re: BOBBY
PURIFY:
Singer of 'I'm Your Puppet' dies in Florida at 72
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Robert Dickey, a guitarist and singer in the group that recorded the hit song "I'm Your Puppet," has died.
The 72-year-old died in his hometown of
Tallahassee on Dec. 29. His death was confirmed by a Tallahassee funeral home.
No cause was given.
Dickey began his musical career during the
`60s and spent time touring with various soul and rhythm and blues singers such
as Otis Redding. He eventually became part of the soul group "James and Bobby
Purify."
The duo had its biggest hit in the fall of
1966 when "I'm Your Puppet" hit the Top 10. The group has also had a hit with a
rendition of "Shake Your Tail Feather."
Dickey told The Tallahassee Democrat back in
2000 that he never liked "I'm Your Puppet," which was written by Spooner Oldham
and Dan Penn, who also authored other hits from the same time period.
"I hated it," Dickey told the newspaper when
he was honored as part of a Florida rock and roll exhibition held at the Museum
of Florida History. "It was originally intended to be the B-side. But things got
changed ... I sang it for 23 hours straight (in the studio), that's why I hate
it."
Dickey wound up quitting his professional
music career and returned to Tallahassee in 1972. He became a city maintenance
supervisor but he also kept singing and playing guitar with his church and as a
member of the Bethlehem Male Singers.
-- submitted by RIP Renfield
They're dropping like flies. That guy who
was in Iron Butterfly and moved on to Captain Beyond. One of Dion's Belmonts.
But the death that affected me most was that of Bobby Purify.
Actually, I
just learned today that there were two Bobbys. But this is the one who sang on
"I'm Your Puppet". A song that only went to number six which I was unmoved by
when I was thirteen but now illuminates the entire landscape of my formative
years.
I know, I know, we still have hits today. But they're not ubiquitous.
You can go to number one and still most of America doesn't know you. And the
songs all sound the same. With beats and raps and youngsters imploring you to
pay attention, they need to get rich, quick!
The original Bobby Purify
retired and went into maintenance.
That's how it used to be. Music was
something you did, something you passed through on your way to your permanent
job. Getting ripped off was part of the process. Your career was a fling. And
unlike today, when people post YouTube clips and wonder why they're not
instantly famous, it was understood that most people would never make it and
those that did might still be forgotten.
"I'm Your Puppet" was cowritten by
Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn, legends unknown to most punters today. They were
the names in parentheses, on the 45s, on labels that were anything but corporate
monoliths.
"I'm Your Puppet" is slow and dated and just perfect. There's a
simple piano intro, an organ, a drum, just a basic track until the horns come
in, but what makes the track is the vocals.
You start off their puppet and
then you either get angry about it or they're unimpressed anyway. But in the
beginning, you're high on life and love and you'll do anything for a
smile.
James & Bobby Purify are not singing for Procter & Gamble, not
to be on the cover of a magazine, they sound like men down the street telling
their story. Hell, until today I wasn't even sure they were African-American.
Because you see back then songs were something you heard, not something you saw.
They infected you and created movies that play in your head for the rest of your
life.
"I'm Your Puppet" doesn't bring back the highlights of my life, rather
it sheds light on the mundane life walking the halls of junior high, spending
Sundays at the JCC. What did John Lennon say, life is what happens when you're
busy making other plans?
If you don't know this record, I'm gonna link to it.
As well as versions by the Box Tops, Yo La Tengo and one of the writers, Dan
Penn. You see, a great song can be sung by anybody, especially you, driving
along in your car, walking from the driveway to the front door.
And I don't
think "I'm Your Puppet" is forever. Very little is. Shakespeare, Beethoven and
probably the Beatles. But not Spielberg, certainly not the American Idols and
not James & Bobby Purify either. But if you were alive back then, they were
best friends, they were a building block of your life.
And when they start
removing blocks you're reminded life is like Jenga, and eventually it implodes
and everything you've built disappears, you're gone.
Bobby Purify's been gone
less than a week. I'm luxuriating in a track he despised for the amount of work
involved, but right now it sounds effortless and so right.
Bob Lefsetz
I don't know that I
could EVER refer to a song that peaked at #6 on the pop charts as "only" going
to #6 ... especially in what was perhaps the most creative and exciting time in
music we've ever experienced! Seems like one hell of an accomplishment to me!
A new version of "I'm Your Puppet" (by John Legend) was recently featured in the
critically-panned film "Soul Men" starring Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie
Mac. (I don't care ... it made ME laugh!!!) Maybe not a timeless classic ...
and you're right, a VERY simple arrangement ... but it still sounds pretty darn
good to me! (kk)
Robert Lee Dickey, who performed with his cousin James as
James & Bobby Purify, died Sunday (December 29). He was 72. The Florida duo
charted eight times from 1966 to 1968, most notably with "I'm Your Puppet" (#6 -
1966) and "Shake A Tail Feather" (#25 - 1967). Robert was replaced for health
reasons by Buddy Grubbs (for one record) and by Ben Moore (permanently) in 1971.
Bobby went on to work as supervisor for the custodial crew at the Tallahassee
Police Department and became a Deacon in his church.
-- Ron Smith
More on Bobby here (courtesy of Fred
Vail):
Click here: Robert Dickey, Singer of 'I'm Your Puppet,' Dead at 72
- Spinner
re: DION AND THE
BELMONTS:
Another musical memory of our youth moves
on to rock and roll heaven.
RIP, Freddy ... you've got plenty of
company.
Fred
PS Check out a great clip of Dion and the
Belmonts doing Teenager In Love on the Dick Clark Saturday Night Show from the
Little Theater on West 57th Street.
Kent ...
Dion says he thinks this is the group's last TV
appearance. Notice only three members of the group ... there should be
four.
Frank B.
Click here: *Dion and The Belmonts*- Swingin On A Star -
YouTube
Strange ... only three in the 1958 Dick
Clark clip above, too. So who's missing??? (kk)
re: ON THE
RADIO:
Kent ...
True Story = Yesterday, I tried to turn off my Bose
Radio. For some reason it wouldn't shut off.
To be honest with you, I wasn't
unhappy about this radio problem.
LoL!!!
Frank B.
Unfortunately, we had beg off our
scheduled appearance on Rich Appel's radio program last weekend due to another
killer work schedule ... but you'll find Rich ALWAYS putting together some
interesting and creative programming. Hopefully you'll get a chance to tune in
and listen. "The Rest Of The Week" airs Saturdays from 6 am - 1 pm and Sundays
from 10 am - 3 pm (all times Eastern) and you can Listen Live here: Click here: WRNJ
We may have missed THIS show, but
Forgotten Hits seems to be popping up all over the radio again! Check out these
recent announcements:
Hi Kent,
I thought I'd let you know that I'm putting
together a countdown show of the "Top 5,000 Songs of the '60s" for my internet
station. It's just another way for oldies enthusiasts to stay close to the
music they treasure.
Besides the top 5,000 singles, I'll feature songs
that:
1. Were regional top 10 hits that charted poorly or not at all
nationally (in the US)
2. Were LP tracks played by radio alongside the
singles
3. Were b-sides that have received critical acclaim or
are favorites among oldies lovers
I'd like to cite Forgotten Hits for songs I play that
fit "category 3" (b-side favorites). Would that be okay with you?
FYI, the No. 5,000 song of the decade is "Judy" by Elvis
Presley.
The compilation is based on data from the weekly Billboard
magazine Hot 100 charts, Jan. 1960 - Dec. 1969, published by Dann Isbell with
the expressed written permission of Nielsen Business Media, parent of Billboard
magazine.
I hope to hear from you soon one way or the other. And,
regardless, keep the fire burning!
Sincerely yours,
Dann
Isbell
Sounds good to me, Dann ... I think it's a
great idea. And please let us know when these programs will be airing so we can
pass the information along to our readers. It'll be great to hear some of these
rarely-played, forgotten gems on the radio again.
And, to check out our COMPLETE List of The
Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides ... as voted on by you, the readers, be sure
to visit our OTHER Forgotten Hits Website here:
And, while we're on the topic of playing
BOTH sides of the record, don't forget to tune into Mr. C's Flip Side Radio Show
on Tuesday Nights on Radio Free Nashville. (7 PM Central Time) Each and every
week, Mr. C. plays BOTH sides of the records, right from the original vinyl and
we've teamed up this year to do some tie-in features that will run in
conjunction with our new SOUND ADVICE column (that runs along the side bar on
the right hand side of our website)
This Tuesday Night (January 10th), Mr. C
will be featuring a GREAT Four Seasons Two-Fer when he plays both the A-Side and
the B-Side of The Four Seasons' hits "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Connie-O". Meanwhile, we'll be doing our OWN Four Seasons two-fer as part of our on-going "One You Know ...
One You Didn't Even Know You Forgot" feature when we spin "Big Girls Don't Cry" with The
Seasons' 1967 Hit "C'mon Marianne". LOTS of good stuff coming up in our brand
new SOUND ADVICE column. Be sure to check out the right-hand side bar when you
visit our web page! (You'll find a link for The Flip Side Show there as
well!)
And, for a list of The All-Time Top 200
Two-Sided Hits, as mathematically calculated by the national record trades, 1955
- 1979, check out THIS link to the other Forgotten Hits Website:
And, stay tuned for news about our appearance on The Flip Side Show. We're
trying to work out the details now, but I'm thinking that I may join Mr. C. for
a few minutes in a week or two and talk about our "First 45's" feature! Watch
the website for more details. (kk)
re: THE WRECKING
CREW:
Just got this from FH Reader Tom Cuddy, who
saw it in a Boston newspaper profiling The Wrecking Crew:
Flick salutes music's
pioneering Wrecking Crew
By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa,
Boston Herald
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 -
It’s a movie that may never be
seen, about a band of musicians most fans have never heard of yet were
responsible for scores of hit records in the ’60s and ’70s, backing everyone
from Frank Sinatra to the Beach
Boys.
They called themselves the
Wrecking Crew, because older studio musicians swore they were going
to wreck the music business. Instead, they provided the signature sound on a
slew of pop classics from the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” to Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs.
Robinson.”
“These guys were doing things
musically that had never been done before. Rock ’n’ roll was in its infancy and
these guys were there, working three or four jobs a day on three or four
different records,” said Denny
Tedesco, director of the documentary “The Wrecking Crew,” whose dad,
the late Tommy Tedesco, was a Crew
guitarist.
For the past 15 years, Denny
Tedesco has been working on his film about the band of largely unknown studio
musicians who provided some of the most famous licks for some of pop music’s
biggest hits. In many cases, they also played all the instruments on albums for
legendary musicians who didn’t have the chops.
But like the Wrecking Crew, the
film with the same name may never get the recognition it should because of the
staggering costs to acquire the royalties for the 130 songs featured in the
flick.
There’s Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You, Babe” and
“The Beat Goes On”; Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and “That’s Life”;
the Mamas & The Papas’ “California Dreamin’
”; the Fifth
Dimension’s “Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In”; the Carpenters’ “Close to
You”; The
Ronettes’ “Be My Baby”;
Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen”; and Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas,” to name just a
few.
In fact, for six years in a row in
the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Grammy for Record of the
Year went to Wrecking Crew member recordings.
“Every song requires not only
money but legal clearance,” said promoter Michael Agostino of Quincy, who is helping
Tedesco raise money in the hopes the film will one day make it into theaters.
“The director is really passionate and he doesn’t want to leave any of them
out.” Tedesco said he began doing
interviews 15 years ago when his dad was sick with cancer, and he wanted to get
his memories on film.
“Everyone told me I’d never get it
done because the artists, the labels and the publishers would never come
together,” Tedesco said. “So I decided the only way to do it was to do it
myself.” Tedesco’s flick features memories
from many of the studio musicians, including drummer Hal Blaine, who was featured on a
staggering 35,000 recorded tracks over a quarter century, and Plas Johnson, whose sax is heard on the
iconic “Pink Panther Theme” by Henry
Mancini. Also featured are Cher, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Nancy Sinatra and Dick Clark, along with a former Wrecking
Crew guitarist who went on to solo glory:
Glen Campbell. “They were the ones with all the
spirit and all the know-how, especially for rock ’n’ roll music,” said Wilson, whose recently
released “The SMiLE Sessions” features the Wrecking Crew.
Nancy Sinatra, whose “These Boots
Are Made for Walkin’ ” also featured the Crew, added: “These musicians were
really the unsung heroes of all those hit records.”
Tedesco said he made the film to
give the musicians the credit they were so long denied, as well as to educate
young musicians about the roots of rock ’n’ roll.
“These guys sometimes did an album
a day,” he said. “I take this film to music schools and people ask, ‘Why do
young people need to see this?’ And I say, ‘Why do art students need to know
Picasso and Monet? You need to know where you started
from.’ ”
The Wrecking Crew,” which has won
awards at more than a dozen independent film festivals, was recently played at a
sold-out screening in Arlington. Tedesco and Agostino are working on
a second Boston
showing at the Berklee College of
Music in February. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer,
outtakes and interviews — and donate to the royalties quest — at wreckingcrewfilm.com.
We've been singing the film's
praises for years now ... and still have a piece by FH Reader Bob Rush (US
Correspondent to the British publication "The Beat") ready to run. Meanwhile,
Preston Ritter sent us more from Wrecking Crew Bassist Carol Kaye (who would
probably be REALLY pissed at us for referring to her as "Wrecking Crew"
Bassist), denouncing the film, its motives and its historical accuracy. Too
long to run here, we may save Carol's web postings for another follow-up piece.
(kk)
re: THE BEACH
BOYS:
You can't talk about The Wrecking Crew without
talking about The Beach Boys.
Endless Summer Quarterly Publisher (and Beach
Boys Examiner columnist) David Beard has a few thoughts on how the band might
celebrate their 50th anniversary:
re: UPCOMING AND RECENT SHOWS:
Connecticut
Beatles Celebration Set for Beatles Anniversary
On Friday night, February
10th, in celebration of The Beatles arrival in the U.S., Connecticut-based
Beatles fan club Liverpool Productions will present their annual "Twist &
Shout Dinner Dance Party" at Aldarios Restaurant, 240 Naugatuck Avenue in
Milford. The Beatles first landed on U.S. soil in February of 1964 and played
their very first Ed Sullivan Show on February 9,
1964.
Headlining
the evening's festivities is New York-based "The MerseyBeat," one of the finest
Beatles tribute bands on the circuit, propelling audiences to Liverpool in
1960s. The sound of their vintage guitars
and amps, the matching suits and the legendary Beatle vocal harmonies are all
there. Founded in 1985, the band honed the authenticity of its sound to the
point where they have enjoyed national engagements and high-profile appearances.
Their historic U.K. tour
culminated in an appearance at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, England
to the stomping delight of the fans.
All band members use
authentic Hofner, Gretch, Rickenbacker, Ludwig, and Vox musical
equipment.
During the course of only four days in February, 2004, "The
MerseyBeat" made history when they were chosen by the New York Daily News to
reenact the Beatles' arrival on the 40th anniversary. They have been
featured in numerous newspapers
& TV programs, and were the official band of the "BEATexpo, the New York /
New England Beatle Convention" which took place in November, 2010.
Most
recently, Connecticut's Mike "Ringo" Streeto joined the band as full-time
drummer, following his stint with the Las Vegas "Legends" show which appeared at
Foxwoods Casino. He had previously performed with such national touring acts as
Beatlemania, Yesterday The Tribute, The Cast, Fab Fourever and also currently
plays drums in the Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute show "Hey Tonight."
Opening for "The
MerseyBeat" will be a French group called "Les Scarabes: A Beatles Tribute." Les
Scarabes" translates to "the beetles" in French. Also entertaining between sets
will be Boppers DJ Charles F. Rosenay!!!, who is the host for the evening.
Admission includes
Aldarios' all-you-can-eat buffet, open bar, the concert, door prizes and all the
Fab fun festivities.
Reservations (203)
874-6096 ... Info (not reservations) (203) 795-4737
Forgotten
Hits Reader CPass142 sent us a link to The Royal Guardsmen website, where the
guys announced their upcoming '60's Celebrity Cruise, kicking off in November.
Onboard will
be The Royal Guardsmen, Mercy and Robin MacNamara ... and it all sounds very
reasonable, too! Check out the details here:
And let's not forget about the Malt Shop
Memories Cruise coming up featuring an absolutely KILLER line-up of artists:
Dion, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, The Original
Drifters, The Duprees, Sonny Turner (former lead singer of The Platters), Carl
Gardener's Coaster, Kenny Vance and the Planotones, The Chiffons, The Tymes, The
Marvelettes and many, many more. Don't
"miss the boat" on this one ... The Malt Shop Memories Cruise sets sail from Ft.
Launderdale, FL on October 27th. Full
details can be found at Click here: Malt Shop
Memories Cruise 2012
And, speaking of Rock And Roll Cruisin',
we can't forget our Forgotten Hits Buddies Paul Revere and the Raiders and The
Buckinghams, who will be setting sail together (along with Davy Jones and
Charlie Thomas' Drifters.) But you're going to have to hurry for this one ...
they're taking off January 21st!!! Details here: Click here: Concerts At Sea
Presents
The one and only rock-a-billy
legend Hayden Thompson will be appearing at the Irish Heritage Center, 4626 N.
Knox in Chicago on January 21st from 6 pm to 1 am. Admission is only $10 and is
sponsored by the "Gompers Park Athletic Association" (a park in Chicago).
The
premise is a Johnny Cash Festival with a bunch of bands besides Hayden.
WOW!!
They're calling it Chicago's Johnny Cash "Cash For Kids" Festival
Irish American Heritage Center
4626 N. Knox
Featuring Iron Horse with Hayden
Thompson
The Back Forty, Platform 29,
Petty Cash, Tommy Tuesday
and Sam I Am.
Ample Free Parking
Only $10 and ALL Proceeds benefit
Gompers Park Boys Baseball & Girls Softball
Sounds like a good time. Anyone interested??
Mike DeMartino
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14th, 2012
JAMES FAIRS, formerly of the Cryan' Shames and
Gregg Allman's band, presents a WORLD PREMIERE: NOUVEAU BLUZ (featuring
Steve Eisen)
The Montrose Room at The O'Hare Hyatt
Saturday the 14th,
8:30 - 11 PM
(a donation - for those who can afford it- of $5)
(847)
544-5300
www.montroseroom.com
Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare 5300 N.
River Rd Rosemont, IL 60018
re: NEW
RELEASES:
DOORS TO RELEASE LONG LOST SONG AFTER 40 YEARS
...
http://members.boardhost.com/OldiesMusic/msg/1325811158.htmlKent
...
Posted by Linda G on Ron Smith's website.
Frank
B.
Great news, Frank ... but we broke
this story five weeks ago in our "kk's corner" feature on the Forgotten Hits
website. Unfortunately, NOBODY was reading "kk's corner" so we dropped it for
2012. It was designed to be all of the latest oldies news ... and we had some
very timely (and often times exclusive) details posted there ... but, buried at
the bottom of the page, I think people simply forgot all about looking for it.
Unfortunately, often having to hold our Comments Page for a week, some of our
"news" seems "dated" by the time it actually gets posted ... so I thought the
"kk's corner" idea would be a clever way to keep at least one segment of the
site totally current. This was especially helpful when we were running extended
series (like the recent Tribute To Ed Sullivan piece that we did.)
Unfortunately, it never took off so now it's gone. And, while a number of jocks
have told me that they would LOVE to run our new SOUND ADVICE feature on their
programs, it's simply not within their decision making process to do so. The
powers that be have already decided what will and won't air so we're seeing this
new feature locked out, too. Time will tell how long we keep it going ... but
right now we've got a LOT of great ideas and suggestions planned ... and we ARE
finding a number of Internet Jocks playing selections (and thanking us for
reminding them about that great song they had forgotten all about.) And
ultimately that's really what Forgotten Hits is all about.
(kk)
Okay. I'm
giving you credit for breaking this story.
Frank B.
LOL ... thanks, Frank! It's
just frustrating sometimes ... we've got some GREAT people on the list who have
entrusted Forgotten Hits with breaking these stories but not enough people read
our sheet yet to see it here first. But I think the word is getting out!
(kk)
Hi Kent -
Just an update, which might be of interest. The reviews
are running about like this.
That's certainly better than otherwise.
I think this one is pretty right on, at least the way
we see it anyway.
Furv
The Fifth Estate
* * * *
*
5.0 out of 5 stars Leicester Bangs Review (2012):, 6
Jan 2012
By
This review is from: Time
Tunnel (MP3 Download)
The Fifth Estate - Time Tunnel (Roxon Records
LLC)
The Fifth Estate are undoubtedly best known for their 1967 hit
"Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", which they recorded in five different languages
and scored chart success throughout the record-buying world. In 1970 they split
to pursue solo projects, but sporadically reform for gigs and the occasional
recording project.
Their latest record "Time Tunnel" has been co-produced and
mixed by legendary knob-turner Shel Talmy (David Bowie, The Who's "My
Generation", The Kinks, etc.) and he's performed a sterling job keeping the
band's garage credentials intact.
Often groups of a certain vintage feel the need
to smooth away the rough edges, let the studio gadgetry take the strain, and
flatten their fervor. Not so with The Fifth Estate, as "Time Tunnel" is as raw
and immediate as any recording made by any Nuggets era group, and is all the
more refreshing for its urgent, unfussy delivery.
Standout tracks come thick
and fast: the title track gets the ball rolling with Rick Engler and Bob Klein
supplying choppy guitar chords and the rhythm section of Doug Ferrara (bass) and
Ken Evans (drums) holding down the beat - we truly are taken back in time as the
quartet revisit 1966, or thereabouts, in some style. "It's Not Right" borrows
it's theme from late `70s new wave, but regrets nothing and "Crazy Little Thing"
is the sort of maximum R&B that's been wowing live audiences since the
Stones waded ashore at Eel Pie Island.
Well worth tracking down, whether
you're looking to revisit a particularly fun part of your youth, or a mere
whippersnapper eager to find out what all the fuss is about.
We're hearing really good
things about the new Fifth Estate album, the recent Charlie Gracie release and
Dion's upcoming "Tank Full Of Blues" CD, due out on the 21st of this month.
Great to see some of our long time favorites still cranking out great, new
music! (kk)
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN
HITS:
Kent,
In search of the audio past I just landed on
your Forgotten Hits website.
I found it - the FH site is loaded and
tonight I just don't have the time to fully explore but I can assure you that
I'll be back soon. Just relocated my ad agency to Portland, OR, after a
lifetime in Chitown. Happy New Year!
Ron Elkins
What great stuff! That Chicago / Beach Boys
story is cool. You may recall that my company (Concerts West) promoted those
tours.
Pat O'Day
Hi Kent,
I really like your blog / website. Some
cool songs on there, including versions I've never heard before (The Tremeloes'
"Yellow River"!!).
For what it's worth, the version of
"Alvin's Harmonica" you recently featured is not from the original Liberty 45
... you can tell from the harmonica intro ... I think it may be the LP version,
however, which is the version released on just about all the cd's containing
this song.Again, thanks for your
work regarding forgotten oldies!
Jon Olsen
Wow! I didn't know they did "Single
Mixes" for The Chipmunks!!! (How cool is that?!?!?) The one I featured DID
come from a CD (Their Greatest Hits actually) ... so that's neat new information
to know. Thanks for the compliments on the websites ... glad you're enjoying
Forgotten Hits. (kk)
More of your recent comments tomorrow ... so be sure to check back!
"I hated it," Dickey told the newspaper when he was honored as part of a Florida rock and roll exhibition held at the Museum of Florida History. "It was originally intended to be the B-side. But things got changed ... I sang it for 23 hours straight (in the studio), that's why I hate it."
Actually, I just learned today that there were two Bobbys. But this is the one who sang on "I'm Your Puppet". A song that only went to number six which I was unmoved by when I was thirteen but now illuminates the entire landscape of my formative years.
I know, I know, we still have hits today. But they're not ubiquitous. You can go to number one and still most of America doesn't know you. And the songs all sound the same. With beats and raps and youngsters imploring you to pay attention, they need to get rich, quick!
The original Bobby Purify retired and went into maintenance.
That's how it used to be. Music was something you did, something you passed through on your way to your permanent job. Getting ripped off was part of the process. Your career was a fling. And unlike today, when people post YouTube clips and wonder why they're not instantly famous, it was understood that most people would never make it and those that did might still be forgotten.
"I'm Your Puppet" was cowritten by Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn, legends unknown to most punters today. They were the names in parentheses, on the 45s, on labels that were anything but corporate monoliths.
"I'm Your Puppet" is slow and dated and just perfect. There's a simple piano intro, an organ, a drum, just a basic track until the horns come in, but what makes the track is the vocals.
You start off their puppet and then you either get angry about it or they're unimpressed anyway. But in the beginning, you're high on life and love and you'll do anything for a smile.
James & Bobby Purify are not singing for Procter & Gamble, not to be on the cover of a magazine, they sound like men down the street telling their story. Hell, until today I wasn't even sure they were African-American. Because you see back then songs were something you heard, not something you saw. They infected you and created movies that play in your head for the rest of your life.
"I'm Your Puppet" doesn't bring back the highlights of my life, rather it sheds light on the mundane life walking the halls of junior high, spending Sundays at the JCC. What did John Lennon say, life is what happens when you're busy making other plans?
If you don't know this record, I'm gonna link to it. As well as versions by the Box Tops, Yo La Tengo and one of the writers, Dan Penn. You see, a great song can be sung by anybody, especially you, driving along in your car, walking from the driveway to the front door.
And I don't think "I'm Your Puppet" is forever. Very little is. Shakespeare, Beethoven and probably the Beatles. But not Spielberg, certainly not the American Idols and not James & Bobby Purify either. But if you were alive back then, they were best friends, they were a building block of your life.
And when they start removing blocks you're reminded life is like Jenga, and eventually it implodes and everything you've built disappears, you're gone.
Bobby Purify's been gone less than a week. I'm luxuriating in a track he despised for the amount of work involved, but right now it sounds effortless and so right.
More on Bobby here (courtesy of Fred Vail):
re: DION AND THE
BELMONTS:
Another musical memory of our youth moves
on to rock and roll heaven.
RIP, Freddy ... you've got plenty of
company.
Fred
PS Check out a great clip of Dion and the
Belmonts doing Teenager In Love on the Dick Clark Saturday Night Show from the
Little Theater on West 57th Street.
Kent ...
Dion says he thinks this is the group's last TV
appearance. Notice only three members of the group ... there should be
four.
Frank B.
Click here: *Dion and The Belmonts*- Swingin On A Star - YouTube
Frank B.
Click here: *Dion and The Belmonts*- Swingin On A Star - YouTube
Strange ... only three in the 1958 Dick
Clark clip above, too. So who's missing??? (kk)
re: ON THE
RADIO:
Kent ...
True Story = Yesterday, I tried to turn off my Bose
Radio. For some reason it wouldn't shut off.
To be honest with you, I wasn't unhappy about this radio problem.
To be honest with you, I wasn't unhappy about this radio problem.
LoL!!!
Frank B.
Frank B.
Unfortunately, we had beg off our
scheduled appearance on Rich Appel's radio program last weekend due to another
killer work schedule ... but you'll find Rich ALWAYS putting together some
interesting and creative programming. Hopefully you'll get a chance to tune in
and listen. "The Rest Of The Week" airs Saturdays from 6 am - 1 pm and Sundays
from 10 am - 3 pm (all times Eastern) and you can Listen Live here: Click here: WRNJ
We may have missed THIS show, but Forgotten Hits seems to be popping up all over the radio again! Check out these recent announcements:
Hi Kent,
I thought I'd let you know that I'm putting together a countdown show of the "Top 5,000 Songs of the '60s" for my internet station. It's just another way for oldies enthusiasts to stay close to the music they treasure.
Besides the top 5,000 singles, I'll feature songs
that:
1. Were regional top 10 hits that charted poorly or not at all nationally (in the US)
1. Were regional top 10 hits that charted poorly or not at all nationally (in the US)
2. Were LP tracks played by radio alongside the
singles
3. Were b-sides that have received critical acclaim or
are favorites among oldies lovers
I'd like to cite Forgotten Hits for songs I play that
fit "category 3" (b-side favorites). Would that be okay with you?
FYI, the No. 5,000 song of the decade is "Judy" by Elvis
Presley.
The compilation is based on data from the weekly Billboard magazine Hot 100 charts, Jan. 1960 - Dec. 1969, published by Dann Isbell with the expressed written permission of Nielsen Business Media, parent of Billboard magazine.
I hope to hear from you soon one way or the other. And, regardless, keep the fire burning!
Sincerely yours,
Dann Isbell
The compilation is based on data from the weekly Billboard magazine Hot 100 charts, Jan. 1960 - Dec. 1969, published by Dann Isbell with the expressed written permission of Nielsen Business Media, parent of Billboard magazine.
I hope to hear from you soon one way or the other. And, regardless, keep the fire burning!
Sincerely yours,
Dann Isbell
Sounds good to me, Dann ... I think it's a
great idea. And please let us know when these programs will be airing so we can
pass the information along to our readers. It'll be great to hear some of these
rarely-played, forgotten gems on the radio again.
And, to check out our COMPLETE List of The
Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides ... as voted on by you, the readers, be sure
to visit our OTHER Forgotten Hits Website here:
And, while we're on the topic of playing
BOTH sides of the record, don't forget to tune into Mr. C's Flip Side Radio Show
on Tuesday Nights on Radio Free Nashville. (7 PM Central Time) Each and every
week, Mr. C. plays BOTH sides of the records, right from the original vinyl and
we've teamed up this year to do some tie-in features that will run in
conjunction with our new SOUND ADVICE column (that runs along the side bar on
the right hand side of our website)
This Tuesday Night (January 10th), Mr. C
will be featuring a GREAT Four Seasons Two-Fer when he plays both the A-Side and
the B-Side of The Four Seasons' hits "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Connie-O". Meanwhile, we'll be doing our OWN Four Seasons two-fer as part of our on-going "One You Know ...
One You Didn't Even Know You Forgot" feature when we spin "Big Girls Don't Cry" with The
Seasons' 1967 Hit "C'mon Marianne". LOTS of good stuff coming up in our brand
new SOUND ADVICE column. Be sure to check out the right-hand side bar when you
visit our web page! (You'll find a link for The Flip Side Show there as
well!)
And, for a list of The All-Time Top 200
Two-Sided Hits, as mathematically calculated by the national record trades, 1955
- 1979, check out THIS link to the other Forgotten Hits Website:
And, stay tuned for news about our appearance on The Flip Side Show. We're
trying to work out the details now, but I'm thinking that I may join Mr. C. for
a few minutes in a week or two and talk about our "First 45's" feature! Watch
the website for more details. (kk)
re: THE WRECKING
CREW:
Just got this from FH Reader Tom Cuddy, who
saw it in a Boston newspaper profiling The Wrecking Crew:
Flick salutes music's
pioneering Wrecking Crew
By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa,
Boston Herald
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 -
It’s a movie that may never be
seen, about a band of musicians most fans have never heard of yet were
responsible for scores of hit records in the ’60s and ’70s, backing everyone
from Frank Sinatra to the Beach
Boys.
They called themselves the
Wrecking Crew, because older studio musicians swore they were going
to wreck the music business. Instead, they provided the signature sound on a
slew of pop classics from the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” to Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs.
Robinson.”
“These guys were doing things
musically that had never been done before. Rock ’n’ roll was in its infancy and
these guys were there, working three or four jobs a day on three or four
different records,” said Denny
Tedesco, director of the documentary “The Wrecking Crew,” whose dad,
the late Tommy Tedesco, was a Crew
guitarist.
For the past 15 years, Denny
Tedesco has been working on his film about the band of largely unknown studio
musicians who provided some of the most famous licks for some of pop music’s
biggest hits. In many cases, they also played all the instruments on albums for
legendary musicians who didn’t have the chops.
But like the Wrecking Crew, the
film with the same name may never get the recognition it should because of the
staggering costs to acquire the royalties for the 130 songs featured in the
flick.
There’s Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You, Babe” and
“The Beat Goes On”; Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and “That’s Life”;
the Mamas & The Papas’ “California Dreamin’
”; the Fifth
Dimension’s “Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In”; the Carpenters’ “Close to
You”; The
Ronettes’ “Be My Baby”;
Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen”; and Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas,” to name just a
few.
In fact, for six years in a row in
the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Grammy for Record of the
Year went to Wrecking Crew member recordings.
“Every song requires not only
money but legal clearance,” said promoter Michael Agostino of Quincy, who is helping
Tedesco raise money in the hopes the film will one day make it into theaters.
“The director is really passionate and he doesn’t want to leave any of them
out.” Tedesco said he began doing
interviews 15 years ago when his dad was sick with cancer, and he wanted to get
his memories on film.
“Everyone told me I’d never get it
done because the artists, the labels and the publishers would never come
together,” Tedesco said. “So I decided the only way to do it was to do it
myself.” Tedesco’s flick features memories
from many of the studio musicians, including drummer Hal Blaine, who was featured on a
staggering 35,000 recorded tracks over a quarter century, and Plas Johnson, whose sax is heard on the
iconic “Pink Panther Theme” by Henry
Mancini. Also featured are Cher, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Nancy Sinatra and Dick Clark, along with a former Wrecking
Crew guitarist who went on to solo glory:
Glen Campbell. “They were the ones with all the
spirit and all the know-how, especially for rock ’n’ roll music,” said Wilson, whose recently
released “The SMiLE Sessions” features the Wrecking Crew.
Nancy Sinatra, whose “These Boots
Are Made for Walkin’ ” also featured the Crew, added: “These musicians were
really the unsung heroes of all those hit records.”
Tedesco said he made the film to
give the musicians the credit they were so long denied, as well as to educate
young musicians about the roots of rock ’n’ roll.
“These guys sometimes did an album
a day,” he said. “I take this film to music schools and people ask, ‘Why do
young people need to see this?’ And I say, ‘Why do art students need to know
Picasso and Monet? You need to know where you started
from.’ ”
The Wrecking Crew,” which has won
awards at more than a dozen independent film festivals, was recently played at a
sold-out screening in Arlington. Tedesco and Agostino are working on
a second Boston
showing at the Berklee College of
Music in February. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer,
outtakes and interviews — and donate to the royalties quest — at wreckingcrewfilm.com.
We've been singing the film's
praises for years now ... and still have a piece by FH Reader Bob Rush (US
Correspondent to the British publication "The Beat") ready to run. Meanwhile,
Preston Ritter sent us more from Wrecking Crew Bassist Carol Kaye (who would
probably be REALLY pissed at us for referring to her as "Wrecking Crew"
Bassist), denouncing the film, its motives and its historical accuracy. Too
long to run here, we may save Carol's web postings for another follow-up piece.
(kk)
re: THE BEACH
BOYS:
You can't talk about The Wrecking Crew without
talking about The Beach Boys.
Endless Summer Quarterly Publisher (and Beach
Boys Examiner columnist) David Beard has a few thoughts on how the band might
celebrate their 50th anniversary:
re: UPCOMING AND RECENT SHOWS:
Connecticut
Beatles Celebration Set for Beatles Anniversary
On Friday night, February
10th, in celebration of The Beatles arrival in the U.S., Connecticut-based
Beatles fan club Liverpool Productions will present their annual "Twist &
Shout Dinner Dance Party" at Aldarios Restaurant, 240 Naugatuck Avenue in
Milford. The Beatles first landed on U.S. soil in February of 1964 and played
their very first Ed Sullivan Show on February 9,
1964.
Headlining
the evening's festivities is New York-based "The MerseyBeat," one of the finest
Beatles tribute bands on the circuit, propelling audiences to Liverpool in
1960s. The sound of their vintage guitars
and amps, the matching suits and the legendary Beatle vocal harmonies are all
there. Founded in 1985, the band honed the authenticity of its sound to the
point where they have enjoyed national engagements and high-profile appearances.
Their historic U.K. tour
culminated in an appearance at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, England
to the stomping delight of the fans.
All band members use
authentic Hofner, Gretch, Rickenbacker, Ludwig, and Vox musical
equipment.
During the course of only four days in February, 2004, "The
MerseyBeat" made history when they were chosen by the New York Daily News to
reenact the Beatles' arrival on the 40th anniversary. They have been
featured in numerous newspapers
& TV programs, and were the official band of the "BEATexpo, the New York /
New England Beatle Convention" which took place in November, 2010.
Most
recently, Connecticut's Mike "Ringo" Streeto joined the band as full-time
drummer, following his stint with the Las Vegas "Legends" show which appeared at
Foxwoods Casino. He had previously performed with such national touring acts as
Beatlemania, Yesterday The Tribute, The Cast, Fab Fourever and also currently
plays drums in the Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute show "Hey Tonight."
Opening for "The
MerseyBeat" will be a French group called "Les Scarabes: A Beatles Tribute." Les
Scarabes" translates to "the beetles" in French. Also entertaining between sets
will be Boppers DJ Charles F. Rosenay!!!, who is the host for the evening.
Admission includes
Aldarios' all-you-can-eat buffet, open bar, the concert, door prizes and all the
Fab fun festivities.
Reservations (203)
874-6096 ... Info (not reservations) (203) 795-4737
Forgotten
Hits Reader CPass142 sent us a link to The Royal Guardsmen website, where the
guys announced their upcoming '60's Celebrity Cruise, kicking off in November.
Onboard will
be The Royal Guardsmen, Mercy and Robin MacNamara ... and it all sounds very
reasonable, too! Check out the details here:
And let's not forget about the Malt Shop Memories Cruise coming up featuring an absolutely KILLER line-up of artists: Dion, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, The Original Drifters, The Duprees, Sonny Turner (former lead singer of The Platters), Carl Gardener's Coaster, Kenny Vance and the Planotones, The Chiffons, The Tymes, The Marvelettes and many, many more. Don't "miss the boat" on this one ... The Malt Shop Memories Cruise sets sail from Ft. Launderdale, FL on October 27th. Full details can be found at Click here: Malt Shop Memories Cruise 2012
And, speaking of Rock And Roll Cruisin', we can't forget our Forgotten Hits Buddies Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Buckinghams, who will be setting sail together (along with Davy Jones and Charlie Thomas' Drifters.) But you're going to have to hurry for this one ... they're taking off January 21st!!! Details here: Click here: Concerts At Sea Presents
The one and only rock-a-billy
legend Hayden Thompson will be appearing at the Irish Heritage Center, 4626 N.
Knox in Chicago on January 21st from 6 pm to 1 am. Admission is only $10 and is
sponsored by the "Gompers Park Athletic Association" (a park in Chicago).
The premise is a Johnny Cash Festival with a bunch of bands besides Hayden. WOW!!
They're calling it Chicago's Johnny Cash "Cash For Kids" Festival
Sounds like a good time. Anyone interested??
The premise is a Johnny Cash Festival with a bunch of bands besides Hayden. WOW!!
They're calling it Chicago's Johnny Cash "Cash For Kids" Festival
Irish American Heritage Center
4626 N. Knox
Featuring Iron Horse with Hayden Thompson
The Back Forty, Platform 29,
Petty Cash, Tommy Tuesday and Sam I Am.
Ample Free Parking
Only $10 and ALL Proceeds benefit Gompers Park Boys Baseball & Girls Softball
4626 N. Knox
Featuring Iron Horse with Hayden Thompson
The Back Forty, Platform 29,
Petty Cash, Tommy Tuesday and Sam I Am.
Ample Free Parking
Only $10 and ALL Proceeds benefit Gompers Park Boys Baseball & Girls Softball
Mike DeMartino
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14th, 2012
JAMES FAIRS, formerly of the Cryan' Shames and Gregg Allman's band, presents a WORLD PREMIERE: NOUVEAU BLUZ (featuring Steve Eisen)
The Montrose Room at The O'Hare Hyatt
Saturday the 14th, 8:30 - 11 PM
(a donation - for those who can afford it- of $5)
(847) 544-5300
www.montroseroom.com
Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare 5300 N. River Rd Rosemont, IL 60018
JAMES FAIRS, formerly of the Cryan' Shames and Gregg Allman's band, presents a WORLD PREMIERE: NOUVEAU BLUZ (featuring Steve Eisen)
The Montrose Room at The O'Hare Hyatt
Saturday the 14th, 8:30 - 11 PM
(a donation - for those who can afford it- of $5)
(847) 544-5300
www.montroseroom.com
Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare 5300 N. River Rd Rosemont, IL 60018
re: NEW
RELEASES:
DOORS TO RELEASE LONG LOST SONG AFTER 40 YEARS
...
http://members.boardhost.com/OldiesMusic/msg/1325811158.htmlKent
...
Posted by Linda G on Ron Smith's website.
Frank B.
Frank B.
Great news, Frank ... but we broke
this story five weeks ago in our "kk's corner" feature on the Forgotten Hits
website. Unfortunately, NOBODY was reading "kk's corner" so we dropped it for
2012. It was designed to be all of the latest oldies news ... and we had some
very timely (and often times exclusive) details posted there ... but, buried at
the bottom of the page, I think people simply forgot all about looking for it.
Unfortunately, often having to hold our Comments Page for a week, some of our
"news" seems "dated" by the time it actually gets posted ... so I thought the
"kk's corner" idea would be a clever way to keep at least one segment of the
site totally current. This was especially helpful when we were running extended
series (like the recent Tribute To Ed Sullivan piece that we did.)
Unfortunately, it never took off so now it's gone. And, while a number of jocks
have told me that they would LOVE to run our new SOUND ADVICE feature on their
programs, it's simply not within their decision making process to do so. The
powers that be have already decided what will and won't air so we're seeing this
new feature locked out, too. Time will tell how long we keep it going ... but
right now we've got a LOT of great ideas and suggestions planned ... and we ARE
finding a number of Internet Jocks playing selections (and thanking us for
reminding them about that great song they had forgotten all about.) And
ultimately that's really what Forgotten Hits is all about.
(kk)
Okay. I'm
giving you credit for breaking this story.
Frank B.
LOL ... thanks, Frank! It's
just frustrating sometimes ... we've got some GREAT people on the list who have
entrusted Forgotten Hits with breaking these stories but not enough people read
our sheet yet to see it here first. But I think the word is getting out!
(kk)
Hi Kent -
Just an update, which might be of interest. The reviews
are running about like this.
That's certainly better than otherwise.
I think this one is pretty right on, at least the way
we see it anyway.
Furv
The Fifth Estate
* * * *
*
5.0 out of 5 stars Leicester Bangs Review (2012):, 6
Jan 2012
By
This review is from: Time
Tunnel (MP3 Download)
The Fifth Estate - Time Tunnel (Roxon Records
LLC)
The Fifth Estate are undoubtedly best known for their 1967 hit "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", which they recorded in five different languages and scored chart success throughout the record-buying world. In 1970 they split to pursue solo projects, but sporadically reform for gigs and the occasional recording project.
Their latest record "Time Tunnel" has been co-produced and mixed by legendary knob-turner Shel Talmy (David Bowie, The Who's "My Generation", The Kinks, etc.) and he's performed a sterling job keeping the band's garage credentials intact.
The Fifth Estate are undoubtedly best known for their 1967 hit "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", which they recorded in five different languages and scored chart success throughout the record-buying world. In 1970 they split to pursue solo projects, but sporadically reform for gigs and the occasional recording project.
Their latest record "Time Tunnel" has been co-produced and mixed by legendary knob-turner Shel Talmy (David Bowie, The Who's "My Generation", The Kinks, etc.) and he's performed a sterling job keeping the band's garage credentials intact.
Often groups of a certain vintage feel the need
to smooth away the rough edges, let the studio gadgetry take the strain, and
flatten their fervor. Not so with The Fifth Estate, as "Time Tunnel" is as raw
and immediate as any recording made by any Nuggets era group, and is all the
more refreshing for its urgent, unfussy delivery.
Standout tracks come thick and fast: the title track gets the ball rolling with Rick Engler and Bob Klein supplying choppy guitar chords and the rhythm section of Doug Ferrara (bass) and Ken Evans (drums) holding down the beat - we truly are taken back in time as the quartet revisit 1966, or thereabouts, in some style. "It's Not Right" borrows it's theme from late `70s new wave, but regrets nothing and "Crazy Little Thing" is the sort of maximum R&B that's been wowing live audiences since the Stones waded ashore at Eel Pie Island.
Well worth tracking down, whether you're looking to revisit a particularly fun part of your youth, or a mere whippersnapper eager to find out what all the fuss is about.
Standout tracks come thick and fast: the title track gets the ball rolling with Rick Engler and Bob Klein supplying choppy guitar chords and the rhythm section of Doug Ferrara (bass) and Ken Evans (drums) holding down the beat - we truly are taken back in time as the quartet revisit 1966, or thereabouts, in some style. "It's Not Right" borrows it's theme from late `70s new wave, but regrets nothing and "Crazy Little Thing" is the sort of maximum R&B that's been wowing live audiences since the Stones waded ashore at Eel Pie Island.
Well worth tracking down, whether you're looking to revisit a particularly fun part of your youth, or a mere whippersnapper eager to find out what all the fuss is about.
We're hearing really good
things about the new Fifth Estate album, the recent Charlie Gracie release and
Dion's upcoming "Tank Full Of Blues" CD, due out on the 21st of this month.
Great to see some of our long time favorites still cranking out great, new
music! (kk)
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN
HITS:
Kent,
In search of the audio past I just landed on your Forgotten Hits website.
I found it - the FH site is loaded and tonight I just don't have the time to fully explore but I can assure you that I'll be back soon. Just relocated my ad agency to Portland, OR, after a lifetime in Chitown. Happy New Year!
Ron Elkins
What great stuff! That Chicago / Beach Boys story is cool. You may recall that my company (Concerts West) promoted those tours.
Pat O'Day
Kent,
In search of the audio past I just landed on your Forgotten Hits website.
I found it - the FH site is loaded and tonight I just don't have the time to fully explore but I can assure you that I'll be back soon. Just relocated my ad agency to Portland, OR, after a lifetime in Chitown. Happy New Year!
Ron Elkins
What great stuff! That Chicago / Beach Boys story is cool. You may recall that my company (Concerts West) promoted those tours.
Pat O'Day
Hi Kent,
I really like your blog / website. Some
cool songs on there, including versions I've never heard before (The Tremeloes'
"Yellow River"!!).
For what it's worth, the version of
"Alvin's Harmonica" you recently featured is not from the original Liberty 45
... you can tell from the harmonica intro ... I think it may be the LP version,
however, which is the version released on just about all the cd's containing
this song.Again, thanks for your
work regarding forgotten oldies!
Jon Olsen
Wow! I didn't know they did "Single
Mixes" for The Chipmunks!!! (How cool is that?!?!?) The one I featured DID
come from a CD (Their Greatest Hits actually) ... so that's neat new information
to know. Thanks for the compliments on the websites ... glad you're enjoying
Forgotten Hits. (kk)
More of your recent comments tomorrow ... so be sure to check back!
