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December 1964 (side C)
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Cold weather, maybe a little snow, but the hottest hits of 1964 keep you warm. The Beatles are still on the rise while old favorites such as Chuck Berry and even Gerry succumb to market forces. We also get a side from the REAL singer behind the Archies. 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 and Motivation
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 say right and we'd all sort of Cheer up.
1964 Billboard Highlights
00:00:31
Speaker
Where are we going, Johnny? Straight to the top, boys. Oh, yeah, where's that? The top of most of the popper.
00:00:48
Speaker
Welcome to side see of top of most of the popper most for December 1964. I'm Ed Chan. I'm Kid O'Toole. And I'm Martin Corbell. Alright, we're doing a billboard month. We start the week of December the 5th. At number one is Ringo by Lauren Green, which we have already covered. It's all the way up at number one. Woo! Hey. And once again, I urge you go and look for the parody version which is out there. Any record,
Success of 'I Feel Fine'
00:01:19
Speaker
even if it is by Alan Sherman that mentions Ringo's tonsils is alright with me.
00:01:25
Speaker
yes At number 22 is I Feel Fine, which we all agree is definitely the big winner this month. For sure. It's mighty fine. Yes, indeed. now Take seven, take seven.
Analysis of 'She's a Woman'
00:02:23
Speaker
Coming close behind at number 46 is the flip. The Beatles, She's a Woman, which we haven't really talked about. One, two, three, four.
00:03:08
Speaker
It's slightly older school rock and roll from The Beatles. It's a great Paul McCartney vocal. It's great backing. We all know this record. We all love this record. there's There's a reason why they used it in help above the explosions that are going on around The Beatles.
00:03:24
Speaker
That's right. What can you say? It's another example of what a great rock vocalist Paul was and is. This is just straight ahead rock and roll. It's one of my favorite Paul rock vocal performances. Great guitar solo from George. John's rhythm guitar jabs on the offbeat really helps propel the song. I just really think this is Kind of an underrated Beatles song. I don't think it gets quite as much attention as some of their other songs. The B-side was written the morning of the session. Actually in the studio. Yes. Really? No, no, most of it. We had to add one verse, you see, and we had to finish it off rather quickly. And that's why there's such a rubbishy lyrics. For a, quote, B-side, this is a stellar track. Just a bit of soul in the studio there, you see. Yes, it's not groundbreaking, but it's still an absolute great, great rocker.
00:04:20
Speaker
Yeah, she's a woman, great song, almost like bluesy rocker with like a 12 bar feel to it, and Ringo's drums are fantastic on this. I like the swing that he gets into the Little Richard style vocals from Paul again, I think. Yeah, it's very much in the long tall Sally mode.
Critique of 'Wild One' by Martha Reeves
00:04:36
Speaker
At number 63, Wild One by Martha Reeves and the Vandelos, it's a pretty standard Martha Reeves song. There's somewhat harder to hitting drums. The backing is a little bit subdued to me. Really, the only thing that stands out about this record is the drums and the percussion.
00:05:34
Speaker
There's some strange lyrics which refer to Gene Pitney's He's a Rebel and The Wild One and I Will Follow Him. Wild One you're a rebel and they say you're just no good but they might change their minds if they only understood. It should be noted that Annette Beard had left the Vandalas and had been replaced by Betty Kelly, formerly of the Velvelettes. Co-written by Ivy Joe Hunter and Mickey Stevenson, longtime Motown staff writers. It definitely sounds like a lesser copy of Dancing in the Street. and There's some absolute similarities there in the beat.
00:06:16
Speaker
And as you mentioned, Ed, the whole, he's a wild one, but I still love him cliche, trying to capitalize on songs like Leader of the Pack. I do like the drums on this. They're strong, mixed high, danceable. Martha and the Vendellas, as you mentioned, with the change of personnel, they sing it well, but I think it just can't hold a candle. The dancing in the street does not stand out for them.
00:06:42
Speaker
Wow, we really don't read each other's notes you know before we do this show. Dancing in the streets with lesser lyrics doesn't hit the mark. Cashbox said something very similar in their review of this record. All right. Team supplies a surefire all-out attack on Wild One, whose storyline concerns a gal who digs a victim of circumstance. It's in the colorful flavor of their recent smash, Dancing in the Streets. There's a sly beat of appearance on Dancing Slow. So everyone noticed, but there you go. Yep. At number 78. What Now? by Gene Chandler, the first of several bad records this month.
Gene Chandler's 'What Now' Review
00:07:32
Speaker
What now? After you've dug me like you did,
00:07:58
Speaker
A boring intro, which then leads into a pretty good guitar and actually a great lead vocal, but not enough to save this record. The backing is slightly old fashioned, but just about worthwhile. It's a pretty good soul record, actually. So maybe I've changed my mind, but nothing earth shattering. It's a middling hit. It's definitely not Duke of Earl.
00:08:18
Speaker
No, I agree with that. It has some moments. It is written by Curtis Mayfield. I was a little surprised because usually I can spot a Curtis Mayfield composition from a mile away. This one, not so much. This didn't sound like a typical Curtis Mayfield. It sounds a bit more like a throwback to me. I like the backing vocals, doo-wop kind of sound. I do like that repeating arpeggio chord.
00:08:44
Speaker
after Gene sings each line in the verse. Just a little something different. I do like that.
00:08:56
Speaker
The lyrics aren't super memorable, but there are enough interesting twists in it, like the arpeggio chord, that it's a bit of a step above the typical soul ballad, but it's just not a complete hit for me. But I do think it has promise. I think if the lyrics had been worked on a bit more to make them a little more interesting. I think it could have been a bit more memorable. And Gene Chandler sings it very well. Indeed, sounds great. But I just think this isn't one of Curtis Mayfield's best compositions, but I think with some rewriting, maybe it could have been a little better.
Betty Everett & Jerry Butler's 'Smile'
00:09:34
Speaker
But it had some promise. You know, there are some bits of it that I like. The guitar figure that you're talking about, that reminds me of the sort of thing that Curtis would do himself in the future. I loved that. yeah And some of the lyrics definitely had elements of Curtis in there, but like you said, it needed a clean of the lyrics. The arrangement, it's almost like Bill Sheppard, the producer, had gone back to what he was doing in the mid to late 50s with the backing arrangement,
00:10:03
Speaker
where if Curtis had had produced it himself, he might have probably taken what there was in that guitar figure and worked from that and worked it up to something that was a bit more of the time. agreed At number 79, Smile by Betty Everett and Jerry Butler. This is an old tune. It was written by Charlie Chaplin.
00:10:25
Speaker
for his film Modern Times. The lyrics were written by John Turner and Jeffrey Parsons in 1954, which is when the song was given this title. This is a lovely version of a lovely tune. Slightly dramatic strings. Both leads are singing very well. Slightly sparse backing with the piano and drums until the horns come in. Good arrangement, but maybe not the best recording. The strings in the back half are both somewhat overdone.
00:10:55
Speaker
and not recorded well, but that still doesn't hurt the record too much.
00:11:25
Speaker
Jerry Butler, we've seen him many, many times. Great, great singer. Although I felt like here he was trying to sound a little like Nat King Cole at times. I don't know what it was. I mean, he was trying to sound a little more middle of the road here. Betty Everett adding her own bit of soul here. I didn't love the muted horns on this. I thought it sounded a little corny at times for such a gorgeous song. I would have liked a little more of a simple arrangement.
00:11:55
Speaker
a little overdone at times. You know, as I said, a little on the corny side, maybe venturing in a little Lawrence Welk territory. I would have liked something more subdued, focusing more on their voices. This is an interesting cover. I just think it could have been a better recording overall. So, Marv, what did you think?
00:12:15
Speaker
Yeah, bits of the arrangement I probably liked, but most of it I wasn't really that sure of. And I thought that Betty Everett was overall better, unusually enough. And I think it's because Jerry Butler was trying something different with his voice. I think Betty Everett stood out more than he did, to be quite honest. Yeah, yeah, it just didn't sound exactly like him.
00:12:36
Speaker
Kind of weird. And of course, Michael Jackson famously covered this song years later for his greatest hits collection in the mid 90s. Yeah. The interesting thing about that Michael Jackson cover is that Michael had wanted it out as a single and they actually pressed up promo copies. Then all of a sudden it never came out. Do you have any idea why that was the case, Kit?
00:13:00
Speaker
I don't. I never understood why they didn't. He was a huge Charlie Chaplin fan. And there were, in fact, photos. It was a professional photo shoot of him dressed up like Charlie Chaplin. And Michael Jackson's just a huge fan of him and not only his comedic style, but how he moved and it was almost part of his dance ah style. So you he felt very strongly about that song. I don't know why that was stopped as a single, but yes, it was part of history or his story. The collection from 95, and it's a beautiful version, really shows what a great singer Michael was. A lovely, lovely version. The video of him doing it is beautiful as well, where he's just him at the piano and singing along to his own piano, which really sounds nice.
00:13:53
Speaker
Yeah, it really does. Yeah, as I said, he felt a very strong connection to that song. And of course, Nat King Cole recorded it. Natalie Cole did a nice version of it, too, on her 91 album. Many beautiful recordings of it. Charlie Chaplin, wow, what a composer. And there's a nominal Beatles connection in as much as the flip side of this record was a cover of Love is Strange, one which Paul McCartney would also cover.
00:14:19
Speaker
Yes, indeed. Cashbox. In their review of Love is Strange, we just have to read a brief section here. It features the infectious Cha-Cha beat return. So there's Cha-Cha beat again. Is it a Raka-Cha-Cha? No, unfortunately not, but... Damn. All right.
Parody in 'Leader of the Laundromat'
00:14:38
Speaker
At number 80, it's Weird Al 1964, the leader of the laundromat by the detergents. You're overselling this.
00:14:49
Speaker
This is actually a cute parody of Leader of the Pack. Guys doing the chatty. Is he really going out with her dialogue? And yeah, it gets a little bit disgusting, but I still kind of like it and I still kind of find it funny in a juvenile fashion. But the legal wranglings ended up causing this record to disappear. This record would go as high as number 19 on the Billboard singles chart.
00:15:16
Speaker
and the songwriting team behind Leader of the Pack sued the detergents for copyright infringement, they received royalties, and they settled out of court. of course they did of course Despite the legal wranglings, band members Ron Dante, Danny Jordan, and Tommy Wynn would tour together as the detergents for another two years. Dante went on to sing lead vocals for the novelty group, The Archies, and his lead is the one that you can hear on Sugar Sugar, a contribution that was unacknowledged at the time thanks to the group's association with the comic strip characters. A better song.
00:15:54
Speaker
Yeah, I couldn't believe Ranjante was part of this group. Dang it!
00:16:47
Speaker
I think Weird Al would have done a much better job with this. I mean, it was wildly amusing to me, but what was with the dang it line? Yes. That was weird. This must have been listeners out there who were record buyers in 64. If you could explain this, I'd love to know. It must have been a joke at the time because they kept saying dang it all the time. I mean, I know what dang it means, but I mean, it was Clearly some joke of the time. Dang it.
00:17:30
Speaker
Dang Dang it. Because they kept saying it. Because I'm like, I don't get it. I'm going to keep using it from now on though. Yep. It just was used so deliberately and repeatedly that there was something going on there. Definitely a product of its time. course Of course, a response record, I understand that, but it was okay. I maybe didn't find it quite as funny. I mean, I just felt like it there could have been a much better parody done. Agreed. I think our supercut was probably funnier than this record. Exactly. I still find the charms in this a little bit. I don't know. It escaped me.
00:18:09
Speaker
Marv, dang it. Dang it. Can I have my twin tub back, please? Because I'll go back to washing with that. um Not as funny as they think it is. And I don't think it's as funny as Ed thinks it is either, obviously. Fair enough. All right. I'm glad we're back to at least nominally disagreeing after last month, where we agreed on pretty much everything.
00:18:30
Speaker
Exactly. yep We're not going to disagree on the next couple of records though. No. At number 81, we're only going to mention this briefly, Hawaii Tattoo by the Waikiki's. We mention it because we mentioned Burl Eyes and the coming of Hawaiian music. Here's another record of the Hawaiian style, but it starts with taps. What's the deal with that?
00:19:25
Speaker
This was actually a big record. It was recorded in Belgium in 1961 and spent two months in the Belgian charts. It then went on to become a huge hit in Germany, spending 37 weeks in the top 10 and also would reach the top 50 in the US, Canada, and the UK. So when the Beatles were in Germany, I'm sure they heard this record.
00:19:49
Speaker
Yeah. Wonder if they played it in concert. I mean, this was such a huge record while they were there. Maybe they had requests for it. Who knows? Yeah. but Maybe all the Beatles left the stage and just said, Paul, you can do this one on your own.
00:20:05
Speaker
But yep. Ongoing popularity of Hawaiian music. And it was a German composition. How about that? And yeah, what's with the taps? That was weird. Don't forget guys, Germany, the country that's had numerous top 10 hits by David Hasselhoff. That's right. Proves my old theory, Germans love David Hasselhoff. At number 87, a record which we are very definitely putting into the worst of 64, Party Girl by Tommy
Tommy Roe's 'Party Girl' Criticism
00:20:35
Speaker
Rowe. And we we, I won't say love, we like Tommy Rowe, but this record, ick.
00:20:41
Speaker
a second-rate Paul Anka lead vocal, a terrible, slightly Spanish-style acoustic guitar, just dreadful lyrics. The backing is also very bad. The lyrics include the line, instead of the bossa nova, you'll be learning how to cook. Ugh, ick, ick, ick. To say the song hasn't aged well is putting it mildly.
00:21:44
Speaker
Yeah, just a little fun pop song with a healthy dose of misogyny. Just the beginning. Dance your last dance, party girl, party girl. Help yourself up. Time, party girl. Because when this party's through, I've got plans for you. So just dance your last dance, party girl. That alone sounds ominous. And then I realize there's 50 guys that you've got on a string, but I'm going to change all that when I show you this diamond ring.
00:22:11
Speaker
You'll forget that singing band when you hear those choir boys sing. You're going to trade your dancing shoes for apron strings and things. And then later on, you'll laugh like it's just a game, like they say in storybooks, tigers can be tamed. And then the line about learning how to crook. What that reminds me of is you remember the Spielberg film, I Want to Hold Your Hand.
00:22:37
Speaker
There's that character in there who is getting married and after she sneaks into the Beatles hotel room, her boyfriend comes to collect her and starts lecturing her on, ah we we can't be wasting money and we can't be spending time on all these silly things. And she just sort of looks at him and says, no, you know what I want? I want the Beatles.
00:22:58
Speaker
And she takes off the ring and throws it back at him and and gets out of the taxi and goes into the Sullivan Theater. It's like, you get them, girl. That's what this song makes me think of. Yep. You go, girl. Girl power. Absolutely. What a horrible song. Wow. Just terrible. You know a man wrote this. No woman had write this. A man who was stuck in the past.
00:23:24
Speaker
That's for sure. Wow. Guys, they could vote at this time. Yep. Is that scary or what? Yep. Attempting to be upbeat with a song that's got lyrics that are more sexist than quite a number of um sitcoms of the day.
00:23:43
Speaker
Yeah, I think this would go on the list of worst of 1964, the compilation. Yeah, the gentlemen who wrote Party Girl were Buddy Buell and William Gilmour, just for your information. There you go. Shame on them. Go and slap yourself with the wet fish.
00:24:00
Speaker
That's right. Okay, at number 88, a better song, although maybe not a great song. Sometimes I wonder by good old Major Lance. This is another Curtis Mayfield song. Very heavy echo. It's a very good lead vocal and good horns. However, the pitch on the violin seems to go in and out.
00:24:50
Speaker
I like it. I don't love it. I agree. I mean this is another Curtis Mayfield, another one that I would say not quite as obvious a Curtis Mayfield sound. I'd say definitely not in a league with And, you know, some interesting Latin change percussion. I did like that. And that's a bit of a Curtis Mayfield trademark. I just felt like it wasn't enough of a showcase for Lance's smooth vocals. And I felt like this didn't really highlight them enough and just didn't really go anywhere. It just was okay. Not one of his greatest songs and not one of Curtis's strongest tracks.
00:25:29
Speaker
I can hear Curtis in the background. Upbeat number that could do without the orchestra in there at all. Take the orchestra out, keep the other instruments in there and build up on that side of the soul. And it would be much better as a song because Major's voice, when you can hear it without all the orchestration in the way, is really good. yeah ah Agreed.
The Animals' 'Boom Boom' Cover
00:25:54
Speaker
At number 89, Boom Boom by The Animals. Yes, this is that song, the John Lee Hooker song. Better known to us probably from the Blues Brothers and the ZZ Top versions of the song. This version from The Animals is close in arrangement to the John Lee Hooker original. Perhaps it has a bit more organ. It's a good enough cover, but I do very definitely prefer the original. And there's
00:26:19
Speaker
a weird little nod to twist and shout when they do the shake it up baby thing. Yeah. That's true. That was a little bit of a weird touch, but I overall liked it.
00:27:00
Speaker
I agree the original is better, but I did like it. I liked the organ. This was good organ, particularly I liked the solo.
00:27:43
Speaker
Solid lead vocal, as always, from Eric Burden. You know, this definitely gives it more of a rock treatment, but still keeps the bluesy roots. And I like the baseline of this too. Really nice. I like this version. I mean, again,
00:27:59
Speaker
doesn't replace the original for sure. And Cashbox described it as a rousing salute to the apple of a guy's eye that's exciting, funky styled, and a great swinger. They call it dated, but I think they mean that in a positive way. I don't understand what they mean by that. Yeah, I don't get that either.
00:28:19
Speaker
Decent cover version with Eric and the guys giving it a good bluesy turn, but nothing more better than the John Lee Hooker version of it. But it's a dang good try. I've got dang in there. Dang it. This one we do agree with. It's at least a pretty good record, if not the original. I have to give it up to ZZ Top.
00:29:13
Speaker
They give it all they're loving At number 95, Talk To Me Baby by Berryman. Good drums, okay backing. I like the hand claps. It's not a bad song, but Berryman has decided to adopt Frank Ifield's yodel. To quote the back page, it's not gonna sell, take it off.
00:29:37
Speaker
Yeah, that yodeling was so annoying. I feel like maybe it was as old to Frank Eiffel, but I also think he was trying to force some kind of hook or mimic the Beach Boys in a way, like trying to do a kind of a falsetto or something, make it memorable somehow. Boy, it doesn't work. It really doesn't work. yeah Otherwise, it's pretty cookie cutter, early 1960s pop.
00:30:28
Speaker
Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil as just kind of factory produced early 60s pop. Yeah, it's not even where have you been all my life. Exactly. That in and of itself is not even the greatest man in Wild Song. Yep, of course Beals covered it, but, you know, he was trying to do something to make it memorable and he did in all the wrong ways. I'm into something good with lesser lyrics and a lesser performance. Yep. I thought it did actually sound a bit like the music to I'm into something good in some bits. Hmm. Interesting. I'll have to listen to that again.
00:31:17
Speaker
At number 96 Endless Sleep by Hank Williams Jr. It's another teen tragedy song, but this one is from 1957. Marty Wilde had a hit with this in the UK in 1958.
00:31:30
Speaker
It's actually got a bit of a nice country feel from Hank Jr., but the song itself is really only a trifle. I like the backing singers. They're kind of Jordan-er's light. The lyrics describe a fight a guy has with his girlfriend and the girl runs out to the sea and drowns. However, the label didn't like that end.
00:31:52
Speaker
So they convinced the songwriter to add an additional verse where the guilt-ridden guy runs after her and rescues the girl from her endless sleep. Ugh, okay.
00:32:03
Speaker
Yeah, what's interesting is it dates back, as you said, to 1958. And it was written and sung by Jody Reynolds. It was a one hit wonder written by him while he was living and working in Yuma, Arizona. And it came to him after he played Elvis's Heartbreak Hotel on a jukebox five times in a row. This is one of the first singles released by Hank Williams, Jr. and I think it's a pretty dreary song. He performs it okay. He kind of does his best Elvis impression on this. I mean, he gives it an Elvis feel. And after I read that it was inspired by Heartbreak Hotel, the original composition, I thought, oh, okay. That explains why it has an Elvis feel.
00:33:21
Speaker
It's okay. And the Jordaners sing background. Oh, that is the Jordaners. So it's not the Jordaners light. It's actually the Jordaners. It's actually the Jordaners. So that even sounds more Elvis like. And this would be covered other times by other artists, including the Judds. So.
00:33:39
Speaker
Murph? A workman-like take on the song. That's what I thought of it. It's a country version. He's doing a version of it, but I thought I've heard better versions of the song. It's a depressing song. Yes, it is. At number 97, Pretend You Don't See Her by Bobby V.
Bobby V's 'Pretend You Don't See Her' Analysis
00:34:00
Speaker
ah All I've got to say is Tanka Tanka, Lawrence Welk, Walter's background singer's back again.
00:34:07
Speaker
and The lyric, which means something very different today, smile and pretend to be gay. That's all I've got to say. Yeah. ah Well, you know who the songwriter was? Steve Allen.
00:34:23
Speaker
The Steve Allen. He wrote this. Chin up. It looks you start to fall.
00:34:59
Speaker
It's not wonderful, wonderful, that's for sure. I did not like the flutes and the descending lines. It also sounded particularly the way Bobby B performed this. It was like a third rate Johnny Mathis ballad. I just did not care for this at all. I don't know what Steve Allen was thinking of. The same man who wrote, this could be the start of something big.
00:35:22
Speaker
You wrote this? Yikes. We got a lot of at least decent artists doing terrible songs this month. ah Exactly. This was not a stellar month. Mark? All I've got to say is I wish I could pretend that I'd not heard of this. And that's as much as I'm saying.
00:35:39
Speaker
At number 98, Fiddler on the Roof by the Village Stompers. I still don't get the Village Stompers. This record is recorded well. I actually like the sound of the horns making it listenable, but a Dixieland version of Fiddler is just plain wrong. Sorry, Tevye. Oh, copied my note.
00:36:23
Speaker
It is really weird to hear Fiddler on the Roof done Dixieland style. That is really bizarre. Doing Hello Dolly in a New Orleans style, that worked. But this just sounds strange. Very odd. And also it was a great Dixieland. This was a miss for me.
00:36:43
Speaker
Okay, so there's this superb musical with some great songs called Fiddler on the Roof. So why not attempt to do a Dixieland version of this song that Hans Sarkov himself did much better? Our sixth straight Miss In A Row is coming up at number 99, Rome Will Never Leave You by Richard Chamberlain. ah Well, Richard Chamberlain is singing, but this still feels to me like Ringo because he's kind of doing the talky thing, but they have moved the scenery from the Old West to
Richard Chamberlain's Musical Impact
00:37:16
Speaker
Rome. The backing really feels karaoke-like. The singers are way too far up in the mix and overdone. Golden throat territory, but at least it's better than the flip where he does sing, you always hurt the one you love.
00:37:29
Speaker
Hmm, my goodness. Well, this was featured in a three episode series of the Dr. Kildare TV show. And this three episode series aired on November 12th, 19th and 26th of 1964. And this song, The Roam Will Never Leave You, was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, believe it or not. Wow. Yep.
00:38:22
Speaker
Definitely not want to backracking David's best. Richard Chamberlain's an okay singer. He gets by, and as you said, backing singers way up in the mix, way over range, and maybe that's for a reason. I don't see this being a big hit. Take it off.
00:38:40
Speaker
Out you go. I can't say any more than you both have said. Well, we do have a Dr. Kildare Beatles connection, which is really the only reason we mentioned this song in the charts this month. Well, the Backrack David, I guess, would have lent us to that conclusion as well. During the 1964 tour, we have an observation that the Beatles were sitting in their hotel room. I believe this was in San Francisco. They are totally oblivious to the mob and to the honks and flunks of other liver puddly and rock and rollers warming up down the hall. They just sat there sipping scotch from paper cups and watching the episode of Dr. Kildare on the telly. So they were fans.
00:39:23
Speaker
Oh yeah, great actor, not singer. Very good in Shogun. Yeah, Shogun, very good. At number 100, I Don't Want to Walk Without You by Phyllis McGuire. An old song, a song which was first published in 1941 and the music was written by our old friend Julie Stein with lyrics by Frank Lesser. Phyllis McGuire has a strong voice. The backing is not to my taste. However, this is a decent record and I guess if you like this type of music, it's okay.
00:39:55
Speaker
Come back for your break my heart
00:40:23
Speaker
I really like this song. I don't like this version. She's got a ah good voice. We're from the McGuire sisters, a huge act. But I just didn't like this recording. Way too many backing singers. Holy cow. I mean, it sounded like they had like a choir behind her. Why that many? And it sounded like they had an orchestra. I don't understand why they needed that much behind her. The version that I'm most familiar with is the Barry Manilow one. I think it was from like 79 and I really thought his version was the best. I thought his sounded like it could have been for Broadway or something. His vocal was really strong and punchy and I thought his was really well-arranged and later when I looked it up, no wonder Nelson Riddle did it.
00:41:32
Speaker
To me, his version is definitive. And I'm not like Barry Manilow's number one fan, but that one I really liked. To me, that's the gold standard. but I've always liked this song, but this version to me is not strong.
00:41:48
Speaker
Yep. Paging the Andre Crouch singers to go there and show them how to do a better backing vocal arrangement that doesn't swamp the lead singer. Agreed. And again, we mentioned this song because Phyllis McGuire was once a member of the McGuire sisters, although I guess she was still one of the McGuire sisters at this point in time, just not in the group called the McGuire sisters. The McGuire sisters recorded the original version of Sugar Time, which was a favorite of Linda McCartney.
00:42:17
Speaker
and Linda would eventually cover it with wings with the version appearing on her wide Prairie album.
00:42:32
Speaker
Alright, so that ends the first week of December, and we have an announcement, we have our first Patreon!
Introducing Patreon Supporter Kevin Lark
00:42:40
Speaker
Tell us who it is Marv! Woohoo! So thank you to Kevin Lark, who has become our first Patreon, and well, he can now look forward to all these great things that Ed's going to tell you that you can get for that $6 per month.
00:42:58
Speaker
Well, for $6 per month, you will get mentioned in a spot just like Kevin was here. You will also have access to our bonus features. We currently have two bonus features up an hour long interview with Shell Talmy. Yes. Who we just lost. And so that may well be one of the final interviews with Shell Talmy. Yes.
00:43:21
Speaker
Very possible, yes. Which is strange because he was very alert when we were speaking with him. Yeah. And his memory seemed very good. yeah And then our other feature that is up right now is a review of the Beatles Australian tour, particularly Jimmy Nickel, with the man behind The Beetle Who Vanished. Jim Birkenstadt.
00:43:43
Speaker
We are efforting to have some other guests join us and we will be recording more Patreon material real soon. You can go to Patreon and search for Toppermost Podcast. All right, on to the charts. We move to the second week in December, the week of December the 12th. We start with at number one mr lonely by bobby vinton that got to number one yes it did oh boy number two we've got she's not there by the zombies which we've already covered in the uk uh number four we've got come see about me by the supreme's which we covered in the us uh i feel fine at number five by the beatles which we've already covered
00:44:44
Speaker
Thank you Beatles, that was marvellous as always. Great to have you with us and we look forward to your return visit in a few weeks time. Number six, time is on my side by the Rolling Stones, which we've already covered as well. Number seven, you really got me by the Kinks, which we've covered. And at 29, she's a woman by the Beatles.
00:45:16
Speaker
That then takes us down to number 70, You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You by Dean Martin. This is a popular song written by Russ Morgan, Larry Stock and James Cavanaugh published in 1944. This version is good enough. This is a very loungey version. It's a nice vocal from Dean, but I don't want to listen to this. I actually prefer the Sinatra, Connie Francis, or even the Michael Bublé versions.
00:45:43
Speaker
You know, normally I'm not the biggest Dean Martin fan, but this version I do like in terms of the backing. You know, it's conducted by Nelson Riddle. It swings. It's very strange because the version by Nelson Riddle, that's down as 1960 recording.
00:46:29
Speaker
And then he did another recording in 64, apparently, that's different.
00:47:09
Speaker
I love the Nelson Riddle version of this. I certainly like it a lot more than the rerecord. Oh, so this is not the Nelson Riddle version? There's like guitar and some other bits in a rerecording that he made about in 1964 or so. Oh, I may have listened to the wrong version. Okay. I think I listened to the Nelson Riddle version. The Riddle version is slightly less slurry Dean. The 64 version is much more you not quite all the way but it's it' slightly more into the he may have actually been drunk when he was singing it. Okay I listen to the other version. Yeah the Nelson riddle version is super okay that's what I heard.
00:47:48
Speaker
In comparison, the the version from 64, like Ed said, it sounds like he's actually been drinking. yeah Yikes. before carry it It's almost as though it was a case of him drinking and going, really? I've already done a great version of this. Why have I got to do it again? Oh, yikes. Okay. I listened to the earlier version. version Sorry about that. That's too bad that he rerecorded. it Exactly. Why?
00:48:12
Speaker
Well, I mean, you know, that's just what they did. I mean, as you know, with Tony Bennett, who keeps rerecording a number of songs? That's very true. Yeah. And then Gold, Blue, IZ, do it numerous times with songs as well. Yep, that's true. At number 77. And apparently we're going to have some controversy on this one.
Praise for 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin''
00:48:30
Speaker
You've lost that love and feeling by the righteous brothers. This is to me a really nice tune. This is Spectre at the height of his powers. Solid backing.
00:48:40
Speaker
which is thicker than pea soup, but that's okay. The deep vocal Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield really just float over the production. Everything works. It's a bit of a turn to be my baby territory, but to me, this is unique enough to work.
00:48:54
Speaker
Yeah, I agree and I think that middle eight is one of the most exciting moments of the record where most of the music drops out and starts building up again. Puppy's voice in that bit. Both of their voices, they start building from lower volume and then they just build up an intensity and they trade lines before the swell of the music comes back in and they're trading out.
00:50:02
Speaker
That's craft. You're hanging in suspense. I mean, the emotion just explodes when the music comes back in. The whole song's great, but that moment is just pure craftsmanship to build up the intensity and the emotion of the record. That's intentionality. That's Phil Spector at his best, I think, and what voices they had.
00:50:27
Speaker
Wow. Just incredible together and apart. Just an emotional and technical range. Marv? I'm worried now. That's all right. That's all right. We'll still be friends.
00:50:41
Speaker
ah Right. It starts good, what I'm about to say, and then it goes into the bit where I'm going to get placed into stocks and have tomatoes. That's all right.
00:51:17
Speaker
A classic song that is better than the production. I love Bobby's voice in that middle eight, working in with Bill's lead vocal, Bobby's harmony in there. baby Baby, when I get down on my knees to you and all that is superb. Really good where it pulls back there.
00:51:33
Speaker
and that sounds great and the backing vocalist worked really well in there as well and then you got the fade out ending which I have an issue with fade out sometimes. I love what the musicians are doing but it's almost like there's two singers in front of you Singing to musicians that are at the bottom of a 2000 foot deep ravine with the echo of the ravine. So the music is there in the background with these great singing. The musicians are doing great things, but sometimes the whole wall of sound thing niggles me because I can't hear everything separately. I totally get it and normally I feel like that about Phil Spector. I totally get what you're saying that at times he overdoes it and it can sound like a mess. I totally get what you're saying and I used to feel that way about this record. At times I thought oh boy that echo really... is overdone. But over the years as I've listened to this and particularly that middle eight, you know he's doing this to create a feeling and emotion and I've kind of come to appreciate it. Not on everything he does. well Some of the records we've talked about on this show, I thought, yeah, that's way overdone.
00:52:47
Speaker
But on this one, I feel like there's some intentionality there. And so this one, I'll cut him some slack. But I totally get what you're saying, because I feel like that on some of his other productions. Well, if you agree with Marv, then stay tuned for the supercut. You can hear everything on most of these versions in the supercut, can't you, Marv? Boy, can you ever.
00:53:11
Speaker
It starts out with a really nice version from Glenn Campbell and Leon Russell in 1983, just a straight acoustic version with the two of them together. I love that version. Some of the other versions, some of which are featured in the Supercut, some of which are not. The Zodiacs did a cover. Pat Boone did a cover. The Pat Boone version is not in the Supercut. Johnny Rivers did a cover, which is in the Supercut. Long John Baldry did a version of this song.
00:53:41
Speaker
Oh, wow. Which is also in the supercut. George Hamilton, Gene Pitney, Gladys Knight and the Pips. Don Ho did a version which I couldn't find. Dionne Warwick did a version. Barbara McNair did a version. Tom Jones did a version. Elvis did a version. Delaney and Bonnie did a version. Bill Medley did a version. Roger Whitaker did a version. There's a live version from the Osmonds in 1972. We have to include the Osmonds in a supercut.
00:54:11
Speaker
ah Wow. Yeah, it's a prerequisite. Not included, but it does exist, is a cover from Telly Savalas in 1974. Johnny and Edgar Winter covered it. Martha Reeves covered it, since we just had him Martha Reeves in the Vandalas tune not too long ago. Kenny Rogers and Dottie West covered it. Sean Cassidy covered it. Wayne Newton covered it. Darrell Hall and John Oates covered it. I know that version very well. Lou Rawls covered it.
00:54:40
Speaker
George's favorite, Timmy Euro covered it. Paul Young and Phil Collins covered it. Neil Diamond and Dolly Parton together covered it. oh And it was covered in the film Top Gun. So you'll get Tom Cruise covering it. There are a couple hundred different versions, a number of which can be found in the supercut. Very cool. Remember this session. Two 35 days. Phil Spector.
00:55:11
Speaker
Mm-hmm. You sang sing lead in the bridge. Okay. Tell this is impromptu. Let's do it in B-flat, guys. You pra guys probably know this song.
00:56:16
Speaker
Oh
00:59:28
Speaker
We move on to a song that, I don't know, does Marv like it
Gerry and the Pacemakers' Single Discussion
00:59:32
Speaker
better? At number 81, I'll Be There by Jerry and the Pacemakers. It's a cover of a Bobby Darin record. The Pacemakers used to end their sets at the Cavern with this 1960 tune.
00:59:44
Speaker
This version nicely sung. George Martin does well with the arrangement in the production. I like the piano, but it's still an odd choice for a pacemaker single, I think. This song would peak at number 14 and be the pacemaker's final Billboard top 20 single. Wow. I agree. Odd choice for a single. I don't love the song. And I did listen to the Bobby Darin original. Not crazy about that version either. But what a weed vocal from Jerry.
01:00:48
Speaker
I love his lead vocal. I mean, he was such a sincere, honest vocalist. And you can feel his emotion in every word. That saves the record. I just love his voice on this. Really underrated vocalist. Kind of a so-so song, but his vocals save it for me. A fairly straightforward cover of the Bobby Darin original.
01:01:15
Speaker
Jerry's voice is great, but more of a album track if I'm being nice yeah about it. I could see it as a closer at the cavern though. Yes. ah Agreed. Yeah. You can all go into bed now. I do like the George Martin production on it. And we have a review from Cashbox. They call this an ear pleasing soft beat cha-cha ride. Find, stream fill the company man. More cha-cha. Cha-cha.
01:01:45
Speaker
You know, those people at Cashbox must have been dancing beasts at discos. They like this cha-cha, don't they? Oh, man. At number 85, Megan Whoopi by Ray Charles. Great vocal and piano from Ray. This version was recorded live at the Shrine Auditorium in LA.
01:02:04
Speaker
It's a good version and I like the crowd interaction, particularly because we've had so many fake live. This is definitely a real honest-to-goodness live version
Ray Charles' 'Makin' Whoopee' Performance
01:02:14
Speaker
of the tune. It's worth a listen and would reach the top 20 in the R and&B charts, but it probably deserves to be just a footnote in Ray's career. True, but it's fun. I enjoyed it. It's as good as I thought it would be.
01:02:57
Speaker
Love Ray's piano playing on this. It's jazz and blues combined. As you said, Ed, this is really live. You can tell the way he's singing. I mean, he's singing with a wink in his voice, and you can hear it, and he's having fun interacting with the audience. He's just hilarious. You can just hear the naughtiness in his voice. It's really naughty, and I love it. It's a lot of fun.
01:03:25
Speaker
Definitely worth a listen. Tongue firmly in cheek and you can hear how much fun he's having with it. Cashbox gives a downright respectful review as they describe this as the old sentimental evergreen given an exciting, soulful, funky reading by the chanter. The only word that doesn't fit there is the last one, chanter. Ray Charles is a chanter? Chad is what they're saying. That's weird.
01:03:56
Speaker
At number 86, come on do the jerk by the miracles. ah Oh boy. oh This is just another dance record. Smokey's laughing through it. However, despite the pretty good backing, it barely manages to light a spark and even whatever heat it generates quickly fades. Waste of everybody's talent.
01:04:18
Speaker
Yep, exactly. And, unfortunately, not the only instance of a song this month where we're going to be talking about this dance craze.
01:04:49
Speaker
It's really kind of a flat recording. And they had done other great dance records. I mean, Mickey's Monkey. And then, of course, the far superior dance record they would do in 65, Going to a Go-Go. That's an awesome song. I love that. I just think this one is just flat, kind of perfunctory sounding. It's just not very catchy. It's not something I would come back to. It's just, come on, do the jerk. I mean, they just repeat it.
01:05:19
Speaker
and over and over. You won't find this on many compilations and there's a good reason. You know, it's kind of amazing that Smokey was on fire in 64 with great records that he was writing for other people, not writing great material for himself and the group. Yep. ah Four people sit in the writing room are told to write a song that follows a scene as opposed to what Motown do the best, which is to create a scene.
01:05:48
Speaker
You want a good jerk record, listen to the capital's cool jerk. That's the best. Yep. Or watch ah Steve Martin. Our friends over at Motown Junkies agree with us. They give this record a three out of 10, describe it as wafer thin and surprisingly ill suited to its lead singer. Even Smokey isn't taking this seriously. So there's really no reason we should bother. I agree with Motown Junkies on this. We don't always agree with them, but spot on.
01:06:17
Speaker
I might go one less and give it two out of ten instead of three that they gave him. at number eighty nine we haven't had a chicago references month have we kit no so we get both a chicago and a houston reference in these same records at number eighty nine promise land by chuck berry which was recorded at Chess Studios in Chicago. Good guitar. Chuck has some life in his vocal. It's not top-notch Chuck Berry, but I really like this record, and not just because of the lyrics. The lyrics include the ride and cross Mississippi clean, and I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham, smoking into New Orleans. Somebody helped me get out of Louisiana, just helped me get to Houston town. There are people there who care a little about me,
01:07:06
Speaker
and they won't let the poor boy down. The Eagles would repeat that rhyme in the long run. So, what? Alright. Oh wow, I forgot about that.
01:07:34
Speaker
Help me get out of Louisiana Just help me get to Houston Town
01:07:50
Speaker
Not top tier Chuck Berry, but very good. Clever lyric, some furious guitar playing from Chuck on this. Really love his guitar. He actually wrote this while he was in jail for violating the Mann Act. He borrowed an Atlas from the prison library. to plot the itinerary. As you mentioned, he was referring to himself as the poor boy and telling of his journey traveling from Norfolk, Virginia to the Promised Land, which was Los Angeles, you know, mentioning the different Southern states on his journey. classic, clever Chuck Berry lyrics. Just a lot of fun to listen to. And as I said, I really like his guitar playing on this track. I mean, he just seems to have some fire back in him. And it even starts like Johnny B. Goode, the same riff. And as I said, not ranked among my all-time favorite Chuck Berry tracks, but it's a great track and classic example of what a clever lyricist he was.
01:08:54
Speaker
Chuck having fun lyrically with a tale about an American road trip. It's Chuck Berry's answer to Kerouac's On The Road, then, I guess. Good rock and roll romp that has been covered so many times. Elvis Presley, Meatloaf did a good version of it off the top of my head. Although we're not going to get a super cut of it. Sorry. ah This would be Chuck Berry's final significant hit single of the 1960s. And as Marv mentions, Elvis would record a cover version and would take it to the top 15 in 1974. This record would peak at number 35 in Cashbox, number 41 in Billboard, and number 42 in record one. All right, a song which we have mentioned before. So Marv has now actually heard this song.
01:09:39
Speaker
At number 90 is the Return of Shirley Ellis with the name game.
Impact of 'The Name Game'
01:09:44
Speaker
This was certainly a staple of both kids' childhood and mine. Listening to it as a record, it's actually a fun record. It's repetitive, but it is cashier than heck and the horns carry you along nicely. Cashbox described it as a novelty gimmick rocker that could start a fad that could catch on quickly with the kids. Well, guess what it did?
01:10:06
Speaker
Yep, it sure
01:10:38
Speaker
I can't really listen to it now because it's kind of annoying. But yeah, I mean, it's a novelty record. It's one that every kid in America is obviously is familiar with. You can sing along with it. And for kids, it's fun to play along with. This was huge back in its day. I think I like the nitty gritty better as a song, but she really sells it greatly vocal from her and, you know, really enthusiastic. And as you said, the horns are a nice touch. I wouldn't sit down and listen to this at length, but it's a party song. It's a party song for sure. That's what it's meant to be. And and it does the job. So Marv, what do you think your first experience with the name game?
01:11:22
Speaker
Like I said, it's a party song and I can see where, I'm guessing, inspiration would come to people like Jim Henson, maybe with Sesame Street songs and songs like that. Very true. It was okay, but I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it all the time. And we have to do it. Kit-kit, Bobit, BananaFanaFofit, Fifi-Momit-Kit. All right. Well done, that man. Kit, Kit, you you get to do Martin. Let's see, do I do Martin or Marv? I'm trying to decide which one would be best. As so long as you don't rhyme Martin with anything to do with breaking wind. Yeah, I know. That's the problem. Uh, let's see. Well, it's written there, Kit. Yeah, I know. I'm just sorry. Like, which one is better? Martin, Martin, Bo Barton, Banana. Do you see it's going to be Banana Man? Oh, Martin.
01:12:17
Speaker
Has he actually put Wharton in there? Yeah. He has. Yeah, see, ah maybe Marv is better. but Martin, Martin, Bo Barton, but no. See, this is going to be bad either way. Marv, Marv, Bo, Marv, Banana, Fana, Fofar, Fifi, Mo, Marv, Marv. Okay, that'll work. It's Mo Arv, actually. that You take the M off. See, it's been a long time since I've done this.
01:13:01
Speaker
Ad ad boba ad banana fauna fo fred fi fi mo mad ad. Okay, there you go. hey All right. Mard now knows how to play the name game. Very good, see? Welcome. Damn me. I need to sit down now. I would rather listen to the name game a hundred times in this next record, even though it is Henry Mancini and his orchestra. We've had several versions of Dearheart in the last few months. This one was Oscar-nominated, but it's a bad record. yeah And the choir just
01:13:34
Speaker
kills it. Oddly enough, I like the Henry Mancinian Andy Williams version, which comes close but doesn't quite completely redeem the song. It shows you just how lovely the tune is, and if you'll remember, Ringo dissed the Jack Jones version, which is still better than this version in his blind date. Yes.
01:14:06
Speaker
are near to one.
01:14:16
Speaker
This is not good. And we've talked about this song before. It was the theme to the 1964 movie, Dearheart. It was nominated for the Oscar for our Best Original Song. And it is no Moon River or the Pink Panther, the sappy arrangement, as you said, the backing singers. It just comes off more like background music and more like music. Really, really sappy, as you said. I'd rather listen to the name game than this.
01:14:46
Speaker
Yep. The sound it made was musak to my ears. Very good. Very good. Believe it or not, the name game is the best song of these last few that we've got here. It's true. Yep. And I'm not doing that again.
01:15:01
Speaker
At number 93, there'll come a day when every little, every Evie, apostrophe, R-Y, Little Bit Hurts by Bobby V. No, this is not the Brenda Holloway song, Every Little Bit Hurts. This was written by Ben Wiseman, who also co-written hit songs for other artists, including The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, written with Dorothy Wayne for Marilyn Garnett, and recorded by Bobby V.
01:15:26
Speaker
This is nowhere near that quality. This is a cheesy pop song, amateurish vocal from Bobby V. The backing is drums and strings, pleasant enough, but really unmemorable. And the backing vocals just feel like placeholders. Every little bit hurts.
01:15:55
Speaker
I didn't care for this. I didn't like the strings when sometimes they play these descending notes. ah It sounded like they were recreating sounds from like the circus to me.
01:16:07
Speaker
And that kind of sound to me that really got on my nerves. Bobby V was singing these sliding notes, which I didn't care for. Definitely not in a week with the night is a thousand eyes. I just didn't care for this at all. Churning out more of the same sort of dress that he's been churning out for a while now.
01:16:29
Speaker
Yep. Nicely summarized. There we go. Closing out this week on the Billboard charts. Oh boy. Uh, number 100, my buddy seat by the Hundells. Uh, well, this shows all the ways that a Beach Boys influence song can go wrong. And this is on a tune co-written by Brian Wilson. This is a mediocre record with just enough charm to keep it from being terrible. A miss.
01:17:23
Speaker
I share your sounding shocked and stunned that this was written by Brian Wilson. Oh, man. And he's on backing vocals, too. I thought the lyrics were unintentionally hilarious. I like that they're using the metaphor of get on my buddy's seat. This motorbike just isn't the same without you on my buddy's seat. Really? This is supposed to be a romantic metaphor?
01:17:51
Speaker
I was like, give me a break! Yeah, third rate Beach Boys. The harmonies weren't that great about these lures. It needs you here on my buddy's seat. Wrap your arms around my waist and we'll make it on down the street. We'll move all over the place. Yeah, jump on my buddy's seat and make this bike complete. Yikes!
01:18:14
Speaker
yeah Throw this into a sidecar and then while you're riding the motorcycle, detach the sidecar near an ocean so it can go and sink in the ocean.
01:18:27
Speaker
And we will give Cashbox the final word for this episode. You know, the more of these reviews we read, Cashbox is just not allowed to write a negative review. I guess not. No. You read their review of this record. Even they managed to be non-committal while still being at least nominally positive. They tell you what a buddy seat is. And then they just kind of say, well, this is a sensational teen beat performance by the group.
01:18:55
Speaker
There's no cha-cha in this. No cha-cha. Nothing exciting. It's a sensational teen beat performance by the group. That's all we have to say. I would have just said, this is a song.
01:19:08
Speaker
All right. Join us soon when we will look at the final two weeks of December, 1964. See you then. Take care, everyone.
Origin of 'Toppermost of the Poppermost'
01:19:35
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.
01:19:56
Speaker
They saw that. They must have seen that in either the NME 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? 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.