April Fool's Day

While looking through his HUGE stash of radio station surveys from all over the country (and beyond!), Clark Besch found THIS gem from CHUM in Canada, spotlighting the biggest hits of "April Fool Week, 1965"!

You'll be able to figure out most of the real song titles and artists ... (have a go ... it'll be fun!) ... but some of the jokes, if relevant at the time are pretty outdated now to render as obscure ... and then some!  Still some pretty clever titles abound ...

"That'll Be The DAY" (by Doris and Dennis)
An early solo hit by David Clayton Thomas, four years before he joined Blood, Sweat and Tears
"One Kiss" by The Locked Braces!
Game Of Love by The Tennis Players
The Georgie Fame hit "Yeh Yeh", retitled Yeh Yeh (Yeh) by The Beatles, who also gain tribute through "The Boy From New York City", credited to The Red Sullivan Show.  (The Fabs also held the #1 Spot with their two-sided hit "Spoil The Party" / "Ate Daisies".)
Gotta love the group Ajax and The Bleach Boys!  (bet they were stronger than dirt!)
"Dairy Cross The Jersey" by Gerry and the Milkmen and "Bing Of The Road" by Bob Hope.
Even some not-so-subtle political commentary like "Stop In The Name Of Hate" by Georgie Wallace!!!  (Ouch!!! But spot on!)

Have some fun with today's special chart ... Thanks again, Clark, for putting us in an April Foolery Mood!





An Oldie But Goodie ...

If April Showers bring May Flowers ...
Then what do May Flowers bring???


Why Pilgrims, of course!!!

Regulated Radio

re: RADIO REPEATS: 

Well, I can't say that I didn't see this one coming ... 

Cumulus Media Networks has revealed they will stop distributing Scott Shannon’s True Oldies Channel at the end of June. 

Shannon’s True Oldies Channel currently airs on over 100 stations nationwide including Cumulus’ “Oldies 98.9” Atlanta. The network’s future had been up in the air since Shannon departed Cumulus’ 95.5 WPLJ New York for WCBS-FM. Shannon intends to seek a new distributor to keep the network running.

Interestingly, Cumulus registered TrueOldiesHouston.com for its 104.1 KRBE-HD2 on March 14. Likely the local station management had no idea of the plans coming from the network side of the company.

Here's hoping Scott finds a new home for his True Oldies Channel quickly ... with millions of faithful listeners all over the globe, it's a given that we'll follow him anywhere!!!

Meanwhile, more good news for both Scott Shannon AND oldies music fans ...  

Times Square Gossip is reporting that Shannon's ratings are through the roof since he joined WCBS-FM ... (you'll even find a quick mention of FH here if you read deep enough!) ...

The numbers are in for the first weeks of Scott Shannon’s CBS-FM drive-time morning show … and, they are huge. Congrats Scott …

http://www.timessquaregossip.com/2014/03/concert-event-peter-gabriel-back-to.html   

And Cumulus is starting their OWN syndicated oldies network!!!  (Hmm ... maybe ... just MAYBE ... they really WERE listening to us after all!!!)

Cumulus revealed a brand new “Good Time Oldies” network to debut on April 28.

The new Westwood One Good Time Oldies promo sheet states the format will target Men 45 - 64, with a music mix featuring 60% 1960s, 25% 1970s, and 15% 1950s and 1980s described as “the golden era of pop, rock, and soul: hit music of the ’60s and ’70s with a healthy portion of “oh-wow” songs from other decades. The music is up tempo and the presentation is full of energy, including features about rock and roll history and the timeless artists of the era.” To contrast, Westwood One’s Classic Hits network is 60% 1970s, 25% 1980s, and 15% 1960s.

Core artists will include The Beatles, Elton John, Chicago, Eagles, The Rolling Stones, The Doobie Brothers, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Fleetwood Mac and Three Dog Night

A "sample hour" might sound something like this:

Three Dog Night - Celebrate; Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock; Los Bravos - Black Is Black; Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine; Steam - Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye; Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle; Four Seasons - Let's Hang On; Rare Earth - I Just Want To Celebrate; Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs - Sugar Shack; Barry White - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe; The Rascals - Good Lovin'; Kenny Loggins - Footloose; A Taste Of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie; The Beatles - Drive My Car; Chicago - Feelin' Stronger Every Day; Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music; The Eagles- One Of The Nights; The Champs - Tequila; The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On and First Class - Beach Baby 

What?!?!  No Journey?  No John Mellencamp?  No Steve Miller?  No Boston?  OK, count me in ... for a little while anyway ... until I see how much you overplay the tracks that you ARE featuring!  Still it's worth a shot ... ANYTHING to get away from the same old, same old, day in and day out (although we'll clearly still get some of that ... but maybe in smaller doses!)
They're currently looking for outlets across the country to air this new format ... we'll keep you posted once we obtain a list of participating stations.  (kk)   

Meanwhile, according to Chicagoland Radio And Media, we may start to hear a little more variety here locally, too!  

Starting Monday (that's TODAY!), WLS-FM's Greg Brown will play exactly what listeners want to hear. Each weekday from Noon, Brown will host "Open Turntable Reservations," one hour of nothing but listener requests. Fans who wish to request a song may do so by calling 312-922-9470 during that hour or online at this link HERE.

This could prove to be very interesting ... I'm just wondering how far it can go ... especially since WLS-FM seems to only have about 40 albums in their music library!!!  But hey, it's a step in the right direction ... and who knows ... maybe it'll even lead to the station listening to their listeners for a change. 

In other local radio news, congratulations to Bob Stroud of The Drive ... according to the latest ratings, he is now the #3 Mid-Day Host on Chicagoland Radio (and has always been a favorite of ours).  

Just a quick note to remind you how much I LOVE Forgotten Hits! 

When I go down to Florida, the St. Pete / Clearwater area, there's a station I always turn to called The Dove, 105.5. It's a very light rock station, and when we first started going to Florida, I enjoyed it so much. They played songs like "Too Much Too Little Too Late" "All Out of Love", "On Broadway " by George Benson and other easy listening songs you never hear much. Apparently I listened a little too long this time, and started to notice, it's the same damn songs all day and all evening! I swear they don't have much more than a 50 song playlist! So many wonderful songs, and these are the same ones they play every time I'm there!  
I also wanted to mention that I am very sorry to hear that Joe Lala has passed away. Over the last five years, having a home in the Tampa area, I have seen him play many times. He had been a "guest star" sitting in with many of the area bands I have seen there in concert, and at various music festivals. They would always give a list of his accomplishments before bringing him out to the stage, and I'd think"Nobody could have possibly played with all those people and I've never even heard of him!" I'm sure he will be missed in the Tampa area.  R.I.P. Percussionist Joe Lala 

~~Eileen~~   

>>>The thing that confuses me is the number of Oldies that you can't find on commercial radio that are being used for commercials.  "When" (1958) and "Happy Go Lucky Me" (1960) are featured on commercials right now.  That seems to be a disconnect of some sort.   (Paul Evans)
>>>It is ... and somebody clearly isn't paying attention.  In the past, it was many of these type of "song revivals" ... movies, tv, advertising campaigns ... that resurrected some of the great oldies as they were being discovered by a whole new generation.  Not to mention a GREAT opportunity to "milk" the genre as their newly piqued curiosity inspires them to seek out other music from this same, great era.  Radio USED to jump onboard and add these songs back to their playlists (in an effort to feel "relevant" again) ... but once again, they've truly dropped the ball here ... and don't even realize it.  Your future audience is out there waiting to discover something new ... and you continue to ignore that opportunity by playing another Journey song instead.  (kk)   
Kent -

Your ironies are duly noted and appreciated - I thoroughly agree that "somebody", or rather, "more than one somebody" isn't paying attention.  I will keep on listening to Dave the Rave, because the powers that be are clueless as to what constitutes good pop music. 

I'm glad to hear that "When" and "Happy Go Lucky Me" are in ads, even if they're just background period pieces.  What commercials are they being played in?
Bobster
I put your inquiry to Paul Evans, composer of these two great tunes and asked if he could not only supply the info, but also a YouTube clip of each of the two ads.  And here they are! (kk)  
Hey Kent,

Here are a couple of links:

"WHEN"    Wren Furniture ( a UK group)    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCDjpw0Lcd8

"HAPPY GO LUCKY ME"   Clash of the Clans (A game app)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSdJtNen-EA

(As recorded by the vaudevillian, George Formby, who beat my record out in the UK)

"HAPPY GO LUCKY ME" Was used by the World Wildlife Fund in Canada in 2013.  I can't find it on-line now.  I guess it's had its run.  

(They used my version of the song)
Paul
 
Hi Kent,

Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that sometimes you bump into great music in the most unlikely places and today it was in a  fish 'n' chips place! It was a format you would have loved!  
Oh, yeah, there were the formula-focus group Oldies but this time interspersed with "Summertime" by Billy Stewart, "Shimmy-Shimmy Ko-Ko-Pop" with Little Anthony & The Imperials, "A Thousand Stars" with Kathy Young & The Innocents, "Slippin' n' Slidin'" with Little Richard, even "Back In Love Again" with the Buckinghams -- and a few others that I wish I could recall at this time ... but it certainly was refreshing to hear some "surprise" music mixed in the ones that have been over-played and no longer have the surprise element.  And being it was fish 'n' chips, coleslaw, and hush-puppies, "Grease was the word!"
Peace,

Tim

There really is something special that comes today when hearing something OFF the traditional play list.  The other day at Walgreens it was like they had one of those Time/Life Soft Rock CD's playing or something ... LOTS of great music you never hear anymore like "Lost Without Your Love" by Bread and "That's Love" by Jim Capaldi.  (Man, when's the last time you heard THAT one?!?!?)  SOMEBODY out there is programming Muzak geared toward the more discriminating listener.  Now all we need is for this new concept (that we've been preaching for nearly fifteen years now!) to catch on!!!  (kk) 
   
Kent,

A note from the west coast ...

Check out good guys radio KISN out of Portland, Oregon.

The old jocks are putting on a 24 hour blast from the past with playlists from 1956 to 1974.

You will really find some past hits and rarities, more like Top 40 Radio used to be.

A second heads up is for the new website run by Mark Thompson out of North Carolina called Cool Stories in Music.  They feature a new 45 minute story every week trying to emulate the back stories that only the intense fans would know ... sort of like Casey Kasem but it's more like old Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story".

Keith Brodkorb 

Kent,

This is FYI. Yesterday the radio ratings came out for the stations here in the OKC area.  The number one rated radio station (Oklahoma's Greatest Hits) as they say they are, just happens really to be the one and only station in town playing those songs from the 70's and 80's. There are really no less than seven sports talk stations here in town as well as no less than seven stations that program country.

This station is just like yours in Chicago in that you hear the same songs over and over again. Steve Miller, Journey, Foreigner, etc, you know what I'm talking about.  Apparently in Chicago you have more than one station playing the same songs over and over again. Basically here in OKC, we just have the one.So don't try persuading our station to add new songs or try something different.  They are number one with what they are doing so why should they change?

For the past two weekends, they have dropped live announcers and are playing music non-stop with the traditional commercials, jingles, promos,etc thrown in.

Finally, it appears to me that the songs I heard on Saturday, I heard also on Sunday.  Which come to think about it, are the same songs you hear Monday - Friday.

Again, I knew you knew this since this problem is nationwide.

Larry Neal

With seven sports channels and seven country channels, it's no wonder a format like this comes out on top.  At some point, all of these other options cancel each other out. 

When you're basically sharing the same audience ... and playing the same music ... there's really nothing to distinguish one channel from the other.  Sooner or later, it all just becomes white noise background music that you aren't even really paying attention to.  None of those stations will ever top the market ... and yet they all seem content to fall somewhere between #10 - #20 on the list.  Sadly, there isn't any pride or determination to even try and BE #1 ... it doesn't matter to them ... they just want their own share of this audience ... and will settle for whatever they can get, rather than trying to program something just a LITTLE bit different that might help to make their station stand out ahead of the others.

Here in Chicago, we have six or seven stations now that all seem to be drawing from the same song pool ... and another three or four that have that "overlap" factor.  For example, you're likely to hear "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey on about ten stations in town, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!  "Jack and Diane", "Hurt So Good", "More Than A Feeling" also fall into that category.  Key artists like Steve Miller, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and others are all part of the mix ... which really isn't much of a "mix" at all anymore.

With today's radio standards, why would a radio station ever need to employ a program director again?  If you're only going to play the same 200 songs anyway, just hit the "shuffle" button and let 'em rip.  Sequence doesn't even matter ... at some point, they all sound the same.

That's also why there is more and more automated "jock-free" programming going on.  Again, it doesn't take a genius to give out the call letters, temp and announce 98 minute to 104 minute non-stop, commercial free music blitzes!  (And, as we've discussed before, even the jocks are sick and tired of playing the EXACT same songs over and over and over again ... hard to sound fresh and excited when nothing about your station sounds the least bit fresh or exciting!)    

REGULATED RADIO:  Here's an interesting question.  Remember the days of payola ... and all the under-the-table scams and deals going on?  Wouldn't it be REALLY interesting to find out, years from now, that the reason for this radio take-over of playing the same 200-300 songs ... and 25-40 artists ... is because the radio conglomerates themselves have a stake in these songs and artists?  Meaning they all get a piece of the pie ... and are lining their own pockets through royalties and kickbacks filtered through the record labels and publishers.  Would you really be surprised to find out that, thanks to all this "mandatory" airplay that they've manufactured under the guise of "consulting", they are in fact insuring that EVERY radio station across America is playing the EXACT same songs, again and again ... while corporate radio is getting hand-over-fist richer in the process?  Hey, think about it ... it's really not an unthinkable concept ... and it's not like we haven't seen this sort of thing before ... in this very medium.  Shawn Swords ... are you listening?  I think this warrants some SERIOUS investigation ... before they drive us all COMPLETELY mad with this repetitive torture!!!  (Boy, I wonder how all the jocks on the list forced to play the same songs over and over and over again, day in and day out non-stop would feel about this should it come to pass that I've uncovered radio's dirty little secret!!!)  Seriously ... it all kinda makes sense now, doesn't it?!?!?  I say there needs to be an open investigation into this new form of "regulated" radio ... and soon.  Unfair business practice?  You betcha!  Penalties for torturing the listeners?  Duly deserved.  SOMEBODY needs to look into this and put an end to it ... and make radio "for the people" again.  (kk)

The Joel Whitburn / Record Research / Forgotten Hits Oldies Quiz

I know Joel Whitburn is a busy man, but what are the chances he'll do another quiz for us trivia nuts, in conjunction with the release of his latest book.

Mike Ogilvie
Mississauga ON   

LOL ... clearly the fans expect great things whenever Joel Whitburn and I team up ... so I am happy to report that once again, Joel has put together a very interesting quiz EXCLUSIVELY for our Forgotten Hits Readers, thereby creating a chance for you to win a copy of his brand new book "Top Pop Playlist, 1955 - 1969".  

Email your answers (song titles only ... we don't need the artists) to forgottenhits@aol.com ... and we'll tabulate all of the correct ballots on April 10th and pick a winner from all of the complete, correct entries.

So good luck!!!

 

Hi Kent,  
Attached is a 15 question quiz where you only have to guess the song titles.  
Each lyric is taken from a song in my new "Top Pop Playlist" book - 1955 - 1969!  
The winner gets a free copy of my "Playlist" book.  
Joel

FORGOTTEN HITS LYRICS QUIZ 

by Joel Whitburn

What are the titles of the hit songs that contain the lyrics shown below – we only need the song title, not the artist.

1.    Ours is not an easy age, we’re like tigers in a cage

2.    Bright stars and guitars and drive-ins on Friday night

3.    Maybe it’s the clothes she wears, or the way she combs her hair.

            

4.    I know I need a small vacation but it don’t look like rain.

5.    Gonna climb the stairs, gonna ring that bell before I lose my nerve.

6.    But if I ask you for a date, will you tell me that I’m not too late.

7.    We lost old Marty Robbins down in old El Paso a little while back.

8.    Oh darlin’ where have you been? I’ve been longin’ for you all my life.

9.    Yeah, I know it’s so hard to resist the temptation of her tender red lips.

10.  One day he left his valley pad, I mean to say this cat was mad.

11. I fell for you and I knew the vision of your love’s loveliness.

12.   She’s found a new love, buddy, he’s a lucky guy.

13.  Then I awake and look around me at four gray walls that surround me.

14.  Ramblin’ around this dirty old town, singin’ for nickels and dimes.

15.  Now you got me started, don’t you leave me broken hearted.

Send your entries in quick!

Meanwhile, Forgotten Hits Subscribers were treated to a "Double Whammy" Sunday this morning!  They received the unpublished edition of this week's Sunday Comments Page!!!  

Not a subscriber?  Wanna get on the list?  

Then just send me an email (forgottenhits@aol.com) and write "Subscribe" in the Subject Line ... and we'll add you to the list of folks who get regular updates regarding new postings and special events.  (Yes, it really is THAT easy!!!)  

The Saturday Surveys (3-29)

Canadian R. Dean Taylor (best known here in The States for his #1 Hit "Indiana Wants Me") tops the CHUM Chart in Canada for this week in 1971 with a track called "Gotta See Jane".  The #2 Spot is held by another Canadian act, The Bells, with "Stay Awhile", a song that also did very well here on this side of the border.

Other Canadian acts doing well on the chart this week are The Stampeders (#11 with "Carry Me"), Ocean (#15, down from #2 the week before, with "Put Your Hand In The Hand"), Matthews Southern Comfort (#26 with "Woodstock"), Inner City Mission (#27 with "Wild World") and Crowbar (#28 with "Oh, What A Feeling").

Great to see Elvis and The Beatles doing so well on this WING Chart from 1964.  Yes, Beatlemania was sweeping the nation ... and The Fab Four had an incredible NINE titles on this week's chart thanks to B-Sides like "From Me To You" and the for-some-inexplicable-reason typically ignored "I'll Get You", the flip-side of "She Loves You" that you guys voted as your Favorite, Forgotten B-Side of All-Time a few years ago.

Meanwhile, The King was alive and well with a two-sided hit of his own at #2, "It Hurts Me" / "Kissin' Cousins".  ("Kissin' Cousins" was also the Feature Album of the Week).


New on the chart this week was the Elvis sound-alike record "Suspicion" by Terry Stafford ... that one would go all the way to #1 here in Chicago a few weeks later.  You'll also find '50's stand-bys Sam Cooke and Chuck Berry in the countdown at numbers 10 and 11 respectively.

And there's a REAL pretty song at #23 by The Sapphires called "Who Do You Love" ... which we wanted to feature here today.

Three years later The Beatles are back on the charts at #2 with their two-sided hit "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever".

What I really like about THIS chart is all the B-Sides popping up on the list ... "Summer Wine" (your #2 All-Time Favorite Flip) by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, "No Milk Today" by Herman's Hermits and The Monkees' great track "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", shown here as the A-Side over the REAL hit "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You".

You'll find our FH Buddy Alex Valdez at #17 with "Yellow Balloon" ... in fact, between The Turtles, Yellow Balloon, The Young Rascals, Herman's Hermits, The Monkees, The Lovin' Spoonful and The Byrds, I'd have to say the "Friends Of Forgotten Hits" are pretty well represented on the chart this week!

50 Years Ago This Weekend

Another look back at the Evolution of The British Invasion ... exactly as it happened ... Fifty Years Ago This Weekend! 

March closes out with THE BEATLES holding down the Top Four spots on the chart:  SHE LOVES YOU (#1), I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND (still holding on at #2), TWIST AND SHOUT (#3) and PLEASE PLEASE ME (down a spot to #4).  GLAD ALL OVER by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE breaks into The Top Ten for the very first time (at #10), followed by NEEDLES AND PINS (#20) by THE SEARCHERS, I SAW HER STANDING THERE by THE BEATLES (#26).  

Meanwhile, a brand new BEATLES track (and, in this case a TOTALLY new BEATLES track, finally released in "real time" as all of their other U.S. Hits thus far had been re-releases of material put out in England earlier) was the highest debuting record of the week at #27 … CAN'T BUY ME LOVE which, a week later would make (at that time) the biggest leap EVER to #1, an unheard of feat.  (Advance orders for this record topped one million, also another industry first … and, as such, it's the rarest Beatles picture sleeve ever issued … the label didn't need to invest in the additional expense as the record had already pre-sold itself to the eager American public.  Quite honestly, it was a bit of a rip-off anyway … they just recycled the exact same photo used on their I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND release!)   

Carrying on, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD was at #30 with I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU, followed right behind by THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS with HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE at #31.  FROM ME TO YOU by THE BEATLES sat at #50, ALL MY LOVING (another Canadian single making the U.S. charts) premiered at #71, ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN was right behind it at #75, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET debuted at #78  and DUSTY's follow-up hit STAY AWHILE debuted at #80.  Meanwhile THE CAREFREES appeared to have a bona-fide hit of their own with WE LOVE YOU BEATLES (a rip-off of the BYE BYE BIRDIE Soundtrack hit, WE LOVE YOU CONRAD), which leaped from #73 to #57.   

Here in Chicago (on The WLS Silver Dollar Survey), The Top Ten now includes "Twist and Shout" at #1, "Glad All Over" at #2, "She Loves You" at #3, "Please Please Me" at #6, "It's All In The Game" (by Cliff Richard) at #7, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (backed with "I Saw Her Standing There") at #8 and "Can't Buy Me Love" at #10 (up from #36 the week before.)

"Hippy Hippy Shake" sits at #13, a new Beatles record, "Thank You Girl" sits at #18  and "Needles And Pins" is down to #23.  Other titles of note:  "We Love You Beatles" at #17, "All My Lovin'" by Jimmy Griffin at #28, "A Letter To The Beatles" by The Four Preps at #35 and "Beatle Time" by The Livers at #36  



Reminder ... 

Mike Baker salutes The British Invasion in Part Two of his special radio program ... this Sunday!

The 50^th Anniversary Of The British Invasion

Many people have heard the 50^th anniversary of The Beatles on American Radio but what followed was the British Invasion. The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman's Hermits, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who and many more invaded the American Charts.  Be sure to listen Sunday, March 30^th, to the British Invasion from noon to 4 pm followed by the History of Rock & Roll’s chapter on the British Invasion.

Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s

http://tunein.com/radio/Mike-Baker-And-The-Forgotten-45s-p39516/#

http://www.wltl.net/listen-live.html

Thursday This And That

re:  THE NEW JOEL WHITBURN BOOK ...

AND ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE RECORD RESEARCH / FORGOTTEN HITS GIVE-AWAY OFFER:

You can still pre-order Joel's new "Top Pop Playlists" book for only $22.95 ... but you need to act quickly.  Click here: Top Pop Playlists 1955-1969 | Joel Whitburn's Record Research

Joel has already told us that this book will act as Volume One in the series, covering the years 1955 - 1969.  Volume Two is already in the works, taking us from 1970 - 1984.

Be sure to hit The Record Research Website and order your copy today!  (kk)

Kent -  

I loved hearing that great novelty song "Do-Wacka-Do" by one of America’s greatest singers / songwriters / performers!  All of these songs need to be played and heard by new generations of music fans!!!  Thanks for the nice review of my new book.

Joel Whitburn   

Can't wait to see it, Joel ... a VERY colorful representation of what truly WERE the biggest hits of that time ... no matter what ANYBODY else tells you today!  They can continue to distort and spin the facts to their own liking, but your new book is a snapshot of what was REALLY happening at the time.  SOMEBODY in radio needs to pick up on this and right this ridiculous wrong!  (kk)

And, by popular request, Forgotten Hits will once again be giving away a copy of Joel's brand new book ... all thanks to his latest Record Research / Forgotten Hits Trivia Contest!  Be sure to check back on Sunday for all the details!   

re:  BEACH BOYS FAVORITES: 

The Beach Boys  ...Yeah!   For the record, Brian sang lead on "Don't Worry Baby" - but check out Carl on "Girl Don't Tell Me" (from the "Summer Days and Summer Nights!" album) and "Long Promised Road" (from the "Surf's Up" album).  These are stellar performances. 

I know you both said that "Good Vibrations" is "hardly one of my faves but simply has to be included" ... GUYS!  Read the chapter from the "Wrecking Crew" The Inside Story of Rock & Roll's Best-Kept Secret" on the amazing story of how it was recorded and you may think / listen differently.

"Kokomo" is very much a Mike Love-style production; no real involvement from Brian but DNA from Papa John Phillips and San Franciscan Scott McKenzie can definitely be heard.

And be sure to add this one to the list in THE ALL-UNDERRATED DVISION:

"Little Girl I Once Knew" was moving up the charts when Capitol decided to "do it again" (pun intended) and quickly released "Barbara Ann", which stalled "Little Girl"'s move toward The Top Ten.  One of the few Beach Boys tunes that John Lennon gave praise to:  http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/john-lennon-on-my-favorite-beach-boys.html 

Surfer's Rule! is another great Beach Boys tune.

Phil

PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com

Story goes that Mike Love had already recorded a rough, demo version of "Kokomo" with just himself and Terry Melcher ... but Disney Films wanted the track punched up in order to be considered for their "Cocktail" soundtrack.  So Love recruited his bandmates Carl Wilson and Al Jardine to give the track a more authentic Beach Boys sound.  (According to Wikipedia, Jeff Foskett and Bruce Johnston were also involved in the original recording.)

When the track was redone for the film (and subsequent chart-topping single), only Love's lead vocal from the original sessions remained ... everything else was cut new.  That included wiping Melcher's and Foskett's vocals from the track.  (Now I'm a BIG Jeff Foskett fan ... but I honestly can't even imagine this track without Carl's beautiful lead!)

While Brian certainly helped with the promotion of the song once it was released, he was not present for the writing or the recording, making it the ONLY Beach Boys #1 Single NOT written by Brian Wilson.

"Little Girl I Once Knew" seems to be a die-hard Beach Boys Fan Favorite ... but again, isn't one of mine.  (There are a few others that I really can't stand ... "Be True To Your School" and "When I Grow Up To Be A Man" also fall into this category.)

While I really liked "Barbara Ann" when it was out (and it reached #1 just about EVERYWHERE except Billboard), it has grown a bit "tired" for me now ... and I just don't see it as the "show-stopping finale" that Mike Love seems to insist it is ... but it DOES get the crowd singing along every time.

Capitol sabotaged The Beach Boys' career several times.  In addition to the over-lapped single releases you mentioned, the same thing happened just as "Pet Sounds" was making its way up the chart.  Because it didn't sound like ANYTHING else The Beach Boys had ever recorded, Capitol played it safe and released "The Beach Boys Greatest Hits / Best Of The Beach Boys" album right at the same time.  Again, it immediately stifled sales of their NEW material in favor of the old.

"Endless Summer" can pretty much be perceived the same way ... a blessing and a penalty, all at the same time.

The Beach Boys really hadn't had a decent-sized hit on the charts for about five years.  Then Capitol released the 2-LP compilation package "Endless Summer", repackaging many of the group's best-known hits.  (The Beach Boys weren't even on the label anymore at this point.)  Out of nowhere, the double LP went straight to #1 ... they even re-released "Surfin' USA" as a single ... and it made The Top 40!!!  (Something their new material hadn't managed to do since 1969 when they were still on the label!)

A sudden resurgence in all things Beach Boys took place ... and they were playing to sold out houses again ... as long as they performed the oldies ... something Mike Love insists on doing to this day. (Brian's new band, featuring many of The Wondermints, has taken a totally opposite approach by spotlighting new material and far more difficult material such as performing the "Pet Sounds" and "Smile" albums live on stage in their entirety.  I have to believe this was a major conflict in Mike Love's mind when their bands "merged" for the 50th Anniversary Tour.) 

Now Love is back out (with Bruce Johnston) playing the songs HE wants to play ... while Brian has been touring with special guest like Beach Boys alums Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin!  It makes for some interesting choices for the fans ... but in my opinion, the one to see is Wilson.  For all intents and purposes, Mike Love has been putting on the exact same show for over 25 years now ... if you've seen it once ... or twice ... or even a dozen times ... you've already seen all there is to see.  Brian and his band will surprise you each and every time.  (kk)

 

As for their most over-hyped songs I'd have to say "Barbara Ann".  It's just not that good and was never intended as a single, shortening the chart life of the great "Little Girl I Once Knew".  I'll agree with Kent that "Kokomo" is good, IMO.To "add some Beach Boys music to your day," I'd say these are my CURRENT faves alphabetically: 
"Break Away", "California Girls", "Caroline, No", "I Just Got My Pay" "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", "It's About Time", "The Little Girl I Once Knew", "Long Promised Road", "Sail on Sailor", "Slip on Through", "That's Why God Made the Radio", "Warmth of the Sun", "Wild Honey" and "You're So Good To Me".

Clark

Oh yeah ... I forgot all about "Caroline, No" ... that one definitely ranks near the top of my list, too.  (kk)

 

Very nice piece on the Beach Boys.

Nicki

 

Hi Kent,
Thank you so much for keeping the Beach Boys music alive with the articles you have written!!!
I have been reading the book, The Real Beach Boy, Dennis Wilson. When you think of it, if Dennis
didn't mention the "Surfing Craze" to Brian in 1961, there may have never become the Beach Boys!
Hope Brian tours soon. Mike Love and Brian Johnston will be at Ravinia this summer.
Always looking forward to your emails.
Carolyn

 

Speaking of the Beach Boys, I have always loved "I Can Hear Music!"

Tim  

Another one of MY favorites as well.  Brian had such a HUGE amount of respect for Phil Spector ... so it was really nice to see The Beach Boys pull off such a fitting tribute.  (kk)  

 

David Beard of Endless Summer Quarterly just sent us this link celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Beach Boys' album "Shut Down, Volume 2".  You can check it out here:  Click here: Beach Boys' Endless Summer Quarterly celebrates Shut Down Volume 2 album! - National Beach Boys | Examiner.com  

 

re:  EDDIE FISHER: 

Kent,
I just got through scanning today's comments just like I normally due when you post them. I will read them in their entirety later on today.
I did, however, play COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, one of my all time favorites by that rock and roll singer? Eddie Fisher.
Incidentally, I started getting goosebumps from hearing again the tune by Eddie Fisher.
It reminded me immediately of another song which I just now played on you tube, that being Don Cornell's THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO out of 1956.  Singer Nick Noble had a version as well.
Have a great day and I am looking forward later on today to reading Sunday's Comments.
Larry Neal

 

Eddie Fisher's "Fanny" reached #29 in 1954, splitting airplay with another version of the song by Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians (which also peaked at #29).  It was released as the B side of Fisher's Top 5 hit "Count Your Blessings" as RCA Victor single 5871. 

I've put Eddie Fisher tracks into compilation CDs dealing with the early '50s because he was indeed a major teen idol of that period (a protege of Eddie Cantor).  He would have had to be hot for a record called "I Want Eddie Fisher For Christmas" (New Disc 10013) to actually chart in 1954 (for Betty Johnson).  I consider Eddie a good singer of his type, if you happen to like the kind of over-earnest approach later present in early Paul Anka records.

Would I ever want to play an Eddie Fisher album for pleasure?   No -- but I do like one of his hits: "Dungaree Doll" (RCA Victor 6337), which was his attempt to transform himself into a rock 'n' roller in late 1955.  That particular single peaked at #7 early in 1956, just as the nation's eyes and ears were shifting over to Fisher's stunning new RCA labelmate, Elvis Presley.  Eddie had a couple of solid hits later that year ("On The Street Where You Live" and "Cindy Oh Cindy") but by the end of '56 had clearly been eclipsed.   And Fisher himself then drove the big spike into his personal and career coffin.  

Friends, family and fans never forgave Fisher for his thoughtless affair with Elizabeth Taylor, which destroyed not only his public popularity but Eddie's storybook marriage to Debbie Reynolds (who hit #1 herself in 1957 with "Tammy").  NBC cancelled Fisher's TV variety show early in 1959 and RCA dumped him in 1960 -- the year Debbie scored with an interesting choice of material: the pointed ballad "Am I That Easy To Forget."   Fisher went into freefall after that, primarily playing smaller and smaller club dates.   He recorded again for several labels but was never able to come anywhere close to his former level of popularity.  Other stars survived having the music scene pass them by, but Eddie was different in that audiences viewed his stained reputation with a distaste which overshadowed his ability to still sing.  Eventually Fisher gave up and as his health worsened became a recluse, dying in 2010 at the age of 82.   Remember the enormous outpouring of grief at that time from friends and fans all over the world?  You're right.  There wasn't any because his supporters had vanished.  Sex, drugs, thoughtless behavior and the rise of rock 'n' roll shoved one of the '50s biggest hitmakers into almost total obscurity way before his time.   Yes, it's true that the antics of some later rock, rap, hip hop and pop stars have been far less admirable that Fisher's, but you have to remember that Eddie was at the top of his game in the pre-Elvis 1950s -- a much more innocent time quite devoid of the crudity which pervades so much of pop culture today.   Back then, the sins of Eddie Fisher were considered a very big deal -- especially considering how much the public simultaneously adored Debbie Reynolds.  

Gary Theroux

re:  THIS AND THAT:

Kent,

I know you just mentioned it, but that new Ides of March site is just great!  30 minute videos of the guys sitting around telling stories of the formation, etc, with more to come!  A pre-cursor to Jim Peterik's autobiography, hopefully!  Lots of harmonies and gutiar playing and even (to beat a dead horse) a short rendition of "I've Had It"!!!  A great nearly a capella version of "You Wouldn't Listen" ta boot!http://www.thesongisthevehicle.com/

Clark

Hey Kent, 

I don’t know if you or your subscribers know of this company or not but the stuff they produce is of the highest quality in reproducing oldies.  They go to great lengths to digitally clean and re-master their songs.  They have just released the first four Lettermen albums on Capitol and the first things recorded for Warner Bros. before they moved to Capitol.  Included are some bonus tracks that were not included on any albums.  If you go to their website, you'll find that The Lettermen are the second item on their menu.    http://ericrecords.com/ 

Thanks,  

Gary Pike 

former Letterman now of the Reunion 

Actually yes, I'm VERY familiar with their work.  (In fact a couple of Eric Records Reps are on our Forgotten Hits list!)  They put out the highest caliper material, showing great respect for this music.  Be sure to check out the site, too, for some of the great compilation pieces they have put together over the years.  (kk)

Every Friday this year we've been saluting The British Invasion, as we look back fifty years to the sight and sounds of the era.  (You'll find this week's installment posted here tomorrow!)  Meanwhile, FH Reader Clark Besch just sent us this link to a similarly themed article he found ... 

Hey Kent,

I had this article sent to me that fits in well with all the Brit Invasion stuff.  It's a story from Milwaukee of Bob Barry and WOKY's Beatles concert story of 1964!
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/tvradio/bob-barrys-fifth-beatle-status-almost-didnt-happen-b99197212z1-243593801.html

Got this bit of bad news from Diane Diekman, who covers the country beat in her weekly newsletter ...

(subscribe here:  diane@dianediekman.com)

Kris Kristofferson, age 77, is suffering from a form of dementia similar to Alzheimer’s disease. His severe memory loss comes from years of head injuries from boxing and football in his youth. According to New Scientist, "The condition is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), previously called punch drunk syndrome, boxer's dementia, or dementia pugilistica. This causes progressive memory problems, personality change and slowness of movement. It afflicts many former sportsmen, mostly boxers." A former Rhodes Scholar and Oxford University student, Kris noticed his memory worsening several years ago. He told an interviewer he's lucky to be able to remember his song lyrics so he can keep performing. At the 2014 Grammy awards show on January 26, he and Willie Nelson sang "Highwayman," and then Merle Haggard and Blake Shelton joined them for "Okie From Muskogee" and "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys." You can watch the performance here: http://youtu.be/SspAWnLvUFc

re:  CLIPS OF THE WEEK:

With the major league baseball season starting next week, it seemed only appropriate to feature this one again ... sent in by FH Reader Frank B ...

Kent ...

3/24/1938 = Bud and Lou first perform "Who's On First?" for a national radio audience. Baseball season starts next week.
Frank B.
Click here: ? Abbott & Costello Who's On First - YouTube

Pretty revolutionary for 1938, isn't it???  (kk)

 

And finally, here's The Clip Of The Week, sent in by Gary Pike, formerly of The Lettermen.

(Hmmm ... is THIS what they mean by "adding a little sweetening in the studio"???)   

Some fantasy here but what a hoot!!!   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmnnZU9PPyY