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
NATURAL HY
on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
(COLD SHOW OPEN)
"Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)"
- The Temptations (June/July 1970, highest chart pos.
#1 Cash Box/#2 R&B/#3 Hot 100)
"And the band played on." Starting us off with a heavy dose of
reality, those were The Temptations and "Ball of Confusion,"
a chart-topping hit for the Motown men in the summer of '70.
Calling all my beats, beards, Buddhist
cats, big time spenders, money lenders,
teetotalers, elbow benders, hog callers,
home run hitters, finger poppin’ daddies
and cool babysitters. For all my carrot
tops, lollipops and extremely delicate
gum drops. It's your pal on the radio,
Hyski ‘O Roonie McVouti ‘O Zoot
- “The South Philadelphia Kid” -
- "The Potentate of The Keystone
State" - callin' uptown, downtown,
crosstown, here, there, everywhere.
Your man with the plan, on the scene
with the record machine, welcoming
you to a special edition of my show
Natural Hy here on S-P-M-M.
News flash: it's winter, and I'm following Arnie Ginsburg's lead and playing
Solid Cold. Every record in today's lineup has a cold open, a cold intro.
That means no voice-overs by yours truly until we get to the end of
the show. So hang out and chill as I spin these cool classics!
The ladies we're about to hear from next came from the world
of gospel music where they were known as The Heavenly Tones.
They found fame on the secular side of the street as Little Sister,
backing singers for Sly And The Family Stone. In 1970, a month
before "Ball Of Confusion" started up the chart, the trio scored
a major hit of their own. Hyski digs this sound to the max.
Solid Cold now from Little Sister and "You're The One!"
"You're The One" (Tom Moulton Mix) - Little Sister
(Mar./Apr. 1970, highest chart pos. #4 R&B,
#20 Cash Box/#22 Hot 100)
I'm the one..."You're The One." That was Little Sister,
the girl trio formed by Sly Stone, doing their
Hy-performance R&B hit from
the spring of 1970.
Hy Lit, your man in the tower with all the power, giving you all the boogie
you can handle in stereo. If the show's called Solid Cold, then it's apropos
that The Ice Man cometh! It's smooth soul man Jerry Butler, who took
his mama's advice about life and love and put it the words of a song.
Here's a fab slab from the spring of 1969... Mr. Jerry Butler
topping the R&B chart with-- "Only The Strong Survive!"
"Only The Strong Survive" - Jerry Butler
(Mar./Apr. 1969, highest chart pos. #1 R&B,
#4 Hot 100/#5 Cash Box, from Nov 1968
album The Ice Man Cometh)
Got to be strong, got to hold on, 'cause only the strong survive.
Mama's words of wisdom delivered in the form of a song
by an early member of The Impressions, Jerry Butler,
dubbed The Ice Man by my pal, Philly radio great
Georgie Woods - The Guy with the Goods.
If you're just tuning in, you're catching a
special Solid Cold edition of Natural Hy
here on S-P-M-M Retro Radio. We're in
the middle of a 7-in-a-row commercial-
free block party, and every record
but the last has a cold open.
Let's slow things down and go old school
with this next one, a dreamy sound from
1960. Released on Halloween that year,
it's scary to know that a great song like
this one never made the chart. It's a doo-
wop era remake of a ballad originally
penned and recorded in 1936. You've
got a date with The Fabulous Four,
and they wanna meet you "In The
Chapel In The Moonlight."
"In The Chapel In The Moonlight" - The Fabulous Four
(Oct. 1960, B side of "Mr. Twist")
Not to be confused with The Fab Four - The Beatles - or The Fantastic Four
from the Motor City, those were The Fabulous Four from right here in
Philly, a fine doo-wop group led by Junior Pirollo. They were also
known as The Four J's. That great version of "In The Chapel In
The Moonlight" went to waste as the B side of "Mr. Twist,"
an up tempo dancer that failed to make the chart.
Hyski ‘O Roonie McVouti ‘O Zoot with
you on the radio here at S-P-M-M...
where we go huntin' for the great songs
of the past and bring 'em back alive.
On my turntable right now... one
of the coolest of all Solid Cold
dance songs, a peppy platter
waxed by rockin' & rollin'
R&B, blue-eyed soul man
Mitch Ryder and his band
The Detroit Wheels. Time
to sing along with Mitch
as he gets the joint jumpin'
with- "Sock It To Me - Baby!"
"Sock It To Me - Baby!" - Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels
(Feb./Mar. 1967, highest chart pos. #4 Cash Box/#6 Hot 100)
That was Motor City wild man
Mitch Ryder and his Detroit
Wheels, cracking the top 5 in
'67 with "Sock It To Me - Baby!,"
a phrase Mitch used the previous
year in his hit single "Devil With
A Blue Dress On." In 1968,
"Sock it to me" became the
catchphrase of the TV series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
Hey you midnight movers and uptown
groovers, knock me your lobes— are
you ready for this? It's another hot
sound with a cold intro, this one
from the fall of '67. Get it on,
get into it, as my main man,
Mr. Brenton Wood, asks his
baby, pretty please, just
"Gimme Little Sign!"
"Gimme Little Sign" - Brenton Wood
(Sept./Oct. 1967, highest chart pos. #7 Cash Box/#9 Hot 100,
#19 R&B, perf. on Dec. 21, 1968, ep. of Top Of The Pops)
He was born Alfred Smith, but he found success as Brenton Wood,
and that was Brenton's contribution to our Solid Cold special, his 1968
appearance on Top Of The Pops in the UK doing "Gimme Little Sign."
Uh-oh, Shady D's giving me a little sign. He's waving me off,
so it's time for me to put away my platters, turn off
the table and head for the exit.
Thanks for joining me for this
special Solid Cold edition.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
I wanna thank my guests Little Sister,
The Ice Man - Mr. Jerry Butler, the
Temptations, Fabulous Four, Billy
And The Essentials, Brenton Wood
and this wailin' sax man - Jr. Walker
& his All Stars - playing us off with
"Hip City," a top 10 sound from '68.
Stay tuned. Coming up on the B side
of news, my buddy Ernest P. Worrell
drops by to rock your billygoat on
SPMM, the station with personality.
And I'll be back soon to take you up to the sky on a Natural Hy.
Till then, till we meet again, this is Hy Lit reminding you to
maintain your cool, don't be nobody's fool. Later, baby!
"Hip City - Pt. 1" - Jr. Walker And The All Stars
(Sept. 1968, highest chart pos. #7 R&B,
#28 Cash Box/#31 Hot 100)
Good-morning, Tom!
ReplyDeleteThe majority of your songs in today's line up came out in the late 60s. Only a few of the artists' names I recognized but I figured I would know the songs. Strangely the only song title I knew was "Gimme Little Sign". Of course, I had no clue who did it until now. The song title, "Sock It To Me, Baby" I thought might be one I knew but I didn't. I guess I just remember hearing that catch phrase which was so popular in those days. I can't recall if it was from the LAUGH'N SHOW or Flip Wilson show that I heard it mostly but I do recall it. Now, I'm off to check out more of Brenton Wood's music on YouTube. He had a fabulous sound! Have a terrific Thursday, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for hustling over to take the Early Bird title, dear friend! I'm pleased to have you here tuning in to volume 6 of Natural Hy, the SPMM radio show hosted by the much loved Philadelphia broadcast legend Hy Lit.
It's surprising that you remember one of the older songs, "Gimme Little Sign," better than the more recent ones in Hy's lineup. The other biggie you will find by Brenton Wood is the "Oogum Boogum Song," the 1967 single that preceded "Gimme Little Sign." The "Oogum Boogum Song" was used in the soundtrack of one of my favorite movies The Last Days Of Disco.
Yessum, thanks for reminding me and other readers that the phrase "Sock it to me" was also used regularly on The Flip Wilson Show. Mitch Ryder's hit recording was a Jukebox Giant at the Shady Dell, ranked #45 on my list of The Dell's 200 Greatest Hits.
Thanks again for making time for a visit, dear friend Cathy. Have a boogietastic day and I'll connect with you again tamale!
Tom,
DeleteThe only reason I remember "Gimme Little Sign" has to be because of the air time it got. I was really too young at its release. Perhaps a uncle or an aunt had the record. Thanks for dropping by my place over the weekend, my friend. Have a boogietastic week!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteIt's great to see you, dear friend!
I get what you're saying. Seems to me, I have heard "Gimme Little Sign" played more often over the years than some of these other songs, even the ones that peaked higher on the chart. Perhaps, as you suggested, a relative of yours owned a copy and played it when you were very young and didn't know the artist's name.
Thanks again for stopping in and have a wonderful week, dear friend Cathy!
I'm terrible with matching names and titles to songs, so I wasn't sure I'd know any of these other than the Temptations number (and what a fun video that was!!). Turns out I recognized Gimme Little Sign and Only the Strong Survive. I'm afraid for me, the Fabulous Four song just sounds like a generic number from that era.
ReplyDeleteThe Temptations definitely take the cake in this post!
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteWelcome through the clubhouse door as the Early Bird runner-up, dear friend, and thanks so much for coming! I'm happy to have you here for the sixth installment of Hy Lit's radio series Natural Hy.
Yessum, I was thrilled to find that HD-HQ sync edit hybrid of The Temptations singing their 1970 social awareness anthem "Ball Of Confusion" on TV. The picture is so clear and colorful, one would swear their performance was taped only last week instead of 50+ years ago. I'm excited that you also remember two other songs on Hy's playlist, the hit singles by Jerry Butler and Brenton Wood. The Fab Four were big in Philly. I always try to include one or two genuine Philadelphia doo-wop classics in the shows of Philadelphia broadcast legends Hy Lit, Jerry Blavat and Joe Niagara.
I'm glad you got some enjoyment from this edition of Hyski's show. Thanks again for dropping in, dear friend Kelly. Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Oh how I wish I could boogie down but today is not a good day with my joints but I could imagine boogieing down in some go go outfit...why not and there must be fringes. I always liked Confusion by the Temptations especially the deep baritone voice. The psychedelic backdrop just adds to it.
ReplyDeleteYou're The One by Little Sister makes me want to find some whit boots for dancin'..I dig it!
I never heard of the next song or singer but he does have a nice voice and it sounds a bit gospel like.
Yes, that next song just makes me think back to a time I was not even born yet but I just love that slow dance style. Mitch makes me really want to get into some dance cage and dance my petunias off.
I really love Gimme a Little Sign and forgot all about it so it was fun hearing it again after all this time.
I like the last song to sound off this ending to the grooviness. Wishing you a fabulous day
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteThanks for being a "Day One Daisy," dear friend! As third place finisher, you win an all expenses paid (by you) trip around the world with Shady Del Knight! (Terms of Agreement: Winner agrees to pay all transportation, lodging and dining costs on trip, plus help Mr. Knight with alimony payments and gambling debts.)
Yessum, I wish you felt more like boogieing down to Hy Lit's play list. I insist that you post a selfie showing how that fringed go-go outfit looks on you. (No dancing necessary.)
That must be Paul Williams you're referring to, dearie, the baritone singer for The Temptations, not to be confused with Paul Williams, the little singer/songwriter who penned "An Old Fashioned Love Song," or Paul Williams, the love of Cricket's life on Y&R and the soap opera's longest-serving cast member (Doug Davidson).
Hey, I'm thrilled that you also singled out the slab by Little Sister produced by Sly Stone. The record was a biggie in my neck of the woods and on Hy Lit's TV show. Jerry Butler's recordings are indeed gospel-tinged. The original lead singer of Curtis Mayfield's Impressions came straight to secular music from the church choir, as did Mayfield and many other black artists of the 50s and 60s.
As I continue to read your comment, I need to modify my earlier request that you post a picture of yourself wearing a fringed go-go outfit. Please pose inside a cage. :)
I'm delighted that you forgot about "Gimme Little Sign" and enjoyed listening to it today for the first time in a long time. Jr. Walker's cookin' hit single "Hip City" is the ideal showender for Hy Lit's hip SPMM radio show.
Wow, this is a wonderful comment, BB! Thanks again for dropping by and playing with me. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteIt is winter time and I know I have my skates laced up, ready to go. I'm not familiar with many of these songs, but they did cheer me up. It's been an off week, bad headspace, and these songs let me groove and let go a bit. I think I will listen to your playlist as I skate this weekend.
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm pleased to see you on this Thankful Thursday, dear friend! Thanks for joining the fun as Philadelphia radio and TV great Hy Lit presents his 6th radio show on SPMM Retro Radio.
I'm sorry to learn that you needed cheering up this week, dear friend, but glad Hy's play list could help in that regard. Yessum, listen to these oldies from the late 60s and early 70s as you ice skate. Maybe the rink's DJ could be persuaded to play some over the P-A system.
Thanks again for being here for Hy Lit's Natural Hy, dear friend JM. Stay safe, keep warm, have fun on the ice, and have a great weekend!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI'm feeling better and all thanks to you and Hy Lit! I played these while I was ice skating last night and it really did set the mood.
The rink uses a sound system and there's no DJ. However, the indoor rink sometimes has a DJ and maybe once it's safe to return, I can persuade that DJ to play some of these hits. Hey, teenagers today might dig the sound!
I hope you had a great weekend. Have a great Sunday evening.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm happy to know that your spirits are on the upswing, dear friend, and that you took full advantage of Hy Lit's tuneage to turn your frown upside down. Yessum, whenever you encounter a rink with a DJ you can request oldies played on Hy Lit's, Joe Niagara's and Jerry Blavat's SPMM radio shows, because they were all popular in the Delaware Valley. Boomers who go to skate will appreciate hearing them and younger folks might find a new favorite or two.
Thanks for reporting in at the end of your weekend, dear friend JM. I wish you a safe and happy week ahead!
Hi Shady!
DeleteI know when I was much younger, I appreciated the oldies dad used to play. Such fun, especially motown and the sound coming from the Delaware Valley. I'm giving this playlist a listen to at work today.
I'm surprisingly at peace this morning...
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for coming back over, dear friend! Yessum, I know this is "Nan day," and it seems like you've got it together. I'm glad to hear it.
Hy's play list won't let you down. Give it a listen and hopefully you'll pick up an earworm or two.
Have a great day, dear friend JM!
Well HY Shady! I only knew a couple of the tunes. Ball of Confusion sure does sound like our world today as it did in the early 70s. Of course I know Mitch Ryder and that catch phrase of "Sock it to Me". Gimme Little Sign was another I knew but not who sang it. Anyway, it's early here and dark and cold as Mr. Freeze has come with his icy grip on the North East. Annabelle has her coat and booties and is getting used to us and us, her. She has slept through the songs this morning and I'm gearing up for the weekend. I hope all is good with you. I saw that you got a cool breeze from the north this past week but I'm glad you didn't need anything thermal in the clothing line! Have a good weekend Shady!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteHY to you, dear friend. I'm mighty pleased to see you! Thanks for setting your radio dial to SPMM for volume 6 of Hy Lit's Natural Hy. Like Arnie Ginsburg's blogcast last week, Hy's show is a special SOLID COLD edition.
If I'm reading you correctly, you recognized three out of the seven songs on Hy's play list. That's not bad considering that Hy's show, along with Jerry Blavat's and Joe Niagara's, is tailored to the musical tastes of Delaware Valley listeners of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the span during which those three titans of Philadelphia broadcasting reigned. I myself never heard of The Fabulous Four until I did research for these Philly-based shows.
Glad you remember "Ball Of Confuson," a song that's fresh and relevant for today's world, Mitch Ryder's "Sock It To Me" song and Brenton Wood's biggest hit and signature song "Gimme Little Sign."
Yessum, I've been reading about your deep freeze up north. It is milder here this morning than it's been for the last week, but I think another cold wave is set to push through our region. Thanks for the update on your wonderful new pet Annabelle. I'm happy to know she is settling into her new life with you and Jack (and the Yeti) there at The Pines.
Thanks again for swinging over to catch Hy Lit's show. I wish you and your family a safe and happy weekend, dear friend YaYa!
I always liked The Temptations. I've heard that song before but not very often. It sure fits the world we live in right now though.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard Little Sister, Sock It To Me Baby, Brenton Wood, Jr. Walker And The All Stars, and Jerry Butler and The Fabulous Four are also new to me.
Hi, Mary!
DeleteThanks for coming to Hy Lit's platter party, dear friend! I'm happy to see you and happy to see your comment here where it belongs instead of in my spam folder.
Yessum, who would have thought that 1970 hit by The Temps would seem fresh and relevant today - 50+ years later? It's a doggone shame the people of this world can't figure out a way to get along.
Wow, you learned a slew of new tunes today, Mary. I hope you enjoyed the musical history lesson. Hy lit's show will mainly focus on songs from the mid 60s through mid 70s, with a few from earlier years and a few from later years.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Mary. If you're posting a favorite song of the week tamale I shall see you then!
Hey there Hy and Shady! I tuned in yesterday but had to get a move on before I could comment. I'm back this morning and did a double take on these great numbers.
ReplyDeleteI just can't get past how great The Temptations have always been and I don't miss a chance to see a video of them at their best. I had forgotten about "Ball of Confusion" and was glad to hear it again...in fact I watched and listened again today. What a powerful message this song sends us! Did we pay attention to it in 1970? Some of us did, and I think it still applies today.
Great video and song "Only the Strong Survive" with Jerry Butler. He is still one of the coolest soul survivors of all time. This is another great story telling song, and I am glad I got to hear it again.
I don't know "Chapel in the Moonlight", and I was surprised by it. I like the song and the delivery, but I was so surprised to see the photo of this group. I guess I was expecting an older looking bunch. These guys have some great doo wop voices and style, and The Fabulous Four are pretty fab in my book.
It was great seeing Brenton Wood and "Gimme Little Sign" in a video. This is a fun sign and very popular during that time. Jr Walker and the All Stars is a very cool group. I like "Hit City", but I don't remember this one. I like how he kind of sings or speaks lightly in the background in some of his songs. "Shotgun" is one of the best, and the heart wrenching "What Does it Take".
Well, guys I guess it's time for me to reveal my fav! Give me Mitch Ryder anytime. Oh, how I remember "Sock it to Me"-so cool! This group is one of the coolest and most likely to get you up and dancing! The song is so wild, and the lyrics are contagious! I can still sing along with them. Thanks for this one Hy!
Well, guys I better get going. Thanks for this great one. I look forward to another Hyski "go not so lightly" post.
It's 41 degrees right now in the Lone Star state, Shady but we are looking for 60 later today! I'm trying to keep us well with this up and down climate. They closed Scootie's school for a few days last week after MLK day. I think they're having some shortage on staff. The Dallas ISD closed schools all week I believe-don't know if they will resume classes this week. It's kind of scary. Take care dear friend, Shady! See you next time!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you,dear friend! Thanks for joining the fun as Hy Lit hosts another installment of his SPMM radio show Natural Hy.
Yessum, "Ball Of Confusion" still holds up as relevant in today's troubled world, perhaps now even more so than when the song was released back in 1970. I was thrilled to find that pristine video syncing remastered original studio sound to cleaned-up video from a TV appearance. You can tell it is dubbed sound because you see Dennis's mouth moving soon after the song begins and no vocal can be heard. He must have been ad libbing on the TV show.
I also hunted around until I found a video with the best HQ sound to post for Jerry Butler's hit "Only The Strong Survive," another cautionary musical tale that seems fresh in today's society. Yessum, I love Jerry Butler's smooth, rich vocals. He was great way back when he began as lead singer of The Impressions, and I like and collected many of his solo recordings. The veteran soul man made a comeback in the late 60s with singles like this one.
I'm pleased that you appreciate The Fabulous Four. As I told another reader, I try to include in every volume of the shows of my three Philadelphia deejays - Hy Lit, Joe Niagara and Jerry Blavat - one or two old school groups and doo-wop singles that were big in the Delaware Valley. The Fabulous Four are one such vocal group, and their version of "Chapel In The Moonlight" is regarded as a Philly classic.
I hadn't heard Jr. Walker's "Hip City" in decades. When I came upon it in my research, I knew it would make an ideal showender for the hippest of all DJs - Hy Lit.
I'm so glad you singled out the rowdy, rip-roaring song by Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels. "Sock It To Me- Baby!" was a jukebox giant at the Shady Dell, landing in the top 50 on my list of The 200 Greatest Hits of the Dell. Dell vikings went wild when the song started playing. They surely did "sing along with Mitch," and yessum, the barn's dance floor filled quickly when this sizzler started to play. My buddies and I made up dirty lyrics to the song and sang them in unison... and loudly! :)
Today we are experiencing the coldest day of the season. The north wind is gusting and it's only 47 degrees. Feels like minus 100! :) We got you beat, dearie, because today's high in our city is only expected to reach 55 with the overnight low plunging to near freezing.
I hope you and Scootie are well and in good spirits. Stay safe and warm and BOLO for Ernest P. Worrell who'll be along on Wednesday with the latest edition of his show Rock-a-Billygoat. Thank you again for making time for a visit today and for this tremendous comment, dear friend Suzanne!
Hey there my friend. I love the Temptations. "Ball of Confusion" certainly fits right in with what's going on now. I know of Mitch Rider but this song was not a familiar one to me. "Gimme Me Little Sign" had me tapping my feet as I was typing this. I hope you don't think I'm ignoring you by showing up a few days late. I have bookmarked your site so it is easier for me to get to now that I'm not getting notices anymore. I've been working hard at my typing and in the studio to try and make up for last week when I had some trouble concentrating. I'm hoping to get back to more regular blogging now too. I hope your week goes well!
ReplyDeleteJanet’s Smiles
Hi, Janet!
DeleteHow are you holding up, dear friend? I thank you very much for coming and certainly didn't think you were ignoring me. I've been thinking about you and your family in the wake of your recent loss.
Yessum, this song by The Temps seems to be one that all of the readers remember, and it's still relevant today. In the 50+ years since the song rode the charts, not enough change has taken place, and it's hard to get some of the changes that did come about to stick in today's hostile culture war.
That Mitch Ryder single was a biggie at the Dell, a favorite of the rowdy rats who loved to dance to it energetically and make up their own naughty words as my buddies and I did. I'm happy that "Gimme Little Sign" got your toes tapping on this Sunday.
Yessum, you had some down time over the last week or so, and I understand that you are trying to catch up on work that needed to be set aside while you dealt with your mother's illness and death.
Thank you very much for the delightful comment and well wishes, dear friend Janet. I wish the same for you. Take good care of my buddy Benny and have a safe and healthy week, if not a particularly happy one. Bless you!
Well, I knew "Ball of Confusion", mainly because I have a Temptations compilation CD. Love that one dude's bullfrog bass voice. The group's bright multihued attire makes an interesting contrast with the dark lyrics of the song.
ReplyDeleteFamiliar with "Only the Strong Survive" and "Sock It to Me--Baby!" though I can't listen to the latter without visualizing Judy Carne getting doused with water. Of course, that wouldn't have been the case had I heard the song when it was first released in 1967, since I believe Laugh-In made its debut in '68.
Funny how you can know the song but not the artist. I recognized "Gimme Little Sign" immediately but am hearing the name of Brenton Woods for the very first time. (Though I have heard of BRETTON Woods, which has something to do with international rates of exchange. And of course, Alfred Smith reminds one of Al Smith, who ran against Herbert Hoover for President and lost. Instead of Top of the Pops, maybe this fellow should have been on Meet the Press.)
As for the others, hearing 'em for the fist time, but like 'em. Very soulful post today.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for setting your radio dial to SPMM and catching Hy Lit's latest show, good buddy!
Seems you found a lot to like in this solid COLD edition. That bass man you like is Melvin Franklin. Melvin was one of my favorites of The Temptations. It was sad for me to read just now that he suffered a string of serious illnesses throughout his short life, By the time that "Ball of Confusion" performance was taped, Melvin had been diagnosed with R-A and was taking cortisone to be able to keep working with the group. In the late 1970s, he was shot trying to stop a man from stealing his car. In the early 80s, he developed diabetes and later the flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis. In February, 1995, Melvin suffered seizures and lapsed in to a coma. He died on February 23, exactly one week after my mother died. Melvin was only 52. My mom was only 76.
I'm glad you remember the Jerry Butler hit of the late 60s, a biggie at the time Mrs. Shady #1 and I were dating. I too always think of R&M's Laugh-in whenever I hear the phrase "Sock it to me." Even Richard Nixon got into the act and uttered the funny words on the show, but white R&B wild man Mitch Ryder used the phrase in the 1966 single "Devil With a Blue Dress On" and in this hit 1967 single played on Hy's show.
You aren't the only friend to be familiar with the song "Gimme Little Sign" but didn't know the artist's name until now. I need to offer a minor correction. It is Brenton Wood (w/o an "s" on the end). To help remember the name, just think of The Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" and Beavis & Butt-Head's morning wood. :)
I'm sure you can hear the Sly Stone touches in that record he produced for his Family Stone backing singers Little Sister. The record was x-tra popular in my neck of the woods.
I'm pleased that Mr. Hip, Hyski, Hy Lit, entertained you in this volume. He'll be back soon with another set of slick and soulful songs in volume 7. Thanks again for swinging by, good buddy Kirk, and have a great week!