BOOTH ANNOUNCER GARY OWENS:
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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
TOTO'S TOP TUNES
T I M E T U N N E L
on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
(COLD SHOW OPEN)
"Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley (Aug./Sept./Oct. 1956,
highest chart pos. #1, original B side of "Don't Be Cruel")
Hey there, the clock is striking twelve and it's time for yours truly,
the midnight satellite, your rover of the radio, your hi-fi fido - Toto Moto!
the midnight satellite, your rover of the radio, your hi-fi fido - Toto Moto!
You're tuned to Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel on
S-P-M-M, home of The Shady Bunch. I kicked off
my first official show with "Hound Dog," a doozie
of a ditty by Elvis the Pelvis. One of Presley's
biggest hits, "Hound Dog" is ranked #19 on
Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs
of All Time. "Hound Dog" was first recorded
in 1952 by R&B zinger Willie Mae
"Big Mama" Thornton.
S-P-M-M, home of The Shady Bunch. I kicked off
my first official show with "Hound Dog," a doozie
of a ditty by Elvis the Pelvis. One of Presley's
biggest hits, "Hound Dog" is ranked #19 on
Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs
of All Time. "Hound Dog" was first recorded
in 1952 by R&B zinger Willie Mae
"Big Mama" Thornton.
In 1967, when they recorded our next featured
song, Diana Ross and The Supremes were
on top of the heap - the most successful
American music group of all time with
10 chart-topping pop hits to their credit.
song, Diana Ross and The Supremes were
on top of the heap - the most successful
American music group of all time with
10 chart-topping pop hits to their credit.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
This one, the last of the group's singles to feature the vocals of Flo Ballard,
cracked the top 10 around Christmas that year-- "In And Out Of Love!"
"In And Out Of Love" - The Supremes
(Dec. 1967, highest chart pos. #9)
Diana Ross and The Supremes with "In And Out Of Love,"
and Toto Moto with you in the Time Tunnel here on S-P-M-M,
Retrosonic Radio. You know, with a name like The Hollies,
I thought these guys were one of Buddy's groups. 'Taint so -
I looked it up! Instead they're one of the most popular
Merseybeat bands of the British Invasion. In 1964
and Toto Moto with you in the Time Tunnel here on S-P-M-M,
Retrosonic Radio. You know, with a name like The Hollies,
I thought these guys were one of Buddy's groups. 'Taint so -
I looked it up! Instead they're one of the most popular
Merseybeat bands of the British Invasion. In 1964
The Hollies covered the Doris Troy hit "Just One Look."
It was the group's first single to land on the U.S. chart,
but only made it to #98. That's a doggone shame!
CLICK TO START VIDEO NOW!
I can see clearly now that things were looking up for the
Brit boys when their single, "Look Through Any Window,"
cracked, shattered and broke through the top 40!
Brit boys when their single, "Look Through Any Window,"
cracked, shattered and broke through the top 40!
"Look Through Any Window" - The Hollies
(Jan. 1966, highest chart pos. #32)
The Hollies there with "Look Through Any Window
(and you'll see that doggone stray cat)" on S-P-M-M,
home of The Shady Bunch and yours truly, Toto Moto.
In sports, a late game ending moments ago
out on the west coast, final score just in:
49ers 76 - 76ers 49.
(BA-DUM-BUMP)
(BA-DUM-BUMP)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Their television series was more fun than a barrel of Monkees.
Here's a groovy great by Davy, Micky, Peter and Mike-- "Valleri!"
"Valleri" (1968 Remix) - The Monkees (Mar./Apr. 1968,
highest chart pos. #3, from Apr. 1968 album
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees)
If you're just tuning in, I'm Toto Moto, your sound dog,
your K-9 compadre, your midnight mutt, the pup that
puts the WOW in bow-wow, and you're listening to
Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel, the radio program
4 out of 5 insomniacs recommend. Earlier in the
blogcast you heard "Hound Dog" and you just
listened to the ape call of The Monkees. Don't
look now, but this place is turning into a zoo!
CLICK TO START VIDEO NOW!
Hey, me likey table scraps, and this one by Dee Dee Sharp
has me lickin' my chops. What time is it?-- "Mashed Potato Time!"
"Mashed Potato Time" - Dee Dee Sharp (Apr. 1962,
highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100/#1 Cash Box/#1 R&B,
from 1962 album It's Mashed Potato Time)
This is your corn dog, Toto Moto and that was one of
Philly town's most soulful sirens, Miss Dee Dee Sharp,
and "Mashed Potato Time," a single that topped the
R&B chart, finished second on the pop side and is
ranked the #3 song for the year 1962.
Winter, spring, summer and fall, I love The Four Seasons.
There's nothing false about Frankie Valli's falsetto. It's the
real deal. If you're watching my simulcast on YouTube,
check out this rare clip from Where The Action Is.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Here they are, the original Jersey Boys, singing their hit "Bye, Bye, Baby"
on a Southern California ski slope. It's snow bound to give you a lift!
"Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)" - The 4 Seasons
(Jan./Feb. 1965, highest chart pos. #12)
From the early weeks of 1965, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, singing
(and shivering) in the snow at Big Bear Ski Resort, one of the primary
shooting locations for Dick Clark's Where The Action Is, doing one
of their many great 60s hits "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)."
Hey, it's also time for me to say "bye bye baby." Thanks a lot for
spending the wee hours of the morning with me digging up old gold
here in Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. It's been a long night.
I don't know about you, folks... but I'm licked.
(BA-DUM-BUMP).
spending the wee hours of the morning with me digging up old gold
here in Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. It's been a long night.
I don't know about you, folks... but I'm licked.
(BA-DUM-BUMP).
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
I'm gonna hunt for a patch of early morning sunlight, curl up on the rug
and snooze till the cows come home. Later on, I think I'll head over
to the flea market. (BA-DUM-BUMP). Now this is your midnight
satellite, your rover of the radio, your hound of sound, your
hi-fi fido - Toto Moto - bidding you farewell. I'll be back
soon with another fun-filled stax-o-wax all-nighter here
on S-P-M-M Radio, your place for good music,
good memories and good times.
Merry Christmas, folks!
and snooze till the cows come home. Later on, I think I'll head over
to the flea market. (BA-DUM-BUMP). Now this is your midnight
satellite, your rover of the radio, your hound of sound, your
hi-fi fido - Toto Moto - bidding you farewell. I'll be back
soon with another fun-filled stax-o-wax all-nighter here
on S-P-M-M Radio, your place for good music,
good memories and good times.
Merry Christmas, folks!
"Snoopy's Christmas" - The Royal Guardsmen
(Christmas 1967, highest chart post #1 Billboard's
"Best Bets For Christmas" chart/#10- Cash Box)
Lots of familiar names this time, even if I don't know most of the songs. What a set of ears on Elvis' hound dog!
ReplyDeleteWatching that clip of The Supremes... there's something to be said for the simplicity of the sets and choreography. It might look stark and lacking to young folks today, but I like it. (guess I'm sounding my age!!)
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Congratulations, you are this week's early bird. :) Thanks for making time for a Sunday visit!
I'm going to test my memory again as I did with you before when I asked about The Doors. Aren't you the friend who told me you don't care for Elvis Presley? You are probably too young to remember The Steve Allen Show. (I watched it every week.) Wiki has an interesting story about Presley's appearance on that TV show singing "Hound Dog" to a real hound dog: << Allen presented Elvis Presley with a top hat and the white tie and tails of a "high class" musician while singing "Hound Dog" to an actual Basset Hound who was similarly attired. Some have erroneously suggested that the "Hound Dog" performance was intentionally disrespectful and emblematic of Allen's disdain for rock 'n' roll. In reality, Allen took a risk booking the controversial Presley, and the bit was orchestrated both for comedic effect and to mitigate potential controversy. Indeed, Presley's label, RCA Records, chose an image from this performance to adorn the picture sleeve of the 45 rpm single of "Hound Dog", which hadn't yet been released at the time of the Allen appearance. >>
Yessum, when pop music acts such as The Supremes appeared on television shows during the 50s and 60s, they often performed on a stage with simple set design and their choreographed moves were conservative compared to those of many of today's artists. Keep in mind that Motown had a finishing school for its black talent that taught them how to dress, talk, sing, dance and act in order to win over (and not offend) middle class white audiences. Nothing extreme was permitted.
Thanks again for coming over, dear friend Kelly, and have a great week!
Now, Shady... it's not that I don't like Elvis, he just wasn't one of my favorite performers. (my sister loved him and saw him several times in concert - both early and late) I totally respected his talent and ground-breaking advancements in music, but I just wasn't a great fan. I will say his version of Blue Christmas is the go-to version and I love it. ;) You also might find it amusing that my younger daughter and her husband had an Elvis wedding in Las Vegas. They went with the "hound dog" package! :D
DeleteIf I'm not mistaken, you are right in the middle of my siblings when it comes to age. One brother and I are younger, my other brother and late sister, older.
Hi again, dear Kelly!
DeleteThanks for tweaking my memory about where you stand on Elvis the Pelvis. Maybe if you listen to enough of Shady Blue's Stuck Like Glue radio shows you will become a genuine fan. :) This won't be a Shady Blue Christmas, but he will return in early February with more 50s/early 60s oldies including at least one by Elvis. Yessum, it sounds like your late sister and your daughter fell hard for The King. (I'm sorry for your loss, by the way.) It's very cool that your daughter and her husband opted for an Elvis wedding in Vegas and the "hound dog" package. I can imagine a canine or two being present at the ceremony.
I just turned 69 on Nov. 20, so you will need to let me know if I am close in age to your late sister or older brother. Hey, if your older brother likes the kind of music I post, then please invite him to check out Shady's Place. I'd love to entertain him - your other brother, too!
Thanks again for coming to chat, dear friend Kelly, and have a wonderful week ahead!
I know several of the songs but I had to play In and Out of Love. Safe to say, it's not the same one that BonJovi covered...
ReplyDeleteAny snow in your neck of the woods, Shady?
Hi, Alex!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, good buddy!
I'm glad that you tuned in to Toto Moto's first radio show here on SPMM and I am also surprised that you know several of the songs on the pooch's playlist. You are correct sir, The Bon Jovi song "In And Out Of Love," a top 40 hit in 1985 from the album 7800° Fahrenheit, was penned by Jon Bon himself. The Supremes song was written and produced by Motown's hit making team of Holland–Dozier–Holland.
Snow??? In my neck of the woods? Shirley you jest. :) It has been around twenty years since we had some brief flurries here. I remember a night in the 80s when the temp dropped to something like 19 degrees in Tampa, an extremely rare event. How about you, good buddy? Snow in your vicinity?
Thanks again for coming, Alex, and have a super week!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI really dig Toto Moto the hound of sound bringing some fab tunes out of the doghouse to my ears for furtastic Sunday evening listening. I know all of these classics quite well growing with these playing on the turn table of older kids. Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog' released before my birth but everyone on the planet is well acquainted with his most recognizable song of all time. Your last song pick, 'Snoopy's Christmas' put a smile on my face. It's been years since hearing this track. What fun! Thanks for sharing the tunes. Have a songsational week and I hope you're enjoying the Christmas season, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for making time for a Sunday visit, dear friend. I am very happy to see you!
I'm delighted to know you dig (like an old bone) Toto Moto, "The Sound Dog" and his first official blogcast here on SPMM Radio. As you might recall, Toto appeared in one of the first posts here on Shady's Place last summer to introduce himself and the other Shady Bunch DJs. In that post, Toto played "Bird Dog," "I'll Be Doggone," "Doggone Right," "Puppy Love" and "Walkin' The Dog." In this week's show Toto offered "Hound Dog" and "Snoopy's Christmas." I'm glad you enjoyed both of those dog ditties.
Thanks again for being here, Cathy, and for your great comment. I wish you a songsational, tunetastic and pAwesome week ahead, dear friend! :)
Tom,
DeleteI indeed recall Toto Moto's debut on SPMM last summer. That was a clever, fun post! :) I appreciated you stepping on the dance floor with the 4M gang during our month long Christmas mewsic extravagaza! Your friends and support mean the world to me. Later in the week, I'll return to normal or somewhat considering the holidays, to my blogging life. Meanwhile, I hope you're having a joyful and blessed season, my friend1
Hi again, dear Cathy!
DeleteIt was sweet of you to return to chat. Your friendship and support mean the world to me, too! I'm so glad I found another mewsic lover to trade tunes with week by week here in blogland.
Two days ago, on Saturday, our family was finally able to make that trip across the state to the Atlantic coast and scatter my sister-in-law's ashes at the beach. The weather was ideal and it was a beautiful moment. Now that we have some closure we can better turn our attention to Christmas. Apart from the fact that my father died Christmas day, I am looking forward to the countdown to the big day. I am also excited to present my annual New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady "live" blogcast which will originate for the first time from our new studios here at Shady's Place.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Cathy!
Good Evening Shady! I've been here a couple of times...well, 3rd time is a charm, so they say! That 'corny' Toto Moto sure knows how to pick 'em, doesn't he? Starting off with the great Hound Dog crooner! Elvis had some great influences that boosted his career. And, Big Mama Thornton was a special silent mentor to a lot of the Rockabilly and Blues entertainers!
ReplyDeleteDiana Ross and the Supremes did have a long running career together, but it was sad to see that end. Looks like they were already going their own ways in this video...not their usual flashy costumes! "In and Out of Love" is a good song, I didn't realize it was 1967...gosh, seems so long ago. (I guess it was, lol!)
The Monkees were cute, weren't they, and talented. "Valleri" was one of my favorites by them! I would have loved to sing back up with them! I'm sorry we lost Davy Jones. I enjoyed his singing and acting. I remember him being on an episode of Batman and The Partridge Family.
Oh, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons! What a treat, Shady and Toto Moto! We woke up to "Sherry Baby" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" in the earlier 60's. Two of the most popular songs played at our teen dances. "Bye Bye Baby" just makes us romantics tear up, huh, Shady!
You really played the good ones today, guys! Love the "Mashed Potato Time" with Dee Dee! She and Chubby Checker's "Slow Twistin" is also a favorite of mine.
Well, I did enjoy cruisin' thru the time tunnel with "hi-fido" today. It was a lovely winter's day in Fort Worth, and I got out to do some shopping-a little for myself too! Thank you guys for this blast from the past...also The Hollies, "Look Through Any Window"! I love all of their songs! You can play them anytime and I'll listen! Have a great week!
Take care, dear Shady! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteIt's great to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming over!
I'm glad you got a kick out of Shady's dog Toto Moto, the Shady's Place blog mascot, Chief Petting Officer and "All Night Satellite" on SPMM Radio. I am also happy to know you enjoyed the records played by the midnight mutt on his first Time Tunnel radio show.
I was happy to read that Elvis gave Big Mama her props for influencing him with her original version of "Hound Dog," and to learn that he actually had her record in his collection.
Yessum, the classic lineup and early glory years of The Supremes came to an end in 1967. "In And Out Of Love" was the last single to feature the vocals of Florence Ballard. Flo was unhappy that Diana Ross had been given star billing in the act and she was also reportedly displeased with the group's direction. Flo started having drinking problems and left the group in mid 1967, replaced by Cindy Birdsong formerly of Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles. Only one more single after "In And Out Of Love" would be written and produced by the crack Motown H-D-H team, that being their 1968 hit "Forever Came Today." It's interesting to me that "In And Out Of Love" only reached #9 (low for The Supremes) and "Forever Came Today" only cracked the top 30 at #28. "Reflections," an innovative, psychedelic single that directly preceded those two, reached #2. I think "Reflections" whet the appetites of listeners for more edgy material from The Supremes, and when they instead followed-up with traditional love songs, they seemed anticlimactic. Following an even more disappointing single, "Some Things You Never Get Used To," The Supremes got back on track big time with "Love Child," a brutally frank song about a girl who started her life in an "old, cold, run-down tenement slum." "Love Child" soared to #1.
Remember the episode of The Brady Bunch in which Marcia had a date with Davy Jones? It was indeed a shame that we lost the lovable, cuddly lead singer of the Monkees so soon.
Isn't that a great vintage clip of The 4 Seasons at the Big Bear ski lift on Where The Action Is? There isn't much that can be done to restore the grainy black and white performances salvaged from that mid 60s series, but YouTube producers today are doing a fine job of remastering the original audio and syncing it to the show footage.
I'm pleased that you enjoyed The Hollies and Dee Dee Sharp, too. With few exceptions, Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel will present popular records from the early to mid 60s that did not make the list of 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell. In other words, the records Toto will play were more popular on the radio and on music TV programs than they were on the Dell jukebox.
Thank you again for your kind visit and awesome comment, dear friend Suzanne. I'm glad you made some headway on the Christmas shopping this past week. I know Scootie must be getting excited. Take care of yourself and I will connect with you again soon!
Shady, I just happened to realize that your leading "gorgeous" headliner, Elvis and handsome booth announcer "Gary Owens, appear to be wearing identical sport coats! Go figure!
DeleteHave a very good week, Shady! ♫
Hi again, Suzanne!
DeleteYou have a good eye, dear friend! I didn't notice that both men are wearing identical sport coats. (I wonder if they also wore the same style of boxer briefs. :) That mid 50s style of sport coat must have made a comeback during the Laugh-In era of the 60s. By the way, our host Toto Moto is smoking one of the pipes he stole from his master Shady's pipe rack. :)
Thanks for continuing our thread, dear friend Suzanne. Happy Monday to you and enjoy your week!
So late again.
ReplyDeleteI know all the groups and songs this time ! Some I haven't thought about for a long time.
Forgot to say , adore your blog mascot. So handsome but should he be smoking ?
cheers, parsnip and badger
Hi, Gayle!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend!
I'm glad you could drop in for the debut of Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel here on SPMM Radio. I am also pleasantly surprised to find out you know every group and song on the pooch's play list.
The inspiration for my Toto Moto character was my own dog Toto, a black female Cocker Spaniel. I figure I can keep memories of my dead dog alive by turning her into the blog's mascot, Chief Petting Officer and a DJ. I already nagged her about smoking and told her it'll stunt her growth, but she was determined to look as much like her master, Shady, as possible. :)
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Gayle. Take care of your canine companions and enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Toto,
ReplyDeleteI must say that you are as charming, witty and knowledgeable on your music as Shady! I love all your picks but my favorite on this post is the Monkees, Valleri!!! I used to love watching their show in my youth! One of my best friends had the privilege to sing with (& kiss) Davey Jones! Second pick for me, Mash potato! I love to do that dance!
Dear Toto, say “hello” to my Rocky in Heaven above for me!
Hi, Toni!
DeleteThank you very much for joining the fun and reconnecting with Shady's dog Toto. As you might recall, the first time Toto played guest host on the blog was way back on April 10, 2012, on Shady Dell Music & Memories, when she (and you) announced the two-day Shady Dell open house.
I'm delighted to know you like the Monkees and remember them from your youth. It must have been a thrill for your friend to meet, sing with and kiss Davy Jones. I wonder if she made Marcia Brady jealous. :) I am also happy to learn that you dig one of Philly's Phinest - Dee Dee Sharp - and her big hit "Mashed Potato Time," a song that had Toto licking her chops.
I am all verklempt thinking about your lovable dog Rocky whose long life came to an end a few weeks ago. I am sure Rocky and Toto are pals in heaven by now.
Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Toni, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteYour opening sums up some trips I took in 2014! When mom and I went to Memphis in September 2014, we went to Grace Land and the bus to Grace Land played Hound Dog on a loop. When I went to Detroit in May 2014, Hitsville played a lot of Supremes too! My soundtrack of 2014!
I never knew the Hollies were British; I think I heard one other song from them, but I'm not too sure. I like what you posted and I might have to check them out some more!
Great playlist, dear friend! Have a great Tuesday and I can't wait to keep listening throughout the week.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm very happy to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over for another dose of Toto Moto. She ain't nothin' but a sound dog. I say "she" because this character was inspired by my black female Cocker Spaniel Toto. Toto died in 2013 but will live on as a member of the Shady Bunch deejay staff.
Thanks for sharing how the first two songs are linked in your mind to fond memories of visiting those two music meccas, Graceland - Memphis and Hitsville - Detroit, in 2014.
Yessum, The Hollies are British. They had a long string of hits in the UK and in the US, and are still together. They are one of my favorite Merseybeat bands of the 60s. Check them out!
You should ask your dad if he remembers any of these songs. Thanks again for taking a musical trip through Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteWhen things calm down at home, I will ask him. :)
I'll give the Hollies a listen! They will be my groove for the weekend!
Happy Thankful Thursday, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYessum, I will be interested to know how many of Toto's tunes your dad remembers and likes. The hits of the Hollies are bound to perk you up if you have the holiday blues. I hope you'll give them a listen when time permits. If not, stay tuned, because Toto will be playing most of them on her radio shows.
Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
I bet the Four Seasons were freezing during that video shoot! It's such a simple video, but their music is so good. Nothing like Frankie Valli's voice! Hope you have a good week!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend!
It's interesting to me that Four Seasons' singles released on the Vee Jay and Philips labels, inlcuding this one, "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)," had the group's name stylized as The 4 Seasons. I collected their records as a teenager and never noticed that.
Yessum, I imagine it was plenty cold up there on the ridge in winter, but since all of the performances I ever saw on Where The Action Is were lip synced, it didn't make any difference in the sound of their vocals. Besides, this is a modern hybrid video with the remastered studio track edited onto the original show footage.
As Toto Moto said, "There's nothing false about Frankie Valli's falsetto." :)
Thanks again for dropping in, dear friend Sherry. Be sure to show Toto's post to your German Shepherd Schultz! :)
Diana Ross still rocks my boat. She had charisma from the beginning of her career.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago there was an article in our local magazine about Michael from the Monkees. It turns out he's a neighbor. How about that?
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
DeleteThanks so much for coming by, dear friend!
In recent years I have changed my tune about several recording artists. I went from ignoring to adoring them, or even from hating to loving them. Two of those artists are represented on my pooch's playlist - Elvis and Diana.
What??? Mike Nesmith is your neighbor? This is a bigger brush with greatness than the time Marcia Brady had a date with Davy Jones! :) I am sure you know that Mike's mother invented "white out" Liquid Paper.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Cheryl-Lee, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Well, I'm a fan of Elvis, but my mother, who saw him perform at a Cleveland-area high school in 1955 or so, was an even bigger fan. In the last ten years of her life when she was suffering numerous health problems and in and out of hospitals, she began, during the her more healthy interludes, getting all sorts of books on Elvis out from the library, which she passed along to me, so I feel I know a little bit about the subject:) The first time Elvis sang "Hound Dog" on TV was on Milton Berle's long-running show. Right toward the end of the song--I'm sure you can find it on YouTube--Elvis leans backward as he walks, with his groin thrust upward in a highly suggestive manner. Even by today's loose standards I think it might raise eyebrows. Now he did this somewhat humorously, and a shot of Berle's studio audience shows everyone laughing, but it was controversial nonetheless, with all kinds of angry letters pouring into NBC. But it was also the best ratings Berle got all season (his last season, as a matter of fact.) Elvis was soon booked on another NBC show, the one you mentioned: Steve Allen. As you said to Kelly, the white ties and such was a way of neutralizing controversy (obviously NBC wanted it both ways.) That particular Allen show ended up winning its time slot. Its competition? None other than Ed Sullivan, whom Allen hardly ever beat in the ratings. I'm sure you know the rest.
ReplyDeleteBig Mama Thornton did come out with "Hound Dog" first (and thus Presley's hit record has been seen by some ever since as cultural appropriation, even though the song was written by two white men, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller.) However, at least according to one of the biographies I've read, Elvis' version was based on a Jackie Wilson performance he saw in Las Vegas. And that's not the only thing Elvis got from the R+B star. Wilson would sweat profusely as he sang. Elvis thought that was cool and went backstage to tell him so. Wilson let Elvis in on his secret: salt tablets, which he took before every performance. Elvis started doing the same. I'm not sure how healthy that was, but Elvis sure looked cool sweating.
The Hollies. Graham Nash was in that band for awhile. I don't know if he was still a part of it when the song you played came out.
The Monkees. Not only did Davey Jones date her on the Brady Bunch sitcom, but 20-some years later, he dated Marsha again (albeit played by a different actress) in The Brady Bunch movie.
The Royal Guardsman. I was familiar with their first Snoopy song ("ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or more..."), but not this one. I just so happen to have a Charles M. Schulz (a hero of mine growing up) biography at home that I read about ten years ago. I remembered there being something in it about the Royal Guardsmen, so last night I took it off the bookshelf to refresh my memory. The Guardsmen recorded the first song without the permission of Schulz or United Features Syndicate (which actually owned Peanuts.) Schulz only found out after the song reached the Top 40. Eventually it was arraigned (I imagine phone calls were made to lawyers) for Schulz and the syndicate to receive a cut of the song's profits. The Guardsmen were also allowed to come out with a whole album of Snoopy songs, including the one played here.
Great selection today.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteNot much to say, good buddy? :)
Did you know that "Cleveland rocks"? :)
Thanks for telling us that your mother saw Elvis live in '55 and that she was such an avid fan of the swivel-hipped star that she read everything about him that she could get her hands on. I also appreciate the trivia about Elvis doing "Hound Dog" on Uncle Miltie's show. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of watching Milton Berle's Texaco show with my parents every week. I know I must have seen that Elvis performance.
Some music historians claim Presley's version of "Hound Dog" should be considered the original simply because he turned the song into a colossal hit that totally eclipsed Mama T's earlier recording. While I don't think that's quite fair, I do see the point. Where do you draw the line? If Sam the butcher (my mind is stuck on the Brady Bunch) came up with a song while singing in the shower, recorded it and his sweetie Alice the maid bought the only copy, but Davy Jones and the Monkees later waxed the song and gained a hit, is it even worth calling Sam's the original? By the way, Sam the butcher did score a major hit with "My Bologna." :) I didn't remember Davy dating the new Marcia in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995). I see that three of the four Monkees were in the film (Mike did not appear) and that Marcia was played by the beautiful Christine Taylor who later married Ben Stiller. It is also interesting that Ann B. Davis returned in the role of a trucker named Shultzy, a reference to her 1950s role on The Bob Cummings Show, another series that I watched every week.
Thanks for the interesting facts surrounding the Peanuts related recordings of The Royal Guardsmen. I did some reading of my own and discovered, to my chagrin, that the band was neither royal, nor were they guardsmen. (I'm crushed! My bubble has burst!) They were anglophiles from my neck of the woods, Ocala, Florida, that picked a name they hoped would position them as a British Invasion act. The fake band The Strangeloves also comes to mind.
Thanks again for your visit and tremendous comment, Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy!
I love Toto's picks for this post...super great because I remember almost all of them and even the lyrics came back to me so I could sing along. (be grateful you couldn't hear that because it would have every dog in the neighborhood howling!) I think the outfits on the Supremes are all back in style now! The Snoopy song is still played on many stations this time of year and I still enjoy it. Your Toto was a black cocker spaniel and our first family dog, Ferris, was a black cocker spaniel/beagle mix..smartest dog ever! Our pups may be gone but they will always hold a place in our hearts. Well, it's late, for me anyway, but I just had to stop by for this fun post. Hope all is well with you and I think you've gotten some cooler weather down there for the Christmas season. Take care Shady!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThank you very much for coming, dear friend! I'm happy to know you tuned in and enjoyed the first installment of Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel starring Shady's dog Toto Moto - "The Hound of Sound."
It delights me that you remember almost all of the songs on the pooch's playlist and that you sang along. I have found that nothing beats the blues better than singing along to your favorite oldies.
I know you have an eye for the fashions of the period and I think you're right about the type of clothing worn by the Supremes being back in style today.
I'm thrilled that you remember "Snoopy's Christmas" and to learn that you still hear it played on radio stations at this time of year. Thanks for telling me about your first family dog, Ferris. Mrs. Shady and I could never decide if our Toto was a dummy or so smart that she enjoyed playing dumb for our amusement. :) To answer the question you must be asking, no - Toto did not smoke a pipe. :) You took the words right out of my fingertips, YaYa. Our pets are gone, but they occupy a permanent place in our hearts. I wanted to give Toto immortality by having her host radio shows here at Shady's Place.
Yessum, the weather is delightfully cooler down here, the coldest air of the season, and I hope it hangs around awhile to help keep us in the holiday spirit.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend YaYa!
Oh Toto Moto!! she has some good selections this week. Love the Monkees and the Hollies. Actually , I was familiar with all the bands this time around.
ReplyDeleteHope all is great and have a wonderful weekend!
Hi, Holli-berry!
DeleteThanks for joining the fun as Chief Petting Officer Toto Moto grabs the mic and hosts her first official radio show here on SPMM.
I'm happy to learn that you are familiar with all of the bands Toto presented this week. The Monkees and Hollies were two of the most likable and listenable groups of the 60s, and Toto's future Time Tunnel dogcasts will include more golden goodies from both acts.
Thanks again for stopping by, dear friend Holli, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Hi Tom,
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday...Well, actually it's Saturday now but hope you had a good Friday. Some cool new-to-me stuff here: I don't believe I ever heard Snoopy's Christmas song. Is that possible?? Anyway, that was fun.
I also don't think I ever heard of Dick Clark's "Where the Action Is' music show, which you mentioned in the presentation of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. So I looked it up and through that discovered yet another music show that I hadn't heard of, "Happening '68" and later "Happening" hosted by Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere & the Raiders. Who knew there were all these other music shows in addition to American Bandstand, Soul Train and Shindig! You've probably mentioned the shows in previous posts; if you did, I missed it.
My favorite here is the Monkee's "Valleri". I love The Monkees songs. I recently caught an episode of their show: I was thrilled to turn the channel over to see The Monkees, a show I remember watching all the time back in the day. I don't know if I just caught a bad episode but I thought "This show is really stupid! I liked this??" haha
My other favorite is the Hollies' "Look Through Any Window". I also liked DeeDee Sharp's "Mashed Potato". Did you know she also did a followup song called "Gravy (for My Mashed Potatoes)"? Lol.
I enjoyed the Supremes video. One thing I found odd is that the girls were all wearing different and mismatching outfits. In most of their performance videos, I've always seen them in matching costumes. Did that stick out to you?
LOVED LOVED LOVED that photo of Elvis with the basset hound! Was that his dog? Or a photo op for his hit song "Hound Dog"? Speaking of Hound Dog, there is a movie called "HoundDog" (2007) starring Dakota Fanning and David Morse. My mom and I recently watched it because her cousin (Ryan Pelton) is in the movie appearing as Elvis. Ryan has been a longtime Elvis impersonator and he looks very much like him. He was discovered when he entered an Elvis impersonator contest on a dare from his mom. I've never met him. He lives in Nashville now, I think. His stage name is Blake Rayne and he also stars in another movie called "The Identical" which parallels his life apparently. It's available on Vudu and I think we'll watch it this weekend. We were disappointed when watching Hounddog because we thought he'd be more prominent in the film. It was a good movie and I definitely enjoyed it but we didn't get enough of our cousin! Hopefully "The Identical" will give us more Ryan... You can check out his website here at www.ryanpelton.com
Anyway, I'm heading back to bed. I have to get up early to head to the surgery center and have SI injections in my back. Today (Friday) I had a vein procedure on my leg and will be having the other faulty vein fixed on Tuesday. It's always something. I just hope these back injections work. I wanted to get them done before all the Christmas dogs arrive. Thanksgiving nearly killed me! I'm glad the doctor is doing procedures on a Saturday as it was the only time I could get in before the holidays.
Have a great weekend. My computer is about to restart so I want to get this posted before it disappears...
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteI am very happy to know you were here and enjoyed Toto's first radio show on SPMM. (Be sure Luca and Picasso check it out, too. :)
"Snoopy's Christmas" was a hot seasonal song, a national hit, and played in fairly heavy rotation on my local station in York.
In June of 2015 I ran a three part series to mark the 50th anniversary of the debut of Dick Clark's Where The Action Is. As I recall, I was "locked out" of your Wordpress blog at the time, desperately trying to find a way to leave comments on your BOTB posts, and therefore you and I had not yet become friends. Here is the link to the first post in the series. All you next to do when done looking at it is to click NEWER POST to read part 2, and then NEWER POST again to read part 3:
https://shadydell.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-big-picture-part-1-holy-grail.html
I vaguely recall Mark Lindsay hosting Happening because that spin-off show didn't last very long. Yessum, there were many local, regional and nationally broadcast and syndicated teen oriented music and dance programs on television during the 60s. Others you did not mention include Hullabaloo, Shivaree, Hollywood A Go-Go and The Lloyd Thaxton Show.
I'm glad you mentioned The Monkees TV series. The show played every week on the TV set in Helen's snack bar at the Dell and I sometimes watched it. I can't say it was my favorite show, however, because their zany antics and rapid fire dialogue got on my nerves.
Yessum, I know the song "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" by Dee Dee Sharp. As you might recall, I posted cool ghoul John Zacherle's parody/answer song "Gravy (With Some Cyanide)" on one of my Halloween posts in October.
The Supremes were probably wearing mismatched outfits for that performance because it was seen as an opportunity for them to appeal to large numbers of young fashion conscious female record buyers, black and white, by showing off three different trendy clothing styles. That's my guess.
I could be wrong but I don't think that was Elvis's hound dog. How cool that your mother's cousin is an Elvis impersonator turned actor. I read about Ryan Pelton on his site. He must be great if Dick Clark called him the real deal. It is also interesting that he is a big fan of Batman and picked the acting stage name Blake Rayne because it sounds like Bruce Wayne.
Dear Michele, thank you very much for making time to comment on two of my posts. What a great friend you are! I hope you get some relief in your back from those injections and that your vein procedures yield results. I hope you feel well enough to handle the dogs and to enjoy your Christmas. You deserve it.
Thanks again, dear friend Michele, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!