Time Machine co-ordinates VII-XII694565760687376

 

Welcome to Time Machine for October 1st, and guess what happened today in 1957 (which, of course, is one of the years we're featuring)?

"In God we trust" was first put on paper money!  I know, I know, you're saying to yourself, half-jokingly, "What is paper money?"

I like paper brass! Honest guv! 'ow about borrowin' me some?

That voice you just heard is our guest star today- and this is going to take a bit of explaining.  You see, Mack The Knife was the winner of last week's show, and it is about the character Macheath from The Three Penny Opera.  And Macheath was based on a gentleman who made a name in the criminal game in the 1700's, and he gets to play along with us- under very tight security!  Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mr "Honest" Jack Sheppard!

JS: Nice ter meet yer! Honest guv! But 'oo are the big lads behind me?

Them?  They're Judoon.  They vaporize first and ask questions later.

JS:  Understood. So woss the plan 'ere?

Well, you'll be helping out with out music show today, and one of the things I have planned is a special feature on the flip sides of our favorite hits... but first, let's play the first of our two debuts!  I hinted at this one a few weeks back- new stuff from Star Kendrick and Geowulf at #10...

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JS:  She's a looker, ain't she?

Yep, and a pretty consistent "star" on our show!  Anyway, here's where you come in.  I pulled 16 songs out of the top 20 of this week in our target years of 1956, '57, '60, '68, '73, and 1976...

JS:  Wotcher mean?  'Ow is it we're in the 1900's? I'm bloody well not done wi' the 1700s!

Remember, this is a time machine, Jack!  Anyway, I take the list, figure where they finished in the top 100 of their years, pull the top ones out for everyone to guess the winner, the bottom 2 out for our features, and what's in-between is what you get to read now.

JS:  'Oo said I could read?  Wait a minute... I can read this!

Yeah, I got the universal translator working right again...

JS:  Can't say I understand a word of it, mate, bu' here you go...

First is Angie by the Rolling Stones, #14 this week in 1973...

Mister Lee by the Bobbettes, #9 in 1957...

My Special Angel by the Vogues, #16 in 1968...

Revolution by the Beatles, #11 in 1968...

She's Gone by Hall and Oates, #12 in 1976...

Summer by War, #17 in 1976...

That Lady by the Isley Brothers, #9 in 1973...

The Green Door by Jim Lowe, #19 in 1956...

An' Tonight You Belong To Me by Patience an' Prudence, #6 in 1956.

Nice job, Jack.  You're a good sport! 

JS: I don't 'ave a bit of choice wiv these Rhinoceroses behind me...

True that!  Next up, I have a bit of trivia for y'all.  I was wanting to do something with the b-side hits on records, and I finally came up with a site that helped me to bring you this list... these are the top ten biggest hits that were b-sides of #1 a-sides!  

9 (tie)- Strawberry Fields Forever, the Beatles #8 on the back of Penny Lane.

9 (tie)- Popeye The Hitchhiker, Chubby Checker, #8 on the back of Limbo Rock.

8- Juke Box Baby, Perry Como, #7 on the back of Hot Diggity.

7- That's All You Gotta Do, Brenda Lee, #6 on the back of I'm Sorry.

6- Day Tripper, again with the Beatles, #5 on the back of We Can Work It Out.

4 (tie)- She's A Woman, the Beatles third time, #4 on the back of I Feel Fine.

4 (tie)- I Need Your Love Tonight, my big buddy Elvis, #4 on the back of A Fool Such As I.

2 (tie)- Calypso by John Denver, #2 on the back of a different I'm Sorry.

2 (tie)- Number four for the Beatles with Something, #2 on the back of Come Together.

And the only disc where both sides hit the top...

Elvis, with Hound Dog on the back of Don't Be Cruel!

JS:  I'm so lost...

Hang in there, Jack, you get to read off the five contestants for the week, right after we listen to the debut at #9 on the M10 this week.  Another M10 frequent flyer, here is the El Michels Affair...

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JS:  I ravver liked that!

Well good!  Now, you get to give our audience their choices for tonight's winner!

JS:  If you say so...

Choose from:

Chain Gang by Sam Cooke, #5 this week in 1960...

If You Leave Me Now by Chicago, #7 in 1976...

I've Got To Get A Message To You by the Bee Gees, #6 in 1968...

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye, #6 in 1973...

Or My Heart Has A Mind Of It's Own by Connie Francis, #2 in 1960!

Well done!  And now, Lawyer Bellbottom with the 6D...

JS:  Ey! Yer didn't say anyfink about some loryer...

Don't worry, he's not here for you...

HB:  And quite honestly, I don't know exactly why I am here!  But in any event, a blogger acquaintance recently brought up the legend of all the rock stars and associates who died at the age of 27, and we start out with one that just missed!  His name was Tim Buckley, and in a rich but unnoticed by the world at large, he made his mark by the age of his early demise at 28.  One claim to fame, if I may speak loosely, he played his song Song Of The Siren on the very last episode of The Monkees' tv show.  Another was the use of most of his album Goodbye And Hello on the movie Changes in 1969.  (Parenthetically, this soundtrack also contained Both Sides Now by Judy Collins, and Expecting To Fly by Neil Young.)

Do you really need to say "parenthetically" when you just used parentheses?

Do you really need to ask insipid questions when this program runs long enough as it is?  In any event, this movie was scored by one Marty Paich, who fathered David Paich of Toto, and he co-wrote our victim- which missed the Cashbox top 100 for 1976 despite making #49 on the Billboard list- Boz Skaggs breakout hit Lowdown, which was #2 this week.

JS:  Anuvver 'igh and mighty Londoner...

HB:  Oh, do be still, you low-born highwayman...

Gentleman, decorum!  Next up is the Overseas If You Please, which I will handle myself for a change.  Our target year, due to the Bay City Rollers making neither chart with I Only Wanna Be With You, is 1976.

In South Africa this week, the #1 was Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee.  It also was at the top in New Zealand.

Canada featured Walter Murphy's A Fifth Of Beethoven.

And both the UK and Australia had ABBA's Dancing Queen at the top.

Oh, and our big mover was 1968's Suzie Q by CCR- it was up 51 spots, from 83 to 32!

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Jack, ready to give us the winners?

JS:  Don't ya ffink ya oughtter give the rest of the M10 now?

Oh, yeah, 'bout forgot agai- say, how would you know that?

JS:  The big mate in the sequins holdin' tha' sign...

Thanks, king!  Here is the remaining M10...

8- White Reaper's Sad But True up one spot...

7- Duran Duran twofer, with More Joy! falling 4...

6-...and Anniversary moving up 2.

5- Alkonost and Soltnse holding here...

4- Moon Taxi up 2 with Mission...

3- One spot lower for illuminatti hotties and Buck Meek with u.v.v.p.... which puts it in a 5-way tie for 13th all-time...

2- Gerry Rafferty up 2 with Sign Of The Times...

and the #1 for a second week...

Tom Morello with Phantogram and Driving To Texas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, Jack, let 'er rip!

JS:  I beg yor pardon?

Read the list...

JS:  Oy, got you!  

So it was Chain Gang charting at #18 for 1960...

I've Got To Get A Message To You, #16 in '68...

If You Leave Me Now was #14 in '76 an' so was My Heart 'As a Mind Of Its Own in 1960...

Which leaves us the winner, at #11 for 1973....

....Marvin Gaye, an' Let's Get It On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, that went better than I thought!  Judoon, he's all yours now...

JS:  A fine bit of thanks I get...

...Tune in next week, God willing, for more arresting fun!