“Carolina In My Mind” (1970 reissue) #67 12/26/1970

We close out 1970! Another case of an artist changing labels, finding huge success, and the former label reissuing an older track. That happened to James Taylor. After moving to Warner Brothers and the career-defining “Fire And Rain,” his old label (Apple) re-released his first single. It charted a little higher this time around, but still didn’t do that well. James re-did the song in 1976; that version became most familiar.

“Paranoid”’ #61 12/26/1970

Most heavy metal bands had little interest in singles, and Black Sabbath was no exception. The title track from their second LP was their first US 45 and became a Top 5 single in the UK. Ozzy Osbourne and the guys may have pioneered what could be called sludge rock. Most of their material was plodding with dark lyrics (this being a bit of an exception), but there was a large audience for that.

“Morning” #47 (#4 Country) 12/26/1970

By now it seemed as though more and more country performers wanted that elusive crossover hit sound, as they used pop arrangements more frequently and took on formerly verboten subjects. This Top 5 country hit from Jim Ed Brown is very representative of that style. He was seeing some solo success after rising to stardom in the late 50’s with his sisters Maxine and Bonnie (“The Three Bells”).

“5-10-15-20-25-30 Years Of Love” #11 12/26/1970

Sometimes I have difficulty finding out a lot about the acts that show up here, especially with the one-hit wonders. But, this one hit by the Presidents (oddly enough, from Washington, DC) is a pretty good one. They were produced by Van McCoy, who would have a huge hit several years later in 1975 with “The Hustle.”

“One Less Bell To Answer” #2 12/26/1970

People tend to forget Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote this song, but not for the 5th Dimension. They had Keely Smith in mind (Louis Prima’s singing partner back in the day), but she never recorded it. Rosemary Clooney did the tune first; producer Bones Howe revived the track for 5D. A superb showcase for the Wrecking Crew and for Marilyn McCoo in particular.

“My Sweet Lord” #1 12/26/1970

The first solo #1 single from an ex-Beatle became a worldwide chart-topper for George Harrison. It dealt with his dedication to the Hare Krishna movement, with a slight nod to Judeo-Christian religions. He initially didn’t plan to release any singles from his triple-disc “All Things Must Pass” album; Phil Spector talked him into it. George had some high-powered help from Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and an all-star cast. Peter Frampton supposedly played lead guitar here. The almost absurd lawsuits over the song’s unintended similarity to the Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine” are well documented and would take hours to delve into. Google it if you like.

“Sleigh Ride” (Ronettes) 1963

Another enduring Christmas classic was this, a seasonal hit first done in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra. The lyrics were written in 1950. The definitive rock version came from the Ronettes off an album of holiday songs produced by Phil Spector. It had the misfortune of being issued the same day as the JFK assassination and was overlooked for a few years. But great songs always rise to the top, and in recent years that LP has received its due recognition.

We’re taking tomorrow off. Merry Christmas!

“The Christmas Song” (Nat King Cole)

There are only a select few Christmas songs that become timeless classics. Written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé in 1946, Nat King Cole recorded this on at least four separate occasions. The definitive version included here was from 1961. Nobody ever did it better than Mr. Cole - a classic. Chestnuts roasting in the microwave...

“Do It “ (1970) #36 12/19/1970

There were times when the battle between Neil Diamond and his former label, BANG Records, became almost comical in its pettiness. Almost every single Neil released on Uni Records was followed immediately by BANG releasing one of his older songs. This track was first done in 1966 as the B-side to “Solitary Man” and remixed in late 1970, and Diamond couldn’t legally prevent it from being issued. He got the rights to his older material in 1977.

“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (Neil Diamond) #20 12/19/1970

An outstanding song will always shine through no matter who sings it. Originally a smash for the Hollies (after Joe Cocker turned it down!), Neil Diamond’s version was also a Top 20 hit. He included this on his very bold “Tap Root Manuscript” album. It’s always interesting when a great songwriter records a tune that they didn’t write.

“Be My Baby” (Andy Kim) #17 12/19/1970

One of the most enduring hits of the girl group sound came from the Ronettes in 1963. The opening drum lick from Hal Blaine has been imitated like no other, as has Phil Spector’s “Wall Of Sound” production style. One of the better cover versions here came from Andy Kim. This was his last big hit until “Rock Me Gently” in 1974. Video is from Dutch TV - look for Mariska Veres from the group Shocking Blue in the clip.

“Stoned Love” #7 12/19/1970

The last Billboard Top 10 pop hit from the Supremes minus Diana Ross, though they had a few more hits on the soul charts. It was quite obvious Berry Gordy pushed Diana’s solo career at the expense of almost all other Motown acts, mainly the Supremes. Gordy was hellbent on moving his company to L.A. in order to break into other forms of entertainment. He finally did so in 1972. Video is from “Soul Train.”

“Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” #4 7/4/1964

SometImes a record resurfaces on the charts years after it was originally a hit. “Louie Louie” and “Wipe Out” fall into that category. For whatever reason, this British Invasion-era Gerry and the Pacemakers #4 single from the week of July 4, 1964 reappeared at #112 in the Bubbling Under section of the Billboard chart for a single week in 1970. I have no idea why, but I’m not passing up the chance to use it here.

“Carolina In My Mind” (Crystal Mansion) #73 12/12/1970

Not much is known about the group Crystal Mansion, who came from the Philly suburb of Mt. Laurel, NJ. They did this cover of a tune from James Taylor’s first album, and then kind of disappeared. Apparently they were in the mold of Rare Earth; at one point the band even recorded for the Motown group’s label.

“Who Needs Ya” #54 12/12/1970

The current Steppenwolf single. By now the band was experiencing personnel issues, notably with bassist Nick St. Nicholas. John Kay wanted to present a biker and leather vibe to the public, but ol’ Nick showed up for a gig at Fillmore East one night wearing nothing but rabbit ears and a jock strap. He would also wear kaftans and muumuus on stage - not quite the heavy metal image. He was soon fired.

"Don’t Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock N' Roll" #52 12/12/1970

After the unexpected success of “Evil Woman” the Minnesota-based group Crow tried and tried to follow up their one hit. This was as close as they got to doing so. Long John Baldry (Elton John’s mentor) had his own version a few months later. Like so many before and since, Crow ran into financial issues and soon broke up.

“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” #33 12/12/1970

This Neil Young song was all about then-bandmate Graham Nash and his breakup with Joni Mitchell. In happier days, the couple had been the subject of at least one previous CSN&Y tune (“Our House”). It seemed as though Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young just couldn’t coexist as a four-man group. They broke up countless times and regrouped in various forms over the next few years.

“After Midnight” (Eric Clapton) #18 12/12/1970

The debut solo single from guitar legend Eric Clapton, a more uptempo version of a J.J. Cale tune. Years later Clapton would perform a slower take in an ad for Michelob, which turned into one of the most successful commercials of the 1980’s. Cale was overjoyed to finally make some money from his songs. Leon Russell was on piano.

“The Tears Of A Clown” #1 12/12/1970

How many hit songs ever made a reference to Pagliacci? And how many featured a bassoon? This Smokey Robinson and the Miracles hit, their only pop #1 with Robinson in the lineup, was a buried album track...for three years. Finally Motown’s UK distributor, frustrated with a lack of Miracles product, got permission to issue this as a 45 and it reached #1 over there. Berry Gordy followed suit in America and got the same result. Smokey wrote the lyrics; Stevie Wonder and Henry Cosby the music.

“Wham!” #24 10/5/1963

Lonnie Mack followed up his instrumental version of “Memphis” with this rockin’ guitar tune in the fall of 1963. He was one of thousands whose careers were derailed by the British Invasion, however, and turned to session work like playing bass on the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues.” Lonnie was a performer whose contributions to rock music almost got lost, if not for his tremendously influential style.

“Memphis” (Lonnie Mack) #5 7/20/1963

Occasionally cover songs that barely sound like the originals become hits, too. Lonnie Mack was a blues/country guitarist in the Cincinnati area who drew upon those and many other influences to create a style that in turn influenced young guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Duane Allman. Lonnie owned and regularly played the seventh Gibson “Flying V” guitar ever made. He didn’t know the words to this Chuck Berry tune but sort of structured an instrumental around the basic melody and turned his version into a Top 5 hit in the summer of 1963.

“Samba Pa Ti”

An instrumental album track from Santana’s current #1 LP “Abraxas.” It was a hit single in other countries. Carlos Santana still performs this at his live shows. He said the idea came from hearing a sax being played outside his window one morning. The guy apparently couldn’t make up his mind whether to keep playing or take a drink from a liquor bottle in his back pocket.

“Where Have All Our Heroes Gone” #93 12/5/1970

Another pro-America country tune (mostly spoken word) that made the lower reaches of the Hot 100, this time from Bill Anderson. It was his 25th Top 20 country single, as Whispering Bill would continue his successful singing career into the late 70’s. Bill did OK as a songwriter, too, with songs like “City Lights,” “Once A Day” and “Saginaw, Michigan” being huge hits for Ray Price, Connie Smith and Lefty Frizzell.

“Share The Land” #10 12/5/1970

Another Top 10 single for the Guess Who. This one, however, did catch some flak from conservative groups in the US due to a perceived socialist or Communist message promoting communal ownership of property. Oh, well. Some things never change. It wouldn’t be rock and roll if the songs didn’t tick off someone or another.

“No Matter What” #8 12/5/1970

The followup to “Come And Get It” for Badfinger. It was produced by former Beatles roadie Mal Evans, solidifying their lot as protégés of the Fab Four. This was from their “No Dice” LP, famous for the girl with ridiculously big hair on the cover and for “Without You” which Nilsson turned into a huge hit in a few years. “No Matter What” is just a great power pop record. Plus, a real music video here!

“Gypsy Woman” (Brian Hyland) #3 12/5/1970

A remake of the first Impressions release after the departure of Jerry Butler became the last hit for Brian Hyland. He hadn’t had a hit in over four years until this, a marked shift from the slightly frothy material he was known for, i.e., “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie” etc. etc. I dig the violin solo - it sure adds to the whole Gypsy motif.

“Perfidia” #15 12/26/1960

Let’s go back to late 1960 for a Ventures tune, a rockin’ little instrumental followup to “Walk Don’t Run” which also did very well. The original of this was a pre-World War II hit for Cuban-born bandleader Xavier Cugat, who was said to be part of the basis for the Ricky Ricardo character from “I Love Lucy.” ‘Splain that to me, Lucy?

“Beaucoups Of Blues” #87 11/28/1970

After the Beatles split up, Ringo Starr was actually the first to release a solo LP. That album of standards rather confused the record buying public, though. Ringo’s next album was much more country flavored, in line with a few of his Fab Four vocal efforts. This was recorded in Nashville with backing musicians like Charlie Daniels, Jerry Reed, D.J. Fontana (Elvis’s first drummer) and the Jordanaires.

“I Don’t Wanna Cry” #50 11/28/1970

The latest from Ronnie Dyson, a Top 10 soul hit, was a remake of the Chuck Jackson (“Any Day Now”) tune from 1961. Later in the 70’s Ronnie would collaborate with a different guy also named Chuck Jackson on a few songs. Sadly, Dyson passed away in 1980 from heart failure. His father had also died earlier in the year.

“So Close” #49 11/28/1970

Not many people can connect the dots between Led Zeppelin, ad jingles and one of the biggest blunders ever on Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40” radio show, but Jake Holmes could. He never had a real hit himself, but did write “Dazed And Confused” which Jimmy Page apparently ripped off. Holmes later wrote jingles like “I’m A Pepper” and “Be All You Can Be.” Hey, it paid the bills. The AT40 staffers mistakenly told Casey this was #39 the week of 12/19/70 and Jake’s song apparently got onto the program instead of “Love The One You’re With” from Stephen Stills. Oops.

“Part Time Love” #45 11/28/1970

Here’s a remake of the 1963 Johnnie Taylor hit that became a Top 10 soul smash for Ann Peebles. She recorded for the same Memphis label as Al Green (Hi Records) and hit upon the same style that would work so well for Reverend Al. Her biggest hit would come several years later with “I Can’t Stand The Rain.”

“Heed The Call” #33 11/28/1970

Another plea for brotherhood from Kenny Rogers and the First Edition on the heels of “Tell It All, Brother." Even though there were disagreements within the group, they went to Canada to star in a TV variety show called “Rollin’ On The River.” This proved to be their final Top 40 record before splitting up in 1974, with Kenny going on to his massively successful solo career. Video is from Glen Campbell’s TV show.

“Let’s Work Together” (Canned Heat) #26 11/28/1970

The last hit from Canned Heat was a rockin’ blues number done first by Wilbert Harrison as “Let’s Stick Together” in 1962. Wilbert re-did the song with new lyrics and a new title in early 1970; Canned Heat deferred releasing their version out of respect for Harrison. This take did better, but co-lead singer Alan Wilson died several months earlier from a rumored suicide. Video is from the UK’s “Top Of The Pops.”

“Yellow River” #23 11/28/1970

Perhaps the only thing rarer than being a one-hit wonder...is being a one-hit wonder with a single that lingered until this point for 20 weeks (plus three weeks Bubbling Under) and topped out @ #23. That happened to Jeff Christie, who used his surname for a group name. This former UK #1 was Jeff singing over a backing track by the Tremeloes instead of his own band. The chart positions by week starting 6/27/70: 105-105-111-98-96-87-80-80-64-64-55-65-59-53-51-50-42-40-37-28-26-25-23.

“Engine Number 9” #14 11/28/1970

No, this isn’t a remake of the Roger Miller country song from 1965. Wilson Pickett, after recording virtually all of his music in either Memphis or Muscle Shoals, went to Philadelphia this time to work with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The result was a much less raw sound than his previous Southern soul records.

“See Me, Feel Me” #12 11/28/1970

One taken from a portion of the final passage in the Who’s rock opera “Tommy.” They performed this at Woodstock in 1969, and it was featured in the festival documentary movie released earlier in 1970. The group closed out the second night of the festival - well, maybe it was more like dawn of the third day. Rock and roll, baby.

“Patch It Up” #11 11/28/1970

The other side of Elvis’s current 45 was co-written by future country star Eddie Rabbitt, who co-wrote “Kentucky Rain.” Also co-written by Rory Bourke, who had a hand in writing “The Most Beautiful Girl” for Charlie Rich and “You Look So Good In Love” for George Strait. The King did what may be described as some scat singing at the end, which for me kinda detracted from the song.

“You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” (Elvis) #11 11/28/1970

We give you both sides of the current single from Elvis. This side was an Italian song first done in English by Dusty Springfield. She participated in the 1965 Sanremo music festival, heard this and it brought her to tears. The English words are nothing like the original Italian lyrics, but so what? Dusty did such a wonderful job on the song - Elvis put his own spin on it and racked up a #1 easy listening hit.

“Heaven Help Us All” #9 11/28/1970

The eleventh Top 10 single from Stevie Wonder was quite gospel-tinged. He had just married Syreeta Wright, who sang background on several Motown hits from the late 60’s. They co-wrote “It’s A Shame” with Lee Garrett for the Spinners. Stevie and Syreeta divorced after only 18 months but remained good friends.

“Montego Bay” #8 11/28/1970

There are sad stories in rock history, and Bobby Bloom’s story is right up there. He co-wrote “Mony Mony” which helped him land a gig collaborating with producer Jeff Barry. This would be his only hit as a performer. Such a happy song, but Bobby suffered from depression and was found to have accidentally killed himself in 1974 while cleaning his gun. His family disputed that finding, claiming it was a homicide.

“Wild Weekend” #8 3/9/1963

The theme to dozens of radio shows over the years was a rockin’ little instrumental, but it’s a little more complicated than that. Tom Shannon, a DJ at Buffalo’s WKBW, co-wrote the song in 1959 and used it for his show. A local group, the Rebels (named after Duane Eddy’s band) asked to record an instrumental version and Shannon agreed. The band became the Rockin’ Rebels to avoid any confusion. It became a local hit but languished for several years until a Syracuse DJ, Jimmy O’Brien, used the song. Long story short, the record finally caught fire nationally in the spring of 1963 and a one-hit wonder took off years after the fact. A personal fave.

“A Swingin’ Safari” #13 9/8/1962

Most people would recognize this as the opening theme to TV’s original “Match Game” hosted by Gene Rayburn. Billy Vaughn had a September 1962 hit with his version of an instrumental from German bandleader Bert Kaempfert. (In Hamburg, Bert was the first to record the Beatles.) There are numerous similarities to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” a.k.a. “Wimoweh.” That piccolo and that trumpet solo, though...

“Southern Man”

From Neil Young’s “After The Gold Rush” album, his scathing take on life down South. It ticked off a whole lot of folks and prompted a response from Lynyrd Skynyrd with “Sweet Home Alabama.” But the whole thing blew over; Young and Skynyrd’s Ronnie Van Zandt actually became good friends. Neil even wrote a couple of songs for Skynyrd, but their 1977 plane crash happened and that idea went away.

“I Can’t Believe That You Stopped Loving Me” #71 (#1 Country) 11/21/1970

A recent country #1 for Charley Pride (his fifth) snuck onto the pop charts as well. Before his music career took off Charley had a background in semi-pro and lower level minor league baseball along with a couple of major league tryouts. So it came as no surprise when he eventually became a part owner of MLB’s Texas Rangers.

“As The Years Go By” #31 11/21/1970

We’ve mentioned CanCon, the requirement by the CRTC (Canada’s version of the FCC) that to prevent the encroaching Americanization of their culture, a certain percentage of radio and TV programming had to have content from Canadian sources. One of the biggest beneficiaries was the band Mashmakhan from suburban Montreal. They racked up a #1 in their home country with this creepy-sounding tune. The band took their name from a strain of hashish sold in their area. Oooookay.

“Super Bad (Pts. 1 and 2)” #13 11/21/1970

More unmistakable funk from James Brown, and more evidence he had the tightest band in the business. This wasn’t one of those two-part singles that JB was famous for doing. Nope, you got Parts 1, 2 and 3 for your money. Parts 1 and 2 were on the same side of the 45 so that’s what became the hit, a #1 on the soul charts. Jump back! I wanna kiss myself! (Yes, he actually said that here.)

“I Think I Love You” #1 11/21/1970

I’ve spoken many times in this blog about the talented Wrecking Crew, L.A.’s top-flight studio musicians of the 60’s and 70’s. They could sound like anybody, even a fake Cowsills-type family act. The WC made the music throughout the Partridge Family TV show’s run. David Cassidy and Shirley Jones were the only cast members that actually sang on the records; the Ron Hicklin Singers handled the other vocals. I think the great Larry Knechtel played the harpsichord here. The Partridges joined the Chipmunks and the Archies as the only fictional groups to this point that had a #1 hit. (The Monkees eventually played their own instruments.)

“Thank God And Greyhound” #90 11/14/1970

A recent Top 10 country record from Roy Clark that also reached the lower end of the pop charts. It’s your basic tune about how much a guy loves his woman but she decides to leave him. The guy finally had enough, so as her bus pulls away he says “Thank God and Greyhound you’re gone!!” The stuff of a thousand country songs.

“Fifteen Years Ago” #81 (#1 Country) 11/14/1970

Next week’s #1 country single got into the lower reaches of the Hot 100 for Conway Twitty. It was his fifth chart-topper, or sixth if you count his pop #1 “It’s Only Make Believe” in 1958. Despite all of his success, Conway was never a member of the Grand Ole Opry. A glaring omission, but the Opry had a rule that required their members to appear on a given number of the Saturday night radio broadcasts. Some performers just didn’t want to give up those lucrative weekend concert gigs.

“And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind” (Mark Lindsay) #44 11/17/1970

In January 1969, Neil Diamond was all set to record in Memphis until Elvis decided at the last minute to use the same studio as a way of breaking Col. Parker’s iron grip on his career. The King did record this song of Neil’s as a sort of thank you for the inconvenience. Here’s Mark Lindsay’s version; the clip has an intro from Top 40 station CJME in Regina, Saskatchewan. Neil eventually cut “Holly Holy” and “Sweet Caroline” among others at those postponed sessions.

“Stand By Your Man” (Candi Staton) #24 11/14/1970

We’ve said many times in this space there isn’t much difference between country music and soul music, only in its presentation. Case in point: Candi Staton’s Top 5 soul remake of Tammy Wynette’s signature song. We’ll disregard the fact that she was married six times (Tammy only got hitched five). At that time Candi was married to hubby #2, Clarence Carter; they divorced several years later.

“Cry Me A River” (Joe Cocker) #11 11/14/1970

Another track from Joe Cocker’s live “Mad Dogs And Englishmen” LP, most famously done in 1955 by Julie London. Originally meant for Ella Fitzgerald, the song was written by Julie’s high school classmate Arthur Hamilton. She had just divorced Jack Webb, Sgt. Friday from “Dragnet.” Bobby Troup (famous for writing Nat King Cole’s “Route 66”) produced Julie’s million-selling version; they later married and would co-star on TV’s “Emergency!” produced and co-created by...her ex-husband Jack Webb.

“It Don’t Matter To Me” #10 11/14/1970

Sometimes an act will take one of their previous songs, re-do the track, and it will take off. The group Bread re-recorded one from their first album by doing the song slower and in a different key, and this time it became their second huge single. By now, David Gates had assembled a reasonably decent band around him.

“Somebody’s Been Sleeping” #8 11/14/1970

We revisit the one-hit wonder category, this time from a Holland-Dozier-Holland employed group called 100 Proof (Aged In Soul). One of the co-lead singers was Joe Stubbs, brother of Four Tops front man Levi Stubbs. Nope, these guys never had another hit. The fleeting price of fame...

“Percolator” #10 3/17/1962

I’m old enough to remember before automatic coffee makers, when that magic elixir could only be brewed on the stove or with an electric percolator. Music executive Lew Bedell suggested to several studio musicians (later part of the Wrecking Crew) that they record an instrumental Twist version of the Maxwell House ad jingle - “good to the last drop.” They had a previous hit as B. Bumble and the Stingers (“Bumble Boogie”) and did it again here in March 1962 as Billy Joe and the Checkmates.

“Let There Be Drums” #7 12/18/1961

Influential rock drummer Sandy Nelson had a few instrumental hits back in the day, like this one from December 1961. He went to high school with Jan and Dean and was once in a group with those guys along with future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston. Nelson found steady work as a session drummer until a 1963 motorcycle accident that required amputation of part of his right leg. Yikes.

“Something” (Shirley Bassey) #55 11/7/1970

One of the most recorded songs of the 20th century was this George Harrison composition. Frank Sinatra said it was the greatest love song ever written. Here’s a Top 10 easy listening take from Shirley Bassey, best known for her version of the “Goldfinger” theme. Shirley is still out there in her eighties doing gigs.

“Fresh Air” #49 11/7/1970

We spoke the other day about counterculture bands. Quicksilver Messenger Service was right up there in that field. Their lineup was, shall we say, rather loosely knit due to a lot of drug busts over the years leading to stays for several members at the Graybar Hotel. But hey, they were from San Francisco...

“Make It Easy On Yourself” (Dionne Warwick) #37 11/7/1970

A Top 5 easy listening hit from Dionne Warwick, a live remake of the 1962 Jerry Butler smash that she recorded at the Garden States Arts Center in New Jersey. She did the original demo for Burt Bacharach and Hal David before her stardom, but the label’s owner nixed putting out Dionne’s version and allowed Butler to release it instead. Bacharach and David promised a miffed Warwick another tune which became her first single, “Don’t Make Me Over.” Thus began a long association that resulted in many of Dionne’s hits until Burt and Hal dissolved their partnership in the early 70’s.

“Lucretia Mac Evil” #29 11/7/1970

As the 70’s progressed, record labels looked frequently for acts with counterculture credentials. Blood, Sweat and Tears once had quite the following in that demographic, but their standing may have taken a hit by doing a Caesars Palace gig and a State Department sponsored tour of Eastern Europe. Some now thought of the band as sellouts. This was written by David Clayton-Thomas before he joined BS&T.

“Indiana Wants Me” #5 11/7/1970

R. Dean Taylor was part of a songwriting collective known as The Clan which wrote a number of hits for Motown such as “Love Child.” This would be his only US hit as a performer but as he was born in Toronto, Taylor benefited from new rules (CanCon) giving preference in that country to Canadian acts. Part of the record’s success came thanks to heavy airplay on Windsor, Ont. (Detroit’s) 50,000 watt CKLW. The 45 had sirens at the beginning, and complaints soon came from motorists who pulled over upon hearing the record on the radio. A remix was provided omitting that part.

“Our House” (CSN&Y) #30 10/31/1970

You wouldn’t think the counterculture would produce a slice-of-life ditty, but this Graham Nash-written track from “Déjà Vu” did just that. Nash was involved with Joni Mitchell at the time and they had gone antiquing one day. Joni bought an inexpensive vase and when they got home Graham really did say a close approximation of "I'll light the fire while you place the flowers in the vase that you bought today.”

“Deeper And Deeper” #24 10/31/1970

The follow up to “Band Of Gold” from Freda Payne. She started out as a jazz singer and also did some acting in the theatrical field. Once again due to legalities from their ongoing litigation against Motown, the Holland-Dozier-Holland trio had to use the pseudonym Edythe Wayne as a co-writing credit here. The beat goes on...

“God, Love And Rock And Roll” #22 10/31/1970

Yet another one-hit wonder found its way onto the charts here. Drummer David Teegarden and organist Skip Knape (“Van Winkle”) were both from Tulsa and met in L.A. thanks to fellow Tulsan Leon Russell. They moved to Detroit and made a couple of albums, but this was their shining moment. Teegarden went on to become Bob Seger’s drummer for a few years.

“El Condor Pasa” #18 10/31/1970

Occasionally an act will rework an older song, but rarely will they reach back this far. Paul Simon first heard this 1913 Peruvian tune when he saw the band Los Incas in Paris back in 1965. He stayed in touch with them, and when he and Art Garfunkel recorded this they used the Los Incas instrumental version as a backing track. Of course, Simon would later adapt many other forms of world music, i.e., “Graceland.”

“Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma” #14 10/31/1970

After Judith Durham left the Seekers for a solo career in 1968 and the act broke up, group member Keith Potger assembled the New Seekers to carry on with a more pop-oriented vision. After a few tweaks in the lineup, they covered this tune (written and first done by Melanie) and found some success.

“Express Yourself” #12 10/31/1970

A Top 5 soul hit from Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band that you hear everywhere from TV commercials to video games to samples in rap records. The bass line is just unbelievable. The band went through many incarnations before splitting up shortly after this. Ahhh, the price of success.

“It’s Only Make Believe” (Glen Campbell) #10 10/31/1970

Boy, this one came out of nowhere given all that was going on in 1970 with society as a whole. Glen Campbell’s remake of Conway Twitty’s 1958 smash became a Top 5 country hit and Top 10 on the pop charts. Perhaps surprisingly, even though it was a signature song for Conway, Twitty’s ‘58 version never made it onto the country charts. Glen acquitted himself rather well here.

“Fire And Rain” #3 10/31/1970

The first hit single from James Taylor dealt with several events in his life. Susie Schnerr (Suzanne) was a childhood friend who committed suicide while James was in London completing his first album for Apple Records. “Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground” referred to an old band of his, not the British group that did “Smile A Little Smile For Me” nor a plane crash. He finished writing the song while in rehab for drug and mental health issues. Carole King played piano here.

“We’ve Only Just Begun” #2 10/31/1970

Once in a while an ad turns into a hit record. Paul Williams, along with Roger Nichols, composed a jingle (which could be expanded to a full song) as part of an ad for attracting young couples to California’s Crocker National Bank. Richard Carpenter guessed correctly it was A&M labelmate Williams singing the jingle, and asked if he and sister Karen could record the full-length tune. With the Wrecking Crew providing the backing music, this was the Carpenters’ second #1 easy listening hit.

“Take Five” #25 10/9/1961

In the early days of rock, tunes from other genres regularly snuck onto the pop charts. Here’s one that became a moderate pop hit in October 1961. Dave Brubeck was a well-established pianist in the jazz field when his quartet recorded this instrumental in 1959, but it wasn’t released for two years. Brubeck would often perform in unusual time signatures; this one was in 5/4 time, thus the title “Take Five.” The single cut out almost all the drum solo, which sounds free-form here on the album version but was actually very structured. I can SO appreciate the musicianship on this record.

“Wheels” #3 3/6/1961

An accidental instrumental hit from March 1961 by the String-A-Longs. I say accidental because it was actually called “Tell The World” with another tune, “Wheels” as the B-side. However, their record company goofed and reversed the song titles on the labels. The group came from the Texas Panhandle and was produced by Norman Petty, who also produced fellow West Texan Buddy Holly’s recordings. A version by Billy Vaughn (who also did “A Swingin’ Safari”) got to #28.

“Because They’re Young” #4 7/4/1960

There were some forgettable movies that produced great title songs. “Unchained Melody,” “A Summer Place” and “The Happening” are a few that come to mind. Duane Eddy performed the title track to this summer 1960 movie that starred Dick Clark as a high school principal. Yeah, I didn’t know about that flick, either.

“Run, Woman Run” #92 (#1 Country) 10/24/1970

The eighth solo #1 on the country charts from Tammy Wynette made it into the lower reaches of the Hot 100. In October 1970, soon after giving birth to daughter Georgette Jones, Tammy required both an appendectomy and a hysterectomy. According to Wikipedia, she had 26 major surgeries in her lifetime. Wow.

“Closer To Home (I’m Your Captain)” #22 10/24/1970

Only rarely did a lengthy song get played in full on AM radio back in the day. Capitol Records put out an edited version of this Grand Funk Railroad track, but the band didn’t care about Top 40 radio. FM was their thing, and FM played the daylights out of this ten minute tune which featured a “Hey Jude” type of long, repetitive refrain at the end. GFR was another of those bands critics despised but the fans loved.

“Still Water (Love)” #11 10/24/1970

The Four Tops had something of a dry spell for several years before this unexpected hit, co-written by Smokey Robinson. Marv Tarplin of the Miracles appeared here, as did the Andantes plus Brenda Joyce Evans and Billie Rae Calvin, soon to become two-thirds of the Undisputed Truth (“Smiling Faces Sometimes”). This inspired Marvin Gaye’s comeback effort “What’s Going On.”

“Lola” #9 10/24/1970

David Bowie and Lou Reed may not have had careers without this song, the first tune about gender fluidity to become a hit. The Kinks hadn’t had any real success in the States since 1966, so this 45 saved them over here. Back in the UK, “Lola” was banned at first by the BBC, not for sexual content but due to product placement by mentioning Coca-Cola and all that. So Ray Davies had to fly back to London in the middle of a US concert tour just to replace two words (“cherry cola”) on the record.

“Mongoose” #50 10/17/1970

The group Elephant’s Memory doesn’t even qualify as a one-hit wonder, as none of their singles made the Top 40. No, they’re best remembered as John and Yoko’s backup band for a couple of years when those two first moved to NYC. The Allmusic website, in addition to describing them as sounding kind of ragged, notes that Carly Simon was part of the group for about six months. Luckily, she would go on to much bigger things. I don’t think Carly appears on this particular record.

“That’s Where I Went Wrong” #29 10/17/1970

The followup to “Which Way You Goin’ Billy?” for the Poppy Family was a song they had recorded a year or so previously. Both records were Top 10 easy listening hits. By this point the other guys in their band had split, leaving only Susan and Terry Jacks as actual members. They would divorce in 1973.

“Out In The Country” #15 10/17/1970

The sixth of 18 straight Top 20 singles from Three Dog Night. Like several of their other hits this was co-written by Paul Williams, one of the top songwriters of the 70’s. He also co-wrote “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days And Mondays” for the Carpenters. Paul dabbled in acting, playing Little Enos in the “Smokey And The Bandit” movies. He’d also served as president of music licensing outfit ASCAP.

“It’s A Shame” #14 10/17/1970

You could say it’s a shame when someone busts their butt for the company they work for, doing everything asked of them and more, and get treated like dirt. That’s what happened to the Spinners. These guys did all sorts of jobs for their label, even working in the mail room. This Top 5 soul record, produced and co-written by Stevie Wonder who also played many of the instruments, would be their last hit at Motown before leaving for Atlantic Records (on the advice of Aretha Franklin) and finally achieving huge success later in the 70’s.

“All Right Now” #4 10/17/1970

An enduring one-hit wonder from the band Free. The song came about one evening after the group played to a near-empty hall and realized they needed something more uptempo to close their shows. The edited single cuts almost a minute from the guitar solo; again, the album version is preferred today. Lead vocalist Paul Rodgers and bassist Simon Kirke went on to form Bad Company in the 70’s. In the 2000’s Rodgers spent some time as front man of a reconstituted version of Queen.

“Green-Eyed Lady” #3 10/17/1970

The first of Sugarloaf’s two huge hits. An early member of a predecessor band was Jimmy Greenspoon, who went on to become Three Dog Night’s keyboardist. The Denver-area group had been called Chocolate Hair but their label asked for a change citing possible political incorrectness, so they took a new name from a mountain outside of Boulder. The song ran almost seven minutes, thus several edits exist. The unedited album version is preferred today.

“I’ll Be There” #1 10/17/1970

The fourth straight #1 single from the Jackson 5 was also Motown’s biggest US seller before the label officially moved from Detroit to L.A. in 1972. It once again featured an 11-year-old Michael Jackson on lead vocals. Michael had been told by Berry Gordy to toss in “just look over your shoulder” as a nod to the Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll Be There” but he said “shoulders.” That would’ve required quite a feat of body contortion to look over both simultaneously, like something out of “The Exorcist.”

“Last Night” #3 8/7/1961

From August 1961, a huge instrumental from the Mar-Keys, the original house band at Stax Records in Memphis. The lineup was rather fluid over the years and included all the members of Booker T. and the MG’s. Part of the reason for the song’s popularity was due to the fact one could “slow twist” to it, and in those days anything to which you could do the Twist was just about automatically a hit.

“San Antonio Rose” (Floyd Cramer) #8 7/17/1961

Another appearance by Floyd Cramer, with this instrumental remake from July 1961 of a country music standard first popularized in the late 1930’s by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Those guys put the Western swing in country and western music with fiddles, steel guitar, electric guitar, drums and a horn section way before it was hip. Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and even Jimi Hendrix said Wills was a big influence on their style.

“Bumble Boogie” #21 5/8/1961

As we’ve mentioned before, many early rock hits were remakes of the standards. These guys went one step further with a May 1961 rocked-up version of “Flight Of The Bumblebee.” Guitarist René Hall, drummer Earl Palmer and sax man Plas Johnson (all New Orleans natives) formed the nucleus of an L.A. session group called B. Bumble and the Stingers. They became part of the famed Wrecking Crew of first-call studio musicians, each playing on literally hundreds of records, i.e., Johnson played sax on Henry Mancini’s “Pink Panther” theme. Ernie Freeman was on piano here.

“Asia Minor” #8 4/17/1961

 Jimmy Wisner was part of a jazz trio in the late 50’s, but tried something different with his April 1961 rocked-up version of Grieg’s “Piano Concerto In A Minor” which he renamed “Asia Minor.” He developed a unique feel by using shellac to coat the hammers of a cheap, somewhat out of tune piano, creating a ticky-tack sound. Wisner used the name Kokomo here so as not to alienate the jazz audience. He would later produce acts like the Buckinghams and Tommy James. This shows up many times as an accompaniment for figure skating routines.

“On The Rebound” #4 4/17/1961

Back to instrumentals from the early days of rock, as we make a stop in April 1961 with this Floyd Cramer tune that followed up “Last Date” and also made the Top 10. Cramer made a name for himself with a “slip note” style of piano playing, where he’d hit a note slightly out of tune and slide his way up to the right key. It worked so well that he was one of Nashville’s most in-demand session musicians.

“Long Long Time” #25 10/10/1970

What came to be called California country music was popularized by the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Linda Ronstadt among others and was far, far different than Nashville country music. This was Linda’s first solo hit after the Stone Poneys disbanded. She wouldn’t have another until 1975’s “You’re No Good.” Her backing band in those days included all four original members of the Eagles.

“Cracklin’ Rosie” #1 10/10/1970

Neil Diamond had written #1 songs for others (i.e., “I’m A Believer”) but this was his first chart-topper as a performer. The story goes that he was in western Canada and heard about a tribe of indigenous people who enjoyed a brand of cheap wine called Crackling Rosé. I suppose that worked better as a song title than Mad Dog 20/20 or Boone’s Farm. Music by the Wrecking Crew. I think the video is from Dutch TV.

John Lennon’s 80th: “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” #39 3/20/1965

John Lennon would’ve been 80 today. That’s a reality check for sure. This country-flavored one was on the UK album ”Beatles For Sale,” but the US release was held back by Capitol Records for several months, finally showing up on the Beatles VI album over here. It was also the B-side of the “Eight Days A Week” single, reaching #39 on its own. John could write in just about any style, as this was apparently meant for Ringo to sing. For whatever reason Lennon did the vocals himself. Gone far too soon, John. Far too soon.

“Funk #49” #59 10/3/1970

A classic rock radio staple from the James Gang. It was a variation on their previous “Funk #48.” The James Gang was always known as an album rock act; singles weren’t their thing. Guitarist Joe Walsh would soon leave the band, going solo for a while before joining the Eagles later in the 70’s. Good career move for him.

“Sunday Morning Coming Down” (Johnny Cash) #46 10/3/1970

Kris Kristofferson was just coming into his own as a Nashville songwriter, but this one as done by Johnny Cash on his TV show really put him on the map. It would be next week’s #1 country hit in 1970 and just missed the Top 40. Kris, a Rhodes Scholar, former Army captain and helicopter pilot, was offered a professor’s position at West Point but chucked it all to write songs. Cash was asked to change one line about “wishing, Lord that I was stoned” but refused; indeed, on the live recording he emphasized “stoned.” Who would’ve thought Ray Stevens recorded this first?

“Joanne” #21 10/3/1970

Mike Nesmith was actually ahead of the curve in many ways. Frustrated that his tunes weren’t being used on the Monkees TV show, Mike’s songs were done by others like Linda Ronstadt (“Different Drum”). He was influential in the burgeoning L.A. country-rock scene with tracks like this, his biggest hit as a solo act and credited to the First National Band. Nesmith later produced innovative music videos such as Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long.” He had health issues in 2018, needing a quadruple bypass.

“(I Know) I’m Losing You” (Rare Earth) #7 10/3/1970

Many times Motown acts recorded the same songs, more often than not resulting in each version doing quite well. That happened in this case, too. Rare Earth re-did a Temptations song and scored their first Top 10 with “Get Ready” so they tried it again - and had another Top 10 smash. Hey, if it works don’t mess with success.

“Candida” #3 10/3/1970

After several hits in the early 60’s, Tony Orlando had moved on to a career as a music publishing executive. Hank Medress of the Tokens asked Tony to record this tune as a favor, which was fine except Orlando worked for a different label and needed to use a pseudonym or he’d lose his day job. Besides, Tony didn’t totally believe in the song. The group name Dawn was picked, though Joyce Wilson and Telma Hopkins hadn’t been hired yet; they were still successful session singers in Detroit. Backing vocals were done here by Jay Siegel of the Tokens and the song’s co-writer, Toni Wine.

“Long As I Can See The Light” #2 10/3/1970

The other side of CCR’s current single reflected many of Creedence’s influences, but mainly some great R&B. The song has a vibe that sounded like it was recorded at 3 AM in a darkened studio. Unbeknownst to most, there were some big changes ahead concerning the group. A couple more hit singles followed, but...

“Lookin’ Out My Back Door” #2 10/3/1970

CCR was the best American band to never have a #1 single on Billboard. They had five #2’s, of which this double-sided hit was the last. This side was allegedly full of drug references but John Fogerty vehemently disputed that, saying the song was in more of a nonsensical Dr. Seuss vein, with a Buck Owens reference tossed in, too. This was the only time he played dobro on a Creedence track. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like this song.

“Loving You Is A Natural Thing” #87 9/26/1970

The first pop chart entry from Ronnie Milsap. He’d been a session musician in Memphis and had appeared on a slew of Elvis’s recent recordings like “Kentucky Rain” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” After the relative disappointment of this single, he turned to country music and in a few years became an absolute superstar.

“Riki Tiki Tavi” #55 9/26/1970

The first single from Donovan in four years to miss the Top 40. He’d decided to step away from being the featured performer, and became part of a group called Open Road. He’d also decided to move back to the UK despite exorbitant taxes. This song was adapted from the name of a mongoose in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.”

“Neanderthal Man” #22 9/26/1970

Sometimes experimental tracks get released and take off. The owners of a small English studio were playing around with drum sounds on new recording equipment and felt they’d hit upon something catchy. So they put some lyrics and disembodied vocals to the song and convinced a record label on the concept. It became a Top 5 single in the UK for the studio group Hotlegs, which soon became 10cc.

“Rubber Duckie” #16 9/26/1970

One of the most enduring children’s TV shows has been “Sesame Street.” Starting in 1969, generations of kids have been taught and entertained by the show, which featured Jim Henson’s Muppet characters. This was a little ditty Ernie (voiced by Henson) sang to his rubber duckie at bath time, and must have hit home with the older record buying public as this surprisingly became a Top 20 hit.

“I (Who Have Nothing)” (Tom Jones) #14 9/26/1970

The latest from Tom Jones, a remake of a 1961 Italian song (“Uno Dei Tanti”) first done in English by Ben E. King in 1963. This was re-done by many others, including Shirley Bassey (“Goldfinger”), Terry Knight and the Pack (Knight later became Grand Funk Railroad’s manager), and a bunch of contestants on “American Idol.”

“Groovy Situation” #12 9/26/1970

The biggest hit for Gene Chandler since his #1 “Duke Of Earl” in 1962. Gene produced Mel and Tim’s “Backfield In Motion” - those guys were also the first to record this song. Gene would have over a dozen chart entries in the 60’s plus several disco hits later in the 70’s. This tune appeared on the “Anchorman” soundtrack.

“Snowbird” #8 9/26/1970

The first US gold record by a solo female artist from Canada. Anne Murray got her start on a CBC show called “Singalong Jubilee” based in her home province of Nova Scotia, and recorded this song written by fellow regular Gene MacLellan. It opened the door to a successful career, not just for Anne but for Canadian acts in the States.

“Uncle John’s Band” #69 9/19/1970

The Grateful Dead never depended on singles for success and longevity. Perhaps that was because this record, their first chart single, was heavily edited in such a way that the band felt their work had been totally butchered. We give you the unedited version here. Their legendary fan base (known as Deadheads) traveled around the country following the band and would swap bootleg live recordings. Hey, I liked the fact those guys could play anything, but the Deadheads...I never quite got that whole thing.

“Soul Shake” (Delaney and Bonnie) #43 9/19/1970

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett were at their best in concert. Their band was an ever-changing cast of great musicians, and you never knew who would sit in with them on a given night. Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, the Allman Brothers - quite a few superstars would hang out with them on stage. This tune was a remake of a 1969 tune from Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson. Alas, D&B would have legendary shouting matches off stage and divorced in 1972.

“Peace Will Come (According To Plan)” #32 9/19/1970

The current single from Melanie. After the negativity of the Altamont festival, many large scale multi-day rock concerts scheduled for 1970 were cancelled, sometimes at the last minute. One such was the Powder Ridge festival in Connecticut, which was cancelled yet 30,000 people (plus a whole bunch of hallucinogenic drug dealers) showed up anyway. Melanie was the only name performer to go ahead and play there. Powder Ridge wound up being a total disaster.

“Don’t Play That Song” (Aretha Franklin) #11 9/19/1970

The latest from Aretha Franklin was a remake of a 1962 hit from Ben E. King. She would do a remake of Ben’s “Spanish Harlem” as well. Lady Soul was backed by the Dixie Flyers, a studio group that formed in Memphis and stayed busy. They backed Rita Coolidge and her then-husband Kris Kristofferson on the road for several years.

“Julie, Do Ya Love Me” #5 9/19/1970

The fourth Top 10 single from Bobby Sherman. After the teen idol phase of his career went away, he became a reserve officer and EMT trainer with the LAPD. Once he went on a call in Northridge to treat a woman who had passed out. Her husband kept staring and finally said, “Look, honey, it’s Bobby Sherman!” The woman came to, and said “Goodness, I must look a mess!” Bobby said, “Don’t worry, you look just fine.”

“Patches” #4 9/19/1970

The biggest hit for Clarence Carter started out as a B-side for the Chairmen of the Board. Clarence heard the song, liked it and put his own Alabama soul spin on the tune. He grew up poor (but not on a farm) and seemed genuinely surprised that so many people related so passionately to a rather heartbreaking tune. Most of the song is spoken, which was highly unusual. Written by the Chairmen’s General Johnson.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Diana Ross) #1 9/19/1970

Rarely does a tune become a hit all over again with an almost completely different arrangement. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell had one of Motown’s most enduring songs with their take in 1967. The writers, Ashford and Simpson, convinced Diana Ross to try a radically rearranged version with a long spoken introduction; the familiar chorus didn’t show up until over halfway into the six minute recording. Berry Gordy didn’t like it and forced a sharply edited 45 to be released. But many radio stations played their own edits or the long version, and the song became Diana’s first solo #1.

“Last Date” #2 11/28/1960

One of Nashville’s most legendary session musicians was pianist Floyd Cramer. He appeared on so many country and pop hits for decades, including “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Jailhouse Rock.” But this huge instrumental from late 1960 cemented his place in music history. It remained at #2, kept from the top by “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” where the piano was played by...you guessed it, Floyd Cramer.

“White Silver Sands” (Bill Black Combo) #9 4/25/1960

Not many people can say they were present when rock and roll took off. Bill Black was Elvis’s upright bass player in the beginning. He and guitarist Scotty Moore played on most of the King’s early records and were on stage for all the craziness, but they departed just before Presley was drafted in ‘58. Bill returned to Memphis and assembled Bill Black’s Combo, who had this Top 10 instrumental in April 1960. It was a remake of Don Rondo’s 1957 vocal hit. Black died in 1965 from a brain tumor at 39.

“Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man” #7 Country 9/12/1970

One of the most successful pairings ever in country music was that of Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. This was their seventh Top 10 country hit as a duo. Porter gave Dolly her first big break in Nashville when he hired her for his TV show several years earlier. When she finally went her own way in the business it caused a strain in their relationship, but she was at Porter’s bedside when he died in 2007. Of course, Dolly went on to far, far bigger things in music and acting. Video is from the Wilburn Brothers TV show.

“Only You Know And I Know” (Dave Mason) #42 9/12/1970

Some find their niche away from the limelight. Dave Mason certainly had a varied career, as manager of the Spencer Davis Group (where he first met Steve Winwood), guitarist with Traffic (Winwood played keyboards), and friend of Jimi Hendrix (Mason played the 12-string guitar intro on “All Along The Watchtower”). Dave also appeared on George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” solo album and helped out Delaney and Bonnie. He wrote and first performed this, which became a bigger hit for D&B in 1971.

“Solitary Man” (1970 reissue) #21 9/12/1970

Boy, Neil Diamond must have ticked off everyone at BANG Records when he left the label in 1968. Even though Bert Berns (the label’s owner and a total jerk to all in the industry, towards Neil and Van Morrison in particular) died a year earlier, the lawsuits dragged on for a decade. They reissued Neil’s material to directly undercut sales for Uni, his new label. BANG re-released his first 45 from ‘66 which did much better this time (#21 vs. #55) but his current Uni single reached #1 in a few weeks.

“25 Or 6 To 4” #4 9/12/1970

The first Top 5 record from Chicago. Robert Lamm, the song’s composer, said the title came from the time he wrote it, 3:35 or 3:34 AM, 25 or 26 to 4. According to Songfacts.com, the band went to see their hometown Cubs at Dodger Stadium. The Cubs won, which made some Marines angry as they left the ballpark so they vented on Peter Cetera. Peter sang at this session through clenched teeth with his broken jaw wired shut. (Happy birthday, Peter!) Great wah-wah from Terry Kath.

 

 

“In The Summertime” #3 9/12/1970

One of the most infectious summer songs ever from a one-hit wonder, though Mungo Jerry had a few more hits back in the UK. They were essentially a skiffle group (known over here as jug band music), a pre-rock and roll thing in England. Their name was based on a character in a T.S. Eliot poem. Front man Ray Dorset said he wanted a motorcycle sound to use as a false ending but couldn’t find one. So they went to the parking lot and recorded the studio engineer’s Triumph sports car going though the gears, then re-used the intro. In the video, the band has bigger sideburns than Elvis.

 

“Sleep Walk” #1 9/21/1959

The last #1 instrumental hit of the 1950’s came from Santo and Johnny Farina. Growing up in Brooklyn, Santo took steel guitar lessons and little brother Johnny accompanied him on guitar. They wrote this one night when they couldn’t sleep after a gig and had to unwind. The next #1 on the Billboard charts was “Mack The Knife.”

“Red River Rock” #5 9/7/1959

Back in the day many acts would develop rocked-up versions of the old standards. Here’s a very different take on “Red River Valley” from September ’59 by Toledo’s own Johnny and the Hurricanes. They had several hits in that manner, enough to travel to Hamburg, Germany in 1962 where the Beatles were their opening act. Let that sink in.

“Bongo Rock” #14 6/29/1959

Back to some classic 50’s instrumentals. Preston Epps was a percussionist who appeared on “Earth Angel,” considered one of the first rock hits. This one-hit wonder came out of a lengthy bongo solo he developed at a L.A. gig. You can tell “Wipe Out” is a direct descendant of this June 1959 tune. Epps eventually owned his own club where he reportedly discovered Lou Rawls. Preston died in 2019 at age 88.

“All For The Love Of Sunshine” #1 Country 9/5/1970

Since birth, Hank Williams Jr. lived in the immense shadow of his legendary father. Everyone pushed Hank to be exactly like his dad, most of all his mother, Audrey, which caused an irreversible strain. It took a 1975 500-foot fall down a Montana mountain, several reconstructive surgeries and years of physical rehab before Bocephus (a nickname his dad gave him) had an epiphany and finally went his own way. This was the first of Hank Jr.’s 11 #1 country hits, backed by the Mike Curb Congregation.