Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Sunday Comments ( 12 - 23 - 12 )


It's a short-but-sweet, "Skinny Edition" of The Sunday Comments this week ... but a chance to clear the decks. (The mail bag's been pretty light as we get closer to the holidays)

Meanwhile, here's a big of reading to slip in between the stockings and the eggnog!    

re: WINTER SONGS:
Two lesser known 70’s Winter tunes:
Winter Time - Steve Miller
Winter Song - Angel
Ken
thought about featuring the Steve Miller track (a very pretty song actually) but it just goes against my being right now to give this guy even one second more of public airtime ... when literally EVERY time I turn on the radio he is playing on at least one or two radio stations as it is!!! (kk)  

In regards to winter songs, there is Wintertime Love by the Doors from their Waiting For The Sun album. There is also an excellent doo-wop record by the Belmonts called Wintertime.
Mark the Shark   

Wow Kent!
Thanks so much for posting "A Winter Song". My wife, Janine, wrote the lyrics.
Happy Holidays to you and yours and to the fans of your great site.
Davie Allan
   


Kent,
The playlist for today further illustrates the broad variety of popular music we grew up with.
Excellent selections top to bottom.
David Lewis  
 


re: END OF THE WORLD SONGS:
Well, we're still here (surprise, surprise) ... meanwhile, I received a few other "end of the world" song suggestions ... some of which were featured on various radio programs on Friday ... see what you think!   

The End Of The World by Skeeter Davis and Herman's Hermits
It's The End Of The World As We Know It by REM
Goodbye Cruel World by James Darren
Make The World Go Away by Eddy Arnold and Timi Yuro
Till The World Ends by Three Dog Night
Until The End Of The World by U2
The End Of The Road by Boyz II Men
Hello Goodbye by The Beatles
Good Night by The Beatles
Helter Skelter by The Beatles
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith (from "Armageddon")
The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore by The Walker Brothers
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue by Bob Dylan
Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan
The Final Countdown by Europe
Say Goodbye To Hollywood by Billy Joel
Reach Out Of The Darkness by Friend and Lover
It's All Over Now by The Rolling Stones
Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones
Out Of Time by The Rolling Stones    

Happy Apocalypse Day!! MERRY CHRISTMAS if that doesn't happen. Check out forecast for Saturday. Should be easy shopping day! Haha
Clark


re: MERRY CHRISTMAS:
One of my very favorite Christmas specials has always been "Christmas and then Some." The program runs a little over 9 hours and fits on 7 cds or 1 cd as mp3 files.
Over the years I have shared this program with many of my friends and relatives. This year I have decided to share it with everyone I know that has a computer.
All you need to do is click on the links below and download the program into your computer. From there you can burn it to cd as either an audio disc (7) or mp3 data disc (1)
and play it through the sound system of you choice. If you have any problems downloading and need help, just contact me. Attached you will find the song listings and CD covers.
Enjoy "Christmas and then Some" and have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful and exciting New Year.
Bill   

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO ALL OF OUR READERS! (kk)   

re: TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
Hi Kent,
Thanks so much for your recent posting of Nathan Jones which was an auditory treat. Also, thanks also for including The Angels, Thank You And Goodnight as a top girl group track on a post from two or so months ago. This is a all-time favorite of mine from around this time in 1963: just on the eve of the British Invasion. I am reading FH postings more regularly in the last few months and continue to be amazed by the collective musical knowledge and great memories shared by fellow subscribers.
Bless your continued work,
Justin     

>>>HERE IS MY QUESTION ... DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE IS A DEFINITE BOOK ON RECORD LABELS? I FOR ONE, WOULD LOVE TO SEE A BOOK ON THE GREAT RECORD LABELS OF THE 50'S THRU THE 70'S. (MIKE)
>>>Not quite sure what you're going for here ... a book of photographs showing all the different labels? Or a listing of what was released on all of these various different labels? Like a catalog listing of their entire output. I remember YEARS ago a guy by the name of Ken Clee published such a book, listing the catalog number for each release along with who and what were ON that release ... but I'm going back a good 20-25 years. If somebody knows of some other good label sources, please let us know. (Mike Callahan has also done some extensive studies in this area if I'm not mistaken. You can find some of his stuff online in the "Both Sides Now" category.) kk
One of your readers wanted some info on any books pertaining to record labels.
I have three such sources and I am sure a lot of your readers have these as well.
1. The Directory of American 45 r.p.m. Records (Volumes 1-6). You were right. This was put out by Ken Clee, located in Stevens, Pa. 17578. Phone #(717)-336-2355. Highly recommended in my opinion.
2.The Record Label Guide by Joe Lindsay. Published by Biodisc in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Address was POB 8221 with a zip of85251-8221. This book was published in 1986 and covers LP's primarily.
3.American Premium Record Guide-Identification and Value Guide by L.R. Docks published in 1986.
Put out by Books Americana, POB 2326 in Florence, Alabama 35630.
The above addresses and phone numbers I listed may or may not still be correct.
Larry Neal
Sometimes you can find used copies of these types of books online, too. Here's at least a good starting point for you! (kk)
Kent -
What I was looking for was more of history on record labels. How long was (is) the label around, who founded it, the artists that recorded for the label, etc.
Thanks, Kent, for this and for all you do. I would not miss your site as it is entertaining, and informative. You treat everyone with respect from the record artist, DJ'S to the average guy or gal that loves music. To you and your wife Have a Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year. Please no more computer crashes ... gotta get my music fix! Hopefully catch ya at a summer fest or if you have a special gatherings (like the movie at the Music Box a few years ago). Love ya man!
Mike De Martino 
 


>>>I've made this video trying to find out what this song is ? Do you know it ?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGtAKr24Nvc&feature=player_detailpage
If so, THANK YOU! (♫ Larry in Winston-Salem, N.C.)
>>>This a classical piece called "Jeau, Joy of Man's Desiring", written by Johann Sebastian Bach in the 1700's! It became a Top Five Smash in 1972 when Apollo 100 released a contemporary version. (Of course THEIR ending isn't anywhere near as cool as yours!!! Lol) kk
"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" ... wasn't that also Wendy (after the sex change) Carlos' SWITCHED ON BACH's, JOY?
RENFIELD
Yep ... one and the same. The Apollo 100 hit single was also titled simply "Joy". (kk)

Hello Kent et al,
I am looking for vintage late 60s radio spots for Tab cola. There was one in particular that had a kind of hippie-trippy sound that was typical of many commercials from that time. I believe that this same commercial (Be A Mind Sticker) was also done in a faster, louder rock format.
Best,
Justin
St. Paul, MN
We've devoted several pages of readers obsessed with finding their favorite commercials ... why stop now! I know we've got some real collectors out there for this stuff ... anybody got a copy of this one to share? (kk)  

re: THIS AND THAT:
Thanks for the mention for "I'll Cry Instead". People who diss the earlier stuff (like, "I only dig the SERIOUS STUFF from Rubber Soul and on"), just miss the entire magical feel of what Beatlemania really feels like.
I particularly like the Joe Cocker version as well. Think I read that was Cocker's first single. Definitely more true to the original than his later interpretations (not really "covers").
Dan  

The 2013 Malt Shop Cruise lineup so far includes Neil Sedaka, Petula Clark, Bobby Rydell, Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Lesley Gore, Freddy Cannon, Gary U.S. Bonds, Shirley Alston Reeves (original lead singer of The Shirelles), Chris Montez , The Four Tops, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Jay Siegel's Tokens, The Crystals, The Passions, The Eternals, The Devotions, The Emotions, MC Jerry Blavat and comedian Robert Klein. The Elvis tribute artists include Mark Anthony,
Jay Dupuis, Dwight Icenhower, Gino Monopoli, Anthony Von, Jay Zanier and The EAS Band.
Nearly half of the guests have already booked for Malt Shop Memories Cruise 2013!
Liz and Lou / Keep Rockin' Magazine
Wow! Quite a line-up! (kk)   

Kent,
Lee Dorman Dead: Iron Butterfly Bassist Dies at the Age of 70
Former Iron Butterfly bassist Lee Dorman has passed away.
The 70-year-old was found dead outside of his home in Orange County, Calif. earlier today (Dec. 21).
According to a report on TMZ, officers showed up to Dorman's home around 10AM and found him dead, sitting in his car. The authorities do not suspect any foul play and Dorman reportedly suffered from heart problems.
Dorman joined Iron Butterfly in late 1967, and played on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," the 17-minute title track to the San Diego-based group's second album. The song went on to become Iron Butterfly's biggest hit and a classic rock radio staple.
-- BD Poe    

Jimmy McCracklin, best known for his 1958 hit, "The Walk" (#7 pop, #5 R&B), died Thursday (December 20) at a health facility in San Pablo, California after battling illnesses like diabetes and hypertension for years. Though he often disputed it, he was 91. Born in Helena, Arkansas as James Walker, he grew up in St. Louis. Serving in the Navy during World War II, he then returned home to box professionally while singing and playing blues harmonica on the side. Moving to Oakland in 1947, he worked at his sister-in-law's bar there, forming a band called the Blues Blasters in 1949. Recording for over a decade with little success for labels like Globe and Modern, he and his band (billed simply as "his band") recorded "The Walk" for Checker Records while working in Chicago (with distinctive guitar riffs from Lafayette "Thing" Thomas). Despite some success on the R&B charts, it was four more years before he reached the pop charts again, with "Just Got To Know" for his own Art-tone Records(#64 pop, #2 R&B in 1962). Joining the Imperial label, he reached the bottom ten of the pop charts three times in 1965 at which time his legacy was already established as a blues great. Perhaps his biggest hit was a song he wrote with Lowell Fulson and later a hit for Carla Thomas & Otis Redding and even later for Salt-n-Pepa- "Tramp." He was given the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1990.
-- Ron Smith


In talking about Chad & Jeremy's GREAT version of "If I Loved You", Jeff Lynne of ELO has followed in Paul Mcartney's footsteps and issued a CD of older standards from 30's to 60's. It's actually pretty good. I LOVE his version of "She" and "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered" -- he sounds a lot like Macca himself when not double and tripling his voice. Aside from the drum machine backbeat sound, his take on "If I Loved You" is excellent, too. He also does both vocals on the Everlies' "So Sad" very well and a nice job on the vocally stressing Orbison tune "Running Scraed"!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! WLSClark
I sneak-peeked all of these tracks after watching the Palladia Jeff Lynne television special ... Lynne went in and recorded this album of "standards" while simultaneously rerecording a good chunk of the Electric Light Orchestra catalog, releasing both CDs together. Listening to his version of "If I Loved You", I not quite as enamored with it as you are ... I think there are much stronger tracks to be found on this album. (kk)

Hello kk!
Now the other day you wrote about the "cut verse" of "Hang On Sloopy" and it made me realize no one is talking about the last uncut verse at all.
Now maybe it was just my dirty mind at the time but I always thought that that song was about Sloopy riding on top of her lover boy and he's telling her to "Hang on Sloopy" because they are going at it like two steam locomotives and that's what all the yelling and screaming is about on that section of the tune. The clincher is the opening line ... "Sloopy let your hair down, girl ... let it hang down on me."
So I always assumed he was underneath her and she is above him and it crescendos into a screamfest Bolero type climax that remained one of those giggle about tunes that stood atop the heap of other sexual innuendo laced hits much like Tommy James & The Shondells "I Think We're Alone Now" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIeRqPFJvXM and Paul Revere and the Raiders "Let Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REj9ctsLRKc and paved the way for The Raspberries in later years with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfgnc6Ey0q0
Also this next clip clears up the questions of The McCoy controversy.
And this island beat Hang On Sloopy remake in the 70's by The McCoys was quite risque with it's video vixen who traded in the old red dress for a braless short short ensemble.
All my friends insisted that the last verse of Brenton Wood's Oogum Boogum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXQxp-Q7U_4 contained the description of the slang for bottom and top anatomy of a woman and I for one agreed with them as it sounded like it to me, too.
This conversation could go on forever as music is quite rife with sex and those who hear in songs like Louie Louie and such "things".
Boobie VanHouten

Some GREAT clips here, Boobie! (I especially like the 1975 "Hang On Sloopy" remake with that little bit of reggae feel to it!) Thanks for sharing! (kk)

Friday, December 21, 2012

It's Now Winter's Day

Could there possibly be a more fitting track to feature on The First Day of Winter than Tommy Roe's 1967 #21 Hit "It's Now Winter's Day"?  'Tis the Season!  (We even got a light dusting of snow last night to officially bring in winter this year!)





Here's another recent Winter Favorite, courtesy of our FH Buddy Davie Allan.  Titled simply "Winter Song", we've featured this one the past couple of holiday seasons.



And a couple of Winter Suggestions from our readers ...

Hi Kent, 
A great song to welcome in winter and one of my favorite instrumentals is Frank Pursell’s Our Winter Love which I first heard around this time in 1962. 

We can accommodate that ... here's Bill's Top Ten Hit from 1963. (kk)
 


One of the most popular singers of the 1960's was Engelbert Humperdinck -- yet you rarely if ever hear any of his music on the radio today.  Wouldn't he qualify for one of your "forgotten hits"?
Marcy

You convinced me ... and, in keeping with today's theme, come join me in Engelbert's "Winter World Of Love", a #13 Hit in Early 1970.  (kk)



Hey Kent, 
You didn't mention it but Friday also, according to the Mayans, is supposed to be the last day of the World. 
What songs would be appropriate?
THE END OF THE WORLD, MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY (always did like Timi Yuro's version)
Larry Neal


Just trying to stress the positive I guess!   
We just featured both the Skeeter Davis AND the Herman's Hermits versions of "End Of The World" ... so how about this great Forgotten Hit from 1961.  (kk)




Just thought of another one ... here's Three Dog Night's last charted single (from 1975), "'Til The World Ends".




Here's hoping the world DOESN'T end today ... this would be a pretty lame "last edition ever" of Forgotten Hits!!!  (lol)  I just know we can do better!

By the way, Bob Stroud will be featuring HIS Musical Version of "The End Of The World" today on The Drive's Ten At 10 feature ... you can tune in and "Listen Live" here at both 10 am and 10 pm (Chicago time):



Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday This And That

re: MERRY CHRISTMAS:  
To my "Oldies" community friends,  
My "Santa's Stuck Up In The Chimney" video has gone over the 1,000,000 hits mark on You Tube.
================================ 
Thanks for the hits and thanks for the Christmas plays!
=================================
Now ... How to spread the word to radio Christmas programmers for next year? 
Thanks again. You all have been very important to me. 
Have a great holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy 2013, 
Paul Evans  
We've been putting the word out for several years now, Paul ... I think it's a great track ... and with 1,000,000 hits I can't believe radio hasn't added it as at least a Christmas holiday novelty track each season. Cool tune! (kk)






Best wishes for a peaceful and safe, prosperous season and new year. 
TOMMY ROE  
www.tommyroeonline.com  
Look for a long-forgotten Tommy Roe track tomorrow in Forgotten Hits! (More info below) kk   

This sounds like some interesting Christmas programming ... Forgotten Hits for Christmas!!!  (Several years ago Jim Shea and I put together a list of long-forgotten Christmas tunes to play on his program ... and we had a ball. And then, to cap it all off, he even played my "Lonely Christmas" tune!!!)  Check it out:    

WLTL 88.1 brings back a holiday tradition. First aired 
on 1530 WJJG “A Hometown Christmas” was heard  

between 1995-2010, playing the holiday hits from  

the golden age of top 40. After a one-year hiatus, on 

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 “A Hometown Holiday” 


will broadcast from 7 in the morning till 4 in the 

afternoon on WLTL 88.1 FM. Hosted by Mike Baker 

And The Forgotten 45s, the holiday special also will
 

be available via the free tune in app. A one hit 

wonder Christmas listing is posted at 




Mike Baker





Ah ... what the heck!!!  (Maybe we'll get six more views!!!) kk  
Click here: Kent Kotal - Lonely Christmas - YouTube   

re: THE BEACH BOYS:

re: THIS AND THAT:

Kent ... 
Nancy & the wrong Frank.  
Frank B.  
I remember watching this when it first aired on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and thinking "OK, what's creepier ... singing a love song with your father or singing a love song with your brother???" Too close to call ... but Frank, Jr. DOES sound a little bit like his old man on this take, a bit sped up from the hit single but still getting the point across.




And, for some "slowed down" Nancy, check out this clip of her doing the Cher song "Bang Bang", resurrected a few years ago for the "Kill Bill" movie franchise. (kk)





Kent,
Just like in Chicago, Fleetwood Mac's 1969 instrumental ALBATROSS made our local survey peaking at #29. (Epic) Also, you mentioned the Vibrations' version of HANG ON SLOOPY and posted it. It reminded me and I had to get it out one more time to play it, their 1961 Checker release THE WATUSI.
Thanks again for the memories

Larry

Listening back to The Vibrations' recording of "My Girl Sloopy" today, it's hard to believe that this was EVER a Top 40 Hit back in the day. By the time this record hit the charts, American was in the midst of full throttle Beatlemania ... SO few non-British acts were getting airplay ... it's REALLY hard to believe that this one (which is literally falling apart throughout!) became one of those rare exceptions to the rule. (kk)



Still reading your installments and it's really impressive ... forgotten hits has really developed over years, it is one of a kind! ...
... Kinda like the Beatles, which no one could ever really match, so here's "I'll Cry Instead" ... hopefully capturing some essence des Beatles but certainly not trying to clone the original ... also, I'm sure you'd love to hear how things are going here at Wilfred Studios these days. So please check out the latest.
Got the SOMETHING NEW LP from a kid up the street for walking over to the gas station and picking him up a 30 cent pack of Marlboros.
Dan Hudelson


Hi Dan!  Long time, no talk! (Speaking of which, that must have been a LONG time ago when Marlboros were still only 30-cents a pack!!!)
Cool little rockabilly rave-up of "I'll Cry Instead", not one of The Beatles songs that's been played to death. (Just in case there's anybody out there who doesn't already know this, "I'll Cry Instead" was one of THREE singles released to cash in on The Beatles' first film "A Hard Day's Night" and, backed with "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You", it climbed to #22 on the U.S. Pop Singles Chart. (It was never released as a single in Great Britain.  Here in the States, the record was edited to repeat a verse, adding just over a minute to the overall length of the song.) Dropped from the film (but later reinstated before the opening credits when the movie was first released on video decades later), this is a great little John rocker. Billy Joel did an EXCELLENT live version of this song, too ... it was featured as the B-Side of his "An Innocent Man" single.  We've featured it once or twice before in Forgotten Hits.
And, because SOMEBODY is going to ask ... the OTHER movie singles released by Capitol in the Summer of '64 were "A Hard Day's Night" / "I Should Have Known Better" and "And I Love Her" / "If I Fell". The only official NEW movie song NOT released as a single was "Tell Me Why" ... but radio still played the heck out of it anyway! (kk)

FH Reader Tom Diehl sent us a cleaned-up version of the live Billy Joel track ... along with HIS favorite cover version of "I'll Cry Instead"  ...



My favorite version of the song is an early release by Joe Cocker. 
Tom



Joe Cocker launched his career doing interesting interpretations of Beatles tunes ... in addition to "I'll Cry Instead" (his first US single), Joe also did amazing reworkings of "With A Little Help From My Friends" (I like Joe's version better than The Beatles' original!) and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window."  (kk)



Sitting here playing that spot you sent out today and my wife walks in and yells "Sun-In! I used that. With not so great results. It gave me a green spot in the back of my head." 

David Lewis  
From what I understand, she's not the only one! (lol) kk
 
re: COLLECTING RADIO SURVEYS:

I saw on your site that Jack Levin had posted that he had old record charts by the assload and that they were in mint condition. Well I ordered the charts I was interested in from the Chitown stations back in 67 from him. Anybody interested in these charts should give him a feel. After I sent him his fair asking price, he promptly forwarded what he said he would. These charts had coffee stains and were water damaged LOL. No, really, they were mint and in pristine condition with no fold marks and everything exactly as he said they'd be. He had packaged them meticulously so even an inept mailman couldn't damage them. Give him a shout and help him out, he is a standup guy. PS: I also liked that you don't have to wait weeks for your check to hit your statement. I'd venture to say that no more than 20 minutes goes by from his hand going into the mailbox and the check being deposited in his bank. I vouch for Jack. I'm just messin wif ya Jack.
Alex Valdez
I've known Jack for over thirty years ... we met thru a mutual interest in collecting WLS and WCFL surveys ... he's just stayed with it longer than I have, supplying mint copies to the world at large ever since. Sounds like you've had some pleasant dealings together, too, so happy to post this glowing endorsement. (We told FH Readers a few weeks ago about a haul of literally THOUSANDS of old WLS and WCFL Surveys that Jack was making available to sell and, from the sounds of things, quite a few readers contacted him about them, supplying the "want lists" and such.) kk

Please thank him for the endorsement and thank you, too, Kent. I gotta post some small to mid market surveys I recently picked up. There are some MAJOR surprises. I gotta say that WLS and especially WCFL missed the boat on a lot of songs. 
Jack (The survey Kahuna)


re: BOBBY GOLDSBORO:

Kent,
Enjoyed hearing the song by Bobby Goldsboro which you had posted. What a ton of hits he had back in the sixties which one doesn't hear on the radio anymore. It reminded me of one he made in 1968, a song called PLEDGE OF LOVE which peaked at number 5 here in OKC but didn't chart nationally. I thought it should have been a bigger hit than what it was.
Incidentally, speaking of Bobby Goldsboro, remember when he appeared occasionally on shows like the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, in his conversations he sometimes made a noise like a chirping cricket.
Larry
P.S. Whatever became of Mr. B. G. anyway?

I wasn't familiar with "Pledge Of Love" ... so I had to look that one up! Looks like it "bubbled under" in Billboard, reaching #118 as half of a two-sided hit. (The flipside "Jo Jo's Place" peaked at #111.)

Not only did Goldsboro appear on a wide assortment of television shows in the '60's and '70's, he also hosted his own for three years. His "tree frog" sound was one of his trademark bits.
In the brand new book "Where Have All The Pop Stars Gone, Volume Two", Bobby tells authors Jeff March and Marti Smiley Childs: "I started doing it back in the seventh grade. I would spook all the teachers and everybody would laugh. I did it on 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' when he was still in New York. He'd be asking me questions and I'd do the frog sound and then I would answer the question. He would be looking around. Finally, after two or three times, Johnny said 'I hate to interrupt you, but there's a cricket or frog or something in here,' and the audience just starts laughing. Then I told him it was me."
The hits pretty much stopped with 1973's "Summer (The First Time)", a song that Bobby says he believes is the best song he has ever written. As for what he's been doing since, he's been INCREDIBLY busy! Bobby has written several childrens' books including "Snuffy, The Elf Who Saved Christmas" and "Easter Egg Morning". These have branched off into television specials and series on both The Disney Channel and PBS. In "The Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon" Bobby got to bring back his tree frog character in the form of "Ribbit E. Lee", a Southern frog who teaches children valuable lessons in self-esteem. A book called "The Boy Who Became A Frog" followed (keeping the gimmick alive!) and ... for his 65th birthday ... Bobby took up oil painting!!! And he's damn good at it, too ... check out his website! (kk)
re: TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:  
Hi Kent, 
Thank you for posting "If I Loved You" ... my Mom used to sing that all the time ... she had a lovely voice. 
It seems to me that since the new computer there is a freshness to the FH site ... not that it wasn't good before ... it just feels to me that you have a renewed energy and I am really enjoying what you have been doing. Thanks again. 
Stacee 
Hearing "If I Loved You" was quite a pleasant surprise for me, too. I always liked Chad and Jeremy (and every once in a while will throw on the "The Redcoats Are Coming" episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show just for fun!) Other forgotten favorites include "Willow Weep For Me" (#15, 1965) and "I Don't Wanna Lose You Baby" (#33, 1965), along with their two best known hits "Yesterday's Gone (#21, 1964) and "A Summer Song" (#6, 1964). Because my Mom had a Chad and Jeremy album, I knew THEIR version of the Lennon and McCartney tune "From A Window" (#79, 1965) before I knew the Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas version! Oops ... I left out two other Chad and Jeremy Top 40 Hits ... "Before And After" (#15, 1965) and "Distant Shores" (#30, 1966) ... that makes seven Top 40 charters in all ... so how come we only ever get to hear "A Summer Song" by these guys?!?!? (kk)


And, since you mentioned it, I absolutely DO want to take just a moment (as 2012 draws to a close) to thank everybody once again who made getting this new computer possible ... I honestly can't even imagine not having spent the last six months with all of you guys ... and I think we HAVE put together some pretty amazing new series during that time ... so it's great to hear that YOU guys think so, too. This has been a very tough year ... and I'm still not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel any time soon ... so please know just how very, very much it means to have had your support to keep Forgotten Hits going another year. I can honestly say that I couldn't have done it without you ... so, from the bottom of my heart, thanks again. (kk)


Kent,
You asked the question when was the last time one heard NATHAN JONES on the radio.  

The last time I heard it on the radio was the last time I had a bowl of that chili that is advertised on television. I had that bowl of chili while I was vacationing in New York City. New York City!!!! I' ll have to admit that that's too long.
Larry Neal



Thanks for posting the song "Nathan Jones", Kent. One of my top three Supreme songs ever. Bought it the day I first heard it. 
Alex Valdez


Kent,
I noticed from today's comments (Tuesday) that on Friday you will be welcoming Winter in. First songs that came to my mind were IT'S NOW WINTERS DAY by TOMMY ROE and a record that was top 10 here in OKC back in 1969 by a group called Rejoice on Dunhill. The name of the song was NOVEMBER SNOW, which I believe did not chart nationally. 

Larry  
Proving once again that great minds think alike, we will, indeed, feature Tommy Roe's "It's Now Winter's Day" on the First Day of Winter ... I believe this marks the THIRD time we've done that in the past 14 years that Forgotten Hits has existed. (And those are probably the ONLY three times you've heard that song during that time period, too! lol) kk