Today we travel to April 1968, and the A's very first home opener in Oakland. Among the highlights: The biggest crowd the Athletics had played in front of in any of the three cities they played in; the debut of Charlie O, the mule, (appropriately) named for the team owner Charles O Finley; Ronald Reagan, then California Governor, coming out to toss the first pitch and being roundly booed (his response: "I was glad to be here, until a few minutes ago..."), the game nearly being picketed by the Musician's union (Finley had hired a union organist and band for THAT day, but had not agreed to using union talent afterwards), Joe DiMaggio debuting as an As coach, and a loss to Dave McNally and the Orioles, 4-1, in which one of the two hits they got was a home run by Rick Monday. It would be the first winning season (at 82-80) the team had had in 16 years.
Welcome to this week's Time Machine, where we get to hobnob with Frank and Nancy, finish out the Bob Crewe list, try to find a way around the gigantic elephant coming into the room (you'll see in a bit), two new M10 debuts, the latest member of the all-time top ten thereof, and whatever else I can do to make this a "Honey" of a show!
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I am doubly honored to have the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra himself, and his lovely daughter, Nancy, on our ship today!
F: Yeah, well, you're lucky to have me! I don't usually have the time to... HEY! My eyes are here, not on her chest!
N: Oh, Daddy, it's okay! I do have my boots on, if I need them...
Er, ah, yes, anyhow, I guess I'm at a bit of a loss right now- and not just because of you two! You see, usually, when I have such an overwhelming winner as I do this week on the Panel- Bobby Goldsboro's Honey got as many votes as the other 18 contestants combined- well, I tend to find other ways to make the contest interesting.
F: Hey, ya want I should have Goldsboro taken care of? I have a guy who knows a guy...
That might be a teeny bit over the top for this kinda show, sir...
N: Well, you could let ME have it...
(Choke) Er, um, you don't have a song on this week's list...
F: Honey, never tell a man to let you "have it"... Anyways, I got an idea... let me see the list, an' I'LL pick the winner!
You mean like, let you pick a set of songs, and the song you like the best? Hmmm... I kinda like that! Um, here's the Panel list, and...
F: I can't even read that crap! Just gimme the chart for this week, an' I'll pick you out what I like. You an' Nan can deal with this...
N: I'd love to, Dad... wouldn't you, sweetie?
You Be- I mean, certainly. Here's the notes for this week's 84 station, 19 song Panel...
N: Okay, so the real runners up this week were Gary Puckett and the Union Gap with Young Girl with 15.5% of the vote... The Beatles and Lady Madonna with 10.7%... which leaves 20 votes divided up between the remaining 16 songs, some of which you talk about later. Dad?
F: I'M BUSY!!
No prob, let's slide right on over to our first debut this week. I watched a Brooke Annibale stream a couple days ago, and heard her sing this one, which was originally on her 2011 debut, and she re-released as an acoustic last year. It comes in at #10... called Under Streetlights.
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N: You like her better than me?
Uh, let's not go there just now... Frank, how are y-
F: I'M BUSY!!!
Okay, then, why don't we just have you read us off the next hunk of Bob Crewe's greatest hits, Nancy? We left off at #13 last week..
N: Sure, honey, just let me have the list...
Number 12 is a song he wrote and produced- I guess I'm supposed to put w for write and p for produce here... anyway, the song is the Four Seasons and Let's Hang On!, #3 in 1965.
Then, it's the Four Seasons again in 1964 with Dawn (Go Away), a "p" only in 1964. Oh, also #3.
Then is the third time for the song Silhouettes, this time by the Rays, a "w/p" from 1957, taking the #10 spot on the list, hitting #3.
We have two more songs that hit #2, and all the rest will be #1s. Our 9th song on the list is Oliver from 1969- say, that's next year!- and Jean, a "p" only.
Number 8 is Frankie Valli with a solo credit- although the Four Seasons were on the record- a w/p with Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You from 1967.
The songs that hit #1 start at #7 on our list with the Four Seasons and Rag Doll, a w/p from 1964. Say, how old were you in '64?
Two.
TWO? That would make us... not the same age...
I know, but in relative terms, I'm... even more older than you, than you are of me in real life...
But if we average it out, where would we be?
I'd have 25 years on you... maybe we better move on...
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| "Say, son, just how much a' yer age do you shave off ta do these shows?" |
N: Boys, maybe we should check on my father...
F: Awright, awright! I got my list! Here's who you get to choose from:
The Mills Brothers at #28 with Cab Driver...
Dean Martin with You've Still Got A Place In My Heart at #46...
Nancy has 100 Years at #51...
The Four Seasons and Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow at #32...
And ME, with I Can't Believe I'm Losing You at #83!
That's a pretty stiff lineup, sir! Well done!
F: Hell yes, it is! So who are ya voting for?
N: Daddy, I liked Dean's song...
I think I'll take the Four Seasons..
E: Um, I kinda liked Dean Martin's, too...
F: What about YOU, Baldy?
Nardole: I try to stay out of these th-
F: WHAT ABOUT YOU, BALDY??
N: I'll go with Miss Nancy, sir.
F: Whattabout it, Shyster?
Bellbottom: Er, well, they are all just fine...
Elvis: You want him yelling at you, HB?
Bellbottom: Um, I rather fancy the Mills Brothers...
F: And I take Dino, so there you have it!
Okay... so I guess it will be Dean Martin... and Bobby Goldsboro next week...
F: Ya sure ya don't want me to handle this Goldsboro kid?
E: Noodle could handle that Goldsboro kid...
N: Nardole, sir! N-A-R-...
E: Give it a rest, son.
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Here's our second M10 debut, at #8. Country star duet Maddie and Tae...
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N: You think they're cuter than me don't ya?
Sigh... no, and they don't get to finish out the Bob Crewe list, do they?
N: No, I guess they don't...
F: An' neither do you! Gimme that list!
N: Daddy...?
F: Number six is the Four Seasons with Sherry, a "p" only from 1962... Then it's Walk Like A Man, "w/p" from 1962 at #5, and Big Girls Don't Cry, a "w/p" from 1962 at #4- an' that takes care of those paisanos from Jersey.
Then you got Christina Aguillera, along with a whole list of others I never heard of, with Lady Marmalade from 2001, that's a "w" with Kenny Nolan... that's #3...
Frankie Valli with My Eyes Adored You, a "w/p" from 1975, is #2..
And Bob Crewe's biggest credit...
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| (courtesy Verve Records) |
N: But, Daddy...
F: No buts, young lady! Dino's picking us up at 6!
Well, thanks for helping out, this has been a lot of fun! Of course, all that's left now is mopping up: First, the remaining M10...
Adelitas Way moves up 1 to #9 with Habit...
Caroline Rose up 2 to 7 with Do You Think We'll Last Forever..
Geowulf up a spot to 6 with Hideaway...
Real Estate moves into the #8 all time spot while dropping 2 to #5 with Paper Cup...
Black Joe Lewis thunders up 2 to #4 with Five Dollars...
The last remaining climber from Iron Ceiling III, Tennis up one to #3 with How To Forgive...
Holding at 2, Anna Burch and Tell Me What's True...
And at the top for a second week...
...Albert Hammond, Jr, with Set To Attack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Stat pack this week had Manfred Mann in the 6D spot with The Mighty Quinn at #6... the big mover was Panelist A Beautiful Morning by the Rascals, 35 places from 77-42... Congratulations to Cliff Richard, who had Congratulations at the top of the UK chart... And one last thing...
One of our Panelists, with one vote, was former Kingston Trio leader Bob Shane doing the FIRST recorded and released version of Honey, which at some point would peak at #104 (But was still #1 in Denver this week). So we put him up against Goldsboro, and....
...sigh, two more votes for Bobby. Next week, it will be him and Dino and 1969! So, be th- hey, who are you?
I heah yer lookin' ta get rid of some dude what sang a song. I got a call from a friend o' yers to help ya out...
Oh, just lovely...
I'm happy to say, I've heard of most of these songs. Reminds me of when songs were clean and wholesome. And not over produced!
ReplyDeleteStay healthy and safe,
Elsie
Glad you enjoyed. I'd have to say I let in the over-produced at times, but they never seem to stick...
DeleteA great trip down memory lane, except I was dancing and fell over my own feet
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Hopefully a virtual fall...
Delete