Saturday, July 2, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: July 3

1965:  Cher had her first solo hit debut on the chart as "All I Really Want To Do" made the list.
1965:  Elvis reigned at #1 on the Easy Listening chart for the seventh week with "Crying In The Chapel".



Friday, July 1, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: July 2

1956:  Another of the famous days in the Rock Era as Elvis Presley went into the recording studio and recorded "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" at RCA Studios in New York City on this date.
1956:  Buddy Holly released his first solo single "Love Me" on Decca Records.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: July 1




1959:  Dave Brubeck recorded "Take Five" at the CBS Recording Studio in Manhattan, New York.
1962:  Gene Vincent and the new group the Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.
1963:  The Beatles recorded "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" at EMI Studios in London.
1966:  Janis Joplin moved into the house owned by Big Brother & the Holding Company in Lagunitas in the San Geronimo Valley in California.  








1967:  Procol Harum had an amazing hit on their hands as "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" rocketed up from 80 to 28.



Wednesday, June 29, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: June 30

1956:  Fats Domino remained at #1 for a seventh week on the R&B chart with "I'm In Love Again".
1958:  "Yakety Yak" by the Coasters was the new #1 R&B song.
1962:  Ray Charles made it six weeks in a row on top the R&B chart with "I Can't Stop Loving You".
1962:  Charles' song was #1 on both the Popular chart and the Easy Listening chart for the fifth consecutive week.
1966:  The Supremes recorded "You Keep Me Hangin' On". 
1966:  The Beatles performed the first of three nights at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.
1967:  Vanilla Fudge made their live debut at Action House in Island Park, New York, in the first of three shows opening for the 5th Dimension.  (Note:  some websites claim the group made their live debut July 22, but according to the official website for Vanilla Fudge, their first show was June 30 in Island Park.) 
1969:  Fleetwood Mac performed in the show "Pop Proms" at the Royal Albert Hall in London.




Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Hits List: James Brown

This artist had good success on the R&B chart but as you can see from his Hits List*, he seldom did good with the masses:


1956:  "Please, Please, Please" (#5 R&B)
1959:  "Try Me" (#48, #1 R&B)
           "I Want You So Bad" (#20 R&B)
1960:  "I'll Go Crazy" (#15 R&B)
           "Think" (#33, #7 R&B)
           "You've Got The Power" (#86, #14 R&B)
           "This Old Heart" (#79, #20 R&B)
           "The Bells" (#68)
1961:  "Bewildered" (#40, #8 R&B)
           "I Don't Mind" (#47, #4 R&B)
           "Baby, You're Right" (#49, #2 R&B)
           "Just You And Me, Darling" (#17 R&B)
1962:  "Lost Someone" (#48, #2 R&B)
           "Night Train" (#35, #5 R&B)
           "Shout And Shimmy" (#61, #16 R&B)
           "Mashed Potatoes U.S.A." (#82, #21 R&B)
           "Three Hearts In A Tangle" (#93, #18 R&B)
1963:  "Every Beat Of My Heart" (#99)
           "Like A Baby" (#24 R&B)
           "Prisoner Of Love" (#18, #6 R&B)
           "These Foolish Things" (#55, #25 R&B)
           "Signed, Sealed And Delivered" (#77, #77 R&B)
1964:  "Oh Baby Don't You Weep (Part 1)" (#23, #23 R&B)
           "Please, Please, Please" (#95, #95 R&B)
           "Caldonia" (#95, #95 R&B)
           "The Things That I Used To Do" (#99, #99 R&B)
           "Out Of Sight" (#24, #24 R&B)
           "Have Mercy Baby" (#92, #92 R&B)

1965:  "Papa's Got A Brand New Pag Part 1 (#8, #1 R&B)
           "I Got You (I Feel Good)" (#3, #1 R&B)
           "Try Me" (#63, #34 R&B)
1966:  "I'll Go Crazy" (#73, #38 R&B)
           "Lost Someone" (#94)
           "Ain't That A Groove Part 1" (#42, #6 R&B)
           "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" (#8, #1 R&B)
           "Money Won't Change You Part 1 (#53, #11 R&B)
           "Don't Be A Drop-Out" (#50, #4 R&B)
           "Sweet Little Baby Boy (Part 1)
           "The Christmas Song (Version 1)"
1967:  "Bring It Up" (#29, #7 R&B)
           "Kansas City" (#55, #21 R&B)
           "Think" (with Vicki Anderson--#100)
           "Let Yourself Go" (#46, #5 R&B)
           "Cold Sweat - Part 1" (#7, #1 R&B)
           "Get It Together (Part 1)" (#40, #11 R&B)
           "Let's Make This Christmas Mean Something This Year"
1968:  "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)" (#28, #4 R&B)
1968:  "There Was A Time" (#36, #3 R&B)
           "You've Got To Change Your Mind" (with Bobby Byrd--#47 R&B)
           "I Got The Feelin'" (#6, #1 R&B)
           "Licking Stick = Licking Stick (Part 1)" (#14, #2 R&B)
           "America Is My Home = Pt. 1" (#52, #13 R&B)
           "I Guess I'll Have To Cry, Cry, Cry" (#55, #15 R&B)
           "Say It Loud = I'm Black And I'm Proud (Part 1)" (#10, #1 R&B)
           "Goodbye My Love" (#31, #9 R&B)
           "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto"

1969:  "Tit For Tat (Ain't No Talking Back)" (#86)
           "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" (#15, #1 R&B)
           "Soul Price (Part 1)" (#33 R&B)
           "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) (Part 1)" (#20, #3 R&B)
           "The Popcorn" (#30, #11 R&B)
           "Mother Popcorn (You Got To Have A Mother For Me) Part 1" (#11, #1 R&B)
           "Lowdown Popcorn" (#41, #16 R&B)
           "World (Part 1)" (#37, #8 R&B)
           "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn Part One" (#21, #2 R&B)
1970:  "Aint It Funky Now (Part 1)" (#24, #3 R&B)
           "Part Two (Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn)" (#40, #6 R&B)
           "It's A New Day (Part 1" (#32, #3 R&B)
           "Funky Drummer (Part 1)" (#51, #20 R&B)
           "Brother Rapp (Part 1)" (#32, #2 R&B)
           "Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine (Part 1)" (#15, #2 R&B)
           "Super Bad (Part 1 & Part 2)" (#13, #1 R&B)
           "Santa Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay"
1971:  "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved Pt. 1" (#34, #4 R&B)
           "Soul Power Pt. 1" (#29, #3 R&B)
           "Spinning Wheel Pt. 1" (#90)
           "I Cried" (#50, #15 R&B)
           "Escape-ism (Part 1)" (#35, #6 R&B)
           "Hot Pants Pt. 1 (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants)" (#15, #1 R&B)
           "Make It Funky (Part 1)" (#22, #1 R&B)
           "My Part/Make It Funky-Part 3" (#68)
           "I'm A Greedy Man - Part 1" (#35, #7 R&B)
1972:  "Talking Loud And Saying Nothing - Part 1" (#27, #1 R&B)
           "King Heroin" #40, #6 R&B)
           "There It Is Part 1" (#43, #4 R&B)
           "Honky Tonk - Part 1" (The James Brown Soul Train--#44, #7 R&B)
           "Get On The Good Foot-Part 1" (#18, #1 R&B)
           "I Got A Bag Of My Own" (#44, #3 R&B)
1973:  "What My Baby Needs Now Is A Little More Lovin'" (with Lyn Collins--#56, #17 R&B)
           "I Got Ants In My Pants - Part 1 and I want to dance" (#27, #4 R&B)
           "Down And Out In New York City" (#50, #13 R&B)
           "Think" (#77, #15 R&B)
           "Think" (#80, #37 R&B)
           "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy" (#50, #6 R&B)
1974:  "Stoned To The Bone - Part 1" (#58, #4 R&B)
           "The Payback - Part 1" (#26, #1 R&B)
           "My Thang" (sic) #29, #1 R&B)
           "Papa Don't Take No Mess Part 1" (#31, #1 R&B)
           "Funky President (People It's Bad)" (#44, #4 R&B)
           "Coldblooded" (#44)
1975:  "Reality" (#80, #19 R&B)
           "Sex Machine Part 1" (#61, #16 R&B)
           "Hustle!!! (Dead On It)" (#11 R&B)
           "Superbad, Superslick Part 1" (#28 R&B)
1976:  "Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)" (#31 R&B)
           "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" (#70 R&B)
           "Get Up Offa' (sic" That Thing" (#45, #4 R&B)
           "I Refuse To Lose" (#47 R&B)
1977:  "Bodyheat (Part 1)" (#88, #13 R&B
           "Kiss In 77" (#35 R&B)
           "Give Me Some Skin" (with the J.B.'s--#20 R&B)
1978:  "If You Don't Give A Dogone About It" (with the New J.B.'s--#45 R&B)
           "Eyesight" (#38 R&B)
           "The Spank" (#26 R&B)
1979:  "For Goodness Sakes, Look At Those Cakes (Part 1)" (#52 R&B)
           "It's Too Funky In Here" (#15 R&B)
           "Star Generation" (#63 R&B)
1980:  "Regrets" (#63 R&B)
1981:  "Rapp Payback (Where Iz (sic) Moses)" (#46 R&B)
           "Stay With Me" (#80 R&B)
1983:  "Bring It On...Bring It On" (#73 R&B)
           "The Night Time Is The Right Time (To Be With The One That You Love)" (#73 R&B)
1984:  "Unity" (with Afrika Bambaayaa--#87 R&B)
1986:  "Living In America" (#4, #10 R&B)
           "Gravity" #93, #26 R&B)
1987:  "How Do You Stop" (#10 R&B)
1988:  "I'm Real" (#2 R&B)
           "Static" (#5 R&B)
1989:  "Gimme Your Love" (with Aretha Franklin--#48 R&B)
1991:  "(So Tired Of Standing Still We (sic) Got To) Move On" (#48 R&B)
1993:  "Can't Get Any Harder" (#76 R&B)

James had tons of hits (99) but waited six years and 24 single releases before his first Top 10 hit.  Of Brown's 99 releases, just six went Top 10 with no #1's.  We mentioned the huge R&B success--probably the most successful R&B artist in history.  Brown scored 118 R&B hits, with 58 Top 10's in that genre and 17 #1's.

This Date in Rock Music History: June 29

1956:  Elvis Presley sang "Hound Dog" on The Steve Allen television show.


1957:  Buddy Holly began recording "Peggy Sue" in Clovis, New Mexico.
1957:  Dick Clark announced he was scheduling a series of Caravan of Stars.
1959:  This artist would go on to score 30 hits in the Rock Era, but on this date he first appeared on the chart with his debut single--"Kissin' Time"--Bobby Rydell.
1959:  "Personality" by Lloyd Price reached #1 on the R&B chart.


Scotty Moore, Elite Guitarist with Elvis Presley, Died Today

Scotty Moore, one of The Top 100 Guitarists of the Rock Era* who became famous backing Elvis Presley, died today in Nashville, Tennessee at age 84.







Moore is credited with inventing the power chord in guitar on the Presley classic "Jailhouse Rock".  

He also played on Presley's songs "Heartbreak Hotel", "Hound Dog", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Surrender" among many others.

Moore was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Monday, June 27, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: June 28

1959:  Bobby Darin topped all others on the U.K. Singles chart with "Dream Lover".
1962:  The Drifters recorded the song "Up On The Roof".



1965:  Herman's Hermits released the single "I'm Henry VIII, I Am".
1966:  Small Faces were in concert at the Marquee Club in London.


Sunday, June 26, 2016

This Date in Rock Music History: June 27

1960:  Paul Anka, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Frankie Avalon appeared on the Coke Time television special on ABC.
1960:  Connie Francis scored a #1 with "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".
1963:  Billy Kramer recorded "Bad To Me".
1964:  The Rolling Stones served as panelists on the BBC-TV show Juke Box Jury(Note:  numerous websites incorrectly state that the group appeared on 'Juke Box Jury' on January 27, 1964.  They made only one appearance on the show, and it was on June 27, according to the official Rolling Stones website.)
1964:  "People" by Barbra Streisand topped the Easy Listening chart.
1964:  The 4 Seasons were tearing up the charts, moving from 53 to 18 with "Rag Doll".

Brand New Featured Unknown/Underrated Song*: El Chicano's "Tell Her She's Lovely"

Great song here from 1973 that for some reason was ignored.  We're proud to feature it as one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*:

"Tell Her She's Lovely"
El Chicano


Written by David Batteau

Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, she know's how to suffer.
People want to think that they're 
The only ones who really are alone.
People want to think that they're 
The only ones who really are alone.

People, are so beautiful in love.
People, are so wonderful to love.
People want to think that they're 
The only ones who really are alone.

Thinking a little bit over.
Try to know one and another.
Waiting a little bit longer.
Thinking a little bit over, yeaaaaa.
Tell her, love is a song.
Sing out, sing out, all night long.

People want to think that they're
The only ones who really are alone.
Thinking a little bit over.
Try to know one and another.
Waiting a little bit longer.
Thinking a little bit over, yeaaaaa.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Tell her, tell her she's lovely.
Fade