Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Tuesday Comments

Here's your reaction to some of our most recent topics ...  

re:  THE COUNTDOWN:  
The only time “Honey” was #1 for me is when I declared it #1 Bad Record of 1968. It had competition like Harper Valley, Little Green Apples, but it won! It seems almost amateurishly bad compared to all the Rap & Crud in this era! Worst records of the year might be a category to think about as well?? 
Ken  
I know "Honey" came up a couple of times in Scott Shannon's old Cheezy-Easy Listening Song of the Day feature ... old time Forgotten Hits Readers will remember we started a poll several years ago asking our audience to name their "Guaranteed Gaggers" ... and "Honey" topped THAT poll, too!  (kk)

Hi Kent,
I loved the countdown.  I didn't come back every hour, but quite often.
I loved your idea for compiling and thought it it was a much more fair version of what should be in the top 200.  Now I'm just going to compile it all on to an MP3 disc for our next dinner
parties.
Happy New Year and thanks for all you keep doing for all of us.
Bill  

Overall, we got a pretty good response ... something a little bit different, to be sure.  
We have permanently posted it on the other Forgotten Hits webpage: 
Click here: Forgotten Hits - THE TOP 200 #1 HITS OF THE BEATLES ERA, 1964 - 1970 



re:  THE HIT PARADE HALL OF FAME:

Can anybody say "Weakest Class Ever"??? 
Rick

There were a few surprises this year, to be sure ... the "carry over" votes outweighed the new votes coming in and, as such, some names that have been on the ballot for awhile finally found their way into The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame.
Most surprising to me?  The exclusion of Daryl Hall and John Oates.  In our previous Most Deserving And Denied Artists (as ignored by The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame), The Dynamic Duo of Hall and Oates ... the most successful recording duo of all time ... always place high on the list.  I'm sure that will be the case once again when we run the poll in a few weeks (right after this year's Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony.)
I was also surprised to see artists like Harry Belafonte, The Crew Cuts, Dolly Parton, Ferrante and Teicher and Percy Faith come in ahead of Lionel Richie and The Commodores, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Earth, Wind and Fire, Sly and the Family Stone and The Spinners ... but that's the way the voting shook out.  (All of these other acts mentioned stay eligible for a period of three years so all could eventually make their way to The Hall.) 
A MAJOR plus of The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame is that the fans' votes COUNT ... and they come in from all over the world ... hundreds of thousands of votes ... so the voices of fans are truly represented in the results.
Meanwhile, a brand new list of nominees for 2012 will be announced in mid-February ... so be sure to watch our pages for that list. And check out The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame Website, too, to see the incredible list of artists previously inducted:  Click here: HPH Inductees   (kk)  

Great list! 
Gary Theroux  
As one of the ones who had a hand in the selection process, I figured you'd agree!!! (lol) Thanks, Gary!  (kk) 



re:  THIS AND THAT: 
Who says young people don't want to hear the great music of our generation?
David Lewis 
 

Click here: Jan 2, 2012 9:18pm | Facebook
Certainly not me!!!  (A more appropriate response might be "You're preaching to the choir" ... especially after you view this clip!)  This is a GREAT video of The Left Banke performing their big hit "Walk Away Renee" ... DEFINITELY a "Must See" for the week.  (Man, these guys are sounding GREAT!!! I hope they're still out there performing!)  I couldn't find an "official" Left Banke web page ... and their "fan page" hasn't been updated since 2009 ... so none of this new information will be found there.  But they REALLY sound great!  (kk)
These guys have done several shows around the New York area in the past year.  Tom Finn and George Cameron found each other on Facebook and decided to re-create The Left Banke. Steve Martin Caro and Mike Brown aren't involved but there's hope one or both of them will join for a song or two at an upcoming show. The schedule hasn't been finalized, but there will be an east coast tour this spring.  They did several interviews last year, some on live radio and the one below on video. All the latest info is on their Facebook page.
Pretty Ballerina
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzaig_jlyt4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCedNopvK-Q 
 

Walk Away Renee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM167MaFbFw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts5igrW5Hf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhVS25gQaic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhuMmjHCUpY
 
Desiree
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsJodqBURNA

Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqD1ZYaUquE 

Recent NPR story with no mention of the recreated band
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/140597256/the-left-banke-a-60s-teenage-band-with-two-hits  



Kent ...
I just read this in my newspaper.  French fans of Michael Jackson are suing the late pop star's doctor for the "emotional damage" they suffered over his death, their lawyer said yesterday. The case against Conrad Murray, who was jailed in November over the star's 2009 death, is due to be heard in the city of Orleans on April 11, lawyer Emmanuel Ludot said. "It's similar to losing a childhood friend in a traffic accident," Ludot said.
Kent, do you think it's too late for me to sue Elvis' doctor ? LoL!!
Frank B.

Probably so ... but at least you have your Elvis Mr. Potato Head Collection to help raise your spirits!!!  (kk)   



Hey, tack on to my "We Could be Happy" story that this guy plays some cool stuff too!  Thanks to Mike Hartman for mentioning him!  
Clark Besch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_lFFYtGza0&feature=related  
Yep, that would be our Forgotten Hits Buddy Jeff James ... who posts "From The Vault" tracks every day on YouTube and does a weekend stint on Y103.9 (as well as a number of "hops" in and around town.)  He's the guy who hosted that "Windy City At Six" program we told you about a while back.  (Now off the air from his regular gig thanks to the Tom Kent Radio Take-Over, it's good to see Jeff play some of his favorite oddities again.)  kk  


To Clark Besch: Wish I could've been there at the diner in Omaha!!!  "We Could Be Happy" - great tune from the Shames' wonderful 1st album.  By the way, that Super CFL T-shirt looks terrific!! 
Bobster  



Click here: CD-format to be abandoned by major labels by the end of 2012 - Industrial Music Facebook news at SIDE-LINE.COM  
>>>We've been hearing this for at least six months now ... "hard copy" CD's will go by the wayside in favor of digital downloading.  Too bad ... 'cause there's just something about holding the box, cover and liner notes in your hand that has always held a great appeal for me.  (kk)  
I agree. Plus, CD booklets to read. With downloads, you own NOTHING!  But it is true, CDs won't be around in the beginning of 2013. Because, after Dec. 21, 2012, the whole world won't be around!!!
JJ :)
 


Not sure if you saw it or not, but we recently ran a Q&A with Vic Flick, who found us through Forgotten Hits.  
Here's his piece:  
http://www.songfacts.com/blog/writing/british_session_star_vic_flick/  
Be Well,
Carl
No, I had not seen this, so thanks for sending.  Vic's a great guy and has some amazing stories to tell.  (You'll find a whole lot of them in his book, "Guitarman", which our FH Buddy Bob Rush encouraged him to write.)  We gave away copies a few years back in FH ... but you can still get your own here: 
Click here: Amazon.com: Vic Flick, Guitarman (9781593933081): Vic Flick: Books 

I tuned in my buddy Nick Digilio on Chicago's WGN to hear a fascinating segment on his radio show early Friday morning!  I really think you will find many of things pretty cool to read.  It is an article about the "25 Most Powerful Songs of the Last 25 Years."  Not sure if that is what it should be titled, but some things are just too wild to believe almost. 
Can you believe there is a song that a church has committed to playing to its' end that was started in 2003 and will not end for 639 years?  Did you know that a Beatles tune was first beamed towards space in 2008 from NASA to hopefully reach aliens someday?  It will reach Polaris ("The North Star"  seen almost any night brightly) in 431 years!  There's even a soccer theme in here as well as a song that won 8 Olympic Gold Medals!  Here's the article.   
http://atrl.net/forums/showthread.php?t=170383 
If you'd like to hear the podcast of the radio show and hear clips of each song as I heard it, there are podcasts available of his show. 
http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/nickd/wgnam-nickdshow-111230e,0,3381539.mp3file  
Click here: The Nick D Show 01-02-12 (Part 4: The 25 most powerful songs of the last 25 years 10-1) - WGN Radio


FH Reader Jersey John sent us this list recently (which I had never seen before).  You'll find a couple of surprises on here!

RIAA's Top Selling Artists (April 2011)
Artist
Certified Units in Millions
The Beatles
177
Elvis Presley
129.50
Garth Brooks
128
Led Zepplin
111.5
The Eagles
100
Billy Joel
79.5
Pink Floyd
74.5
Elton John
72
Barbra Streisand
71.5
AC/DC
71

Drum Roll, Please ... For Barbra Streisand ... for being the only female artist on RIAA's Top 10 List of Top Selling Artists
http://barbra-archives.com/record/record_sales_streisand.html
Has nice legs, too! :-)
JJ


My kid just told me that Carly Simon FINALLY let out the secret of who "YOU'RE SO VAIN" is REALLY about .... <yawn>
Must be a new CD coming out ...
VERY disappointing ...
I wish she would have kept it a secret ... At least she could still auction off the information at charity events like she's done in the past ...
Taken to the grave, it would have remained interesting ... 

RENFIELD
But on that album where "You're So Vain" first appeared, Carly told us all "We have no secrets"!!!  So that's a tough call.  I agree ... the mystery was always a great part of the appeal of the song.  (kk)
If you check out Carly's official website, the front page recounts some of the interviews and speculation that have circulated over the years ... but I still don't see an "official" pronouncement as to the "guilty party".  I think the idea that it's a compilation of SEVERAL people is probably most accurate ... but apparently there IS one person in particular that she had in mind.  (kk)
 
Talk about your unsung heroes ... 

'Million Dollar Quartet' drummer recalls unseen role at jam session -
Kent ...
They say " Timing " is everything.
Frank B.
 

 
>>>Caught a couple young girls performing that '50's song, "Tonight You Belong To Me", live, in a Borders' book store.  (John) 
>>>We might be able to attribute this one to the hot new FX Television Series "American Horror Story" ... they've featured the tune twice now (on both the first and last episode of the first season) ... and even our 15 year old has been walking around the house singing it!  

It's what I keep saying ... expose this new, younger generation to this great music ... and they'll fall in love with it just like WE did ... all over again!  The Patience and Prudence hit is about as unlikely a crowd-pleaser as any these days ... but clearly we've both witnessed evidence to the contrary.  (DeeJays ... Programmers ... Consultant "Experts" ... are ANY of you paying attention?!?!?)  kk 

Tonite you belong to me?  The Steve-Martin, Bernadette Peters version from THE JERK?
A keeper !  This version always comes to mind whenever I hear the song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI8NuFAETMQ
And DARLENE LOVE ?  Sirius-XM's Ron Bennington of RON & FEZ has had two interview shows for several years now ... A MASTER !  Could make ME interesting! 
Here he is with recently mentioned (FH) DARLENE LOVE ... (the Ronnie Specter one is great too) ... http://www.blubrry.com/rbi/1151699/darlene-love/
GARY RENFIELD  -  
www.RIPRenfield.com
P.S.  I watched till nearly the end, but I bailed on AMERICAN HORROR STORY ... getting muddled, not going anywhere after a great start ... and stealing from Rosemary's Baby.
Frannie (and two of our daughters) were COMPLETELY hooked ... I liked bits and pieces.  But now we're hearing that when the show comes back next season it'll be with a whole new cast and storyline ... so Season One's story has been told in full.  Kind of a neat concept I guess ... unless you happen to have fallen in love with this season's characters ... Frannie says she may not even watch again if Jessica Lang is missing ... plus she loved Connie Britton and Evan Peters, who played Tate.  Heck, she even tolerated Dylan McDermott!!!  (kk)
And how about THIS one???  Stranger than fiction ... and sent in to us by unofficial WCBS-FM publicity agent Frank B:


Peter Frampton lost his most-prized guitar, a 1954 Gibson Les Paul Custom, in 1980 when a cargo plane crashed en route to Panama.
Now, with very little explanation, the guitar has been returned to him! Spinner reports all the instruments aboard the flight were thought to be destroyed until Frampton’s guitar was located by two fans on the Dutch island of Curacao. Experts from Gibson confirmed it was indeed the original.  
Frampton’s happy to have the guitar back but puts the situation into perspective saying, “I know I have my guitar back, but I will never forget the lives that were lost in this crash. I am so thankful for the efforts of those who made this possible … And, now that it is back I am going insure it for 2 million dollars and it’s never going out of my sight again! It was always my #1 guitar and it will be reinstated there as soon as possible — some minor repairs are needed.” 
Read more: Frampton’s Guitar Found Over 30 Years After Plane Crash http://womc.radio.com/2012/01/03/framptons-guitar-found-over-30-years-after-plane-crash/#ixzz1inneCK00

Kent -
I just want to tell you of a new site that I started called the Monkees Album by Album at http://themonkeesalbumbyalbum.blogspot.com 
Hope you had a Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas.
Rick Phillips
Happy to post a link, Rick ... you know what a major Monkees fan I am!!!  (kk)

Kent ...
According to Ron Smith's book, Paul Revere's Birthday was 1/7/12.
That's a " Good Thing. "
Frank B.

Well then , a VERY Happy Belated Birthday to Paul Revere then!!!  (kk)

And, speaking of Happy Birthdays ..

re:  ELVIS BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE:
We saluted The King Of Rock And Roll this past weekend by suggesting a few songs that don't normally show up on the "standard" / "traditional" Elvis play lists we hear on the radio today.  I know there were a number of radio tributes, live performance events and television stations remembering The King by showing some of his movies ... honestly, too many to list them all.  Unfortunately, received this notice from Trade Martin AFTER the program had already aired so we couldn't pass it along ... but check out Jimmy Jay's site ... he often has podcast / rebroadcasts available (and this sounds like a good one!) kk

"THE KING AND HIS GUITAR”:  Airing Sunday, January 8th, at 12:15 pm EST on http://www.95.9watd.com/ is the most exciting radio event of the weekend. 
“DJ of the Stars” Jimmy Jay celebrates & honors the “KINGS” birthday. 
Listen to Jimmy’s friends, Brenda Lee, BJ Thomas, Johnny Tillotson, the Jordonairs, Trade Martin and Wanda Jackson tell stories about Elvis and his timeless musical career.  
Hear it online too:  http://www.95.9watd.com/  
Jimmy, thanks for having me as a guest on your Elvis Birthday Special and for utilizing my song and its title, "THE KING AND HIS GUITAR" for your historical Elvis broadcast!!!
Warmest regards,
Trade.
Video link :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCNAsfWDDs0 

Kent,
How about Sun Record single #217, “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone”, recorded on April 10, 1955. The “B” side to “Baby Let’s Play House”.  
I particularly remember this song, because I saw Elvis sing it live on a local TV show in Lubbock, TX, in '54 or '55.  I was just a kid and he was unknown at that time, but sang with a with a group, their name I don't recall.  I believe they were gong to entertain that night at a local club, the Cotton Club.  I wanted to go, but my parents wouldn't let me,

A year later he came back to Lubbock and was a star and sold out the local Lubbock auditorium, Fair Park Coliseum
Jay Wiginton
Other than on Elvis specialty shows, you don't really hear ANY of Elvis' early Sun material anymore.  The most likely candidate seems to be "That's All Right, Mama", only because of the history behind it (and the fact that Elvis continued to feature it in many of his live shows.)  All of the others (ultimately rereleased by RCA anyway) seem to have fallen off the radar ... but it was these early rock-a-billy tracks that got Elvis noticed (and signed to a bigger label) in the first place.  (kk)

Kent,  
Besides Elvis, January 8th is also the birthday of one David Jones, who had to change his name because of the success of Monkee Davy Jones.  He picked the Bowie knife, and forever more has been known as David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, the Thin White Duke, Major Tom.  My all-time fave, wish him many Birthday blessings.  Wham, Bam, Thank you man!!!!! 
Ed Pond
This is true ... and Bowie's birthday has probably been slighted every year thanks to Elvis ... so yes, Happy Birthday to David Bowie, too!  (kk)

re:  ALIOTTA, HAYNES AND JEREMIAH / 
LAKE SHORE DRIVE: 
Thanks so much for running the real story from Skip Haynes to clear up so many misconceptions about both the band and their best known song.  I'll add a link to the Skip Haynes Part II segment on the "Lake Shore Drive" Songfacts page explaining that the comprehensive story can be found there. It's always great to hear from these guys and get their stories out there.
Another rumor I've heard floating around is that John Jeremiah from the band was the inspiration for the famous line "Jeremiah was a bullfrog," but some interviews with found with Hoyt Axton show that it was just something he made up.
Carl Wiser / Songfacts 
I've seen that written many times, too, but to the best of my knowledge, Hoyt Axton never officially confirmed anything.  John Jermiah DID, however, play in a bar band after Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah, called The Bull Frogs ... so who knows.  (Then again, maybe we've all got it backwards ... perhaps John picked HIS band's name after the famous Hoyt Axton song!!!)  kk

Great story by Skip Haynes regarding the true origins of 'Lake Shore Drive'.  Like you, I always felt that I knew most of the story -- but Skip relates it in such an entertaining manner that it was a pleasure to hear it all again from this new perspective.  (Who knew the band didn't really care for the song!  Or that there were so many "happy coincidences" that helped bring it all to light!)  A very interesting read. 
Eddie

Hi Kent:  
I always liked “Lake Shore Drive” and still do. It got some pretty decent airplay up here in Milwaukee in ’73 & ’75. Even more so in ’75 with the re-release of the 45. Interesting story, but leaves me with a bit of confusion. He says the song was recorded in 1972, which seems ok, but partly inspired by America’s “Lonely People” which is recorded in 1974. Seems a bit hazy there, but interesting  anyway.  
Ken  


We got this one a few times ... check out the next two emails ...

Hey Kent, 
Skip Haynes did a great job telling the story behind the classic Lake Shore Drive!
One question though ... Skip writes that the "musical inspiration" for the LSD came from "Mr. Bojangles" and America's "Lonely People".  As far as "Lonely People", this couldn't be correct as that America song wasn't released until 1974, three years after Lake Shore Drive was written and released.
A minor point, but just thought I'd mention it for the record.
Dick Eastman
Antioch, IL  

Kent, 
I don’t mean to nitpick, but I do have to question one part of Skip Haynes's account of Lake Shore Drive.  Haynes said the musical inspirations for this song were Jerry Jeff Walker’s Mister Bojangles and America’s Lonely People.  I definitely hear the influence of Mister Bojangles, which is from 1968.  But Lonely People was not recorded until April, 1974, so I doubt that it could have been in Haynes’s head in December of 1971.  Nevertheless, it's a great story.
Dan Crabtree
I ran these emails past Skip Haynes to see if you could offer any kind of explanation / correction / clarification.  Here's what I got back!!! (lol)

Hi Kent, 
They're right ... Old drug injuries!  
Remember, this was over 40 years ago and I wasn't paying attention - girls you know. Thank everybody concerned. Also, I didn't even know we got that kind of airplay in Milwaukee. Please thank Ken, Dick and Dan for me.
It's ony rock N' roll.
All the best -
Skip  

It's pretty interesting that Lake Shore Drive was completed on the morning of Jan 1, 1972. I recorded this clip at 1:20 AM on 1/1/72, which I now know was at the same moment one of my all-time favorite songs was being recorded.
David Lewis 

Kent, 
I LOVED the story on "Lake Shore Drive"!!  I had no idea of all of the story and it fills a big void in my Chicago music knowledge.  Now maybe you can get the story on TW4!  They were the early incarnation of Styx and although no recordings have been released of this band, I am lucky enough to have heard some tracks recorded by TW4 and believe it or not, Styx took pieces of the TW4 songs and made some of these big parts of later Styx records!!  Would love to hear the story of TW4 someday and why they Styx cut up parts of TW4 songs to make new songs for Styx instead of just rerecording the original, which are also quite good!  
Clark Besch


Hi, 
I am so happy to hear the story of how "Lake Shore Drive" came to be.  My husband is the "oldies" nut, but he shows me your site when it's something I care about.   I can't remember when I first heard this song as we live in Milwaukee, but it was probably in the mid-90's on Chicago radio somehow.  It caught my attention from the first note and we looked hard to find out WHO and WHAT it was!  A little research and we had our answers.  Years later, I purchased a compilation of all Chicago-themed songs just to get "Lake Shore Drive".  And funny, I was a big Jerry Jeff Walker fan in the late 70's so maybe that's why this song speaks to my heart.  I never tire of it, and it can improve my mood instantly.  In fact, for one of my birthdays, my husband Bob had our local oldies station play the song for me!  I still have the (cassette!) tape of that intro and the song.  So Lake Shore Drive will never be forgotten around here!
Thanks for all the good you do,
Barb Verbos
Great story!  Thanks, Barb!  (Hey, and you can check the site out once in a while on your own, too!!!  We won't mind!!!  lol)  kk

That  was just thee best story  about  `Lake Shore Drive` ... 
Thank  you,  Skip  Haynes ...  Thank  you  Kent ...   
I’ve been  to  Paragon  and  it  was  the  best  studio  in  Chicago ...   
I remember  being  impressed by all the  sexy  `Ohio Players`  record  covers  on  the  walls  going  up  the  stairs  to the  3rd  floor.
R. 
Tampa Bay

Kent; 
I want to congratulate you and all involved in The Story Behind "Lake Shore Drive" (Part Two) . What a great song and well written story. While our tastes often vary, this just knocked my socks off.
Reading all the details enhanced the song for me. What a trip! Strange that I don't recall ever hearing it before. My how the music business has changed. This should have beena national top ten record.
Amazing how it all came together and yes, the piano and strings were superb.
This is one song I wish I had for my own and hope the album had some additional gems on it. 
Brilliant piece, thanks to all for sharing.
bdpoe
Orlando, FL
Thanks, BD ... you can pick up a copy of this classic album for your own collection through Skip's website:    
Click here: LAKE SHORE DRIVE: SKIP HAYNES & ALIOTTA HAYNES JEREMIAH .   

In fact, there's even a special "Greatest Hits" CD compilation available through this site. 

"Lake Shore Drive" caught on in every city that had one ... and, apparently there are HUNDREDS spread out across The United States, making this a very "relatable" song when it was first released (and grew in legend on the more progressive FM band.)  The long-suspected drug reference kept it off most of the mainstream AM stations ... but this was PERFECT FM fare for this day and age.  Great to see that new folks are still discovering this now classic tune.  (kk)  

And we've got some exclusive brand new Aliotta / Haynes news for you, too! ...
 
Hi Kent,  
Wanted to let you know that Mitch Aliotta and I have begun work on a new album which will be released early this summer. it will be something completely different  - but classic. It will be produced by Dana Walden who used to be with the band called Champagne and wrote "How 'bout Us?". Dana will also be playing keyboards on the CD. The concert will still be on but we'll probably push the date ahead to accommodate the CD release.
Thanks again! 

All the Best

Skip