That one-of-a-kind Bob Dylan recording of “Blowin’ In The Wind” we told you about last week sold for a little over $1.7 million, exceeding their expectations considerably.
Produced by T Bone Burnett, the new track was
recorded in 2021 as an Ionic Original — essentially a hybrid between CD and
vinyl formats … which just may be the future of the way the most perfect sound
imaginable may be achieved. (Jeez, if
one song sold for $1.7 million, what’s an entire album going to go for?!?!) My 1963 copy “as is” is good enough for me,
should I ever want to hear Dylan warble this tune again. (kk)
You’ll find a great article on Micky Dolenz, sent in by David Salidor, here:
And, speaking of Micky, you can watch his recent appearance
on the British television series “Good Morning Britain” via the link below.
(More from David Salidor) …
Micky Dolenz, in the U.K. for the just completed London and Film Comic Con, was set to be on the Good Morning Britain show Tuesday, but was postponed at the last minute due to the goings-on in the government there. Rescheduled for Thursday, he was on amazingly moments before PM Boris Johnson officially resigned. So, thank you Mr. Johnson.
Here's the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsAGoBRow1M&t=104s
The Eagles have added six Canadian dates to their Hotel California Tour …
September 9th in Toronto, ON at The Scotiabank
Arena
September 13th in Ottawa, ON at The Canadian Tire Centre
September 16th in Winnipeg, MB at The Canada Life Centre
September 18th in Saskatoon, SK at The SaskTel Centre
September 20th in Edmonton, AB at Rogers Place
And September 22nd in Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena
And, since we’re talking sixes, Carlos Santana postponed six more dates on his current Miraculous Supernatural Tour with Earth, Wind and Fire.
After collapsing on stage last Tuesday Night (July 5th) and being treated for what we’ve all been told was heat exhaustion and dehydration, it sounds like Carlos has wisely decided that it’s better to be safe than sorry …
Scheduled shows at The Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana (July 6th), the July 9th show at The Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the July 10th show at The American Family Insurance Amphitheater / Summerfest Grounds in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the July 12th at Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers, Arkansas, the July 15th show scheduled for The Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas, Texas and the July 16th show at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Woodlands, Texas, have all been postponed. (“Postponed” indicating that these dates would be rescheduled and made up at some point at time … although sadly, NOT as part of a double bill with Earth, Wind and Fire.)
Of course, we want Carlos to be in the best health possible before resuming ANY on stage appearances … but this is a real shame for fans who bought tickets for what can only be described as a superstar double-billing. More news as it becomes available. (kk)
“Bandala" was co-written (of course) by Wes Farrell, who produced all, and co-wrote plenty, of the Partridge repertory.
His credited co-writer was Eddie Singleton, who might be the same guy that lured Raynoma (a/k/a Miss Ray), an ex-wife of Berry Gordy, away from Motown in the 60s to help start a competing label, Shrine, and music publisher, Ramitary, in Washington DC. They only lasted a few years before Ray went back to Motown, and a few years later they divorced.
Later in the 70s, after a bit part in the Richard Pryor (!) / Harvey Keitel feature Blue Collar, the Singleton I'm thinking of turned to acting, appearing as one of the children first in an ABC Movie of the Week "dramedy, "Love Is Not Enough," and then in a short-lived series based on it, "Harris and Company," both led by Bernie Casey, a guy you might recognize from a whole pile of movie and TV roles (e.g. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure). Singleton passed in 2008.
Oh, and Phil Harris' "The Thing?" I recall hearing that as late as the mid-80s on a "Music of Your Life"-type AM station here in Pennsylvania.
--Bob Frable
I had forgotten ALL about “The Thing” until I heard it on Sirius XM’s ‘50’s Gold Channel. (That’s actually digging pretty far back, even for them … typically the music heard on this station ranges from 1955 – 1963 or the pre-Beatles era of rock and roll. Yeah, I know … so much for the station name! To me, they’d be better suited to calling themselves “The Golden Age Of Rock And Roll” … and then slipping in a few earlier tracks, especially some early R&B tracks, that helped pave the way for the rock and roll that took over the airwaves after Bill Haley and Elvis Presley exploded. (kk)
As we pass the halfway point of 2022 celebrity deaths, we lost actors James Caan and Larry Storch last week … which is really weird because I always got those two mixed up. (Yeah, right) How Storch was able to turn his F-Troop role into an entire career has always baffled me … but there is no question that Caan was a gifted and talented actor. (While all of the press seemed to focus on his role on “The Godfather,” for me my two favorite roles will always be “Misery” and as Brian Piccolo in “Brian’s Song.” And, of course, who could ever forget him as Elf’s Dad?!!??) kk
We also lost singer, game show host, talk show host, actor and stage performer Adam Wade last week (July 9th) Wade was 87 years old.
He scored three Billboard Top Ten Hits in 1961 … “Take Good Care Of Her” (#7), “The Writing On The Wall” (#5) and “As If I Didn’t Know” (#10)
And Manny Charlton, guitarist and founding member of Nazareth, who earned a #8 hit with their remake of “Love Hurts,” the Everly Brothers / Roy Orbison tune, passed away on July 6th. Nazareth placed TWO songs on our list of THE TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME … “Love Hurts” ranked at #993 while “Hair Of The Dog” came in at #1719.
Kent,
What you said at the bottom of today's FH is hitting the nail on the head.
You mentioning that you heard MR. SANDMAN and THIS MAGIC MOMENT is a way of keeping our music alive ... and it is indeed rare that you would hear these two songs in back-to-back commercials. But Kent, for the last week, I have heard about three different commercials on television for Walmart ... and in the background is Little Richard singing apparently three songs called FEELIN' SURPRISED, FEELIN' STRAPPED, and LIGHTS.
Now when I first heard these, I thought he was singing his BAMA LAMA, BAMA LOO ... and, to be honest with you, I have not really done any research here at home concerning these songs.
Is there some chance you might know the history of the songs or records?
Or maybe this was a Little Richard soundalike (?)
Larry
Checking Joel Whitburn’s Chart Comparison Book, I don’t see Little Richard charting with ANY of the tunes you mentioned other than the one you said it WASN’T … “Bama Lama, Bama Loo” peaked at #82 in 1964.
I happen to have The Complete Little Richard Specialty Recordings (but by ’64 he wasn’t with the label anymore … so this may not really be the “definitive” guide.)
Of the 73 tracks featured on this box set, I can’t find any of these titles listed.
However, I did find THIS … which refers to “Feelin’ Strapped” as a Little Richard song … https://www.ispot.tv/ad/blgj/walmart-feeling-strapped
As for the others, I wonder if perhaps the correct titles are confused (?)
For example, I found this …
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/blF7/walmart-feeling-squeezed-song-by-little-richard
(but it’s referred to as “Feeling Squeezed,” not “Feeling Surprised”)
And also this …
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OGFT/walmart-lights-song-by-little-richard
(which is really the song “Get Down With It,” even ‘tho the link says “Lights”)
I also found one called “Get Down With Summer” attributed to Little Richard.
(Sounds like he was “getting’ down” YEARS before KC and the Sunshine Band were!)
I could not find anything on these tracks … not even on YouTube ... so I’d have to say they’re pretty obscure (kinda like that Chuck Berry song that Amazon used about a year ago or so.) Maybe somebody else out there knows for sure? (kk)
One of the most forgotten of oldies has made it to Youtube.
I found a video of Hooty Sapperticker by Andy Rose & The Thorns, which also contains its back story and some audio and video of early 60's WLS. Check it out. You might find something new here.
Ed #1
June 22nd … a big day on WLS' Art Roberts show! Just got this from a friend – great memories!
Clark Besch
As much as this song has been connected to Art Roberts, it never charted on WLS despite his efforts to play and promote it. It DID, however, chart on the WJJD / Top Tunes of Greater Chicagoland as an “extra.” (kk)
Tom Cuddy sent us this official video clip of the new Chicago track “If This Is Goodbye,” which still begs the question “What does it mean?!?!”
The band insists this is NOT their way of announcing their retirement … but it sure comes across that way. I guess only time will tell. (Their new LP will be out this Friday, June 15th.)
Meanwhile, Chicago is currently on the road with Brian Wilson … and we’ll be at their show here in Chicago on July 24th. (kk)
And, Chuck Buell reveals an interesting Forgotten Hit Story for us that you may not otherwise be aware of …
He points out …
Fifty-nine years ago, in the Summer of 1963, Rolf Harris’ “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” became a Number Three Song on Billboard’s Hot 100.
And Kangaroos have been dancing to it ever since!
The story goes that in 1960, Harris originally offered four unknown Australian backing musicians 10% of the royalties for the song, but they chose they'd rather take a low, flat one-time recording fee because they thought the song would be a big bust.
Instead, it became a Number One Hit in Australia and a Top 10 hit in the UK. And with that success, three years later in 1963, Harris re-recorded the song with George Martin as the producer ( yes, that George Martin ) and, according to Joel Whitburn, that remake was the one that hit Number 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 while also spending three weeks at Number One on the Easy Listening Chart. Joel also noted it was a surprise hit on the US R&B Chart where it went to No. 19.
Now then, did you know “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” was also covered by the likes of . . .
Pat Boone?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjbNblrAJXc
The Brothers Four?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M1crgXf_9A
The Ray Conniff Singers?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5WMdavAIoo
And several others, including the Beatles?!
Yep!
Sometime in 1963, a version by Rolf Harris singing with the Beatles appeared on the album, “The Beatles Complete BBC Sessions” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUod6RYBkTY
Now, with all that being said, and if it’s stirred a desire within you to own your very own Kangaroo, here in the U.S. is where you can and cannot legally do so.
Meanwhile, I’m off to waltz with Matilda!*
CB ( which stands for “Cangaroo Boy!” )
* “Waltizing Matilda,” another one of Australia's best known songs which has also been called Australia’s “unofficial national anthem!”
Many years ago the printing company I was working for was asked if we would be interested in printing the list of The Memorial Day 500 for the oldies station in town at the time, WJMK (Magic 104)
I told them, “Yes … but ONLY if “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” was listed at #1.”
(Yes, that really happened!)
Of course I was kidding … and of course the guy from the radio station's promotion department was dumbstruck ... and of course this song didn’t even make the list of Top 500 Favorites … but what struck me as exceptionally odd was the fact that we were PRINTING the list three full weeks before the program was due to air over Memorial Day Weekend … and all the while during those three weeks, the station was still encouraging their listeners to cast their votes for their favorites, all the while knowing that the list had already been decided!!! And I couldn’t help but wonder if the listeners’ votes had anything at all to do with the final outcome. (I didn’t see how it possibly could have!!!)
Ah yes … just one more peek behind the curtain to see how the business of radio REALLY works!!!
(If I remember correctly, the #1 Song that year was “I Should Have Known Better” by The Beatles … which itself was a HUGE surprise as this was a B-Side to The Beatles’ #1 Hit “A Hard Day’s Night” … and while the station certainly DID play it quite a bit, it was hardly the song that one would expect to finish at the top of the list of all-time favorites!) kk
Oh … and by the way … the Pat Boone version got played as an “extra” here in Chicago, never officially making the Top 40 Chart … but earning a mention on the old Top Tunes of Greater Chicagoland Chart distributed in record stores all over the city. Still, it was the Rolf Harris version that was the runaway hit ... a complete novelty of a different kind than we had ever heard before! (kk)
More from Chuck …
Yesterday,
July 11th, was “World
Population Day.”
(NO!
That doesn’t mean to take “action” to help Populate the Earth! C’mon, you
Guys! Stop It!)
According to the United Nations, the world's
population will hit 8 billion people this year, up from 7 billion just ten
or so years ago in 2011.
And get this. Of all the American Adults who
make up part of the increasing American population, Seven Percent of
them believe that Chocolate Milk comes from . . . I’m not kidding here . . .
that Chocolate Milk comes from BROWN COWS! Sounds like an Elementary School
Joke, but it’s not!
This “moo-ving” statistic is the result of a
National Survey commissioned by the Center for United States Dairy.
Coincidentally, those over 16 million adult believers equal more than
the entire population of the State of Pennsylvania! And while PA is ranked only
22nd in population of cows of all colors, Hershey, PA is
considered the Chocolate Capital of the World!
Well, “How Now Brown Cow?" I ask!
Now then, circling back, for those of you who insist “World Population Day” is
a call to continue to add to the 8 Billion inhabitants we already have, here's my
Special “CB World Populating Minute Medley" just for you!
CB (which stands for “Cow Boy!”)
OK, we’ve done it again …
Paired two great Chicago dee-jays in the same post!
If Chuck’s little medley makes you feel even the least bit amorous, can we PLEASE just keep the cows out of it!!!
Jonathon Brandmeier and his group Johnny and the Leisure Suits put a real-life news story about a man breaking into Lincoln Park Zoo to have sex with a cow to music … and it became quite a popular feature of his Johnny In The Morning radio show! (kk)
