Today, buffeted by the winds of time, we find ourselves landing on April 21, 1959, where at first I thought my A's, then in Kansas City, did a stupid thing- but wait, that's tomorrow. Then I saw that Hawaii became the 50th- but no, Google, that's in August. What did happen today? Well there was this....
Yep, that's not yet Commie dictator Fidel Castro in the midst of his whirlwind visit of NYC and Washington, speaking to the Women Lawyers Association of New York, where EVERYONE goes to speak. During his visit, Ike hung the "Gone golfing" sign on the Oval Office door, but VP Dick Nixon met with him- and in his usual astute grasp of the holding-his-cards-close-to-the-vest Castro, he said, "(Castro is) either incredibly naive about communism or under communist discipline-my guess is the former.”
Can't win 'em all, huh?
Today on Time Machine, we'll be covering new ground for a lot of you young whippersnappers- and for me, as I was 37 months away from making my own debut! However, President Falco is 2 years and 2 months old, so he'll be handling things-
Ich werde was machen?
Oh, simmer down, I'm just kidding! We have not one, not two, but three debuts this week! Why don't we lead off with the first one at #10. This is singer -songwriter Jason Isbel and his band of Muscle Shoals musicians called the 400 Unit:
*********************************
We managed 22 stations for this week's panel, who served up 10 songs you may or may NOT know, as they are almost 60 years old now! Take a look at the list:
First off, we have the current Cashbox #2, Elvis and A Fool Such As I. Since I didn't put in a 6D for it, I can mention that the flip side, I Need You Love Tonight, was at #6 and while it MAY have gotten some Panel love, none of the stations either separated them nor put the b-side in front.
Next is the week's CB top dog, the Fleetwoods and Come Softly To Me.
The Virtues, a Philly instrumental band, were at #5 with Guitar Boogie Shuffle.
The oft-mentioned (lately) Wilbert Harrison was at #28 with Kansas City.
Ed Byrnes and Connie Stevens combined for the novelty hit at #50 (debuting this week), Kookie Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb).
Ricky Nelson was at #12 and falling with Never Be Anyone Else But You.
Dodie Stevens and Pink Shoe Laces was at #4.
Jackie Wilson was at #15 with That's Why (I Love You So).
Frankie Avalon was at #3 with Venus.
And at #35 and climbing, a familiar song to most of us oldie-but-goodies, if not the particular version, Only You (And You Alone), this time by classical instrumentalist Frank Pourcel and his French Fiddles. This is one of many times it charted; Pourcel would eventually peak at #9. Four years before, the Platters took the signature version to #5, while the Hilltoppers took it to #8. In the sixties, Brenda Lee would hit the top 5- in Belgium; Ringo Starr would have a #6 hit in '74, and Harry Connick, Jr, would have the biggest hit of his career with it in the UK in 2004, peaking at #6.
I never really did singles in the US of A, though. Buy my albums! |
Now as for your clues, we have 4 songs which got multiple votes. So lose everyone else and concentrate on Byrnes/Francis, the Fleetwoods, Elvis, and Dodie Stevens, and we'll check back with the winner later.
*******************************************
Debut #2- landing at #9 on the M10- Is a band called Easy Love. They were the "way past heartbreak" for a young singer/drummer named Justine Brown, who had been with a band called Summer Twins. On the first lp for Justine, and her cohorts- lead guitar Chelsea Brown, Natalie Burris on bass, and a guy- Dave Jauregi- now on drums, she turns that heartbreak into their first M10 hit:
******************************
This week's CB didn't have a bubbling under chart, but they did have a two-way tie at 100 (how that works out, IDK), and they made for the best stories of the show. One of those was a tune called Lonely Saturday Night, which eventually peaked at #72 for Don French. Unfortunately for Don, who showed some promise on this one, his career was screwed by the late fifties Payola scandals. Unable to get anywhere without the scratch, he gave it up and went to college instead.
The other was a tune called Two Brothers- credited to one David Hill. The singer in question was actually David Hess, who had quite a little career. The first to actually record the later hit by Elvis All Shook Up, he went on to write hits like Elvis' I Got Stung, and Pat Boone's Speedy Gonzales. He went on to be an actor/director, best known for a role in Wes Craven's cult horror classic Last House On The Left in 1972.
Wow, and Now I'm on Time Machine! I'll be as big as Wayne Newton! |
Vertrauen Sie mir, es ist nicht alles, was es sein soll...* |
*Trust me, it's not all it's supposed to be...
******************************************
And at #8, the third of this week's M10 debuts- from their first lp since 2011- this is Flogging Molly....
**************************************
One last note before the charts.... our 59 in '59 belongs to Lloyd Price, who had top tens with Personality and Stagger Lee. This time, he had a song that would finish up at #23, called Where Were You On Our Wedding Day? Not a question I'd want to ask- but wait, considering my ex, maybe I would...
******************************************
The rest of the M10 as follows:
Barry Manilow dips 2 in his sixth week to #7 with the Medley.
Steely Dan climbs a pair from 8 to 6 with Come Back Baby- but don't get cocky, the Four Seasons did the same with Marcie last week, and where is THAT now? Huh?
Well, at least they still have the former #1 Walk On By at #5, down a notch.
Chicano Batman tumbles from the top after 2 weeks to #4 with Passed You By.
I just told Laurie, "What's a week without Melody's Echo Chamber in the top 3?" Since December 7th when I Follow You got there, 11 out of 21 weeks have seen Melody in the top three- where she sits at #3 this week with You Won't Be Missing That Part Of Me, up from #9.
Real Estate, saying, "Location, location, location, " remains located at #2 this week with Serve The Song.
And at the top? M10 says:
The Old 97's, with Brandi Carlile, and Good With God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the winner of the POTM for next week, with 31.8% of the vote- good for a 13.5 point win....
Elvis and A Fool Such As I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elvis gets his second term in office, so maybe I'll find something significant in the King's career to pick what year we go to... or maybe not! I just don't know yet! But you'll know next Friday!
Oh what a trip this was
ReplyDeleteWait'll you see next week's trip. Bring a helmet...
DeleteSprechen sie Deutsch? Poor old Falco sure came to a sad end, didn't he? (fatal car crash in the Dominican Republic. He was drunk and high on cocaine at the time). 'Flogging Molly' is some pretty good Celtic rock. I Googled 'Chicano Batman' - cool name! Their music is more mellow than I would have thought.
ReplyDeleteNo, I speak "Google Translate" and am fluent in Mexican cuss phrases. The CB lp I bought for myself, and will no doubt be sharing one of their Espanol songs soon.
DeleteChris:
ReplyDelete---Yeah, Nixon got that one quite a bit LES than correct, didn't he?
---Jason Isbell...REALLY like this tune (not so much the "muscle-intro ad"...lol.
---Heh, I remember Guitar Boogie Shuffle - like HOT ROD LINCOLN without the lyrics (and a tad slower).
---"KOOKIE-KOOKIE"...a musical spin off (no pun intended) from 77 Sunset Strip - good show).
---Pink Shoe Laces and Venus - two more popular songs I remember.
---Only You - I only recall the Platters version.
---Easy Love - another keeper.
---Never heard of Dave Hess until today (so, I learned something).
---Flogging Molly...HA...a funny tune (and it tells a story).
Like that nice long and slow bridge in the middle, too.
---Lloyd Price...now I am feeling my age.
---Melody's Echo Chamber making another rise to the top? Cool.
---Should have known ELVIS would win out. (he usually does, right?)
Very smooth ride this week.
Keep those hits comin' up there, brother.
Now I DID know the string version of only you, as well as Ringos, but the rest I bow to you.
DeleteWell, except for Elvis's #1, Rickey, the Fleetwoods, and of course Pink Shoe Laces.
Next week is going to be the reason behind the NEW set up I'll be doing henceforth... in the meantime, prepare yourself for the "Crash of '87"...