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
GEATOR GOLD
on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
(COLD SHOW OPEN)
"Can You Do It" - The Contours
(Apr. 1964, highest chart pos. #41 Hot 100 & R&B)
A fantastic sound coming out of Detroit, those were the mighty Contours
with "Can You Do It," a record that brushed the top 40 on both charts -
R&B and pop, in the spring of 1964. If you're watching my simulcast
on YouTube you saw the def dancing of the teen kings and queens
on my good friend Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand.
R&B and pop, in the spring of 1964. If you're watching my simulcast
on YouTube you saw the def dancing of the teen kings and queens
on my good friend Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand.
Greetings and salutations! I am The Geator
with the Heater. I am The Boss with the
Big Hot Sauce, welcoming all my yon
teenagers to another bombastic edition
of Geator Gold here on S-P-M-M...
the station that's #1 for music and fun.
with the Heater. I am The Boss with the
Big Hot Sauce, welcoming all my yon
teenagers to another bombastic edition
of Geator Gold here on S-P-M-M...
the station that's #1 for music and fun.
We're plowing through 7-in-a-row on
the Jerry Blavat show, doin' the bop
at the Geator's sock hop... and lawd
have mercy, we won't stop til we drop.
the Jerry Blavat show, doin' the bop
at the Geator's sock hop... and lawd
have mercy, we won't stop til we drop.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
THE VIDEO NOW!
Ready for a quack attack? Here's my man
Jackie Lee with his swan song-- "The Duck!"
"The Duck - Part 2" - Jackie Lee
(released Mar. 1973 in the UK)
(released Mar. 1973 in the UK)
That was Mr. Jackie Lee keeping us out
on the floor and beggin' for more. If you're
livin' in the U.S.A., I'm willing to bet that
was the first time you heard that particular
version of "The Duck." Quick story: Back
in the fall of 1963 the duo of Bob & Earl
wrote and recorded "Harlem Shuffle."
livin' in the U.S.A., I'm willing to bet that
was the first time you heard that particular
version of "The Duck." Quick story: Back
in the fall of 1963 the duo of Bob & Earl
wrote and recorded "Harlem Shuffle."
"Bob" was Bob Relf who made solo
singles using his own name and two
others - Bobby Valentino and Bobby
Garrett. "Earl" was Earl Nelson who
took the name Jackie Lee and had a
solo hit with the dance ditty "The Duck."
singles using his own name and two
others - Bobby Valentino and Bobby
Garrett. "Earl" was Earl Nelson who
took the name Jackie Lee and had a
solo hit with the dance ditty "The Duck."
What you just listened to was Part 2 of "The Duck" which was not released
on a single in the U.S. It was issued in the UK in 1973 on the B side of
Part 1. If you are familiar with Part 1 you noticed that Part 2 contains
different lyrics and the female backing singers are featured more
prominently, making it even more of a groove than side one.
on a single in the U.S. It was issued in the UK in 1973 on the B side of
Part 1. If you are familiar with Part 1 you noticed that Part 2 contains
different lyrics and the female backing singers are featured more
prominently, making it even more of a groove than side one.
Back to Detroit we go now for a nifty number by one of Motown's top
girl groups and another version of a popular song that I'm betting is
new to your ears. It's the Marvelettes and their hit "When You're
Young And In Love," only this is an alternate version with
a spoken intro. This one's too cool for school!
girl groups and another version of a popular song that I'm betting is
new to your ears. It's the Marvelettes and their hit "When You're
Young And In Love," only this is an alternate version with
a spoken intro. This one's too cool for school!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
"When You're Young And In Love" (alternate mix) - The Marvelettes
(May/June 1967, highest chart pos. #9 R&B/#23 Hot 100)
(May/June 1967, highest chart pos. #9 R&B/#23 Hot 100)
From the vaults of Motown, those were the marvelous Marvelettes
with the seldom heard spoken intro version of their top 10 hit
from the spring of 1967, "When You're Young And In Love."
with the seldom heard spoken intro version of their top 10 hit
from the spring of 1967, "When You're Young And In Love."
Up next on Geator Gold, more of the girl group
sound, this one by a group from New York. In
1957
the duo Johnnie & Joe had a top 10 hit
with "Over
The Mountain Across The Sea."
"Johnnie" was
Johnnie Louise Richardson,
daughter of "Zell" Sanders, founder of the
New York based R&B label J&S, one of
the few record companies
ever owned by
a woman. Johnnie was also a
member of
The Jaynettes, the Bronx girl group
that
hit with "Sally, Go 'Round the Roses."
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
THE VIDEO NOW!
In 1958 Zell signed a girl group called The Bouquets and changed their
name to The Click-Ettes. Featuring lead singer Barbara Jean English
here is one of their great ballads-- "Lover's Prayer."
name to The Click-Ettes. Featuring lead singer Barbara Jean English
here is one of their great ballads-- "Lover's Prayer."
"Lover's Prayer" - The Click-Ettes
(June 1959, uncharted)
(June 1959, uncharted)
On Geator Gold we play 'em from the heart... not the chart, and you just heard
the fabulous girl group The Click-ettes proving that old school is cool with
a great late 50s snuggle song for my yon teens, "Lover's Prayer."
the fabulous girl group The Click-ettes proving that old school is cool with
a great late 50s snuggle song for my yon teens, "Lover's Prayer."
If you're just tuning in, we're in the middle of
a 7-in-a-row block party on Geator Gold with
yours truly Jerry Blavat, The Geator with the
Heater, The Boss with the Sauce, right here
on S-P-M-M... home of The Shady Bunch.
Heater, The Boss with the Sauce, right here
on S-P-M-M... home of The Shady Bunch.
Speaking of school, here are The Students,
a doo-wop group from Ohio that recorded
two classics of the genre, "I'm So Young"
and "Every Day Of The Week," both
songs penned by William H. "Prez"
Tyus, Jr., a high school pupil.
a doo-wop group from Ohio that recorded
two classics of the genre, "I'm So Young"
and "Every Day Of The Week," both
songs penned by William H. "Prez"
Tyus, Jr., a high school pupil.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
THE VIDEO NOW!
The two monumental songs were released back-to-back on the same 45.
Here now are The Students with the B side, "Every Day Of The Week,"
a dance number that inspired The Dovells' "Bristol Stomp!"
"Every Day of the Week" - The Students
(B side of "I'm So Young" single orig. released in
July & Aug. 1958 and charted #26 in June 1961)
Waxed in the summer of 1958 and popular three years later in the summer of '61
as the fab flip of the top 30 hit "I'm So Young," that was the up tempo side
"Every Day Of The Week" by The Students of Cincinnati, Ohio.
as the fab flip of the top 30 hit "I'm So Young," that was the up tempo side
"Every Day Of The Week" by The Students of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Fiction and Fact From the Geator's Almanac:
He is known as the singing barber of Pine Hill,
New Jersey, a town not far from Philadelphia.
I'm talking about Mr. Billy Harner. In the 60s
Billy's high voltage performances of R&B
material invited comparisons to Mitch
Ryder and earned Billy the nickname
“The Human Perk-u-lator.”
He is known as the singing barber of Pine Hill,
New Jersey, a town not far from Philadelphia.
I'm talking about Mr. Billy Harner. In the 60s
Billy's high voltage performances of R&B
material invited comparisons to Mitch
Ryder and earned Billy the nickname
“The Human Perk-u-lator.”
START THE VIDEO NOW!
In the 70s, Billy's records were hot in
Northern Soul clubs of the UK. Here's
Billy's biggest-- "Sally Sayin' Somethin'!"
Northern Soul clubs of the UK. Here's
Billy's biggest-- "Sally Sayin' Somethin'!"
"Sally Sayin' Somethin'" - Billy Harner
(Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #118 Bubbling Under)
That was Billy Harner - “The Human Perk-u-lator” - and his signature song
"Sally Sayin' Something," a big hit on the East Coast in the summer of 1967.
"Sally Sayin' Something," a big hit on the East Coast in the summer of 1967.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
THE VIDEO NOW!
And as all good things must come to an end,
so too must this edition of Geator Gold.
so too must this edition of Geator Gold.
Thanks for listening. Don't touch that dial,
because my puppy pal Toto Moto is coming
up on the other side of news with a special
show called Toto's Tutorial. You don't wanna
miss it. After that, my good buddy Dell Rat
Tom drops in to play stacks o' wax on Juke-
box Giants, and I'll be back soon with more
Geator Gold... so keep it here on S-P-M-M
where the cool oldies live on and on.
because my puppy pal Toto Moto is coming
up on the other side of news with a special
show called Toto's Tutorial. You don't wanna
miss it. After that, my good buddy Dell Rat
Tom drops in to play stacks o' wax on Juke-
box Giants, and I'll be back soon with more
Geator Gold... so keep it here on S-P-M-M
where the cool oldies live on and on.
To play us off, gospel-tinged disco done right, just inches across the border
into secular territory. The song is "Mighty Cloud of Joy," and the group
is called the Mighty Clouds of Joy. Now this is Jerry Blavat, The Geator
With the Heator... The Boss With the Big Hot Sauce, reminding you to
keep on rockin', baby, 'cause you only (woo-HOO!) rock once! Bye y'all!
into secular territory. The song is "Mighty Cloud of Joy," and the group
is called the Mighty Clouds of Joy. Now this is Jerry Blavat, The Geator
With the Heator... The Boss With the Big Hot Sauce, reminding you to
keep on rockin', baby, 'cause you only (woo-HOO!) rock once! Bye y'all!
"Mighty Cloud of Joy" – Mighty Clouds of Joy
(Feb./Mar. 1975, highest chart pos. #47 R&B)
(Feb./Mar. 1975, highest chart pos. #47 R&B)
Tom,
ReplyDeleteGood-morning, my friend. Thanks for stopping by first thing. I'm steadily making my rounds. It's a real juggle to keep it together this time of the year with the A to Z Challenge in gear but that's coming to an end soon. I can't believe April is almost gone, can you?
Your playset is all new-to-me, even the 1975 R&B 'Mighty Cloud of Joy'. The only group I know by name is the Marvelettes. I'm sure I've heard some of these others and didn't know who they were.
Thanks for bringing a smile to my face with the Jerry Blavat the Geater with the Heater show this morning. Have a great day, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming over and claiming the early bird honor this time, dear friend. I'm pleased to see you!
I agree the month of April and the A to Z Challenge are both racing by. Maybe it's because we're having so much fun. I know I am thoroughly enjoying your artwork again this year.
I'm happy to know The Geator introduced seven new-to-you songs on his program today. I try to make his play lists as authentic as possible. They will include rarities that were local or regional hits on the East Coast but not widely known in other regions of the country. That alternate version of the hit by The Marvelettes is quite a find. I never knew about it until a couple weeks ago. I vividly recall Jerry Blavat playing "Mighty Cloud of Joy" and other disco records on the 70s version of his television show.
Thanks again for tuning in, dear friend Cathy, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Tom,
DeleteYou always introduced some great new old sounds to my ears. It's friends like you who really expanded my mewsic education. I still have a long ways to go so keep it comin'! Thanks for all your visits this month during the A to Z Challenge, you're the best friend ever!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteYou made my day with this acknowledgement, dear friend. Thank you! You and I continue to demonstrate the joy and satisfaction that come from a genuine friendship commitment. I am supporting you every step of the way in your A to Z because you are a faithful friend to me, because I get a kick out of your purrsonality and because I honestly love your artwork.
I am happy to introduce you to mewsic you missed. In some cases it is mewsic I missed, too, and I am learning right along with you.
Thanks again for your lovely comment, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
DeleteFriendships in Blogosphere was something I banked on originally but it soon became clear that geniune friends like you were jewels wanting to be discovered and I'm so glad I got hooked on this social platform. I've grown a lot learning many things and gained a wealth of new mewsic in the process that I'd otherwise might not know. Thank you again for loyality throughout this month while a2zing. I haven't always been the best to get back here but I've tried. The pace sometimes leaves me dizzy and I forget what I do or don't do. I'll be taking the rest of the week off, as you know by now to regroup and to tend to DH after his dental surgery. The poor guy is having the wore run with his teeth in recent years. My heart hurts for him. The next time I visit you, it'll be a brand new month. Be well, my friend!
Thank you very much, dear Cathy, and DITTO to you!
DeleteI will be thinking about DH and his oral surgery and wishing him the best. I hope you will take some time to rest and bask in the afterglow of another highly successful A to Z run.
Thank you again for your friendship and support, Cathy. I'll see you in May!
I love to listen to The Geator with the Heater on Saturday nights.
ReplyDeleteHi, Arleen!
DeleteHow are you doing, dear friend? First I want to thank you very much for dropping in last week and helping your Central Pennsylvania neighbor Kathleen Mae Schneider pay tribute to her mother Margaret on what would have been Margaret's 107th birthday. Kathleen and I appreciate your support!
I am also delighted to see you here today as Jerry Blavat, a familiar name, face and voice to you and millions of other people in the Delaware Valley, Jersey, Montgomery County and the Susquehanna Valley, presents the second of his radio shows here on SPMM (Shady's Place Music & Memories). I am trying to make this series as authentic as possible for Jerry Blavat fans like you. You will hear the kind of records the King of Philly Rock and Roll spins on his actual Geator Gold radio show and the kind he played decades ago on his other radio programs and his Discophonic Scene and Jerry's Place television shows.
Thank you again for joining the fun, dear friend Arleen. I hope you are doing well and I look forward to seeing you again soon!
Had to listen to The Duck. I thought it might be on the silly side, but it was a solid tune.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for coming over, good buddy. I'm happy to see you!
I'm also glad you brought up Jackie Lee's novelty dance number "The Duck." I predict that some readers, especially younger ones, might at first blush get it confused with "Disco Duck," the wacky disco single that was a hit for deejay Rick Dees in 1976. Jackie Lee's "The Duck - Part 1" was released stateside in November 1965 and charted in the early weeks of '66. The seldom heard "Part 2" that The Geator played for us was only released in the UK. It's interesting to note that an Irish female recording artist with the same name, Jackie Lee, was also popular in the UK during the 60s and 70s.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, good buddy Alex!
Hi Jerry and Shady. It's a bright sunny day, nice for attending a fun Soc Hop.
ReplyDeleteThe Contours "Can You Do It" was a splendid opening for this post. The Dick Clark show was the best in my opinion, and I loved watching the dancers. Great song!
I love Harlem Shuffle, and only knew it was by Bob and Earl. Anytime I hear the song, I swoon and get up to shuffle, haha! I had no idea they wrote the song, and went on to do more fun projects. "The Duck" is a cool song. "Everyday of The Week" sounded almost like Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers" in style.
The Marvelettes are agreeably one of Motown's top girl groups, and simply fabulous! They really project strong vocals in this song "When You're Young and In Love". Maybe I haven't heard this one before, but the story sure is familiar! Loved it! "Lover's Prayer" is truly a good slow, "snuggle" song, as Geator Jerry put it. I thought I heard a little needle scratch at the end of this record.
This is a fun post, and deserves a large crowd, you guys! I liked the Billy Harner "Sally" song, but can't quite put the thoughts together on what it reminds me of. It makes me think of the last ditch efforts that some of the groups experienced transitioning from soul and pop, to the Jackson Five, Tommy James and The Shondells, and Marvin Gaye styles. A good choice to make me think!
Thank you for this very cool lineup of good, and different music. The Contours open and "Clouds of Joy" finale, hit the spot! Hope your week's ending is fresh and exciting! See you next time! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThanks for dropping by with another super comment, dear friend. The Geator and Shady welcome you!
That old American Bandstand clip is one of the best available that offers a good look at the dance styles of mid 1964, only a few months after the show moved its production facilities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. However, this is also a fine example of modern video syncing. According to the uploader, the Bandstand kids in that clip were actually dancing to the Bobby Freeman hit "C'mon And Swim," yet you'd never know it.
I found interesting observations in the comments posted beneath that Bandstand/Contours video on YouTube. One guy reminds us:
<< This (was) back when guys knew that they had to dance well to make a girl notice them. Today they just text some girl and she thinks he's the coolest guy on the planet. While I'm at it, what's this fascination with typing messages on a tiny keyboard ? >>
Another wrote:
<< Every boy combed his hair every two hours. >>
A Boomer lady wrote:
<< This is probably the last ever of these hairstyles. It all came down after '64, both the girls high hair and the guys started growing it long. Yep, happened on the West Coast right where AB moved to..and so did I, same year, I was 16. >>
Another person commented:
<< Look how nice everybody's dressed, look at the women today, 95% of their skin hanging out! >>
A woman wrote:
<< I think that's why we were thin in those days we were always dancing. >>
Last but not least, a gentleman wrote:
<< As of 2019, these dancers are now 71 years old. Probably 40% have passed on and are still dancing with Dick Clark. >>
You are right about The Students, Suzanne. When Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers became popular across the nation, groups of young teenagers emerged making records that sought to capture "the Frankie Lymon sound" and match his group's success. Few did.
"When You're Young and In Love" is a real gem. I never heard this version with a spoken intro before and was delighted to come across it a couple of weeks ago just in time to insert it in this volume of Geator Gold. The 1967 recording might have been the inspiration for the Barry White song "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love" which was a hit five years later for the soul trio Love Unlimited. It is very similar!
Billy Harner reminds me of Mitch Ryder. Can you hear the similarity in his gravel voiced shouting style? The Mighty Clouds of Joy were a gospel group that successfully recorded secular songs in the disco 70s. The showender featured here is one of their best.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Suzanne, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Thank you for taking me along on another amazing musical journey, friend Shady … As you know, the first half of my life I lived under various rccks … just not the rocks you are used to … but dat okay … smiles … Mahnamanah … smiles … oh, and before I forget I must send you this another ear worm song … Enjoy! Love, cat. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ab9OJYRccjw?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteMahnamanah to you, dear friend! :)
Oh NO! I made the mistake of listening to a few verses of "This Is The Song That Never Ends." Actually, as you well know, there is only ONE verse. As Herman's Hermits famously sang, "Second verse, same as the first." :) Now I've got that dang song stuck in my noggin, probably for eons to come! You rascal! :)
I'm glad you enjoyed The Geator's second blogcast featuring an authentic playlist of groovy greats designed for East Coast (USA) radio listeners. If you missed songs like these when you were growing up, I am happy to get you acquainted with them. Stay tuned!
Thanks again, dear friend cat, and LUBBINS!
I don't think I know any of these artists, Shady.... except maybe the Marvelettes. The number you shared didn't ring a bell with me, so maybe I know something else they did? Regardless, I like their sound. Very representational of the time period. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteWelcome back, dear friend. I'm excited to see you, and so is The Geator! :)
The Marvelettes were a great Motown girl group but they didn't achieve super star status as did their label mates The Supremes. Berry Gordy's objective was to produce records that would appeal to white listeners as well as black. Diana Ross and The Supremes accomplished that objective because most of their recordings had a pop-soul sound. The Marvelettes didn't cross over as often because they had more of a black R&B sound and also because they weren't promoted as heavily as The Supremes. I'm sure you remember The Marvelettes' first big hit from late 1961, "Please Mr. Postman" which reached #1 on the chart. Other biggies by the group include "Playboy," "Don't Mess With Bill" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game." I'm thinking your late older sister might have known some of these better than you do.
Thank you again, very much, for your visit and comment, dear friend Kelly!
Hey Shadester, i didn't know who any of these bands were but none of that mattered. I was too busy watching American Bandstand and the dancers. I was loving every minute of it! Some of those girls near the end were just going thru the motions like they were bored. I wish i could have climbed thru the screen and pushed them out of my way to show them how to dance with enthusiasm!! HAHA!! Have a great rest of your week, i'm out until next Sunday.
ReplyDeleteHi, Holli-wood N. Vine!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Excited about your upcoming trip?
I'm delighted to know that you got a kick out of watching the teen kings and teen queens dancing on Bandstand. As someone observed on YouTube, these were not professional dancers like the regular troupes on some of the other music and dance programs of the 60s. They were ordinary teenagers, still in school. Sometimes they acted a little squirrely in front of the camera, and that includes looking bored and "phoning it in." For the most part, however, the teenagers did a good job of dancing and keeping up the energy and pace of the show. That said, I know darn well you could have shown them a thing or two about dancing because it was and is a very important part of who you are. The yon teens back in Philadelphia were also considered better dancers than the ones that appeared on Bandstand after the show relocated to LA. That's where our host Jerry Blavat came in. In the mid 60s, Jerry's Bandstand style television show Discophonic Scene played the hippest music and his dancers were second to none.
Thanks again for swinging over and have a wonderful time on your European vacation, dear friend Holli!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteMy favourite hits! You have me rocking as I book my trip to Baltimore. :) This will be my soundtrack to Baltimore as well.
Happy Thankful Thursday!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI know from past experience that you enjoy Geator Gold, and I thank you for coming over for Jerry's second show on SPMM, dear friend!
This set of records enables people like you, residents of southeast PA, to get acquainted or reacquainted with the local and regional hits of the past, sounds typical of the ones Jerry Blavat played on radio and TV over the years. I hope you'll use this playlist as the soundtrack for your trip to Baltimore.
Happy Thankful Thursday to you as well, and thanks again for coming by, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteIronically, dad and I were talking about the Geator the other night. Dad was reminiscing about the golden days, although he does love the music of today. One of these days when we're not so busy, I'll show him your blog. He's not a resident of the internet, so I will have to show him my phone, but I think he will enjoy your blog.
Happy Friday, dear friend! I no longer make mixes for my travels, but I can pull up your blog on my phone and listen through youtube. :)
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm happy to know your dad is also a Geator fan. I hope you will show him my Geator Gold series along with Natural Hy, the series presented in memory of Hy Lit, another Delaware Valley broadcast legend that you dad might remember.
I hope you have fun listening to my tuneage on your way to Baltimore. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteGeator Gold provided a great soundtrack to Baltimore! Yesterday was a lot of fun and I had the opportunity to meet many different people. Relaxing today.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm glad The Geator's tuneage kept you company on your way to Baltimore, dear friend. Sounds like it's been a swell trip so far. Happy Sunday to you, JM, and thanks for dropping by!
It was! Although, yesterday I was drowsy from sunburn. My sun burn just blistered today. Ouch. Ah well, nothing can beat the music, sports, and good memories. :)
DeleteHappy Monday!
Oh no! I'm sorry you got sunburned and have blisters. That's no fun. The memories you carry with you not be about the sunburn. They will be happy memories of your Baltimore adventure, the music, sports, the interesting people you met and your own mature handling of disappointments.
DeleteHave a happy Tuesday, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady! I didn't know any of these tunes but they were fun to listen too and of course I loved the Dick Clark video...oh those skinny ties and pointy shoes! Looks like the swim was the dance of the day and Dick Clark said he could learn it because it didn't look that hard..and he was right! I'm heading out tomorrow to see my Mom and sis and even though it's going to rain all weekend we'll still have a good time. I'm sure there will be blog moments to capture! Hope you're having a sunnier day down there and I just might have to get a boat if this doesn't stop soon! Take care and enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteIt's great to see you, dear friend! Thanks for dropping in for another heaping helping of Jerry Blavat - The Geator with the Heater.
I'm glad Jerry was able to introduce seven new golden oldies to you. I'm thinking your Motown loving brothers probably know this Marvelettes song in its original form w/o the spoken intro, a hit in 1967, and they also might remember the less successful single by The Contours that started off Jerry's show. You got it right. In this scene from American Bandstand, the teenagers were dancing to Bobby Freeman's hit "C'mon And Swim," not the Contours record that was dubbed in by the YouTube uploader. I hope you will take a moment to read my reply to Suzanne (above) in which I copied and pasted a few of the comments posted on YouTube beneath this video. A few other comments that I didn't use in that reply reminded us that the young men dancing in this clip were "the boys of Vietnam." There's a good chance that some of them went off to fight the war in Vietnam a year or two later and some of them did not return alive.
I wish you a safe trip to Chicago to see your mom and sis. I hope you find them in good health and good spirits. Please take pictures for your blog. We could use some of that rain down here in Florida where it's the dry season and the temps are heating up.
Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend YaYa, and thanks again for coming over!
I'm curious as to why that one group is called the Click-ettes rather than simply the Clickettes. I'm sure people would have figured out how to pronounce it without the hyphen. By the same token, why is it Spider-Man instead of simply Spiderman? Did Stan Lee think--OK, I getting off topic (or off-topic) here.
ReplyDeleteAs is sometimes the case with these posts, I'm not sure if I'm recognizing songs, or just STYLES of songs, but I liked all that I heard, and the fact that you (or Jerry Blavat) ended it with a pre-Saturday Night Fever disco song. That musical style's early years tends to get overlooked.
The American Bandstand film was fun, but I prefer the more flamboyant attire of that show's later eras (when it was perhaps egged on by competition from the likes of Soul Train.) By then a viewer at home had three things to look forward to: the music, the dancing, AND the clothing. But judging by the YouTube commentary you provided, I may be in the minority there.
Anyway, another great post.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming over on your Saturday, good buddy! I'm happy to have you here to experience the second volume of Geator Gold hosted by the one and only Jerry Blavat.
The Click-ettes actually released records using FOUR different spellings of their group name! They issued 45s as The Click-Ettes, The Click-ettes, The Clickettes and The Clicketts. It's easy to imagine the confusion that resulted from all those changes, and confusion is hardly ever a good thing in the record business. Maybe that's why the girls went into the music history books as no-hit-wonders. They released seven singles on three different labels and not one of their records made the chart - even the Bubbling Under chart! In my research of golden oldies I have seen other examples of puzzling or unnecessary hyphens along with various, sometimes incorrect or informal spellings of the names of artists and song titles. A good example is one of Elvis Presley's biggest hits "Are You Lonesome To-Night?" The Five Satins had a hit with "In The Still Of The Nite." Then there's the rock band from up your way (Youngstown) with the group name The Human Beinz (originally spelled Beingz). One of the biggest mysteries surrounds the phantom comma in the title of one of The Rolling Stones' greatest hits: "Paint It, Black." That comma, and its peculiar placement, sparked controversy and charges that Mick and his Merry Mates were racist. In an interview, Keith Richards attempted to set the record straight by stating "It's Decca's," meaning that the band's UK record label was responsible for putting the comma in the song title for whatever reason.
Hey, I'm with you about the earliest years of disco. Some of the better recordings of the genre were made before Saturday Night (Nite) Fever. Shirley, many of the disco recordings that became hits after that iconic film's release were formulaic and derivative and simply not as fresh, soulful and authentic. Then came everybody and his grandmother trying to get in on the act by making disco records, including Ethel Merman, Kiss and deejay Rick Dees with his novelty song "Disco Duck." It's easy to see why rockers revolted and built a bonfire on the baseball field at Comiskey Park in Chicago in the summer of '79 - the infamous Disco Demolition Night.
You are considerably younger than Shady. It stands to reason that the clothing styles I consider attractive are the ones the kids wore when I went to high school in the 60s. If you were in high school in the 70s, then the more flamboyant styles of that era would naturally appeal to you.
Thank you very much for your visit, your excellent comment and the compliment, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Do not remember many of these songs but The Mighty Clouds of Joy.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
If by any chance you would like a card from me.... send me your address by e-mail it will not come very fast but it will come.
Hi, Gayle!
DeleteThank you very much for swinging over from Arizona. dear friend! It's great to have you here to experience the second volume of Geator Gold.
It doesn't surprise me that you don't remember most of these records on Jerry Blavat's play list. They were more popular in the East than out West where you live. I am pleasantly surprised to learn that you remember the black gospel group The Mighty Clouds of Joy. The showender, "Mighty Cloud of Joy," is my favorite song by the group, an example of a disco record with an inspiring message.
Gayle, you are very kind for offering to send me one of those Prickly Pear cards. I will send you my address and look forward to receiving it when you get around to it. No rush. I thank you very much for your kindness and for your visit and comment today!
Good morning Tom I enjoyed watching the first video so much! I love looking at how people danced back in the 60s and 50s , men were so elegant at that time! Thanks for sharing this groups I never heard of here in Europe. Have a nice week .K.
ReplyDeleteHi, Katia!
DeleteHow are you today, my dear Italian friend? I am excited to see you!
Yessum, the first video gives you a fairly clear look at the way young people danced and dressed in the U.S. in 1964. Young men dressed much more formally to attend social functions of this kind than they do today. They wore suits or nice sweaters and neckties. The girls always looked their best, too. I am happy to introduce music artists you never heard of in Europe, partly because of the thousands of miles distance and also because you are generations removed from these teenagers of the Baby Boom years.
Thank you again for your lovely visit and comment, Katia. I hope you can understand the comments I leave on your posts. The translation tool always changes what I wrote and sometimes deletes several sentences or runs them together. It is very confusing and I hope you can figure out what I intended to express. :) Have a wonderful week and please come again, dear friend "Rapunzel" Katia! :)
Guess who has finally shown up! Always takes me long enough:) I love that first video with the young kids (now so many in their 70's and even 80's) dancing away. I had to laugh at the one kid looking at where the camera was so he could try and do something different...goofy kid...hahahaa. I enjoyed all the songs and I could hear where some got their inspiration from. The one Lover's prayer, was a nice video and loved those red arrows with the brilliant blue feathers.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend! I found all three of your comments and alerted Kathleen Mae Schneider who will be leaving a reply for you on her mother's post as soon as she gets a chance.
I'm delighted that you enjoyed the video of the teenage dancers on American Bandstand in 1964, taped shortly after the program shifted its production facilities from Philly to LA. You're right. Those kids would be in their early 70s now but, as we all know, some of those young men might have lost their lives in the Vietnam War and others might have perished over the years for a variety of other reasons. It is funny to see how the dancers played to the camera when they noticed the red tally light and knew they were on the air.
I'm pleased that you got so much enjoyment out of the post. Thanks again for your friendship and support, dear BB, and enjoy the rest of your week!