It's time to do some Cruisin'!
Cruisin' is the vinyl album series first released in 1970 through 1973.
Cruisin' did a great job of simulating top 40 radio broadcasts of the
1950s and 60s, each volume hosted by one of the great radio
personalities of the period. Like other posts in the series,
this one contains songs found on the original Cruisin'
album along with a few other cool sounds from the
same year. It's 1959. Hop in and we'll cruise out
to the West Coast, hit the Sunset Strip and go
Huntin' with Hunter!
1950s and 60s, each volume hosted by one of the great radio
personalities of the period. Like other posts in the series,
this one contains songs found on the original Cruisin'
album along with a few other cool sounds from the
same year. It's 1959. Hop in and we'll cruise out
to the West Coast, hit the Sunset Strip and go
Huntin' with Hunter!
HUNTER HANCOCK
KGFJ, Los Angeles
RAY CHARLES
In 1966, the Strangeloves sang "Night Time (that's the right time)."
In writing their hit, the Strangeloves trio of Feldman, Goldstein
and Gottehrer borrowed lyrics from another song entitled
"The Right Time," first recorded in the fall of 1957
In writing their hit, the Strangeloves trio of Feldman, Goldstein
and Gottehrer borrowed lyrics from another song entitled
"The Right Time," first recorded in the fall of 1957
by R&B singer Nappy Brown.
A year later "The Genius," Ray Charles,
covered the song backed by his famous
girl group The Raelettes, and released it
with the title "(Night Time Is) The Right
Time." Brother Ray's single barely
registered on the pop chart but
went top 5 on the R&B side.
covered the song backed by his famous
girl group The Raelettes, and released it
with the title "(Night Time Is) The Right
Time." Brother Ray's single barely
registered on the pop chart but
went top 5 on the R&B side.
"(Night Time Is) The Right Time" - Ray Charles
(Feb. 1959, highest chart pos. #95 Pop/#5 R&B)
PAUL ANKA
Hunter Hancock's radio show focused on "Negro music," as he
called it, but I'm adding a couple scoops of vanilla to the mix,
songs by white artists that were popular in 1959.
called it, but I'm adding a couple scoops of vanilla to the mix,
songs by white artists that were popular in 1959.
A few months from now Paul Anka,
the teen heartthrob of the Fifties, will
turn age 79. Best known for his string
of pop ballads aimed at teenagers, Anka
was also a prolific songwriter, responsible
for writing the theme of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson along with one of
Frank Sinatra's signature songs "My Way."
the teen heartthrob of the Fifties, will
turn age 79. Best known for his string
of pop ballads aimed at teenagers, Anka
was also a prolific songwriter, responsible
for writing the theme of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson along with one of
Frank Sinatra's signature songs "My Way."
Paul Anka also has a list of acting credits.
Here he is in the role of Jimmy Parlow in
the 1959 movie Girls Town singing his
top 5 charting hit "It's Time To Cry."
Here he is in the role of Jimmy Parlow in
the 1959 movie Girls Town singing his
top 5 charting hit "It's Time To Cry."
"It's Time To Cry" - Paul Anka
(Dec. 1959, highest chart pos. #4
scene from Oct. 1959 movie Girls Town)
BIG JAY MCNEELY &
LITTLE SONNY WARNER
In 1964 soul man Garnet Mimms recorded an excellent rendition of the song
"There is Something on Your Mind." In the fall of 2008, York's hometown heroes,
The Del-Chords, performed the song live at the White Oaks Reunion.
"There is Something on Your Mind." In the fall of 2008, York's hometown heroes,
The Del-Chords, performed the song live at the White Oaks Reunion.
The definitive version of "There is
Something on Your Mind" is the one
Hunter Hancock introduced in this
1959 edition of Cruisin' . Tenor sax
showstopper Big Jay McNeely and
his band teamed up with satin smooth
vocalist Little Sonny Warner to record
this bluesy ballad, one of the best
sounds on the radio in 1959.
Something on Your Mind" is the one
Hunter Hancock introduced in this
1959 edition of Cruisin' . Tenor sax
showstopper Big Jay McNeely and
his band teamed up with satin smooth
vocalist Little Sonny Warner to record
this bluesy ballad, one of the best
sounds on the radio in 1959.
"There is Something on Your Mind"
Big Jay McNeeley with vocal by Little Sonny Warner
(July 1959, highest chart pos. #44 Pop/#5 R&B)
DINAH WASHINGTON
Pianist and jazz singer Dinah Washington called herself Queen of the Blues
and was arguably the most popular black female recording artist of the 50s.
and was arguably the most popular black female recording artist of the 50s.
Dinah's first top ten pop chart hit came
in the summer of 1959 when she released
"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a cover
of a top 5 pop hit achieved in 1934 by
the Dorsey Brothers. Sadly Dinah died
of a drug overdose at the age of 39
three weeks after the assassination
of President John F. Kennedy.
in the summer of 1959 when she released
"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a cover
of a top 5 pop hit achieved in 1934 by
the Dorsey Brothers. Sadly Dinah died
of a drug overdose at the age of 39
three weeks after the assassination
of President John F. Kennedy.
What a difference a dark
day in history makes.
day in history makes.
"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" - Dinah Washington
(Aug. 1959, highest chart pos. #8 Pop/#4 R&B)
(Aug. 1959, highest chart pos. #8 Pop/#4 R&B)
BROOK BENTON
When Dinah Washington recorded the top 5 hit "Baby (You've Got
What It Takes)" as a duet with Brook Benton, there came a point
in the song when Benton accidentally began singing Dinah's part.
Dinah corrected him and reportedly stormed out of the studio
at the end of the session, leaving producers no choice but to
release the recording in its imperfectly perfect form.
What It Takes)" as a duet with Brook Benton, there came a point
in the song when Benton accidentally began singing Dinah's part.
Dinah corrected him and reportedly stormed out of the studio
at the end of the session, leaving producers no choice but to
release the recording in its imperfectly perfect form.
A younger generation might remember
Brook Benton for his 1970 hit single
"Rainy Night in Georgia" but, in '59,
Brook Benton for his 1970 hit single
"Rainy Night in Georgia" but, in '59,
Brook had a huge Pop/R&B hit with
a ballad he co-wrote with Clyde Otis
entitled "It's Just a Matter of Time."
a ballad he co-wrote with Clyde Otis
entitled "It's Just a Matter of Time."
"It's Just a Matter of Time" - Brook Benton
(Apr. 1959, highest chart pos. #3 Pop/#1 R&B)
(Apr. 1959, highest chart pos. #3 Pop/#1 R&B)
EDD BYRNES
AND CONNIE STEVENS
He played "Kookie" Kookson the 3rd,
the street wise, hair combing, jive-
talking hipster on the hit television
detective series 77 Sunset Strip.
the street wise, hair combing, jive-
talking hipster on the hit television
detective series 77 Sunset Strip.
She was Cricket Blake, the perky photog, lounge singer, and part time sleuth
on the hit TV detective series Hawaiian Eye. Cricket Blake was most likely the
inspiration for Cricket Blair, the blonde tressed model turned lawyer on Y&R.
on the hit TV detective series Hawaiian Eye. Cricket Blake was most likely the
inspiration for Cricket Blair, the blonde tressed model turned lawyer on Y&R.
Together, Kookie and Cricket made sweet music, if you want to call it that.
"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)," a novelty single performed by
Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens, was released at a time when the buzz-
worthy young stars were seeing a meteoric rise in the value of their stock.
Byrnes was already riding high as the breakout scene stealer on 77 Sunset
Strip and Connie was in production on Hawaiian Eye, a series that would
send her popularity skyrocketing in the months and years that followed.
"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)," a novelty single performed by
Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens, was released at a time when the buzz-
worthy young stars were seeing a meteoric rise in the value of their stock.
Byrnes was already riding high as the breakout scene stealer on 77 Sunset
Strip and Connie was in production on Hawaiian Eye, a series that would
send her popularity skyrocketing in the months and years that followed.
Connie Stevens and Edd "Kookie" Byrnes were hip and trendy and so was
their record. Radio stations played it and fans bought it. While serious
artists bristled, "Lend Me Your Comb" brushed past other records
on the chart and reached the top 5 by a hair. Like, lay it on me!
"Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)"
Edward Byrnes and Connie Stevens
(June 1959, highest chart pos. #4)
Rad, dad! Now let's kick our jets
and like blow this scene, baby!
Don't miss the next thrill packed
episode of Cruisin' coming soon!
Have a Shady day!
Hi, friend Shady. 0455 hrs here. Just getting up. Coffee water going. 3 minute shower and hair. Feed Thunderbutt and clean Thunderbutt's box. Kissing Thunderbutt's nose and out I go. Stay indoors and stay healthy, k? friend Shady. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteThanks for reporting in and claiming the early bird spot, dear friend! I was up at 0400 hours myself and have already consumed a gallon of black coffee. I know your kitty will miss you. I'll be thinking about you as you valiantly perform your duties at the hospital. Now more than ever, the world needs people like you. Stay safe and well and have a good day, dear friend cat!
Kookie and Cricket - you couldn't make up names like those.
ReplyDeleteRay Charles and Paul Anka had long careers, didn't they?
Hi, Alex!
DeleteWelcome back, good buddy!
I remember "kookie" also spelled "kooky" as a teenage and beatnik slang word that emerged in the late 50s. It seems natural that Gerald Lloyd Kookson III, Edd Byrnes' hipster character on 77 Sunset Strip, was nicknamed "Kookie." Connie Stevens' Cricket was no doubt the inspiration for pretty blonde Lauralee Bell's character Cricket Blair on the daytime drama The Young and the Restless.
If Ray Charles were still alive he would turn 90 this year. I believe he'd still be performing. Paul Anka did some acting as recently as nine years ago and released his latest album seven years ago.
Thanks again for dropping by, good buddy Alex!
Interesting that you had Brook Benton and Dinah Washington as part of today's offerings. I just had something from each of them pop up on my old iPod this week: Rainy Night in Georgia (of course) and Say It Isn't So.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for swinging over so quickly, dear friend. I'm happy to see you!
I'm glad you enjoyed going huntin' with Hunter (Hancock) aka "Old HH," as he searches high and low for the best in "negro" rhythm and blues records to play on his Los Angeles based radio show in 1959.
Thanks for letting me know you have recently heard both Brook and Dinah. If you never heard their "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" single, it's a hoot. A blunder was left on the recording and released to the public that way because Dinah was so furious with Brook that she refused to do it over and stormed out of the studio. Regardless, their duet became a hit!
Please take good care of yourself and say hello to my buddy Pat. Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Kelly!
Hello, dear friend Tom!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and the Mrs is doing alright in these uncertain times.
Cruisin' 1959 is the year DH was born. Paul Anka reminds me of a young Dustin Hoffman in the Graduate. Do you see the resemblance?
Brook Benton's voice sounded familiar but not from the song you featured and after browsing some of his song titles I figured it has to from his 1970 cover of Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night In Georgia". He has a distinctive style.
I always thought Connie Stevens was the cutest thing. In August, she'll be 82 and still she's a pretty lady for her age. Her face seems to beam. I didn't know she was once married to Eddie Fisher but I bet you did.
Nearly all of your song selections were introductions except for the Ray Charles feature, "(Night Time Is) The Right Time". Let me ask you, why is with some song title part of the title is in parenthesis? I've wondered about this and so I figured if anyone knew that answer it would be you.
Well, do take care and if you would please say a prayer for our youngest daughter who lives in Maine. She's sick and worried that she might have the virus. I'm trusting God to make her well. Have a good weekend and thanks for visiting my place earlier this morning. Blessings to you and yours!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for popping over to go huntin' with Hunter, dear friend! Thanks also for sharing the trivia that DH was born in '59. OMG, you are right about the resemblance of Paul Anka to Dustin Hoffman as he sings "It's Time To Cry." He looks like Dustin as he appeared in The Graduate. Good eye!
Brook Benton had a long string of hits beginning with the song featured in this post in 1959 and continuing through the early 70s. "The Boll Weevil Song" was actually Brook's biggest crossover pop hit, charting at #2 for three weeks in 1961. "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Hotel Happiness" each peaked at #3 on the pop chart and "Rainy Night In Georgia" finished at #4. His goofed up duet with Dinah reached #5 pop and #1 R&B.
I remember around 20 years ago seeing Connie Stevens appearing down here in Clearwater, Florida, on the Home Shopping Network selling her line of cosmetic skin care products called Forever Spring. Yessum, time marches on and "Cricket" is well into her senior years now. Remember her mid 60s TV sitcom with George Burns called Wendy And Me? I used to watch it. I had forgotten she was hitched to Eddie Fisher. I also didn't know until recently that she is the mother (and Eddie was the father) of Joely Fisher, a comedic actress I enjoyed in the sitcoms Ellen and 'Til Death.
You ask a good question about song titles with portions put in parenthesis. In the case of "(Night Time Is) The Right Time," it seems like it would have made more sense and simplified matters to leave the parenthesis off of the title. Maybe Savoy Records, Nappy Brown's label, had something to do with the decision to have the title appear that way on Ray Charles' single to eliminate doubt that Ray was singing Nappy's original song. In my experience most of the time (not ALL of the time), the longer the song title, the less successful the record tends to be. Rays' version went top 5 R&B but only reached #95 on the pop side.
Oh no! I hope and pray your DD#2 isn't coming down with the dreaded virus. It might simply be the regular flu for all we know, yet that would be bad enough. I will add your daughter to my prayers, Cathy.
Blessings as well to you and your family, and thank you again for visiting, dear friend!
Tom,
DeleteI'm sorry for not getting back over here. As I explained it's been a bit hairy trying to get DH settled into the work at home thing. Thank you for the prayers for DD#2. She seems okay as she reported recent outdoor activity with her boyfriend. Thanks for explaining about the parenthesis in the song title. I do recall someone, maybe it was you, who mentioned long song titles generally do not do well. I can see that. Well, my friend. I'm trying to catch up this afternoon, so let me scoot for now. Have a good evening and be well!
Thanks, Cathy! I just now found this comment. I'm happy to know that your younger daughter has bounced back and doesn't have corona. Stay well!
DeleteRay Charles and Dinah Washington were fabulous and their music lives on today. I think that Paul Anka was a teenager when he first made it big. His talent and being on Bandstand gave him a long career.
ReplyDeleteHi, Arleen!
DeleteHow are you holding up, dear friend? Thank you very much for making time to visit and go huntin' with Hunter Hancock!
I'm delighted that you singled out Ray Charles and Dinah Washington as two artists you admired. Theirs were two of the most distinctive voices in the history of popular music. You're right about Paul Anka. He had just turned age 15 when he released his first single "I Confess" on the RPM label. That record missed the chart completely, but his second release, "Diana," went all the way to #1 in the U.S. and Canada.
Thanks again for stopping by, dear friend Arleen. I hope you remain safe and well up there in Pennsylvania. I'll be thinking about you, dear friend!
Great selection of songs today, my friend. I can't get over how young Paul Anka looks and that makes me feel very old. I remember watching both 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye. They don't make TV like that anymore, maybe that's why I don't watch much. Hope you and yours are all okay. We continue to be as careful as we can.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming!
I'm glad you enjoyed Cruisin' back in time 61 years and down the coast to Los Angeles to sample the sounds of 1959, including the type of R&B records spun by Hunter Hancock, one of the West Coast's most popular deejays. Based on the picture used in that aircheck video, Hunter looked like Drew Carey, don't you agree?
Yessum, Anka looked boyish in that movie. Hard to believe he's pushing 80 now. I'm happy to know you watched 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye. I watched both series, too!
Thanks for the well wishes. We are AOK so far and keeping our fingers crossed. I wish the same for you guys out there in the Bay area.
Thanks again for dropping by and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Janet!
OK, that Cookie comb song is Kooky! Ray Charles is always great and Dinah Washington is also wonderful but she seemed a bit diva like with the anecdote you shared. What a shame she died so young. I actually saw Girls Town which is a hoot! Gotta love Mamie Van Doren in her sex tart best sitting with the nuns. Mel Torme was in this film as well playing a gang member...hahaaaa. Have you ever heard the song Girls Town? The blood curdling scream half way through the song made me jump and then I laughed. Great choices. Stay Safe
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteThanks a lot for coming down, dear friend!
I have always been a sucker for novelty songs. Maybe that's why the Edd Byrnes - Connie Stevens duet "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" has stuck in my mind all these years. I was nine years old when the record ran the chart, and it was played heavily on my local radio station.
I don't know what to think about that incident in the recording studio when Dinah bolted on Brook after he jumped the gun and began singing her part of the song. Maybe they were recording industry rivals. Perhaps she was always well prepared and demanded the same level of professionalism from the people around her. As you know, huge talents are often accompanied by huge egos.
It's cool that you have seen Girls Town. I'll have to add it to my list. Just now I went to YT and listened to the theme sung by Paul Anka and Mamie Van Doren. That scream near the end is disconcerting, but I like it like that. I noticed that "Betty Anderson" (Elinor Donahue) is also in the movie along with Gloria Talbott, another actress I saw frequently in horror movies of the 50s including The Cyclops, Daughter of Dr. Jekyll, I Married a Monster from Outer Space and The Leech Woman.
I'm thrilled that you got so much enjoyment from this volume of Cruisin'. Thank you again for joining the fun, dear friend BB, and stay safe and well up there!
Hope you're staying safe, my friend! We've had school canceled until next year, lots of changes regarding distribution for the magazine, and just general stir craziness. I can definitely say I'm happy not to be working in need at the moment, although I am frequently checking on my friends.
ReplyDeleteHi, Ashton!
DeleteIt's good to hear from you, dear friend!
Thanks for the well wishes as our country navigates the uncharted waters of handling a viral outbreak of this magnitude. I can imagine how chaotic these weeks have been in the newsroom of the TV station where you worked as producer all those years. I hope you, your husband and Alexis stay healthy and secure until the crisis has eased and life can return to normal or something closer to it.
Hang in there, dear friend Ashton. I'm thinking about you. Thanks again for dropping in and letting an old blog buddy know that you care.
Very bluesy entry today. Hearing these songs for the very first time (including, oddly, since I own a compilation album of his, Ray Charles.) Had you not told me 1959, I would have thought these songs were from the 1940s or earlier. It's not a sound I associate with the late '50s.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Dinah Washington but this may be the first time I've ever heard her. On this song anyway, I thought she sounded a bit like Eartha Kit.
Still going to my job every day as I work in an "essential" industry--a catalog company. Think of me if your wife orders a pair of shoes or a lounge wear.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming by, good buddy! I'm excited to know that your ears were hearing these old gold platters from 1959 for the very first time. In my vinyl collecting years I obtained several early Ray Charles recordings. They included his debut single:
A: "I Love You, I Love You (I Will Never Let You Go)"
B: "Confession Blues"
...a R&B/jazz recording made as leader of The Maxin Trio (aka Maxim Trio aka McSon Trio) and released on a 78 rpm disc in February 1949. I also remember owning "Sitting on Top of the World (Now She's Gone)" b/w "I've Had My Fun (Going Down Slow)" released in 1949, and "Worried Life Blues" (1950) - the latter two singles credited to "The Ray Charles Trio." I prefer Ray's early material on the Down Beat and Swing Time labels plus his early Atlantic recordings up to and including the song featured here: "The Right Time." I am not as fond of his big hits on Atlantic and ABC-Paramount beginning with "What'd I Say."
I applaud you for going to your job every day in the face of all this uncertainty. I am sure you are taking every precaution. I am rooting for you to stay healthy, my friend.
Thanks again for listening to these bluesy "quarantunes," good buddy Kirk. Oh! I see that you honored our contract and left a second comment. Thanks!
That's Eartha Kitt. Two Ts.
ReplyDeleteGot it, Kirk. Thanks for helping to boost my comment total again this week. Stay safe and sound. I hope to see you again soon!
DeleteHi Shady! I still love the old Corvettes, MGs, Triumphs and Austin Healeys! Anytime one of those cars comes near us, I tell Shawn they are the original and exciting 'sports cars' of my time! I got to ride in a few of them in the early 60's, what a treat!
ReplyDeleteThe Cruisin CDs are really fun, aren't they! I have a few of them, and I like hearing the DJ's voices from the day. They were so fun and full of personality! We still have some great DJs today, and I like listening to them.
Ray Charles' "Night Time Is" one of the coolest songs ever. This song will bring out the true soul in you, if you've got it! I remember the Cosby's doing this on their show some years ago...it was real cute!
And, Paul Anka just melts you with his sweet voice. "It's Time to Cry" is a real tear jerker, but still a beaut! The girls just go crazy over him.
"Kookie, Kookie, Lend me Your Comb"! What a silly song, but Edd Byrnes is so handsome, who cares? It's a fun song, and Connie Stevens was just the lady to duo it with him. These two took it over the top with this one!
Thank you for sending Dinah Washington our way. I have the music to "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" -love the song. I never knew of her passing so young back then. A sad loss. Brook Benton is a voice to remember also. I always liked both "It's Just a Matter of Time", and "A Rainy Day in Georgia".
Great post, Shady! Sorry I'm so late, been busy homeschooling Shawn, and I am pretty tired and sometimes overwhelmed. Hope you and Mrs. Shady are doing well during this strange time. Take care, dear friend! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteWelcome back in to Shady's Place and a flashback to the year 1959 with Hunter Hancock - "Old HH" - on the radio in Los Angeles (before it became Bossangeles).
Thanks for commenting about the Corvette pic at the top of the post. You must have had fun in your teens riding in those classic sports cars of the early 60s. I always dreamed of owning a muscle car, but never did. My brother was the proud owner of an Olds 442. He took me for a few thrill rides in it. My best friend had an Austin Healey Sprite until it was demolished in a terrible accident in which he was nearly killed. Another friend owned an MG Midget and another guy I knew drove a Triumph TR3. Meanwhile I drove my dad's lowly VW Beetle. :)
I wish you could have collected the original volumes of Cruisin' on vinyl albums. They boasted great song lineups and seamless transitions from songs to DJ chat to commercials and back to the music. The reissued CD volumes released years later are roughly edited in spots. Worst of all some of the songs are different.
I'm glad you enjoyed the raw soul of Brother Ray on "The Right Time." It's one of my favorites by the R&B/blues/jazz legend. I don't remember the Cosby clan performing the song, but I wasn't a regular viewer of the series. Paul Anka pushing 80 - can you believe it?
Thanks for getting the spelling of Edd Byrnes correct in your comment. Do you remember Connie Stevens selling her beauty products on Home Shopping Network years ago? It was around the same time Victoria Principal was doing the same, peddling her Principal Secret skincare line. Maybe both women are still doing drop-ins on those shopping networks.
I'm happy to know you like "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes." Again you got the spelling correct. I have seen the title in various forms including "What A Difference A Day Made." It's a beautiful love song. If you ever get a chance, listen to the Garnet Mimms version of "Just A Matter Of Time." It's a great rendition.
I know you are up to your ears in alligators homeschooling Scootie. This is a tense time for all of us, not knowing what's coming next. Hang in there and stay healthy, dear friend Suzanne, and thanks again for joining the fun. Stay tuned for my annual April Fools' Day post coming up on Wednesday!
Hi Shady! I'm a bit late but I've been a bit busy too so I hope you'll forgive me. I don't remember all the artists here but I do remember Ray Charles of course and Paul Anka. I guess "Girls Town" was the answer to the old movie..."Boys Town". The singing was great and I loved the hottie blond in the back row! Too funny! Although I was only around 6 when "77 Sunset Strip" was on I remember the show and also that song with Ed Byrnes and Connie Stevens. Her voice was pretty different as I remember. Back in the day most folks only had 1 TV and only a few stations so I bet those shows were watched by my folks and brothers and I just remember it. I hope all's well down south. Looks like you have warm/hot weather. We've been fairly mild up here but lots of rain. Take care and stay healthy and safe! I know your wife is a healthcare worker too so give her an extra hug and a high five for being one of the heroes in this crazy time!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI slept on your comment, dear friend. Hope I didn't get it wrinkled. :) Thank you very much for making time for a visit in the midst of your hectic and ever-changing schedule at the hospital.
I was happy to have you along in my jalopy as we went Cruisin' out to LA and back in time to 1959 for a sampling of blues and jazz records by black artists played by DJ Hunter Hancock. I don't know for sure if Girls Town was an answer to Boys Town, but I found some interesting tidbits about the film. In addition to the song featured here, teen pop crooner Paul Anka sings "Lonely Boy", "Girls Town Blues" and "Ave Maria." The vocal group The Platters also appear in the movie in a scene set in a nightclub and sing "Wish It Were Me." Elinor Donahue - "Betty Anderson" from Father Knows Best - is also in the flick. When the film was released in Italy, censors demanded the removal of a scene in which busty Mamie Van Doren sings in the shower, ruling it was indecent.
I'm glad you have some memories of 77 Sunset Strip. I watched the series regularly. If your brothers hogged the TV set, you were exposed to shows they preferred and might have missed some you wanted to watch.
Yessum, the heat is on here in Florida and the refreshing coolness you enjoy is probably gone until November when cold fronts are once again able to push through. Thanks for saluting Mrs. Shady and her healthcare industry colleagues. I salute you and your cohorts for the valiant job you are doing up there - heroes one and all.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend YaYa, and have a safe and healthy week!
What a great way to start a Monday morning! So sorry I'm late to the party, dear friend!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing how the music changed and yet remained similar as the decades changed. Paul Anja is radical different and the same to Big Jay. I noticed some similarities to jive in Big Jay. I like his sound. Anka reminds me of doo-wop ice cream shop. I'll have to make a root beer float later. :)
Dinah and Ray. Ah, melodies to my soul. I love their sounds the most out of the groupings. It reminds me of when I visited Memphis and listened to the blues all night. 🙃😄 I would like to go back and visit.
Have a great day, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for swinging over, dear friend! I am relieved to see you because I was starting to worry that you had come down with the virus.
Ray Charles and Dinah Washington seem to be getting the lion's share of thumbs up from people who comment. Can't go wrong with those two great artists. I highly recommend Ray's early to mid 50s material. At the very start of his career in the late 40s, Ray was trying to imitate pop crooners like Nat King Cole. However by the mid 50s Ray was cookin' with a raw R&B sound that I love. By the late 50s and throughout the 60s, he mellowed out too much and I stopped buying his records.
I'll bet you had a great time hanging out in blues clubs in Memphis.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI've just been depressed. Mary's death has hit me hard, especially now that I'm reading notes from Happiness Box 2019. Mom is better now, but Thursday and Friday were rough. Quarantine is getting to me too.
Yeah, I'm used to Ray's more mellow works and I'm not a fan. I love what you posted and I might have to check out this period some more.
Ironically, dad was just talking about these albums tonight. He likes watching infomercials and he hopes some day they have hard rock collections with Fleetwood Mac.
Have a great evening, dear friend.
It's a depressing time for many of us, dear friend. Hang in there and let the music take your mind off the pandemic threat.
DeleteOh yeah! I've been listening to a lot of classical and Yungblud. I have such a huge crush on him. I might have to do some musical posts this weekend. Music to get our minds off of current events!
DeleteHave a great evening, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteMusic is a tonic with a variety of benefits. I think listening to our favorite songs gets our juices flowing and helps boost our immune systems.
Stay safe and I'll see you tomorrow when I unveil this year's April Fools' Day post!