Dell Rat Tom's Jukebox Giants - Vol. 5: Soul & Inspiration

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 DELL RAT TOM'S 

 JUKEBOX GIANTS  

on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!

(COLD SHOW OPEN)

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Alfie" The Magnificent Men

(from 1968 album The World Of Soul)

Buddy King on lead for The Magnificent Men, and a magnificent rendition of

"Alfie," the oft recorded Burt Bacharach - Hal David song used to promote the

1966 British film starring Michael Caine. Female vocalists on both sides of the

pond scored hits with the song - Cilla Black in the UK and Dionne Warwick in

the U.S. - but Dell rats agree the definitive version is the one that kicked-off

today's show - the one waxed by our hometown heroes The Mag Men.

Hi, I'm Dell Rat Tom back with

another edition of Jukebox Giants,

spotlighting the greatest hits played

in the dance hall of my old hangout

in York, PA... The Shady Dell.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

Summer '67: Soon I would leave the Dell

behind and start college in another part of

the state. Every night the sound of Stevie

Wonder's harmonica filled the dance hall.

Rats formed a line, their feet kept time as

Stevie sang-- "I Was Made To Love Her!"

"I Was Made To Love Her" - Stevie Wonder

(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#2 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Coming in at #165 on the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell, that was

Motown soul man Stevie Wonder with "I Was Made To Love Her," a sizzling

single that topped the R&B chart four weeks in the Summer of Love 1967.

Dell Rat Tom with you on S-P-M-M

where all the cool oldies come to play.

Now here's a song from Shady Dell -

The College Years, the period from the

fall of 1967 to the spring of '71 when I

was out of town attending that institute

of high & yearning, the span of time

during which I returned to York and

the Dell on holidays, spring breaks,

summer breaks and occasionally

on weekends to see my girlfriend.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

In the winter of '69 David Ruffin, former co-lead singer of The Temptations,

had a top 10 solo hit and a Dell biggie with this one. As his brother Jimmy

said in another Dell song, "Life lands a crushing blow, and once again

a heart is broken." David picks up the story with-- "My Whole World

Ended (The Moment You Left Me)."

"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" - David Ruffin
(Feb./Mar. 1969, highest chart pos. #2 R&B/#9 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

From Shady Dell - The College Years, that was

David Ruffin with "My Whole World Ended,"

his first big hit after leaving The Temptations.

If you're just tuning in, you're listening to

Jukebox Giants, the best of the Shady Dell,

here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio...

with yours truly Dell Rat Tom.

In the mid 60s, the musical menu at the Dell

was an exciting mix of soul, R&B, doo-wop,

pop, garage, hard rock, folk-rock and British

Invasion. Here's a great example of the latter.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

It's the bold sound of the Brit duo Peter and Gordon with-- "Woman!"

"Woman" - Peter And Gordon

(Feb./Mar. 1966, highest chart pos. #14 Hot 100/#17 Cash Box)

From February and March of 1966, Peter Asher and Gordon Waller with "Woman,"

a song written by Beatle Paul McCartney that landed the British duo at the #106

spot on my Shady Dell survey. Gordon refers to "Woman" as "the ultimate

Peter and Gordon track" and his personal favorite.

You are my personal favorite... yeah you,
and I've got more Dell jukebox gold.

It was later that same year-- 1966.

Fall turned to winter, and the nights

again turned nippy. Down in the barn

John Ettline had a roaring fire going.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

 Out there on the floor, Dell rats were

generating body heat dancing to the

Motown sound of-- The Supremes!

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" - The Supremes

(Nov./Dec. 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B)

Closing out the year 1966, The Supremes with Dell song #150 -

"You Keep Me Hangin' On." It was the Motown girl group's

8th chart-topping hit single on the Hot 100 and spent

four weeks at #1 on the R&B chart.

"Blue-eyed soul" acts are white

artists who perform material

originally recorded by black

artists and do so authentically,

in the same style and with the

same feeling. In Shady's

Dell dictionary next to the

term blue-eyed soul, you'll

find a picture of Bill Medley

and Bobby Hatfield aka -

The Righteous Brothers.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

For months The Righteous Brothers' "Soul And Inspiration" was a

slow dance favorite at the Dell. Couples locked in warm embrace

swayed teary-eyed and, by song's end, were emotionally spent.

A record doesn’t make the Dell Top 10 unless it kills. This KILLS!

"(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" - The Righteous Brothers

(April 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#3 R&B)

Way up there where the air is rare, the Righteous Brothers

with the 6th highest ranked Dell song of the mid 60s... the

towering Wall-of-Sound recording “Soul And Inspiration."

Hey, time's up, and I gotta head

for home to beat the curfew.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Stay tuned on the flip side of news for

Shady Green who'll invite you aboard

his Wayback Machine, and I'll be back

soon with more Jukebox Giants here

on S-P-M-M... the station with Soul.

Now this is Dell Rat Tom reminding

you to make every day a holiday...

and every night a Shady Dell night!

"(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need" - The Miracles

(Nov./Dec. 1966, highest chart pos. #4 R&B/#17 Hot 100 #25 Cash Box)

"I Hates Those Meeces... to Pieces!"

BRAIN BUSTER

TRIVIA QUESTION:

Which cartoon character

is known for saying: 

 "I hates those meeces... 

 to pieces!"? 

(HINT: IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DELL RATS.)

SCROLL DOWN: 

ANSWER: 

 Mr. Jinks, the cat in 

 the cartoon TV series 

 Pixie and Dixie 

 and Mr. Jinks. 

Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks is a Hanna-Barbera

animated series that was featured in the late 50s

through early 60s as a regular seven minute

segment of The Huckleberry Hound Show. 

The insert series stars two mice, the bow-tied Pixie

(voiced by Don Messick) and the vested Dixie

(voiced by Daws Butler)...

and Mr. Jinks, the cat (voiced by Daws Butler).

In every episode Jinks is outfoxed by the mice...

causing him to utter his trademark line

"I hates those meeces to pieces!" 

57 episodes of Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks aired on Huck Hound

from 1958 to 1961. The first episode, "Cousin Tex," was broadcast

October 2, 1958. That same week, Phil & Don, The Everly Brothers,

were in the top 3 with their country-pop crossover hit-- "Bird Dog!" 

"Bird Dog" - The Everly Brothers

(Sept./Oct. 1958, highest chart pos. #1 Country,

#2 Hot 100 & Cash Box & R&B) 

The final episode of Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks entitled "Home Flea"

aired October 13, 1961. That week, country-pop singer Sue Thompson

was crossing over and making a run at the top 5 on the pop chart with

her million selling signature song "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)." 

"Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)" - Sue Thompson

(Sept./Oct. 1961, highest chart pos. #1 Easy Listening,

#5 Hot 100 & Cash Box) 

This year Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks will appear in Jellystone!...

a new animated series set to premiere on HBO Max. Based on

Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, Jellystone! will bring back

other characters from The Huckleberry Hound Show along with

the stars of other cartoons including Ruff and Reddy, Quick Draw

McGraw, Yogi Bear, Peter Potamus, Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel,

Wally Gator and Magilla Gorilla. 

  

Have a Shady day!

Just the Facts, Ma'am... the COLD Facts!

As you recall from my previous post,

"John & Helen Week," it was 28 years

ago today on January 16, 1993, that

John Ettline, owner of the Shady Dell

and The King of All Dell Rats, died a

couple months before his 87th birthday. 

To begin today's post in which I reveal "COLD FACTS" about the Dell, I'd like to play

one more song I think John would like, a wonderful cover released a few weeks ago at

Christmas by the Atlanta-based old & young - family & friends band Foxes and Fossils.

"Mr. Sandman," a song that calls upon the figure from folklore to "bring me a dream"

in the form of a sweetheart, was first recorded in May 1954 by Vaughn Monroe and

 His Orchestra. A pair of covers, one waxed by the Chester, Pennsylvania, all male

pop quartet The Four Aces and the other by the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, female

barbershop quartet The Chordettes, shot to #1 during the Christmas season

of 1954. The Chordettes version stayed at the top of the chart through

 the month of January, 1955. Enjoy this cool cool cover of a

 solid COLD oldie by Foxes and Fossils! 

"Mr. Sandman" - The Chordettes cover

by Foxes and Fossils (Christmas 2020) 

 A 

 COLD 

 FACT 

 ABOUT THE 

 SHADY DELL 

 IN WINTER 

 THE 

 SHADY 

 DELL 
 1960 

Remember this aerial

photo of the Dell taken

in the winter of 1960?

Remember this detail from the aerial

image that appears to show owner

John Ettline shoveling or blowing

snow in the parking lot... possibly

to uncover a Dell rat's car that was

abandoned during the blizzard?

I would like to share with you a cold fact,

an interesting piece of trivia I learned

about my old hangout.

In 1959, one of John Ettline's brothers converted the

hillside across the road from the Dell into a ski slope,

this according to a family spokesperson.  It wasn't

exactly Aspen or even Ski Roundtop, but the slope

was functional and for years served as a nifty

little practice hill for local ski enthusiasts.

THERE'S MORE! BELOW - PUBLISHED

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SHADY'S BLOGS -

MYSTERY PICS! - NEW/OLD IMAGES

OF THE DELL IN WINTER!

ABOVE AND BELOW: RARE VINTAGE POLAROID PICTURES TAKEN

AT THE SHADY DELL IN WINTER, DATE UNKNOWN, COURTESY OF

TONI DEROCHE'S SHADY DELL FACEBOOK PAGE. VISIBLE IN THE

FOREGROUND OF THE ABOVE PICTURE IS THE DELL'S LARGE

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE WHICH WAS TORN DOWN CIRCA 2011.

 THE PICTURE BELOW SHOWS TWO PEOPLE POSING AT THE FRONT

CORNER OF THE HOUSE, AND WHAT MIGHT BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE

SPREAD OUT AND POSING ON THE LARGE PORCH. WHO ARE THEY?  

How cold cool is that?

Have a Shady day!

Helen & John Week

Two important dates on

the Shady Dell calendar
are only one week apart.

Helen Ettline's birthday

(January 9) and the date

of John Ettline's death

(January 16).

Starting today and in years to come,

I will post a single tribute combining

the two events. I'll call this period in

mid-January "Helen & John Week."

 HELEN TROSTLE ETTLINE 

was born 110 years ago
on January 9, 1911.

 JOHN ETTLINE 

died January 16, 1993...
28 years ago.

John spent the last nine years of his life
without Helen. Imagine the strength and
courage it took for John, a man in his 80s,
to go it alone, enduring the hardships of
winter and keeping the Dell in operation
even as the teenage patrons became
increasingly rough, rowdy and dis-
respectful. How many of us could
have stood up to that challenge?

This year as we celebrate Helen's birthday and

remember John, I will play records I think

they both would have enjoyed.

 DAKOTA STATON 

I am proud to introduce jazz singer Dakota Staton. Born and raised in Pittsburgh,

Dakota sang in a local club fronting the popular Joe Westray Orchestra. Dakota

traveled the nightclub circuit performing in other major cities. She wound up in

Harlem where she was discovered by a producer for Capitol Records and

given a contract. In 1955 Dakota was named "Most Promising Newcomer"

by Down Beat magazine. I chose what I believe to be Dakota's best

recordings beginning with her first single, "My Heart's Delight."

 "My Heart's Delight" 
 (1954) 

There's even more to delight your heart when you flip that 1954 platter

over and listen to the B side - "What Do You Know About Love."

 "What Do You Know About Love" 

 (1954, B side of "My Heart's Delight") 

Early in 1955, Dakota released the doublesider "For The Rest Of My Life"

backed with "No Mama - No Papa." Both great songs are on this video!

 "No Mama - No Papa"/"For The Rest Of My Life" 

 (February 1955) 

A year later, in February, 1956, Dakota released another opus dedicated

to "losers, boozers and bluesers." This one's called "Weak For The Man."

 "Weak For The Man" 

 (February 1956) 

"I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" was written by

Blood, Sweat & Tears founder Al Kooper and included on

the band's 1968 debut album Child Is Father To The Man.

Dakota Staton did a fine job of covering the song

on her 1973 album I Want A Country Man.

 "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" 

 (from 1973 album I Want A Country Man) 

In 1957 Dakota released her debut album for Capitol. The title track,

"The Late, Late Show," became her signature song, and the album

was cited in the 2004 book 100 Best-Selling Albums of the 50s.

 "The Late, Late Show" 

 (from 1957 album The Late, Late Show) 

The song "Abracadabra" by Dakota Staton, is not the Steve Miller
hit of the 80s. We turn the clock all the way back to the summer
of 1955 when this rock & roll style record hit the street.

 "Abracadabra" 

 (July 1955) 

SHADY'S PICK TO CLICK! 

Finally, listen to this marvelous Dakota Staton cover of "All In My Mind,"

the song penned and originally waxed by R&B singer Maxine Brown.

Maxine's version was released as a single in December 1960.

Dakota's cover hit the street the following month and has

stood the test of time as an outstanding recording

in its own right.   

 "All In My Mind" - Maxine Brown cover 

 (January 1961)  

 HAPPY 

 BIRTHDAY, 

 HELEN! 

 WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU. 

John, you were the King of all Dell Rats.

If we have anything to say about it, you
and Helen will always be remembered.

We love you and miss you, too!

Enough is Enough is Enough!

Nothing is sacred. No one is safe. Our nation is in crisis.

Our democracy is on the line and being threatened by

homegrown terrorists supported and encouraged by

people we trusted as our leaders. It hurts. It burns.

In the wake of events that transpired yesterday at

the Capitol, I am saddened, sickened and numb.

In this state I cannot create. I cannot engage in

blogging. I cannot laugh, sing or even smile.

I will return when I can give 100%. It might

take a while. Thank you for understanding. 

Gang's All Here! A Pair of Good Girls Breaking Bad Join From Dusk Till Dawn's Badass Bros in The Shady Bunch!

Welcome to Part 2 of my New Year's special

introducing the ten newest members of

the Shady Bunch deejay team here on

S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. In Part 1

last Friday you met Jimmy Berluti of

The Practice, Patty Solis-Papagian

of Goliath and Kim Wexler of Better

Call Saul... along with Daisy Skye

from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

and veteran Wibbage radio personality

Joe Niagara. Today five more stars are

ready to get behind the mic and start

entertaining you. Time to meet them!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

(COLD SHOW OPEN)

"Breathless" - Jerry Lee Lewis

(Mar./Apr. 1958, highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100,

#10 Cash Box, perf. on Feb. 14, 1958,

ep. of The Dick Clark Show)

The Killer - Jerry Lee Lewis - leaving you breath-uh-luss

and kicking off the show performing his top 10 hit

on Valentine's Day, 1958, on Dick Clark's

Saturday Night Beechnut Show.

Hi, we're The Gecko Brothers, Seth & Richie, stars of the Netflix original

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series. By night, we fight vampires south of

the Texas border in Mexico. By day, we're spinning records as new

members of The Shady Bunch deejay posse here on S-P-M-M.

(SETH GECKO)

Our new Shady's Place radio show is
called Nothing to Lose featuring
the greatest sounds of rock & roll,
 rockabilly, psychobilly, black hat

outlaw country and the

rock 'n' roll revival.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

We play tunes with 'tude and here's
another - Bob Vidone And The
Rhythm Rockers with their

rockabilly screamer-- "Untrue!"

"Untrue" - Bob Vidone and The Rhythm Rockers

(Feb. 1959, B side of "Frankie and Johnnie")

(RICHIE GECKO)

You just heard two dynamite discs -

The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis, doing

"Breathless," a single that was hot

on the chart in the spring of 1958,

and a killer B "Untrue," by those

rockabilly wild men Bob Vidone

& The Rhythm Rockers, released

a year later in '59. If you dig what

we have to offer then BOLO -

be on the lookout - for the first

installment of Nothing To Lose

with The Gecko Brothers - Seth

& Richie - starting later this year

on S-P-M-M Radio... where

the rock rolls on and on.

Now meet a pretty lady who could give Santanico Pandemonium
a run for her money. From the hit Canadian TV comedy-drama
Being Erica, the future Mrs. Richie Gecko-- Erica Strange!

Thank you very much, Richie. You're so sweet!

And hello to you out there! On Being Erica, my mysterious therapist, Dr. Tom, works his magic

and sends me back in time to relive pivotal

events in my life, correcting mistakes

that led me down the wrong path.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

On my new show, Strange Magic Being Erica,

I will send you back in time to re-experience

the happy times of your youth - no fixing -

just fun. I'll be presenting the best mix

of classic rock from the 60s, 70s and

80s - great songs like this one!

"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" - Steely Dan

(June/July 1974, highest chart pos. #3 Cash Box/#4 Hot 100)

Steely Dan with Donald Fagen on lead vocals doing "Rikki Don't Lose
That Number," a top 5 hit for the jazz rock band in the summer of '74.

If you like what you heard so far, then I hope you'll join me for my new show
Strange Magic Being Erica coming up later this year on S-P-M-M Radio.

Now I'd like you to meet another new Shady Bunch DJ. She probably gets this

all the time, but I think she looks a lot like Joan on Mad Men. She is the star of

another hit TV series, the NBC comedy-drama Good Girls, not to be confused

with Good Girls Revolt with Cindy, Patti and Jane. Say hello to Beth Boland!

Thank you, Erica, and hello one and all!

On Good Girls, I am an ordinary suburban

wife and soccer mom who, through a series

of bizarre circumstances, manages to turn

myself into a gangster moll. In what little

spare time I have between robberies, I'll

be hosting my new radio show here on

S-P-M-M. It's called (appropriately)

Beth Boland's Adrenaline Rush,

and will feature the best mix

of the 70s and 80s.

CLICK TO START VID!

My specialty is music with a beat to get

your heart pounding - Foreigner, Hall & Oates, Steve Miller, Boston and more.

This fellow will be a frequent flyer.

You know what they say...

spare the rod and spoil the

show.. Let there be Rod!

"Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)" - Rod Stewart

(Feb./Mar. 1982, highest chart pos. #15 Cash Box/#20 Hot 100)

The Rodster, Rod Stewart, with his top

20 U.S. hit from '82 "Tonight I'm Yours

(Don't Hurt Me)." I gotta go see a man

about a horse, but I'll be back later this
year with the first edition of my show
Beth Boland's Adrenaline Rush.

Now, last but certainly not least,

here is the 10th new member of

The Shady Bunch deejay corps

for 2021. She's another good girl

breaking badass, one of the stars

of the hit Netflix science fiction

horror series Stranger Things.

Please welcome Nancy Wheeler!

Thanks, Beth, and hello everyone! On my TV

show Stranger Things, I went from shy violet

to warrior princess in the battle against alien
creatures from the Upside Down. That being
the case, I'm sure you understand why my
new S-P-M-M radio show is called

No More Mr. Nice Girl.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

As an 80s teenager, I'll be playing
the best sounds of the decade, the stuff
I listen to when I wanna rock myself
to sleep. Here's April Wine!

"Rock Myself To Sleep" - April Wine

(Aug./Sept. 1985 uncharted)

From Nova Scotia, the hard rock band
April Wine with a great 80s sound

"Rock Myself To Sleep." Hard to
believe that single never reached

the chart - didn't even Bubble Under.
I suppose Stranger Things have
happened, but I don't know when.

Remember me, Nancy Wheeler,

and look for my new radio show

No More Mr. Nice Girl

making its debut this year

here at Shady's Place.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

That wraps up our two-part New Year special. This is Nancy Wheeler saying

goodbye for now and reminding you to never leave home without your bear trap.

Stay tuned throughout the year for brand new radio shows from me and the rest of
The Shady Bunch - Jimmy Berluti, Patty Solis-Papagian, Kim Wexler, Joe Niagara,
Daisy Skye, The Gecko Brothers - Seth & Richie, Erica Strange, Beth Boland, Hepcat
Black, Ernest P. Worrell, The Good Girls - Cindy, Patti & Jane, Robert W. Morgan,
Dr. Don Rose, Brian Griffin, Shady Blue, Shady Green, Hy Lit, Jerry Blavat,
Toto Moto, Dell Rat Tom, Don Cornelius and Shady Seaweed. 2021 is
going to be a huge year, so keep it here on S-P-M-M, the station
that's #1 for music and fun. Happy new year and see you soon!

"Strut" (Extended Video Dance Mix ) - Sheena Easton

(Nov./Dec. 1984, highest chart pos.#4 Cash Box/#7 Hot 100)