Saved by the Belle Vol. 3: Way Cool SOLID COLD BEATLES SANDWICH!

 LADIES 

 AND 

 GENTLEMEN, 

 THE BEATLES!!! 

COLD OPEN:

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Now And Then" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz  (November 2023)

2ND COLD OPEN:

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"I'm Only Sleeping" - The Beatles

(from June 1966 album Yesterday And Today)

Smile and say "cheese!"

It's time to meet the micest member of

the Shady Bunch Rodentia Intelligentsia! 

 Hi, folks!  I'm... 

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

 ...the ladies' answer to Denny the Dell Rat. 

Welcome to my S-P-M-M radio show

 Saved by the Belle 

 The Music and Musings of 

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

I'm on a mission to save you from boring elevator music.

I'm no Minnie Mouse, and the tunes I play are not Mickey Mouse.

My show brings you the best and most memorable sounds

from the glory days of your boomer youth.

Volume 3 is a SOLID COLD edition.  Every song

I play on today's show has a cold open aka a cold intro. 

At the top of the show, my favorite band, The Beatles, sang you wide awake

with "I'm Only Sleeping," a great song written primarily by John Lennon

and first released in the U.S. on the 1966 album Yesterday And Today.

You saw a surreal animated video produced to promote the release

in October, 2022, of a remixed and expanded edition of Revolver,

the album that introduced "I'm Only Sleeping" to the rest of the

world apart from North America. Revolver marked the beginning

of The Beatles' psychedelic phase and is considered one of the

greatest, most innovative albums in the history of popular music.

Before that, you saw and heard a sensational cover of  "Now And Then,"

 also known as "the last Beatles song," a single and video released

in November, 2023, by Paul and Ringo, the surviving members

of the legendary band, and containing footage and dubbed

vocals by deceased members John and George.

The cool cover was performed by David A. Rodriguez, a U.S. singer

and musician who looks like Prince and sounds a lot like Beatle

John Lennon. David is "leader" of a one-man band he calls DreamerJazz.

 On his popular YouTube channel, David covers rock, jazz,

sunshine pop and more, but his specialty is doing remarkable

covers of Beatles songs. Today, I'm presenting a few of his best.

The song "Mister Moonlight" was written by Roy Lee Johnson and

first recorded by blues pianist Willie Perryman aka Piano Red aka

Dr. Feelgood. Released at the start of 1962, the single credits the

name of the artist on the label as "Dr. Feelgood And The Interns."

With John Lennon singing lead, The Beatles covered "Mr. Moonlight" on

two 1964 albums,  Beatles For Sale, released in the UK, and Beatles '65,

 issued in the U.S. As you listen to David Rodriguez aka DreamerJazz

perform the song, you might find yourself shouting "John Lennon lives!"

"Mr. Moonlight" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (January  2022)

Is it John Lennon? Is it Memorex?

...or is it David A. Rodriguez?

Answer: C - David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz.

You're boppin' with Belle on S-P-M-M

Rat-ro-sonic Radio... the station with

personality. You've got a rat to rock,

and I'm her, she's me. Count on me

 to pick the best sounds of the 50s,

60s and 70s, those Wonder Years

classics that never grow old.

In this special SOLID COLD edition,

I'm runnin' down the cool cool sound

of The Beatles and Beatles cover artist

and YouTube star David A. Rodriguez.

The Beatles song "Drive My Car"

was penned mainly by Paul, who

also sang the main vocal part.

I'm curious as a cat (EEEK!)

to see and hear what one-man

band David does with the ditty.

Beep Beep, Beep Beep, Yeah!

"Drive My Car" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (May 2021)

(above) single released April, 1965, in Italy 

Written by John Lennon and recorded in the summer of 1964,

"I'm A Loser" was the first Beatles song to directly reflect

the influence of Bob Dylan and country music. "I'm A Loser"

was first released in the UK on the album Beatles For Sale

and later in the U.S. on Beatles '65. Here's another nifty

cover by David Rodriguez - aka - Dreamerjazz!

"I'm A Loser" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (December 2023)

Belle Rat the Dell Rat keeping you company

here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio.

Baby, it's cold outside... and it's even cooler

in the Shady where I'm serving today's lunch

special - a SOLID COLD Beatles sandwich! 

"Ask Me Why," a song

written mainly by Beatle

John, was originally

 released in America

in early 1964 on

Version 2 of the

Vee-Jay album

Introducing...

The Beatles.

Introducing...

David Rodriguez

and his clone quartet

doing their cover of

one of Dave's Beatles

faves-- "Ask Me Why!"

"Ask Me Why" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (March 2020)

"Ask Me Why"...

and I'll tell you a lie.

That was another crazy cool

cover by featured artist David

Rodriguez who plays all four

parts in his fabulous Fab Four

 cover band DreamerJazz.

If you're just tuning in, I'm

your Hostess With the Mostest...

Belle of the ball, leader of the pack,

queen of the Rodentia Intelligentsia...

 Belle Rat 

 the Dell Rat 

... the micest member of the

Shady Bunch deejay team.

Far from mousy, I'm the

pick of the litter - the

prettiest, perkiest and

 most personable

member of the

Rat Pack.

 I'm playing the best tunes in town and telling my rat tails tales

here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio. My show is called

 Saved by the Belle 

and we're right in the middle of a 10-in-a-row cheddar cheese block party, so let's

get back to the great Beatles songs that formed the soundtrack of our boomer youth.

Our all-Beatles spectacular continues with another

more than capable cover by David Rodriguez.

 In 1962, The Isley Brothers scored a top 20 hit with their cover of

"Twist And Shout," a song originally recorded the previous year

by the little known R&B group The Top Notes.

  In March of 1963, The Beatles released their version in the UK on the album

Please Please Me.  A year later, it was released as a single and soon joined

four other Beatles songs in the top 5 on the U.S. chart. Watch and listen

as DreamerJazz brings us their rendition of-- "Twist And Shout!"

"Twist And Shout" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (May 2022)

 A cover of a cover of a cover, that was David and Dreamerjazz

coming through for me and you with their exciting performance

of the Beatles' version of "Twist And Shout." 

John Lennon once said, "If you were to try to give rock and roll

another name, you might call it Chuck Berry." One of Chuck's

most covered compositions is "Rock And Roll Music," a song

he wrote and recorded in 1957 resulting in a top 10 hit. With

John Lennon on lead vocals, The Beatles covered Chuck's

song and released their version in late 1964 on Beatles

For Sale, the same album that contains "Mr. Moonlight."

Once again, here's David Rodriguez and DreamerJazz

with their rousing cover of "Rock And Roll Music!"

"Rock And Roll Music" - Beatles cover by David A. Rodriguez

aka DreamerJazz (June 2021)

Another fine performance there by Dave and his Doppelganger Doubles,

a cover of The Beatles' version of Chuck Berry's "Rock And Roll Music."

When I was a teenager and felt sad I listened to the Beatles for hours

in my bedroom. They always made me feel happy. To top-off my

Way Cool SOLID COLD Beatles Sandwich, here again are

the real Liverpudlian moptops with two more of my favorites.

From their 1967 EP and LP Magical Mystery Tour released in

late 1967, The Fab Four sing-- "Your Mother Should Know!"

"Your Mother Should Know" - The Beatles

(from Nov. 1967 US album and Dec. 1967 UK EP

Magical Mystery Tour)

Finally, another chart-topping international hit by John, Paul, George & Ringo.

 Written primarily by Paul who sang lead, "Paperback Writer" ushered in

the summer of 1966 as the #1 song in the U.S.,Canada, the UK and several

other countries . It was notably the first song The Beatles wrote and recorded

that wasn't strictly about love. Here are The Beatles and-- 'Paperback Writer."

"Paperback Writer" - The Beatles

(June/July 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box,

#1 Canada/#1 UK/#1 Germany/#1 Scandinavia/#1 Australia)

RATS!!!

Shady's waving me off, so I need

to scurry on home. It's just a hole

in the wall, but the food is good.

I hope you enjoyed my Way Cool

SOLID COLD Beatles Sandwich

 on this special edition of my show

 Saved by 

 the Belle 

 The Music and 

 Musings of 

 Belle Rat 

 the Dell Rat.  

Now this is Belle Rat the Dell Rat reminding you that a Dell Rat

must be brave, and a Dell Rat must behave.  See you next time!

I gotta run

(because

Belle Rat's

hungry)...

but I hope

to see you

next time!

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

Artwork courtesy of my wonderful longtime friend Belle Unruh.

Born in California's Inland Empire... 

Belle moved to Canada as a teenager.

Thank you very much for contributing these delightful

"Belle Rat" drawings to Shady's Place, dear friend Belle

and, by the way...

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! 

SMOOCHES!

Saved By the Belle - Volume 2: I'm A Fool, Just a Silly Fool, To Be In Love With You!

COLD OPEN:

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"I'm A Fool" - Dino, Desi & Billy

(July/Aug. 1965, highest chart pos. #17 Hot 100/#19 Cash Box,

scene from Christmas 1966 film Murderer's Row)

Smile and say "cheese!"

It's time to meet the micest member of

the Shady Bunch Rodentia Intelligentsia! 

 Hi, folks!  I'm... 

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

 ...the ladies' answer to Denny the Dell Rat. 

Welcome to my S-P-M-M radio show

 Saved by the Belle 

 The Music and Musings of 

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

I'm on a mission to save you from boring elevator music.

I'm no Minnie Mouse, and the tunes I play are not Mickey Mouse.

My show brings you the best and most memorable sounds

from the glory days of your boomer youth.

At the top of the show, you saw Dino, Desi & Billy perform their

biggest hit "I'm A Fool," a top 20 record in the summer of 1965.

The teenage pop trio included two kids of celebrities (above left & center).  

"Dino" was Dean Martin's son Dean Paul Martin, Jr.  "Desi" is the son of

Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz. "Billy," William Hinsche, was a schoolmate.

Dino married Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill, but tragedy struck at

age 35 when he was killed in the crash of his Air National Guard jet.

Bravo to the YouTube uploader

for doing some creative editing

and starting that video with a

scene from dad Dean Martin's

1966 Matt Helm secret agent

movie Murderers' Row co-

starring Ann-Margret. Dino,

Desi & Billy appeared in

that flick, and you saw

the real life father and

son exchange lines of 

dialogue... a great

intro for the trio's

signature song

"I'm A Fool."

 

Speaking of fools...

have you heard about

the fool on the hill?

CLICK TO

START THE

VIDEO NOW!

For starters, he has a foolish grin,

a thousand voices and nobody

seems to like him. Complete

details now in this report by

Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66!

"The Fool On The Hill" - Beatles cover by

Sergio Mendes And Brasil '66 (Sept./Oct. 1968,

highest chart pos. #6 Hot 100/#7 Cash Box)

That was Brazilian pianist

Sergio Mendes and his Latin-

styled group Brasil '66 with a

song that fell just short of the

top 5 on the U.S. chart in the

fall of 1968, a memorable cover

of "The Fool on the Hill," a song

originally released in November,

1967, on The Beatles' EP and

album Magical Mystery Tour.

Featured singers on that hit

by Brasil '66 were Lani Hall,

 who married Herb Alpert in

1973, and Karen Philipp, who

posed nude for Playboy in

1972 promoting her acting

role in season one of the

hit TV series M*A*S*H.

I have always loved The Beatles and found comfort in their songs. Up next,

one of my favorites by the Liverpudlian moptops. Paul wrote the verses

and chorus, John contributed the "Life is very short" middle. During

the recording session, George came up with the brilliant idea to

slow down the middle, making it sound like a German Waltz.

The creative use of a Salvation Army pump organ marked the

start of a series of innovative compositions and experimental

recording and sound mixing techniques in the years that followed.

Here are evolutionary, revolutionary Beatles and- "We Can Work It Out."

"We Can Work It Out" - The Beatles

(Jan./Feb. 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Those were The Beatles performing "We Can Work It Out," a song recorded

around Halloween, 1965, during the sessions for the Rubber Soul album.

Released as a single, the song shot to the top of pop charts all around

the world in the early weeks of 1966.  "We Can Work It Out" spent

three weeks at #1 on Billboard and four weeks at #1 on Cash Box.

It was the 7th biggest selling single of the entire Sixties decade.

You're boppin' to the beat on S-P-M-M

Rat-ro Radio... the station with personality.

You've got a rat to rock, and I'm her, she's me.

Like my new poodle skirt?

 I'm runnin' down the groovy sounds of the

1950s, 60s and 70s, those Wonder Years

classics that never grow old. 

It's hard to believe there was ever a

time when most peeps in the world

had not yet heard of The Beatles.

It's equally hard to believe there

was ever a time when ABBA,

the pop group from Stockholm,

Sweden, was unknown in many

countries including the U.S.

Here's an ABBA ditty that

takes us back to that time.

START VIDEO NOW! 

Anni and Aggie wore conservative

business attire to sing one of their

catchiest and best feel good

songs-- "Ring, Ring!"

"Ring, Ring" - ABBA

(Feb./Mar. 1973, highest chart pos. #1 Denmark,

#2 Sweden, Norway, Austria & Belgium)

From early 1973, that was ABBA,

unknown in America and much

of the civilized world at the time,

but soon to become a household

name and global phenomenon.

They performed "Ring, Ring,"

the song that gave them their

first break in parts of Europe.

Hope I soon hear the ring ring

of the dinner bell... 'cause I'm

getting hangry for my cheese.

After all, I need to keep up my

strength so that I can continue

to fight for your rat to party.

If you're just tuning in, I'm

your Hostess With the Mostest...

Belle of the ball, leader of the pack,

queen of the Rodentia Intelligentsia...

 Belle Rat 

 the Dell Rat 

... the micest member of the

Shady Bunch deejay team.

Far from mousy, I'm the

pick of the litter - the

prettiest, perkiest and

 most personable

member of the

Rat Pack.

I'm playing the best tunes in town and telling my rat tails tales

here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio. My show is called

 Saved by the Belle 

and we're right in the middle of a 7-in-a-row cheddar cheese block party,

so let's get back to the songs from the soundtrack of our boomer youth.

How about a little bubblegum to go with your pop? I've got just the thing.

Here are Tommy James And The Shondells with their breakthrough hit,

a chart-topper in the summer of '66-- "Hanky Panky!"

"Hanky Panky" - Tommy James And The Shondells

(June/July 1966, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box & Canada,

dance perf. by The Action Kids on Sept. 28, 1966, ep. of Where The Action Is)

Coming in at #41 on Shady's

list of The 200 Greatest Hits

of the Shady Dell (mid 60s),

that was "Hanky Panky," the

semi dirty ditty by Tommy

James And The Shondells.

In that rare video clip, you

witnessed The Action Kids

dance troupe on Dick Clark's

TV show Where The Action Is

performing a choreographed

beach ball routine on the sand

and playing a friendly game of

dodge ball at the water's edge.

BOOTH ANNOUNCER:

IT'S A

BELLE RAT

THE DELL RAT

(ECHO CHAMBER)

DOUBLE PLAY-AY-AY-AY-AY-AY-AY 

That's right, Johnny Olson, I'm double-dippin' into

Tommy James' brand of sweet bubblegum pop.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Hey... is that Casey Kasem?... or just a-- "Mirage"?

"Mirage" - Tommy James And The Shondells

(May/June 1967, highest chart pos. #10 Hot 100 & Cash Box,

studio dancers on American Bandstand & Shebang)

You just got hit with a double-barreled bubblegum blast from the past,

a double dose of Tommy James And The Shondells. In a split-screen special,

you heard the group perform "Mirage," their top 10 hit from the spring of 1967,

while the kids on Bandstand and Casey Kasem's Shebang danced to the beat.

Before that, Tommy and the band played their chart-topper "Hanky Panky"

on a 1966 segment of Where The Action Is taped on Malibu Beach.

RATS!!!

Shady's waving me off, so I need

to scurry on home. It's just a hole

in the wall, but the food is good.

I hope you enjoyed volume 2 of

 Saved by 

 the Belle 

 The Music and 

 Musings of 

 Belle Rat 

 the Dell Rat.  

Yay! The Shady man says I have time for one last song, and I've got a dilly,

a brilliantly restored video of Gary Puckett And The Union Gap appearing

on The Ed Sullivan Show in the spring of 1968 and introducing their new

single "Lady Willpower." It was a live performance, not lip sync, because

nervous CBS censors worried that the song's lyrics "the facts of life"

 were too dirty for the Ed Sullivan viewers and sponsors to tolerate.

 Really?   Seriously???

CBS executives asked Gary to change the line to "the way of life" and he

agreed. Gary proceeded to turn in the amazing live performance you

are about to watch.  This episode of The Ed Sullivan Show aired on

 May 12, 1968, nine days before the single was released, making

this moment in pop music history all the more special.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Now this is Belle Rat the Dell Rat reminding you that a Dell Rat

must be brave, and a Dell Rat must behave.  See you next time!

"Lady Willpower" - Gary Puckett And The Union Gap

(June/July/Aug. 1968, highest chart pos. #1 Cash Box/#2 Hot 100,

#4 Australia/#5 UK, live perf. on May 12, 1968, ep. of The Ed Sullivan Show)

I gotta run

(because

Belle Rat's

hungry)...

but I hope

to see you

next time!

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

 Belle Rat the Dell Rat 

Artwork courtesy of my wonderful longtime friend Belle Unruh.

Born in California's Inland Empire... 

Belle moved to Canada as a teenager.

Thank you very much for contributing these delightful

"Belle Rat" drawings to Shady's Place, dear friend Belle!

SMOOCHES!