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Today is June 8th, 1968- 50 years ago. And it wasn't an especially happy anniversary. Today, one assassinated leader- Robert F Kennedy- is laid to rest, while another- Martin Luther King Jr- has his killer apprehended at Heathrow Airport in London. How did James Earl Ray get all the way into Canada, get a fake passport, spend a MONTH there, and make it all the way to the UK, from whence he was hoping to make it to Brussels? You tell me.
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| "It's those damn Canadians, Bobby. They're everywhere..." |
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And given the anniversary, and the LACK of M10 debuts this week for only the third time, let's pay a little tribute to those we lost too soon...
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Today, we have the Young Rascals with us as the POTMs this week and... NARDOLE! What the crap is THIS!!!????
That's not the YOUNG Rascals- it's the LITTLE RASCALS!
Young, little, it all works out the same doesn't it?
Well, genius, why don't you start asking them how well they know these songs from 1968...
Spanky: Mister, we're from 1928...
Alfalfa: Would you like me to sing you my favorite song? It's about the love of my life, Darla...
Why yes, young man... why don't you go in the other room, oh, about 50 rooms that way... Nardole, you go with him. See if he passes the "mike check." And be sure you listen to every stinkin' no... er, I mean every heavenly note he sings. Do you understand?
N: I think I'm about to...
S (whispering): Mister, you know Alfalfa... isn't all that good...
Me (whispering): Ah, yes, but Nardole doesn't...yet... (wink eyes at each other).
All right then, I guess it's up to me again this week. 21 contestants from 60 charts, and yet again, three songs stood out- and one a good bit farther than the other two.
First up is Engelbert Humperdinck making a second straight appearance, with A Man Without Love. It was at #20 on Cashbox this week and #2 in the UK.
Then on a list sprinkled with all time favorites of mine, here's the biggest- Merilee Rush's Angel Of The Morning. She sits at #12 this week.
The Spiral Starecase had their first record- one that did not chart nationally- with Baby What I Mean.
Another somewhat obscure contestant is the Magic Ring with a tune called Do I Love You at #133.
Three straight fuzzy entries, with Wilmer and the Dukes- still two weeks out from their debut- with Give Me One More Chance, a song that will get to #78.
Shorty Long has the highest of the three charting versions this week of the Flip Wilson inspired Here Come The Judge. Or did they inspire Flip? Anyway, Shorty is at 72, while the Magistrates are at #76 and the Buena Vistas at #92.
The bad news- Bobby Goldsboro is at #14 here, #3 in the UK, with Honey. The good news, he only got 2 votes!
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| "Not a very friendly greeting, mister..." |
Well, you COULD be over on Shady's blog... Anyway, next up is I Love You by People- which I didn't know I knew until I realized it was the song that sounded like the Beatles on the chorus with an added annoying lead singer... it was at #22 this week.
Gary Puckett and the Union Gap were at #61 with Lady Willpower, another all-timer for me.
And another, Four Jacks and a Jill at #11 with Master Jack.
And another- Richard Harris's McArthur Park at #3.
Tommy James and the Shondells had Mony Mony at #4 here and #48 in the UK.
And another all-timer- Simon and Garfunkel with Mrs Robinson at the tippy top.
Gene Pitney, for whom everything is an all-timer, and She's A Heartbreaker at #42.
The Animals and Sky Pilot were at #69- just missing the #68 in '68!
Aretha Franklin was #10 here and 26 in the UK with one of her rare songs I can stand- Think.
And yet another all-timer- Herb Alpert and This Guy's In Love With You at #6.
Just starting their journey up the charts, the Vogues with Turn Around, Look At Me at #105.
And one more favorite- The Irish Rovers and The Unicorn at #19.
Satchmo makes another appearance with What A Wonderful World. Despite being at #11 in the UK right now, it struggled here, peaking at #116. In February of 1988, though, it would crack the top 40 at #32- 61 years and 7 months after he first charted way back when, and 17 years after his passing.
And finally, the Ohio Express with Yummy Yummy Yummy, the CB #5.
So let me give you the three contenders and a couple of stinkers (vote-wise) and see how you do. Pick from: Think, Mrs Robinson, This Guy's In Love With You, McArthur Park, and Yummy X 3. Here in a bit, I'll let you know if you "struck stinker" or not.
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So one thing that caught my mind back then, being young and stupid at the time, was on the Blues Brothers' cover of Sam And Dave's Soul Man. In the instrumental break, they shout "Play it, Steve", which I found odd that they would cover it right down to repeating the original guitar player's name. Until last week, when I finally got the memo and learned that it is THE SAME GUY, because both the original Sam and Dave tune and the BB remake were backed by members of Booker T and the MGs- including the guitarist Steve Cropper. So while you have a chuckle at my expense, let me go on to mention Steve was also noted for a significant co-writing credit- with Wilson Pickett on the Wicked One's In The Midnight Hour.
This was the only significant hit for a Texas cover band known as the TSU Toronadoes. However, they performed one song that they should have gotten a co-write on- and didn't- as the backing band for the guys that got credit for the hit- Archie Bell and the Drells. And that means Tighten Up- with the TSU Toronadoes in the background- charting at #2, is our 6D victim. It beats out the Rascals (the Young ones, without the "young") and Beautiful Morning at #7, Hugo Montenegro's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Theme at #8, and Marvin and Tammi's Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing at #9 which also got no Panel love. Stingy dastards!
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Stat Pack time! (It sure goes fast without a video, don't it?)
Oh, but first- if you took McA Park or Think, you struck stinker. So sorry!
I knew 40 this week! Go Me!
I have to mention that a last week mention- Tommy Chong with Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers- are at #49 with Does Your Momma Know About Me...
Our actual #68 in '68 is veteran R&B act the Dells with Wear It On Our Face. They are best known for next year's re-release of their 50's hit Oh What A Night (and no, smarty, not, "Late December back in '63").
At 101 is a remake I may have to give a listen to later- Ray Charles covering the Beatles' Eleanor Rigby. Aw, heck, let's just listen together:
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Oh, and BTW, the UK topper was the Union Gap, this time with Young Girl, which was on the way down in the US at #33.
And, our big mover was Cliff Nobles and Co. with The Horse, galloping from 69 to 37, 32 spots.
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And now, in its entirety, the M10:
Gilbert O'Sullivan met a late charge and hung on at #10 with Where Did You Go To.
Burn It seems to be burning its tires, up one to #9 for Sunflower Bean.
Boz Scaggs is similarly hung up, moving a notch to #8 with Rock And Stick.
Eleanor Friedberger slips a pair in week #7 TO #7 with Make Me A Song.
The hardest decision of the week- Cullen Omori down 2 to #6 with Four Years.
Phantogram is up 2 to #5 with Saturday; so is Shilpa Ray to #4 with Shoot This Dead Horse.
Stubbornly retreating, Caroline Rose takes one step back to #3 with Jeannie Becomes A Mom.
And so does last week's top dog, illuminati hotties with Shape Of My Hands, to #2.
Which means the new #1- their first after 4 tries-
Family Of The Year with Let Her Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the winner of the POTM? Well, with 15% of the vote is Mrs Robinson- she should have attended the debate...
with 20% of the vote, Yummy X3...
and the winnah, with 36.7%...
...Herb Alpert and This Guy's In Love With You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next week, 1969- guaranteed no Bryan Adams... and there better not be any "Fat Alpert"!
Chris:
ReplyDelete---Half a century since 1968, when my first car was probably rolling off the assembly line. I would purchase it (used) 9 years later...lol.
It served me well, got my credit established, and made getting around a LOT easier.
---Great song by Dion...that was a powerful tune.
---Nardole (with the Little Rascals)...Brilliant!
---There's some great songs from my high school days there...Mony Mony...loved it. Sky Pilot - An excellent song (imho). and Mrs. Robinson, which (the studio version) is slightly different than in both the movie AND the soundtrack album (I know my S&G).
---That was a cool find with that same guitar player...never knew that, but ALWAYS liked Booker T and the MGs (Green Onions...still great).
And, integration was better than today when it came to music.
---Never thought of Eleanor Rigby as a "soul" song...but I do now, and I like it.
---Good for Family of the Year...4th time's the charm now, hmm?
---Dang, missed the top panel pick again.
I chose Mrs. Robinson (the song and not the character). My Dad would have won were he alive...he LOVED Herb Alpert (not in the biblical sense, mind you)...the MUSIC was fantastic.
(I might have a couple LPS laying about).
Another very good ride this week.
Keep those hits comin' up there, brother.
I think Laurie took Mrs R as well.
Delete"Not in the Biblical sense..." I wouldn'ta went there even if you said your dad KNEW him, lol!