Alabaster Charm - Yum Yum Dynasty
Hello to you.
My name is Alabaster Charm.
I am leader of Yum Yum Dynasty, a group of young Chinese,
Thai and Korean women brought to life in artwork and used
on the covers of YA romance novels. We were hand picked
by Shady's Place CEO Shady Del Knight to host our own
show here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. Pop music is
big in our countries. My friends and I also love U.S. pop,
especially Bubblegum and Nursery Rhyme Rock, styles
that were most popular from the mid 60s to mid 70s.
We are here today to bring you a special report on a
man who was responsible for many hit recordings
in those two American music categories.
IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO MEET
THE KING OF BUBBLEGUM POP
J O E Y L E V I N E !
REUNION
Memories of Myrtle Beach, SC, fill
Shady's mind whenever he hears the
novelty 45 "Life Is a Rock (But The
Radio Rolled Me)." The single is
credited to a group called Reunion,
but it was actually performed by
Joey Levine aka "The Bubble-
gum King" accompanied by
studio session musicians
and backup singers.
Shady's mind whenever he hears the
novelty 45 "Life Is a Rock (But The
Radio Rolled Me)." The single is
credited to a group called Reunion,
but it was actually performed by
Joey Levine aka "The Bubble-
gum King" accompanied by
studio session musicians
and backup singers.
"Life is a Rock” is one of the most unique
recordings ever produced. By means of
a rapid fire monotone that makes him
sound very much like an auctioneer,
Joey rattles off a seemingly endless
list of the who’s who and what’s
what of popular music and
cultural phenomena.
Heeeeeeeeeeer's
Joey!
"Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)"
Reunion (Oct./Nov. 1974, highest chart
Reunion (Oct./Nov. 1974, highest chart
position #7 Cash Box/#8 Hot 100)
Cyan Lime - Yum Yum Dynasty
Joey Levine is a prolific songwriter, producer and performer. He sang lead
on singles released by several groups, some of them real, others merely
kiddie pop fabrications that existed only in the studio. Here are some
of Joey's bubblegum pop and nursery rhyme rock hits of the late 60s.
kiddie pop fabrications that existed only in the studio. Here are some
of Joey's bubblegum pop and nursery rhyme rock hits of the late 60s.
THE
THIRD RAIL
THIRD RAIL
The Third Rail consisted of Brill Building
pop veteran Artie Resnick, his wife Kris
and Joey Levine backed by session
musicians. A one hit wonder group,
The Third Rail is remembered for
the 1967 single "Run, Run, Run"
which offered social commentary
on the hectic pace of the
modern rat race.
pop veteran Artie Resnick, his wife Kris
and Joey Levine backed by session
musicians. A one hit wonder group,
The Third Rail is remembered for
the 1967 single "Run, Run, Run"
which offered social commentary
on the hectic pace of the
modern rat race.
"Run, Run, Run" - The Third Rail
(Aug./Sept. 1967, highest chart pos.
#53 Hot 100/#54 Cash Box)
Zing Zest - Yum Yum Dynasty
THE
OHIO EXPRESS
OHIO EXPRESS
The following year, Joey Levine fronted the
latest incarnation of The Ohio Express, one
of the groups established by producers
Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz and their
Bubblegum factory Super K Productions.
Levine gave The Ohio Express its biggest hit
with the top 5 single "Yummy Yummy Yummy,"
a recording that, over the years, found its way
onto lists of greatest bad songs of all time
and has been used as commercial jingles.
"Yummy Yummy Yummy" - The Ohio Express
(June 1968, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
KASENETZ-KATZ
SINGING
SINGING
ORCHESTRAL CIRCUS
Wind Chime -
Yum Yum
Dynasty
A few months after he hit big with
"Yummy Yummy Yummy," Joey Levine
was back on the chart as lead vocalist
of a pseudo group called Kasenetz-Katz
Singing Orchestral Circus. The Super K
act made the top 20 on Cash Box with
this gummy goody- "Quick Joey Small."
"Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run)"
Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus
(Nov. 1968, highest chart pos. #18 Cash Box/#25 Hot 100)
Indigo Pink - Yum Yum Dynasty
OHIO EXPRESS
In November 1968 Joey Levine staged a
one man battle of the bands. While his
Kasenetz-Katz "Quick Joey Small"
single was climbing the chart, Joey
put another Ohio Express record
in play. "Chewy Chewy" enjoyed
a substantial 13 week chart run
and reached the top 10 on
one man battle of the bands. While his
Kasenetz-Katz "Quick Joey Small"
single was climbing the chart, Joey
put another Ohio Express record
in play. "Chewy Chewy" enjoyed
a substantial 13 week chart run
and reached the top 10 on
Cash Box in December.
"Chewy Chewy" - Ohio Express
(Nov./Dec. 1968, highest chart pos.
#8 Cash Box/#15 Hot 100)
Panda Silk - Yum Yum Dynasty
THE BANANA SPLITS
In 1969, Joey Levine lent his voice to The Banana Splits,
(Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snorky), a Hanna-Barbera
creation that became a kids TV sensation. Levine sang
two Banana Splits songs, "It's a Good Day For A Parade"
and "I Enjoy Being a Boy (In Love With You)," both
issued on an EP 45 by series sponsor Kellogg's.
"I Enjoy Being a Boy (In Love With You)"
The Banana Splits (winter/spring 1969)
OHIO EXPRESS
Coco Been -
Yum Yum Dynasty
Now, I have for you a third song
by Joey Levine and his studio
band Ohio Express. Session
musicians played on the
group's recordings, but an
entirely different lineup was
used for live performances.
Here is a rare video of Joey
and his Ohio Express touring
band appearing live on the
German music TV show
Beat-Club and begging
for-- "Mercy!"
"Mercy" - Ohio Express
(Apr./May 1969, highest chart pos. #26 Cash Box,
#30 Hot 100/#24 Canada/#23 Australia,
live perf. on German TV show Beat-Club)
SHADOWS OF KNIGHT
When he wasn't singing lead or background vocals on bubblegum
records, Joey Levine was busy writing and producing them.
Joy Luck - Yum Yum Dynasty
Joey wrote "Shake" and "From Way Out To Way Under," the two
songs on a psychedelic rock single by the Chicago-based band
Shadows Of Knight. Led by the late great Jim Sohns,
SOK made the top 40 with the A side-- "Shake!"
"Shake" - Shadows Of Knight"
(Nov./Dec. 1968, highest chart pos.
#39 Cash Box/#46 Hot 100)
CRAZY ELEPHANT
Another hit on Joey Levine's list of credits is the infectious
"Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy Elephant,
a song he co-wrote with Ritchie Cordell.
Zenith Zodiac -
Yum Yum Dynasty
The peppy pachyderm platter approached the
top 5 spot on Cash Box in the spring of 1969.
"Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" - Crazy Elephant
(Apr. 1969, highest chart pos. #6 Cash Box/#12 Hot 100)
(Apr. 1969, highest chart pos. #6 Cash Box/#12 Hot 100)
Ming Song - Yum Yum Dynasty
Bubblegum pop recordings, along with those in the related nursery rhyme rock
category, were innocent, family friendly ditties that served as an antidote to
the harder and heavier styles of music that became popular in the 60s.
category, were innocent, family friendly ditties that served as an antidote to
the harder and heavier styles of music that became popular in the 60s.
Taken as directed (in moderation), these sugar sweet sing-alongs
put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step, but beware
of an overdose! Get "Yummy Yummy Yummy" or one of
these other sappy Simple Simon songs stuck in your
head and it'll take the jaws of life to pry it out.
Alabaster Charm back with you.
If you liked what you saw and
heard today, I hope you will
join us next time for more
classic sounds of bubblegum
pop, nursery rhyme rock,
sunshine pop and soft rock
of the 60s and early 70s
when we return with
the next edition of
our series
Yum Yum Dynasty:
A Taste of Bubblegum Pop
here on S-P-M-M Retro Radio... the station with personality!
"The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)"
- The Banana Splits (Dec. 1968/Jan. 1969,
highest chart pos. #96 Hot 100/#96 Canada),
theme of TV series The Banana Splits based
on the melody of "Shortnin' Bread")
Bunny Snow - Yum Yum Dynasty
