February 29, 1972

February 29, 1972: 

 (click to enlarge)

10. Heart Of Gold - Neil Young: 

Neil Young didn't really have a lot of "pop" success as a solo artist ... only three of his solo releases made The Top 40 ... but this one was HUGE ... and it went all the way to #1. The on-again, off-again member of Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young) also topped the LP chart with "Harvest", the album from whence this single came!

9. Joy - Apollo 100: 

Here's another FINE example of "classic" (or would that be "CLASSICAL") rock.  Apollo 100's "popped-up" arrangement of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (retitled simply as "Joy") went all the way to #1 here in Chicago ... and peaked at #6 nationally.  

8. Sweet Seasons - Carole King: 

After writing literally hundreds of hit songs for other artists, Carole King released her "Tapestry" album in 1971 and finally enjoyed some MAJOR chart success of her very own. (It was the Album Of The Year in fact ... and remains one of the best-selling and most popular albums of all time!) The follow-up LP, "Music", spawned the hit single "Sweet Seasons" in 1972.

7. Let's Stay Together - Al Green: 

Four decades before President Barrack Obama crooned it at a political gathering, Al Green scored the BIGGEST Hit of his entire career when "Let's Stay Together" went all the way to #1. Seriously ... has a day EVER gone by since 1972 when you HAVEN'T heard this one on the radio?!?!? Reverend Al hit a universal nerve when he recorded THIS tune.

6. Everything I Own - Bread: 

I always thought that this was one of Bread's most beautiful love songs ... then, after seeing them in concert, and learning that David Gates actually wrote the song not about one of the lost loves of his life but rather his father's recent death ... the lyrics take on a whole new, even more powerful meaning in that context. Listen closely to the words the next time you hear this song with that thought in mind ... and I'm sure you'll come away with a whole new feeling about this song. (Better yet, why not give Scott Shannon a call today and ask him to play it!!!  He's been counting down Leap Year Favorites all day long!) An absolute Bread favorite.

5. The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Robert John: 

Although the definitive version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" will always be the one recorded by The Tokens (who took it to #1 in 1961), Robert John didn't do too badly with his 1972 remake ... it peaked at #2!!! 
In fact, he had a little bit of "inside help" on this one ... former Tokens member Hank Medress produced John's version.  Robert John first hit the pop charts back in 1958 under his REAL name, Bobby Pedrick, Jr., when, at the ripe old age of 12, his song "White Bucks And Saddle Shoes" went to #74 on the Billboard Chart. His high falsetto voice was the perfect tool for some other popular remakes after the success of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" ... his version of The Mystics' hit "Hushabye" went to #77 later that same year and, after topping the charts with his biggest hit, an original tune called "Sad Eyes" in 1979, remakes of "Hey There Lonely Girl" (#31, 1980), "Sherry" (#70, 1980) and "Bread And Butter" (#68, 1983) followed.

4. Down By The Lazy River - The Osmonds: 
I don't care what you say ... The Osmonds rocked out pretty good on this one. It topped the charts here in Chicago (as did their two previous singles, "One Bad Apple" and "Yo-Yo".)  In fact, brothers Merrill and Alan wrote "Down By The Lazy River", proving that the boys COULD rock when they wanted to! (This ALSO gives me yet ANOTHER excuse to tell my ALL-TIME favorite Osmonds Brothers Story: According to Alan Osmond, Led Zeppelin's road manager once invited The Osmonds to come backstage and meet the band. After a short visit, "One of the band members asked us if we would like to come up on stage with them for their final song, when they played 'Stairway To Heaven'."  Their manager didn't think it was a very good idea, concerned about the image of Led Zeppelin having ANYTHING at all to do with The Osmonds!  But the members of Led Zeppelin insisted. A production assistant "escorted us up the back stairs and to the right side of the stage. The audience, which never stopped applauding to get Zeppelin to come back for an encore, were surprised as The Osmonds revealed themselves from the back of the stage with Zeppelin following. We stood stage right and watched the greatest performance of their song.") Now that's even cooler than the time The Osmonds hired world champion karate guru Chuck Norris to teach them some new, "masculine moves" that could be incorporated into their dance choreography! (Also true!) And all this time you thought these guys were just a bunch of wimps!

3. Precious And Few - Climax: 

At one time or another, we've featured ALL of the hit songs recorded by The Outsiders, the band that Sonny Geraci fronted back in the '60's. You may recall that "Precious And Few" nearly came out as an "Outsiders" track, too, but a lawsuit between former band members as to who really had the rights to the name caused Geraci to change the name on his release to Climax. It was worth it ... "Precious and Few" went all the way to #1, something The Outsiders were never able to do themselves!
 

2. Hurting Each Other - The Carpenters: 

Certainly one of the hottest recording acts of the '70's, "Hurting Each Other" was just one of 13 songs released by The Carpenters that went into The National Top Ten in an all-too-brief recording career.

***1***  Without You - Nilsson: 

Here's another one of my '70's favorites ... originally written and performed by Badfinger on their "No Dice" album, Nilsson really made this one his own. (It became a HUGE hit again 22 years later for Mariah Carey.)  Badfinger was ALSO on this week's Top 40 Chart with their new single, "Day After Day"  Many years ago, we did a special Forgotten Hits feature, tracing this song from its inception ... starting with the original Pete Ham demo track through the Badfinger recording ... into the Nilsson chart-topping monster power ballad masterpiece and up through the Mariah Carey remake. A good song is a good song is a good song ... no matter WHO does it ... and THIS is a GOOD song!

February 29, 1968

February 29, 1968:

10. Everything That Touches You - The Association

The Association scored their last Top Ten Hit with this forgotten gem from 1968. It capped a pretty good run ... "Cherish", "Windy" and "Never My Love" had all topped the national singles charts ... and their debut single, "Along Comes Mary", posted a very respectable #7 showing in 1966.  The band is still performing today (with a few original members) ... we caught them last year as part of The Happy Together Again Tour!

9. Baby, Now That I've Found You - The Foundations: 

The British-based band The Foundations (who also had members as widely dispersed as Trinidad and The West Indies) are one of those rare bands that had TWO huge Top Ten Singles in the '60's and then faded away into obscurity ... yet you continue to hear BOTH of their hit records on pretty much a daily basis. "Baby, Now That I've Found You" was their first U.S. Chart Hit and it ultimately peaked at #8 on the Cash Box Chart. Their monster follow-up, "Build Me Up, Buttercup" topped the Cash Box Chart in early 1969 (and has now been forever immortalized in the closing credits of the film "There's Something About Mary".)

8. Bottle Of Wine - The Fireballs: 
The Fireballs went through several musical cycles during their long chart career. When they first hit the charts (way back in 1959), it was with the instrumental hit "Torquay", which went to #35 in Cash Box Magazine. Three more instrumental hits followed: "Bulldog" (#23, 1960), "Vaquero" (#99, 1960 ... hey, I didn't say they were BIG hits, LOL) and "Quite A Party" (#27, 1961.) In 1960, Buddy's buddy, Norman Petty (the man who had helped to guide Buddy Holly's career), introduced a young singer by the name of Jimmy Gilmer to the band. They hit it off and, three years later, had the biggest selling single of 1963 when "Sugar Shack" went all the way to #1. The similar-sounding "Daisy Petal Pickin'" went to #15 the following year and then things were pretty quiet for the group again. (Ironically, their 1966 single "What I Am" stiffed on the charts ... but was turned into a Top 20 Hit when Tommy James and the Shondells cut it as "Say I Am", and released it as the follow-up to their #1 smash "Hanky Panky".)
In 1967, they happened to come across a fun, sing-along tune called "Bottle Of Wine", a song that folk singer Tom Paxton had been playing around with for a few years. The Fireballs "rocked" it up a little bit and soon had their last Top Ten Record with "Bottle Of Wine".

7. I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight - 
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart: 
It was the mention of THIS song in our original Leap Year Series than ran back in 2004 that prompted us to do our "The Music of Tommy Boyce And Bobby Hart" Series a few years ago.  That series proved to be SO popular that it's now been permanently posted on our other Forgotten Hits Website ... www.forgottenhits.com ... in fact, Bobby Hart enjoyed the series so much, he offered brand new commentary and even agreed to a rare interview!)
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart had been hitting the pop charts for the past couple of years by supplying hit music to The Monkees.  (In fact, Boyce and Hart had originally auditioned to be the musical act on the show but were designated as the show's "musical producers" instead.) In addition to "The Monkees Theme", they provided the group with their first #1 Hit "Last Train To Clarksville", the smash B-Side "Steppin' Stone" (first done ... without any success ... by Paul Revere and the Raiders), "Words" and "Valleri" (a song recorded in 1967 but not released until later in '68, where it ALSO topped the pop charts.) They also were responsible for some great LP tunes like "I Wanna Be Free", "Gonna Buy Me A Dog" and "She", amongst others, many of which became embedded in our consciousness by repeated plays on their weekly TV series. In 1968, Boyce and Hart finally tried to make their OWN mark in the music biz as recording artists ... and this one was a biggie! "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight" (not the same song as the Barry and the Tamerlanes hit, but most likely inspired by its title) hit #7 in Cash Box (and was a #2 smash here in Chicago.) 
In the mid-'70's, Boyce and Hart teamed with Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones of The Monkees and toured as Dolenz, Jones, Boyce And Hart:  The Songs of The Monkees (by the Guys Who Sang 'Em and the Guys Who Wrote 'Em.) I just happened to be at Six Flags in St. Louis the night they broke the all-time attendance record back in 1976 ... and their only studio LP is REALLY pretty good stuff!!! (I also remember hearing them in the studio on Roy Leonard's WGN radio program at the time, discussing how they now wanted to be taken more seriously as artists by appealing to an older audience ... I couldn't help but think that perhaps the FIRST, most logical step in that direction toward CHANGING this perception MIGHT be to stop billing yourselves as MicKY, and DaVY and TomMY and BobBY! LOL)

6. Spooky - The Classics IV: 

The Classics IV had one of the smoothest sounds on record back in the late '60's. Their hits "Spooky", "Storym", "Traces" and our recently featured Forgotten Hit "Every Day With You Girl" were all National Top 20 Hits. (In fact, "Spooky", "Stormy" and "Traces" all peaked at #2 on at least one of the National Charts!) Lead vocalist Dennis Yost deservedly gets a lot of the credit for the for the band's success ... but when guitarist J.R. Cobb and bassist / keyboardist Dean Daughtry teamed with Classics IV producer Buddy Buie in the mid-'70's to form The Atlanta Rhythm Section, the hits just kept on coming ... including an ARS remake of "Spooky" that went all the way to #15!!!

5. Simon Says - The 1910 Fruitgum Company

Bubblegum Music was at its ultimate peak in 1968 ... and leading the pack was THIS group from New Jersey.  While many of these groups were simply studio creations (featuring the lead vocals of Joey Levine), taken under the wings of producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, The 1910 Fruitgum Company were a self-contained unit that still performs today.  After "Simon Says" peaked at #2, they followed it up with two more Top Five Hits, "1,2,3 Red Light" (#3, 1968) and "Indian Giver" (#4, 1969)  

4. Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding:

Sadly, Soul Singer / Songwriter Otis Redding didn't live long enough to see his biggest hit record make the charts ... he died in a plane crash in December of 1967, three months BEFORE "Dock Of The Bay" hit #1. Redding has inspired SO many other singers over the years ... but this one remains his signature tune.

3. I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations: 

The Temptations experimented with a wide variety of styles in the '60's ... and all of them seemed to work. Whether recording the traditional Motown Sound on early hits like "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "My Girl" and "Get Ready" ... or pushing the musical envelope with more elaborate tracks like "I Wish It Would Rain", "Cloud Nine" and "I Can't Get Next To You" ... or literally re-inventing themselves with over-the-top songs like "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball Of Confusion" and "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", virtually EVERYTHING they touched turned to gold. "I Wish It Would Rain" peaked at the #2 position early in 1968 ... and is yet another Temptations classic.

2. Theme from Valley Of The Dolls - Dionne Warwick: 

Dionne's love theme from the popular (if somewhat campy) movie "Valley of the Dolls" (based on the long-time mega-best selling book) was an unexpected surprise on the pop charts.  First of all, it wasn't written by her usual team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David ... and, in many cities, it was designated as the B-Side.  That's because the OTHER side of this single was "I Say A Little Prayer", long considered a David and Bacharach classic.  (It also became a Top Ten Hit for Dionne Warwick, going all the way to #4 three months earlier!)

***1***  Love Is Blue - Paul Mauriat: 

Man, this one was ALL over the radio back in 1968 ... 

it didn't seem to matter WHAT station you listened to ... 

Paul Mauriat took the French song "L'Amour Est Bleu" and made it an American favorite ... it topped the charts for SEVEN incredible weeks in February and March. The song was first performed by Vicki Leandros as Luxembourg's entry into the Annual Eurovision Song Contest in 1967, where it finished in fourth place! Despite the fact that she later recorded the song with lyrics that same year in 19 different languages, it sold moderately at best. All the more surprising then that, in a year where American Music took a turn toward harder, heavier, more sophisticated rock, this one captured our hearts by storm ... and as an INSTRUMENTAL, no less!   (Wow ... that makes TWO HUGE INSTRUMENTAL HITS holding down the #1 Spot in our Leap Year Countdown thus far!)

DIDJAKNOW?: In 1971, Paul Mauriat admitted for the first time that, under the pseudonym Del Roman, he wrote an instrumental called "Chariot" back in 1962 that became a #1 Record throughout Europe for Petula Clark when she recorded it with newly written French lyrics. A year later, when English lyrics were written, it went to #1 here in the States, too.  Don't recognize the title?  That's probably because you know it better as "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March!

February 29, 1964

February 29, 1964:

 (click to enlarge)

 

10.Um Um Um Um Um Um - Major Lance: 
Major Lance would have quite a few of his R&B Hits cross-over to the pop charts in the early '60's. "Um Um Um Um Um Um" would be turn out to be his biggest. It returned to The Top 40 in 1978 when Johnny Rivers recorded it under the new title "Curious Mind".

9. Stop And Think It Over - Dale and Grace: 

Dale and Grace topped the charts with their previous release, "I'm Leaving It (All) Up To You", at the end of 1963. This follow-up release, "Stop And Think It Over:, would be their last Top Ten (and Top 40) hit.

8. Please Please Me - The Beatles: 
By February 29, 1964, Beatlemania was EXPLODING here in The United States ... in fact, you'll find THREE of The Beatles' earliest U.S. releases firmly planted in this week's Top Ten Countdown. (Of course, this particular track was already a year old by the time America was FINALLY ready to embrace The Fab Four From Liverpool.) Despite ALL legends to the contrary, (and George Martin's oft-repeated quote, "Congratulations, Gentlemen ... you've just recorded your first #1 Record"), "Please Please Me" never OFFICIALLY hit #1 in England OR The United States ... but it IS a classic early Lennon-McCartney tune nonetheless ... and it helped to ignite Beatlemania all around the world back in early 1963 ... well, everywhere but HERE anyway, where the record tanked the first time around. Fact is, Vee Jay Records thought so little of the band, they mis-spelled their name on the record label as "The Beattles" ... with TWO "T's"!!! (That pressing's worth a small FORTUNE today!) In 1964, The Beatles would revolutionize and revitalize the recording industry ... and music has NEVER been the same since.

7. Navy Blue - Diane Renay: 
Diane Renay hit The Top Ten with her first release, "Navy Blue" ... a sound-alike follow-up hit, "Kiss Me, Sailor", peaked at #28 later that year ... and then she was gone. When this record was first released, more than a few people thought she sounded an awful lot like Lesley Gore! (Speaking of whom, you'll find Lesley firmly planted at #5 on this week's countdown!)

6. California Sun - The Rivieras: 

Although The British Invasion was just starting to get under way here in The States back on February 29, 1964, thanks to artists like The Beach Boys, The Surfaris, and these guys, The Rivieras, Surf Music was ANOTHER hot sound of the era. In fact, "California Sun" went all the way to #5 that year and the song is still quite popular today, continuing to receive regular oldies airplay. Ironically, the band was from South Bend, Indiana, more than a few miles away from the nearest ocean (or the California Sun for that matter!) This single was no sooner recorded (right here in Chicago, btw) than guitarists Marty Fortson (who also sang the lead vocal) and Joe Pennell left the band to join the Marines. (In fact, Fortson later recalled hearing the song played on the radio while he was being shot at in Viet Nam, wondering if, perhaps, he had made the wrong career decision!) Their manager, Bill Dobslaw, who later took over the lead vocal duties, recruited new musicians for their low-charting follow-ups "Little Donna" / "Let's Have A Party" and "Rockin' Robin".  (Despite peaks in the 90's for these two singles on the National Charts, both were Top Ten smashes here in Chicago.) Their brand of "surfing-up" some oldies (Joe Jones first recorded "California Sun" back in 1961, but his version stopped at #81 ... "Let's Have A Party" was an Elvis tune that saw some chart success by Wanda Jackson ... and "Rockin' Robin", of course, was a #2 smash for Bobby Day) coupled with the Midwestern Garage Band Sound of the day made for an interesting combination and "California Sun" became an instant classic. All of these hits were released on their very own "Riviera" record label ... and we've given Indiana's Rivieras The "Forgotten Hits Treatment" a FEW times over the past few years!

5. You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore: 

"You Don't Own Me" is of my VERY favorite Lesley Gore songs ... a personal favorite of all-time for that matter! (Was it an early example of The Women's Lib / Women's Rights Movement? Perhaps ... if not, it certainly was a FAR cry from "He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss", recorded just a year and a half earlier by The Crystals under the auspicious guidance of Super Producer Phil Spector!)
Lesley had become quite a regular in The Top Ten during the past year: "It's My Party" topped the charts in early-summer, 1963, followed by "Judy's Turn To Cry" (#4 in August) and "She's A Fool" (#5 in the fall.) "You Don't Onw Me", a powerful ballad produced by Quincy Jones (and  co-written by our good friend Johnny Madara) would keep that string alive and it went all the way to #1 here in Chicago. In fact, Lesley would go on to have seven more Top 40 Hits by 1967 ... and I'm guessing that, back in 1964 anyway, there were probably a FEW people out there who thought that Lesley Gore sounded an awful lot like Diane Renay!!!  (Go figure!!!)

4. Java - Al Hirt: 

Al Hirt (who always reminded me of Sebastian Cabot for some reason ... and, to the best of my knowledge anyway, was NEVER confused with either Lesley Gore or Diane Renay) was quite a television fixture back in the mid-'60's. Early on, he spent time in both Jimyy and Tommy Dorsey's combos and later headed his own Dixieland band (with famed clarinetist Pete Fountain.)  In fact, next to Herb Alpert, Hirt just may have been the most recognized trumpet player in America at the time! (Ironically, it was Diane Renay's hit "Navy Blue" that knocked Hirt out of the #1 Spot on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart back in March of '64!) "Java" was written by renown New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint (Hirt was also from New Orleans) and the single was produced by Nashville legend Chet Atkins, who probably first saw it as a country song (since Nashville session man extraordinaire Floyd Cramer had also cut the tune.) In fact, both Toussaint's version and Cramer's version were piano instrumentals, showcasing their musical strong suit. It was Hirt who added the "Honey In the Horn" and made "Java" the hit it ultimately became. RCA billed him as "Al 'The King' Hirt" (pretty amazing in that Elvis also recorded for the label!) Hardly a sex symbol, (he, at times, weighed as much as three hundred pounds) he recorded his follow-up LP "Beauty And the Beard" with soon-to-be Elvis movie co-star (and not so secret girlfriend) Ann-Margret.

3. Dawn - The Four Seasons: 

By the time "Dawn" peaked at #3 on the National Charts, The Four Seasons had already topped the charts three times with "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like A Man".  Today they've been forever immortalized in "Jersey Boys", a MUST-SEE musical depicting the highs and lows of their entire career.

2. She Loves You - The Beatles: 

Despite the encouragement from Paul McCartney's father to "un-Americanize" the lyrics and sing "yes, yes, yes" instead of "yeah, yeah, yeah", The Beatles stuck to their guns and had their second biggest hit of the year in America ... and their biggest British hit ever!

***1***  I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles: 

This is the one that started it all over here ... targeting their recording for "American ears", The Beatles really nailed it with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" ... even Capitol Records couldn't deny it this time ... and a HUGE advertising campaign (along with appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and Carnegie Hall) paved the way for John, Paul, George and Ringo to enter into the open arms of their biggest, worldwide audience yet. Beatlemania was here to stay. (Don't believe me? Flip through your radio dial today, nearly fifty years later, and count how many Beatles songs you hear in a single day. It's frickin' AMAZING!!!) 

February 29, 1960

February 29, 1960: 

Here is the first of our brand new LEAP YEAR SUPER CHARTS, 
(courtesy of Randy Price)

 (click to enlarge)

We're saluting The Top Ten Hits on this date, 1960, in this installment of our VERY Special Forgotten Hits Leap Year Countdown!

10. Running Bear - Johnny Preston: 

Here is yet another '60's Chart Classic that rarely receives airplay today. Johnny Preston topped the Pop, Country and R&B Charts with this one.  And DIDJAKNOW? that those background Indian sounds were actually performed by The Big Bopper (who wrote this tune) and his label mate, Country Legend George Jones!  How the heck does oldies radio ignore a classic like THIS one!!!  

9. Let It Be Me - The Everly Brothers: 

The Everly Brothers were the first Dynamic Duo of The Rock Era ... by Leap Year Day, 1960, they had already scored THREE #1 Records!
"Let It Be Me" became their EIGHTH Top Ten Hit in just three years ... and while they may have been the ones who recorded it first, it has gone on to become one of the most covered "duets" ever written ... next to their OTHER big smash, "All I Have To Do Is Dream", of course!!! Their impact was everlasting ... and the influence of The Everly Brothers is still heard in music today.   

8. Baby, You Got What It Takes - 

Brook Benton and Dinah Washington: 

Speaking of "killer" duets, "Baby, You Got What It Takes" has got to be another one of the greatest duets ever captured on wax. (Brook Benton and Dinah Washington were BOTH successful recording artists on their own for Mercury Records when they teamed up in 1960 to cut a couple of duets for the label. Brook being "in her spot" is one of the highlights of this record!)   

7. Wild One - Bobby Rydell: 

Bobby Rydell was one of the earliest stars of "American Bandstand" and the Cameo / Parkway label ... an overnight Teen Idol Sensation ... and he's STILL out there performing in Teen Idol / Boys of Bandstand Shows to this day!  "Wild One" was the second of his six Top Ten Hits.    

6. Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin: 

This was Bobby Darin's follow up hit to last year's Record Of The Year, "Mack The Knife", which we told you about earlier today in our 1956 Leap Year Chart.  "Beyond The Sea" did nearly as well, becoming another one of Bobby's "signature" tunes, ultimately peaking at #6, and it seems to be every bit as popular today, some 52 years later! (In the past few years alone, it was used over the closing credits of the Walt Disney movie smash "Finding Nemo", as sung by British popster Robbie Williams ... ... and then was the title track of the Kevin Spacey film of Darin's life ... it was also incorporated into a key episode of the television series "Lost" right around the time our 2008 Leap Year Countdown rand ... and was recently used in a commercial for Carnival Cruises, too ... amongst several others!) 
Both songs ("Mack The Knife" and "Beyond The Sea") came from Bobby's "That's All" pop standards album, released right at the peak of his rock and roll career ... an album that ALL of his friends and advisers told him NOT to make, convinced it would be the equivalent of career suicide to change musical genres when his career was already rocking and rolling along in such high gear. Exactly the opposite happened ... Darin's career SKYROCKETED from there and today he is regarded as one of the most versatile artists and entertainers of all time.
(With SO many Bobby Darin fans on the list, we just HAD to feature THIS one!!!)  



5. What In The World's Come Over You - Jack Scott: 

Singer / songwriter / guitarist Jack Scott (he changed his name from Giovanni Dominico Scafone, Jr. ... go figure!) first hit the pop charts in 1958 with his two-sided hit "My True Love" / "Leroy".  Both sides of that record made The Top 40 Chart, with "My True Love" going all the way to #3 and "Leroy" peaking at #25. Seven other Top 40 Hits followed: "With Your Love" (#28, also 1958), "Goodbye Baby" (a #8 hit in 1959), "The Way I Walk" (#25, also 1959), today's #5 Countdown Hit, "What In The World's Come Over You" (which was in its peak week back on February 29, 1960), "Burning Bridges" (#3, 1960, and covered by a number of artists over the years), "Oh Little One" (#34, 1960) and "It Happened Yesterday" (#28, 1960). After his pop chart hits stopped in 1961, Scott pursued a country career ... but never came close to reaching the success he enjoyed earlier in his pop career. By the late '70's / early '80's, he was back performing his hits as part of an oldies show touring package. Jack Scott is one of those names that comes up often as yet another GLARING omission repeatedly overlooked by The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.     

4. Teen Angel - Mark Dinning: 
Mark Dinning hit #1 on both the Billboard and the Cash Box Charts with this one! "Teen Angel" was one of the first (and most famous and successful) teen tragedy songs ever released ... and has gone on to become an oldies classic.  

3. Handy Man - Jimmy Jones: 

Jimmy Jones had back-to-back Top 3 Hits in 1960 with "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'".  "Handy Man" would go on to become a Top 40 Hit all over again ... TWICE!!! Del Shannon took it back up the charts (with a nearly identical remake in 1964) to #19 ... and James Taylor had a pretty big hit with it, too, when he recorded it in 1977!  (James' slowed-down version climbed all the way to #2, besting Jimmy Jones' original chart showing!)

2. He'll Have To Go - Jim Reeves: 

One of Country Music's all-time biggest recording artists, Jim Reeves crossed over in a BIG way in 1960, scoring a #2 Hit with "He'll Have To Go".  (In fact, it was pretty much a one-two punch ... an answer song by Jeanne Black, "He'll Have To Stay" ... released literally right on the heels of the Jim reeves hit ... went all the way to #4!  We recently featured BOTH of these tunes in our brand new SOUND ADVICE column!) Reeves hit Billboard's Country Chart an incredible 80 times ... and, what may be MOST amazing about that feat, is the fact that HALF those hits were released AFTER he died in a plane crash in 1964!!!) His other big pop hit was "Four Walls", which peaked at #11 in 1957. 

***1***  Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith: 

Percy Faith's Movie Theme (from the Motion Picture "A Summer Place", starring Troy Donahue and the soon-to-be Mrs. Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee) topped the pop charts for an incredible TEN WEEKS in 1960 and went on to become the biggest single of the year.  (To this day, it remains the biggest #1 Instrumental Hit of The Rock Era!)  It was Percy's second #1 Record ... he first topped the charts in 1953 with "Song From 'Moulin Rouge'" ... and, 50-plus years later, "Theme from 'A Summer Place'" is STILL one your all-time favorite instrumentals ... in a Forgotten Hits Poll a few years back, "Theme from 'A Summer Place" placed second, behind only "Sleep Walk" as our readers' all-time favorite instrumental track.  And, it came in SIXTH as your Favorite Summer Song of All-Time, too!  Even today it seems like you can't turn on the TV without hearing it being used in some type of movie or ad campaign!

Revisiting The Leap Year Countdown, 2012 (Part One)

It's our completely revamped Leap Year Countdown ... all new for 2012!

And this time around, we've got some special new features ...

Like the "Official" Super Charts for years 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980!!!

Stick around ... and check back often ... because we'll be revealing them all day long ...

Right here on The Forgotten Hits Website!

But first ... a recap of The Top Ten Singles on February 29th ... 1956!!!

February 29, 1956:
 

10. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - 

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers:  

Kicking off the countdown today, we've got future Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, who, in a RARE case of musical justice, circa 1956, placed THEIR version of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" ahead of the Gale Storm cover version of the same song on this week's Top 40 Chart. (Back in the earliest days of Rock And Roll, thanks to much greater, wide-spread airplay, the "Whitebread Cover Versions" typically outscored the R&B Original Versions on The National Pop Charts. In this case, The Teenagers' version topped Billboard's Rhythm and Blues Chart for five weeks and became a HUGE cross-over pop hit ... as well as a Doo-Wop Classic.) Lymon would go on to become one of Rock And Roll's earliest tragedies, a story presented VERY well in the film of the same name as his all-time biggest hit, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love."

9. Theme from "Three-Penny Opera" - Dick Hyman: 

It was Dick Hyman's version of "The Theme from 'Three-Penny Opera'" that placed highest on the charts in 1956 when no less than SIX versions competed for radio airplay. Three years later, it would go all the way to #1 when Bobby Darin covered it as a vocal arrangement now FOREVER immortalized as "Mack The Knife", the biggest hit single of 1959 ... but, incredibly, the melody of this song actually dates back to 1928!  

8. Band Of Gold - Don Cherry: 

This is another song that was covered by several artists in 1956, back at a time when the music industry considered the SONG to be more important than the ARTIST who recorded it. The BIGGEST hit version of "Band Of Gold" ... not to be confused with the Freda Payne song of the same name ... was done by Don Cherry!  Cherry was a big band singer back in the '40's (one website we found says he sang with the Jan Garber Band for all of seventeen days!) and, in another case of some friendly chart competition, his 1950 version of "Mona Lisa" went head-to-head with Nat "King" Cole's version. (Cole clearly won THAT battle hands-down ... his definitive version peaked at #1 and stayed there for five weeks! ... Cherry's all but forgotten take stopped at #10.) In the 1960's, Cherry attempted a career as a professional golfer but, by the '80's, he was back to telling golf stories between songs in his Las Vegas lounge act.   

7. See You Later, Alligator - Bill Haley and the Comets: 

Bill Haley had already hit the Pop Top 40 a dozen times before Elvis Presley debuted on the charts with "Heartbreak Hotel" this week back in 1956 ... in fact, his country-rockin' cover version of "Shake, Rattle And Roll" was a Top Ten Hit in 1954 BEFORE the release of "Rock Around The Clock" ... and "See You Later, Alligator" kept the string of rock hits going. (For the record, "Rock Around The Clock" was first recorded by Haley back in 1954 ... but it didn't chart ... until May of the following year, when it was featured in the teen cult classic film "Blackboard Jungle".  Today it is considered by most music historians to be the song that "officially" launched what came to be known as "The Rock and Roll Era.")   

6. The Poor People Of Paris - Les Baxter: 

Instrumentals were BIG back in 1956 ... and Les Baxter's instrumental hit "The Poor People Of Paris" would go on to top the charts a few weeks later. (Some of you may ALSO remember his big hit instrumental version of "Unchained Melody" from the year before, another #1 Chart-Topping Record for Baxter ... and, years later, a HUGE hit for The Righteous Brothers in their VOCAL version!) 

5. Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin: 

Dino's version of "Memories Are Made Of This" has appeared in several movies, television shows and commercials these past few years ... it's a great tune, and a former #1 Hit. Today Dean Martin is considered to be the epitome of cool lounge singers, a label that at OTHER times in his career may have been considered to be more of a burden than a compliment. We mean it ONLY as a compliment.  

4. No, Not Much - The Four Lads: 

The Vogues resurrected this one and had a nice cover hit version of "No, Not Much" in 1968 ... but The Four Lads, one of the earliest successful pop vocal quartets, topped the Cash Box Chart with their platter in 1956.  

3. The Great Pretender - The Platters: 

And, speaking of hit platters, The Platters were one of the VERY few black groups to cross over in a big, big way to the pop charts during the earliest days of The Rock Era, a time when R&B tracks were still referred to as "Race Music." Their classics "Only You", "The Great Pretender", "The Magic Touch", "My Prayer", "Twilight Time", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Harbor Lights" were all Top Ten Pop Hits between 1955 and 1960 ... and four of those went all the way to #1 (including this one!) 

2. Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle: 

In fact, all six of this week's Top Six tunes topped at least one of the National Pop Charts! Nelson Riddle was one of the most successful, in-demand arrangers / conductors of the '50's and '60's ... and was a true fixture on television during that time. Besides being the musical arranger for the hit television series "Batman", "Emergency", "The Rogues", "The Untouchables" and "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea', amongst many others, he was also the "house" orchestra on several variety series like "The Frank Sinatra Show" (for whom he arranged MANY classic albums), "The Helen Reddy Show", "The Julie Andrews Show", "The Leslie Uggams Show", "The Nat King Cole Show", "The Rosemary Clooney Show" and one of the many, many, MANY Tim Conway Shows!  Riddle enjoyed a big career comeback when he worked with Linda Ronstadt in the early '80's, too! Sadly, he passed away in 1985.  

***1*** Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr: 

It was Kay Starr who topped the pop charts with "The Rock And Roll Waltz" back on February 29th, 1956 ... yet you rarely ever hear this one on the radio. Starr started her solo career back in 1945 after singing with a string of orchestras since the age of 15 ... including (very briefly) Glen Miller's band. Her first chart hit came in 1948 when "You Were Only Fooling" went to #16 ... and fourteen other Top 20 Billboard Pop Hits followed, including "Bonaparte's Retreat" and "I'll Never Be Free" (1950), her version of "Come On-A My House" (1951), the #1 Hit "Wheel Of Fortune" (1952), "Side By Side" and "Half A Photograph" (1953), and "Changing Partners", "If You Love Me" and "The Man Upstairs" (1954). "The Rock And Roll Waltz" would be her last big hit (although her version of "My Heart Reminds Me" made Cash Box Magazine's Top 20 in 1957 ... it stopped at #53 on the Billboard Chart.) She also made a couple of movies and, according to "The Billboard Book of #1 Hits", was the very first female artist to score a number one single during The Rock Era. "The Rock And Roll Waltz" was ALSO the very first #1 single to have the phrase "rock and roll" in its title and, believe it or not, it was ALSO the very first #1 single for RCA Records!  (Ironically, all of Starr's other hit singles had been with Capitol Records!  Newcomer Elvis Presley, who debuted on the pop charts on February 29, 1956, with his first big break-through hit, "Heartbreak Hotel", would , of course, insure that RCA Records would go on to have quite a few MORE #1 Records in the years to come ... in fact, he scored 20 of his OWN for the label over the next twenty years!) During World War II, Kay performed at various army camps and developed pneumonia, eventually developing nodes on her vocal cords. She had surgery in an army hospital and wasn't sure she'd be able to sing again. Fortunately, her voice came back ... even stronger than before ... and her string of hits for Capitol Records began. After scoring her biggest #1 Hit, "Wheel Of Fortune" (it topped the pop charts ...with no help from Vanna White whatsoever ... for nine weeks back in 1952), she felt that "The Rock And Roll Waltz" sounded almost like a nursery rhyme in comparison, and couldn't believe that RCA was serious about wanting her to record the tune. "I thought, 'What are they doing to me?'" she said. "I made the switch from Capitol to RCA and they're gonna give me THIS stuff to sing?" She ultimately agreed to record the song but later said, "I didn't feel my heart was in it." Despite what Kay may have felt was a "lackluster" performance, the song went on to sell a million copies and top the charts! 

Tomorrow In Forgotten Hits ...

That's Right ...

We're Doing It Again ...

It's The FORGOTTEN HITS

Leap Year Countdowns ...

1956 - 1980 ...

And it'll be running ALL DAY LONG on

The Forgotten Hits Website on

Wednesday, February 29th!!!

Hey, it only happens every four years ...

(Kinda like Presidential Elections ... or The Olympics ...

or finding the very first parking space open at the mall!!!)

But since 2012 is, in fact, another Leap Year,

We decided to take another look back at

The Top Ten Records for EACH Leap Year

of The Rock Era, 1956-1980.

***

We've been doing this every Leap Year since 2004 ...

Last year, we partnered with Scott Shannon

and The True Oldies Channel ...

and while we ran The Top Ten Lists on the website,

he counted down The Top Five songs of every Leap Year,

every hour on the radio!

And THIS year, we're doing The Leap Year Countdowns

with yet ANOTHER  brand new twist! 

***

THIS year ... in addition to publishing The Top Ten Records

on this date in each of the Leap Years shown above ... 

you'll ALSO have the chance to view The Top 100 Records

for these dates, courtesy of THE SUPER CHARTS!!!

  

(NOTE:  The 1956 Super Chart was not ready 
in time for publication ...but if you check back 
throughout the day, we can assure you that you 
WILL see THE OFFICIAL SUPER CHARTS  

for 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 ...  

for the first time ANYWHERE!!!) 

You've heard us talk about THE SUPER CHARTS before 

in Forgotten Hits ... these lists are the result of the

meticulous, painstaking research efforts of Randy Price

and are being published EXCLUSIVELY here in

Forgotten Hits for the very first time.   

 

***

And you won't want to miss a thing ...

Check back often throughout the day

as we'll have new charts going up on the website

all day long, starting at 6 AM

***

Hey, you were all given an extra day this year ...

so why not spend it with us???

It's The FORGOTTEN HITS LEAP YEAR COUNTDOWNS ...

EXCLUSIVELY in Forgotten Hits ... 

Click here: Forgotten Hits

(New Charts will be going up throughout the day ...

so check back often! You won't want to miss a thing!)

More Of Your Recent Thoughts and Memories

Wow!  What a GREAT outpouring of comments on our recent topics revolving around The Wrecking Crew, Billy Strange, Glen Campbell, The Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, et al ... 

Lots on your minds ... so let's get right to it!  (And special thanks to some of the artists who took the time to write in!)

Hi Kent,

After reading about the Wrecking Crew and using those guys on most of the early Lettermen singles and albums, I can’t help but remember a few things that stand out in my mind. 

It was the mid 60’s at studio A at Capitol and Glen Campbell was playing on one of the many sessions he did for us back then, and just as we were about to start, somehow Glen bumped his mouth on the top of his guitar and chipped a tooth.  It was quite painful and he had to make an emergency visit to his dentist and have it capped.  Anyway,  we were fortunate in that they were able to get ahold Jerry Cole to come down and fill in.  Jerry was small in stature but sure had a big guitar.  Glen also recorded with us doing vocals when we needed a fourth part.  Not only was he a Beach Boy but he was also a Letterman (at Least in the studio!)

As “The Reunion”, not too long ago we were doing a show at the huge Sun Lakes Retirement Community near Palm Springs, CA, and after the show who should come back stage to see us but the great Earl Palmer, who also played on a  countless number of our albums.  He has since passed away but what a great gentleman and outstanding percussionist.

Keep up this great work, Kent, and my best. 

Lettermen / Reunion, 

Gary Pike

Kent, Even though I speak highly of them (The Wrecking Crew), I was an outsider that they basically put up with. I never had a chance to talk to any of them. Billy Strange and Al Casey weren't in the same clique but just as great and super friendly to me. Having said that, it's obvious how I'm feeling after hearing of Billy's passing.   For some reason I can't seem to make a non-blurry copy of the attached LP cover (maybe I need to cut out the autograph so I can close the lid on the scanner ... but I'd rather not do that!) Davie Allan Still looks pretty good to me!  And quite an artifact, too!  While not really a "member" of The Wrecking Crew, Davie did a number of sessions with these guys, especially on movie soundtrack work, back in the '60's.  Don'tcha just love it when some of these musicians are in awe of one another?!?!?  Proves that THEY were fans of this music just like we were!  (kk)

Kent,  

You mentioned today that Billy Strange's record of the Theme from James Bond peaked at number 11 in Chicago. Just the opposite was true here in OKC. The only record that Billy Strange made that made the local survey here was his 1967 recording of A FEW DOLLARS MORE with a flip of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. A FEW DOLLARS MORE being, of course, on the GNP Crescendo label.
Larry Neal

Interesting, too, that "You Only Live Twice" was recorded as a vocal hit by Nancy Sinatra!  Joel Whitburn's new book "Top Pop Singles" shows Strange's recording of "A Few Dollars More" as a "Break-Out Hit" in Oklahoma City.  His only official chart hits are 007-related ... "The James Bond Theme" went to #58 in 1964 ... and his version of "Goldfinger" peaked at #50 in 1965.  (kk)

I was probably 14 years old when I first met Billy Strange at a Dino, Desi & Billy recording session around 1965.  It was either at United or Western, I just don't remember exactly which studio it was since our Producer, Lee Hazlewood, used both with equal regularity.  The first thing that came to mind when I was introduced to him was that his name was so unusual and, well - strange, but I liked that we shared the same first name.  I thought that perhaps it was a professional or "stage name" because it was so odd to me but it was his real name.  Anyway, he was standing near a wall of the studio with some paperwork he was reviewing on top of a Leslie cabinet.  They were the musical arrangements or "charts" that he had written for the session players for the songs they were going to record that day.  I didn't know that he was also an amazing guitar player until I saw him credited on several of our subsequent albums.  For instance, he played a descending / ascending "fuzz guitar" line (that guitar sound was innovative at the time) on our "The Rebel Kind" single.  Though I can't say I knew him well, I remember him being very nice to me at that first session and I guess that's how I'll always remember him - a kind man who was nice to me when I was just a kid.  Rest in peace, Billy.

Sadly,

Billy Hinsche 

The morning of the Grammys CBS Sunday Morning show started the program with a segment for Whitney Houston and ended the show with a segment on Glen Campbell. They showed him on tour. On this show they said that his three youngest children were touring with him as part of the band. Two sons and a daughter that really keeps her Dad straight much of the time. Sometimes he forgets what they just sang and tries to sing it again. She is really awesome with him. I started the show in tears remembering Whitney and I ended the show in tears watching Glen. 

Stacee 

On the special I saw, they only showed his daughter and one son (so I wasn't aware that he had THREE children performing with him.)  His daughter is beautiful ... looks very much like her mother ... and is quite an accomplished musician, too.  They showed a clip of Daughter and Dad performing "Dueling Banjos" and she picked the heck out of that one! 

FH Reader Tom Diehl has had the pleasure of catching Glen Campbell's Farewell Tour a couple of times now ... and also mentions the fact that he has THREE children sharing the stage with him.  Here is Tom's review ... 

Three of his children are on the stage with him.  I have seen him twice on his farewell tour and he still sounds very good.

The most recent time I saw Glen was in Kent, Ohio, on January 29th. I'm attaching a copy of one of the songs from the show, Any Trouble, for you to hear. They had signs posted everywhere saying no photography, no video, no audio recording ... when someone tells me not to do something, that won't stop me ... sitting directly in front of one of the speakers gave me a perfect opportunity.  He performed a different lineup in Akron than he did when I saw him in Philadelphia in September. 

Tom Diehl 

Thanks to "Bootlegger Tom", we're all able to enjoy just how good Glen sounds in concert these days!  (kk)

Kent,

Back around the early 80's, when I did most of my Champs research, I got a reply from Glen Campbell in which he checked off the Champs' songs that he recalled playing on. Unfortunately I don't think I still have that info, but it's probably true that he isn't on any of their chart singles. I think he joined and left in the period between "Too Much Tequila" and "Limbo Rock".  However, Seals & Crofts are probably on Chariot Rock and the subsequent four charted titles.

Gary E. Myers / MusicGem

It's been awhile since our piece on The Champs, ran, too ... and I haven't had time to search the archives for it ... but I seem to recall all of these "name" players coming onboard AFTER the hits had stopped.  Will have to dig a little deeper I guess! (kk)   

>>>Was "Eve of Destruction" really "one of the most important songs in popular music history"?  (Ken Emerson)   
P.F. Sloan's song is not a just a "protest song".  It's a cosmic happening! It came upon the right time to say the right thing.  It still demands the listener. YES, that song is quite an important harbinger and it's not just history ... it is still being fulfilled prophetically.  
So is Larry Norman's Great American Novel.  Dylan had brothers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jl1aoGbdAg  
Boobie Van Houten  

KK:

Our friend and Beach Boy collaborator Fred Vail wrote:  
>>>What has been the defining difference in The Beach Boys survival is the undeniable loyalty of their fan base. I am certain that a lot of those same fans -- some of which literally go back to the beginnings of the group -- are being snubbed directly, or indirectly -- with these VIP packages.  
These prices are not for the weak of heart ... I think that the upscale ticket costs for this tour will deter even some of the most loyal fans.  Even "Meet and Greets" appear to have a price tag. I have never paid for a Beach Boys concert and don't intend to begin now  :)   
I am also saddened that there has been little to no references to Denny and Carl Wilson during all the pre-tour hoopla. If it has been there, I've missed it. I hope at some point they honor them with a visible tribute or dedication of the tour to their fallen band mates -- even include them in the official tour logo.   
Also, I am still hoping that someone (either Brian, or the families) include Dennis Wilson's son, Carl, and Carl Wilson's son, Justyn, in the major shows -- a Wilson on drums and a Wilson on guitar -- along with their Uncle Brian -- would be the greatest tribute to their fathers I could imagine. And the real fans -- the ones who have stayed so faithful over all these years -- would finally be repaid for their loyalty. 
Fred Vail  
Fred: I couldn't agree with you more, I'm one of those "original" fans that listened to the "Boys" and Jan & Dean on my transistor radio while riding my Schwinn heavy duty paper boy bike delivering the Rocky Mountain News to subscribers up and down my Denver neighborhood, and spent countless dollars on batteries for that radio, until I got my first car, a '61 Corvair Lakewood Station Wagon with an AM radio and one speaker. I would drive home from work, digging graves at Crown Hill Cemetery in Denver (making a stellar $1.00 an hour), listening to KIMN 950 radio out of Denver, pull into my parents driveway, turn the key off and listen until my battery ran out. When 8 tracks came out, my very first purchases were Beach Boys, Byrds, Mamas & Papas and Herb Albert.

My first concert EVER was 1963 at Denver's Paramount Theatre, where I had to take a local Denver bus downtown, meet up with my old friend David Lopez, who bought a ticket, (I couldn't afford one) and opened the door in the back of the theatre to let me in. That was then, this is now, I'm still a HUGE "Boys" fan. and financially (unfortunately due to health problems, in the same shape I was as a paperboy), I'm gonna be on the outside looking in for this 50th Anniversery Reunion, unless they do a humongous show mentioned before at Central Park or ?, sell it corporately and televise it. I could afford an HBO $35.00 special more than I could afford $1200+ a ticket! And backstage? Hey, I bar-b-qued at Mike Love's Lake Tahoe house during the "Kokomo" days and Carl was still alive and kicking. I spent an entire afternoon with the guys (minus Brian), took pics and enjoyed being with "regular" people who really were music superstars. Enough of my jibberish.

Bottom line, who, especially with this Obama Administration can afford anything close to what the "Boys" want to charge, except maybe Mitt Romney!

"Wild" Bill Cody

Whoa!  And after I read this article in No Depression.com, to be quite honest, I didn't know what to think! ... 

The Beach Boys ... Why?

(Posted by Jeff Strowe on February 15, 2012 at 10:14am)

The fanfare this past week in the music community has been moving along quickly from story to story. Saturday brought the news of Whitney Houston's death, which in turn led to hastily planned tributes and memorials that most of America witnessed Sunday evening at The Grammy Awards. Now, the narrative has moved on to the announcement of the performers at this year's upcoming Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Once invoking hysterics only amongst the jam-band set of world travelers, Bonnaroo has morphed into the country's most recognizable festival, attracting fans worldwide and bands and artists from all musical genres and styles. Bonnaroo has also become the rare cultural event that unites the hipster-cred music snobs and the casual Grammy-watching, Top 40 listening crowds together in anticipation. And though there are hundreds of bands on the docket spread out over four days and a number of different stages, it is the headlining acts that draw the most press. This year, much ado is being made about the selection of The Beach Boys as one of the main draws. Social media is buzzing about their inclusion and scribes are coming back to offer their homage to Brian Wilson's genius. I'm here to tell you that anyone who is excited about seeing The Beach Boys live is as crazy as Wilson himself was back in his late 60's period of burnout and instability. 

There's no doubt that The Beach Boys have made some brilliant music that will stand the test of time. Their name and brand is recognizable, the way that Mozart, Beethoven, Dylan, The Beatles, and The Stones' legacies are. Pet Sounds is one of the greatest musical creations ever and still sounds as sharp as today as it did 46 years ago. But, as anyone who tuned in to The Grammys the other night can attest, their days as a live outfit have long passed. In fact, go back to 1987 and watch the shamelessly cheesy video for the Buffett-lite "Kokomo" and you can see the times had passed them by even then. Sunday night at The Grammys was painful. Mike Love pranced around the stage like the sprightly old man at the retirement home, pointing and smirking at the audience as if he's trying to impress ol' Glenda who just moved in the other day. Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks gamely tried to follow, but chances are they couldn't hear their parts over the cacophony of noise such surroundings bring. And the myriad background musicians lurking in the shadows just overemphasized the fact that the actual Beach Boys aren't doing much, save for showing up and smiling. And then there's Wilson. At The Grammys, he was centered in the middle, seated at his piano and singing his verses and background harmonies in what appeared to be great pain. As soon as their number mercifully ended, he leapt up and exited the stage as if he couldn't stand to be there another second. Not a good omen for an upcoming tour and headlining performance. 

Such performances beg the question of why. Why do it? Why subject your legacy to tarnish by going on national television and then headlining giant festivals? Surely, the individual members have enough money to go around for generations, although with the murky nature of the music business, I guess one never knows. Unlike Dylan, Neil Young, or unfortunately in the case of Paul McCartney's dreadful new album, there is no new music to celebrate and perform. That leaves enjoyment as a possible reason to tour, and from the looks of things, The Beach Boys, with the exception of the preening Love, would rather be anywhere but the stage. It's depressing in a way. This music should endure and inspire future generations. Instead, folks too young to know better are instead more inclined to simply laugh in the face of these icons and turn their attention elsewhere.

I'm not sure that I get this ... you advertise a website as "No Depression" ... and then write one of the most depressing pieces I've ever read about our '60's icons?!?!  I just don't get it!!! (kk)    

Hi Kent,

Sorry to be silent so long, but I never miss reading an edition of FH.  
Probably like a lot of individuals really invested and steeped in the history of the Beach Boys and all their internal dynamics, I await the upcoming 50th Anniversary tour with a wide range of emotions: anticipation, some trepidation, certainly a bit of joy for their deserved victory lap, and some small degree of resignation as well.  As America's greatest yet, historically, most dysfunctional band, what I take away from this tour will largely hinge on its emotional resonance for them.  

I concur with Fred Vail (as I always do) that if there's no significant acknowledgment of Carl and Dennis Wilson in the proceedings, the experience will fall flat for me.  If Brian is the heart of the Beach Boys, Dennis was the spirit and Carl, most definitely, was the soul.  Although the band soldiered on for 14 years between Dennis's and Carl's passings, Dennis's absence was always felt and, quite frankly, Carl's death certainly signaled the end of the band.  His leadership and voice were irreplaceable linchpins of the Beach Boys sound.
There are many things to celebrate about this reunion tour: 
1) Dave Marks (a truly nice guy) having the opportunity to reclaim his lost, childhood legacy.  A brilliant guitarist, Carl even acknowledged that Dave had become the most accomplished musician to emerge from the band. 
2) Al Jardine, the ever good-natured and forgiving soul, being welcomed back into the ranks from which he was so unceremoniously dumped.  Al's voice remains unburnished by time, and long after Brian stopped touring regularly in late '1964, it was Al and Carl's voices in the middle of the stack of harmonies that kept the BBs sound authentic and true to the recordings on-stage.  
And 3), If there's any joy in this at all for Brian, terrific.  If not (and it's hard to read Bri sometimes), then I wish it wasn't happening.

But I hope some real thought has gone in to the staging of this show.  If the band goes deep into their catalog as they did on the Box Set tour 20 years ago, that would be great.  If they had an unplugged segment of the show where they sat up front on stools and talked about early influences, stories behind the songs and did some a capella  highlights, that would be tremendous.  There should certainly be video appearances from Carl and Dennis, maybe even doing full performances of "God Only Knows" and "You Are So Beautiful," (though video of Dennis doing "In the Back of My Mind" from the Today! album may even exist!)  And yes, as Fred suggested, having Dennis and Carl's sons, Justyn and Carl B. Wilson, would be a wonderful touch.  I wish Al's son Matt and Billy Hinsche were in this line-up, too.  They earned the right to be there, and the shows would be better for their presence.

I have fond memories of time spent with Carl and Dennis so this "Reunion" is, at best, bittersweet.  But my love for Brian and respect for the other guys ensures that I will catch at least one of the shows somewhere. 

By the way, I picked up the Wrecking Crew book this week and breezed through it in a couple of hours.  I am always loathe to criticize others' creative works, especially when I know how much effort and time the author has invested in it.  I'd say that this is a nice primer for the casual music fan, but for those music historians among us, there's very little that's new here.  I literally have every single book but one listed in the bibliography and I can say that "The Wrecking Crew" is chiefly a pastiche of stories found in previous works.  For all the interviews the author did, why wasn't there more unique, revelatory material included.  And I will echo your comments, Kent, and those of the other FH readers regarding errors and the absence of direct quotes from the participants.  Why paraphrase things in flowery fashion when you've authentic testimony coming from these historic legends themselves?

As always, thanks Kent --and all your readers-- for making the week, especially Sunday mornings, more entertaining!

Regards,

Scott Paton

I think the fact that The Beach Boys are reuniting for a 50th Anniversary Tour is amazing ... both for musical and historical reasons.  I hope they can make it through without incident for the sake of the fans.  (But images of Brian walking out midstream ... or Mike Love strangling Al Jardine on stage DO haunt me!!!)  They've got an awful lot of dates lined up ... playing to sold-out audiences everywhere ... so I can only beg the guys to PLEASE remember why you're doing this and put the fans first.  (And let's not forget the fact that each of you are going to make MILLIONS for your efforts this year.  Certainly that has to be SOME motivation to put forth the best show possible.)

Honestly, I doubt that they'll delve too deeply into their catalog for this ... let's face it, The Beach Boys could put on a three hour show and still leave out several of their classic hits in the process.  A tribute of some sort to Dennis and Carl would be nice ... and certainly worthy ... I'm anxious to see what they're going to do.

Of all the parties concerned, I've got to "SmiLe" most for David Marks ... talk about falling into it!!!  Marks is an unsung hero of the band's earliest days ... and he's NEVER had the opportunity to bask in the glory of an audience this large.  I'm hoping he's up for the challenge ... and believe that he has to thank the gods above on a daily basis for this incredible opportunity during his golden years.

I still haven't had a chance to pick up The Wrecking Crew book and, from all that I've heard from our readers, it seems to be playing to pretty "mixed" reviews.  I've still got to read it, though, just to see for myself.  Let's hope some of this additional attention moves Denny Tedesco's film a little closer to fruition ... speaking of which ...

Thanks for your support.  You have no idea what it means to see the negative.

We lost Mike Melvoin yesterday.  Very sad.

I interviewed him and I'm sending out a new out take.

Also interviewed Gary Coleman and Mike Lang yesterday for the DVD.

Talk more.

Denny

My pleasure, Denny.  Let's hope the film finally reaches wide distribution before there aren't any Wrecking Crew members left around to see it!  (kk)

For more on the passing of Mike Melvoin, check out the link sent in by FH Reader Gary Myers.

Passing of a top studio musician / arranger (originally from WI, began playing in Milwaukee):  
http://www.spinner.com/2012/02/24/mike-melvoin-dead-dies/  
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem

Dear Fans and Friends of only the Best in Musical Harmony,
Just in time for the Boys' 50th Anniversary, Gary Pig Gold's overview of that fantastic BRIAN WILSON: SONGWRITER dvd has appeared anew on the great Swedish site Torpedo Pop.  Here is the url:  
Click here: Brian Wilson: Songwriter, 1962-1969 | TorpedoPop 

And kudos to Nancy Sinatra, who has always given credit where credit was due.  She has nothing but the utmost respect for all of the musicians who made her records hits back in the '60's.  In fact, while working on another project, I happened to read this from Nancy in the liner notes to her Rhino CD "Nancy Sinatra: The Hit Years":

Nancy would like to credit all of the fine musicians who played on these sessions.  Among them were guitarists Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Donnie Owens, Louis Sheldon, Bud Coleman, Lee Ritenour, James Burton and Billy Strange; bassists Reinie Press, Chuck Berghofer and Carol Kaye; drummers Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer and Jimmy Gordon and percussionist Emit Rhichards; keyboardists Don Randi, Larry Knechtel, Leon Russell and Glen D. Hardin; horn players Dick Nash, Lew McCreary, Bud Brisbois, Dick "Slyde" Hyde, Roy Caton and Jim Horn; Sid Sharp's strings; and background vocalists The Blossoms and The Jack Halloran Singers.

WTG, Nancy!  These fine musicians RARELY got acknowledged for their contributions at the time ... nice to see that you went out of your way to thank them once again on your CD jacket!  (kk)

Kent,

Lots of stories about the Wrecking Crew. They played on my first two albums. But that's for another day.

My comment is about Billy Strange. He wrote the arrangement for one of my favorite covers: "Long Time Woman" by Nancy Sinatra. When I wrote it, I never in a zillion years would have thought a woman would want to sing it But Mac brought the song to Billy and Nancy and they made it work in a wonderful, unexpected way.

At the time, just prior to release, Mac Davis and Billy called me into Billy's office and played the cut for me..

It was beautiful -- so sweet and simple and understated. But because of some stupid argument I was having with Mac (stupid on my part, not his), I deliberately dissed the cut to them. I shrugged and said something like "Yeah. Big deal."

Since coming to my senses, I tried many times to get hold of Nancy, Mac and Billy to make amends to them. But, understandably, they never got back to me. (I was a real prick that day and not a court in the land would convict them for wanting to avoid me.)

Anyway, now it can be told. Billy's arrangement is so chilling, laid back and perfect for that song and I treasure his sensitive work on it.

R.I.P.

Yers,
Bob Lind 
www.boblind.com

Great story, Bob ... thanks SO much for sharing it with us.  (See, we really DO get older and wiser!!!  lol)  Not familiar with this particular track, I had to seek it out ... and share it with our readers today!  Thanks again!  (kk)