Ernest P. Worrell's Rock-A-Billygoat - Vol. 2: Rock the Bop!

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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

 Ernest P. Worrell's 

 Rock-A-Billygoat 

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

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"Rock The Bop" - Brenda Lee

(Dec. 1957, uncharted B side of "Rock-A-Bye Baby Blues")

From Christmas 1957 and the early weeks of 1958, that was
Little Miss Dynamite, Brenda Lee, rockin' the bop and kickin' off
another heartland hoedown hootnanny here on S-P-M-M.

Howdy, Vern! This here's your old buddy

Ernest P. Worrell back with my second

set of sizzlers to Rock-A-Billygoat. On

my show you hear the greatest sounds

of early rock 'n' roll, rock 'n roll revival,

rockabilly and all that good stuff. I just

popped open an ice cold Meller Yeller

and I'm ready to spin stacks of wax, so

let's boogie, know what I mean, Vern?

Taint none of my beeswax, Vern, but

you look a little green around the gills

this morning. Fess up, Vern. What

happened? What'd ya do? Out all

night and runnin' wild, your

woman sittin' home with

a month old child?

Hey, got somethin' for you, Vern.

This cool cat is from Devonshire,

England, but to hear him sing

you'd swear he was born and

raised in Tupelo. He's an Elvis

the Pelvis impersonator by

the name of Johnny Earl.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

This fella bills himself as "the closest sounding Elvis sound alike on the planet."

Listen and you'll understand why. Heeeeeeeere's Johnny... along with Elvis's

famous backing singers, The Jordanaires, doing one of Presley's most

pleasing platters-- "Fame And Fortune!"

"Fame And Fortune" - Johnny Earle And The Jordanaires

(from 1997 album With Elvis In Mind and Dec. 2010 CD

Shades of Elvis: Memphis Music)

Is it Elvis... or is it Memorex?  Taint neither. Don't let your ears fool ya, Vern.

That was Brit boy Johnny Earle with The Jordanaires doing his best Presley

on "Fame And Fortune," a song from his 1997 album With Elvis In Mind.

This boy, Bobby Vee, hails from Fargo.

Bobby's career was born The Day the

Music Died. When Bobby's idol Buddy

Holly was killed in a plane crash on the

way to a gig in Minnesota, Bobby and

his band filled in at the show and the

crowd loved them. Bobby went on to

become a pop idol, but his rockabilly

roots were showing in 1962 the day

he went into the studio with Buddy's

band The Crickets and cut an album.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Here they are, Vern, Bobby Vee along with The Crickets

covering one of Buddy Holly's best known hits-- "Peggy Sue"

"Peggy Sue" - Bobby Vee And The Crickets

(from July 1962 album Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets)

BOOTH ANNOUNCER: 

It's another

Ernest P. Worrell

(ECHO CHAMBER)

DOUBLE PLAY-ay-ay-ay!

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That's right, Vern, you can't play The Crickets with a sticky wicket,
and that why I sprayed Teflon on my turntable. Bobby's back
with Buddy's band, and this is-- "Someday!"

"Someday (When I'm Gone From You)" - Bobby Vee And The Crickets

(Aug. 1962, B side of "Punish Her," from July 1962 album

Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets)

You just heard a double dose of Bobby Vee fronting Buddy Holly's band
The Crickets on "Someday (When I'm Gone From You)," and before
that "Peggy Sue," a ditty that made Rolling Stone magazine's
list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Think hard, Vern. Do you remember

when my good buddy Chris Griffin

introduced limey lassie Amy Slattery

on Shady Dell Music & Memories?

Do ya, do ya? Well, I got good news.

Amy's here with me in the studio

today and she brought her pappy.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Together they're gonna do a nifty cover of a hit by Phil and Don -

The Everly Brothers. Amy and her daddy sing-- "Walk Right Back!"

"Walk Right Back" - Amy Slattery & Her Dad (Everly Bros. cover)

(Feb. 2018, orig. single Mar./Apr. 1961, highest chart pos. #7)

That was purty little Amy Slattery, the British gal who sings, plays a hundred
instruments and covers The Beatles like nobody's beeswax, this time paying
tribute to Phil & Don with a little help from her musical daddy, as they
performed The Everlys' 1961 hit "Walk Right Back."

Hello there. In case you just crawled
out from under a rock, you're tuned to

Ernest P. Worrell's Rock-A-Billygoat
here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio,
home of The Shady Bunch, where
we always plow through a six pack
and toss in another cool one for the
road. Now this fella's a country
pop artist who sings, plays and
records in a style now known
as progressive country.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

In 1973 he lit up the charts with the song you're listening to right now.
B.W. Stevenson's his name, and this is-- "My Maria!"

"My Maria" - B.W. Stevenson

(Aug. to Oct. '73, highest chart pos. #7 Cash Box/#9 Hot 100)

That was B.W. Stevenson with "My Maria," a top 10 crossover hit from the fall of '73.

Dad-birnit, I'm fresh outta tunes,

plumb outta time, and I gotta run.

(My bladder's about to burst from

drinkin' too much Meller Yeller.)

Hey Vern... if you like what you

heard today on Rock-A-Billygoat,
then stick around, 'cause I'll be back
with another batch of Texas two-step
toe-tappers before you can say "Reba."

In the meantime, in between time, stay
put for another exciting edition of the

series That Was Then - This Is Now

coming up on the flip side of news.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

So, until we meet again, this is your old buddy Errnest P. Worrell sayin' so long
and wishin' you green skies and blue lights, uh, I mean blue skies and green lights.
That means keep the bugs off your glass and smokey off your tail, don't take any
wooden nickels, and don't do anything I wouldn't do...know what I mean Vern?

"Susie-Q" - Dale Hawkins

(July/Aug. 1957, highest chart pos. #27 Hot 100/#47 Cash Box)

Remembering Helen

SHADY DELL OWNER

HELEN ETTLINE

DIED FEBRUARY 25, 1984,

37 YEARS AGO TODAY.

Whenever I hear this song, it reminds me

of a very special person, the first lady

of the Shady Dell... Helen Ettline.

Unforgettable, Helen...

That's what you are!

We love you and miss you.

Shady Green and His Wayback Machine Vol. 3: Hey Tonight, Drop Out With Me, Little Girl!

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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

 SHADY GREEN 

 AND HIS 

 WAYBACK 

 MACHINE 

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

 PIGGYBACK COLD OPEN: 
 CLICK TO PLAY FIRST VIDEO. 

 AT 11 SEC. MARK, CLICK TO 

 PLAY SECOND VIDEO! 

"Hawaii Five-O" - The Ventures
(Mar to May 1969, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100/#6 Cash Box)

Visions of Jack Lord's hair flashing through my noggin as the best-selling

instrumental band of all time, The Ventures, get the old adrenaline pumping

and kick-off the show with the theme from the hit TV series "Hawaii Five-O,"

a top 5 hit from 1969. I've always wanted to say this: "Book 'em, Danno!"

How're you doing? I'm Shady Green

and I'm glad you hopped aboard my

Wayback Machine for another trip

back to one of the most exciting

periods in music history, the mid

60s through the early 70s.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Up next, here's a San Francisco based

folk-rock and psychedelic pop band
that racked up a string of hits as long

as a comet tail - 14 top 40 singles in

all. I'm talking about The Grass Roots,

and here they are with a groovy tune

from 1971-- "Temptation Eyes."

"Temptation Eyes" - The Grass Roots

(Feb./Mar. 1971, highest chart pos. #15 Hot 100/#16 Cash Box)

Retrosonic Radio in Futuresonic Stereo Surround - that's S-P-M-M,

and you just heard "Temptation Eyes" by The Grass Roots, a great

single that peaked at #15, surprisingly low considering the fact that

the record spent a whopping 18 weeks on the chart. That's longer

than any of the band's other releases including their

biggest hit "Midnight Confessions."

Here's another song that under-performed

on the U.S. chart, but the reason is clear.

It's The Rolling Stones with the follow-

up to their smash hit "Jumpin' Jack Flash."

This single was released in the U.S. shortly

after the violent clashes between police

and anti-Vietnam War protesters at the

1968 Democratic National Convention

in Chicago. Fearing the song would

incite more violence, local stations

refused to play it. 

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

FYI, the original picture sleeve of this single is one of the rarest and most

valuable in the world, worth well over a thousand dollars. Here they are,

The Stones, with the song banned in Chi-town-- "Street Fighting Man!"

"Street Fighting Man" - The Rolling Stones

(Sept. 1968, highest chart pos. #30 Cash Box/#48 Hot 100)

Banned in The Windy City, The Rolling Stones song "Street Fighting Man."

Incidentally "The Boss" - Brice Springsteen- called the song's lyrics

 "What can a poor boy do but sing in a rock and roll band?"

one of the greatest rock and roll lines of all time.

If you're just tuning in, your riding the

Wayback Machine with Shady Green,

The Dean of Keen, on S-P-M-M... the

#1 station for a rock and roll nation! 

Time now for some Rapp music.

I'm talking about the late, great

songwriter/musician Tom Rapp,

one of the most eloquent and

distinctive voices of my

g-g-generation. 

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

In 1967 Rapp and his psychedelic folk rock band Pearls Before Swine released
their first single for ESP records. Turn on, tune in-- "Drop Out" with me!

"Drop Out!" - Pearls Before Swine

(from Oct. 1967 album One Nation Underground)

From their 1967 debut album One Nation Underground, that was Tom Rapp

and PBS - Pearls Before Swine - with "Drop Out!" PBS was noteworthy

for using an assortment of esoteric musical instruments in their studio

recordings, the kind rarely found on pop or rock recordings.

Shady Green and the Wayback Machine...

and we're right smack dab in the middle

of a seven-in-a-row block party here

on S-P-M-M radio where all the

cool oldies come to play. 

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Our magical mystery tour continues now

with The Doors and a song from their

second album Strange Days--

"You're Lost Little Girl." 

"You're Lost little Girl" - The Doors

(from Sept. 1967 album Strange Days)

The Doors with "You're Lost Little Girl." Released at the beginning of fall

in 1967, Strange Days is considered by many critic and fans including me,

Shady Green, to be The Doors' strongest, most interesting and best album.

Yet at the time of its release, it was overshadowed by the band's self titled

debut album and sales were disappointing. Strange days indeed!

Shady Green, The Dean of Keen. I don't

know about you, but I'm psyched. On

my turntable now is a power platter by

John Fogerty and his roots rock band

Creedence Clearwater Revival. This

single was released as a double A

sided record which means there

was no designated B side. Here's

a hint. The first A side features

"Have You Ever Seen The Rain." 

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Retrosonic Radio in Futuresonic Stereo Surround... that's S-P-M-M, and here's

the second song on that super slab, a CCR sonic boom-- "Hey Tonight!"

"Hey Tonight" - Creedence Clearwater Revival

(Feb./Mar. 1971, highest chart pos. #8 Hot 100/#1 Denmark & Germany,

released as a double A side single with "Have You Ever Seen The Rain")

CCR with "Hey Tonight," one of the songs on their double A-side

release that also featured "Have You Ever Seen The Rain."

Both songs on that 1971 single cracked the top 10.

That does it for this voyage

of the Wayback Machine.

Thanks for riding along.

Stay tuned on the B side

of news for your buddy

and mine, that lovable

nosy neighbor Ernest P.

Worrell, who'll drop by

to Rock-A-Billygoat

right here on S-P-M-M...

the station with personality.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

and I'll be back soon with more groovy greats from the Summer of Love and
the Woodstock era. To play us off, Norman Greenbaum with his gospel rock
classic from 1970 - "Spirit In The Sky." Norman's nifty number spent two
weeks atop the Cash Box chart but was held back at #3 on the Billboard
Hot 100, denied the top spot by the Jackson 5 hit "ABC" and by
The Beatles with "Let It Be." Thanks again for joining the fun.
Now this is Shady Green, The Dean of Keen, over and out!

"Spirit In The Sky" - Norman Greenbaum

(Mar. to May 1970, highest chart pos. #1 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100)

Austin Powers Smooches for Hours on Valentine's Day!

 Allow myself to introduce..... myself. 

 I'm Austin Powers, super secret spy, 

 international man of mystery, 

 bon vivant, swinging playboy 

 and irresistible babe magnet. 

 London is my home, shag is my bag, 

 planet earth is my playground and 

 danger is my middle name, baby. 

Your regular host, Shady, couldn't be here this week.
He's out of town starring in a one-man show, playing all
sixteen parts in a little theater production of Noises Off.

 That's a gag, dove. Oh come on now. 

 I saw you crack a smile just then, 

 pussycat, admit it -  YEAH! 

In his absence, Shady invited me back as emcee of the annual Valentine's party.
There'll be smooches for hours as I, Austin Powers, treat you to another Brit pop

sock hop featuring records by some of the UK's grooviest thrushes. As an added

bonus, we'll be going Dutch as I play three more songs by a Holland honey who's

the bee's knees, plus a ditty by a girl popper from the USA. The place is packed

with blokes & birds, mods & rockers, stockingtop poppers, backcombed cuties

and punks with cooties. It takes two to tango, and so, without further ado, I'll

put the needle in the groove and we can shag till dawn. Calm yourself, kitten.

Shag is a dance! Every spinner's a winner, so ready - steady - GO!

 SUSAN MAUGHAN 

In 1962 English singer Susan Maughan scored a top 3 hit in the UK with her cover of

"Bobby's Girl," a song originally waxed by Brooklyn, NY, singer Marcie Blane. In 1963

Susan brushed the top 40 with "Hand a Handkerchief to Helen." In 1964 The Beatles

and other Brit bands put an end to Susan's modest hit streak by rendering her style

old school and uncool. Susan's cover of "Kiss Me Sailor," a hit single in the U.S.

for Diane Renay, failed to chart as did a cover of "Hey Lover," a song composed

by Don Covay and John Berry and originally recorded by 12 year old Debbie

Dovale of Clairton, PA, a Pittsburgh suburb, and released in September 1963

on the Ricky label, a subsidiary of the small Pittsburgh-based Co & Ce

Records - home to The Vogues. Here now is that fetching warbler,

Susan Maughan, in a 1964 live performance of "Hey Lover." 

 "Hey Lover" - Susan Maughan 

 (Jan./Feb. 1964) 

 BONNY ST. CLAIRE 

In 1959, American zinger April Stevens had a hit with the sexually suggestive
"Teach Me Tiger." In 1967, Dutch singer Bonny St. Claire (born two days
before Shady Del Knight) was just turning 18 when she released her
debut solo single, a sizzler with a similar name, "Tame Me Tiger."
Background vocals were provided by a group called The Jets.

Looks like Bonny lass lost her balance
and was falling backward off her perch
the moment this publicity photo was
snapped. I hope the poor girl didn't
bust her buns. I fancy this Dutch
thrush. Give her a listen.

GO AHEAD, BABY...

TAME ME TIGER!

 "Tame Me Tiger" - Bonny St. Claire 
 (Nov./Dec. 1967) 

 BONNIE ST. CLAIRE 

 AND UNIT GLORIA 

In the early 70s, Miss St. Claire changed the spelling of her first
name and added a backing group called Unit Gloria. Together
they released half a dozen singles including this one--
"Waikiki Man (do the hula with me!)" 

 "Waikiki Man" - Bonnie St. Claire 
 And Unit Gloria (May/June 1973) 

Bonnie and her group scored a huge hit in The Netherlands with

the platter I am about to play. Clap your hands and stamp your feet

whilst Bonnie sings-- "Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet!"

 "Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet" 
 Bonnie St. Claire (And Unit Gloria) 

 (Nov./Dec. 1972) 

 LINDA SCOTT 

Now here's pop songstress Linda Sampson of Queens, New York, better known

as Linda Scott. In the late summer of 1961, Linda followed-up the biggest hit

of her career, the top 3 charting "I've Told Every Little Star," with this

top 10 single, "Don't Bet Money Honey," which crossed over to

the top 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart,

 "Don't Bet Money Honey" - Linda Scott 

 (Aug. 1962, highest chart pos. #3 Adult Contemporary, 

 #9 Hot 100/#10 Cash Box) 

 JACKIE TRENT 

This next record, "You Baby," is not the hit song by The Turtles. This is the song

written by Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann and Phil Spector and first recorded stateside

in 1964 by Spector's girl group The Ronettes. The song was covered in 1965 by

American pop princess Linda Scott. I'd like you to hear the version released in

1966 by English singer/songwriter Jackie Trent. Here now is Jackie doing a

song that's a favorite among Northern Soul clubbers-- "You Baby!"

 

 "You Baby" - Jackie Trent 

 (Feb./Mar. 1966) 

 PETULA CLARK 

Songwriter Jackie Trent, the gifted gal you just saw and heard, in collaboration

with her composer/producer husband Tony Hatch, were responsible for many

of Petula Clark's international hits. Just in time for V-Day, were's a song

that Tony alone hatched for Pet, a single that topped the chart

in the U.S. and Canada-- "My Love." 

 "My Love" - Petula Clark 

 (Jan./Feb. 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100, 

 #2 Cash Box/#1 Canada) 

 I hope these super sounds put you in 

 a shagadelic mood, baby. Oh behave! 

 This is your old chum Austin Powers 

 international man of mystery 

 (and music history)... 

 saying ciao for now. 

 Let's do it again real soon, baby... 

 You know you want to... YEAH! 

With V-Day Approaching... Meg Griffin's Frantic Romantic! (Alternate Title: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face")

Hi, I'm Meg Griffin of Family Guy.

As you recall, I was

Shady's guest host on
Shady Dell Music &
Memories for the
Valentine' Day
post in 2017.

At the time I was desperately

lonely. The only men who

were interested in me were

nerdy Neil Goldman from

school and our neighbor,
Mr. Quagmire. It didn't
work out with either
one of them.

Peter, I took your daughter to one crummy dance.
I refuse to marry her, even if you pay me a dowry!

A lot has happened
over the last four
years. I found my
one true love.
His name is
Rondo!

There is something,
Rondo, about you,

that's really

attracting me.
I'm falling...
and I'm...
too weak
to fight!

"Too Weak To Fight" 

 - Clarence Carter

(Dec. 1968/Jan. 1969,

highest chart pos. #3 R&B,

#13 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Meg, NO-wuh! Rondo's not right for you!
He's old enough to be your father.

And besides, he creeps me out.
Please come to your senses!

Stop trying to run my

life, mom! Rondo's my 

soul mate. He gets me.

He completes me. We

finish each other's

sentences. I say

"I love..." and

he says:

"little baby ducks,

old pick-up trucks,

slow movin' trains

... and rain."

Rondo and I know
in our hearts...
there ain't nothing
like the real thing!

"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"

- Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell

(May/June 1968, highest chart

pos. #1 R&B/#8 Hot 100,

#9 Cash Box)

Maybe that's why
when we're

all alone.....
 I can hear music!

"I Can Hear Music" 

- The Beach Boys
(Apr. 1969, highest chart
pos. #20 Cash Box,

#24 Hot 100)

Rondo could be my

summer boy.

Rondo could be my

summer toy!

Our minds are made up,

mom... and there's

nothing you can do to

stop us. We're goin' to

the chapel and we're

gonna get married!

"Chapel Of Love" - The Dixie Cups

(May/June 1964, highest chart pos.

#1 Hot 100, Cash Box & R&B,

perf. on Dec. 25, 1965,

ep. Hollywood A Go Go)

I can't kick

the habit of
loving you,

Rondo!

"The Habit Of Lovin' You Baby"

Nino Tempo And April Stevens

(Jan. 1967, B side of "You'll

Be Needing Me Baby")

Rondo may not be a

movie star, (he's only
a character actor),
but when it comes to
being happy - we are!

"My Guy" - Mary Wells

(Apr./May 1964, highest

chart pos. #1 Hot 100,

& Cash Box & R&B,

perf. on Dec. 30, 1964

ep. of Shindig!)

Let's sing it again, Rondo!

"I love..."

"coffee in a cup,

little fuzzy pups,
old TV shows...

and snow...

...and I love you too, Meg!"