BOOTH ANNOUNCER GARY OWENS:
...and the cow was returned to its rightful owner.
And that's the latest from S-P-M-M news...
fast, up-to-the-minute, completely fake
and proud of it. Now stand by for
fast, up-to-the-minute, completely fake
and proud of it. Now stand by for
STUCK LIKE GLUE
on SHADY BLUE
on SHADY BLUE
on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
(COLD SHOW OPEN)
"New Orleans" - Eddie Hodges
(July 1965, highest chart pos. #44)
Eddie Hodges starting us off right with a rockin' trip down the mighty
Mississip to "New Orleans," a cover of the 1960 hit by Gary "U.S." Bonds.
Mississip to "New Orleans," a cover of the 1960 hit by Gary "U.S." Bonds.
Morning morning glory. My name is Shady Blue, how-do-you-do?
Hey, our commercial free cruise has just begun on the all new
S-P-M-M radio, home of "The Shady Bunch," the station
where the boss jocks always play seven in a row.
S-P-M-M radio, home of "The Shady Bunch," the station
where the boss jocks always play seven in a row.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Retrosonic Radio in Futuresonic Stereo Surround, that's S-P-M-M!
You're stuck like glue on Shady Blue and-- ELVIS!
You're stuck like glue on Shady Blue and-- ELVIS!
"I Gotta Know" - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
(Dec. 1960/Jan. 1961, highest chart pos. #20,
B side of "Are You Lonesome To-night?")
(Dec. 1960/Jan. 1961, highest chart pos. #20,
B side of "Are You Lonesome To-night?")
From Christmas 1960 and the early weeks of 1961,
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - "I Gotta Know" -
the fab flipside of "Are You Lonesome To-Night."
You're stuck like glue on Elvis and Shady Blue
here on the all new S-P-M-M radio.
Up next, one of the Greatest Songs of All Time according to Rolling Stone, and I'm not about to argue. If you're catching the simulcast of my show on YouTube, check out Mr. Del Shannon performing on a 1965 episode of Hollywood A Go Go.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Listen in super stereo as Del serenades the Gazzarri Dancers with
his signature song, a #1 charting monster hit from 1961-- "Runaway!"
his signature song, a #1 charting monster hit from 1961-- "Runaway!"
"Runaway" - Del Shannon (Apr. 1961,
highest chart pos. #1, live appearance on
Aug. 28, 1965 ep. of Hollywood A Go Go)
highest chart pos. #1, live appearance on
Aug. 28, 1965 ep. of Hollywood A Go Go)
Del Shannon with "Runaway," a song that was later used
as the theme of the 1980s television series Crime Story.
S-P-M-M means good music, good memories and good
times and you're Stuck Like Glue On Shady Blue.
Here's another entry
on Rolling Stone's list of
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. At #70,
it's the second highest ranked song by a
solo female artist, right behind "Respect"
by Aretha Franklin. Burt Bacharach and
Hal David composed several songs for
this gifted diva and this is one of the best.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
It's a smooth sound from a great year in music - 1964.
Miss Dionne Warwick-- "Walk On By!"
Miss Dionne Warwick-- "Walk On By!"
"Walk On By" - Dionne Warwick
(May/June 1964, highest chart pos. #6 Hot 100 & R&B,
from Aug. 1964 album Make Way For Dionne Warwick)
from Aug. 1964 album Make Way For Dionne Warwick)
If you're just tuning in, good morning and howdy-do.
You're Stuck Like Glue On Shady Blue and you've
got your radio dial set on S-P-M-M... home of
"The Shady Bunch"... not to be confused with
The Brady Bunch or The Breakfast Club. Hey,
if you happen to be eating breakfast while
listening to the show, I've got a question.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
Remember the old advertising jingle of the 70s and 80s -
the one that went "I like bread and butter, I like toast and jam,
I like Schmidt's Blue Ribbon Bread, It's my favorite brand"?
Well here's the record that inspired the campaign -
The Newbeats-- "Bread And Butter!"
"Bread And Butter" - The Newbeats
(Sept. 1964, highest chart pos. #2, live perf.
on Oct 3, 1964 ep. of American Bandstand)
on Oct 3, 1964 ep. of American Bandstand)
You're tuned to S-P-M-M, The Shady Bunch,
and yours truly Shady Blue. One of Bobby
Darin's biggest hits, a multi-million seller,
shoulda, coulda and woulda gone all the
way to the top of the chart. Instead it was
stopped in its tracks at #2 by the wildly
popular patriotic anthem that clung to
the number one spot - "The Battle of
New Orleans" by Johnny Horton.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Coming to you in super stereo on S-P-M-M Radio,
here's Bobby's biggie from 1959-- "Dream Lover!"
"Dream Lover" - Bobby Darin (May/June 1959,
highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100/#4 R&B)
Hey, time's up and I gotta scoot.
Thanks for joining me for my first show. Stay tuned, because there's
much more music coming up on the flipside of news on Natural Hy
with your host, the man with the plan, on the scene with the
record machine, the one and only Hyski - Hy Lit!
much more music coming up on the flipside of news on Natural Hy
with your host, the man with the plan, on the scene with the
record machine, the one and only Hyski - Hy Lit!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue on yours truly Shady Blue and that you'll
keep it right here on S-P-M-M... the station that's #1 for music and fun!
To play us off, here again is The King...Elvis the Pelvis, with my
theme song-- "Stuck On You." See you next time!
keep it right here on S-P-M-M... the station that's #1 for music and fun!
To play us off, here again is The King...Elvis the Pelvis, with my
theme song-- "Stuck On You." See you next time!
"Stuck On You' - Elvis Presley
(May, June, July 1960, highest chart pos. #1,
May 12, 1960, live perf. on Frank Sinatra's
Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley)
May 12, 1960, live perf. on Frank Sinatra's
Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley)
Good morning Shady,
ReplyDeleteI'm totally stuck like glue with Shady Blue! I love the cold opening and "New Orleans." This song sounds familiar, but I can't place it. Regardless, it's fun to groove to before I have to clock in at work in another 45 minutes. :)
Dionne Warwick is one of my favourites. I'm mostly familiar with "Mack the Knife" by Bobby Darin, but I love the song you posted. Ah, Elvis... reminds me of the loop we heard on the bus when mom and I went to Grace Land.
Have a great day, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYou staked your claim to early bird honors this week, dear friend. Thank you very much for joining the fun before work!
The best known version of "New Orleans," and the one you are probably thinking of, is the original 1960 single by U.S. Bonds (Gary Levone Anderson). Gary's first three singles and his debut album were released under the name U.S. Bonds resulting in confusion. Audiences thought U.S. Bonds was a group. To clear that up, later releases were credited to Gary (U.S.) Bonds. I like this 1965 cover by actor/singer Eddie Hodges even more than the original!
I should have known you visited Graceland. You've been EVERYWHERE! :) Thank you again for making time for an early visit, dear friend JM. I'm happy to know you're Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue! Enjoy your week!
Woohoo! I love being the early bird! I like to think instead of catching the worm, I'm going yo be healthy, wealthy, and wise. :)
DeleteI think I'll give the original a listen! I always love listening to the original and comparing it to the remake.
Memphis was great. I wish we had time to see the Sun Records museum.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteLooks like you are the first to arrive again this morning. Thank you, dear friend!
Yessum, it is always instructive to listen to the original recording and compare it with cover versions. In the case of "New Orleans," I like them both and actually prefer listening to the Eddie Hodges remake. It isn't very often that I like a cover more than the original, but this one one such case. Now you got me thinking about "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," a song recorded by quite a few artists. Marvin Gaye, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The California Raisins had hits with their covers of the song, but the original by Gladys Knight & The Pips remains my strong favorite.
Thanks again for stopping in, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Did you hear about Aretha Franklin? I'm shocked and saddened.
DeleteI hope you have a great Thankful Thursday.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYessum, The Queen of Soul has died. Her death did not come as a surprise. Over the last few days she received hospice care at home. It afforded an opportunity for family to gather at her bedside and friends like Stevie Wonder to visit and say their goodbyes. I feel sad.
Enjoy the rest of your day and weekend, dear friend JM!
Did you ever see the video of Luis Cardenas covering Runaway? Del Shannon had a cameo in it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for coming, good buddy!
I was not familiar with Luis Cardenas, the Latin American drummer known for his massive drum set, and I don't remember his rock band Renegade. I needed to report to YouTube. Although I still prefer Del Shannon's original, I enjoyed Cardenas's 1986 cover of "Runaway" and the elaborate video. Sadly, a little over three years after his cameo appearance as a cop in that vid, Del Shannon committed suicide. While I was on YouTube I also watched the Cardenas video "Hungry For Your Love" which features famed comedienne Phyllis Diller. Phyllis died in 2012.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, good buddy Alex!
Hey Shadester! Speaking of Phyllis Diller, I Saw her , Rip Torn and Eddy Arnold in a swanky bar/concert area in San Francisco when I was in junior high. I guess you could say my first professional concert.
ReplyDeleteLoved todays post- oh Elvis is always a good way to start a Monday. Stuck on you is a great one. Have a wonderful week my friend
Hi, Holliberry!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for coming over today to meet Shady Blue (not to be confused with Shady Green, Shady Seaweed or Shady Del Knight), the newest staff DJ on SPMM Radio. I'm glad you appreciated the fact that Shady Blue made his debut with a double dose of his favorite artist Elvis the Pelvis.
I'm glad you saw what I wrote in my reply to Alex and shared your story about seeing the great Phyllis Diller live at a venue in Frisco years ago. Phyllis was a brilliant comedienne. I never got tired of her shtick or her laugh.
I'm delighted to know you enjoyed today's show, and I hope by now you are Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue. He'll be back soon.
Thank you again for coming, dear friend Holli, and have a great week!
Hi Shady Blue! How Great Thou Art! We are approaching the sad day of Elvis' passing, and it's so nice to see you feature him in your post. Nice way to start off Volume 1. I love the "Stuck on You" video. He had his own style of dancing, didn't he! I will have to watch that one again! I don't know "I Gotta Know", but I always appreciate a different song by Elvis.
ReplyDeleteTo me Bobby Darin was adorable! I love all of his music! When I hear "Dream Lover", I can barely think straight...still causes some of us ladies to swoon! This is the ultimate dream song! And, I always liked "Mack The Knife"!
I've gotta say, you gave us some of the great "tear jerker" tunes of the late 50's and 60's! Del Shannon is a 'never forgotten' icon with Runaway, and Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By", which is one of the best "broken heart' songs ever! Gifted is right, Shady! I miss these artists!
I don't know who wrote, "New Orleans", but they hit a dance nerve big time with that song. Both U.S. Bonds and Eddie Hodges own it! Who couldn't get up and dance to this one! It certainly ranks higher that #44 on my chart!
Where do you find these commercials? I don't think we had that "Schmidt's Blue Ribbon" bread in Kansas...but we did have that cute song! I always liked hearing it, but I am surprised to see that it ranked so high!
This is such a fun post, Shady Blue! Thanks for all the good stuff! I am certainly stuck like glue on this new blog!
We've had a couple days of rain here in the Lone Star State! What a relief, even though it leaves us with a steamy atmosphere! I hope your week goes well. We have 'meet the teacher' at Scootie's school this week, and school starts Monday. He's pretty excited!
See you next time, dear friend!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThank you very much for coming over, dear friend! I am happy to see you and so is Mr. Shady Blue.
I'm happy to know you enjoyed Shady Blue's first blogcast on the all new SPMM Radio. Elvis is Shady Blue's favorite artist and that means you will be treated to at least one song by The King in every volume of Stuck Like Glue.
I have encountered a couple of readers who don't care very much for Bobby Darin, but I always admired him for his voice, his showmanship and his swagger. He left us too soon as did Del Shannon. Del's performance on that 1965 episode of Hollywood A Go Go is considered one of the finer moments of that TV music series because of the unique choreography. As you saw, the Gazzarri girls danced around Del in a circle. One of those lovely young ladies, June Fairchild, died in 2015. Roberta Tennes, another member of the Gazzarri Dancers, left Hollywood A Go Go a couple months before this Del Shannon number was taped to become a regular member of The Action Kids, the dance troupe on Where The Action Is. Roberta, who appears in my right sidebar, also died in 2015. I just read that soul legend Aretha Franklin is gravely ill. One by one the greats of the past are leaving us.
I'm glad to know you like both versions of "New Orleans." So do I! I didn't realize you might not know about the Baltimore based Schmidt Baking Company and their Blue Ribbon bread. The company's ad jingle, derived from The Newbeats hit "Bread And Butter," was heard throughout the 70s and 80s in my region.
We continue to get t-storms practically every afternoon in our vicinity. The moisture is always welcome but it makes it hard to find an opportunity to get the lawn mowed. I hope you and Scootie enjoy meeting his teacher this week and I hope he has a wonderful year of school.
Thank you again for coming over, dear friend Suzanne. Enjoy the rest of your week and I will connect with you again soon!
Wow! My dad would've loved this post. You've got some oldies but goodies on it. I wasn't familiar with I Gotta Know by Elvis. Glad I got to hear that one. I also enjoyed watching the videos of the performers. I've heard the songs a million times before, but I never saw what a lot of the artists looked like.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteWelcome back to SPMM, dear friend! Looks like you didn't have any problem finding me this week. I'm glad!
As you know, there are six deejays here on SPMM Radio. Shady Blue will be playing the oldest oldies, primarily artists and songs that were popular in the 1950s and pre-Beatles 60s. Jerry Blavat and Hy Lit will be also be playing songs of the 50s, but their play lists will also include material from the 60s and 70s. Toto Moto and Dell Rat Tom will play pop, soul and R&B music from the mid and late 60s. Shady Green's focus is also the late 60s, but he will present a different style of music, mainly folk rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock of "the Woodstock Years."
"I Gotta Know" is an exciting remix of an old Elvis B side from the winter of 1960-61. When I find remixes that are done well, chances are my deejays will be playing them. I'm glad you had a chance to see for the first time some of the great recording artists you have only heard until now.
Thank you again, very much, for coming by, dear friend Sherry. Have a wonderful week ahead!
I'll agree with Sherry... some oldies but goodies this time. I liked that version of New Orleans. I knew the song, but didn't know its title (that happens a lot for me).
ReplyDeleteWhile I know the jingle "bread and butter", I can't say I really liked that clip from the Newbeats and found it almost cringe-worthy! But hey... just my opinion. ;)
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for joining the fun, dear friend! Shady Blue says "Howdy do!" :)
I'm thrilled to know you enjoyed listening to young actor and singer Eddie Hodges' version of "New Orleans." I love the vintage top 40 radio station intros I have been finding on YouTube including this one from the WXYZ Detroit "Sound Survey" which leads-in to "New Orleans" on Shady Blue's cold open.
The Newbeats, featuring the falsetto voice of lead singer Larry Henley, were old school even when they were at the peak of their popularity in the mid 60s. With their short hairstyles (during the moptop years of the British Invasion) they were throwbacks to the 50s doo-wop era (with a Nashville twist). I always admired The Newbeats for standing their ground and not trying to change their sound or image to fit the changing times.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Kelly. I will be over to see you later this week. Take care!
Shady Blue,
ReplyDeleteFabulous mewsic set! I enjoyed the funnest of this post and mewsic appeal that made me smile with ever spin of the turntable. I know most of these songs with the exception of both Elvis tracks. It was only recently that I discovered Elvis was part of group (The Jordanaires). How long were they together? I always knew the King as a solo artist.
Listening to Dionne Warwick's early mewsic reminds me so much of her once very famous, very young niece, Whitney Houston. I loved both women's earlier mewsic over their later stuff. Whitney got too big sounding and over produced to suit my ears, losing that beautiful quality to her voice that I loved. One can only imagine why the change, was it just poor decision on her managers part or was she somehow trying to disguise her drug addiction by forcing her voice's power which some associate with a strong or confident woman? Either way, in my opinion it's a direct result of poor judgement. That being said, Whitney still out sings today's so-called talent.
I always love checking out what you share. Thanks so much and have a blessed week, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by, dear friend! I'm happy to welcome you here to experience the first blogcast by Shady Blue, one of the deejays on the all new SPMM radio.
The Jordanaires began in the late 40s as a southern gospel quartet. They started releasing records in 1950, interpreting spirituals for a predominately white audience. Then came Elvis. From 1956 to 1972 the Jordanaires were the primary backing vocalists for Elvis on studio recordings and on stage in live appearances. On the labels of Elvis Presley records, Elvis is listed as the solo star and "with the Jordanaires" appears in fine print beneath his name. The Jordanaires also sang on the recordings of many other big name stars including Patsy Cline, Ricky Nelson and Johnny Cash.
I read recently that Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston's mother, are shocked and horrified by claims in the new documentary "Whitney" that Dionne's singing sister Dee Dee Warwick molested Whitney when she was a girl. Both women call the allegations hogwash. Like you, I prefer the early career recordings of Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston and many other artists. You did a good job of describing the change in Whitney over the years. The fresh enthusiasm and joy of her early recordings and live performances stand in sharp contrast to what came later.
I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue, dear friend Cathy. Thank you again for spending some time at Shady's Place and enjoy the rest of your week. I will see you at your place tomorrow!
Good morning, dear Tom!
DeleteThanks for the clarification in Elvis' career with his backup singers. Oh good heavens, I sure hope the accusations surrounding Dee Dee Warwick are false. That's just horrible to think about and child molestation is something I can't wrap my brain around. I hope I never understand it!
Oh, I'm definitely "Stuck Like Glue" on Shady Blue! You're a great friend and funtastic blogger. Your posts are entertaining and educational. :) Thanks for stopping by today to vote in my latest BoTB. Have a wonderfully whacky Wednesday, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for swinging back over for another visit, dear friend. That was very nice of you!
Yessum, those Dee Dee Warwick accusations are disturbing, and we might never get to the bottom of it because both Dee Dee and Whitney are dead. All we have to go on are the claims of people who were close to Whitney and the denials of her and Dee Dee's family members.
I'm happy to know you're Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue. I'm stuck like glue on you, Cathy, because you are a great blogger and a true blue friend. Your posts are consistently fun and entertaining, filled with spirit, spunk and humor, and I like the styles of mewsic you present. Even more important, you have been my faithful friend and follower over the years. You possess the qualities I look for in a friend and I am grateful to have you.
Thank you again for returning this morning to keep our thread going, dear friend Cathy. I'll be thinking about you tomorrow as you undergo your ear procedure. I'm sure it will go well and that you will reap the benefits for years to come. Take care!
Wowsa, if anyone ever needs to get a groove on first thing in the morning, I'll definitely recommend listening to SPMM's Shady Blue show! The "cold show open" with Eddie Hodges' "New Orleans" kicked it in high gear! I had to listen to it twice before moving on! This is a fabulous song! Man, I am movin' and groovin' in my seat here this morning with this one! Way to kick it off Tom! You've succeeded in putting a full-on stop to my original plan this morning, which was to go back to bed after letting the dogs out. Ain't no goin' back to bed now after this great music just done woke my ass up! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great Elvis song, "I Gotta Know". Never heard of the Jordonaires.
Now I feel like joining the Gazzarri dancers at the Hollywood a Go Go with Del Shannon and his "Runaway" hit. Such a great song. Monster hit is right! Hey, what is that instrument that makes that great sound? Is it an organ?? I can't tell. I'm not always good at determining instruments.
"Walk On By" is a great Dionne Warwick song. You mentioned Aretha. You heard the news, right, that she's very ill? I heard it last night on Lester Holt's Evening News. No word on what's going on with her. Do you happen to know? Hope she's going to be okay. I love me some Aretha!
Now the Newbeats are new to me, as in I never heard of the band. But I sure have heard "Bread and Butter". That's a fun song. And that vocalizing! I have to say, watching the video, surely that's a lip sync, no? I mean, I can't see that voice coming out of him (middle guy) in this performance. Do you know what I mean? I'm having a hard time putting into words my point. From the sound of the vocals, it just seems that his facial movements would be a little different than what I'm seeing in the video. Oh I don't know if that's making any sense. It's early. Never mind...
Great song! Listening to that one another time now too... (I'll never make it back to bed...) :)
Schmidt's Blue Ribbon Bread?? The first thing I thought of when I read that was "beer bread???". I was thinking of Pabst Blue Ribbon. haha
Now I'm in the mood for some peanut butter and jam toast! One of my customers brought me back an incredible strawberry preserves from Virginia that is out of this world. I think you've just influenced my breakfast this morning... :)
Re: Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" -- that is a shame that it didn't make it to the #1 spot. It's truly worthy of that position. "The Battle of New Orleans" is a good song but it doesn't beat "Dream Lover" as far as I'm concerned. That's just a darn shame!
Wait! The Stuck on You with Shady Blue show is over already?? Say it isn't so! That went by too fast. Time always flies when you're having fun. And that was some good fun here this morning on the SPMM.
Thanks for taking us out with "Elvis the Pelvis" --- great moniker! Did you just make that up??
I sure enjoyed watching his performance of "Stuck on You". Damn he is one handsome man! I also like how he tips his hand to that backup guys. Seems like he had a generous spirit and was a decent guy to perform with...at least that appears to be the case from this video anyway. I like that. And I liked it three times this morning. :)
It's a perfect theme song for you Shady Blue!
This has been a great show today Tom. I'm definitely a fan and will look forward to the next Shady Blue show! Thanks for a truly entertaining morning. Now I have a big decision to make: bed or breakfast??? :)
talk soon! Have a great day, my friend!
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
ReplyDeleteNow I have the answer to the musical question, "Who Let the Dogs Out?" :)
Welcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend! I am delighted to see you and happy that you caught the first radio show of SPMM deejay Shady Blue.
With your background in radio, I suspected you might appreciate the concept of the "cold open" coming out of news. The cold open straight out of news was one of the most exciting aspects of top 40 radio shows of the 50s and 60s, and that's why I decided to make it a regular feature on all SPMM Radio blogcasts.
I'm glad you enjoyed listening to Eddie Hodges' remake of the U.S. Bonds hit "New Orleans." Eddie, as you might recall, was the child actor who made his film debut the 1959 movie A Hole in the Head starring Frank Sinatra and Edward G. Robinson. In that picture, little Eddie sang the duet "High Hopes" with Sinatra.
If you read my reply to Cathy (above) you will learn a little about the vocal group the Jordanaires who backed Elvis and many other artists.
His birth name, Charles Westover, didn't exactly rock, and therefore the soon to be famous singer-guitarist adopted the rock & roll name Del Shannon. Del's signature song and biggest hit "Runaway" features the distinctive sound of a clavioline-based electric keyboard instrument called a Musitron, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer. The Musitron was invented by Del's music partner Max Crook and is famously heard on the bridge of the song. The result is one of the most exciting recordings of the rock & roll era, #472 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Regarding Aretha, her illness is listed as "undisclosed" but is rumored to be pancreatic cancer. She canceled quite a few scheduled performances in recent years and looks very thin and sickly in recent photos. She is reported to be in hospice care at home surrounded by friends and family.
The Newbeats trio are long time favorites of mine and "Bread And Butter" is their best known hit. To answer your question about lip sync, I will remind you as I have reminded other readers that anything goes on YouTube these days. It a common practice on YouTube in the last couple of years for producers and remixers to take the original studio audio and marry it (sync it) with archival performance footage such as this clip of the Newbeats. These hybrid videos offer the best of both worlds, the finest remastered sound quality along with the rare footage of the artist performing the song. On the original tape, the Newbeats might have been singing "Bread And Butter" live or they might have been lip syncing. It no longer matters, because today's producers are working around the clock to restore vintage performance clips like this one to maximize our enjoyment. I am starting to think that Schmidt's Blue Ribbon bread was an East Coast thing. I didn't realize the Baltimore baking company's distribution area was limited to my region. I guarantee that Blue Ribbon bread was/is "a thing."
(reply continued in next box)
The failure of Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" single to claim the #1 position on the chart, blocked by "The Battle of New Orleans," reminds us of the popularity of patriotic and historic songs during that time period. In those pre-Beatles years, instrumentals that appealed to older adults also performed well on the Billboard pop chart. When the Beatles came along, the chart was transformed into a play list of records made BY young people FOR young people.
ReplyDelete"Elvis the Pelvis" is one of the best known nicknames for Elvis Presley. It can be traced to a 1956 newspaper column and came about in response to Presley's suggestive stage gyrations that some compared to a burlesque dancer's "bump and grind," which Elvis vehemently denied. Yessum, I agree that Elvis was generous in sharing the stage and the limelight with other performers great and small. He had class.
I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue, dear friend Michele. Thank you again for your kind visit and tremendous comment. I hope you had breakfast (bread & butter, toast & jam) and that you are also back in bed getting some much needed rest. I will see you tamale over at your place for the BOTB!
Well, I love, love, love this selection!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteOh, pray tell, good buddy. By all means, do go on! :)
You seem to agree with Shady Blue and me that old school is cool. I'm glad. I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue and that you will stay tuned for more boss goldens coming up on Natural Hy starring Hy Lit, another new member of the DJ squad, right here on SPMM Radio.
Thanks again for listening, good buddy Kirk!
Oh, and look how long Elvis' hair got after only a few months out of the army (though the sideburns are missing.)
ReplyDeleteHi again, Kirk!
DeleteFor my money the "early Elvis" was the better Elvis, not the longer hair and jumpsuit later career Elvis. Which Elvis do you prefer, good buddy?
Overall I prefer the early (pre-Army) Elvis, but there's a lot in the later years I like. The 1968 TV special. The two concert films (Elvis: That's the Way It Is and Elvis on Tour), even the movie he made with Ann-Margaret (Viva Las Vegs). It's just that the high points were more scattershot later on. I don't have a problem with the jump suit. The 1970s was an era of gaudy attire. Why pick on Elvis?
ReplyDeleteHi again, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for returning to answer my question. I agree there were great moments when Elvis first made a comeback. He made some fine recordings and his live shows were events. He had control of his faculties and was in command of the audience. We all know what happened near the end. That's the part of his career I would rather forget.
If you enjoy Elvis then I hope you're stay Stuck Like Glue because Shady Blue's the guy for you.
Thanks again for continuing the thread and enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Kirk!
Gee, Shady Blue! There are sure lots of my musical favorites and many associations on Station SPMM this morning! Honeysuckle, the "pelvis", birthdays, running (or walking) away, bread, dreams, and glue.... What a wild, fun combo!
ReplyDeleteI once heard a native of New Orleans say that the locals pronounced it "New OR-lins", not "New Or-LEENS". Guess if the artists sang it that way it would change the song entirely and it wouldn't have that contagious beat!
Hm-m-m... Before this post, the only U.S. Bond I knew about was the $25 'savings' one I got as a prize for a writing contest as a teenager!
The honeysuckle vines in the lyrics reminded me of quiet summer nights at my childhood home, watching stars from the front porch, and breathing in the sweet scent of the honeysuckle vines Mother had planted to climb and cover the lattices. Today, I mostly find them growing wild along country roads close to our house. Perhaps important to mention here, one of the times I explored the Shady Dell (the original forest that is - next to the fabled teen spot by the same name :-) ), I encountered large masses of them scrambling over the bank of the stream that runs through it.
Listening to Elvis's songs on this post, it's easy to hear that even when very young, he possessed a voice that was almost mesmerizing. It brought to mind another song, "Black Velvet", that I think describes him so well, i.e., "soft Southern style", "little boy smile"...
BTW, Elvis and I were born on the same day. (Different year though!) My cousin used to phone to wish me a happy birthday every year, but once an annual daylong Elvis tribute was broadcasted, she said she couldn't tear herself away from t.v. long enough to call me, so she was a day late! Now that's a fan for you!!
Where I live, Elvis is very popular, (I just heard "Love Me Tender" while pumping gas in my car!) so I used his nickname to teach anatomy to my art students. When painting skeletons at Halloween, all I had to say was the word "pelvis" and some of the kids perked up and were surprised to hear it was a part of their body and not their mom's all-time favorite singer!
Another Elvis observation: That one briefly-frozen, held-straight-out arm move to emphasize the beat reminded me a little of John Travolta's much later, signature dance style.
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Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteI am delighted to see this jumbo comment from you, dear friend. Thank you very much for writing it!
I'm sure you know that the city of Lancaster, PA, is pronounced "LANG- caster" by people across the country, while the locals have always pronounced it "LANC-uh-stur." The owner of the small indie record label that signed singer Gary L. Anderson was inspired to give Anderson the stage name Gary (U.S.) Bonds because, at the time, those government savings bonds were being promoted heavily on television.
How could anyone have a bad day with the glorious scent of honeysuckle hanging in the air? It's funny that you should mention your exploration of the Shady Dell property prior to its sale a few years ago. I was just thinking about our post on SDMM that featured "the wheel tree" you discovered on the Dell grounds - the trunk of a tree that had wrapped itself around a large wagon wheel. That was one of the best, most interesting and most popular posts ever published on the old blog.
Holy smoke! You taught me something today, dear Kathleen. The end of 1989 was precisely the time when I stopped paying attention to current popular music, stopped following new songs entering the pop chart, and began reviewing the soundtrack of my youth, a process that has lasted nearly thirty years. It was at that same point in time, December 1989, that Canadian singer songwriter Alannah Myles released "Black Velvet, a single that topped the chart for two weeks the following year, on March 31 and April 7, 1990. I swear to you I never heard the song before. I just finished watching the official music video. It's sensational - a classic - a paean to Elvis inspired by a bus trip to Graceland by a group of fans. Thank you for letting me know about that great recording! I also didn't know that you and The King share a birthday. From now on I will remember January 8. :) As you know, today is the anniversary of Presley's death. I remember that day vividly because I was editing film footage at WGAL for the 6 o'clock report when the AP and UPI wire service machines started dinging like crazy with the news flash.
Presley reportedly hated the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis" because it was a term commonly used by critics who disliked his music and performing style, compared his stage gyrations to hootchy-kootchy dancing and believed he was corrupting the nation's youth. (Gangsta rap was still light years away.) I love to study the body language and gestures Elvis used. At his swaggering, confident peak, he was in total control of his body and in total command of his audience.
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There's an art-related memory associated with "Stuck on You", "Stuck like glue" and Schmidt's Blue Ribbon Bread. Did you know that mixing Elmer's glue with smooshed up pieces of spongy white bread makes an excellent sculpture material? It is a certified sticky mess to handle, but back when I was crafts director at summer camps, the bread and glue were very inexpensive and since I had to purchase my own supplies with an advance from my salary, the price was right. I paid dearly though in other ways. The kids thought it was great fun to adhere pieces of gluey bread to one another's clothing and hair. Need I mention how permanent it is when dry? "Okay - everyone in the pool...!"
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't say much about its texture or nutritional value, but I read recently that some of today's whole grain breads actually aren't any more nutritious than the good old Schmidt's "enriched" brand that is still sold in grocery stores around here. Growing up, Mother baked our bread most of the time, and we weren't so picky, so it was considered a delicacy to have the store-bought, pure white Blue Ribbon on the table occasionally! Just like the song says, toasted bread spread with butter and some of mother's homemade strawberry jam was the best! I guess, as with the song above, "I like whole-grain, organic, non-GMO bread and butter.." just wouldn't have the same ring to it!
I fondly remember hearing Del Shannon's "Runaway"on the radio, and enjoyed watching the perpetual motion of the go-go girls with pony tails bouncing in a circle around him. I noticed some of the guys dancing in the video were actually dressed up in suits and ties. Imagine that!
I love the trumpet in tandem with Dionne Warwick's far-ranging, smooth and soothing voice. It brings back one such time in my life when the suggestion to "walk on by" was very painful....
Did you see the film "Beyond the Sea"? I was amazed that Bobby Darin could sing so well with having oxygen delivered backstage through a mask before, during and after performances. I wonder if his heart condition affected his dance moves. Perhaps he put all his energy into his voice, only slightly twitching his shoulders seductively to the beat instead of emphasizing his hips and hair like Elvis did. I wonder if he saw the gal in the audience sniffing and chewing gum awkwardly and if that's the kind of "dream lover" the song had in mind?! Bobby didn't live very long, but what an impact he had in his short life!
Oh - I also have two questions for you, Shady Blue: Why is it called a "cold open", and why did the announcer always hold one hand up to his ear? "I Gotta Know"!
I was not aware that "glue helper" could be created by mixing Elmer's glue with white bread. Rye and pumpernickel just don't cut it? :) Yessum, I can picture those rambunctious kids at summer camp getting carried away with the paste and using it to slime each other. Did any of the rugrats eat the stuff believing it would "stick to their ribs" ?
DeleteI am happy to have you here to back up my story about Schmidt's Blue Ribbon bread, a product none of the other readers have heard of. Apparently it's distribution area is much more limited than I thought. Fortunately for me, Pennsylvania made hard pretzels are available all year long in supermarkets here in West Central Florida. You were lucky to have a mother who baked bread for the family along with homemade jam. "That was nice of her."
I'm glad you enjoyed the Del Shannon performance on the music TV show Hollywood A Go Go. It's hard to believe those young, energetic go go girls, The Gazzarri Dancers, are senior citizens now, and one of the girls who played Ring Around the Rosie in that 1965 episode died 50 years later, in 2015. I'm also glad you appreciate Dionne Warwick's performance of the Bacharach-David song "Walk On By," a 60s classic and one of my favorite by the soulful songstress. I also thank you for commenting on Bobby Darin's performance. Saddled as he was with serious medical issues and the mental burden of knowing his life would be short, it's amazing to me how smoothly and confidently Bobby performed, as if he didn't have a care in the world. That's a solid pro for you. The show must go on. Bobby's early death was a tremendous loss to music.
"Cold open" is a broadcast term used in radio, scripted television shows and films. Top 40 radio shows boasted "tight" production that kept "dead air" to a minimum. The goal was to eliminated it altogether. When the announcer finished reading the news, a station jingle usually followed without a moment's delay. A record was cued up and ready to play when the jingle ended, providing a seamless listening experience leading into the DJ show. Most records made in the 50s and 60s have a much shorter TRT (total running time) than today's recordings. On many records of the period the vocals begin instantly with no instrumental lead-in. Records like those work perfectly as cold opens because there is no way for the DJ to talk over them without tramping on the vocals and annoying the listener. Records with bold instrumental flourishes like the flurry of drum beats at the beginning of "New Orleans" also make ideal "cold opens" because they ramp up the excitement at the beginning of the show.
Veteran announcer Gary Owens cupped his hand over his ear on Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In as a way of poking fun at the overly serious members of the announcing profession who did it as a way of monitoring (without headsets) how their voice sounded to the audience. Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees always sang with a hand over his ear. It was a method used to stay in tune, but some singers who used the technique over the years were sometimes ridiculed, accused of showboating to be taken more seriously as artists.
I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue, dear friend Kathleen. Thank you again for this mega-comment today. I very much appreciate it! I wish you a happy Friday and a safe and enjoyable weekend!
You know those people who like to slide in late to a party just to make a grand entrance?...I'm not one of "those people". I may slide in late to the blog because it's been a crazy week! I did check it quickly at work but my Kindle won't play videos for some reason so I had to stop by today and I'm really glad I did! Lots of good tunes and artists that I actually remember! Dionne Warwick was always a favorite and as a side note I was so sad to hear about Aretha Franklin's passing this week. What a class act she was. I do know the song "Bread and Butter" but pardon my ignorance, I guess I never realized it was song by 3 white guys (wait, was that statement PC?)...anyway, did they ever have another hit? Just wondering. Now for the bread part of my comment. I never heard of that brand of bread. Growing up in Chicago all I remember was blue ribbon beer. Go figure. Great show Shady and I hope to be here next time...the weekend is fading faster than my hair dye..time to go! Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Welcome back to Shady's Place!
Thank you very much for making time to visit on a weekend, YaYa. You got here just in time before the front page post changes again. I'm glad you didn't miss Shady Blue's debut on the all new SPMM Radio. I'm happy that you enjoyed what he had to offer in show #1 and yes, it happened to coincide with the death of the great Aretha Franklin, one of the biggest names of our Boomer years and an important artist in the jukebox lineup at the Shady Dell.
Gosh it seems like Kathleen Mae Schneider and I are the only ones who know about the Schmidt Baking Company, makers of Blue Ribbon bread. Baked in Baltimore, the bread was and still is available in Central Pennsylvania, and I remember their jingle inspired by this Newbeats hit. I am also surprised that you and a few other readers don't remember the Newbeats. The recordings made by the Nashville trio were very popular on my top 40 radio station and the guys appeared on the music TV shows of the 60s including American Bandstand, Hollywood A Go Go, Shindig, Upbeat (a teen music and dance show in Cleveland that you might have watched), Shivaree, The Clay Cole Show (a New York based music program), Where The Action Is and England's Top Of The Pops. Although "Bread And Butter" was the group's bread and butter, they had follow-up hits with "Everything's Alright," "Break Away (From That Boy)," "Run, Baby Run" and "Groovin' (Out On Life)."
I hope by now you're Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue, dear friend YaYa. Thank you again for coming and I hope to see you again next time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Do you know that I actually saw Del Shannon at a place called Lulu's in Kitchener, back in the 1980's. My best friend and I were dancing up a storm with our purple balloons tied to our wrist (Purple meant Hot and horny or something stupid like that) drinking zombies. We were zombies by the end of it but we always remember being able to dance to this classic song and it was about a year or maybe even a few months before he died-so tragic. Love all these songs from Del to Bobby Darin who led quite the life even though it was short. I always think of my Uncle who died at 53 when I was just 7 yrs old, when I hear Elvis or see one of his movies because my uncle was a huge Elvis fan. Apparently my uncle and aunt could really swing during the 1940's and knew all the moves.
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