Rock & Roll Historical Perspective

[norealityhere]

Originally Posted by razorbacker

Believe me I'm getting a kick out of it as well. Couple of interesting things. On the last one of those Casey Kasem countdowns he quotes Ringo as saying that The Beatles will be back in the studio real soon. Yet, this issue of RS, which came out around the same time, Paul, give it an absolute No Way.

I like how right in the middle of a page, there'll be one little paragraph, hardly worth noticing at all, unless looking back in time like these things are allowing us to do. For instance the off handed way we were first introduced to the name of Elton John in this issue.

And someone really hated Uriah Heep!

I like Ringo, but sometimes I wonder if he ever really was a part of the Beatles. That wasn't the first time he ever made a comment like that.

[Google]

 

[Parasolpink]

Originally Posted by myrosiedog

Thanks, I had forgotten about Patches and now can't decide if that one or You Light up my Life is the worst song EVER.

Hi y'all Just jumping in to say Minnie Ripperton's Loving You gets has to get a as worst song ever!

[Parasolpink]

I am back to say I absolutely love this thread and the memories it invokes. I am all about the trivia too! No tidbit too small!
I am now also interested in the neuroscience behind the music and the brain.
I grew up in the best of times musically the mid-seventies to mid-eighties. Unfortunately, that's not a tidy decade! But 10 years of songwriting at its best. And happy rhythms to rearrange your DNA!
I find it amazing that so many bands from the old days have had the wherewithal to rise from the ashes and thrill us again. I just saw Three Dog Night ads; KISS was in my home town recently; Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings and are on tour now-they have recorded a quieter version of American Woman and it's quite enchanting! Their voices are as good as ever!
Just wondering who is touring your neighbourhood!
Oh and about the Bobby Sherman thing-yes he just seemed like such a man compared to Donny! And that smile! We all wanted to be Julie!

[razorbacker]

The seventh American Top 40 show with Casey Kasem. Aired August 22, 1970

Playing the hits from the Atlantic Coast to Waikiki Beach, from Canada to Mexico.

40) It’s a Shame - The Spinners
This was their 3rd Top 40 hit. It was heading as high as #14. The song was written & produced by Stevie Wonder.

39) Westbound #9 - The Flaming Ember

38) Snowbird - Anne Murray
This was Anne’s debut on the charts. It would go all the way to #8, but it did become the #1 song on the AC Charts & would spend 6 weeks at the top.

37) I’m Losing You - Rare Earth
Their follow up single to Get Ready. This would become their second consecutive Top 10, going all the way to #7. Co written by Eddie Holland of Holland/Dozier/Holland fame.

36) I’ve Lost You - Elvis Presley
This was one of Elvis’ minor hits. It would spend only 3 weeks on the chart & peak at #32.

35) I Want to Take You Higher - Ike & Tina Turner

34) Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler

33) Julie Do You Love Me - Bobby Sherman

32) Do You See My Love - Jr. Walker & The All Stars

31) The Love You Save - The Jackson Five

30) The Sly, Slick & The Wicked - The Lost Generation

29) Big Yellow Taxi - The Neighborhood

28) Solitary Man - Neil Diamond

27) Summertime Blues - The Who

26) Hand Me Down World - The Guess Who

25) Everybody’s Got a Right to Love - The Supremes

24) Ohio - CSN&Y

23) Don’t Play That Song - Aretha Franklin
This song marks the 20th Top 40 single for Aretha. She hasn’t had a Top 10 hit on over 2 years & hasn’t reached the top since Respect, back in 1967. This one would peak just outside the Top 10 at #11 keeping her dry spell in tact. The song was co written by future record company executive Ahmet Ertegun.

22) Hi De Ho - Blood Sweat & Tears

21) Get Up - James Brown

20) Lookin Out My Backdoor - Creedence Clearwater Revival

19) Tell It All Brother - Kenny Rogers & the 1st Edition

18) Overture from Tommy - The Assembles Multitude

17) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross

16) O-o-o Child - The Five Stairsteps

15) Mama Told Me - Three Dog Night

14) Ball of Confusion - The Temptations

13) 25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago

12) Why Can’t I Touch You - Ronnie Dyson

11) Lay a Little Lovin On Me - Robin McNamara

10) Tighter & Tighter - Alive & Kickin

9) I Just Can’t Help Believing - BJ Thomas

8) Band of Gold - Freda Payne

7) Patches - Clarence Carter

6) Signed Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder

5) In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry

4) War - Edwin Starr

3) Spill the Wine - Eric Burdon & War

2) Close to You - The Carpenters

1) Make it with You - Bread


New Songs this week:
40) It’s a Shame - The Spinners
38) Snowbird - Anne Murray
37) I’m Losing You - Rare Earth
36) I’ve Lost You - Elvis Presley
23) Don’t Play That Song - Aretha Franklin

Songs disappearing this week:
Maybe - The Three Degrees
Hitchin a Ride - Vanity Fare
Teach Your Children - CSN&Y
Lay Down - Melanie
Are You Ready - Pacific Gas & Electric
***Vanity Fare & Pacific Gas & Electric were seeing their swan songs on the charts. The Three Degrees would be back but it will take 4 years for their next Top 40.

Biggest Gainer:
17) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross up 9 spots
7) Patches - Clarence Carter also up 9 spots

Biggest Loser:
39) Westbound #9 - The Flaming Ember dropped 15 spots

One Hit Wonders:
30) The Sly, Slick & The Wicked - The Lost Generation
29) Big Yellow Taxi - The Neighborhood
18) Overture from Tommy - The Assembles Multitude
16) O-o-o Child - The Five Stairsteps
11) Lay a Little Lovin On Me - Robin McNamara
10) Tighter & Tighter - Alive & Kickin
5) In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
3) Spill the Wine - Eric Burdon & War

Debut Single:
12) Why Can’t I Touch You - Ronnie Dyson
8) Band of Gold - Freda Payne
2) Close to You - The Carpenters
1) Make it with You - Bread

Last Single:
34) Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler
32) Do You See My Love - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
7) Patches - Clarence Carter

Oldies Played

Here’s a song by the first American Band to successfully imitate The Beatles. They were a band formed in NJ & people had to be convinienced that it wasn’t the Fab Four. From 1966
Lies - The Knickerbockers

These four hippies were flat broke when they moved to California. But, they recorded the following song, hit the big time, & raised the eyebrows of more than a few neighbors when they moved in to the Hollywood mansion formally owned by actress Janette Mc Donald. Their first hit from 1966
California Dreamin - The Mamas & Papas

What do you say that we end the first hour with an oldie from 1968. Here’s
The Theme from the Valley of the Dolls - Dionne Warwick

This next artist had his eyes set on a boxing career. As a young man of 16 he had to grow a fake mustache to get a shot at the Golden Gloves Welter Weight Championship. You see, he was only 16 & to young by 2 years, so he grew the mustache to fake his age & he won the title. Then he chose an even tougher career, the entertainment industry. Recorded in 1967
Higher & Higher - Jackie Wilson

This man couldn’t get anyone to listen to him under his given name of Arnold Dorsey, so he changed it. People laughed at it, but listen they did. His hit song from 1967...
The Last Waltz - Engelbert Humperdink

This next oldie comes to us from a man that has 40 #1 hits in his home Country of Jamaica. He has had a song in the Top 10 every week for the past 5 years. Just a few months ago, he had his first & only American Top 40 hit.
Israelites - Desomnd Dekker

Keep Your Feet on the ground & keep reaching for the stars!

[razorbacker]

For anyone that has an interest, I have just found out that Google has put up almost the entire history of Billboard magazine for anyone to read. It goes all the way back to the 40's. You can read the issues, but you can't print anything. Check it out.

Billboard - Google Books

[myrosiedog]

I'm late to the RS latest edition party, but.....

Hunter S. Thompson has finally debuted in RS. I love, love, love Thompson.

Yeah, wonder if that reviewer committed suicide over Uriah Heep. They weren't huge, but they did do fairly well in this country.

[razorbacker]

Originally Posted by myrosiedog

I'm late to the RS latest edition party, but.....

Hunter S. Thompson has finally debuted in RS. I love, love, love Thompson.

Yeah, wonder if that reviewer committed suicide over Uriah Heep. They weren't huge, but they did do fairly well in this country.

I actually like a lot of the stuff Uriah Heep did. The Magicians Birthday, Sweet Lorraine, Easy Livin...that's some good stuff. I'm not familiar with their first album though, it may have sucked as bad as the reviewer painted it.

According to their biography…During the 1970s, the band's heyday, Uriah Heep sold some 30 million records and toured all over the world.

Read more: Uriah Heep Biography

Ken Hensley is still making music. They play him quite often on XM 40, Deep Tracks.

I'm about 2/3 of the way through the next issue...it'll be a landmark.

[razorbacker]

The eighth American Top 40 show with Casey Kasem. Aired August 22, 1970

Playing the hits from the Boston to Honolulu, from Canada to Mexico.

40) Cracklin Rosie _ Neil Diamond
This would go on to become the very first #1 hit for Neil. He had had so many great songs already, but now he was getting his recognition.

39) Big Yellow Taxi - The Neighborhood

38) It’s a Shame - The Spinners
The first of 7 Motown hits on the chart this week

37) The Sly, Slick & The Wicked - The Lost Generation

36) Rubber Duckie - Ernie
This was actually Jim Henson of Muppets fame, singing in the voice of Ernie. Sadly enough this song would go all the way to #16, spending 6 weeks on the way. Henson would actually have another hit song 9 years later singing as Kermit.

35) Summertime Blues - The Who

34) I Want To Take You Higher - Ike & Tina Turner

33) Candida - Dawn
Even though the lead singer is Tony Orlando, at this time they were just being billed as Dawn. The song is headed to #3 & would be their biggest hit yet.

32) I’ve Lost You - Elvis Presley

31) I’m Losing You - Rare Earth

30) Ball Of Confusion - The Temptations

29) I (Who Have Nothing) - Tom Jones
This is about midpoint of Tom’s chart career. He is still two hits away from his biggest ever though. This one would only get as high as #14. Written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

28) O-o-o Child - The Five Stairsteps

27) Mama Told Me - Three Dog Night

26) Snowbird - Anne Murray
1 of 7 foreign acts on this weeks countdown

25) Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler

24) Solitary Man - Neil Diamond

23) Everybody’s Got a Right to Love - Supremes

22) Get Up - James Brown

21) Don’t Play that Song - Aretha Franklin

20) Julie Do You Love Me - Bobby Sherman

19) Hand Me Down World - The Guess Who

18) Lay a Little Lovin on Me - Robin McNamara

17) Tell it All Brother - Kenny Rogers & The 1st Edition

16) Overture from Tommy - The Assembled Multitude

15) Tighter & Tighter - Alive & Kickin

14) Hi De Ho - Blood Sweat & Tears

13) Band of Gold - Freda Payne

12) Lookin Out My Backdoor - Creedence Clearwater Revival

11) Just Can’t Help Believing - BJ Thomas

10) 25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago

9) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross

8) Why Can’t I Touch You - Ronnie Dyson

7) Patches - Clarence Carter

6) Signed, Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder

5) Spill the Wine - Eric Burdon & War

4) In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry

3) Close to You - The Carpenters

2) Make it with You - Bread

1) War - Edwin Starr

***Note the titles of #'s 31 & 32

New Songs this week:
40) Cracklin Rosie _ Neil Diamond
36) Rubber Duckie - Ernie
33) Candida - Dawn
29) I (Who Have Nothing) - Tom Jones

Songs disappearing this week:
Westbound #9 - The Flaming Ember (sigh..by by old friend)
Do You See My Love - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
The Love You Save - The Jackson 5
Ohio - CSN&Y
***Last appearance for Jr. Walker.

Biggest Gainer:
20) Julie Do You Love Me - Bobby Sherman up 13 spots

Biggest Loser:
30) Ball Of Confusion - The Temptations dropped 16 spots

One Hit Wonders:
39) Big Yellow Taxi - The Neighborhood
37) The Sly, Slick & The Wicked - The Lost Generation
28) O-o-o Child - The Five Stairsteps
18) Lay a Little Lovin on Me - Robin McNamara
16) Overture from Tommy - The Assembled Multitude
15) Tighter & Tighter - Alive & Kickin
5) Spill the Wine - Eric Burdon & War
4) In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry

Debut Single:
36) Rubber Duckie - Ernie
26) Snowbird - Anne Murray
13) Band of Gold - Freda Payne
8) Why Can’t I Touch You - Ronnie Dyson
3) Close to You - The Carpenters
2) Make it with You - Bread

Last Single:
25) Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler
7) Patches - Clarence Carter

Oldies Played
Here is the biggest hit by a female movie star ever, it spent 31 weeks on the charts. From the year 1957 & from the movie Tammy’s In Love
Tammy - Debbie Reynolds

This man has had 15 chart hits since 1961. Here is his latest from 1968:
Heartbreaker - Gene Pitney

This song was a hit for Ray Charles in 1962, but it had been a hit over a generation ago by the worlds richest cowboy. First Gene Autry & then this R&B version.
You Are My Sunshine - Ray Charles

During a personal appearance at a sock hop in LA, this performer was asked if it was true that he had qualified as an Olympic High Jumper. Without further ado, & with no warning he backed up, took off running & leaped clear over the grand piano. The question was answered! From 1957
Chances Are - Johnny Mathis

Her is a man that was as hot as they come back in the 40’s, but he couldn’t get hired for anything in the 50's. That is, until he begged for & was awarded a role in the movie From Here To Eternity. A role, for which he won the Oscar. This may just be the biggest comeback story in the history of entertainment. His #1 hit in 1966
Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra

Here is the only Husband & Wife combo to ever have a #1 single. They first met & recorded together under the name of Caesar & Cleo, but they changed their names & two years later they were on top. Under their real names, here is the #1 hit from exactly 5 years ago today.
I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher

Station Recognition:
This was the very first time that Casey recognized one of the affiliates that carried the show. It’s interesting to note that at this time there were only 7 stations in the lineup. AT 40 got off to a really slow start. It was a money losing proposition for 3 years & everyone associated, at one time or another, was ready to give it up. But, they all never gave up at the same time, so they held on & became the most successful show in the history of radio.

AT Top 40 is heard weekly on great radio stations like:
KMEN San Bernardino, California.


Keep Your Feet on the ground & keep reaching for the stars!

[razorbacker]

Rolling Stone Issue 68


Dated October 15, 1970. Jimi Hendrix on the cover. This is the cover announcing his death. Jimi Hendrix 1945-1970 is all it says under his photo.

He died Sept. 17th at 11:45 am in London at the age of 24. The exact nature of his death at this juncture is still vague. The police are saying he took 9 sleeping pills & died of suffocating on his own vomit. A coroners inquest is scheduled for Sept. 30th. Eric Burdon has stated that a “suicide” note of sorts was left behind at the apartment of a girlfriend (from whom Jimi stole the sleeping pills). Burdon was the last person with whom Hendrix played, he joined Burdon & War on stage for a jam session in a London night club, a couple of nights prior. Jimi’s manager is denying the suicide theory & questions Jimi ever leaving his legacy with someone like Eric Burdon.

Everyone, though seems to be in agreement, that for awhile now Jimi had been very unhappy with his life, his music, & the general direction he was headed in. In person he was still the same shy quiet guy that he was while growing up. On stage, he became the person our mother warned us about & he had trouble rectifying the differences. He didn’t particularly seem to like the Rock Star image. He was even quoted as saying “ I don’t want to be a clown anymore. I don’t want to be a Rock & Roll star.”

His latest album, at this point, still needs the finishing touches put on it & Jimi was scheduled to go to his new studio in NYC to finish it all up.

Random Notes

For the first time in 8 yrs. The Beatles are no longer rated as the top group in England. In a poll conducted by Melody Maker magazine, the new top group…Led Zepplin.

News from the commune of San Francisco musicians: David Crosby is working on a solo album with the help of The Dead, The Airplane & Graham Nash. Paul Kantner got some help for his next album from Graham Nash. Nicky Hopkins, after leaving Quicksilver, is back in the studio helping on the next one from Steve Miller.

From England comes the news that both Manfred Mann & King Crimson have added new members & will be back in the studio & on tour soon.

A new ballet staring Rudolph Nureyev, 60 dancers & a 108 piece orchestra is in production. Reported to be writing the music? Pink Floyd!

Lady Sings the Blues, the story of Billie Holiday, is in the planning stages. Latest name to be dropped for the lead role is Diana Ross.

In other movie news, Columbia is set to begin filming the story of Lenny Bruce & they are pimping Dustin Hoffman for the lead.

Lead guitarist of Chicago, Terry Kath, has been hinting to the British press that his brother is a member of the Narc squad in the Windy City.

The jury has returned the verdict in the Jim Morrison trial. Not guilty to the felony charges of lewd & lascivious behavior, not guilty to the misdemeanor charge of public drunkenness, guilty to the both misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure & profanity. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23. To the best of my knowledge there have been no photos to ever surface that showed him exposing himself. He & all the band, along with witnesses from the defense & even some of the prosecution witnesses denied he did that.

Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels have split from Crewe Records & in the process have also filed for bankruptcy.

There is an article about Johnny Winter & his difficulties being recognized for his music. He is always known as the guy that signed the $600,000 contract & it’s beginning to wear on him. He now has a new band, the members were once known as The McCoys & includes guitar player Rick Derringer. Over a year ago, the RS wrote an article covering the Texas Music scene. At the time Johnny was new on the scene & the writer of the article described him as “ a hundred thirty pound cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the greatest fluid guitar you ever heard.” The article made him the latest overnight sensation on the rock scene.

There is also an interview with Eric Clapton. Some of the highlights:
At this point in time Clapton is 25, considers himself a struggling musician & would very much like to be a rock star when he grows up. 3 Days after this interview, he is scheduled to begin his first tour with Derek & The Dominoes, he predicts a two year life span for the group.

He states that his main goal is to communicate with the audience through his music. When asked if Blind Faith was able to do that he says” It was very fragile, very frail. What we did together was almost not there. The heart & core of what Blind Faith could have been was all wrapped up in the time before we actually began recording, when we were kind of more jazz than anything else.”

He really has some great things to say about his association with Delaney & how it was his friendship that has allowed Eric to come out of his shell & actually be happy with himself as an artist & a person. He states that during the Blind Faith era, that he would be happier on stage playing tambourine in the Delaney/ Bonnie band that being up front playing guitar with Blind Faith.

He says that before the Stones found Mick Taylor to play guitar, that he was asked to join them by Mick Jagger, but at the time he was still doing the Blind Faith thing, so the opportunity passed by.

He talks about working with George Harrison on his first solo album & he says that George writes incredibly beautiful songs but he seems to have a lack of confidence in himself. He says though the album is going to be great when it’s done.

There is an ad, the first I can remember seeing, to subscribe to The National Lampoon, 12 Issues for $12.95.

Ads for groups or albums this issue:

Thunderclap Newman - Hollywood Dream on Track Records & Tapes…produced by Pete Townshend

Youngbloods - Rock Festival - their first Warner Bros. album

The Bob Seger System - Mongrel on Atlantic Records & Tapes

John Cale - Vintage Violence on Columbia

Al Kooper - Easy Does It also on the Columbia label

Album Reviews:

Steve Miller Band - Number 5
The band has been one of the most consistent groups in the country in the past, but this effort doesn’t even come close to their past work. After hearing it a few times, you discover mistake after mistake in arranging, mixing, you name it. Instruments clash on Going to the Country, & the vocal is almost inaudible on Jackson- Kent Blues. These things might not matter so much, if the music had other things going for it, but the material is strictly second rate & the playing is generally uninspired…Michael G. Davis

Neil Young - After the Goldrush
Neil Young devotees will probably spend the next few weeks trying to convince themselves that After the Goldrush is good music. But, they’ll be kidding themselves. In my listening, most of the music simply was not ready to be recorded yet. It needed time to mature. The band never really gets behind the songs & Neil himself has trouble singing some of them. Set before the buying public before it was done, this pie is only half baked….Langdon Winner

Other albums reviewed:

The Firesign Theater - Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Just for Love

Thunderclap Newman - Hollywood Dream

Singles Reviewed:

Tell The Truth - Derek & The Dominos
Tell the Truth rocks out nicely & my only complaint is that the producer (some cat named Phil Spector) chose to do some sloppy phasing with the drums….Ed Ward

[norealityhere]

Neil Young - After the Goldrush
Neil Young devotees will probably spend the next few weeks trying to convince themselves that After the Goldrush is good music. But, they’ll be kidding themselves. In my listening, most of the music simply was not ready to be recorded yet. It needed time to mature. The band never really gets behind the songs & Neil himself has trouble singing some of them. Set before the buying public before it was done, this pie is only half baked….Langdon Winner

Wow.
I doubt I'm the only one who loved this album. It's quintessential Neil Young.
I guess, though, all of us were kidiing ourselves into thinking this was good music.