Hiya, I'm Brian Griffin!
As you recall, I'm a professional martooni taste tester.
(Lishen, I'm not as drunk as some thinkle peep I am.)
I am also the personable pooch from Family Guy
and a member of the DJ team on S-P-M-M
Retrosonic Radio here at Shady's Place.
Sorry about the typo in the title
of the post. It should read 174
14 YEARS.
That's right! This week,
Shady is observing his
14th blogiversary!
That figure includes 10 years as emcee of the old blog,
Shady Dell Music & Memories, and 4 years as the so-
called brains behind Shady's Place Music & Memories.
I shay this calls for a shalivation... and the gang's all here.
Well, some of them are here, because we only have time
for the traditional seven song salute. Without further
delay, let's start from scratch and get to the music
because I'm itchin' to dance with your leg.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
If you're a fan of my show Eclectic Avenue, then you know I love variety
(and Jerky Treats). The original by Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
is still the greatest, but wait till you hear what I found, a cool rerecorded
version of Smokey's "More Love" released in the summer of 2015!
"More Love" (rerecorded) - The Miracles
(July/Aug. 2015, from albums Disco Hits, Disco Gold,
Disco Dance, Disco Heaven & Class A Soul Songs)
"The Woo Woo" is here for you you!
Hi everyone, this is Old Leather
Lungs... Old Aching Adenoids...
Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg
from WMEX Boston, simulcasting
my famous Night Train Show
on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio.
Congrats to Shady Del Knight
on his fourteen years as a
member (in shady standing)
of the blogging community!
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
To help Shady celebrate, here's
a song from my Wimex Tunedex.
It's the Brill Building Sound of Gene Pitney making a run
at the top 10 in the fall of 1964 with a song originally
intended for Neil Sedaka- "It Hurts To Be In Love!"
"It Hurts To Be In Love" - Gene Pitney
(Sept./Oct. 1964, highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
A Doctor Donald D. Rosey good morning to you,
and happy 14 to Shady Del Knight! The Doctor's
in the house! I'm Dr. Don Rose, top 40 DJ at
"Quixie in Dixie," on loan to S-P-M-M here at
Shady's Place. I dropped by on this special day
to spin the kind of record you're likely to hear
on my Rose-Colored Glasses show, sounds
of the 60s that are good for what ails ya. In
1966, The Left Banke found fame thanks to
their top 5 hit "Walk Away Renee." In 1968
Motown's Four Tops covered the song and
scored a hit of their own, a record that
finished in the top 10 on Cash Box.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Here they are, the mighty men of Motown, the Four Tops, with
one of the best covers of any song by anyone-- "Walk Away Renee!"
"Walk Away Renee" - Four Tops
(Feb./Mar. 1968, highest chart pos. #8 Cash Box,
#14 Hot 100/#15 R&B)
HOWDY!
Hepcat Black's my name.
Hep music's my game.
I'm a cool cool kitty, but let's get one thing straight
between us, Gus. I ain't from New York City!
On my S-P-M-M radio show Pink Cadillac
I play old school rock 'n' roll, R&R revival,
rockabilly, psychobilly, country, outlaw -
it's all good, understood
between us, Gus. I ain't from New York City!
On my S-P-M-M radio show Pink Cadillac
I play old school rock 'n' roll, R&R revival,
rockabilly, psychobilly, country, outlaw -
it's all good, understood
First off, happy 14 year blogiversary, Shady D! Now let's rock this
here roadhouse with a good old Texas boy named Moon Mullican,
a fella who earned the nickname King of the Hillbilly Piano Players.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Here's Moon backed by Boyd Bennett And His Rockets with the original
recording of the classic rockabilly song "Seven Nights To Rock!"
"Seven Nights To Rock" - Moon Mullican
(Feb. 1956)
Hyski here - Hy Lit - The South Philadelphia Kid,
The Potentate of the Keystone State - veteran DJ
on Wibbage, WIBG, and the host of Natural Hy
on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. Before I spin a
boss golden, I wanna give a shout out and props
aplenty to my good friend Shady Del Knight on
his 14 years of blogging. Way to go, man!
On Natural Hy, I play groovy greats of the 60s
and 70s with some 50s doo-wop occasionally
added to the mix. The epicenter of my show
is Philadelphia from the mid 60s through the
mid 70s, the sweet soul, psychedelic soul and
blue-eyed soul sounds that the kids danced to
in the studio on The Hy Lit Television Show.
START VIDEO NOW!
Here's a great example - Philly's very own Intruders with a
sound of the season-- "Love Is (just) Like a Baseball Game!"
"(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game" - The Intruders
(Aug. 1968, highest chart pos. #4 R&B,
#26 Hot 100/#41 Cash Box)
Hey, Vern! How's life been treatin' ya?
This here's yer old buddy, yer old pal
Ernest P. Worrell.
Ain't none of my beeswax, Vern, but looks like you got
somethin' caught in yer teeth there. Looks like Popeye
ain't the only one who's been eatin' his spinach!
somethin' caught in yer teeth there. Looks like Popeye
ain't the only one who's been eatin' his spinach!
Hey, Vern, guess what. Today Shady
Del Knight is celebrating the big 1-4.
No, he's not 14 years old, even tho
Del Knight is celebrating the big 1-4.
No, he's not 14 years old, even tho
it sure seems like it sometimes.
I mean that he's been sharin' his
music and memories with us for
I mean that he's been sharin' his
music and memories with us for
14 years on two different blogs.
He deserves a great big attaboy.
Just a reminder, Vern. On my S-P-M-M show Rock-A-Billygoat, I spin
the best of rockabilly, early rock & roll, rock & roll revival, traditional
country & western and country-pop crossover. Now hold onto
yer hat, Vern, 'cause I got a dilly for you right cheer.
This boy and his band played everything from
rock & roll to R&B, folk, country, pop
and even psychedelic rock.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
In the late winter of 1969, the group scored a hit with this country
pop song. Here are Kenny Rogers And The First Edition
performing-- "But You Know I Love You!"
"But You Know I Love You" - Kenny Rogers And
The First Edition (Feb./Mar. 1969, highest chart pos.
#15 Cash Box, #18 U.S. Easy Listening/#19 Hot 100,
#9 Canada Easy Listening/#11 Canada, performance on
Dec. 8, 1968, ep. of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour)
Flashing back to late '68 and early '69, that was the late great Kenny Rogers
and his group The First Edition appearing on The Smothers Brothers
and his group The First Edition appearing on The Smothers Brothers
Comedy Hour and doing "But You Know I Love You," a single
that made the top 10 in Canada and the top 20 in the U.S.
Well, I'll be ding, Vern. We're
plumb outta time. Me and my
best buds need to skedaddle.
Hope you enjoyed this
anniversary bash we
threw to celebrate
Shady's 14 years
as a blogger.
Don't worry your head none, 'cause I'll be back in two shakes of a jiffy
with more toe tappin' tunes for your bobby sock high school hop,
your hillbilly hayride and your heartland hoedown.
Hey, this one's too cool for school, Vern.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
To play us off, Johnny Rivers and his cover of Chuck Berry's
"Memphis, Tennessee." Now for Brian, Arnie, Don, Hepcat
and Hy, this is Errnest P. sayin' don't take any wooden
nickels and don't do anything I wouldn't do...
know what I mean Vern?
"Memphis" - Johnny Rivers
(June/July 1964, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
Happy anniversary, Shady! May you enjoy many more years blogging.
ReplyDeleteGood song to close with. I always enjoy Johnny Rivers. š
-Kelly and Pat (woof)
Hi, Kelly & Pat!
DeleteI'm pleased to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming right over on your Sunday morning to take the Early Bird title, win the coveted "Golden Shady" statue and help me salivate my 14 years on the blog scene. Your cheery message is very much appreciated, Kelly. I'm sure you can sense how much I value your friendship. I also know that you have been blogging longer than I, and that's a remarkable achievement on your part.
I'm glad you singled out Ernest P's showender song, Johnny Rivers' fine cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis." I love that live sound on Johnny's albums recorded at the Whisky A Go-Go. I owned three of them.
Thanks again for coming early and have a wonderful week, dear friend Kelly!
The martooni comment is hilarious to me because back when I was 5 years old I had the first of 3 operations on my face to remove a cyst. Afterwards while I was recovering, my grandpa told me I asked for a martooni which was 7-Up with grapes in it. lol
ReplyDeleteHappy blogoversary! 14 years is amazing.
Smokey Robinson is great, I've liked some of his music but this was new to me. Nor have I heard any of the other songs. I've heard Kenny Roger's and like some of his songs but this was new to me.
Hi, Mary!
DeleteDang it, dear friend! Your comment was caught in my spam folder yet again! Luckily, I remembered to check the bin and was able to fish it out before too much time elapsed. Thanks for attending my 14th anniversary blog bash!
I'm happy to know that Brian Griffin's tipsy remarks triggered a fun memory of childhood. 7-Up with grapes sounds like a refreshing drink. I'll have to try it.
Thank you very much for the anniversary greeting, dear Mary. Although you are, I believe, my newest blog friend, I believe we are on the same wavelength more often than not, and I'm glad we crossed paths in Blogland.
That first song is a mystery because it is a millennial remake of a 1960s hit by Smokey and The Miracles. Nobody seems to know who the lead singer is. From what I gather, it is not Smokey Robinson, but rather a Smokey imitator. Regardless, it's a fine cover and worth a listen.
The First Edition hit "But You Know I Love You," is also worth knowing because it reminds us of the "hippie" phase of Kenny Rogers' career in the late 60s and early 70s before he became a country superstar.
I'm pleased to have introduced you to several new songs today. Thanks again for signing on the dotted line and subscribing to Shady's Place Music & Memories, dear friend Mary. I hope you'll stick with me as I enter my 15th year. Please give my buddy Falcor a Milk Bone biscuit and have a terrific week!
Hi Shady and happy blogversary! 14yrs is pretty darn impressive. I think we're twinners with the time frame of blogging! I hope your vacation was great and you're all rested up. The tunes today were a flashback to my teen years. I knew them all except The Intruders and! Moom Mulican but the rest were awesome. Kenny Rogers with his beard, squinty eyes, and that voice was so fun to watch and of course hear. I must add that I had a very similar outfit..not Kenny's! But the girl singer. Yep, I recognize that blouse! So here's to at least 14 more years of blogging and if I was a drinker I'd toast this with a mar..hiccup..tooni! Take care now!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteWelcome over to Shady's Place Music & Memories, dear friend, and thank you very much for the happy blogiversary greetings! The celebration's in full swing. There's punch in the bowl, burgers on the grill, pony rides, clowns, mimes, a roller-coaster, tilt-a-whirl and a bumper car track... plus free balloons for the kiddies.
If you and I both started our blogging journeys in 2008, then I regret that it took some five years for our paths to cross. However, I am thankful that they finally did, because I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on your friendship, your interesting boomer reminiscences and the chance to get to know your wonderful family, people and pets, at The Pines.
Yessum, Mrs. S and I traveled north to the mid-Atlantic region on our vacation last week. The heat was awful at times, but we had a great time exploring new territory.
The song that Hy Lit played was by The Intruders, the Philly soul group fronted by "Little Sonny" Brown and best known for their hit "Cowboys To Girls." The Intruders' "Baseball Game" single rode the chart in the summer of 1968 shortly after I met the future Mrs. Shady #1 at the Dell. It became one of our special songs. It is the type of sweet, smooth soul music that was often played on Hy's Philadelphia-based TV show which she and I watched together every Saturday.
I'm glad you got a kick out of Kenny Rogers' 60s look and sound, I just watched their video again to see the outfit the girl was wearing. You must have been a very stylish young lady, following fashion trends as far as your folks would allow.
Yessum, let's make a vow to meet back here 14 years from today and celebrate our 23 year friendship (28 minus 5). I wish the same blogging longevity for you, and I am very grateful that you knocked on my clubhouse door in 2013 and offered your friendship.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend YaYa, and have a super week ahead!
Happy anniversary, Shady.
ReplyDeleteMoon Mullican is new to me. I like the contrast between his picture, where
he looks like a typical 1950s country singer, and the actual song with its slangy lyrics and Moon's swinging singing style.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteIt's great to see you, good buddy! Thanks for being here on my first day back from vacation to join me in celebrating the completion of 14 years as a blogger.
Thanks for singling out Hepcat Black's Pick to Click by Moon Mullican, a Country & Western singer, songwriter and pianist nicknamed "King of the Hillbilly Piano Players." I love Moon's recording of "Seven Nights To Rock," an up tempo swagger song in which the guy boasts about dating a different girl every night of the week. As you noticed, Moon is backed by the rockabilly band Boyd Bennett And His Rockets. One of the 45s my parents bought and that I played heavily as a young boy was The Fontane Sisters' cover of "Seventeen," a song co-written and originally recorded by Boyd Bennett and His Rockets in 1955. It swings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBWHBW8FrA
Thanks again for being here for my anniversary potty, good buddy Kirk. I hope you'll hang around for more music, memories and fun as I begin year number 15. Have a great week!
Congratulations on 14 years in Blogosphere, Tom! Your music line up for this salviation is awesome. I didn't know Kenny Rogers was once part of a group. I'm not sure I would've known it was him to see him only. His voice definitely gives his identity away. I remember this song but I'm thinking it was a different version. Great music to start the week off to, my friend! Have a boogietastic week and stay cool. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over and spreading cheer as I observe 14 completed years of blogging. I'm thrilled that you liked the songs played by these veteran members of The Shady Bunch DJ team.
Yessum, Kenny Rogers was actually a member of several groups before becoming a solo country star. Wiki sez: << Rogers joined a jazz group called the Bobby Doyle Three, who were frequently hired by clubs due to their fan following. >> << In 1966, he joined the New Christy Minstrels as a singer and double bass player. >> << Feeling that the Minstrels were not offering the success they wanted, Rogers and fellow members Mike Settle, Terry Williams, and Thelma Camacho left the group. They formed the First Edition in 1967 (later renamed "Kenny Rogers and the First Edition"). >>
Yessum, there were some notable covers of "But You Know I Love You." Wiki sez: << The song also became a major country hit by Bill Anderson in 1969. In 1981, a cover version of "But You Know I Love You" by singer Dolly Parton topped the country singles charts. >> Two other artists that I'm sure are familiar to you also covered the song - Ray Stevens and Skeeter Davis.
Thanks again for the sweet greetings, dear friend Cathy. I'm very grateful for your friendship and support thru the years. Have a wonderful week!
Fourteen years! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteHey, thank you, Alex! I appreciate your visit, good buddy. Have an excellent week and I'll be back soon with my first post of year 15!
DeleteWelcome back friend! Hope you had a great vacation. Some really good tunes here as usual. Congrats on 14 years. That's quite an accomplishment, given how thorough all your posts are. We'll be seeing the Four Tops in a few weeks so thanks for the warm up! Have a great rest of your week good buddy.
ReplyDeleteJanet’s Smiles
Hi, Janet!
DeleteI'm delighted to have you over, dear friend! Thanks for coming to my anniversary party and bringing along my buddy Benny. (Looks like he needs to pee already. :)
Yessum, we went up to the mid-Atlantic region scouting locations for a potential move in the next year or two. We had a great time, but we took the Florida heat and humidity with us!
It's a neat coincidence that you and Bill will soon be going the see the latest touring lineup of the Four Tops at your local venue. I hope you enjoy the show. I'm glad you enjoyed today's lineup, and I thank you very much for the compliments on my blogging career. You are one of the highlights of that career, Janet. I'm so glad we met. I wouldn't have wanted to miss your patented Janet Smiles. Thanks for your continued friendship and support and have a super week, dear Janet!
Happy 14th blogoversary, dear friend! I'm so happy to see Mr. Edwin P. Worrell made an appearance again. I feel like I haven't seen him in a while. I love the humour he brings.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with any of these songs, but I enjoyed listening to them. Tomorrow during work, I will listen to this again.
Welcome back, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for the warm welcome back, dear friend, and for the anniversary greetings! Last week I was in your neck of the woods - Philadelphia - as Mrs. S and I traveled around the mid-Atlantic region to explore new territory with a possible move in mind.
I'm glad you got a kick out of rockabilly host with the most Ernest P. Worrell, and I'm happy to have introduced 7 new-to-you songs. Yessum, click - play - repeat. The post will remain on the front page all this week.
Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend JM. Have a great week and stay tuned for more music and fun as year #15 gets underway here at Shady's Place!
Congratulations on 14 years of fun and fantastic music. I'm so glad I found you all those years ago. Too bad it was so hot and humid on your trip but I hope you enjoyed every minute of the new places you saw. It is 109 degrees here in Kelowna today. I'm thankful for air-conditioning.
ReplyDeleteIt is strange, but last week one of your songs made me cry and this time "Walk Away Rene," gave me chills from head to toe. Maybe it's because some songs mean so much to me and I haven't heard them for many, many years. When I was a teenager, music was my blessed escape. I went and looked up the Left Blanke group and listened to them sing the original and then they had a video of them singing it in 2011. The lead singer's voice isn't as good as it was, but I didn't care, it was wonderful seeing they are still here among the living. Lol. The Four Tops version is fantastic. I can't pick a favorite between the two.
You know I love Gene Pitney. I had few LPs because my parents weren't well-off. I would tell them what records I wanted for my birthday and Christmas. Most were Beatle albums, but I had a Gene Pitney, Roy Orbison, Lesley Gore and Peter and Gordon. Can't remember what else. Back in the old days, you could take record albums out of the library. I got to know all the songs from big Broadway musicals that way: Camelot, Westside Story, The Music Man, Sound of Music and others.
Thank you for the wonderful memories.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteI'm delighted that you came to my 14th blogiversary party, dear friend. Thank you very much!
Likewise, I am blessed to have found you all those years ago and to have cultivated a friendship that grows more precious every day.
Yessum, the daytime high temperature was in the upper 90s most of the days we were up north on our trip. We had been looking forward to cooler evenings and I even took a jacket along, but I never even got it out of the suitcase because we were roasting. I'm sorry you needed to endure 109 degree heat up there in Canada. I hope you won't be plagued by wildfires this year.
On our seven day vacation in the mid-Atlantic region, we visited a couple dozen cities and towns, looked at old houses, new houses, condos and townhouses, toured a museum and estate, went to the beach, strolled the boardwalk and enjoyed some nice meals at restaurants. One of my favorite moments was drinking coffee in a Starbucks near a university and seeing nothing but college age men and women everywhere I looked. We were by the far the oldest people in the vicinity. It made me feel like I was back at Penn State in the 1960s.
I'm glad you singled out the cover of "Walk Away Renee" by the Four Tops. I have the very same reaction to it. The recording is a great example of a cover being a classic version in its own right. I have concluded that the Four Tops are my favorite Motown act. I also share your admiration of the baroque pop group The Left Banke. Their original version of "Walk Away Renee" never fails to make me misty. Simply put, it's a great song, and I am sure there are other fine covers that have been recorded in the decades since it originally rode the chart. I am sorry to inform you that Steve Martin Caro, who was the lead singer of the Left Banke, took ill and died in early 2020 at the age of 71. We both outlived him!
You know, Belle, in my 14 years of blogging, I have noticed that very few of my blog friends discuss Gene Pitney on their blogs and in comments on mine. I don't think they understand that he was one of the greatest singing voices and songwriters of the 20th century. I'm so glad you mentioned him and love him, because I certainly do too. I was thrilled to find that rare vintage clip of Gene singing one of his many hits. I just now did some checking and determined that Gene delivered that lip sync performance on the May 16, 1966, episode of Dick Clark's Where The Action Is. Click that video at the 1:50 mark and watch it again to the end. I love to watch those girls on the boat doing that hopping dance behind Gene. I don't think I ever saw that particular dance step before. Do you recognize it? Like you, I came from a family that didn't have a bundle of money, and therefore I usually needed to wait for birthdays and Christmases to get new records. Unfortunately, my folks didn't like the same music and tried to impose their tastes on me. They bought me a Roger Miller album for my 16th birthday, hoping I'd make the switch from rock bands to Country & Western. To my surprise, I actually liked Roger's album and played it often. it was then that I began to realize that I have eclectic taste in music. I remember Mrs. Shady going to the library and bringing home albums of show tunes like the ones you listed. That was in the 1980s.
I am very grateful for your visit and excellent comment, dear friend Belle. Please take care of yourself until we speak again. I hope your hot spell ends soon. (Do you remember the 1958 movie Hot Spell starring Shirley Booth who also starred in the TV sitcom Hazel in which she played a maid?) Speaking of hot spells, if you think about it, July is almost over, and that means summer will soon be on the run with delightful fall weather on the way for lucky folks like you up north. We probably won't experience much relief here in Florida until mid November.
God bless, dear Belle!
I am so sorry for not visiting sooner. I feel like all I do is work and am never out at “ quittin’ time” and working at least a 1/2 to more like an hour over time...ughh. Ok enough bitchin...welcome home and nice to see you back. Welcome home and to angreat moment...your anniversary here in blogland. You celebrated it well with some fun fans like Vern and the sweet little black pussy cat. I did listen to all the songs and marked down my thoughts and...left it at work. I was listening during my lunch.
ReplyDeleteI was not a big fan of the first song but that style of music is not my fav. I did love the 2nd song but couldn’t help but giggle at the one gal who was holding her jacket tight looking terrified. The other songs are fun and really enjoyed the last one. It’s late so I better get to bed. I’m glad you enjoyed your vacation and loved listening to the music.
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear friend! Thanks for making it over just in time to help me salivate 14 years in the blogging game. I'm sorry all I could offer you this late in the party was a stale cupcake and the dregs from the bottom of the punch bowl. By now, that week old punch must have tasted like the Liquid Plumr you recently imbibed. :) I was just thinking this morning that your job is demanding and time consuming and doesn't leave you with much time and energy to play. I regret that, but at the same time I fully understand and admire you for putting forth so much effort to maintain our friendship of many years.
Yessum, I was very pleased to find that rare lip sync hybrid video of Gene Pitney appearing on the May 16, 1966, episode of Dick Clark's music TV series Where The Action Is. Keep in mind that those talent performance segments were taped several weeks in advance. It looks to me like Gene was taped on a rainy, cold and raw day in February or March as he lip synced his hit aboard a boat anchored in the harbor. If you have time at work, click at the 1:39 point and watch that video to the end. I love the footage of those girls behind Gene doing that hopping dance. Do you know the name of that dance?
Yessum, everybody seems to like the showender song, Johnny Rivers singing live at the Whisky covering Chuck Berry's "Memphis, TN."
Thank you again for making time for a visit and for your wonderful comment. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!