Time Machine week 44

On the bright side, There were no plane CRASHES on October 9th, 1971... there was a hijacking, as a 21- year old from Pontiac Michigan forced his way onto a plane after killing a police officer and had it flown to- where else?- Cuba, where Fidel Castro was heard to say, "Why do we get stuck with all their idiots?"  Richard Dixon would be convicted in absentia in 1972 and thrown into jail in January 1976 when he decided he'd had enough moros y cristianos and came home.  It took the rest of the year for the feds to discover he was back, and in December convict him on the air piracy charge.

In the meantime, College Station, Texas, home of the mighty A&M Aggies, became a "wet" college town for the first time.  Johnny Manziel is forever grateful.

Welcome to a special Time Machine, because the other day I woke up and said, "Chris, it's been a long time since you've added to the Martin Hall Of Fame!"  So this week we have new inductees, PLUS I added an alphabetized list of the MHOF members for easier reading (and it helped me figure out some people I was derelict in getting in there!).  In the meantime, our six degrees once again starts with last week's panel winner, the Martin Ten is finally bereft of original members, and it's Rockin' Rod versus Karen and Richard for the panel top spot- a battle decided by just three points!  So pour yourself a cold one, it's legal now, and climb aboard.

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 This week's panel includes CKLW Detroit, KOKO Warrensburg MO, WFAA Dallas, WKST New Castle, PA, KQV Pittsburgh, KREM Spokane, WKLO Louisville, KHJ Los Angeles, WRKO Boston, WITY (that's funny) Danville IL, WIXY Cleveland, and WQAM Miami.  The dynamic dozen had a mere 20 songs in their top fives, including the #1 from Miami, Lee Michaels' Do You Know What I Mean.  The rest of the #1s are in the top four, and we'll have a little fun with it this time, since I've already told you WHO the battle at the top involved.

But first, the panel #4 with the #1 vote of Dallas and 15 points was the national #5, Joan Baez's The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.

The #3 with 22 points and the #1 from Louisville, the Osmonds with their national #7 this week, Yo-Yo.

And the numbers one and two?  Well, number two was the national runner up as well, with 33 points and the number ones of Warrensburg, New Castle, Spokane, and Boston.  The number one was the national top dog with 36 points and the other five #1s.  But which one was the Carpenters with Superstar, and which was Rod Stewart with Maggie May?  Place your bets, and find the answer at the end of the post.

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I divide my HOF into six categories:  top acts, top guys, top gals, not-so-rock'n'rollers, personal favorites, and oldies but goodies.  And I'm going to feature three of those categories right now:

GOLDEN OLDIES- in this time, a man who racked up 24 top 40s, including the #1 You Send Me, and my favorite the #2 Chain Gang, Sam Cooke.

Also, a group that turned rock and roll into household words, with 16 top 40s and the #1 Rock Around The Clock, Bill Haley and his Comets.


PERSONAL FAVORITES:  With ten top 40's, most of which moved a generation, Crosby Stills Nash and Young.

And with a more current act, who had ten top 40's on the main chart and a dozen #1s on the Alternative chart, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.


NOT-SO-R'N'R:  Our first entrant with 30 top 40s, including four great #1s like my favorite Blue Velvet, the Polish Prince, Bobby Vinton.

And with 26 top forties and two number ones- Memories Are Made Of This and Everybody Loves Somebody- Dean Martin.

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Bottom's Up time!

I have the all-time crick in my neck...

10- This one didn't crack the top 40 on BB, but did on CB, and was top ten in Canada.  A friend introduced me to this one- the Poppy Family and Where Evil Grows, at 50 after 11 weeks.

9- One week older is Rare Earth with their big hit I Just want To Celebrate, at 51 after 12.

8- The Dramatics hit Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get is at 53 after a whopping 14 weeks, finishing the old farts for this week.

7- Chicago takes this spot with Questions 67 & 68, at 62 after 4 weeks.

6- Coven's One Tin Soldier is at 64 after 6 weeks.

5- The Grass Roots debut with possibly their best song, Two Divided By Love.

4- One of those songs I got sick of hearing at my old job (worst part- on my CD), Santana's Everybody's Everything, enters the chart at 74.

3- Chicago does a double dip, debuting at 81 with their cover of I'm A Man.

2- Yes is in the runner up slot with Your Move, at 91 after 2 weeks.

And the top bottom?

...my babe Yvonne Elliman with Everything's Allright from Jesus Christ Superstar, at 96 after 2 weeks!!!!!!!!

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So the six degrees story starts with last week's panel champ Mac Davis.  Mac wrote two big hits for Elvis, In The Ghetto (which he wrote for an uninterested Sammy Davis Jr) and Don't Cry Daddy.  The b-side to the latter I just heard for the first time the other day on an oldies station, Rubberneckin' (Stop, Look and Listen).  That was one of the record 57 songs Elvis recorded written by one Benjamin Weissman.  In addition to all those songs for Elvis, he co wrote Bobby Vee's The Night Has 1,000 Eyes.  And on March 28, 1962, Bobby was the first to record- though he didn't release it- Go Away Little Girl.  And 9 years later, Donny Osmond's version was sitting at #3 this week- but got no panel love, despite his brothers' claiming the third spot on the panel four.


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Back to the HOF newbies:


 ACTS:  I'm bringing in two new groups to the fold.  The first racked up only three top 40s here, but had a slew of good tunes that didn't meet radio standards, like Dreadlock Holiday, Rubber Bullets, and I'm Mandy Fly Me- 10cc.

The other, much like them had more memorable music and more influence than their paltry 8 top 40s- The Alan Parsons Project.


MEN:  Three guys join the group this year, and one should have been a founding member- shame on me! Covered by darn near everyone, and a dozen top 40s of his own (that's all?)  Bob Dylan.

Next, another act whose reach extended beyond his paltry four top 40s- Al Stewart.

And finally, another act more important than a mere 6 top 40s, Gordon Lightfoot.


WOMEN:  Our last category also has a pair I should have put in long ago.  The one is Helen Reddy, who had 14 top forties and three number ones.

The other dominated country in the late seventies and eighties, notching 10 country #1s.  But Rosanne Cash developed into far more than that simple classification.  Anyone who has listened to her records Black Cadillac and Rules Of Travel know that she has transcended country and become one of the top class of singer-songwriters.





I'll have them added to the MHOF link at the top of the blog soon.  Feel free to check the list out and offer suggestions.

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And now, this week's Martin Ten!

In 1973, Edward Bear came out with a song, top ten in Canada, top forty here, that was almost a sequel to their big hit from here in 1971, Last Song.  It was called Close Your Eyes, and it is our debut at #10.

Another debut at #9 is a little out of my usual wheelhouse.  It's new music from a duo calling themselves The Knocks- a producer and DJ once known more for their mixing than their original stuff.  KC said, "Too slick, too overproduced", but make your own decision.






Duran Duran's lower charting song this week, Paper Gods, moves up to #8, one notch higher.

Another debut was a Spotify suggestion by the Pousette-Dart Band, the lead track from their self titled lp from 1976.  It debuts here at #7, and it's called What Can I Say.


Castlecomer drops a notch to #6 with Fire Alarm.

ELO's single, in advance of the November release of the lp Alone In The Universe, is When I Was A Boy, and it jumps 5 to #5.

Ready for the shock?  Beach House slides to #4 with Space Song, last week's two-time #1.

Holding at #3 is Duran Duran's other hit, the single Pressure Off.

Also stuck at #2 is Family Of The Year with Make You Mine.

And the number ones?  Martin list says...

...Phoenix leaps fro 4 to #1 with Lisztomania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, who of the two claimed the panel title?  Why, it was...

Rod Stewart and Maggie May!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Tune in next time when we go back to me in kindergarten, Dad's brand new creme-colored Impala, in other words... 1967!