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November 1964 (side C)
121 Plays7 days ago
We start on the American charts for November of 1964. Supremes, Chad and Jeremy, Marvelettes and Little Anthony and the Imperials. Hey, UMe - when are we getting that 180g reissue of "The Greatest Music Ever Sold". Who doesn't love a compilation that puts Glen Campbell, Brian Wilson, Beach Boys, Beatles (solo and group) and others on a single "long playing deck?" Support this podcast at the $6/month level on patreon to get extra content! Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
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Transcript
The Beatles' morale-boosting chant
00:00:00
Speaker
the Beatles had this chant John Paul and George and probably then Stuart and Pete had this chant when things weren't going well which in their world wasn't very often because mostly it was an upward trajectory but nonetheless sometimes you know a bad night or the gig we you know didn't work properly or the amps broke or whatever I say where are we going fellas and they'd go to the top Johnny and I say where's that fellas and they say to the top of most of the Papa most I said right Cheer up. I'd say, where are we going, fellas? And they go to the top, Johnny. I'd say, where's that, fellas? And they say, to the top of most of the papamos. And I'd say, right. And we'd all sort of cheer up.
Podcast Introduction: 'Toppermost of the Poppermost'
00:01:06
Speaker
Welcome to Side C of Toppermost of the Poppermost, the U.S. Charts. I'm Ed Chann. I'm Kid O'Toole. And I'm Martin Quibbel. So we are doing the Billboard Charts. This is the week of November the 7th, 1964. At number one is Baby Love by the Supremes, which we have covered. The interesting thing about this month, this is a relatively Beatles-free month for the first time in 1964.
00:01:35
Speaker
Yeah, this is really strange to not be talking about the Beatles very much in this episode. There's a Peter and Gordon song, which we've already covered. And there is ah a Jerry song. And I mean, there's lots of other British invasion acts, but those are really the only two Beatles related songs that are on the US charts for the month of November. Crazy. But no worries. We will have more next month. Oh, yes, we will.
00:02:02
Speaker
We're going to have some really good soul classics in this
Little Anthony and the Imperials: Vocal Praise and Critique
00:02:06
Speaker
episode. Absolutely. Moving on. At number 75, the next song from Little Anthony and the Imperials, going out of my head, it's one of those big dramatic openings, but it does manage to avoid going overboard. There's lots of big drums. They're accenting a regular kit, but not you kit, but a regular drum kit.
00:02:31
Speaker
But that does work well. Lovely lead from Little Anthony, as you would expect. ah The Imperials provide just the right touch of backing vocals. The orchestration is nice, although I would have preferred the strings to be a little bit more distinct. They do get kind of a little bit mushy. The acoustic guitar is good, but muddies the backing slightly more than I would have liked. I want a version with just the vocals.
00:03:14
Speaker
to the
00:03:27
Speaker
I love this song. I absolutely love it. And actually the first version I ever heard was Sergio Mendez in Brazil 66's version because you know I grew up listening to them. But I think this one still wins. By hair, little Anthony's voice is so good.
00:03:50
Speaker
I love his voice. I mean, he knew when to emote and when to pair it back. Love the song, which was written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein. Teddy Randazzo wrote a number called Little Anthony and the Imperial Songs. He was a childhood friend of the group. He wrote the song especially for them.
00:04:10
Speaker
Typical of their stuff really sophisticated, Pop. I wish the orchestration was toned down a little bit, because there are times when it just about drowns out little Anthony's voice, particularly in the chorus, but still. That's just a little picky. Overall, I adore this song. When I saw it was
Covers of 'Going Out of My Head'
00:04:33
Speaker
going to be on the charts this month, I thought, yes!
00:04:36
Speaker
Yes, I love it love this song I'm a fan of the zombies cover that we're gonna get in a couple years. That would be their final single I don't know if I prefer it to this one, but I do like that version a lot and there's a weird version by Vincent Bell Vincent Bell, the creator of the Electric Sitar, would have a number of covers go out under his name. It's unknown whether he actually played on them or not. One of which was Beatles Connection. Eleanor Rigby, back by going out of my head. Interesting. So Electric Sitar in an orchestra. It's not a bad version, but it's definitely unusual. Different.
Gary Chester's Drumming Legacy
00:05:21
Speaker
I really like this. The orchestration, I'm sort of surprised because it's Don Costa doing the orchestration, but then again saying that we've had pluses and minuses when he's worked with Frank Sinatra, haven't we, where he's done some incredible orchestration, and then he's got a bit over the top with Frank before as well, I think. yes But yeah, I like this a lot. I enjoyed it. I thought the production was a bit on the muddy side and a bit too close to veering towards spectre territory in places, but I really enjoyed the song. The drums were great. And I was mentioning this to you both in the chat. That is Gary Chester. He started in the early to mid fifties, I believe, and was pre-Al Blaine and a very big influence on Al Blaine and those sorts of drummers, I believe. ki Yeah. Oh, OK.
00:06:10
Speaker
If you've heard Poison Ivy by The Coasters, Stand By Me by Benny King, Crying in the Rain by The Everly Brothers, Happy Birthday Sweet 16 by Neil Sedarka, Will You Love Me Tomorrow by The Churros, and Twist and Shout by The Isley Brothers, that is Gary Chester on the drums. Wow. So it is like a Hell Blaine kind of guy. Yeah. He's on thousands of records, literally.
00:06:35
Speaker
He gets called in because Panama Francis can't make a date. And once
The Beach Boys' 'Dance, Dance, Dance'
00:06:40
Speaker
my father went in to sub for Panama Francis, it went so great that it never stopped. And the next thing he knew, he was doing three to four to five sessions a day. Every day from brown eyed girl to twist and shout to um Oh my word. um ah Oh yeah. Sugar, sugar by the Archie's. Um, he was working with people like Artie Butler, Artie Butler, an amazing, amazing artist in his own right. But also like he started out as an engineer. These, these are people that without these people, we would never have gotten
00:07:27
Speaker
the artists like the coasters and Jay and the Americans and drift um the drifters. Oh man. So many. One of the busiest studio drummers in the sixties and seventies is the way drummer world describes Gary Chester. Yeah. one Moving on. Number 79. The next one from the Beach Boys. Dance, dance, dance. The Beach Boys are escalating a throwaway pop tune into something at least somewhat more interesting and engaging. Really nice bass work. Carl Wilson is credited for the first time as a songwriter. The credit coming apparently for the guitar solo and riff. I guess Brian and Mike were a little more generous than John and Paul. Yes.
00:08:12
Speaker
ah Indeed.
00:08:46
Speaker
I have always liked this. I'm not saying this is top tier Beach Boys, but I've always had kind of a special place in my heart for this one, because this is actually one of the first Beach Boys songs that I liked. I remember on cassette, of course, because this is the 80s, getting a Beach Boys greatest hits collection back in probably high school. And I really liked this song. Nice bass line. Like the percussion on this, courtesy partially of Hal Blaine.
00:09:12
Speaker
Glen Campbell so on this, you know, the usual Wrecking Crew folks in addition to, of course, the Beach Boys themselves. Yeah, I like that guitar riff. Nicely vocals from Mike Love on this. Classic Beach Boys harmonies. You know, it's just a good dance track. Really does get your feet tapping. It's nothing brainy. It's just a party dance record, but it's a good one.
00:09:33
Speaker
I just always like this. I think it's kind of a bit of an underrated track in a way. The B side of this, by the way, is Warmth of the Sun, which is another good Beach Boys track. Love that song. That's a better song than Dance Dance Dance.
00:09:47
Speaker
It is. Yeah, true. But I like this. I'm not saying this is top tier, but it's a good dance record. I've always liked it. You're not the only one. Both Billboard and Cashbox had some really nice things to say about this record. Oh, this ought to be good. Billboard described the song as having a tremendous rock surf and beat and groovy lyrics, saying that the Beach Boys have never sounded better. Again, I don't know if I would necessarily agree with that.
00:10:13
Speaker
I wouldn't go that far. Have billboard taken on somebody that used to work for Cashbox and they're attempting to do a Cashbox style? ah Now, Cashbox, their description of this record was a sensational hot rod surfing rocker that zips along with money making glee. You know, the more of these reviews we read, they really do recycle a lot of these phrases. Money making glee. We've heard that before. Yeah, exactly. At least they didn't call this a, what is it, rockin' cha-cha kind of? Rock-a-cha-cha. Got that later. One of them's got a rock-a-cha-cha. Yeah.
00:10:49
Speaker
Yeah, I like this song, even though the lyrics could be seen as a bit silly, but it's fun. It's interesting that you've got the wrecking crew there. It's almost to sweeten up the sound of the band, in essence, to the point where Al Blaine isn't on drums. That's Dennis on drums. But Hal is playing a variety of percussion instruments, or the sleigh bells, triangle, tambourine, and castanets. Is it, Kit? Yeah, it is, which is important. They really propel the rhythm here.
00:11:16
Speaker
That tambourine is really good. Isn't it good? Yeah. Well, maybe the sleigh bells were around for a little Saint Nick. Well, we got these here. Let's use them. They were doing both at the same time. yeah That and the Christmas album were done around the same time. And the bass, perhaps that's prominent because of the fact that you've got two bass players double tracking. So you've got Brian on the standard four-string and then he got Ray Polman on the six-string bass. So perhaps that's why it's prominent, because you've got both of them double tracking, essentially. yeah
70s Compilation Album: Beatles and Beach Boys
00:11:47
Speaker
It's okay. It's not top tier, but it's a good fun song.
00:11:50
Speaker
Well, Capitol Records would like the song enough that they included it on a 70s compilation, one of the few compilations that actually puts Beatles and Beach Boys songs together. The name of this compilation was The Greatest Music Ever Sold. There were three Beatles songs, a John song, and a Ringo song. We'll read the track list here. Side A, track one, Help Me Rhonda by The Beach Boys.
00:12:15
Speaker
followed by Got to Get You Into My Life, followed by We're an American Man by Grand Funk Railroad, followed by Living in the USA by the Steve Miller Band, followed by The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by the Band. I'm enjoying this compilation.
00:12:30
Speaker
ah Followed by Elodir Rigby, followed by Katmandu by Bob Seger. So that's side A. oh Wow. So we move over to side B. Obla Di Obla Da leads off side B. It's followed by Rhinestone Cowboy by Glenn Campbell. Then this song, Dance Dance Dance. Then You're 16 by Ringo. Then Angie Baby by Helen Reddy. Pamela Brown by Leo Kaki. Two songs that we don't really remember. I guess
The Four Seasons' 'Big Man in Town'
00:12:59
Speaker
we'll see them.
00:13:00
Speaker
about 10 years from now when we get to the 70s.
00:13:05
Speaker
And then it closes with Imagine by John Lennon. What a weird compilation. I prefer side one to side two. Me too. Wow. May have to look that up.
00:13:18
Speaker
I used to own a copy, I still do probably somewhere, but I haven't seen it in a while. I'd have to go through my LPs and find it because I did buy those compilation albums which had Beatles on them because there were only four or five. There were a couple from the sixties and then there was this one. Wow. This is also not the same Dance Dance Dance that we will come across in 13 years time by chic. Yeah, that's completely different.
00:13:45
Speaker
At number 80, Big Man in Town, by the four seasons featuring the sound of Frankie Valli again, doleful harmonica, big drums, four seasons, their standard backing, Frankie sounding a little bit downbeat. The sound is more specter-ish than I would like. This disc would break a string of four straight top 10 records.
00:14:07
Speaker
following Don, Ronnie, Ragdoll, and Save It For Me. Big Man in Town was their fifth single of 1964. And, as it stated, the strain of competing with the Beatles to whom they came in second among the top pop singles acts of the year was stretching their creativity.
00:14:43
Speaker
What's my road when the days are over?
00:14:54
Speaker
This definitely sounded like Phil Spector with the bells and the reverb-filled drums. I mean, this definitely had a wall of sound feel to it. I think they were definitely trying to emulate Phil's production here. You know, nice harmonies. Otherwise, I didn't really hear a hook here, even though Ragdoll isn't one of my favorites of theirs. Ragdoll at least had that hook to it.
00:15:19
Speaker
and Dawn go away. You know, those are memorable. This one just didn't have that feel to it. I thought the arrangement was a little busy, just overall lacked energy to me. But I was listening to it and I thought, I've heard this before. And then I realized it was in Jersey Boys. And I saw that years ago on stage. And so I thought, OK.
00:15:44
Speaker
But now I know where I've heard this. I mean, it was fine. I just didn't think this was anywhere near top tier Four Seasons. Doesn't stick with it like their top songs do. It's listed as Four Seasons featuring the sound of Frankie Valli. Yeah. Well, because when they left VJ, just the Four Seasons wasn't enough. Okay. Yep. So, Phillips labeled them as that. Nice.
00:16:11
Speaker
And believe it or not, we would actually have a third source of records from this band. So at this point in time, Big Man in Town was released when Four Seasons material was being issued on an almost weekly basis, as we have seen. There were releases on Philips under the group name and reissues on the group's former label, VJ. Beatles versus Four Seasons, anybody? Yep.
00:16:36
Speaker
the rate of releases would soon increase as with the blessing of Phillips Records executives, lead singer Frankie Valli would rekindle a long dormant solo career and the four seasons would be his backing group. So you have they love that so you have three separate acts that are all Frankie Valli in the four seasons. Wow. That's not complicated at all.
00:17:04
Speaker
Tell me you share it in The Beat Brothers, anybody. Right. Yeah, it's
The Marvelettes' Empowering 'Too Many Fish in the Sea'
00:17:08
Speaker
standard by the numbers, songwriting, and doesn't really go anywhere very much. Although I do still find it quite amusing when there's a falsetto section talking about him being a big, may yeah We've got the reviews. Billboard was a little bit calmer in their review here. They described the song as having a good teen lyric with big sound and our cash box review. Here we go. They described the record as having a haunting ragdoll-like opener and said that it moves along in ultra-commercial stomper cha-cha fashion.
00:17:48
Speaker
There you go, the cha-cha reference. At number 82, Too Many Fish in the Sea by the Marvelettes, a Whitfield Holland composition. It's got some great backing right from the top. There's a descending blast of horns leading to bongos and bass into the lead vocal.
00:18:06
Speaker
and the horns would return later in the song. ah We get a really 60s sounding sax solo moving away a bit from the standard 50s King Curtis style saxophone bits and pieces. And despite the backing being busy, the Marvelettes do hold their own and the record feels pretty balanced.
00:18:50
Speaker
I thought this was a banger. I really like this. and And I have to agree. Now we're going to disagree with Motown Junkies, the blog that we shout out here many times on this show. We're going to disagree with them later, but I agree with them on this one. They really give this high marks. And I have to agree. I mean, the Marvelettes just sound so strong on this. And as you said, there are times where they could be drowned out, but they just sound so sassy. And there are some other songs this month where some of the lyrics are, shall we say, not the most progressive when it comes to women. Images of women, but this. I love this. The women of the Marvelettes have some great lines here.
00:19:37
Speaker
vising a woman hey we all got to cry sometimes sigh sometimes pull yourself up no use crying forever you know the title phrase says too many fish in the sea and they list all the men they like i mean come on and this is 1964 this is great and listing what they like tall ones fine ones kind ones this is great and the funk brothers they cook on this i love the backing the sax solo on this i love that is great as i said the lyrics and this is of course norman wickfield And he produced this, he co-wrote it, and just a hint of what was to come with Norman Whitfield. I'm a big fan of of his productions and songwriting. Just a predictor of what was to come for him. I really like this track.
00:20:25
Speaker
Yep, same here. I don't think that Whitfield and Harry Holland worked together as much as they probably should have, because I think they equal out each other's good points when it comes to songwriting on the few songs that they've written together. Here, here. I think the great
Critique of Ronnie and the Daytonas' 'California Bound'
00:20:41
Speaker
together, the two of them. This is a great song. I just love everything about it, and I'll just reiterate everything that you both would say, so I'll just shut up. and Phil Collins did a cover version of this on his album Going Back, by the way, if anyone's interested.
00:20:54
Speaker
I didn't know that I'll just check that out now a song we don't like as much I think at number 89 California bound by Ronnie and the Daytonas we know them from little GTO this record Fourth rate in the style of the Beach Boys. It's listenable, but only just the organ break and the brief drum solo are the highlights of this record for me. And so, you know, something is wrong with this track. Cheesy is being nice. Oh boy. Is it ever.
00:22:00
Speaker
This is just a cheap version of Surf in the USA to me. I mean, it's this bad Beach Boys ripoff. Hate the organ solo, as I'm sure will surprise no one. I mean, this is just factory-produced surf song. Even though surfing isn't explicitly mentioned, the sound is there, the chanting of the California cities. It's just absolutely cliched. Hate the way California is pronounced.
00:22:27
Speaker
The song, what is it? Cali... Cali-40A? I get just like,
00:22:37
Speaker
what the heck was that about? It reminded me of the Beverly Hillbillies. Yes, exactly. I mean, what the heck is... I mean, you know, California. a I mean, we've heard that, but Cali-40A? What? No. but No, no, no. They're doing a trinity.
00:22:54
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, maybe that's it. But this is just absolutely cheap knockoff Beach Boys. Wow. With three for three, a pathetic attempt at trying to sound like the Beach Boys, which you can't pull off. So stick to what you used to be good at and stop trying to become something that you're not. This may qualify for some of the worst of 64. Yes, I agree. This could make the compilation.
00:23:17
Speaker
We got two BB King songs here
B.B. King's Blues Tunes with Horns
00:23:20
Speaker
coming towards the bottom of this week's charts. At number 91, Beautician Blues by BB King. Our old friend, in quotes, Sam Bahari is claiming songwriting credit again and as we mentioned previously. He had nothing to do with the writing of this song. This is really good BB. I might have liked a little bit more of the guitar, but I do like the horns despite the fact they're slightly overdone here. Fun lyrics, nice tempo, and it just puts a smile on your face.
00:24:13
Speaker
Yeah, she keeps her hat, so neat and fine, and every pound of her is fine. It's fun. It's not one of BB's best. It's a typical 12-bar blues, kind of sexist lyrics, but I love the guitar solo and the horn. It's fun, but I wouldn't rank this as top BB King. Not because of the sexist lyrics, but I've heard him do better, but it's a fun record. And as I said, love the guitar solo.
00:24:39
Speaker
A fun, faster number from BB. Good beat. When the guitar's there, the guitar is great. I mean, BB, you know, it's amazing. Nice horns that are probably pulling the guitar back a bit too much and a really good rhythm section. It's all right. Middle tier.
00:24:58
Speaker
Yeah. At number 96, if you thought the lyrics in the previous song were misogynist, never trust a woman. Also by B.B. King, a real fiery vocal from B.B. I like the organ. I like the horns. It's a fairly standard arrangement though, particularly the call and response bit. It almost seems to me like he's attempting to do a Ray Charles and the Ray Letts. Nothing too earth shattering, but it is performed well. She'll beg you for clothing diamonds.
00:25:56
Speaker
I like the jazzy arrangement, but I would have loved more guitar from him. Bebe King, he's about the guitar and I miss that. And his voice is almost drowned out by the horns at times. So I would have liked, you know, maybe some more work there. And yeah, the lyrics don't ever trust a woman until she's dead and buried. When it starts out like that, it kind of goes downhill from there lyric wise, but what are you going to do?
00:26:34
Speaker
He sounds like he's having fun with it, so just in terms of his voice. But as I said, the jazzy arrangement is kind of fun. And as you said, maybe a bit Ray Charles-ish, but would have loved some more guitar here. I really miss that. Yeah, Slower Blues, well performed and produced, the vocals yearning, and it's B.B. King with his more grittier voice. Lyrically, possibly a contender for inspiration for the Guns N' and Roses song I used to love her.
00:27:03
Speaker
Yeah,
Mary Wells' Underwhelming 'Stop Taking Me For Granted'
00:27:04
Speaker
good call. Good call, Murph. And to look at the lyrics
00:27:30
Speaker
At number 97, stop taking me for granted by Mary Wells. She's got some odd phrasing here and the horn following her vocal just doesn't quite work. More of those staccato backing vocals which Kit has complained about in the past. The pieces are good. However, they don't work together and that's just enough to sneak out a miss. Maybe just middling if I'm being generous.
00:28:29
Speaker
This is when Mary Wells had moved on to 20th Century Fox and I wish she had stayed with Motown or had moved on to maybe Atlantic or another label because 20th Century Fox just didn't seem to know what to do with her and This is another example. I didn't like the horn that was playing alongside her vocal, particularly during the first verse. I thought that was very distracting. The song itself was just not distinctive at all. It didn't really showcase her voice.
00:28:59
Speaker
Smokey Robinson and others at Motown knew how to write for her, that sassy delivery she could give. This doesn't really showcase that at all. There's no hook to this. It's just nothing. And I think during her time at 20th Century Fox, she just was never given strong material. And as you said, Ed, her phrasing on this is odd. That staccato backing that I don't like.
00:29:24
Speaker
a song that would have been a darn sight better if she was signed to Stax or Cameo Records. So if it was produced by better people there who understood the music, and I feel really bad saying this, if they'd have honed what was special about her voice rather than a phoned in performance,
00:29:46
Speaker
You got it. That's it. At number 100, Times Have Changed by Irma Thomas. This is a song by Van McCoy and Irma Thomas. It's a great vocal. I like the backing vocals, but they're really too high in the mix. And sometimes they do bury the lead vocal. The drums feel comfortable to me, particularly the fills. It could use another verse because the story doesn't really resolve itself, but all in all,
00:30:13
Speaker
I hit. I love her voice.
Podcast's Patreon Promotion
00:30:48
Speaker
This is Irma Thomas, the sole queen of New Orleans, one of the great voices. I didn't love the song. I kind of agree. And I think it could have used a little more work. Irma Thomas co-wrote this with Van McCoy. We've seen him many times on our show and we'll, we'll see him again. I agree. I think this could have used at least another verse, maybe a little bit more, you know, it was kind of another he done me wrong song. I didn't feel it showcased her great voice.
00:31:16
Speaker
I also thought that it wasn't terribly well recorded or mixed. I mean, I just felt like at times her voice was buried in the mix and you don't want to bury that voice. I mean, you really don't. I just felt like this had promise. The song just maybe needed a little more revision and and maybe a different mix to bring up that voice a bit. more So it was kind of an eh for me, but could have been better.
00:31:43
Speaker
You know, I think this song needed was a good breakdown. For people that might not understand, a good breakdown is, for instance, what Aretha Franklin did with Otis Redding's Respect. That's a perfect breakdown there. So what happened there was she got that song from him. This section that she added into the arrangement, the world famous, you know, the R-E-S-B-E-C-T, that is a breakdown.
00:32:08
Speaker
Right. So if you'd have had something similar, not exactly the same, but a breakdown where it all pulls back, and then you get a vocal thing, and it's almost like a middle eight, but it breaks it all down. And it's all about the voice call and response and something like that, that would have pushed it just that little bit further over the edge.
00:32:27
Speaker
That's it. I think the song had promise, but it just needed more work and something like that to really make it more memorable and showcase her voice. I like that. Brian Poole and the Tremolos would cover this song in 1965. It's on par with this version, maybe slightly better.
00:32:44
Speaker
Interesting. I'll have to check that out. OK, before we move on to the next week, just a quick reminder that we do indeed have a Patreon. If you enjoy this podcast, please support us at patreon.com slash toppermost podcast. There you will find extra material that you won't find here, including uncut interviews, which I think includes a longer version of our chat with Jim.
00:33:12
Speaker
Yes,
The Supremes' 'Come See About Me'
00:33:13
Speaker
Jim Barkinstack. And a reminder of a couple of things before we move on. First off, Patreon has announced that there will be price increases coming late this year or early next. So join soon. Second off, we appreciate the folks who have supported us at the free level, but you don't get any of the goodies unless you pay at least a dollar a month.
00:33:39
Speaker
And for a dollar a month, you will get announced in this spot every month. And then for six dollars a month, you will get access to those extra features and other pieces that we have planned. Yes. So be sure to sign up before the prices increase. We'll see you then.
00:33:58
Speaker
Alright, we will move on to the second week in the Billboard charts. The week of November the 14th, 1964. At number one is still Baby Love. At number 66 is Come See About Me. This was actually recorded before Where Did Our Love Go.
00:34:17
Speaker
really cool little intro. Again, something we've heard before from the Supremes, or we would hear in the future from the Supremes since it was recorded earlier, drums into the footsteps, very much in line with the other Supremes hits we've now had. It's well played but nothing else in the backing really stands out on this record. It's too good to be just an album track or a b-side, but not quite as interesting as their other tracks. Despite its popularity, it's almost a bit of a placeholder between Baby Love and Stop in the Name of Love.
00:35:10
Speaker
Sometimes
00:35:23
Speaker
I like this track a lot. I love the fade-in. And it was one of the first times that technique had been used on a studio recording. And it really grabs the attention of the listener. Those hand claps that immediately are just so catchy.
00:35:42
Speaker
and that Diana Ross lead vocal. It is just so seductive. She just was so good. You could just hear her almost flirting through the speakers. She just really had that quality to her voice. Of course, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson's backing vocals. That call and response was great. Also, Holland does your Holland. They really were firing on all cylinders here lyrically.
00:36:13
Speaker
They really were getting the whole sing-along quality down pat. It's about simplicity, particularly that title hook. That's what you want. Also shout out to James Jamerson. That bass line that he plays is just so good. It really drives the song. I like it a lot.
00:36:36
Speaker
I don't think this is lesser at all. It would have been amazing if it were the first single, but it's the fact that it came out after Baby Love that I think hurts it a little bit. I don't know. I think the chord changes and all I think are a little more interesting than Baby Love. I i still think it's a very good track. I just don't know whether it's necessarily as good as the others, but horses for courses. Always.
00:36:59
Speaker
I see it as a Supreme's classic myself. I can't believe this was left on the shelf for so long. So why was that? It was an album track. It just wasn't released as a single. They didn't think it was the strongest single. So that was it? You haven't heard this story? No, I haven't heard this story. So it was an album track and there it was on the record.
00:37:20
Speaker
And a young lady named Nella Dodds, who could do a passable Diana Ross impersonation, got the album, heard this song and said, that has a hit single written all over it. They went in the studio within a day or two. She did her Diana Ross thing on it. They did more or less a really close copy record of the Supremes version. And that started going up the charts.
00:37:49
Speaker
Wow. I've never heard this story. Wow. And so Barry Gordy heard that. Hey, wait a minute. They're taking our song and they've made a single out of it. and Why don't we just release the original? Wow. That is why we have this as a single. I'll be darned. I've never heard that story. Wow.
00:38:08
Speaker
That's a good anecdote. Wow, I did not know that. That's crazy. And there are some versions where, oh, they were going to release it as a single anyway, but they very definitively released it as a single. This time, remember, we're only a week or two out from the previous Supreme single. And this is not like the Beatles where they could put out a single every week. Right. Or Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, which had three different names. They were just the Supremes.
00:38:38
Speaker
Yeah, right. No Hit Supremes, no more. So because of that, in part, we are going to do a supercut of this song. Some of the versions that you will hear, the Nella Dodds copy version, Mitch Ryder in the Detroit wheels, Junior Walker, Martha Reeves, Neil Sadaka and Mary Wilson, the Afghan wigs, Hillbilly soul, the James Taylor quartet, the return of Mrs. Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, the Glee cast, Martina McBride and the boss guitars.
00:39:10
Speaker
The boss guitars. Not a real well known group, but we like to have some different versions in these supercuts. Absolutely. And here you go. It's about being individuals. You know, we're all different, but it's also about synchronicity. Can
The Drifters' 'Saturday Night at the Movies'
00:39:26
Speaker
you give us an example? It's been a few months, but I'm sure the three of us could put together something on the fly.
00:41:10
Speaker
See you back
00:43:21
Speaker
We now move on to number 82. Saturday night at the movies by the Drifters, another man wheel song for them. This is a better re-write of Under the Boardwalk. The strings are slightly overdone. Great lead vocal and backing. It's entertaining enough. It's a minor hit for me.
00:44:11
Speaker
I did not care for this under the boardwalk part three. Again, you could sing under the boardwalk down by the sea at various points in the song. Now I will say Johnny Morris falsetto is truly impressive at points. I mean, wow, what a singer and the strings are nicely arranged. in this, but otherwise, it's just a lesser under the boardwalk. Just stop remaking this. The original was wonderful. It'll stop. Of course, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Love Johnny Moore. Love the Drifters. But stop remaking this. I don't disagree with you. I just like it a little bit more than you do it. Yeah, I just thought this was lesser version.
00:44:54
Speaker
somebody throw me a lifeline here. I'm swimming on my own in the ocean. I don't mind this song at all. It's sort of upbeat. Would I say that it's equal to Under the Boardwalk or Up on the Roof or something? No, but yeah, you have to have some songs that are meddling to emphasise how good the top level songs are.
00:45:19
Speaker
We're all kind of at different places. You like it a little bit more. I like it
Ray Charles Singers' 'One More Time' Review
00:45:24
Speaker
just a bit and then Kit dislikes it. Wow. That's a first. Yeah, wow. Yeah, normally two of us agree. Marvin, I kind of agree. Yeah, I'm the one that loves swimming, I think, by myself. At number 89, one more time by our old friends, the Ray Charles Singers. Oh boy, the opening tries to mirror something like the slinky instrumental backing of the Pink Panther theme.
00:45:53
Speaker
And then the singers come in. Terrible organ. It makes Lawrence Welk sound hip. I think we can quote from the Nyquil bottle. Can cause marked drowsiness, so do not drive or operate machinery until the effects of this song have worn off.
00:46:26
Speaker
Time. Room before you walk away my-
00:46:35
Speaker
This was another case where I didn't look at your notes ed before I wrote my own, and then I looked at yours, and we both evoked Lawrence Welk. This is Lawrence Welk territory, make it stop. Apologies to all Lawrence Welk fans out there. This is Bad Oregon. By the way, this is from the LP it called Songs for Lonesome Lovers. Yeah, I think you would be a lonesome lover if you slapped this record on, if you, uh,
00:47:04
Speaker
We're having a cozy night in. This would put a quick end to anything. This is just sappy. That's not good. I won't be listening to this one more time. It doesn't go anywhere. It's like drawing a straight line and saying that's how it's going to go. No change, nothing. Bland, bland, bland.
00:47:26
Speaker
We all agree on this one. And if
Chad and Jeremy's 'Willow Weep for Me' Comparison
00:47:28
Speaker
you want to hear some bad Beatles covers, the Ray Charles singers would do some Beatles covers. Here are three of them. Do you want to know a secret? Can you imagine the Ray Charles singers doing? Do you want to know a secret? God help us.
00:47:43
Speaker
Terrible. They also covered Hey Jude. Oh, no. Not quite Bing Crosby, bombbomb bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bad, but in that range. And then, well, everybody has to cover yesterday. It's written into, you get a recording contract, you will cover yesterday. Yeah, that one isn't as surprising.
00:48:07
Speaker
Okay, so does that mean that the person who produced the Ray Charles thing is when they came in and they said, oh, we're coming in and we're going to do let it be. Did they pull that lever that opens up the floor and threw them out like a trapdoor and said, not a chance?
00:48:24
Speaker
I'm thinking more Ringo and help with the chainsaw going around. yeah yes yeah At number 94, Willow Weep for Me by Chad and Jeremy. Nice harmonies, you would expect from Chad and Jeremy. It's well performed. Good horns. There's a lot to like, but this record both sounds and feels old fashioned. And now I'm one who hasn't said many nice things about Frank Sinatra. Compare this to the 1958 Frank Sinatra version. That is timeless. This is the... When the shadows fall
00:49:28
Speaker
Oh, ah great. Oh, Frank Sinatra's version is stunning. I mean, it's like a stage drama. I agree. at I think you nailed it. It's kind of old fashioned sounding a little over arranged. I think the strings and the horns threatened to overpower Chad and Jeremy's voices at times, which is a shame because, as you said, their harmonies are lovely and their voices are great.
00:49:50
Speaker
I like the drums. I think they are very subtle, which is appropriate for this. It's just not my favorite song of theirs. It's not a great cover. I think I would
Critique of Andy Williams' 'Almost There'
00:49:59
Speaker
have liked this if it had been just acoustic instead of bringing in the strings and horns. I think, you know, they could have done something maybe a little more interesting that way and kept it more of an acoustic, folky kind of version just to put their own spin on it. But can't compare. I mean, when you listen to Frank Sinatra's version, you think, why try it? Can't compare to that.
00:50:20
Speaker
I thought I was going to be the outlier on this. Nope. I like their voices very much. I like the two voices. I absolutely love the Sinatra version, but I didn't care for this version at all. I just kept listening to it and I got, yeah, I just wanted to listen to the Frank Sinatra version. So we're all in complete agreement. This is old fashioned for a song from 1932 that's saying something. Yes.
00:50:47
Speaker
goodness, we're almost at the century mark for this song. Wow. Wow. That's amazing. Eight years time. wow So I guess it's in the public domain now. Hmm. So anybody wants to go and do their cover, they can. Yes. Yeah. No problem. So, uh, will a week for me was composed in 1932 by Anne Ronell, who also wrote the lyrics. It is mostly known as a jazz standard, having been recorded first by Ted feel Rito with vocals by Muzzy Marcelino. What a name. Muzzy Marcelino. Great.
00:51:21
Speaker
who was also a master whistler wow and he recorded a whistling version of the song in 1958. So that's where Roger Whitaker got his shtick from then.
00:51:33
Speaker
And believe it or not, this version of the song, the Chad and Jeremy version is one of the more popular versions. This would move into the top 20. We're not doing a supercut, but some of the other versions are Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand,
00:51:53
Speaker
Frank, as we all said, is the probably version to beat. Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Ray Charles, not the Ray Charles Singers, Lena Horne, Julie London, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, and June Christie. Guys, the Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, it's from that album that I was telling you all about the other month.
00:52:15
Speaker
We move on to number 96, almost there by Andy Williams. ah Oh boy, ah let's see, more MRR track from Andy Williams.
00:52:29
Speaker
I put that in the sound. This is a song written by Gloria Shane and Jack Keller and performed by Andy Williams in his film, I'd Rather Be Rich. We'll talk a little bit about the film shortly. It's technically good. The playing is not bad, but the lead vocal is just lifeless. The backing sounds like something coming from a Casio keyboard in the eighties until you get to those just whiny strings. Miss, miss, miss. Yes.
00:53:29
Speaker
I completely agree. I mean, it was just the epitome of easy listening. In fact, it sounds like it should have been released in the fifties. I mean, it doesn't even sound like it's from 1964. I mean, it just sounds like it's really sorry, Ken Michaels dated. I mean, Andy Williams sings it just fine. You know, it's it's Andy Williams, but it's just really bland, nothing really distinctive about it. It's just really blah. Well, wait till we describe the film here in a minute. Yes! Why do we do that? Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee. Here's a song that is very much M.O.R. Voice is in the same area throughout the song. There's not much of a change to his voice. but Phoned in, essentially, to my opinion, and it's not a song that would blow my socks off.
00:54:22
Speaker
No. And believe it or not, Brenda Lee decided this was a song that she would cover. She covered it for her album, The Versatile Brenda Lee in 1965. Why? Good question. Did it show a versatility? Ask Brenda Lee, I guess. She's so much better than this. Your girl. My girl. That's right. A couple
Chuck Jackson's Cover of 'Since I Don't Have You'
00:54:43
Speaker
more notes on this.
00:54:45
Speaker
As mentioned, this was from the film I'd Rather Be Rich. The description of that film, I'd Rather Be Rich is a 1964 American romantic comedy film with musical aspects directed by Jack Smite, produced by Ross Hunter, and starring, as Marv told us, Sandra Dee. Yes.
00:55:04
Speaker
The film focuses on a dying man who wishes to meet his granddaughter's fiance, but he is unavailable, so the woman persuades another man to substitute for him. Then, the grandfather recovers.
00:55:17
Speaker
yep And Andy Williams plays the unavailable fiancé. And the guy who is substituting for the fiancé is Robert Goulet. And, of course, hilarity ensues.
00:55:32
Speaker
oh ah but yeah but So that film is a remake of the 1941 film. It started with Eve, but they reversed the genders. Ah, ah hey, there you go. Creativity at its um least.
00:55:51
Speaker
Now, what I still don't know is why Paul McCartney got so chummy with Andy Williams. In May of 1968, Andy Williams was interviewed and he said he wanted to meet the Beatles. And in that same interview, he said, you know, that Sargent Pepper album was the very beginning and end.
00:56:11
Speaker
Okay. Andy Williams said he wanted just a quiet meeting, no publicity, and Paul and Jane would oblige. They would share a dinner with Andy Williams and Andy Williams' wife, Claudia Lange, and Paul and Jane would go to the show at the Royal Albert Hall. Andy Williams' final show of that British tour.
00:56:35
Speaker
And then of course, well, I mean, we all know about the Grammys where John Lennon, Paul Simon, and Art Garfunkel would hang out with Andy. He was hip. It's those sweaters you see. That's right. He's hipper than we knew.
00:56:50
Speaker
yeah At number 99, since I Don't Have You by Chuck Jackson, it's a great vocal. The piano is really nice. I like the drums. ah The horns and strings should probably have been cut in half. They're a little bit too high in the mix. It's a good version and an interesting reinterpretation of the song, but it doesn't quite give me the feeling that I get from the Skylanders original. Completely agree. I don't care.
00:57:45
Speaker
I like Chuck Jackson's vocal a lot. Even one's a little country to it. I like that sincere emotional vocal. I just thought it was way over range. Did not like the backing singers on this bass drum, the strings. I just thought it was very overdramatic and it fades out too abruptly.
00:58:19
Speaker
And I don't have happy hours
00:58:25
Speaker
They had pared down the strings and the drum and now I mean just a trio or something like that and really focused on that incredible voice Chuck Jackson had. This could have been a lot better. And I think we've talked about this with him so many times, what a tremendous voice he had. And I think he just of many times was really sabotaged by the over-arrangements They had just pared it down a bit. I think he could have had even more hits than any day now. And this is another example of it. Because as I said, great vocal. I love that. The first
George Harrison's Jukebox Favorite
00:59:00
Speaker
time I heard this song was a version by Guns N' Roses, which I've got to say, it wasn't particularly fond of the Guns N' Roses version of the song. This version I do really like. I love his vocal. I think the mix is wrong on the production and it could have been much better.
00:59:16
Speaker
ye And today I really loved the Skyliners version, listening to that yeah for this show. It's a good song, I just wish they'd have cleaned up the production better on this version. Yeah, I think it could have been a lot better with that for sure. So again, no supercut, but I will give you a list of some of the artists who have covered it. Marv just gave some of them. The Skyliners was the original. Some of the covers include our buddy Trini, Trini Lopez. The Four Seasons, Kit especially needs to listen to that because it has an organ guaranteed to annoy you. Oh boy.
00:59:49
Speaker
yeah Betty Everett and Jerry Butler, Rick Nelson, Jay and the Americans, BJ Thomas, Barbara Streisand, Patti LaBelle did a version of this. Oh, Don McLean, Johnny Mathis, Art Garfunkel, Ronnie Millsap, and the version that we started with other than this version, the Guns N' Roses version. Oh boy. And we'll close out with our Beatles connection. Not this song, but George would indeed have a song by Chuck Jackson in his jukebox. Good things come to those who wait. So
Origins of 'Toppermost of the Poppermost'
01:00:27
Speaker
that carries us through side C, the first two weeks of the billboard charts for November of 1964. Join us soon as we finish November. See you then. Take care.
01:00:59
Speaker
There was a piece in the NME, a news piece, that said the Top Rank Records, remember when Top Rank had a record label? and They introduced an LP series next week that will be called Toppermost and it's coinciding with their current advertising slogan Toppermost of the Poppermost. Yes, and thought they got it from someone.
01:01:20
Speaker
They saw that, they must have seen that in either the NMA or record mirror or disc, record and show mirror as it was then. And they've taken it from there. They've obviously thought how stupid that is. How stupid is, it's one of those phrases that someone, an older person who doesn't understand teenagers comes up with a slogan that they think is going to be the hip slogan of the month. Topper most of the popper most.