Interesting to follow the Super Charts song progressions ...
My local stations were generally ahead of the three major charts; songs about to peak or peaking on the weekly Super Charts had already peaked locally. Sometimes, a song was already off the local chart.
"Lowdown" by Chicago peaked at #27 on the Super Charts; here locally it was the #1 song for the entire year of 1971! But I think that was due to the smokin', dope-in, boozin' party atmosphere of the holiday season as "Lowdown" didn't go higher than #22 on the weekly survey. (I think the people involved meant to list "Free" by Chicago; that peaked locally at #2. I recall "Lowdown" being spun all the time in '71 as if it were a #1 record.)
Anyway, hope the series keeps on rollin' thru 1972, and beyond!
Mike Markesich
We’ve seen the same thing … the national charts were usually “catching up” to the local charts that seemed to be much more “reactionary” to the trends as they were happening. But, by the same token, a lot of radio stations were influenced in building their playlists by what songs were suddenly doing well nationally that maybe hadn’t taken off in their market yet. The best one could hope for was a fair representation of what songs were catching on across the country.
At the time, MOST of us only knew the popularity of any given song based on the local charts that we saw or heard on our Top 40 radio stations. I had NO clue what Billboard Magazine or Cash Box Magazine was in 1967 when I was totally engrossed in the music of the day. I just figured the WLS and WCFL charts showed what the whole world was listening to … and the music was SO good and SO exciting and SO inventive that we hung on every new sound we heard. In a million years, I NEVER would have expected “It Could Be We’re In Love” by The Cryan’ Shames … a song that topped our charts here for four straight weeks … only got to #85 in Billboard … I was SHOCKED the first time I saw this in one of Joel Whitburn’s books. I just thought that this was a MAJOR hit everywhere. (And, in yet another example that proves it’s how and where the three major trade publications collected their information on which their charts were based, “It Could Be We’re In Love” placed 33 PLACES higher on the Record World chart, where it peaked at #52. (Cash Box, who charted it the longest … three weeks longer than either of the other two publication … peaked it right in the middle at #70.) “Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles David Smith and Jones” had an even BIGGER spread a year later, peaking at #73 in Cash Box and #115 in Billboard … a difference of 43 PLACES!!! (Perhaps some of this difference can be explained away by the importance placed on having a hit record on WLS and/or WCFL radio, two of the biggest Top 40 Giants in the country at the time. If the other two publications weighted the opinion of the Chicago market and Billboard didn't, that would explain a lot ... but it still doesn't explain how, in 1968 alone, "Hey Jude" topped Billboard's chart for nine straight weeks while it was displaced for either two or four weeks in the other publications by the Mary Hopkin hit "Those Were The Days" ... or how Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" sat on top of Billboard's chart for four straight weeks but never reached #1 at all in either of the other two publications. (For the record, it never hit #1 here in Chicago either, where "Hey Jude" only spent a week at the top on WLS and two weeks at #1 on WCFL ... IF Chicagoland radio was a factor.)
Interestingly enough, "Dock Of The Bay" was kept out of the #1 spot by Dionne Warwick's "(Theme from) Valley Of The Dolls" for two weeks in Record World (and #1 here in Chicago for a week as well), "Valleri" by The Monkees (#1 for TWO weeks in both Cash Box and Record World) and "Young Girl" by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, which also topped both the Record World and Cash Box charts.
"Hey Jude"'s run at the top was cut short in Chi-Town by "Those Were The Days," The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown's "Fire" and Gary Puckett and the Union Gap's "Over You." Those last two never climbed higher than number #2 and #5 on the national charts, respectively.
As for continuing the 50 Year Flashback calendar next year, that's not going to happen ... we're wrapping things up with 1971 in that regard ... but we ARE working on some other survey ideas that we think you'll like ... so be sure to stay tuned for that. (The surveys have become a BIG part of what Forgotten Hits does, something we're seeing imitated in other publications now as well ... so there will ALWAYS be some type of weekly chart tie-ins ... we just haven't finalized the details yet on what 2022 may bring.) kk
Years ago, we put together a list of The Top 200 #1 Records of The Beatles Era, 1964 -1970.
It ranks EVERY record to hit #1 in all three major trade publications (Billboard, Cash Box and Record World) during this timeframe ... and then calculates (based on the number of TOTAL weeks at #1 held in all three magazines, the 200 Biggest #1 Hits of this era. (For good measure, we also list all of the "runners up" alphabetically that DIDN'T make the list, thus accounting for EVERY National #1 Record from 1964 - 1970.
You can review that list here:
http://forgottenhits.com/the_top_200_1_hits_of_the_beatles_era_1964_-_1970
(I've always thought that this would make for an EXCELLENT radio countdown. Any takers? Sirius/XM's '60's Channel ... this is right up your alley!!!) kk
Last week I mentioned the 50th Anniversary Edition of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” album coming out on August 6th.
The 5-CD Deluxe Edition features a treasure trove of previously unreleased tracks. (Original word was that George was already working on this before he died … and that his son Dhani has continued in his footsteps, helping to realize his wishes … a main one of which was “toning down” Phil Spector’s original production … which George felt not sounded “over the top” in the way of being over-produced, in effect, “muddying up the sound” by layering so many tracks on top of one another.)
The Special Deluxe Edition 5 CD track list looks like this …
Disc One (Main Album)
1. I’d Have You Anytime
2. My Sweet Lord
3. Wah-Wah
4. Isn’t It A Pity (Version One)
5. What Is Life
6. If Not For You
7. Behind That Locked Door
8. Let It Down
9. Run Of The Mill
Disc Two (Main Album Continued)
1. Beware Of Darkness
2. Apple Scruffs
3. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
4. Awaiting On You All
5. All Things Must Pass
6. I Dig Love
7. Art Of Dying
8. Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two)
9. Hear Me Lord
10. Out Of The Blue *
11. It’s Johnny’s Birthday *
12. Plug Me In *
13. I Remember Jeep *
14. Thanks For The Pepperoni *
* Newly Remastered/Original Mix
Disc Three (Day 1 Demos – Tuesday 26 May 1970)
1. All Things Must Pass (Take 1)
2. Behind That Locked Door (Take 2)
3. I Live For You (Take 1)
4. Apple Scruffs (Take 1)
5. What Is Life (Take 3)
6. Awaiting On You All (Take 1)
7. Isn’t It A Pity (Take 2)
8. I’d Have You Anytime (Take 1)
9. I Dig Love (Take 1)
10. Going Down To Golders Green (Take 1)
11. Dehra Dun (Take 2)
12. Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna) (Take 1)
13. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (Take 2)
14. My Sweet Lord (Take 1)
15. Sour Milk Sea (Take 1)
Disc Four (Day 2 Demos – Wednesday 27 May 1970)
1. Run Of The Mill (Take 1)
2. Art Of Dying (Take 1)
3. Everybody/Nobody (Take 1)
4. Wah-Wah (Take 1)
5. Window Window (Take 1)
6. Beautiful Girl (Take 1)
7. Beware Of Darkness (Take 1)
8. Let It Down (Take 1)
9. Tell Me What Has Happened To You (Take 1)
10. Hear Me Lord (Take 1)
11. Nowhere To Go (Take 1)
12. Cosmic Empire (Take 1)
13. Mother Divine (Take 1)
14. I Don’t Want To Do It (Take 1)
15. If Not For You (Take 1)
Disc Five (Session Outtakes and Jams)
1. Isn’t It A Pity (Take 14)
2. Wah-Wah (Take 1)
3. I’d Have You Anytime (Take 5)
4. Art Of Dying (Take 1)
5. Isn’t It A Pity (Take 27)
6. If Not For You (Take 2)
7. Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine)
(Take 1)
8. What Is Life (Take 1)
9. Beware Of Darkness (Take 8)
10. Hear Me Lord (Take 5)
11. Let It Down (Take 1)
12. Run Of The Mill (Take 36)
13. Down To the River (Rocking Chair Jam) (Take 1)
14. Get Back (Take 1)
15. Almost 12 Bar Honky Tonk (Take 1)
16. It’s Johnny’s Birthday (Take 1)
17. Woman Don’t You Cry For Me (Take 5)
More on the Peter Jackson / Beatles / "Get Back" film ...
Peter is very proud to say that, without a couple of very minor exceptions, he didn't reuse ANY of the footage from the original film "Let It Be," shot by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969. Even if the same scene is shown, it will be shown from a different angle to make EVERYTHING look bright and new. (One exception, I might imagine, would be the rooftop concert ... although in the new film version, it'll run at its entire original length of 47 minutes ... the film was trimmed to just 27 minutes in the "Let It Be" film.)
Reports are that the video footage has been cleaned up in an immaculate way ... and the sound recordings are pristine as well. (LOTS of new technolgy has come our way since 1969!) My hope was that, with 150 additional audio hours available to choose from, one heck of a deluxe box set might also accompany the film ... but nothing "official" has been announced in this regard yet. (Thanks to the deluxe box sets put together for "Sgt. Pepper," The White Album and "Abbey Road," I am still hopeful that this will also be the case here.)
The general feeling right now is that Jackson's six hour film needs to be judged and appreciated on its own, without any ties to the original, which essentially showed the band on the verge of breaking up. Talk of the original Michael Lindsay-Hogg version FINALLY being re-released after all these years after the new film runs its course are still being discussed ... but my fear here is that it will look SO depressing and negative by comparison that it may just be shelved permanently. Still, it IS part of Beatles history ... and deserves to be seen (and owned) by the fans who have stuck with them for all these years. (I still have my original VHS copy that was available commercially at the time ... as well as a pretty high-quality DVD copy that was duped of the original laser disc, which I also bought at one time, despite never having owned a laser disc player in my entire life! lol Yeah ... I've been a bit obsessive about this one ... but never in my wildest dreams did I think the film would just flat out disappear ... and actually thought it might be released again after the Anthology series came out on DVD.)
Still, I am hopeful for pristine copies of "Let It Be," "Get Back" and a box set chock full of studio outtakes, rehearsal and banter, before the end of 2022. (kk)
Harvey Kubernik shares part of his interview with Tina Turner here:
https://bestclassicbands.com/tina-turner-interview-6-18-21/
Tina talks a little bit about her sessions with Phil Spector, who we’ve given the complete spotlight treatment to here in FH for his production career …
https://fhphilspector.blogspot.com/
Frank B. tells us about Cousin Brucie’s Palisades Park Reunion, coming up on Thursday, August 26th, at The PNC Bank Arts Center, featuring Bobby Rydell, Tony Orlando and The Capris
More information at michaeladmore.com
(Love this comment from Steven Blumstein: “Lots of hairpieces that night!”)
And Woodhaven, CT, is planning a big homecoming celebration for singer Brian Hyland …
kk ...
Brian Hyland Homecoming.
His wife died a few years ago. He re-married April 23, 2021.
FB
The City Winery is back in action here in Chicago with a couple of shows that may prove of interest to our local Forgotten Hits Readers …
July 7th – Deacon Blues, one of the area's premier Steely Dan tribute bands takes the stage.
(Leader Steve Kikoen told me that the band will be releasing their first all original album this year, featuring some
pretty stellar players. This new original music version of Deacon
Blues will be called The Deacons … and I'm hoping that they might premier a new track from these efforts at The City Winery Show)
On July 31st you can catch The Smithereens with
special guest Marshall Crenshaw on vocals (now THAT should be a great show!)
August 22nd – The legendary John Mayall
And say what?!?! On August 30th, Shawn Cassidy will be appearing at The City Winery!!! (For real?!?!)
More information on ALL of their upcoming shows here:
Tom Cuddy sent us this clip of Felix Cavaliere talking about The Rascal’s big 1967 Hit “How Can I Be Sure” … https://youtu.be/99-vHriR4Ec
kk …
50 years after recording their first album, Peter Asher and Kate Taylor did it again and they'll be touring together this summer.
Peter told Cousin Brucie (and the rest of us) about the early days of Peter and Gordon.
Why a duo? There was only two of them at school who had guitars and liked the same music. If there were more of them, they probably would have had a larger group like the Beatles and the Stones.
At the beginning, it was GORDON & PETER. When they signed with EMI, they insisted that they reverse the names ‘cause they thought it sounded better.
They got their first hit (A World Without Love) from Paul McCartney. He gave it to them when the Beatles decided not to record it.
Peter’s next project : A duet album with Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles.
FB
And Chuck Buell brings us to a close today as only he can ...
From Chuck Buell, RE: "Somethin's Happenin'" in Forgotten Hits!
HA! At MY age, BOTH Photos looked Blurry!
VB!
Thanx for allowing me to be a Special Part of your FHs endeavor from time to time!
Now then, from one Dad to another ~~~
TBC . . .
CB
And Now, A CB Saturday Morning Educational Bonus!
You may take notes. There will be a Quiz.
The definition of "Capitalistic Innovation." The Chicken Sandwich.
CB ( which stands for "Chicken Boy!" )
How true!!! We were just talking about this the other day …
Who EVER thought that we’d be experiencing The Chicken Sandwich Wars in 2021?!?!
I think I’ve tried about six of these myself … and my personal favorite, hands down, is still Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich … which is the one I usually ate before all these other “pretenders” joined the race. (Quite honestly, I find most of these to be too “stripped down” … and therefore rather boring!) The fact that a burger place beats a few dedicated chicken places is really saying something! (kk)
A Follow Up CB Afterthought to this morning's "Restaurants' Lack of Innovative, Chicken Sandwich Copycat Thinking ~~~ "
"Egg Salad is still Chicken Salad, when you stop to think about it . . . "
CB
Guess so! (kk)
