From Geoff Lambert’s weekly sheet …
Somebody born in ‘33 was 45 in ‘78
That’s gotta be some sort of a record
Also from Geoff …
An article in Cash Box magazine 30th of April 1966
‘Louie, Louie' Returns Again
NEW YORK — The Kingsmen’s record of “Louie, Louie,” which was initially released some two and a half years ago, has once again become a hot item in the singles sales market. The current sales boom has accounted for the sale of 97,000 pieces of the deck according to the label’s Peter Garris, who also stated that between seven and eight months ago the single went through a phase where it sold an additional 300,000 copies. The current boom in the single has placed it on the Top 100 chart at 89 with a red bullet last week and this week has moved it to number 85. The tune has never waned in its appeal according to the sales figures on the Kingsmen’s “Louie, Louie” LP, released by the label. Monthly sales are in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. Garris also said that stations throughout the country are once again regularly playing the tune.
Interesting in light of our recent observation …
>>>And look at #89 ... The Kingsmen are back with "Louie Louie!" (Maybe audiences have matured a little bit since 1963 and can handle it now ... but I doubt it!) kk
The Kingsmen’s version of “Louie Louie” actually made the National Charts THREE TIMES …
First in late 1963 / early 1964 where it peaked at #1 in both Cash Box (two weeks) and Record World (one week) … then again in April of 1965 where it peaked at #129 in Record World only … and then this current run from April of 1966, where Cash Box ranked it at #65. I guess controversy really does spur sales! (kk)
It seems Geoff’s on a roll this week …
Did you know?
In 1982, John Denver walked into his home carrying a chainsaw. He didn’t come to argue – he came to return something. Days earlier, while he was away, his soon-to-be ex-wife Anne Martell had hired men to cut down the trees around their Aspen home - the tall ones that John loved. When he came back, they were gone. The yard felt empty. Exposed. Something in him broke. He went to the garage. Started the saw. Then walked inside. The kitchen table he cut in half. The dining table he cut in half. The bed they shared for fifteen years he sawed straight through. Wood cracking. Rooms torn apart. A life coming apart piece by piece. At one point he grabbed her by the throat then stopped. "I did what I came for," he said and walked out. Eight years earlier he had written "Annie’s Song" in ten minutes on a ski lift. The man who once sang "you fill up my senses" had just cut their life in half.
To subscribe to Geoff’s weekly sheet, just drop him an email at geoff.lambert@btinternet.com … and tell him Forgotten Hits sent you!
>>>I don't know if you remember or not, but several years ago (8? 9?) Forgotten Hits came in as the #1 Oldies Website in Russia! (NO idea why!!!) But I remember we joked around about it for a while. (kk)
Not sure if you shared with your Russian website viewers and the rest of the world back then what TV and radio was like in the USSR days, but if not, here is an "insight":
Russian Bandstand -- https://youtu.be/dVfkV5C6EEc?si=P4uyqylC3oAnCSQ2
Go Go Radio Moscow -- https://youtu.be/rECtD2GmlX8?si=k9XpVI9mHef53xTb
And remember, in Russia, you don't listen to the radio -- radio listens to you!
Regards,
Uncle T. Jay
From Tom Cuddy …
‘Michael’ Rocks Box Office With Record-Setting $97 Million Debut
And his worldwide box office gross for opening weekend was $217.3 million, which means that in just one weekend, this already places him in third place for the all-time highest worldwide music biopic grosses (behind “Bohemian Rhapsody” - $910.8 million – and “Elvis” - $288.7 million, which he will easily pass in the week to come. Pretty amazing.
This movie spotlights the high points of Michael’s career, stopping in 1988 when he was still on top of the world with his “Bad” tour.
Billboard points out 20 previous times that Jackson proved he was “The King Of Pop” here:
Hi Kent –
Thanks for the link to that Billboard story on some of the mistakes made in the recent Michael Jackson film.
Looks like they missed a couple of other errors:
In 1969 the Jackson 5 were shown in the Motown studios recording several songs for their first album.
Young Michael is laying down his lead vocal on the song "Who's Lovin' You," which would end up as the B-side of the group's first Motown single release.
In the control room working the board is Berry Gordy. However, the song was actually produced by Bobby Taylor of the Vancouvers (who never appears in the film).
Earlier in the same scene Michael is shown singing his vocals to the song that would end up on the A-side of that first Motown 45.
"I Want You Back" was written and produced by the team of Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Deke Richards and Berry Gordy. Together they called themselves The Corporation.
But in the booth once again we only see Berry. This makes it seem that Berry and only Berry produced the group's first record(s) when of course that was not true.
Just wanted to add, as you posted Sunday, fans of the Jackson 5 and Michael's music will probably enjoy the film (even though it's not completely accurate).
Santi Paradoa
Miami, Florida
Oh, there are plenty of others …
In the film, we see The Jackson Five performing “Never Can Say Goodbye” in 1968 … even tho that song wouldn’t even be written until three years later.
The idea of Michael’s first nose surgery being inspired by a drawing of Peter Pan may have had some minor element of proof to it …
But what was far more obvious was that Michael didn’t want Joe Jackson’s nose … which is something he inherited and most definitely had to get rid of.
And cutting Bobby Taylor completely out of the story is another huge mistake … but I guess at this point, it’s safer to go with the legend. (After all, Michael was “eight” to his audience when he was really ten!)
But the fact is, it was Bobby Taylor who first brought the group to Motown’s attention. Gladys Knight also got in the quintet’s corner, telling Berry that he should sign them. But then, when it came time to introduce them to the world for the very first time on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” it was Diana Ross who got all the credit … most likely because she was Motown’s most recognizable artist (and was also sleeping with Berry Gordy at the time!)
Nobody knew who Bobby Taylor (and the Vanouvers) were … their only real pop hit was “Does Your Mama Know About Me,” which peaked at #29 in 1968. The group would get a lot more attention if Gladys Knight and Diana Ross were on the team promoting them (not that they weren’t already outstanding on their own.) kk
FROM WILD WAYNE’S INTERVIEW WITH GENE PITNEY, 9/6/1992
1967 = Gene Pitney Married His Childhood Sweetheart , Lynne Gayton In Italy.
Gene Was Appearing At San Remo Festival.
Problems =Gene Rented A Yacht. Priest Refused To Marry Them. Thought They Were Living In Sin. They Weren't
They Thought They Had All The Right Paper Work With Them. They Didn't. Needed Permission From A Parish Priest.
Gene Told Wayne He Really Got Upset When Fans Would Approach Him On The Street & Ask Him To Sing.
Wayne Didn't Want To Make The Same Mistake.
During The 1992 Interview, Wayne Is Playing The Recording Of Gene Singing "E SE DOMANI" (AND IF TOMORROW)
No Surprise That Wayne Was Shocked When He Heard Gene Singing Along With This Record!
One & Only Time He Ever Did It.
FRANK B.
Gene Pitney always did GREAT interviews. I’ll never forget the one they featured on the (then) XM 60’s Channel shortly after his passing. Several artists who toured with Gene in the ‘60’s have told me what a great, fun-loving guy he was … always the prankster with the other acts on the bill. Hard to believe he’s already been gone twenty years now. (kk)
Frank also tells us …
THE LAST RONETTE HAS DIED … RIP
NEDRA TALLEY ROSS: 1946 - 2026
FRANK B.
She’s the one that WASN’T a Bennett. Boy, the British acts sure loved The Ronettes. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones each had their little flings with these girls! (kk)
|
|
THE RONETTES HIT LIST |
USA |
CHI |
UK |
|
1963 |
Be My Baby |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
1963 |
Sleigh Ride |
-- |
EX |
-- |
|
1963 |
Baby, I Love You |
24 |
20 |
34 |
|
1964 |
(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up |
39 |
23 |
-- |
|
1964 |
Do I Love You? |
34 |
23 |
14 |
|
1964 |
Walking In The Rain |
20 |
17 |
16 |
|
1965 |
Born To Be Together |
52 |
EX |
29 |
|
1965 |
Is This What I Get For Loving You |
75 |
EX |
-- |
|
1966 |
I Can Hear Music |
90 |
-- |
-- |
|
1969 |
You Came, You Saw, You Conquered! |
90 |
-- |
73 |
OK, this is pretty cool …
Lyle Lovett is coming to our local City Winery.
Now I’ll admit that I’m not much of a Lyle Lovett fan. (As far as I’m concerned, the best thing he ever did was Julia Roberts!)
But check out this promo piece the City Winery sent out in advance of the show …
Hi there,
There's a moment that happens at a Lyle Lovett show that doesn't happen anywhere else, and we just had to share it with you.
The song ends. The room goes quiet. And then Lyle leans into the microphone. Not to start the next song, but to tell you something. Where he was when he wrote it. Who it was really about. What he was too afraid to say out loud until he figured out how to say it in a lyric.
Suddenly, a song you've heard a hundred times becomes something you're hearing for the first time.
That's what Songs & Stories actually is. Not a greatest hits set. A conversation.
And it happens at City Winery, which means dinner in front of you, something good in your glass, and Lyle close enough to read the expression on his face when he hits the line that matters. That detail isn't a gimmick it's the whole thing. Big rooms give you the songs. City Winery gives you the songwriter.
Dinner. Wine. Lyle Lovett live. Exactly as he was meant to be heard.
This is the kind of thing that sells out and then everyone's kicking themselves, I'd grab a spot sooner rather than later. We've booked three shows for you, click here to get the last seats.
Is that a great promotional gimmick or what?!?! (kk)
From Stephen Bishop …
I just got word that “On and On” has officially surpassed 50
million plays on Apple Music in the U.S.
I’m incredibly grateful to all of you who have continued to listen and support
my music over the past five decades. It truly means more than I can say.
We’re currently working on a 50th Anniversary Edition of my debut album,
Careless. For the first time, it will include liner notes, new photos, original
song drafts, and two bonus tracks I considered for the album back then but
never included … until now. Stay tuned!
Love and Sunshine,
Stephen
Hey Kent,
As long as I'm obsessing over the 8 Track Tape from back in the day, one final hurrah from a '60's dinosaur. Never saw this one coming.
"Thanks", for your patience.
Gary
Limited-time deal: Bring Back 8 Track tape T-Shirt T-Shirt
Here’s your chance to spend a few minutes with Chuck Buell …
Here's my latest Radio Interview from just a couple of days ago. (April 24, 2026)
This by Jim Hampton of the online USA Radio Museum.
Radio Museum?!! What am I?! An Artifact?! It’s like when I go into a museum, look at some of the vintage displays there, and say, “Hey! I had some of those things when I was a Kid!
Anyway, if you have any interest in a very brief overview of my Lifetime Radio Travels, his CB synopsis story and the Video Interview are here. (Read “very brief" as 42 Minutes!)
(The accompanying photos he found for all this are killer! I don't know where he got some of them!)
So, first his story with photos … and then the link to the video.
And, as usual, feel free to read, watch and listen to as much or as little as you wish!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIbPNNogtYA
"And Thanx for Listenin'!"
CB
Be on the lookout for the Chuck Buell Forgotten Hits take-over, coming to you over the course of the next two days! (kk)
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
4/28/66 – The Boston Celtics beat The LA Lakers four games to three to win the NBA Championship. The rivalry between these two clubs will go on for decades.
Also on 4/28, “The Sound Of Music,” Julie Christie and Lee Marvin are the big winners at this year’s Academy Awards
