107 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
