WLS Top 40 for March 9, 1970-- Part 3: "Do the Funky Chicken"

Fifty Years Ago.

30.  STIR IT UP & SERVE IT--  Tommy Roe     #50    Follow up to "Jam Up & Jelly Tight."  is he trying to say something?  Good Bubble Gum Music.

29.  EASY COME, EASY GO--  Bobby Sherman      #9   Some more great Bubble Gum Music.  Mr. Trashann wants to know why bubble gum music is ignored on oldies stations.

28.  DO THE FUNKY CHICKEN--  Rufus Thomas      #28   Try not to move some part of your body while listening to this one. Great chicken sounds from the instruments.

27.  IF I NEVER KNEW YOUR NAME--  Vic Dana     #47    I don't remember it.  But good crooner stuff.

26.  NO TIME--    Guess Who    $5    Was and still is one great break-up song.  Take that!!!!

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "On My Way To better Things, I Found Myself Some Wings."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"No Time"

WLS Top 40 for Week of March 9, 1970-- Part 2: "Call Me"

35.  UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF--  Supremes     #10    (D)   What, no Diana?    She just left.  Listen to that great bass.

34.  UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO-- Neil Diamond       #53   Never heard it.  Old sideburns himself.  Written by Buffy Sainte-Marie in 1965.

33.  WHO'S YOUR BABY--   Archies       #40      Almost sounds like Michael Jackson singing with them.  Never remember hearing it, but some great Bubble Gum Music.  Who do you like better?  Betty or Veronica?   Their last Top 40.   Studio group created by Don Kirshner.

32.  JENNIFER THOMPKINS--  Street People     #36    Just 1:52   Rupert Holmes before "Pina Colada."

31.  CALL ME--  Aretha Franklin       #13    Classic Aretha, but not a better known song.  COMMENT: "Every time my husband  goes on a business trip, I sing this song and he always comes back and gives me one more kiss."

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Come With Me And We Shall Run Across The Sky."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Up the Ladder To the Roof"

WLS Top 40 for October 13, 1969-- Part 3: "Is That All There Is"

For more fun, try to guess who sang the song in the headline of this post.

Fifty years ago in Chicago.

25.  SUGAR ON SUNDAY--   Clique    #22   Pop rock quintet from Texas.  Their biggest hit of three Top 100s.

24.  CARRY ME BACK--  Rascals    #26    Not the Young Rascals anymore.

23.  YOU, I--   Rugbys     #24    Their only Top 100.  You know.

22.  TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS--  Glen Campbell     #23

21.  MAKE BELIEVE--   Wind     #28   New York studio group featuring Tony Orlando.   One Hit Wonder.

20.  IS THAT ALL THERE IS--  Peggy Lee    #11    Her biggest hit was 1958's "Fever" which went to #8.

19.  SUGAR, SUGAR--   Archies    #1    Their biggest hit.   Love that Bubble Gum Music.

18.  SOMETHING / COME TOGETHER--  Beatles      "Something" #3   "Come Together"  #1

17.  WEDDING BELL BLUES--  Fifth Dimension   #1

16.  JUDY BLUE EYES--  Crosby, Stills & Nash      #21    "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"  Written by Stephen Stills for Judy Collins.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Getting To The Point Where I'm No Fun Anymore."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"

WLS Top 40 for September 8, 1969-- Part 6: "I'll Never Fall In Love Again"

Fifty Years Ago.

15.  OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND--  Little Anthony & the Imperials      #52     Didn't do anything for me.

14.  I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU--  Temptations      #1    Hard to beat Motown Anywhere, Anyhow.

13.  KEEM-O-SABE--  Electric Indian    Just 2:12.      #16    Very Indian instrumental.   Group made up of top Philadelphia studio musicians.

12.  I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN--  Tom Jones     #6    Make sure you watch the video.  Tom being Tom.  But, no ladies threw anything at him.

11.  THE TRAIN--  1910 Fruitgum Co.     #57    Never heard of the song before.  Good song though.  Bubble Gum Music with Soul?  Their last charting single.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Can Make A Gray Sky Blue, I Can Make It rain Whenever i Want It To."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"I Can't Get Next To You"

WLS Top 40 for July 7, 1969-- Part 1: "Break Away"

These are the songs on Chicago's WLS, 890 AM from fifty years ago this week.  That's half a century.  I listen to every one of these songs on You Tube and there were some I'd never heard before.

(D)  means a debut song.  The numbers after the artists are how high the songs got on the Billboard Hot 100.  I get these from Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles 1955-1993."  The WLS Surveys come from the Oldies Loon internet site.

40.  BIRTHDAY--  Underground Sunshine     (D)     #26   Garage rockin' the Beatles tune.  Rock quartet.  Their only Top 100 which makes them a One ____ _______.

39.  BREAK AWAY--  Beach Boys   (D)     #63      Not one of their better-known songs, but a good one.  What harmony, not a better one.  What a voice Carl Wilson had.  Look at the video and tell me what Mike Love was on at the time.

38.  HUSHABYE--  Jay and Americans     #62    Great slow dancing song and harmonies.  Group formed at New York University in 1959.

37.  LAUGHING--  Guess Who   (D)      #10  Love the start and then build up.  Group formed in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1963.

36.  SPECIAL DELIVERY--  1910 Fruitgum Co.     #38    Love my Bubble Gum Music!!!  Not one of their better-known songs.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You Took Me By Surprise, You Didn't Realize But I Was Waiting."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Laughing"

WLS Top 40 for May 12, 1969-- Part 5: "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby"

That's right, fifty years ago.   Geezers.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100.

20.  GRAZING IN THE GRASS--  Friends of Distinction      #3    So, that's how Hugo's song went.    Fifth Dimension II.  Their biggest hit.

19.  TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY--  Marvin Gaye     #4     How do you beat that classic Motown sound?  Easy to dance to, good beat.  I'd give it a 9.   Follow up to his biggest hit, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

18.  ATLANTIS--  Donovan     #7  OK, class.  Today's history lesson will be....   Builds and builds to the climax.   His last Top Ten.

17.  IT'S YOUR THING--  Isley Brothers     #2    Still can't listen to it and not start moving to it.  Their biggest Pop hit, but they had a real lot of songs on the R&B charts.

16.  MERCY--   Ohio Express     #30    Some more of that great, under-rated Bubblegum Music.   At 2:15 not nearly long enough.  Not a better-known song, though.  Really catchy words and music, but, B.M. is that way in all its songs.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Those Beautiful Sailors Journeyed To The South And North Americas With Ease."    Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Atlantis"

WLS Top 40 for May 12, 1969-- Part 2: "Seattle"

(D) refers to a debut.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100.

And, remember, fifty years ago.

35.  SEATTLE--  Perry Como     #38   Blue skies in Seattle?  When?   More like rain.  Is this a tourism ploy?  Five Bucks anyone?   From the TV series "Here Come the Brides" starring Bobby Sherman.  Did Julie love him?

34.  MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY--  Spiral Staircase     #12   One of life's little pleasures like "Everyday With You."  A real show band doing a really catchy song.  Their biggest hit of three Top 100s.

33.  WILL YOU BE STAYING AFTER SUNDAY--  Peppermint Rainbow      #32   How's the group's name for a psychedelic name.     Mama and Papa Wannabes?    Watch the video for some really strange collars on the guys in the band.   From Baltimore.

32.  SPECIAL DELIVERY--  1910 Fruitgum Company    #38   Written by Bobby Bloom.  I LOVE my Bubble Gum Music.  It's really hard to sit still when that Bubble Hum is playing.    From New Jersey.

31.  GOODBYE--  Mary Hopkin      #13     What a great song  Written by Lennon-McCartney, but sounds more like a Paul song.  Follow up to "Those Were the Days."

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  " I Don't Remember What Day It Was, I Didn't Remember What Time It Was."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"More Today Than Yesterday"

WLS Top 40 for December 9, 1968-- Part 5: "Son of A Preacher Man"

20.  CAN'T TURN YOU LOSE--  Chambers Brothers       #37    "I Can't Turn You Lose."    Written by Otis Redding.  One of my all-time favorites.

19.  CHEWY CHEWY--  Ohio Express      #15     And, they're really from Ohio.  Mansfield, that is.  Ah yes.  I LOVE my Bubble Gum Music.  Anytime, Anywhere.

18.  LITTLE ARROWS--  Leapy Lee     #16     Born Lee Graham in 1942 in England.  A happy little song.  A true One Hit Wonder.

17.  SON OF A PREACHER MAN--  Dusty Springfield     #10    Born Mary O'Brien in London 4/16/39.  A white gal singing soil?  She pulled it off.

16.  SEE SAW--  Aretha Franklin      #14     From the last song to this one, how much soul can you handle?

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Sometimes You Love Me Like A Good Man Should."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


P.C. INCORRECT CHRISTMAS SONGS:  "The Christmas Song."  Open fire?  pollution.  "Folks dressed up like Eskimos?"  Cultural appropriation.


"See Saw"

WLS Top 40 for November 4, 1968-- Part 6: "I Gotta Get A Message To You"

Fifty years ago in Chicago.  WLS 890 AM Radio.

15.  SHAME SHAME--  Magic Lanterns     #29    Shame on you if you forgot this song  (like I did).  From Lancashire, England.  Their only Top 40.

14.  BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC--  Andy Williams     #33    Who'd have figured this song on a pop station?  Sang it at the memorial service for Robert Kennedy at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

13.  CHEWY CHEWY--  Ohio Express     #15   Yet another Bubble Gum song!!  We NEED more Bubble Gum Music, not cow bells.  Pride and joy of Mansfield, Ohio.

12.  I GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU--  Bee Gees    #8   Or, are they another name for the Beatles.

11.  MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS--  Grass Roots    #5   Their biggest hit.   From San Francisco.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "My Eyes Have Seen the Glory."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

IT'S ALL IN A NAME:  Doctor's son named Bill.


"Battle Hymn of the Republic"

WLS Top 40 for November 4, 1968-- Part 2: "Both Sides Now"

35.  BOTH SIDES NOW--  Judy Collins    (D)    #8    Her biggest hit.   What a voice.  A touchy-feely song.

34.  ABRAHAM, MARTIN & JOHN--  Dion  (D)     #4   A very timely song for this era.  A come-back for Dion.  His last Top 100 was in 1964.

33.  FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder    #2   As good of Stevie as it gets.

32.  GOODY, GOODY GUMDROPS--  1910 Fruitgum Co.      #37   Great Bubble Gum Music.  Check out the guy with the tambourine in the video.  He sure played  it.  2:16 on pure toe-tapping pop music.

31.  BRING IT ON HOME TO ME--   Eddie Floyd     #17     Hey, this is some great soul music and what about that  bass?  Every bit as good as his better-known "Knock On Wood"  (#28-1966).

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Can You Tell Me Where's He Gone?"  Answer below.  --RoadDog

SAYINGS:  "Nice Guys Finish Last."   Sorry Leo Durocher, but not true.   Studies have shown that, on average, nice guys finish third in a field of six.  In Medieval Times, it was believed nice guys finished 26th.

"Abraham, Martin & John"

WLS Top 40 for October 7, 1968-- Part 2: "Quick Joey Small"

Fifty years ago.  The number behind the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Top 100.  (D) means debut.

35.  QUICK JOEY SMALL--  Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus    #25    Bubble Gum Music featuring members of The 1910 Fruitgum Co., The Ohio Express and The Music Explosion.

34.  FOOL FOR YOU--  Impressions     (D)   #22   Great Soul.  Curtis Mayfield.   Soul group from Chicago.

33.  PIECE OF MY HEART--  Big Brother & the Holding Company     Let's see?  Who's that singing lead?     #12   Formed in San Francisco in 1965.

32.  CHAINED--  Marvin Gaye     Let's see?  Motown and Marvin?  Sounds like a hit to me.  I wasn't familiar with this song.   #32     However, he did somewhat better with his next song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

31.  RUN TO ME--  Montanas     #121     Follow up minor hit to "You've Got To be Loved."   But very popular in Chicago.  It debuted on the WLS Top 40 on September 23 at 38, then hit #34, #1 this week, then #22, #17,  #13,  #10 and peaked at #8 on November 11.  It was really big in Chicago.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Didn't I Make You Feel Like You Were My Only Man, Yeah?"  Answer below.  --RoadDog

MURPHY'S PUBLISHING LAWS:  Some errors will always go unnoticed until the book is printed.


"Piece Of My Heart"

WLS Top 40 for August 5, 1968-- Part 6: "Light My Fire" (Not By the Doors)

Fifty Years Ago.

15.  LIGHT MY FIRE--  Jose Feliciano     #3    His biggest hit.A whole new take on the Doors classic.

14.  SOMEBODY CARES--  Tommy James & the Shondells     #53   Never heard it before, but it grows on you.  Typical James pop.  Tommy James was born Tommy Jackson in Dayton, Ohio, in 1947.

13.  1, 2, 3 RED LIGHT--  1910 Fruitgum Co.    #5   Went from #36 last week to #13.    How about having this song, #11 and "Sunshine of Your Love" on the same chart at the same time?  I don't care, I love my Bubble Gum Music!!

12.  GRAZING IN THE GRASS--  Hugh Masakela    #1   His biggest hit.  More cowbell.  We need more cowbell!!!

11.  AUTUMN OF MY LIFE--  Bobby Goldsboro   The "King of Schmaltz."  "Honey" anyone?  But you can't help but hum along.  He seems to be more into painting nowadays.  I did really like "Little Things"  (#13-1965).

Name That Tune (from the above songs):    "Ev'ry Time I Try To Prove I Love You."  Answer below.  RoadDog

HOW COME:  There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

"1, 2, 3 Red Light"

Rock Deaths in 2013-- Part 3: Ohio Express

DOUG GRASSEL, 64. Died September 21, 2013. //// Rhythm guitarist for Ohio Express which was originally called Rare Bread. //// They charted with hits like "Beg, Borrow and Steal," #29 in 1967 and were really hot in 1968 with "Yummy Yummy Yummy" #4; "Down At Lulu's" #33 and "Chewy Chewy" #15. //// This band was known for what was derisively called Bubble Gum Music, considered to be for kids. But, I really liked it. Try not to sing along with it when one of those great songs plays. //// What Do You Have in Your Tummy?

Five "Brain-Itch" Songs

From the Oct. 4, 2013, Yahoo! Music "5 'Brain-Itch' Songs You'll Never Forget" by Shawn Amos.

And, this comes with easy access to the songs in case you want to hear them again and start the mess in your brain over again. Shawn Amos describes them as being "like a virus that won't leave your system."

And a song like "YMCA" didn't even make the list. Here's the list:

#1. I'M TOO SEXY-- Right Said Fred

#2. TUB THUMPING-- Chumbawamba

#3. MAMBO NO. 5-- Lou Bega

#4. WHO LET THE DOGS OUT-- Baja Men

#5. MMMBOP-- Hanson.

And, I love all these songs.  But then again, I still love my Bubble Gum Music.

"Woof, Woof, Woof." Alright, Get Those Songs Out of Your Head. -- RoadDog