Shady Dell Music & Memories

--- Now Playing at the Shady Dell --- Jukebox Giants of February 1967

2012-02-01T01:51:00.000-08:00

xxx
Outside it's chilling...

(the mercury is dropping down
to minus ten below)...

but inside it's thrilling.

John Ettline has a roaring blaze going in the fireplace and the jukebox is loaded with hot tunes.

Oh, what a Shady Dell night!

It's time for our monthly look at the most popular tunes playing at the Shady Dell. Local and regional acts figure prominently in the February lineup, so let's get started!

Experience the look and sound of
young America!
___________________________________________________

New, Hot and Hitbound:

“Stormy Weather” – Magnificent Men

“Sock it to Me-Baby” – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

“Let’s Spend the Night Together” – Rolling Stones

“Ruby Tuesday” – Rolling Stones

"I've Been Lonely Too Long" - Young Rascals

“Gimme Some Lovin’” – The Jordan Brothers

"Strawberry Fields Forever" - Beatles

“Penny Lane” – Beatles

"The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game” – Marvelettes

“I Think We’re Alone Now” – Tommy James & the Shondells

“Love is Here and Now You’re Gone” – Supremes

___________________________________________________

Old Dell Gold:
(Records from past weeks, months and years
that have maintained their popularity)

“Karate” – Emperors (December ’66)

“I’ve Got to Have Her” – Emperors (December ‘66)

“Gimme Some Lovin’” – Spencer Davis Group (January ’67)

“I’ve Passed This Way Before” – Jimmy Ruffin (December ‘66)

“It’s Now Winter’s Day” – Tommy Roe (January ’67)

“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” – Casinos (January ’67)

“Pretty Ballerina” – Left Banke (January ’67)

“Kind of a Drag” – Buckinghams (January ’67)

“(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” – Monkees (December ‘66)

“I’m a Believer” – Monkees (December ’66)

“(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet” – Blues Magoos (December ‘66)

“I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” – Electric Prunes (December ‘66)

“Mustang Sally” – Wilson Pickett (December ’66)

“Don’t Be a Dropout” – James Brown (October ’66)
___________________________________________________

Big changes are coming to the jukebox in March.

Which of these records will be part of March Madness 1967 and which ones will be headin' to the showers?

You have
one month
to speculate
but remember,
ladies &
gentlemen,
this is only
an exhibition,
this is not
a competition;
so please --
no wagering!

Have a Shady day!

Dear Hearts and Gentle People: Echoes of Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained

2012-01-27T00:49:00.000-08:00

xxx
Prepping (1940s) illustration by Irving Nurick

I was ~~hatched~~ born in November 1949.

A lot has changed since then.

REALLY?

SERIOUSLY?

YA THINK?

Picture this. A modern teenager discovers Shady Dell Music & Memories, samples my play list and discovers that he or she doesn't know any of the songs or people who recorded them. Typical, right? Maybe, but in this instance the reason is not what you think. You see, the teen isn't puzzled because my 60s music is too ancient. The young blog visitor is drawing a blank because it's too recent! This seemingly far fetched scenario did not unfold in some bizarro world in
a distant parallel universe. It is actually happening today... right here... right now... and I couldn't be more excited!

There's a movement afoot and music is only one aspect. Generation Green is recycling bottles, cans, clothing and other products, reducing their carbon footprint and taking back our world from those who would destroy it.

Sunday Pictorial Review (Los Angeles Examiner, 1952)
illustration by Fritz Willis

Modern Vintagers and Eco-Thrifters are Goodwill hunting, shopping smart, saving money and promoting an alternative retro-inspired lifestyle, not because they have to, because they want to. There's no lecturing, coaxing or arm twisting required. It is their calling and their credo: Go Vintage!

Country Girl (1948) by Arnold Armitage

In growing numbers today's teenagers and 20-somethings are renouncing the mean, misogynistic mass media madness and turning back the clock to a simpler time, embracing America's cultural heritage, the music, movies, art, literature, fashion, manners, attitudes and values of the past.

Our Knowlege & Experience at Your Command (1952)
by Knute "K.O." Munson

These young people are discovering, resurrecting, adopting as their own and celebrating the Age of Innocence and True Romance that existed 50, 60, 70 and 80 years ago. They are identifying all that was good and right about the era, bringing it back alive, and making it popular all over again.

Jill Needs Jack (1950) by Gil Elvgren

In honor of these exceptional young people I present seven vintage recordings along with some of my favorite pin-up art and illustration. Each of these records reached #1 on the hit parade in 1950 during my first year of life. I don't remember half of these songs and you probably don't either. Why? Because we're too young. Get it?

Untitled by Harry Eckman

The exhilarating point that I'm trying to make is that some
of our children and grandchildren are already into this stuff - recorded material that was not only way before their time, hell, it was before our time, too. Listen to these seven songs. Discover what today's young people are discovering. Experience what they're experiencing. Feel what they are feeling. It's a great feeling to have!

Up - In Central Park (1950) by Gil Elvgren

#1 in January 1950

"I Can Dream, Can't I" - Andrews Sisters

Barnyard by Walt Otto

#1 in February 1950

"Dear Hearts and Gentle People"
- Bing Crosby

Untitled (1946) by Jules Erbit

#1 in March 1950

"Music! Music! Music!" - Teresa Brewer
with Dixieland All Stars

The Girl with the Lemon Colored Hair (Cosmopolitan, 1943)
illustration by Walter Baumhofer

#1 in May 1950

"If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've
Baked a Cake" - Eileen Barton

Wave of Delight (1950s) by Bill Medcalf

#1 in July 1950

"I Wanna Be Loved" - Andrews Sisters

Untitled illustration by Walt Otto

#1 in August 1950

"Mona Lisa" - Nat "King" Cole

Queen's Rain (1962) by Gil Elvgren

#1 in August 1950

"All My Love (Bolero)" - Patti Page

Are you still doubting Thomas?

Finding it hard to believe me when I tell you
that there are young people out there today
who are all about yesterday? Then it's time
for you to meet one.

I'd like to introduce my new friend and follower Presley at Young Vintage Girl blog.
A Tennessee teen named after Elvis the King, Presley has found a home among the stars of the 30s, 40s and 50s. I suspect that
she knows more about the entertainers of the WWII era than most of us baby boomers. A sweet, polite person and fine singer, Presley captures the very essence
of living greats like Doris Day and channels the spirits of departed legends like Marilyn Monroe.

"Anyone Can See I Love You" (performed by Marilyn Monroe
in the 1948 motion picture Ladies of the Chorus)

Presley is a poised and professional singer, but what strikes me most about her is the spirit of a bygone era that shines through her eyes and is reflected in her demeanor. As you watch Presley you get a sense that she is an old soul, the reincarnation of kinder, gentler people of an earlier time.

"By the Light of the Silvery Moon" (performed by Doris Day
in the 1953 musical motion picture of the same name.

Not your typical teenager?

God willing...perhaps she soon will be.

"He's Home for a Little While" (#11 chart hit as performed
by Dinah Shore in 1945/also recorded in 1945 by Doris Day
accompanied by Les Brown's Band of Renown)

Special Comment

I salute Presley and those like her. They represent a new wave of youth that
is spreading its influence through society, not as
a cancer but as a cure. Presley and her peers are
a revolutionary vanguard, deftly bypassing the sleaze and smut that permeates their modern world. They are the rebirth of a long lost generation of Americans that stood for decency and moral integrity. Presley is part of a generation unchained, refusing to follow the herd, thinking for themselves, making up their own minds and exercising their freedom of expression. It's time for all of us to learn what Presley and other outstanding young citizens of the world have already learned.

You have a choice.

You always have a choice.

Girl at Mirror (1954) by Norman Rockwell

Have a Shady day!

Dell Rat Ron Presents the Long Awaited, Much Anticipated Sequel: Potpourri 2!

2012-01-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

xxx
Last year Dell Rat Ron Shearer's feature
POTPOURRI FOR 100 was a genuine
crowd pleaser. A winning formula is worth
repeating so I invited Ron to join us again
and play another random batch of songs,
greatness being the only common theme.
As always I brought along a few of my own
favorite platters as well.

Ron, it looks like you've
been doing some heavy
duty soul searchin' down
there. Time time to put
the pedal to the metal and
the needle in the groove!

IKE AND TINA TURNER

Shady, this first song
reminds me of my Mom.
One day, between high
school and college, I
was listening to a current
favorite of mine, "So Fine"
by Ike and Tina Turner.
I also had the album, but
my Mom blew me away
by asking me what the
song was, because she
said she liked it so much.
I really don't know why
I was surprised at her
liking my music. When I
was 12 or 13, Mom knew
I would go to any record hop or house party to dance and
listen to music. At the time she worked in the grocery store
at Smith Village in Jacobus where everyone knew the Smith
family. She somehow got Smith's to do a promotion in their
parking lot, using linoleum for a dance floor, and they hired
Chris Huber, a DJ from WSBA for a Record Hop. Not too
long afterwards, as a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary at
the Jacobus Fire Hall, she was elected President and they
began having record hops at the Fire Hall on a regular basis
with Chris Huber DJ-ing. I got a lot of DJ copies of records
that way and got addicted to collecting records as a result.
Chris began bringing live groups, mostly the Delchords, to
the dances. These were attended by schoolmates from
Loganville, Dallastown, etc. I later screwed up my hip and
had to quit attending for awhile. Mom blamed it on doing
the Twist too much. Ultimately, Chris Huber secured
White Oaks Park, with the Delchords, Invictas, and other
bands that I believe he managed, appearing there regularly.
I was a regular, always managing to find a way to get
there.  I always considered "So Fine" to be Mom's favorite
song, and think of her whenever I hear it. And she's
responsible for my being one of the biggest fans of the
Delchords and White Oaks Park, and later the Magnificent
Men and the Raven. She strongly disapproved of my
hanging out at the Dell, but I still did. Mom's long gone,
but her memory lives on. I love and miss you, Mom.
This song's for you!

"So Fine" - Ike and Tina & the Ikettes
(April 1968, highest chart position #117)

Ron, it just so happens that my mixed bag includes another song by Ike and Tina Turner.
"I Can't Believe What You Say" was, like "So Fine," among the legendary R&B act's poorest selling singles; yet this Kent label release destroys!

"I Can't Believe What You Say" - Ike & Tina Turner
(October 1964, highest chart position #95)

Ron, the floor is yours, good buddy!

RICHARD BERRY

Okay, Shady Here it is. Finally. You've waited years,
and I mean years, for this. I know you thought you
knew the words. I thought I did, too. A girl who
graduated in the class of 1966 wrote down the lyrics
and gave them to me. A lot of the girls I grew up with
were more pornographic than us guys. I know her lyrics
were. This is still one of the all-time great garage band
songs. You wore out your copy.  I wore out mine.
(I'm doing the kind of sell that Charlie the Dog did in a
Looney Tunes cartoon with Porky Pig). What song are
we talking about. Of course, it's "Louie, Louie" by the
Kingsmen.  I only recently heard the original version
even though I always knew it existed. R&B singer
Richard Berry wrote and recorded "Louie Louie" in 1955,
long before the Kingsmen waxed their legendary cover.
Kind of like Hank Ballard's "The Twist" and Chubby
Checker's version, but with less sales than Mr. Ballard
had. Richard Berry was in the Navy when he penned the
song and "Louie" is said to be a reference to "lieutenant."

"Louie, Louie" - Richard Berry (April 1957, uncharted)

PAUL REVERE

AND THE RAIDERS

Early on, Paul Revere & the Raiders recorded
instrumentals like "Midnight Ride" on the Gardena label
before signing with Columbia. The first vocal hit that I
remember of theirs (on Columbia) was this song. I believe
it was done by the Delchords, and I asked them what it
was.  This is still one of my favorites of PR&R.  I saw the
group a couple times at cabarets when I lived in Reno,
and Paul still has his baby Baby Grand piano, still shoots a
Raider with an arrow, and they still have a whole lot of fun
on stage. The only difference between this video and the
performances I saw were age, Mark Lindsay no longer with
them, and their precision wasn't quite as tight as it was
when they performed in this video.

"Louie--Go Home" - Paul Revere & the Raiders (May 1964,
highest chart position #118)

Ron, I've got an answer song for ya!

THE KINKS

It's no secret that many British Invasion bands cut their teeth on American R&B. Here's the Kinks' version of "Louie Louie." It's a great recording and, as an added bonus, you can actually understand the words!

"Louie Louie" - Kinks (from the November 1964 EP
Kinksize Session)

Ron, right back at ya!

LOLITA

Shady, a few weeks ago your reply to a
comment posted by your follower Desiree
about the Blue Danube reminded me of
when I had Mr. Throne for homeroom and,
of course, I always saw you exiting your
German classes with him. I've been
reminiscing a song from late 1960 for
some time and felt it's time I passed it on
to you. I don't know if you were familiar
with it, but it was the first German
language hit to make it big in the U.S.,
going all the way to #5.  It also rode the Top 10 on WSBA,
but I can't say how close to #1 it came. The song was
called "Sailor" and sung by a singer simply named Lolita.
Lolita was really Edith Zuser, born in Austria, who passed
away in 2010 in Salzburg. Her only hit song was also a hit
in Japan and England. Later, it was successfully covered in
Europe by Petula Clark, and also the Andrews Sisters.
Here is "Seemann" (deine heimat ist das meer). I thought
Lolita's voice was sexy, like many German women, and
thoroughly enjoyed this song every time I heard it on the
radio.

"Sailor (Your Home is the Sea)" - Lolita (December 1960,
highest chart position #5)

FEVER TREE

I'd like to close with two songs that I found on YouTube
which I haven't heard since I had the albums in college.
The Fever Tree I got turned onto by a friend in Oakmont,
who lived next door to the Country Club.

"San Francisco Girls" - Fever Tree
(July 1968, highest chart position #91)

THE MOVE

Unlike the Lads from Liverpool, the English rock band called
The Move did not catch on here in America. The Move was
introduced to me by one foxy young lady living in Bluebell
Apartments in State College. She turned me on to the first
Black Sabbath album the same afternoon.

"Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited"
- The Move (from 1970 album Shazam)

I gotta lay it

on the line,

Ronny babe.....

I'm sicker

than a dog!

HUDSON AND LANDRY

No, I'm not talking to you, Ron. I'm quoting some of the outrageous boss jock patter that you'll hear on "Top Forty D.J.'s," a comedy single extracted from Hanging in There, the debut comedy album released in 1971 by popular Los Angeles disc-jockeys Bob Hudson and Ron Landry. Hudson and Landry were irreverent and risque, elevating political incorrectness to an art form. I bought every one of their records!

"Top Forty D.J.'s" - Hudson and Landry
(from 1971 album Hanging in There)

Thank you, Dell Rat Ron

for bringing us another

pot of gold that's waaay

too cool for old school!

Have a Shady day!

The D-Team: Episode 16

2012-01-17T02:10:00.000-08:00

xxx
In 1972 a crack Dell Rat unit

was sent to prison by the

Unific Court of Love for a

crime they didn't commit...

(DEATH BY DISCO).

These men promptly escaped

from a maximum security

stockade to the York, PA

underground. Today, still

wanted by the government,

they survive as soldiers

of soul and revivers of

rock ‘n roll.

If you have a problem
(with hip hop divas and gangsta rap)...

if no one else can help

and if you can find them

maybe you can hire...

THE D-TEAM!

I pity

the fool

who

don't

like

these

songs!

SONNY AND CHER

Success breeds success. A great example is "Baby Don't Go" by Sonny and Cher. The record was released in 1964 but stayed under the radar, becoming only a minor regional hit.

In the summer of 1965, Sonny and Cher became household names when their signature song, "I Got You Babe," spent seven weeks at the #1 position on the Billboard chart. In the wake of the couple's massive success "Baby Don't Go" was re-released. This time it became a top 10 hit.

"Baby Don't Go" - Sonny and Cher (October 1965,
highest chart position #8)

Many Bob Dylan songs were covered by other artists and turned into hit records. One of my favorites is "All I Really Want to Do," a track from the 1964 album Another Side of Bob Dylan. In the summer of 1965 "All I Really Want to Do" became the focus of a chart battle between two acts that released versions of the song simultaneously. One version was recorded by Cher who was well on her way to stardom thanks to "I Got You Babe" which charted concurrently.
The other rendition was waxed by the Byrds, a band that had just achieved a #1 hit covering Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." Both singles hit the Billboard chart the same week in early July. Spurred on by the popularity of "I Got You Babe," Cher's single peaked at #15 while the one by the Byrds stopped at #40. Cher's recording of "All I Really Want to Do" sounds like another Sonny and Cher duet but it's all Cher!

"All I Really Want to Do" - Cher (August 1965,
highest chart position #15, #9 UK)

THE BYRDS

In the UK the reverse was true. "All I Really Want to Do" by the Byrds became the fastest selling single in the history of CBS Records and out performed Cher's record on the chart, the Byrds' version hitting #4 and Cher's #9. Check out the go-go girl action in the background. It's one of the things that I liked best about the 60s and miss most!

"All I Really Want to Do" - Byrds (August 1965,
highest chart position #40, #4 UK)

TOMMY ROE

Around the time of the JFK assassination in late November of 1963, Tommy Roe's single "Everybody" was scaling the chart, well on its way to becoming a top 5 national hit.

"Everybody" - Tommy Roe (November 1963, highest
chart position #3)

Tommy's next single release, "Come On," sounded a lot like "Everybody."

The point is, ladies and gentleman,

that derivative, for lack of a better word,

is good (sometimes).

Following up a hit record with a sound-alike was and is a common practice and one that makes good business sense. In their attempt to capitalize on a winning formula, however, Tommy Roe and his handlers forgot to factor in the Beatles. Released at the start of 1964, "Come On" should have been another top 5 smash for Tommy. Instead, it got lost in the shuffle as records by the Beatles and other English artists clustered around the top of the Billboard chart. "Come On,"
a recording that I now like even more than "Everybody," finished its chart run at the lower end of the top 40.

"Come On" - Tommy Roe (February 1964, highest chart
position #36)

XXX
Only two things you done

need to know, fool...

Ain't Hannibal or nobody else

gonna get me up in no

AIR - O - PLANE!!! .....

and the D-Team plays

the best music!

GENE CHANDLER

Gene Chandler has his own wing in the Shady's Law Hall of Fame (Shame). That's because he recorded some of the greatest 60s soul but much of it performed poorly on the Billboard chart. Shady's Law teaches us to think nothing about it and just enjoy!

"Think Nothing About It" - Gene Chandler (March 1964,
highest chart position #109)

One year after Gene Chandler's "Think Nothing About It" underwhelmed mainstream record buyers, the Duke of Earl laid down another classic Chicago soul track. Once again what should have been a rocket to the moon failed to get
off the launch pad.

"You Can't Hurt Me No More" - Gene Chandler (March 1965,
highest chart position #92)

CONNIE FRANCIS

For a long time I had a pesky blind spot where Connie Francis was concerned. I kept lumping her in with country artists, easy listening artists, and singers who recorded in foreign languages. I avoided Connie's music, completely unaware of her significant contributions to rock 'n roll and the girl group sound.

Listen as Connie rocks out on "My Best Friend Barbara,"
a Neil Sedaka composition that includes backing vocals by the Brill Building dream team of Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Mr. Sedaka. Previously unreleased, "My Best Friend Barbara" turned up in 1990 on Connie's CD compilation Rocksides (1957-64). It was also included on Growin' Up Too Fast, the Girl Group Anthology. This record's the ginchiest!

"My Best Friend Barbara" - Connie Francis (December 1963,
previously unreleased)

Oh, her lipstick's all a mess
She thinks that she's the best
She's walkin' down the street
in a tight yellow dress
My best friend Barbara.

Yo, Mister Neil Sedaka. FOUR ONE ONE!
Listen up and listen up good my friend.

Looks like I owe you an apology. I made
fun of your dancin' last St. Ballantine's day,
but dat was before I knew you could write
such phat lyrics, aahIGHT? Take it from
me - what the world needs now is more
songs about girls in tight dresses with
messed up lipstick. When I heard dat,
zing went the strings, know what I mean?
As a sincere token of my esteemed
symbolic eternal friendship gratitude
gesture thingy, I hereby bestow upon you,
Mister Neil Sedaka, the honor of receiving,
absolutely free of charge, a lifetime
membership in the Tracy Jordan Fan Club
with all the inherent, implied, implicit,
explicit and illicit rights and privileges
therein, thereof, and therefore. It's the
least I can do!

Don't miss the next thrill-packed episode
of The D-Team, coming soon!

I love it

when

a plan

comes

together!

Have a Shady day!

Remembering John

2012-01-16T00:57:00.000-08:00

xxx
19 years ago today

on the 16th of January, 1993

John Ettline passed away.

John spent the last nine years of his life without Helen.
Can you imagine the strength and courage that it took
for John, a man in his 80s, to go it alone...enduring the hardships of winter and keeping the Dell in operation even
as the clientele became increasingly rough and rowdy?
How many of us could have stood up to that challenge?

Things to know and remember about John:

* John never had any children of his own
but he loved kids and believed in them.

*John was the oldest of eight children,
four boys and four girls, and took on the
responsibility of caring for his siblings.

* Shortly after marrying Helen in Texas
John enlisted in the U.S. Army. Nearly
40 years of age, John was one of the
oldest enlisted men in WWII. He was
promised the cavalry but as fate would
have it he wound up in a communications
unit. John’s unit referred to him as Pops.
John attained the rank of sergeant, served
in the European Theatre, and participated
in the Battle of the Bulge. John was struck
in the head with shrapnel and ordered to
go home but he reportedly refused to leave
his men.

* John was a card shark, a gambler, and
a wheeler dealer – a larger-than-life type
of person – a colorful, loveable, and
memorable character.

* Am I my brother’s keeper?
To that question, John Ettline boldly
answered “Yes!” To John, a friend
in need is a friend indeed was more
than a familiar old proverb. It was a
policy statement. They were the
words that John lived by. John was
known to give financial aid to friends
who were down on their luck or owed
money to unsavory individuals.
Neighbor helping neighbor was the
John Ettline philosophy. John and
Helen opened their doors and opened
their hearts to troubled youth, battered
or pregnant women and others who needed
their support. John and Helen walked their talk.

* As a member of his family expressed it,
"John was loved and respected by
everyone he came in contact with...
especially his family. He offered love,
guidance and advice to anyone who
would give him the respect and listen.”

Please take a moment and watch this video

as we honor the memory of Mr. John Ettline.

John, you were the King of all Dell Rats.

If we have anything to say about it

you and Helen will always be remembered!

We love you and miss you, John!
xxx

--- Now Playing at the Shady Dell --- Jukebox Giants of January 1967

2012-01-11T02:11:00.000-08:00

xxx
Time marches on!

It's January 1967 at the Shady Dell.

Wind's howling...snow's flying...

but the folkloric Summer of Love

will be here before you know it!

Let's sample the Dell's January jukebox giants. They include powerful, evocative ballads that trigger a deluge of memories pertaining to the Dell in winter. First and foremost is the one by Tommy Roe.

Experience the look and sound of
young America!
___________________________________________________

New, Hot and Hitbound:

“Gimme Some Lovin’” – Spencer Davis Group

“It’s Now Winter’s Day” – Tommy Roe

“Pretty Ballerina” – Left Banke

“Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” – Casinos

“Kind of a Drag” – Buckinghams

___________________________________________________

Old Dell Gold:
(Records from past weeks, months and years
that have maintained their popularity)

"Karate” – Emperors (December '66)

“I’ve Got to Have Her” – Emperors (December '66)

“I’m a Believer” – Monkees (December '66)

“(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” – Monkees (December '66)

“(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet” – Blues Magoos (December '66)

“I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” – Electric Prunes
(December '66)

“I’ve Passed This Way Before” – Jimmy Ruffin (December '66)

“Mustang Sally” – Wilson Pickett (December '66)

“Standing in the Shadows of Love” – Four Tops
(December '66)

“Tell it Like it Is “– Aaron Neville (December '66)

“Good Thing” – Paul Revere & the Raiders (December '66)

“98.6” – Keith (December '66)

“Let’s Get Lost on a Country Road” – Kit Kats
(November ’66)

“Find Someone (Who’ll Make You Happy)” – Kit Kats
(November ’66)

“I (Who Have Nothing)” – Terry Knight & the Pack
(November ’66)

“Words of Love” – Mamas & Papas (December '66)

“I’m Ready for Love” – Martha & the Vandellas
(December '66)

“Don’t Be a Drop-out” – James Brown (October ’66)

“Peace of Mind” – Magnificent Men (January ’66)
___________________________________________________

Big changes are coming to the jukebox in February.

Which of these songs will still be burning up the barn and which ones will get kicked to the curb?

You have
one month
to speculate
but remember,
ladies &
gentlemen,
this is only
an exhibition,
this is not
a competition;
so please --
no wagering!

Have a Shady day!

Happy Birthday, Helen!

2012-01-09T01:39:00.000-08:00

xxx
This is a very special day.

Helen Trostle Ettline was born

101 years ago on Jan. 9th, 1911.

Things to know and remember about Helen:

* Helen loved horses and was a skilled rider.

* Helen married John in Texas prior to his
joining the U.S. Army and serving in WWII.

* Helen was patient and tolerant.

* Helen was a great listener.

* Helen was a warm, gracious hostess.

* Helen always had a twinkle in her eye
and a winning smile.

Every evening while Helen worked behind the Dell's lunch counter preparing treats to feed the masses she enjoyed listening to a steady stream of doo-wop era oldies that played on the restaurant jukebox.

Let's celebrate Helen's birthday by listening to one of her favorite songs, "Two People in the World" by the Imperials,
a Dell classic that I affectionately nicknamed "Helen's Song."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HELEN!

We love you and miss you!
xxx

Danger - Killer Girl Group Dead Ahead! Motown's Marvelettes

2012-01-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

xxx
Remember how the Animals and

the Stones eclipsed the Beatles

in terms of Dell popularity?

During the mid 60s when John, Paul, George and Ringo were
still singing pop love songs, Dell rats began to identify to a greater degree with the earthy, unpretentious, street wise, blue collar working class sensibilities of artists like Eric Burdon and Mick Jagger. When it came to Motown girl groups the rodentia intelligentsia had equally discriminating tastes.

Outside the gravitational pull of the Shady Dell, superstar Diana Ross and her Supremes left most of the competition standing in the shadows of Baby Love; but inside the walls and hallowed halls of the Dell it was a different story. Dellers felt a stronger connection to less heralded but arguably more soulful acts like the Marvelettes, Martha & the Vandellas, the Velvelettes, the Pips, the Elgins and Kim Weston and danced more enthusiastically to their records.

The Marvelettes were major contributors to the Shady Dell soundtrack during much of the 60s. Their single "Don't Mess with Bill" began a 12-week ride on the Billboard chart on the first day of January, 1966. The song eventually broke into the top 10 and became one of the group's biggest hits.

"Don't Mess With Bill" - Marvelettes (February 1966, highest
chart position #7)

“Don’t Mess With Bill” was one of the most memorable jukebox gems during my early months at the Dell. At #54
it ranks high on my Dell's Greatest Hits survey.

With its female p.o.v. "Bill" caught on quickly with Dell girls. Two, sometimes three Dellettes at a time would venture out on the floor, dance together and sing along.

It was a common sight at the Dell: pairs or trios of dancing girls. In fact, there were only a few guys at the Dell that I remember as being smooth, confident dancers. The rest of
us lugs were faking it as seen below in Figure B-S.

Figure B-S:
Directionally challenged Dell dancer
busts bomb diggity moves to "Karate."

Shoot your

right hand out

and bring it

back again...

Kick your

left leg out

and let your

knees bend...

In my case even the idea of faking it was so intimidating
that I spent most of my time hanging out on the sidelines, especially during my first few weeks of Delldom, before I
got my mojo workin'. I guess you could say that I was more Mickey Mouse than Dell rat. I was your basic wallflower, the shy violet of Violet Hill, falling back to a defensive position and watching other people dance..... just wishin' and hopin'
and thinkin' and prayin', plannin' and dreamin' that somehow,
maybe by magic...the action would come to me!

There I stood every night with my back against the wall - insecure - but trying to cover by posing, posturing and pretending to be cool. I watched and waited. Occasionally, just to change things up a bit, I waited and watched.

Are you kiddin'? I mean, people

started hangin' their coats on me

for cryin' out loud!

I didn't get any respect, I tell ya...

NO RESPECT AT ALL!

To top it off...at the end of the night...I had the distinct privilege of waving bye-bye as the dashing, debonair, dancing dude made an exit stage left with a girl on his arm...sometimes two girls!

Rope-a-dope.....

great strategy, Del.

Good luck with that!

Okay, enough of this foolishness... let's
have some fun!
Join me right now for
a Marvelettes block party. I guarantee it'll make you feel at least 80 years younger.
All of the heavy lifting has been done for you. I cherry picked the best Marvelettes clips, so what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Click away!

A year after "Bill" climbed the charts, the Marvelettes bagged themselves another hit with "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game."

"The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" - Marvelettes
(March 1967, highest chart position #13)

It was great to be young in 1967.
It was even better to be in love.

Here's another marvelous Marvelettes record that landed on my Shady Dell Top 200, "When You're Young and in Love."

"When You're Young and in Love" - Marvelettes (June 1967,
highest chart position #23)

Direct from Caesar's Palace and the world famous
Shady Dell - the College Years...

...here's the hook-happy "My Baby Must Be a Magician."

"My Baby Must Be a Magician" - Marvelettes (February 1968,
highest chart position #17)

The next clip flashes back to the glory days of Motown.

It's Shady Del Knight's Pick to Click, "I'll Keep Holding On."

"I'll Keep Holding On" - Marvelettes (July 1965, highest
chart position #34)

But wait, we have a tie! I realize this is highly irregular,
but I can't help myself - I'm naming a second Pick to Click!

It's "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead," the follow-up release to "...Holding On."

"Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" - Marvelettes
(September 1965, highest chart position #61)

With several remastered CD anthologies released in recent years, loads of buzz and many of their vids on YouTube including some cool remixes, the Marvelettes have, at long last, emerged from the shadows.

The Marvelettes have secured

their rightful place in the history

books as one of the greatest girl

groups of Motown, my town,

your town or any other town!

Have a Shady day!

2012 - YEAR OF THE DELL RAT

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

xxx

CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT

KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

IN THE COMING YEAR?

DOES LUMPY

RUTHERFORD

HAVE WHAT

IT TAKES TO

BE PRESIDENT?

Thank you

very much

for your

friendship

and support

in 2011.

Let's stick together and make

2012 our best year ever!

Have a Shady day!
xxx

Counting Down the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell (#180 to #176)

2011-12-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

XXX
CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT

KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

WHILE HE'S AWAY FROM HIS

BLOG FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

DOES

ALFALFA

KNOW HOW

TO ROCK A

COWLICK?

Once again it's time to put your
musical knowledge to the test
as we continue our countdown of
The 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!

You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.

Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:

"Children, behave!"

Give me my propers
when you get home

Sheriff John Stone
Why don't you leave me alone?

In the shelter of your love,
my strength I found
But now I’m useless

I'm beginning to think
that man has never found
The words that could
make you want me

Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:

180. "I Think We're Alone Now"
- Tommy James & the Shondells
(February '67)

179. "Respect" -Aretha Franklin (May '67)

178. "Sloop John B" - Beach Boys (April '66)

177. "Helpless" - Kim Weston (March '66)

176. "Cherish" - Association (Sept. '66)

How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.

All 5 right –
Congratulations!
You’ve been
appointed dean
of the College of
Musical Knowledge

3 or 4 right –
Licensed lyric lover

2 right -
Lyrically challenged

1 right –
Sign up for
remedial classes at
the School of Rock

0 right –
You just dance and hum along!

Do you have a top tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it! It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your song list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.

DOES SHADY DEL KNIGHT

WISH YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY

NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION?

DOES

JAMES BOND

GET LUCKY...

...A LOT?

Have a Shady day!

Spreading Holiday Cheer Year After Year "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms

2011-12-21T01:57:00.000-08:00

xxx

HOLIDAY
SPECIAL:

PANTS
~~HALF~~
75%
OFF!

XXX
CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT

KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

WHILE HE'S AWAY FROM HIS

BLOG FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

DOES

TINY TIM

PLAY A

MEAN

UKULELE?

BOBBY HELMS

"Jingle Bell Rock," a single released by Indiana born country singer/guitarist Bobby Helms was one of the many two-siders to enjoy popularity at the Shady Dell. Both sides of the record were enduring seasonal favorites.

"Jingle Bell Rock" first became a nationwide hit at Christmas time in 1957.

Every December thereafter, the song would magically show up on the Dell’s dance hall jukebox just in time to engender a festive holiday mood.

"Jingle Bell Rock" - Bobby Helms
(December 1957, highest chart position #6)

You might think that the Dell's inner circle would have avoided this old countrified Christmas classic, dismissing it as square. Instead, the gang eagerly got into the spirit of the proceedings and made it their own.

The B-side of the single, a nursery school ditty entitled "Captain Santa Claus," produced an extraordinary reaction at the Dell. The record begins with a series of bizarre and instantly recognizable sound effects. Naming that tune in seconds flat, the crowd would erupt in gleeful, childlike laughter.

Jubilant rats would leap to their feet, head out on the dance floor, and skip around the room hand-in-hand like merry little elves. At the Dell, even the coolest kids were capable of letting their hair down on occasion and acting silly, particularly at Christmas when Bobby Helms was serenading us.

"Captain Santa Claus" - Bobby Helms (December '57, B side of "Jingle Bell Rock")

The popularity of these two perennial holiday classics allows me to once again make an important point about the Dell rats of the 1960s. They were always eager to embrace the songs of the past and preserve the traditions of their 50s predecessors.

DOES SHADY DEL KNIGHT

WISH YOU AND YOURS THE

HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS?

DO DOGS

SING JINGLE

BELLS AT

CHRISTMAS?

Have

yourself

a

Shady

little

Christmas!

Counting Down the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell (#185 to #181)

2011-12-16T02:56:00.000-08:00

XXX
CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT

KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

WHILE HE'S AWAY FROM HIS

BLOG FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

DOES

BUDDY LOVE

SWING LIKE

NOBODY'S

BEESWAX?

Once again it's time to put your
musical knowledge to the test
as we continue our countdown of
The 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!

You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.

Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:

It's been so long
Since you've been gone away
And baby when you come back
You'll be home to stay

Well my doctor told me beware
I'm taking more than my share
Falling in love I can bear
Provided that loving affair
But he don't know about you
And all the things that you do
And how it breaks me in two
Just to know a man's with you

As best I can, I'll always try
To reassure & satisfy
'Cause I'd be lost
if you went away

Not this time
Not with me
You had your fun
Now set me free

We're out there on the floor, y'all,
goin' to a go-go

Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:

185. "Dry Your Eyes" - Brenda & the
Tabulations (March '67)

184. "Can't Get Enough Of It"
- Spencer Davis Group (April '67)

183. "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"
- Four Tops (June '66)

182. "Rumors" - Syndicate Of Sound
(August '66)

181. "Sweet Soul Music" - Arthur Conley
(March '67)

How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.

Counting Down the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell (#190 to #186)

2011-12-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

XXX
CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT

KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

WHILE HE'S AWAY FROM HIS

BLOG FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

DOES

PAT BOONE

SING SOME

KICK-ASS

HEAVY METAL?

Hello, dear friends! For the next couple of weeks I will have a house full of guests so please excuse me if I don't visit your blogs quite as often or reply to your comments here on mine. I am also beginning
a reduced publishing schedule today, one which will continue through the coming year. Instead of publishing an average of twice a week as I have done in the past I will publish an average of three times every two weeks. This adjustment will give you an extra day or two to read my posts. It will also give me more time to assemble them, read and comment on my friends' blogs, and devote more time to my family and other aspects of life beyond the blogosphere. I'll be checking in as often as possible but until I return full time I wish each and every one of you very happy holidays!

Once again it's time to put your
musical knowledge to the test
as we continue our countdown of
The 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!

You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.

Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:

I can't blame you for tryin'
I'm tryin' to make it to
I've got one little hang up baby
I just can't make it without you

No football hero or smooth Don Juan
Got empty pockets
You see I'm a poor man's son

I'm fightin' hard to hold my own
No, I just can't make it all alone
I'm holdin' on, I can't fall back
Now that big brass ring is a shade of black

All the windows are painted black
And wait right here til you come back
I'll keep waiting, waiting
Until your face again I see

I walked on over
and I asked her to dance
Thinkin' maybe later on
we'll make with romance

Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:

190. "Poor Side Of Town" - Johnny Rivers
(September '66)

189. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
- Stevie Wonder (December '65)

188. "Beggin'"- Four Seasons (March '67)

187. "7 Rooms Of Gloom" - Four Tops
(May '67)

186. "Sweet Pea" - Tommy Roe (June '66)

How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.

All 5 right –
Congratulations!
You’ve been
appointed dean
of the College of
Musical Knowledge

3 or 4 right –
Licensed lyric lover

2 right -
Lyrically challenged

1 right –
Sign up for remedial
classes at the
School of Rock

0 right –
You just dance and hum along!

Do you have a top tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it! It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your song list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.

Have a Shady day!

John, Paul, George, Ringo and Jaap!

2011-12-08T01:49:00.000-08:00

-------------------------------------
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHADY WENT TO A GAY BAR!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(...not that there's anything wrong with that.)

There, I said it! Let's get all of the snickering over with right now. If there are any outbursts later I'll clear the courtroom.
Yes, I admit that I went into a gay establishment but I didn't intend to. Oh alright, Dick Tracy, I guess maybe my first hint should have been the fact that there were no women in the joint. Perhaps I should have put two and two together when I noticed that the walls were covered with framed portraits of divas like Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli.
It just didn't sink in because...well, because I got distracted. Here's what happened (just the facts).

Friday, May 29th, 1981, 8:45PM: My partner Frank and I were working the night watch out of LAPD Homicide Division. (Oops!...pardon me...wrong story.) Actually, I was sitting on a bar stool that evening halfway through my first draft beer and paying no attention to the clientele when, to my delight, an exciting medley of Beatles songs began to play on the club's bitchin' sound system. My eyes grew wide in disbelief as the long string of Beatles favorites continued, blended seamlessly and mixed with a nonstop dance beat. It was the coolest thing I ever heard! I wondered where it came from, who assembled it and why didn't I know about it.

STARS ON 45

Turns out I wasn't listening to the Beatles after all. It was Stars on 45, a Dutch act put together by Jaap Eggermont, formerly of Golden Earring, and consisting of studio musicians recreating the authentic sound of the Beatles and weaving portions of their songs together over a fixed drum/clap track.

The Stars on 45 Beatles medley soared to #1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts and spawned other medleys including the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Abba, the Supremes and the Carpenters. Many Beatles tribute bands have emerged in the years since but I never heard any of them imitate the Fab Four better than Stars On!

"Stars on 45 (Medley)" - Stars on 45
(May/June 1981, highest chart position #1)

In 1982 I saw the Stars on 45 perform live in concert at a Harrisburg hotel. It was a fabulous show!

THE BEATLES

Now I'd like to offer a few of my favorite songs by the real Beatles. If you're like me you've heard some Beatles hits so many times that you wouldn't care if you never heard them again. I tried to avoid songs like those and instead present selections that you might not have heard lately and Beatles footage that you might not have seen before. Let's begin with the opening track from the English combo's second UK album With the Beatles. The rocking "It Won't Be Long" was written by John Lennon with an assist by Paul McCartney on lyrics and arrangement.

"It Won't be Long" - Beatles
December 1963, from album
With the Beatles

Second in line..."Not a Second Time," another track written by Beatle John and included on With the Beatles.

"Not a Second Time" - Beatles
December 1963, from album
With the Beatles)

The rollicking "When I Get Home," another John Lennon composition, appeared on the album A Hard Day's Night and was first released in America on the album Something New.

"When I Get Home" - Beatles (July 1964,
from albums A Hard Day's Night and
Something New)

Penned by Paul, "The Night Before" is a track from the album and the film Help!

"The Night Before" - Beatles
(August 1965, from the album
and motion picture Help!)

PAUL McCARTNEY

AND WINGS

Paul and Linda McCartney wrote the song "Hi Hi Hi" in Spain while Paul was, in his words, "in a sensuous mood." That helps to explain allegations of sexually suggestive lyrics and drug references that got the record banned in the UK by the BBC. Negative publicity often boosts sales and the former Beatle's rowdy recording made it to #5 in Britain and #10 stateside.

"Hi Hi Hi" - Paul McCartney and Wings
(January 1973, highest chart position #10)

RINGO STARR

Ringo Starr and George Harrison wrote "Photograph" and
the two ex-Beatles recorded it with Ringo singing lead and playing drums and George on guitar and harmony vocals. "Photograph" was released as a single in the fall of 1973 and went all the way to #1 in the U.S. while halting at #8 back home in the UK.

"Photograph" - Ringo Starr
(November 1973, highest chart
position #1)

GEORGE HARRISON

Many songs by the so-called quiet Beatle resonated with me. "If I Needed Someone" is a beautiful George Harrison composition from the UK album Rubber Soul and the USA album Yesterday and Today. The Hollies recorded the song and released it on a single with only modest success. The Beatles version achieved immortality.

"If I Needed Someone" - Beatles
(December 1965, from UK album
Rubber Soul and 1966 USA album
Yesterday and Today)

A gem from George's solo career, "Blow Away" was released on Valentine's day 1979. At the time everybody and his grandmother was making disco records and "Blow Away" swept in like a fresh cool breeze.

"Blow Away" - George Harrison
(April 1979, highest chart position
#16 Billboard, #12 Cash Box,
#2 Adult Contemporary)

John Lennon was assassinated 31 years ago today on December 8th, 1980. The following spring George Harrison released "All Those Years Ago," a loving tribute to his friend and former bandmate. The single spent three weeks at the #2 position on the American Billboard chart. In an ironic twist Harrison's record was blocked from the top spot by the band of Beatles imitators the Stars on 45 and their Beatles Medley!

"All Those Years Ago" - George Harrison
(June 1981, highest chart position #2)

JOHN LENNON

"I just had to let it go," explained John Lennon when fans, handlers and hangers-on wondered why he retired from the music business and withdrew from the limelight rather than milking his Beatles fame for all it was worth. Lennon reminded all of us that fame and fortune are not the only measures of success. As John discovered, it can be realized in the quiet role of husband and father.

"But I can be alone without Yoko, but I just have no wish
to be. There’s no reason on earth why I should be alone
without Yoko. There’s nothing more important than our
relationship, nothing. And we dig being together all the time.
Both of us could survive apart but what for? I’m not going
to sacrifice love, real love for any whore or any friend or
any business, because in the end you’re alone at night and
neither of us want to be. And you can’t fill a bed with
groupies. It doesn’t work. I don’t want to be a swinger.
I’ve been through it all and nothing works better than to
have someone you love hold you." — John Lennon

"Watching the Wheels' was the third and final single to be released posthumously from the John Lennon/York Ono album Double Fantasy following John's murder.

"Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
(May 1981, highest chart position
#10 Billboard, #7 Cash Box)

"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love.
When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we
are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion,
excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love
ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we
cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability
to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all
hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-
hearted vision of people who embrace life."-- John Lennon

31 years and counting, John.
We will always remember.

Have a Shady day!

Dueling Doo-Wops, Vol. 3

2011-12-05T02:06:00.000-08:00

------------------------------------------

Rat Ron's back and he's packing

stax o' wax. (Say that 5 times fast!)

Ron and I along with Mr. Peabody and Sherman
are ready to hop into the Wayback Machine and
revisit some of the greatest seldom heard snugglers
of the pre-Beatles era. Return with us now to those
thrilling days of yesteryear when doo-wops ruled!

Ron, if you don't mind
I'd like to kick off the
festivities with one of
the best known names
in the biz - Dion.

DION

AND THE BELMONTS

Some dismissed him as just another flash in the pan teenage idol, but Dion DiMucci proved them wrong the same way that Ricky Nelson proved them wrong. Both were the real deal.

Growing up in an Italian American family in the Bronx, Dion was influenced by rock and roll and rhythm and blues. He assimilated both genres, produced his own unique blend of New York style pop, rock and doo-wop, and became one of the most popular singers of the Eisenhower and Kennedy years, influencing many other performers.

Bob and Gene Schwartz signed Dion and his friends the Belmonts to their new Laurie record label and put the two acts together in the studio. From the spring of 1958 until
the fall of 1959, Dion and the Belmonts released half a dozen charting singles, achieving three top 40 hits and a top 5 hit, "Teenager in Love."

The early success of Dion and the Belmonts landed them a spot on the ill fated Winter Dance Party Tour. On February 2nd, 1959, after a concert in Clear lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper invited Dion to fly with them to their next gig. Dion declined because he couldn't afford the $36 cost of the flight. The plane crashed killing
all on board... the day the music died.

Dion and the Belmonts reaped their biggest hit with "Where or When" which went to #3 early in 1960. I already featured that record in a previous post but I'd like you to hear the killer bee, "That's My Desire."

"That's My Desire" - Dion and the Belmonts (March 1960,
uncharted B side of "Where or When")

In 1960 Dion split from the Belmonts and began a solo career, finding success with his first release "Lonely Teenager."

"Lonely Teenager" - Dion (January 1961, highest chart
position #12)

More hits followed, including Dion's best known recordings "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer." In 1962 Dion rocked out with "Little Diane," a top 10 record that featured the Del Satins accompanying Dion and a distinctive hook in the form of a kazoo solo!

"Little Diane" - Dion (Aug. 1962, highest chart position #8)

Ron, looks like your first spin is another
golden goodie by York's own R&B group
the Quin-Tones! Don't delay - Play away!

"Now, I say to you today my friends, even
though we face the difficulties of today and
tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream
deeply rooted in the American dream. I have
a dream that one day this nation will rise up
and live out the true meaning of its creed:
we hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

THE QUIN-TONES

Shady, it's time to pick up
where we left off with the
story of the Quin-Tones,
five vocalists and a key-
boardist who achieved a
national hit in 1958 with
their second 45rpm release
"Down the Aisle of Love."
The success of that single
multiplied opportunities for
the Quin-Tones. They did
more touring and made a
guest appearance on
American Bandstand.
The Quin-Tones' most
memorable gig took place
on Saturday night, August 23rd, 1958 at the Apollo Theater
when they shared the stage with famous acts that included
the Coasters, the Olympics, the Danleers, the Spaniels
and the Chantels and received a standing ovation.

Riding high as a result of their hit record, "Down the Aisle
of Love," and still in a position to benefit from a national
distribution deal with ABC Records, the Quin-Tones
hoped to repeat their success with a follow-up single.
However, their third release, "There'll Be No Sorrow,"
did not make the national charts even though it appeared
on the top tunes surveys of radio stations throughout the
mid-Atlantic region.

"There'll Be No Sorrow" - Quin-Tones
(September 1958, uncharted)

The killer bee, "What Am I To Do," was another sweet
ballad that came and went unnoticed.

"What Am I To Do" - Quin-Tones (November 1958, uncharted)

Ron, let me interrupt
you here to add that
our Quin-Tones have
been called a cross
between the Chantels
and the Bobbettes.

THE BOBBETTES

The Bobbettes were an early R&B girl group from Spanish Harlem. The girls killed at the Apollo, attracted a manager, got an Atlantic recording contract and in 1957 scored a
#1 charting R&B/top 10 pop hit with the tongue-in-cheek novelty record "Mr. Lee." In so doing the Bobbettes were the first girl group to achieve that degree of crossover success. A derivative recording, "I Shot Mr. Lee" became a minor hit for the Bobbettes, but neither of those jump tempo records can touch the power of the group's churchy doo-wop ballad "The Dream."

"The Dream" - Bobbettes (1958, uncharted)

THE CHANTELS

Led by classically trained Arlene Smith, The Chantels from The Bronx, NY were the next girl group after the Bobbettes to achieve nationwide success. "Maybe" and "Look in My Eyes" were the Chantels' biggest crossover hits but I'm shattered every time I listen to this one, the devotional, gospel drenched "Every Night (I Pray)."

"Every Night (I Pray)" - Chantels (May 1958, highest
chart position #39, R&B #16)

Ron, the ball's back in
your court, my friend.
Play us some hardcore
sock hop doo-wop!

THE JIVE FIVE

with ARLENE SMITH

& THE CHANTELS

Shady, I agree with those who
compare the Quin-Tones with
the Bobbettes and Chantels and
I think The Quints were as hot
as those more famous girl groups!
Speaking of the Chantels, here's
a recording that I never knew
existed until recently, where the
original Chantels and the Jive Five
do a cover of Lenny Miles's "Don't
Believe Him Donna." I may prefer
Lenny Miles's version a little better,
but just to hear these two fabulous groups TOGETHER is
a real treat!

"Don't Believe Him Donna" - The Jive Five with special guests
Arlene Smith & The Chantels (1982)

I know how much Jerre likes the Jive Five and in this
live performance they sing their two biggest hits.

"My True Story"/"What Time Is It" (live) - The Jive Five

Ron, let me give Jerre

a high five with more

Jive Five.

Here's a seldom heard gem by Eugene Pitt's Brooklyn vocal group. "Rain (Makes My Baby Cry)," with a melody derived from that fall 1962 hit "What Time Is It," was released as a single in the spring of 1963 and registered for just one week near the bottom of Billboard's Bubbling Under chart. Shady's Law applies. "Rain" is a great record that deserved more chart action back then and deserves to be heard right now!

"Rain (Makes My Baby Cry)" - The Jive Five (April 1963,
highest chart position #128)

Those last three songs have inspired me
to play a quick game of Six Degrees with
Jerre's Jive Five by connecting them with
two other great groups!

THE JIVE BOMBERS

The Jive Five always makes me think of The Jive Bombers,
a jazzy, bluesy New York City R&B group that recorded for Savoy Records, the Newark, NJ label that played a key role in popularizing bebop. The Jive Bombers' biggest hit, "Bad Boy," can be traced back to 1936 when the song was written and recorded by Louis Armstrong's second wife, Lil Armstrong.

The Jive Bombers originally recorded the song as "Brown Boy" but changed it to "Bad Boy" for release on Savoy in 1957. Lead singer Clarence Palmer renders the song in a lazy, offbeat style and comes across sounding very much like Satchmo!

"Bad Boy" - The Jive Bombers (April 1957, highest
chart position #36 Hot 100, #7 Black Singles)

THE NUTMEGS

The Jive Five told "My True Story." For the Nutmegs, a group from New Haven, Connecticut, theirs was a "Story Untold." Led by tenor Leroy Griffin, whose ardent vocals are among the finest in all of doo-wop, the Nutmegs watched their single climb all the way to #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart during the summer of 1955, yet it never showed up on the white dominated pop chart. The Nutmegs' popularity was confined primarily to the East Coast and Northeast and they never achieved widespread crossover success. That reality notwithstanding, their "Story Untold" is regarded as one of the greatest doo-wop recordings of the 50s.

"Story Untold" - The Nutmegs (August 1955, highest
chart position #2 R&B)

The Nutmegs followed "Story Untold" with another R&B hit, "Ship of Love," which includes a spoken passage.

"Ship of Love" - The Nutmegs (October 1955, highest
chart position #13 R&B)

LITTLE JOEY

AND THE FLIPS

In the fall of 1961 the Dovells flirted with the #1 chart spot with "Bristol Stomp." In the summer of 1962 that hit sound and stompin' beat were back on the radio in a shamelessly derivative recording called "Bongo Stomp" by another Philly act called Little Joey and the Flips. The group rerecorded "Bongo Stomp" from a demo of theirs which was originally called "African Twist."

Cameo-Parkway, Swan and other Philly labels rejected the record before Eddie Joy released the single on his Joy label and achieved a top 40 hit.

"Bongo Stomp" - Little Joey and the Flips (July 1962,
highest chart position #33)

Ron, it's been great fun

playing doo-wop gold with

you again today. There

are two more exciting

volumes yet to come,

so please stay close!

Have a Shady day!

--- Now Playing at the Shady Dell --- Jukebox Giants of December 1966

2011-12-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

-----------------------------------

TIME FLIES

WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN!

I told you back in January that 1966 would

whiz by before you know it and it did!

For the last time this year, let's take a peek inside
the old Shady Dell jukebox and find out what's on
the musical menu for the month of December.

Here's a hint: our funky friends from the Burg
are puttin' down the hottest sound around!

When their new record starts playing, put on your dancin' pants, splash on some of this junk, shake hands and come out kickin' - chop-chop!

Experience the look and sound of

young America!
___________________________________________________

New, Hot and Hitbound:

"Karate” – Emperors

“I’ve Got to Have Her” – Emperors

“I’ve Passed This Way Before”
– Jimmy Ruffin

Mustang Sally” – Wilson Pickett

“I’m a Believer” – Monkees

“(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” – Monkees

“(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet” – Blues Magoos

“I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”
– Electric Prunes

“Standing in the Shadows of Love”
– Four Tops

“Good Thing” – Paul Revere & the Raiders

“Tell it Like it Is “– Aaron Neville

“98.6” – Keith

“Words of Love” – Mamas & Papas

“I’m Ready for Love”
– Martha & the Vandellas

“I Need Somebody” – (?) Question Mark
& the Mysterians

“Talk Talk” – Music Machine

“Snoopy Vs. the Red Baron"
– Royal Guardsmen

________________________________________________

Old Dell Gold:
(Records from past weeks, months and years
that have maintained their popularity)

“Let’s Get Lost on a Country Road” – Kit Kats (November ’66)

“Find Someone (Who’ll Make You Happy)” – Kit Kats (November ’66)

“I (Who Have Nothing)” – Terry Knight & the Pack
(November ’66)

“(I Know) I’m Losing You” – Temptations (November ’66)

“Good Vibrations” – Beach Boys (November ’66)

“Baby Let Me Bang Your Box” – Doug Clark & The Hot Nuts
(November ’66)

“Tell Me That You Love Me” – James Brown (October ’66)

“Don’t Be a Drop-out” – James Brown (October ’66)

“Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody” – Sam & Dave
(September ’66)

“If You Got the Loving (I Got the Time)” – Sam & Dave (September ’66)

“You Keep Me Hangin’ On” – Supremes (November ’66)

“Heaven Must Have Sent You” – Elgins (November ’66)

“Mellow Yellow” – Donovan (November ’66)

“Nineteen Days” – Dave Clark Five (November ’66)

“Stop Stop Stop” – Hollies (November ’66)

“Devil With a Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly”
– Mitch Ryder (October ’66)

“Winchester Cathedral” – New Vaudeville Band
(November ’66)

“(Come ‘Round Here) I’m the One You Need” – Miracles (November ’66)

“Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms (every Xmas ’57 thru ’66)

“Captain Santa Claus” – Bobby Helms (every Xmas ’57 thru ’66)

“Peace of Mind” – Magnificent Men (January ’66)
___________________________________________________

Big changes are coming to the jukebox in January.

Which songs will still be hot in the Shady, and which ones will be cold as ice?

You have
one month
to speculate
but remember,
ladies &
gentlemen,
this is only
an exhibition,
this is not
a competition;
so please --
no wagering!

Have a Shady day!

Shady's Eighties Greaties Part 1

2011-11-28T01:51:00.000-08:00

---------------------------------

SHAME ON SHADY!

It occurred to me recently

that I've been neglecting

the 1980s, conveniently

forgetting that I have a

few younger followers

(baby Dell rats) who were raised on 80s

rock, new wave and pop. I hope to correct

that injustice with a four part series called

Eighties Greaties.

In this series as in others my intention is to present artists, recordings and videos that you might not have even thought about in a while along with a few that might be new to you.

Experience Eighties Greaties!

Let's begin our Eighties Greaties salute by flashing back
to the start of the previous decade.

THE JAGGERZ

With its bright neon pink color and new age design the 1970 Kama Sutra record label resembled a psychedelic poster.

A Kama Sutra single by a band called the Jaggerz ushered in the "me" decade with a song about a Shallow Hal prototype called "The Rapper." Strange but true: Western Pennsylvania native Donnie Iris and I went to different schools together (dated, obscure reference to the title of the Jaggerz' second album). Iris wrote the group's big hit "The Rapper" which began a three month chart run at the end of January 1970 and wound up in the top 5. "The Rapper" was sitting pretty, positioned on the chart at #2 with a bullet; but despite its momentum the Jaggerz' record was denied the coveted #1 spot by Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and three other meteoric singles that leapfrogged over it in
a single week: "Let it Be" by the Beatles, "Instant Karma
(We All Shine On)" by John Lennon (recording as John Ono Lennon), and "ABC" by a hot new Motown group called the Jackson 5.

"The Rapper" - Jaggerz (March 1970,
highest chart position #2)

DONNIE IRIS

The Jaggerz were never able to repeat the success of "The Rapper" and joined the ranks of one hit wonders. After a stint with Wild Cherry, Donnie Iris went solo just in time to join the MTV revolution. Donnie's first solo album Back on the Streets spawned the hit "Ah! Leah!" and the accompanying video is a classic nerd meets beauty scenario.

"Ah! Leah!" - Donnie Iris (February 1981,
highest chart position #29)

With his act billed as Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, Donnie cranked out his second album, King Cool, another collection of yummy, radio friendly pop rock candy nuggets.

"Love is Like a Rock" - Donnie Iris
and the Cruisers (August 1981, highest
chart position #9)

The Donnie Iris power pop factory reached peak production during the early 80s. In his trademark eyeglasses, Iris was the Buddy Holly of the MTV generation. Donnie's next album Fortune 410 was named after the brand of specs he wore and yielded the MTV hit "Do You Compute?"

"Do You Compute?" - Donnie Iris
and the Cruisers (June 1983, highest
chart position #64)

BIG PIG

"(I Can't) Breakaway" was the only American hit for Big Pig,
a seven member pop/rock band from Melbourne, Australia. "Breakaway," an edgy club dance record with an alternative, experimental feel, features an incendiary performance by
lead vocalist Sherine Abeyratne combined with feverish tribal chanting and relentless pounding of the drums, all seemingly aimed at summoning King Kong from his lair to meet his new bride, Fay Wray. The bizarre conceptual video that you are about to view was broadcast on MTV and on NBC's Friday Night Videos. The rad soundtrack and intense, sometimes nightmarish images put me into sensory overload every time
I watch it!

"Breakaway" - Big Pig (April 1988,
highest chart position #60 Billboard,
#55 Cash Box)

KENNY LOGGINS

As half of the duo Loggins and Messina, Washington state's Kenny Loggins cracked the top 5 in 1972 with "Your Mama Don't Dance." In 1984, as a solo artist, Kenny reached the #1 spot with the title song from the hit movie Footloose.

Kenny Loggins recorded two other movie themes that I like even more. Who can forget the lethal laugh combination of Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and his fur covered nemesis, the mischievous dancing gopher in the wildly popular comedy Caddyshack?

"I'm Alright" - Kenny Loggins (October 1980,
highest chart position #7 Billboard Hot 100,
#4 Cash Box, from Caddyshack soundtrack)

Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt and Meg Ryan were all at or near the peak of their respective careers in 1986 when they appeared in the testosterone injected action/romance flick
Top Gun which revolved around macho young men training to be jet fighter pilots. Kenny Loggins just missed another chart topper with the movie's theme "Danger Zone."

"Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins (July 1986,
highest chart position #2, from Top Gun
soundtrack)

E.G. DAILY

Calling Elizabeth "E.G." Daily multitalented would be an understatement. The beautiful Los Angeles native is a movie and television actress, voice actress, singer, songwriter and musician (proficient on guitar, harmonica, keyboards and percussion instruments). I remember her in the role of Loryn in the 1983 Nicholas Cage teen romance movie Valley Girl. Elizabeth was the voice star of Babe: Pig in the City and the voice of Buttercup in the animated feature The Powerpuff Girls Movie.

My favorite memory of E.G. Daily is the MTV video produced for her #1 ranked club/dance single "Say it, Say it." The clip features Elizabeth and other actors performing a brilliant parody of the 1962 Stanley Kubrick film Lolita. Check it out. This guy does James Mason better than James Mason does James Mason!

"Say it, Say it" - E.G. Daily (1986, highest
chart position #70 Billboard Hot 100,
#1 Hot Dance/Club Play)

[Humbert decides to rent the room]

Charlotte: What was the decisive
factor? Uh, my garden?

Humbert: I think it was your
cherry pies!

Stay tuned! Parts 2, 3 and 4

of Shady's Eighties Greaties

are coming your way soon!

Have a Shady day!

Dell Rat Ron's a Little Bit Soul and Shady's a Little Bit Rock 'N' Roll!

2011-11-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

-----------------------------------------

Original Dell rat and soul

connoisseur Ron Shearer is

back as my guest blogger

and he's got a gunny sack

stuffed full of goodies!

These are the type of songs that

true Dell rats like the best and

respect the most: seldom heard

gems by underappreciated artists.

Ron, put the needle

in the groove and

play some platters!

BILLY BUTLER &

THE CHANTERS

Shady, as I'm sure you
know, Billy Butler wrote
one song for the Magnifi-
cent Men, "Babe I'm
Crazy 'Bout You." Billy
was Jerry (the Ice Man)
Butler's younger brother.
Here is the best selling of
his songs with his group
the Chanters (originally
called the Enchanters).
The Del-Chords and
Mag Men probably sang
all of their songs. This
song was written by
Curtis Mayfield, lead for
the Impressions.

"I Can't Work No Longer" - Billy Butler & the Chanters
(July 1965, highest chart position #60)

MAJOR LANCE

This was one of my favorite Delchord songs, which was
written by Curtis Mayfield. I think that Major Lance did
just as good a job on his recording as the Delchords did
on their live covers of it. Is Major backed up by the
Impressions or by Billy Butler and the Enchanters?
A frequent discussion around Dave, Buddy, Ike, etc.
when Curtis Mayfield was involved in any recording.
Curtis Mayfield and Billy Butler were big influences on
the Magnificent Men.

"It Ain't No Use" - Major Lance (July 1964, highest chart
position #68)

Ron, you're on a

genuine soul roll

and puttin' down a

wailin' pound of

sound.

Now let me answer with some

KILLA VANILLA!

I'd like to play a couple of seldom heard nuggets by Ronnie Dove that were waxed early in his career before his string
of hits began on the Diamond label. Like Tommy Roe, Ronnie Dove started out recording in an authentic rockabilly style.
I enjoy this side of Ronnie just as much if not more than his country/pop recordings!

RONNIE DOVE & THE

BELL-TONES (BELTONES)

Ronnie played it smart, resisting the label and stereotype
of a teen idol. The Virginia born singer honed his craft in Baltimore nightclubs singing covers of Elvis Presley songs. Ronnie formed a vocal group called the Bell-Tones and continued playing Mid-Atlantic venues. Ronnie and the Bell-Tones made their first record in Baltimore in 1959. It only takes a few seconds to realize that "Lover Boy" was derived from the Elvis hit "Teddy Bear."

"Lover Boy" - Ronnie Dove and the Bell-Tones
(1959, uncharted)

Buddy Knox had the most famous rendition of this rockabilly standard but here's young Ronnie Dove and his group (now spelled Beltones) with their follow-up release, a fab version of "Party Doll."

"Party Doll" - Ronnie Dove and the Beltones
(July 1961, uncharted)

Now let's fast forward a few years and listen to a recording from Ronnie Dove's Diamond catalog. "Hello Pretty Girl" never climbed above the lower half of the Billboard Hot 100 but it's a great Ronnie record that deserves to be heard.

"Hello Pretty Girl" - Ronnie Dove (January 1965, highest
chart position #54)

Ron, back to you on the soul side!

MITTY COLLIER

Shady, my next featured soul artist is Mitty Collier, a
'Bama born songbird who flew to Chicago, became part
of that city's burgeoning soul scene and in later years gave
up secular recording, became a preacher, and recorded
gospel songs that included "I Had a Talk With God Last
Night." While listening to Theola Kilgore in one of your
posts earlier this year, I was reminded of Mitty Collier
who I originally heard late night on the Dick Biondi Show
on WLS in Chicago. "I'm Your Part Time Love" was
Mitty's first single and "I Had a Talk With My Man" was
her first crossover hit. She followed it up with "No Faith,
No Love" and her biggest hit called "Sharing You." Dell
Rat Ron had 'em all.

"I Had a Talk With My Man" - Mitty Collier
(November 1964, highest chart position #41)

JACKIE HAIRSTON

Today's soul serenade concludes with an instrumental by
Jackie Hairston called "Hijack." This single was released
by Atco immediately after Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul
Music." "Hijack" was produced by Otis Redding and
features Hairston's organ and a real funky beat. One
of the clerks at Waxie Maxie's turned me onto "Hijack"
and the flip side, "Monkey On My Back," a vocal with
Jackie accompanying himself on organ (also produced
by Otis). The A-side is by far hottest.

"Hijack" - Jackie Hairston (April 1967, uncharted)

Ron, let me take us home

with two more toe-tappers.

THE NEWBEATS

I loved The Lloyd Thaxton Show because it gave me my first look at some of my favorite artists as they staged lip sync performances of their latest recordings. Younger readers might not realize that lip syncs were common in the 60s and that there was no shame or scandal associated with them like there tends to be today.

Lead singer Larry Henley and his Nashville based trio the Newbeats performed several of their hits and misses on Thaxton's Los Angeles based music, comedy and dance program.

The Newbeats turn up again and again on this blog because my respect for them has grown tremendously in recent years. Granted, some of their recordings missed the mark. Their lame cover versions of million sellers by super groups like the Beatles and the Supremes did not help the cause; but other covers and original songs are right in the groove. These Nashville cats made old school cool! Here's a great example - a non-charting single called "A Patent on Love."

"A Patent on Love" - Newbeats (November 1966, uncharted)

FREDDY CANNON

I love Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon but I never heard his single "Patty Baby" until a few days ago. However, I was very familiar with the tune. How can that be? Freddy used the instrumental backing track to "Patty Baby" and sang a different set of lyrics to create a jingle for Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg, the popular DJ on Boston radio station WMEX.

If you're feelin' low he'll make you smile

at 15-10 on your radio dial

Arnie Ginsburg on WIMM-EX radio!

Cannon's jingle was inserted in the 1961 volume of Cruisin',
the album series that featured legendary DJ's performing seamless recreations of their original radio broadcasts of the 50s and 60s, in this case Arnie Ginsburg's Night Train show. It was an anachronism for the producers of Cruisin' to take a jingle made from a 1963 record and plug it into a 1961 radio show, but listening to the program was way too much fun to complain. Rock 'n' roll is here to stay!

"Patty Baby" - Freddy Cannon (June 1963, highest
chart position #65)

Starting next month I'll be

saluting every great volume

of the Cruisin' series from

1955-1970. I hope you'll

come along for the ride!

Thank you Dell Rat Ron

for making this another

fun filled record swap.

See you next time, buddy!

Have a Shady day!