Echoes of the Spectorian Era - Vol. 15: The Weekend's Just Getting Started... but Sunday's Already Here!

 Welcome to vol. 15 of my series 

 Echoes of the Spectorian Era 

 featuring the greatest recordings 

 produced by Phil Spector and those 

 who imitated his Wall-of-Sound style. 

 THE CRYSTALS 

First let's hear from Phil Spector's uptown girls The Crystals. Produced by Spector

from clear across the country in LA, the New York based Crystals were one of the

principal girl groups of the early to mid 60s. Barbara Ann Alston, 2nd from right in

the picture above, was a founding member and original lead singer of The Crystals.

Barbara died last year at age 74. Barbara sang lead on the Spectorian classic you

are about to hear. It's The Crystals' second single, "Uptown," the 1962 follow-up

to "There's No Other (Like My Baby)." "Uptown" was written by Cynthia Weil
and Barry Mann and originally intended for fellow New Yorker Tony Orlando
who, at the time, was three years into his career. Spector coaxed Weil and
Mann into giving him the song. Spector then proceeded to doctor the ditty,
changing notes to bring the song within the vocal range of The Crystals.
He also changed some of the lyrics about slum life and class issues
to give the song an African American perspective instead of a
Latin American POV. "Uptown" reached the top 15 on
Billboard and top 10 on Cash Box, making it
the second hit single for The Crystals.

 "Uptown" - The Crystals 

 (May/June 1962, highest chart pos. 

 #10 Cash Box/#13 Hot 100/#18 R&B) 

 JOSEPHINE SUNDAY 

It's Friday - T.G.I.F. - and I've got Sunday

on my mind - Josephine Sunday!

Here to sing a song that was racy by
mid 60s standards is 18 year old Sunday

Heppner, stage name Josephine Sunday.
In 1966, the perky songstress appeared
on American Bandstand to promote her
latest single which became the biggest
hit of her career, even though it failed
to reach the national chart. The song
was also recorded by a girl group
called The Starlets. With those
Spectorian castanets clacking,
miss Josephine sent a message
to every guy with a girlfriend:
Spend Saturday night with
Sunday and... come Monday...
"You Won't Even Know Her Name."

 "You Won't Even Know Her Name" - Josephine Sunday 
 (Apr. 1966, uncharted) 

 THE CINDERELLAS 

Up next, The Cinderellas, an R&B girl group that drew its lead singer,
Margaret Ross, from The Cookies. In the spring of 1964 The Cinderellas
released "Baby, Baby (I Still Love You)." With the Beatles and other
British Invasion bands dominating the pop chart, The Cinderellas'
hopes for a hit were merely a fairy tale. "Baby, Baby" charted
only one week near the bottom of the Bubbling Under
dungeon before vanishing into thin air.

 "Baby, Baby (I Still Love You)" - The Cinderellas 
 (May 1964, highest chart pos. #134) 

 ALDER RAY 

Alder Ray's voice can be heard on some of the finest West Coast pop
recordings of the 60s. The soulful thrush performed as a session singer,
a member of various girl groups and as a solo recording artist.

In 1964, Alder Ray released "Cause I Love Him," a solo single recorded
at Gold Star with The Blossoms supplying background vocals and the
L.A. Wrecking Crew providing the orchestral backing track.

 "Cause I Love Him" - Alder Ray 

 (Aug. 1964, uncharted) 

 LINDA SCOTT 

Linda Scott is best known as a cast regular on
Dick Clark's Where The Action Is and for her
first hit "I've Told Every Little Star" which
reached the top 5 on the pop chart in the
spring of 1961. Some folks don't realize
that Linda made other great recordings
before the Beatles showed up to spoil
the party. However my Pick to Click,

the record I consider the best of
Linda's career, is different from
the others. It's Spectoresque,
and was released post-
Beatles in 1965.

It's a cool cover of "You Baby," the song
written for The Ronettes by Barry Mann,
Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector, recorded
by the popular girl group and released in
the fall of '64 on their album, Presenting

the Fabulous Ronettes Feat. Veronica.
Released as a single a year later, Linda's
exciting version for Kapp Records copied
the lush Wall of Sound production style
of the original. It's a doggone shame a
record this good failed to make the chart.

Heck, it never even Bubbled Under!

 "You Baby" - Linda Scott  

 (Dec. 1965, uncharted) 

 THE 

 WALKER 

 BROS. 

The Walker Brothers often imitated
the Spectorian production and vocal
style of The Righteous Brothers.
Here's a great example, a smooth,
dynamic cover of "Make It Easy
On Yourself," a Burt Bacharach -
Hal David song first made into
a hit by Jerry Butler in 1962.

 "Make It Easy On Yourself" - The Walker Brothers 

 (Sept. 1965, highest chart pos. #16) 

 VIKKI 

 CARR 

El Paso born Vikki Carr achieved her
greatest success singing in Spanish

but, in the fall of 1967, the thrush
reached the top 3 on the pop chart
and #1 on the Easy Listening survey
with a Spectorian English language

version of a French song. Here now
is Vikki Carr with her biggest
pop hit-- "It Must Be Him!"

 "It Must Be Him" - Vikki Carr 

 Oct./Nov. '67, highest chart pos. 
 #3 Hot 100/#1 Easy Listening) 

 I hope you enjoyed vol. 15 of Echoes. 
 More echo-drenched classics are coming 
 your way in vol. 16, so stick around! 

Have a Shady day!

Today in History: One Small Step for a Man.....

...one giant leap for blogging.

That's right, dear friend. It was 50 years ago today

that man first set foot on the moon, 20 years ago

today Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play,

and 11 years ago today, on July 20, 2008, that I,

Roseanne Roseannadanna  Shady Del Knight,

became a blogger. Hard to believe, but here

I am eleven years later still practicing the

art of blogging... and I am determined

to keep practicing until I get it right.

To salivate (correct usage) my 11 year

blogiversary, I am throwing a party...

a party to end all parties (until the

next one comes along).

The gang's all here - The Shady Bunch - my staff of veteran DJs.
They brought stacks-o-wax to spin for your listening,
dancing, hugging and smooching pleasure.

To get this thang underway, I am happy to introduce
the first of my boss jocks, Shady Green, The Dean of Keen.

Hey, thank you Shady Del Knight
and congratulations on reaching the
eleven year blogging milestone!

Ready for a mind bending, mood altering, otherworldly experience? Hop aboard my
Wayback Machine as it takes us to 1968.
That year The Lennon Sisters, those
singing sibs of Lawrence Welk Show
fame, released an LP of flower power,
bubblegum and sunshine pop covers
that includes "Green Tambourine" the
psychedelic song originally recorded
by The Lemon Pipers, a single that
topped the pop chart that year.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

On this special remix, The Lennon Sisters track was slowed down to

match the tempo of the Lemon Pipers' original, creating a surreal effect.

Mr. Welk would never approve, but Shady Green, The Dean of Keen,

  thinks it's serene. Listen as Dianne, Janet, Peggy and Kathy turn on,

tune in and drop out with-- "Green Tambourine!"

"Green Tambourine" - The Lennon Sisters

(from 1968 album The Lennon Sisters Today!!)

The Lennon Sisters proving they're cool with a more than
capable cover of the psychedelic pop hit "Green Tambourine." 

In the summer of '85, Canadian rocker

Bryan Adams reached the top 5 in the

U.S. with the single "Summer Of '69."

As we observe the 50th anniversary

of that great summer when we were

young and restless, I am proud to

bring you an exciting new cover

unveiled on YouTube just days ago.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

It's a collaboration between the young

Romanian guitar virtuoso Andrei Cerbu

and singer Beatrice Maria Florea. Watch

and listen as Andrei and Beatrice take

us back to the-- "Summer Of '69."

"Summer Of '69" - (July 2019 Bryan Adams

cover by Andrei Cerbu & Beatrice Maria Florea,

orig. Aug. 1985, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100/#7 Cash Box)

From Romania with love, that was the fabulous cover of the 1985 Bryan Adams hit
"Summer Of '69" uploaded one week ago by YouTube sensation Andrei Cerbu and
his partner, singer Beatrice Maria Florea. Now its my pleasure to toss the ball to my
good friend and fellow member of The Shady Bunch - Hy Lit. Hyski, take it away!

Thank you, Shady Green. Hyski here, Hy Lit,
your pal on the radio, and we're taking to the
sky on a Natural Hy with a golden goody
from one of Philly's phavorite girl groups.
It's a string of cool covers rolled into one,
a medley of songs penned by the great
New York based songwriter, arranger
and producer Mr. Teddy Randazzo.
The medley includes  "It's Gonna
Take A Miracle," a hit in the 60s
for The Royalettes and a hit in the
80s for Deniece Williams, plus three
songs made famous by Little Anthony
& The Imperials: "I'm On The Outside

(Looking In)," "Hurt So Bad" and
"Goin' Out of My Head."

START THE VIDEO NOW!

Two of these ladies went on to form the hit disco group The Ritchie Family.

Back in '71 they called themselves Honey And The Bees, and this

is their super soul medley-- "Gonna Take A Miracle!"

"It's Gonna Take A Miracle" (Medley)"

 Honey & The Bees (Aug. 1971)

"It's Gonna Take a Miracle" - the ice cool medley sung by Philly's phinest,

Honey And The Bees. Now I'm gonna pass the mic to my Philly phriend,

The Geator With the Heater, Mr. Jerry Blavat. Jerry...?

Alright...thank you, Hy Lit, and greetings and
salutations to all my yon teenagers out there!
I am the Geator With the Heater. I am the
Boss with the Big Hot Sauce, and congrats
to my main man, Mr. Shady Del Knight,
on keeping us entertained for the last
 eleven years, first at SDMM and now
here at SPMM. I was just standing by
the punch bowl at Shady's anniversary
bash looking for the eats when I found
a tasty treat. Fiction and Fact from
The Geator's Almanac: In 1963 the
rock 'n' roll band The Dartells took
the song "(Do The) Mashed Potatoes,"
made famous in 1960 by Nat Kendrick
& The Swans, reworked it, and came up
with a hit of their own. Chew on this
for a while-- "Hot Pastrami!"

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Hot Pastrami" - The Dartells

(Apr./May 1963, highest chart pos. #11)

The Dartells with their biggest hit, "Hot Pastrami," a single that brushed

the top 10 in the spring of '63. Now, I am happy to turn things over to my

good friend Dell Rat Tom, host of Jukebox Giants. Take it away, Mr. Tom!

Thank you very much, Jerry, and congratulations to
Shady on 11 years of blogging! On Jukebox Giants
I bring you the greatest hits of the Shady Dell.
This one takes us back to 1967, a pivotal
year in the Dell dance hall.  

START VIDEO NOW!

If there was any lingering doubt that the times
were changing and West Coast rock was gaining
a powerful foothold in the dance hall jukebox,
it was erased for good in The Summer of Love
by this band, Jim Morrison and The Doors.

Here they are doing their second single...
the chart-topping smash "Light My Fire!"

"Light My Fire" - The Doors

(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #1)

The Doors with their signature song "Light My Fire," one of the biggest
rock hits ever to play on the dance hall jukebox at the Shady Dell.
Now it's time for me to vacate the announcer's booth and let
another member of The Shady Bunch take over.
Shady Blue... how-do-you-do?

I'm all shook up, Tommy Boy, excited to be
part of this 11th anniversary extravaganza.
Hi, everybody!  You're Stuck Like Glue
On Shady Blue here on S-P-M-M... the
station that's #1 for music and fun.
By now you know that I love this
guy - Elvis "The Pelvis" Presley.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Here now is the hip-swiveling King
performing one of my favorites in the
1962 movie Girls! Girls! Girls!--
"Return To Sender!"

"Return To Sender" - Elvis Presley

(Nov./Dec. 1962, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100/#1 Cash Box,

from OST of Nov. 1962 film Girls! Girls! Girls!)

"Return To Sender" from Girls! Girls! Girls!... a movie in which Elvis

was caught in a love triangle with Stella Stevens and Laurel Goodwin.

I could think of a worse fate. It's time to wrap up Shady's anniversary

dance party, and we're going out with a bang and a bark. Here to

introduce the last dance is Shady Del Knight's deejay dog,

S-P-M-M's All Night Satellite-- Toto Moto!

Heidi ho, and thank you, Shady Blue!

This is Toto Moto, The Hound of Sound, your

Hi-Fi Fido, your Rocker Spaniel, The Pooch
with the Hooch. I'm not ashamed to admit
that I piddled on the rug with excitement
when I found out Shady Del Knight has
been blogging for eleven whole years.
That's more than 60 of my dog years!

Congratulations to you, my human pet!

To bring the anniversary bash to a close,
let's tumble through my Top Tunes
Time Tunnel to the fall of 1964 at the
height of the British Invasion hoopla.
Here's the English R&B rock band
Manfred Mann with their first and
biggest U.S. hit, a #1 charting cover
of a song originally recorded by the
American R&B group The Exciters.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

It's a doggone ditty that I think is mighty pretty-- "Do Wah Diddy Diddy!"

"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" - Manfred Mann

(Sept./Oct. 1964, highest chart pos. #1)

Brit band Manfred Mann with a hit single that shot to #1 on both sides of the pond,

"Do Wah Diddy Diddy." Hey, I gotta poop, so I'm saying goodbye and scooting

through the studio's doggie door. Back to you, Shady Del Knight!

A friend is someone who gives you total

freedom to be yourself." - Jim Morrison

Thank you, Toto, and thanks to the rest of The Shady Bunch for bringing

their A sides to the anniversary bash. I also thank you, dear reader,

for joining the party. It doesn't matter if you have been following

me for eleven days or all eleven years. I am grateful. Thank you

very much, my friend, for spending some time in the Shady.

 I promise to do my best to keep you entertained

throughout year number twelve.

Have a Shady day!

Winning Hand - Vol 3: The Deck Is Stacked. Card Shark Shady's Got Three of a Kind + Two Pairs Up His Sleeve!

Welcome to Winning Hand:

THREE OF A KIND + TWO PAIRS!

In this edition of the series, I have posted a combination
of original recordings, covers and sound-alikes. Please
tell me which version or versions you prefer.

I might be a wild card and

a joker... but I'm no poker.

Therefore, without further delay, I will introduce
the kings and queens of song in today's post.

Remember, ladies and gentlemen...

This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.

 ANI DiFRANCO 

Let's begin with "Wishin' And Hopin," a song composed by Hal David and Burt Bacharach
and most famously waxed by Dusty Springfield, a top 5 U.S. hit for the English songbird
in 1964. A version of the song was recorded in 1995 by Buffalo born singer/songwriter
Ani DiFranco and used for the opening credits of the 1997 Julia Roberts romantic
comedy film My Best Friend's Wedding. Along with the Austin Powers series,
My Best Friend's Wedding is responsible for renewing the popularity of the
Bacharach-David catalog in the 21st century. Watch the groovy opening
sequence to what has been called the quintessential ’90s flick--
My Best Friend's Wedding.

"Wishin' And Hopin'" - Ani DiFranco

(OST of June 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding)

Instead of posting Dusty Springfield's original recording of "Wishin' And Hopin',"
which I am sure you have heard many times, I want to entertain you with
cover videos - not one, but two amazing "homemade" custom remakes
of the opening credits from My Best Friend's Wedding. First here's a
video produced in 2013 for an actual wedding as a surprise for
the groom. I wish I'd been there to see the look on his face!

"Wishin' And Hopin'" - Ani DiFranco

(OST of June 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding,
Sept. 2013 homemade remake video)

Now here are fine performances by a group of younger ladies, members
of the Wollan family, doing their interpretation of the song in a video
produced in 2010 for a big brother's wedding. Imagine his surprise!

"Wishin' And Hopin'" - Ani DiFranco

(OST of June 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding,
June 2010 homemade remake video)

 MILLIE FOSTER 

In the early 60s, before she became a jazz and gospel vocalist, Wichita, Kansas,
zinger Millie Foster recorded excellent deep soul ballads and up tempo R&B sides
in New York. On some of her recordings Millie Foster reminds me of Tina Turner.

Check out the Tina Turner style on Millie's first single, "Love Wheel" released
in the fall of 1962, a record that was way ahead of its time. This gal smokes!

"Love Wheel" - Millie Foster

(Nov. 1962, uncharted)

 JOSIE AND 

 THE PUSSYCATS 

Millie Foster's "Love Wheel" missed the chart, but it reminds me of three other
hits - James Brown's "Night Train," Roy Head's "Treat her Right" and "Money
(That's What I Want)," the 1959 Barrett Strong single that became Motown's
first hit. I found this cool cover of "Money" by Josie and the Pussycats,
the fictional all-girl pop band that was featured in a comic book and
and starred in their own Saturday morning animated TV series.
Three singers were cast to record songs as Josie and the Pussycats:
Kathleen Dougherty as Josie, Cherie Moor (future Charlie's Angels
main cast member Cheryl Ladd) as Melody and Patrice Holloway,
younger sister of Motown vocalist Brenda Holloway, as Valerie.
In 2001 Josie and the Pussycats were recast for a feature film
that starred Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson and Tara
Reid. Kay Hanley of the band Letters to Cleo did the vocals

for Rachael Leigh Cook's Josie on the movie soundtrack and
the CD. Here is a hybrid video with the song "Money" from
the 2001 film edited to footage from the early 70s TV series.

"Money (That's What I Want)" Josie and the Pussycats

(from OST of Apr. 2001 film Josie and the Pussycats,

video from orig. 1970-71 animated TV series)

 KISS 

In 1979 Kiss proved that even a hard rock band could write a disco song

and achieve a hit with it. They recorded "I Was Made For Lovin' You"

and the rest is Kisstory. "I Was Made..." brushed the top 10,

making it their third most successful single. Two Kiss

ballads, "Beth" and "Forever," the latter co-written

by Michael Bolton, cracked the top 10.

"I Was Made For Lovin' You" - Kiss

(June/July '79, highest cht pos. #9 Cash Box/#11 Hot 100)

 SILENZIUM 

If you can believe your eyes and ears, check out Silenzium, an all female classical

string quartet based in Russia. Their cover of the Kiss klassic is one of the most

fascinating videos on YouTube. The song starts at the 1:15 mark but I urge

you to watch from the beginning before the ladies start Breaking Bad.

"I Was Made For Lovin' You"

Kiss cover by Silenzium (Oct. 2017)

SONG BEGINS AT 1:15 MARK!

I think these musical
kings and queens are aces!

Do you agree? 

Have a Shady day!

Dell Rat Tom's Jukebox Giants - Vol. 3: Pizza My Heart

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!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

(COLD SHOW OPEN)

"It's Summertime U.S.A." - The Pixies Three

(July 1964, highest chart pos. #116, scenes

from Nov. 1964 film Pajama Party)

Those were the girls next door to York, The Pixies Three of Hanover, PA,
kicking-off this edition of Jukebox Giants with "It's Summertime U.S.A."
 ...a warm weather anthem that ruled the airwaves across Pennsylvania
in the summer of '64. "Summertime U.S.A." was originally released
as the B side of the single with the dance song "The Hootch" as the
plug side, but "The Hootch" was banned by some radio stations
because it was suspected of being an endorsement of underage
drinking. (Gangsta rap was still light years away.) By the way,
if you're watching my simulcast on YouTube you saw scenes
from the 1964 beach party movie Pajama Party starring
Disney players Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello.

Hello again, I'm Dell Rat Tom of The Shady Bunch,
back on the air to spin the greatest sounds of the
Shady Dell here on S-P-M-M, where all the cool
oldies go to play. Today's lineup includes four

Michigan-based recording acts, so stay tuned.

You just heard from our hometown heroines,
The Pixies Three. Now let's bring back our
hometown heroes... our blue-eyed soul
brothers, The Magnificent Men, a York-
Harrisburg based band that drew much
of its soul and inspiration from Motown.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

The platter spinning on my turntable right now is one of my favorites by
this fine group. It's the B side of their 1968 single "Almost Persuaded,"
a song from their album The World Of Soul. This powerful ballad
is guaranteed to give you peace of mind in every way. Here they
are, The Mag Men, with-- "I Found What I Wanted In You!"

"I Found What I Wanted In You" - The Magnificent Men
(May/June 1968, B side of "Almost Persuaded)

That was the soaring sound of The Magnificent Men doing
one of their killer bees, "I Found What I Wanted In You,"
a song I like every bit as much as "Peace Of Mind."

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

"Don't forget the Motor City," sang The Mamas

& The Papas, and I don't intend to. The Contours

of Motown are best known for their million selling

1962 chart-topper "Do You Love Me." At the Dell

in the mid 60s this was their biggie, a bona fide

dance floor filler- "Just A Little Misunderstanding!"

"Just A Little Misunderstanding" - The Contours
(June 1966, highest chart pos. #85 Hot 100/#18 R&B/#31 UK)

"Just A Little Misunderstanding" by The Contours, a dance hall sizzler during

that endless summer of 1966, and #33 on my exclusive Shady Dell survey.

It's no secret that Dell rats of the mid 60s loved sweet

soul music, but they also dug the sound of British bands.

CLICK TO START VIDEO NOW!

At the Dell, the Animals enjoyed greater popularity than
the Beatles and Stones. Stateside the R&B rockers scored
a top 10 hit with a cover of a blues song first recorded in
1924 by Ma Rainey. It's the band's first U.S. single issued
as Eric Burdon and The Animals-- "See See Rider!"

"See See Rider" - Eric Burdon & The Animals

(Sept./Oct. 1966, highest chart pos. #10)

Eric Burdon And The Animals there with a cool cover and a top 10 hit
for the band here in the U.S. -- "See See Rider." If you're just tuning in,
 I'm Dell Rat Tom and you're listening to Jukebox Giants, the greatest
hits of the Shady Dell, on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. 

Earlier we heard from the Motown R&B group The Contours.
Now here's another great Michigan act, this one based in
Flint, a garage band that called themselves Terry Knight
And The Pack. "TKP," as they are also called, were

responsible for one of the hottest records at the Dell
in the mid 60s. Like the Animals' "See See Rider,"
this one covers an earlier recording, the Italian
language single "Uno dei tanti," an international
hit for Joe Sentieri in 1961. In '63 the song was
translated to English and famously recorded
by former Drifters lead singer Ben E. King.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Listen now to the spoken word masterpiece by TKP--

“I (Who Have Nothing).”

“I (Who Have Nothing)” - Terry Knight & the Pack

(Nov./Dec. 1966, highest chart pos. #46)

Way up there at #31 on my list of the Dell's 200 Greatest Songs of the
mid 60s, one hit wonders Terry Night And The Pack from Flint, Michigan,
with their 1966 version of "I (Who have Nothing), a record that was only
a minor national hit for the group, but hot in the Shady. Welsh crooner
Tom Jones also gained a hit with a recording of the song in 1970.
It's interesting to note that when the Pack broke-up, members
Don Brewer and Mark Farner went on to form Grand Funk
Railroad with Terry Knight serving as the famous
band's first manager and producer.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Now here's another dramatic slow dance song that brought

Dell rat couples to the floor for two-and-a-half minutes of

sweaty snuggling. It's Erma Franklin, Aretha's older sister,

with her best known record-- "Piece Of My Heart."

"Piece Of My Heart" - Erma Franklin

(Nov./Dec. 1967, highest chart pos. # #10 R&B,
re-released in the UK in 1992 and peaked at #9)

Erma Franklin with the original recording of "Piece Of My Heart,"
the only version Dell rats really cared about. Erma, by the way,
was born in Mississippi and raised in Detroit, making her
the third Michigan based recording artist on today's show.

Time's up and I gotta leave for home to beat the curfew. I've had fun today
and I hope you did, too. Stay tuned for my good friend Shady Green
coming up on the other side of news to take you on a psychedelic
mind trip aboard his Wayback Machine, and I'll be back soon
with another stack of Jukebox Giants - the greatest hits of
the Shady Dell - here on S-P-M-M, the station that's #1
for music and fun. To wrap up the show, here's our 4th
act from Michigan, the temptin' Temptations of Motown.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

The Temps sing "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," #67 on my Shady Dell
survey. Now this is Dell Rat Tom reminding you to make every
day a holiday... and every night a Shady Dell night!

"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - The Temptations

(Sept./Oct. 1966, highest chart pos. #3)

Rockers On Trial: Defense Attorney Paul Biegler Makes a Case For Rock History's Greatest Screams!

Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury...

Rock music screamers have been getting a bad rep
and a bad rap, and today they are on trial here in this
courtroom. Submitted for your approval...or disapproval
as the case may be - Exhibit A - Maria Brink and her
rock/metal band In This Moment. Click at the
3:11 mark of the video and listen for
17 seconds... until 3:28.

"Her Kiss" - In This Moment

from Sept. 2008 album The Dream)

 (START PLAYING AT 3:11 MARK
AND LISTEN TO 3:28)

People who judge "Her Kiss" solely on the basis of the
crunching guitars and screaming vocals in that portion
of the song are getting a distorted impression
of the recording and the artist. Those who
listen from start to finish enjoy quite
a beautiful love song.

Now I'm just a humble country lawyer trying to
do the best I can against this brilliant prosecutor
from the big city of Lansing, but I intend to prove
beyond a shadow of a doubt that screaming
in popular music is nothing new.

You see, as a lawyer, I've had to learn that rock
isn't just good or just bad. Rock is many things.

Oh... now... now it's true that the kids listen to it
and play it too loud and it gives us old folks a
headache and so forth... but... but...

...well, if it please the court, I would like to submit
Exhibit B. Click at the 4:36 mark of the following

video and you will experience Janis Joplin, a
Screaming Mimi whose shouting vocal style

made her The First Lady of Rock - loved
by millions - 40 years before Maria
Brink appeared on the scene.

"Ball 'n' Chain" - Janis Joplin

(Live at Monterey Pop, June 1967)

(START PLAYING AT 4:36 MARK!)

Listen now to Exhibit C - "Won't Get Fooled Again,"

a hit by The Who that made Rolling Stone's list

of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Click at the 7:45 point on the video

and you'll hear one of the greatest

primal screams in rock history!

"Won't Get Fooled Again" - The Who

(Summer season 1971)

(START PLAYING AT 7:45 MARK!)

Exhibit D is "Whole Lotta Love" by the much loved
British blues rock/heavy metal band Led Zeppelin.

Listen at the 4:19 point of the song and you
will hear another epic rock scream!

"Whole Lotta Love" - Led Zeppelin 

(November 1969)

(START PLAYING AT 4:19 MARK!)

Now here's Exhibit E, something the younger generation

calls a mash-up. It combines "Whole Lotta Love"

with another classic rock song, "Helter Skelter,"

by the Beatles, the world's most popular band.

The Beatles often shouted and screamed their

vocals and I never heard anybody complain

about them... except my mommy!

"Whole Lotta Helter Skelter"
Soundog Mix - The Beatles vs. Led Zeppelin

(November 1968/November 1969)

Now listen, this is a cross examination in a rock music

discrimination case, not a high-school debate!

What are you and Dancer trying to do, railroad
Miss Brink into the Clink? Hey, that rhymes!

Your honor, the prostitution prosecution would have us
believe that screaming in modern rock is more dark,
dangerous and evil than it was in the 1960s.

Well that's like trying to take the core from an apple
without breaking the skin. (Did that argument make
any sense at all?) I beg the court... I beg the court
to let me cut into the apple... because we've
been at this all morning and I'm hungry.

Exhibit F is "Lost Someone" by the Godfather of Soul,
James Brown. An early 60s ballad, "Lost Someone" is
nevertheless peppered with passionate screams from
Mr. Brown and from the audience. Please click at the
55 second mark of the song for indisputable proof!

"Lost Someone" - James Brown

(Live at the Apollo, October 1962)

(START PLAYING AT 55 SEC. MARK!)

In summation, screaming has been an integral part of
popular music for more than 60 years. Think about it.
Nobody raised a fuss when mainstream superstars
like The Beatles and James Brown screamed.

It is our contention that all screamers are created equal.
Moreover we believe it is a crime to condemn modern
rockers who practice the same age old technique that
their beloved predecessors used. The defense rests
with one last assertion, your honor. At its best,
rock is a scream and we ask...we, we beseech
the good citizens of the blogging community

to give it a fair chance.

I tend to agree, Mr. Biegler.

There's no reason to make

a federal case out of it.

Happy anniversary to

one of my favorite movies...

...Otto Preminger's

 ANATOMY OF A MURDER 

released in the U.S.

 60 YEARS AGO TODAY! 

Have a Shady day!