Sunday, January 21, 2024

THE SUNDAY COMMENTS ( 01 - 21 - 24 )

Mary Weiss, lead singer of The Shangri-Las, is our latest rock and roll casualty …

She passed away on Friday (1/19) at the age of 75.

The Shangri-Las were one of many girl groups that lit up our radios in the 1960’s … although they just may have been the most bad-ass!

“Leader Of The Pack” was a #1 Record in 1964 … but the group also hit The Top Ten with “Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand)” and “I Can Never Go Home Anymore.”  (My favorite by them was their 1965 Top 20 Hit “Give Him A Great Big Kiss.”)

SO hard to believe that this week marked the eighth anniversary of the passing of Glenn Frey … all kinds of great musical headlines … “Heartache Tonight” … “Already Gone” … the band lives on and is now doing what they say will be their farewell tour.  (We get to see them in March … first time since Glenn’s passing … first time with his son Deacon Frey and Vince Gill as part of the band.)  We’re looking at it as a last hurrah, too … without question, one of the most PERFECT bands to see perform live in concert … we want OUR chance to say goodbye, too.  (kk)

New music from Justin Timberlake appears to be right around the corner … Justin will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live January 27th. (kk)

And speaking of new music, as if 30 tracks on her “Rockstar” LP wasn’t enough, Dolly Parton just released nine more in honor of her 78th birthday.

The one that seems to be getting the most attention is Dolly’s version of the Simon and Garfunkel classic, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” … but Dolly has also released her own takes on “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” “Two Tickets To Paradise,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and a remake of her own “Jolene,” featuring Måneskin.

You can preview all 39 tracks here:  https://rockcellarmagazine.com/dolly-parton-rockstar-deluxe-edition-listen-birthday/?utm_source=Rock+Cellar+Magazine+Subscribers&utm_campaign=1c27ae8507-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_8_26_2021_9_13_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_951cfef8de-1c27ae8507-162343372&mc_cid=1c27ae8507&mc_eid=f8f75f98ed

Hi Kent!

First off, I've been frequenting your site for many years, so I'd like to say THANKS for always making the site - and the info - consistently interesting!  I always find myself seeking out the tunes you mention.  Oh - and I LOVE following the weekly charts!

FYI:

Happy Days didn't make its TV series debut until January, 1974.  So I'm thinking that maybe it was, say, March or April that the photo was taken.  The show would have been picking up popularity by then.

In the World Of Nostalgia, even six months is a Long Time!

Sorry to be pedantic ... haha!!

Keep up the good work! It's very much appreciated!

Cheers!

Danny Hesse
I always felt it had to be later in order to give John time to become a fan of the show … but Shelley seemed to find a timeline that pegged it as 1973 … but obviously NOT if the show didn’t even premier until 1974!  Hmmm! 

A quick search says January of 1974 … Lennon showed up during the filming of Episode 4, when he and son Julian had their picture taken with the cast.  (Of course, John was a real-life Teddy Boy … a whole lot tougher … and meaner … than The Fonz … and his love of this music is what inspired the birth of The Beatles.)  kk

 

Speaking of The Beatles, here’s Harvey Kubernik’s take on the Beatles Hollywood Connection …

https://ugly-things.com/the-beatles-their-hollywood-and-los-angeles-connection/

 

Wow!  Check out this line-up of artists performing at this year’s New Orleans Jazz Festival … INCREDIBLE!!!

The Rolling Stones, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Chris Stapleton, Jon Batiste, Queen Latifah, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Earth Wind and Fire, The Beach Boys, Fantasia, The Wallflowers, Joe Bonamassa, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, The Allman Betts Band, Tower of Power and many, many, MANY more!!!

You’ll find the complete schedule here:  https://www.noise11.com/news/the-rolling-stones-neil-young-and-foo-fighters-to-play-new-orleans-jazz-fest-20240119

 

(I’m sorry … this is a JAZZ festival, right?!?!?)  kk

 

And this Timely Reminder from our Forgotten Hits Public Service Director, Chuck Buell ...

 

Today, the price for first-class postage stamps, better known as the “Forever” Stamps, increases twoo cents, from 66¢ to 68¢.

 

To mark the Day, here is the Special Collectable, “First Day of Issue” Commemorative Stamp ~~~

 


A far cry from the cost and designs of the first Official 5¢ US Mail Postage Stamps issued on July 1, 1847. 

 


And on this subject, I want to personally thank the US Postal Service for delivering so many Recyclables in the form of Ads, Brochures, Flyers, Notices and such directly to my mailbox!

 

Among all that volume, because we’re also constantly bombarded with solicitations from Charities of ALL kinds throughout the year, I decided that beginning last January 1, 2023 to keep every one we received for this past year whether we contributed or not.

 

Just look at this Pile of “Help Us!” Letters and Envelopes we got from just the past twelve-month period!

 


On the other hand, I do miss the mailings from Arbitron asking me to record my radio listening for a week along with an enclosed DOLLAR to do so!

( No, I never did that.  But I did keep the Dollar! )

BTW, here's a short video on "How the US Postal Service Sorts Mail."  Pretty remarkable!


Just getting my "two cents" in today and I’m confident you'll find it’s worth every penny!

 

CB ( which stands for “Cancellation Boy!” )

 

I dunno, man ...

 

Looks to me like The Post Office's got NOTHIN' on Lucy and Ethel ...

 

 

 And here's MY postal contribution for the day ... 

 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

Peter and Gordon record the Lennon and McCartney tune "A World Without Love" ... which will go on to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic in a few months. 

Although credited to Lennon and McCartney, this was a Paul song all the way ... in fact, he composed it while living at Peter Asher's home.  John reportedly never cared much for the song ... didn't feel it measured up to "Beatle Standards" ... so when Peter asked Paul if he and his singing partner Gorden Waller  might take a stab at it, Paul polished it off and handed it over with his blessings.

The arrangement is actually considerably more sophisticated than anything The Beatles themselves were recording at the time ... and it remains one of the great tracks to come out of The British Invasion.