INSPIRED BY THE SHADY DELL, YORK, PA, AND DEDICATED TO ITS OWNERS JOHN & HELEN ETTLINE
AND TO MARGARET ELIZABETH BROWN SCHNEIDER, NICKNAMED "THE OLDEST LIVING DELL RAT"


Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Dell Rat Tom's Jukebox Giants - Vol. 5: Soul & Inspiration

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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

 DELL RAT TOM'S 
 JUKEBOX GIANTS  

on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!

(COLD SHOW OPEN)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!


"Alfie" The Magnificent Men
(from 1968 album The World Of Soul)

Buddy King on lead for The Magnificent Men, and a magnificent rendition of
"Alfie," the oft recorded Burt Bacharach - Hal David song used to promote the
1966 British film starring Michael Caine. Female vocalists on both sides of the
pond scored hits with the song - Cilla Black in the UK and Dionne Warwick in
the U.S. - but Dell rats agree the definitive version is the one that kicked-off
today's show - the one waxed by our hometown heroes The Mag Men.


Hi, I'm Dell Rat Tom back with
another edition of Jukebox Giants,
spotlighting the greatest hits played
in the dance hall of my old hangout
in York, PA... The Shady Dell.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

Summer '67: Soon I would leave the Dell
behind and start college in another part of
the state. Every night the sound of Stevie
Wonder's harmonica filled the dance hall.
Rats formed a line, their feet kept time as
Stevie sang-- "I Was Made To Love Her!"


"I Was Made To Love Her" - Stevie Wonder
(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#2 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Coming in at #165 on the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell, that was
Motown soul man Stevie Wonder with "I Was Made To Love Her," a sizzling
single that topped the R&B chart four weeks in the Summer of Love 1967.



Dell Rat Tom with you on S-P-M-M
where all the cool oldies come to play.

Now here's a song from Shady Dell -
The College Yearsthe period from the
fall of 1967 to the spring of '71 when I
was out of town attending that institute
of high & yearning, the span of time
during which I returned to York and
the Dell on holidays, spring breaks,
summer breaks and occasionally
on weekends to see my girlfriend.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!


In the winter of '69 David Ruffin, former co-lead singer of The Temptations,
had a top 10 solo hit and a Dell biggie with this one. As his brother Jimmy
said in another Dell song, "Life lands a crushing blow, and once again
a heart is broken." David picks up the story with-- "My Whole World
Ended (The Moment You Left Me)."


"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" - David Ruffin
(Feb./Mar. 1969, highest chart pos. #2 R&B/#9 Hot 100 & Cash Box)




From Shady Dell - The College Years, that was
David Ruffin with "My Whole World Ended,"
his first big hit after leaving The Temptations.

If you're just tuning in, you're listening to
Jukebox Giants, the best of the Shady Dell,
here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio...
with yours truly Dell Rat Tom.

In the mid 60s, the musical menu at the Dell
was an exciting mix of soul, R&B, doo-wop,
pop, garage, hard rock, folk-rock and British
Invasion. Here's a great example of the latter.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

It's the bold sound of the Brit duo Peter and Gordon with-- "Woman!"


"Woman" - Peter And Gordon
(Feb./Mar. 1966, highest chart pos. #14 Hot 100/#17 Cash Box)

From February and March of 1966, Peter Asher and Gordon Waller with "Woman,"
a song written by Beatle Paul McCartney that landed the British duo at the #106
spot on my Shady Dell survey. Gordon refers to "Woman" as "the ultimate
Peter and Gordon track" and his personal favorite.




You are my personal favorite... yeah you,
and I've got more Dell jukebox gold.
It was later that same year-- 1966.
Fall turned to winter, and the nights
again turned nippy. Down in the barn
John Ettline had a roaring fire going.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

 Out there on the floor, Dell rats were
generating body heat dancing to the
Motown sound of-- The Supremes!


"You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes
(Nov./Dec. 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B)

Closing out the year 1966, The Supremes with Dell song #150 -
"You Keep Me Hangin' On." It was the Motown girl group's
8th chart-topping hit single on the Hot 100 and spent
four weeks at #1 on the R&B chart.



"Blue-eyed soul" acts are white
artists who perform material
originally recorded by black
artists and do so authentically,
in the same style and with the
same feeling. In Shady's
Dell dictionary next to the
term blue-eyed soul, you'll
find a picture of Bill Medley
and Bobby Hatfield aka -
The Righteous Brothers.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!


For months The Righteous Brothers' "Soul And Inspiration" was a
slow dance favorite at the Dell. Couples locked in warm embrace
swayed teary-eyed and, by song's end, were emotionally spent.
A record doesn’t make the Dell Top 10 unless it kills. This KILLS!


"(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" - The Righteous Brothers
(April 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#3 R&B)

Way up there where the air is rare, the Righteous Brothers
with the 6th highest ranked Dell song of the mid 60s... the
towering Wall-of-Sound recording “Soul And Inspiration."




Hey, time's up, and I gotta head
for home to beat the curfew.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Stay tuned on the flip side of news for
Shady Green who'll invite you aboard
his Wayback Machine, and I'll be back
soon with more Jukebox Giants here
on S-P-M-M... the station with Soul.
Now this is Dell Rat Tom reminding
you to make every day a holiday...
and every night a Shady Dell night!


"(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need" - The Miracles
(Nov./Dec. 1966, highest chart pos. #4 R&B/#17 Hot 100 #25 Cash Box)

24 comments:

  1. I was a very tiny child when most of those hit the charts. I recognize most of the artists though.

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    1. Hi, Alex!

      Thanks for taking the Early Bird lead position again this week, good buddy!

      Most of the songs on Dell Rat Tom's radio show were released in 1965, '66 and '67. With one exception, the other records were issued in '68 and '69. The most "recent" Dell song on Jukebox Giants is Rare Earth's 1970 cover of "Get Ready." Therefore you might not know many of these old songs, but you should be familiar with some or most of the artists on Tom's program.

      Thanks again for coming by, good buddy Alex!

      Delete
  2. Hello again from snowy Alberta, Canada, friend Shady. Absolutely love The Righteous Brothers' You Are My Inspiration" ... smiles ... Sending love, cat.

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    1. Hi, cat!

      How are you and TT, dear friend? Thanks for coming down!

      I'm thrilled that you like this biggie by The Righteous Brothers. When I was a teenager at the Dell, the song gave me goose bumps whenever it played on the jukebox. It still gets to me today. It's one of the greatest blue-eyed soul ballads ever recorded.

      Thanks again for dropping in, dear friend cat. Stay well and enjoy the rest of your week!

      LUBBINS LUBBINS LUBBINS!

      Delete
  3. Hi Shady! Your college years were my high school years and we danced the same tunes in the school foyer. I went to a big high school..4000 students so we had a huge foyer area where all the dances were held. I remember these artists and I'm sure I have a few of these albums in the storage room. Getting home by curfew was a definite in my house. On TV it would come across the screen: "It's 10:30..do you know where your children are?" 11:00 was the witching hour! When I was a senior I came in rather late but when Dad asked what time I got home I said.."Midnight". Dad said: "It was 2:12am" and it won't happen again. Busted! But I was never late again! Have a wonderful week down south. I was happy that we didn't get the tons of snow that some places got but it's still cold up here! However, it's always HOT at the Dell!

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    1. Hi, YaYa!

      I'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for tuning in the latest volume of Jukebox Giants with your host Dell Rat Tom. (Tom says hello.)

      Yessum, my college years were your high school years, and my high school years were your elementary years. Nevertheless you stand a better chance of remembering the songs on Tom's playlists than most of my other readers. I'm sure your brothers would know these Motown sounds and probably owned albums by the artists. Wow, you attended a large high school! My high school actually combined all of the grades 7 through 12, but I'd be surprised if we had more than half the enrollment of your school. My school had a large lobby with a jukebox. Girls danced to records in the morning before classes and during lunch break.

      Yessum, I remember the announcer voicing over TV programming and asking if you knew where your children are. That's how we knew the times were changing. No longer was it safe for kids to stay out and play after dark. You and I were blessed to have been young at a time when we didn't have to live in constant fear, including the fear of catching a deadly virus. I feel sorry for today's youth having to live with so many restrictions.

      It surprises me that you stayed out until 2:12 am one night and got busted by your dad. I won't ask you what you were doing until that hour. :) All through my Shady Dell years, my mom stayed up late and waited for me to get home. No matter how late I got in, there she always was, checking my breath for alcohol and telling me if my eyes looked "funny." They usually did. I could never fool her. I don't know how she was able to put up with me all those years when I was determined to act wild to fit in with the guys. I shudder when I think about it now, but thankful that I eventually got myself straight and have been clean and sober almost 29 years now.

      You seem to be having a very easy winter compared to the kind you typically had the first few years I knew you. Yessum, outside it's chilling, but inside (at the Dell) it's thrilling, with fireplaces burning and records that keep turning.

      Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend YaYa!

      Delete
  4. I love this music and it reminds me of all the dances that I used to attend when I moved to PA. I went to two dances a week and three in the summer (Sun, Wed, Fri.). I remember the Sunday afternoon sock Hops at Lou Carstella Hall (a three mile walk) and standing around with my girlfriends hoping that a blond boy, who was the best dancer in the room, would ask me to dance, especially to a song by the Righteous Brothers. It finally happened but it was a Ladies Choice. I think his name was Jimmy and I will never forget my embarrassment when I stepped on his feet - a few times.

    I saw "Little" Stevie Wonder back in the mid 60's at the mall area of the Levittown Shopping Center, which at that time, was the place to be. He was there with a group of back up singers and I remember having a lot of fun watching them and then something terrible happened. One of the backup singers started dancing with a "white" girl and other girls joined in. Adults became enraged and called the police. It was all so horrible. I had moved there from NYC and had never seen anything like that. It was then that I saw what racism looks like. I remember the police taking Stevie and his group away.

    Many of my comments have been disappearing or a "Whoops, try again message comes up. This is second time trying with this comment and fingers crossed, it works.

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    1. Hi, Arleen!

      I'm thrilled to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over to Shady's clubhouse to hear vol. 5 of Jukebox Giants presented by original 1960s Dell Rat Tom.

      I'm also delighted to read your (and YaYa's) anecdotes describing your personal experiences as teenagers. Comments like these help me to learn, gain clarity about the past and get to better know my friends. Seems you went to more than your share of dances, Arleen. I wish I could turn back the clock for a glimpse of you and your friends attending one of those Sunday PM sock hops. You would have made a great Dellette, Arleen, and I would not have minded you stepping on my feet. You see, at the Dell, my buddies and me, (mature as we were) actually rubbed dust and dirt into our new sneakers, clothing and jackets, even rolled around on the dirty floor, in order to look tough and fit in. Having blood (wet or dry) on your Dell "uniform" was an added bonus - a badge of courage. (All of those details are the honest truth.)

      It's cool that you saw a mid 60s performance by Little Stevie Wonder at a mall in Levittown, but very sad that his show was interrupted because of racial outrage over a black person dancing with a white person. I'd like to say we've come a long way since then, but I honestly don't think we have. I'm sorry you got your first taste of racism on what should have been a happy occasion. I remember little Stevie coming to York's Playland skating and swimming club with the Motown Revue. However I didn't see that show.

      I don't know why some of my readers are reportedly having trouble leaving comments on my blog. I'm so sorry, and I thank you for trying again. I have considerable difficulty leaving comments on most Wordpress blogs, and therefore I got into the habit of backing up my comments so that I don't lose them in case they vanish the first time. Again, thank you for the second effort.

      I hope you are in good health and good spirits (as good as can be expected) as we forge ahead through 2021. Thanks again for your friendship and support, dear friend Arleen. Take care and come back and see me again soon!

      Delete
  5. Tom,

    The Magnificent Men have such dreamy vocals. I've always loved Stevie Wonder - love his music style so much! Diana Ross & the Supremes takes me back to my grandparents living room where I'd watch my auntie and her first cousin(my second) dance. The Righteous Brothers had gorgeous voices, so rich and warm. Smokey Robinson love his R&B vibe. He such a likeable fella, too. I really enjoyed your song selections for today. Have a groove Wednesday, my friend!

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    1. Hi, Cathy!

      Thank you very much for coming by, dear friend! I'm happy to have you here sampling the mid 60s sounds of the Dell brought to you by Shady Bunch deejay Dell Rat Tom.

      I'm glad you mentioned our hometown heroes The Magnificent Men. Lead vocalist Buddy King did a superb job on that cover of "Alfie," a song many artists performed in the mid and late 60s. I owned The Mag Men album The World of Soul but, truth be told, didn't pay much attention to their version of "Alfie" at the time because I was more interested in their pure soul songs. That changed in recent years when I began to better appreciate songs the band performed to appeal to supper club audiences. This version of "Alfie" has grown on me more than any of their other recordings aimed at the niteclub crowd. I produced this video a few years ago at the request of Dave Bupp, leader of the Mag Men.

      Thanks for adding yet another memory of youth to the ones provided by other readers so far. Isn't it amazing how that Supremes song brought back memories of your aunt and second cousin dancing? I was fortunate to attend a Righteous Brothers concert in 1983 at Valley Forge. The blue-eyed soul duo kept the audience enthralled with their vocal talent. Glad you also have kind words for the prolific and terrific Smokey.

      I'm pleased that you enjoyed this song set so much, dear friend Cathy. Thanks again for dropping by and enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
  6. Thanks for getting me into the groove this morning, dear friend. I am familiar with these artists and some of these songs are new to me. You chose one of my favourite Supreems song. I'm listening to it again and singing along. You've warmed my soul on this cold, dreary Wednesday!

    Have a great day, dear friend!

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    1. Hi, Jessica Marie!

      I'm happy to see you, dear friend! Thanks for swinging by to catch Dell Rat Tom's latest show on SPMM Retro Radio.

      I'm glad the artists Tom presented in this volume of Dell hits are familiar to you if not all of the songs. Check with your dad. Most of these songs are 60s biggies that he should remember. Isn't that Supremes video groovy? As you noticed, as the Supremes performe their chart-topper "You Keep Me Hangin' On," there are numerous cutaway shots of 60s models showing off the eye-popping clothing styles of the period. The mid 60s were great years to be young!

      I'm so glad you got into the groove with Tom's Jukebox Giants and that they warmed your innards on a cold and dreary day.

      Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
    2. Hi Shady,

      I sure did! The mid-60s were really a time to be young. I'm glad dad was young enough to sort of enjoy, but mom was a toddler at the time. I always wish I was born earlier than I was. LOL! I love that time period.

      I'm in need of the jukebox now. Got some bad lab results and I'm sure this quarantine didn't help things. I have to remember that 2020 wasn't really any of our years and we're probably all in similar boats in regards to health. I'm hoping my doctor sees it that way too. I think getting in the groove again will cheer me up.

      Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend!

      Delete
    3. Hi again, Jessica Marie!

      There's an old hit song entitled "Born Too Late" by the girl group The Ponytails. It applies to your situation and to other young people who wish they were born in an earlier decade.

      I'm sorry your labs weren't up to par and hope you can get it corrected. I went for labs Wednesday morning and still waiting for the results. Music is the cure, so let's keep those record spinning.

      Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!

      Delete
  7. A number of familiar names and songs this time. (I think I prefer other versions of Alfie)

    We saw the Righteous Brothers and Smokey Robinson (without the Miracles) decades ago in Las Vegas. The former put on a much better show than the latter. Much better.

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    1. Hi, Kelly & Pat!

      Thanks for coming over to check out Dell Rat Tom's latest batch of Jukebox Giants - records pulled directly from the jukebox at the Shady Dell!

      I'm excited that most readers who have commented so far are familiar with the artists and at least some of the songs Tom played. As a Dell rat, I'm partial to the Mag Men version of "Alfie," but I have come to love the versions by the two female vocalists that scored hits with the song - Dionne Warwick and Cilla Black. The late great Cilla's performance of "Alfie" is so good it gives me shivers.

      You and I both attended Righteous Brothers live shows. I saw them in the summer of 1983. The audience went wild and gave them several standing ovations. I'm shocked to learn that Smokey's show as a solo artist wasn't as good as you hoped.

      By the way, I loved your dog puzzle. I double enlarged and examined every breed but couldn't find my Toto, the Cocker Spaniel. I wonder why it wasn't included.

      Thanks again for stopping in and for your kind comment, dear friend Kelly. Please give Pat a hug for me and enjoy the rest of your week!

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    2. While there isn't a Cocker Spaniel in the "Dogs with Jobs" puzzle, there is one in the "Dog Lover's Jigsaw Puzzle". It's in the lower left quadrant and they call it a "working Cocker Spaniel". Pat might not be a full-blooded Boston Terrier, but that's how he identifies. He is represented in the "Jobs" puzzle (as a DJ), but not in the second puzzle! We love Rottweilers at our house (had three that helped raise our children) and I was disappointed there wasn't one in the "Jobs" puzzle. At least the second puzzle had one. I also thought it odd that they included both a Yellow and Black Labrador Retriever (what about Chocolate?) with the same characteristics blurb beneath.

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    3. Hi, Kelly!

      Thanks for returning to explain the differences between the two dog puzzles. I remember seeing the Rottweiler in the latest. It's interesting that three Rottweilers helped raise your children. When we first moved into our house in 1996 there were two Rotties that lived on a nearby farm. They ran loose and were always on our property. They weren't aggressive and didn't do any damage, but they frightened our toddler granddaughter. Yessum, it is odd to have two different colors of the same breed in the same puzzle.

      I identify Pat as my best buddy :) ... and you as a great friend. Thanks again for coming to chat and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Kelly!

      Delete
  8. I was never into the song, "Alfie". It just seems so flat to me but can't love everything. Stevie is always great and The Supremes must always be in this crowd of favourites. I never heard of Woman and my whole world ended and they are good but they don't make me want to start to dance. As for the Righteous Bros. I LOVE this song and their voices were so good and harmonious. This song aches and I want to dance with my hubby right now. Smoky was never my favourite and, to be honest, I thought it was a girl singing. I am bad because I know he is a legend but he is not my cup of tea. I do love to learn where you were during these tough times(glad you never went to Vietnam) and enjoying every moment especially at this wondrous place, your home away from home. I was a little gal of 3 in 1967 trying to grab a snake much to my mom's horror.

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    1. Hi, Birgit!

      It's a pleasure to see you, dear friend! Thanks a lot for being a day one friend again this week. Dell Rat Tom welcomes you to his 5th platter party.

      Stevie Wonder and The Supremes were two of Motown's biggest acts. Yet, strange as it seems, they each placed only one song on my list of The 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell, and both of those songs are on Tom's volume 5 playlist.

      The medium tempo songs "Woman" (serious in tone) and "My Whole World Ended" (a sad song) are examples of records that were big at the Dell but were more for listening than for dancing. When songs like these played, rats that wanted to dance formed parallel lines on the floor and performed a shuffle style dance, the lines moving back and forth across the room.

      I'm delighted that you and other readers singled out the glorious soul ballad by Bill and Bobby - The Righteous Brothers. It is the highest ranked Dell song on today's program and one of the biggest hits of the mid 60s among the Rodentia Intelligentsia. You are the second friend with a less than stellar review of Smokey Robinson. Truth be told, I was never a huge fan of The Miracles or of Smokey as a solo artist, but he and his group were right in the pocket with "Come 'Round Here" and one other Dell hit "Going To A Go-Go." Moreover Smokey wrote many of the great songs recorded by other Motown artists that you and I like a lot more.

      Thanks for sharing the anecdote that you tried to grab a snake when you were a tiny tot. No wonder your mama was horrified. The only thing worse than grabbing a snake was York area moms and dads learning that their teenagers were secretly hanging out at the notorious Shady Dell, nicknamed a "Den of Iniquity" by parents, police, educators and clergy.

      Thanks for being Dellette for a Day and joining the fun, dear friend Birgit. I'll see you tamale at the movies (BB Creations)!

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  9. Hi Shady! What a great post! I always loved the Temptations, and David Ruffin really put on the best shows. He had a cool voice, and the moves to back it up. "My Whole World Ended" is a great song, and his brother Jimmy also put out some good songs. Even though David met with a tragic end, he truly left some positive marks for future soul singers.

    Your entire lineup was super today, Shady! Stevie Wonder is one we grew up with, and always loved. "I Was Made to Love Her" is one of his best, making him one amazing artist! Peter and Gordon hit the scene on all fours, didn't they! I don't recall "Woman", but loved them for "I Go To Pieces" and "A World Without Love". These are kind of sad songs, but they own them!

    How about those Righteous Brothers! Everything they do is tops with me! "Soul and Inspiration" is one of their best...heck, they're all their best! Two guys with different sizes and voices brought it to the forefront and had us all in tears and swooning! They really get the blood boiling, don't they!

    "You Keep Me Hangin' On" ripped through the charts and stayed put forever! I really enjoyed the video of these cool ladies. And, I apologize, but as much as I like Smokey Robinson, I just don't remember "Come Round Here", but it is a good first timer for me.

    Those Mag Men can do just about anything I believe. Their cover of "Alfie" was surprisingly good! They are so good a keeping their voices together, even with the harmonies.

    Well, Shady, guess I'll run for now. I came by this morning to read your post, but duties call, so I decided to get "stuff" done, and come back this evening. Hope you're having a good "hump" day! Take care, dear Shady!

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    1. Hi, Suzanne!

      Thanks a lot for dropping by, dear friend! I'm astonished that so many friends showed up on day one of this post. I can't wait to tell Dell Rat Tom that the latest edition of his show is a hit. :)

      Yessum, if you watch that video of ex-Temptation David Ruffin performing his 1969 solo hit, you really appreciate the body moves, hand gestures and facial expressions he uses to "sell" his sad song about lost love. David was indeed a great talent, but he led a troubled life and, like so many others, died young. That Stevie Wonder performance apparently took place in 1970 on a TV program, but the sound that is sync edited to the video is the original 1967 studio recording nicely remastered. Custom videos such as these are helping me bring the music back alive better than ever before, because many of them include restored film and tape footage along with the HQ sound.

      Yessum, thanks for pointing out that those three Peter & Gordon hits are all sad songs. It's kinda odd that "Woman" went over so well at the Dell where the party was the name of the game, but it was indeed a biggie in the late winter of 1966 and fell just shy of the top 100 on my Dell's Greatest Hits survey.

      Yessum, you can't beat the Righteous Brothers when it comes to blue-eyed soul testifyin'. They were the real deal and Dell rats knew it. I can't tell you how many times I slow danced with Dellettes to that marvelous ballad. I remember thanking the jukebox gods every time the song started playing. Imagine how thankful I was when three minutes of slow dance intimacy was immediately followed by another slow record, giving me and other romantically inclined Dellions an additional three minutes to whisper sweet nothings in ears, trying hard to make the girls fall in love with us. :)

      I appreciate the "B roll" footage edited into that Supremes performance video. You get to see archive footage of models displaying the wild and sexy fashions of the mid 60s. I'm happy to introduce you to "I'm The One You Need" by The Miracles, one of my favorites by the Smokey led group. Thanks for giving a shout out to The Magnificent Men. Their rendition of "Alfie" has grown on me tremendously in recent years to become one of my favorite covers by the local white soul band.

      I very much appreciated your visit and excellent comments, dear friend Suzanne. Thanks again for coming over so promptly. I hope you and Scootie are having a good week and I invite you back here next Monday when we'll go Cruisin' back to the year 1960. I hope to see you then, dear friend!

      Delete
  10. Shady, I know you're not the one who puts these videos on YouTube, but I have to wonder what's the connection between 1960s music and the Smurfs? Did Clint Howard fall into a vat of blue Day-Glo while Andy Warhol was giving him a tour of the Factory?

    Anyway, I see a number of your commentators reminisce about how this was the music they grew up with. It wasn't quite that for me, but I've always had a slight preference for the music of the '60s to that of the '70s. And not just the hippie stuff, either. I love Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and the many artists who covered their songs, including anyone who ever sang "Alfie".

    I believe this is the first I've ever seen Stevie Wonder on this blog. Better late then ever.

    "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" reminds me that the person who produced that song came to a rather ignominious end the week before last. But he had a great beginning, and Bill Medley, at least, has stayed on the right side of the law. By the way, I have an anecdote! At this place I used to work this woman had on a T-shirt with the words KITTY HAWK. Another woman asked what that was. The first woman says, "You know, the Wright Brothers" The second woman says, "Oh, yeah, I remember, 'You Lost That Lovin' Feeling'" Wilber and Orville Righteous (I just plagiarized myself as I once posted this anecdote on my own blog.)

    You say you've had trouble getting comments on your blog? Maybe there's something wrong with the blogosphere as a whole tonight. A former mainstay of the comment section of my own blog whom I'm very eager to have return to the fold just complained that one of her comments didn't take, that it disappeared after she clicked Preview. And on top of everything else, I have that annoying little dot in the lower-right hand corner of my screen, so I'm being "watched". I though with the change of administrations...

    Finally, at the top of this post I said I have a slight preference for music of the '60s. Actually, it goes back a bit farther than that for I also like George M. Cohan, so if Dell Rat Tom's great-great-grandfather on his Uncle Horatio's side ever is invited to do a Player Piano Giants post, I'm all ears.

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    1. Hi, Kirk!

      Thanks for staying up late listening to Dell Rat Tom's selection of songs ripped from the Shady Dell jukebox, good buddy!

      Smurfstools Oldies Music Time Machine provides many of the videos my SPMM deejays use on their radio shows. Several times in recent years the channel has been flagged by YouTube for copyright violation and terminated. Lucky for me and my music loving followers, the channel keeps coming back and risking another termination. (Can't stop the rock!) Therefore if you ever see a blank rectangle embedded in one of my posts where a music video should be, it's probably because the YouTube Nazis took that great channel down in the middle of my post's week long run.

      I'm happy to know you favor the music of the 60 over the 70s. That's the bag I'm in. (Dammit disco!) In recent years I have skewed my blog content toward the 60s more so than ever before, and thanks to channels like Smurfstools, I hope to remain well stocked with brilliantly restored videos for you to enjoy.

      Truth be told, Stevie Wonder is not one of my favorite artists, but I am nevertheless proud to present my favorite song of his "I Was Made To Love Her" in this volume of Jukebox Giants. It is the only Stevie song to make my list of The 200 Greatest Hits of the Dell. I also like his 1969 hit "My Cherie Amour" but do not associate it with the Dell.

      Yes, I was exSpectoring to see a Spector post from you, good buddy. I keep thinking about him in the role of a drug dealer in Easy Rider. That anecdote of yours doesn't surprise me. It is astounding how many people there are in this country who don't know the basic, fundamental facts of history. To her credit that woman remembered the "Lovin' Feelin'" song as having first been recorded by someone other than Hall and Oates. I have found that few millennials know the original artists responsible for songs that are covered and sampled by today's artists. Another pet peeve of mine is that song lyrics appearing on numerous sites are filled with errors. Such sites butcher cherished boomer oldies and change the meaning of their classic lines.

      I consistently have difficulty leaving comments on Wordpress. For that reason I got into the habit of copying and saving my comments before attempting to submit them. If and when the gremlins strike and my comment disappears, I try to figure out the cause of the problem, change the syntax, show proof that I am not a bot, paste my saved comment in the form and try again. I have been burned so many times that I have made backing up my comments S.O.P. For example, this reply I am writing to you is getting so long now that I need to make a backup copy.

      (BRB.)








      (20 minute pause)







      I'm back. Thanks for waiting, good buddy. So it seems like you are eager for me to invite you on a stroll down Tin Pan Alley. The best chance of that happening is every year on April 18 and May 26 when I pay tribute to centenarian Margaret Schneider - "The Oldest Living Dell Rat." Stay tuned!

      Thanks again for staying up well past your bedtime and mine and for composing such a fine comment, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete

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