Saved By the Belle - Volume 1: Psychedelic Lollipop Surrealistic Pillow Thingy

COLD OPEN:

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" - The Platters

(Dec. 1958 thru Feb. 1959, highest chart pos.

#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#3 R&B, scenes from

Aug. 1973 film American Graffiti)

Smile and say "cheese!"

It's time to meet the newest 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 new 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 experienced an awesome split-screen effect,

a custom YouTube video with The Platters performing "Smoke Gets In

Your Eyes," their chart-topping hit from late 1958 and early '59, while

on the large portion of the screen you were treated to scenes from the

1973 coming-of-age comedy film American Graffiti. Set in the summer

of '62, Graffiti features The Platters' romantic ballad in the soundtrack.

Watching the nocturnal adventures

of Steve, Laurie, Terry "The Toad,"

Debbie, Curt and the rest of those

California teenagers reminds me

of when I was their age. I used to

sneak out of my bedroom window

to meet up with guys and girls

I wasn't supposed to be with.

Alright, let's shift gears now

and jump ahead in time to the

rockin' psychedelic 60s as I

play one of the biggest and

most important hits of the

genre presented in another

awesome split-screen vid!

CLICK TO

START VIDEO!

It's the San Francisco-based Jefferson Airplane

with their signature song-- "Somebody To Love!"

"Somebody To Love" - Jefferson Airplane

(May/June 1967, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100 & Cash Box,

scenes from May 27, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

That was Grace Slick and company,

the Jefferson Airplane, performing

their 5th single but first major hit,

"Somebody To Love," together on a

split-screen with the studio dancers

on American Bandstand groovin' to

the band's exciting new hard rock

sound. Speaking of breaking on

through to the other side of the

success barrier, here's another

band that did just that in the

weeks and months after

"Somebody To Love"

peaked on the chart.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW! 

It's Jim Morrison and his psychedelic rock band The Doors with

their own sig-song, a record that went all the way to #1

in the summer of 1967-- "Light My Fire!"

"Light My Fire" - The Doors

(June thru August 1967, highest chart pos.

#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Come on, baby, "Light My Fire" cried rock legend Jim Morrison...

a Doors ditty that rode high on the chart throughout the summer of '67.

Belle Rat the Dell Rat keeping you company

here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio.

Baby, it's cold outside... and I'm warming you up

with red hot platters fresh from the jukebox. 

Ready for another split-screen

dazzler? I've got it. Check out

Motown's mighty Temptations

on the left side doing their chart-

topping 1966 single "Ain't Too

Proud To Beg," and on the right,

a cool dance routine performed

on Dick Clark's music TV show

Where The Action Is.

CLICK TO

START THE

VIDEO NOW! 

Watch as Jeri, Lesley, Roberta

and The Action Kids entertain

you with The Temptation Walk!

"Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - The Temptations

(June/July 1966, highest chart pos. #1 R&B,

#10 Cash Box/#13 Hot 100, dance perf. by

The Action Kids on Where The Action Is)

From 1966, that was rare and nicely

restored footage of The Action Kids,

the exciting dance troupe on the

TV series Where The Action Is,

doing The Temptation Walk

along with a restored clip

of The Temp's on stage

performing one of

their biggest cross-

over hits-- "Ain't

Too Proud To Beg."

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 

...newest 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. This is the premiere of

 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.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Here now are The Mama's And The Papa's in various performances and

outfits, doing their breakthrough hit and signature song "California Dreamin'."

"California Dreamin'" - The Mama's And The Papa's

(Feb./Mar. 1966, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears, that was the LA-

based psychedelic sunshine pop and folk rock quartet

The Mama's And The Papa's. (Yep - that's the exact

 spelling on the label of the original Dunhill single.)

Hot during the cold winter months in the early part

of 1966, the song "California Dreamin'" became a

signpost of the California sound and heralded

the arrival of the 60s counterculture era.

You're boppin' with Belle on

S-P-M-M... the station with

personality. You've got a rat

to rock, and I'm her, she's me.

I'm runnin' down the groovy

sounds of the 50s, 60s and

70s, those Wonder Years

classics that never grow old.

 In the fall of 1970, singer -

songwriter Neil Diamond

achieved his first #1 hit on

the Billboard pop chart,

his third million-selling

single and his break-thru

UK hit, all with the song

you are about to hear.

 The pop troubadour is

literally beside himself in

this split-screen restoration

video. Here's Neil Diamond

appearing on The Johnny

Cash Show and singing

his soft rock favorite--

"Cracklin' Rosie!"

"Cracklin' Rosie" - Neil Diamond

(Sept./Oct. 1970, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box,

#1 Canada, perf. on Sept. 30, 1970, ep. of The Johnny Cash Show)

Hot-hot-hot in the chilly weeks leading up to Halloween in

1970, that was "Cracklin' Rosie," one of Neil Diamond's

 biggest hits and catchiest singalong songs. 

In addition to topping the pop charts in the U.S. and Canada,

"Rosie" reached #1 in New Zealand, #2 in Australia and Ireland

and also peaked at #2 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart. 

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 the debut of

 Saved by 

 the Belle 

 The Music and 

 Musings of 

 Belle Rat 

 the Dell Rat.  

Earlier, you saw and heard the Jefferson Airplane perform "Somebody

To Love," their breakthrough top 5 charting hit from the spring of 1967.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

To play us off, here's the band's follow-up single, a record that

approached the top 5 on Cash Box during that magical, mystical

Summer of Love. Grace Slick sings-- "White Rabbit!"

"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane

(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #6 Cash Box/#8 Hot 100)

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 this delightful

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

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!

New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady 2019: Rock, Roll and Remember Dick Clark & the Teen Dancers on Bandstand!

 I'm Shady Seaweed 

 "America's Oldest Living Toddler" 

 Welcome to the 57th annual 

 New Year's Rockin' Eve 

 in the Shady! 

The wrecking ball in Shady Square is about to drop, signalling the end of
the year 2019. As we look ahead to the coming year, let's view the past
with 2020 hindsight, specifically Dick Clark's long running music program
American Bandstand. Tonight the spotlight is not on the songs or artists
who performed on the show, not even on Dick Clark. Instead I ask that
you focus your attention on the teenagers who danced on Bandstand
over the years. In case you can't spare the time to watch every
video from beginning to end, I provided in bold red letters,

the recommended start point for each video.

 RETURN WITH US NOW 

 TO THE GLORY YEARS OF BANDSTAND. 

Observe the studio dancers of the 60s and 70s,
their body language, clothing styles and hairdos.
Note their attitude, how they conducted
themselves on the program.

 THE SUPREMES 

...the sweetness, the innocence, the pure joy of young America.

I ask you, friend... where did it go?

"The Happening" - The Supremes

(1967 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 1:41 MARK!

 JEFFERSON AIRPLANE 

1967 and the times they are a changin'. There's something in the air,

the revolution's here, and the Bandstand gang is ready to rock!

"Somebody To Love" - Jefferson Airplane

(1967 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 16 SEC. MARK!

 IRMA THOMAS 

...dreamy old school R&B ballad. In that warm embrace,

time was on their side. It stood still.

"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is" - Irma Thomas

(1964 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 1:30 MARK!

 THE TURTLES 

...genuine enthusiasm... Back then, being on television, exposed to

a national audience, was a big deal. In today's hi-tech world,

fame is just a click away. It's just not the same.

"She'd Rather Be With Me" The Turtles

(1967 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 25 SEC. MARK!

 JAN AND DEAN 

On this 1968 episode, the kids danced to an oldie

from five years earlier... and really got into it!

"Surf City" - Jan And Dean

(1968 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 1:39 MARK!

 THE ASSOCIATION 

The date of this broadcast was October 7, 1967.
Changing times, to be sure, but sweet harmony
and blissful slow dancing were still in style.

"Never My Love" - The Association

(1967 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 3:30 MARK!

 JOHNNY RIVERS 

1966 - a great year to be young. Please watch this video from 1:16 until at least

the 2 minute mark because the best part comes at 1:56 when a girl seated in

the audience realizes she's on camera and smiles sweetly. That moment

speaks volumes about the way we were. We had it all, my friend,

and somewhere along the line... we lost it.

"Poor Side Of Town" - Johnny Rivers

(1966 ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 1:16 MARK!

Submitted for your approval - exhibits A through G - seven scenes of teenagers
having good clean fun... unbridled joy... fresh faced exuberance. Simply put -
it was great to be young in the 60s! If you ever wondered why Boomers
say they wouldn't trade places with any other generation, the magic
moments on these videos are all the evidence you'll ever need.

 If I could turn back time 

  If I could find a way...  

 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Feel Good Songs Prescribed by Mr. Personality - Dr. Don Rose!

LISTEN TO THIS BRIEF SEGMENT TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH DON ROSE'S VOICE:

A rosey

good morning

to you! This is

Dr. Donald

D. Rose

aka Dr. Don Rose

aka Dr. Don aka

Mr. Personality.

I'm one of the veteran Top 40 DJs featured in the Cruisin' series.

In a nutshell I rosied to fame in the mid 60s at WQXI Atlanta

("Quixie In Dixie"). From the late 60s to early 70s I was

part of "The Pop Music Explosion" at WFIL radio

in Philadelphia, and from 1973 to 1986 I was

known as The King of Bay Area Radio...

one of the jocks at KFRC in San Francisco.

I'm pleased as punch to

inform you that, starting

next year, I'll be joining

The Shady Bunch crew
here on S-P-M-M. My

new show will be called
Rose-Colored

Glasses.

It'll be based on my years

doing the morning drive

at "Quixie In Dixie"

in Atlanta.

Together we'll look at the past
thru Rose-Colored Glasses
and listen to the authentic
sound of top 40 radio in the
60s brought to you in vibrant
Futuresonic Stereo Surround.

It's just what the doctor
ordered... music to put
a smile on your face,

a song in your heart,
some pep in your step
and pride in your stride!

People stop me on the street and ask me why I

call myself Doctor Don. I tell them I studied to

become a surgeon, but failed to make the cut. (MOOOOO!) Behind the mic as your DJ doc,

I make sound decisions... all of them good.

Today I'm dispensing free samples. This is

the strongest lineup of tunes you can get

without a prescription. You'll find that my

injections of humor are all in vein, but my

jokes'll keep you in stitches. (MOOOOO!)

That's right, folks, a blend of music and

laughter is the best medicine, and that's

my modus operandi on Rose-Colored

Glasses, so take these seven songs and

call me in the morning. (MOOOOO!)

Bunches of 60s records have a cold open aka cold intro. I'll be playing a lot
of them on Rose-Colored Glasses and I included a few in today's preview.

My new show on S-P-M-M will feature the best music of the 60s in a
variety of categories including soul and R&B, so let's get right
down to the real nitty gritty with this Shirley Ellis top 10 ditty!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"The Nitty Gritty" - Shirley Ellis

(Dec. 1963/Jan. 1964, highest chart pos. #8)

A sensational sound there from Bronx soul

thrush Shirley Ellis and "The Nitty Gritty."

Like the bands of the British Invasion?

I got you covered on my new show with

gems like this one. It's a newly enhanced

version of a classic by The Hollies, their

top 10 American hit-- "Carrie-Anne!"

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

"Carrie-Anne" - The Hollies

(July 1967, highest chart pos. #9)

That was a new, enhanced remix of
"Carrie-Anne" by The Hollies that has
the song sounding better than ever
before. It's the kind of thing you'll
hear on Rose-Colored Glasses

and S-P-M-M, Retrosonic Radio

in Futuresonic Stereo Surround.

Along with the greatest hits of soul,

R&B and the British Invasion, my

show will feature folk-rock, garage

rock and the emerging hard rock

sound of the 60s, like this nugget

by the San Francisco psychedelic

rock band Jefferson Airplane--

"Somebody To Love!"

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Somebody To Love" - Jefferson Airplane

(Apr./May 1967, highest chart pos. #5)

The Slick sound of Jefferson Airplane and their breakthrough hit "Somebody To Love." Hey,

if you're just tuning in, I'm Dr. Don Rose...

the DJ 4 out of 5 proctologists recommend.

(MOOOOO!) and this is a preview of my

new radio show Rose-Colored Glasses

coming soon to S-P-M-M... the #1

station for a rock 'n roll nation.

On Rose-Colored Glasses I'll play

something old, something newer,

something borrowed (covers)

and something bluer, including

girl group gems like this one

by The Chiffons-- "He's So Fine!"

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"He's So Fine" - The Chiffons

(Mar./Apr. 1963, highest chart pos. #1)

That was the groovy girl group sound of

"He's So Fine" by another soulful act from

The Bronx, New York, The Chiffons, and

you're tuned to a sneak preview of my new

show Rose-Colored Glasses with Dr. Don

Rose. So far we've crossed over several

different styles of music I'll be playing

on my show, and here's another. It's

the teen pop/girl pop category, and

here's poster girl Lesley Gore with a

great example-- "Look Of Love!"

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

"Look Of Love" - Lesley Gore

(Jan./Feb. 1965, highest chart pos. 27)

That was lovely Lesley Gore asking the musical

question, "Isn't that the look of love?" Shucks,

I chalked it up to indigestion. (MOOOOO!)

As you can see & hear, Rose-Colored Glasses

will cover a variety of genres - the greatest hits

of Top 40 radio in the 60s. Taken as directed,

my show is safe and effective and guaranteed

to make you-- "Keep On Dancing!"

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

"Keep On Dancing" - The Gentrys

(Sept./Oct. 1965, highest chart pos. #4,

scenes from Mar. 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills)

The Gentrys and "Keep On Dancing," and if you are following the simulcast

on YouTube, you watched a scene from the movie Troop Beverly Hills

with budding young actresses and Carla Gugino and Kellie Martin.

Heavens to Betsy, they're waving me off

already. I don't know about you, folks,

but after listening to that super song set

of the 60s, I'm dancing on the table tops

and my ears can't stop smiling.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Speaking of ears... if you like a little corn

in your morn, then be sure to tune in to my

new show Rose-Colored Glasses with me,

Dr. Donald D. Rose, coming in 2020 to

S-P-M-M, the station with personality!

Speaking of glasses, here's John Fred and his Playboys

with their big hit "Judy In Disguise with glasses,

a fake nose and a handlebar mustache!"

(MOOOOO!) Bye-bye, folks!

"Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" - John Fred And His Playboy Band

(Dec. 1967/Jan. 1968, highest chart pos. #1)

BREAKING BADASS!

I am..... Dracula!

You might remember my band, The Twilights,

and our monster hit "Transylvania 6-5000."

It was big in our neck of the woods.

Tonight... as the full moon rises...

I  command  invite you to join me

as I introduce another fang-tastic

group. To my delight... all of its

members share a blood bond. 

I SUCK... THEY DON'T.

YO, DRAC - BITE ME, BITCH!
(On second thought... don't.)

I'm Jesse Pinkman, and I don't mean no disrespect,
pops, but Mr. Knight and I are partners, see, and
we got this. We're running the show and we
don't need any help from the likes of you,
so flap your wings and take off!

Now here's Mr. Knight to introduce
this super cool band!

Thanks, Jesse. This is a coming of age

story about The Cristeas - five young

siblings, three brothers & two sisters,

who live in the Los Angeles area.

Like the Partridge Family, Cowsills,

Donny and Marie and The Osmond

Brothers, the Cristeas are a musical

family. The sibs are members of a

rock band that 's riding a tidal wave

of popularity across the country.

Their father manages the band

and produces their recordings. 

We begin our journey with a video from April 2013. The children

were all in their places with sun-shiny faces, looking very much

like they were posing for a family portrait. Sweetness and

innocence were the order of the day as they performed

a cover of "Stay," an international hit by

Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko. 

"Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
cover by The Cristeas (April 2013)

Fast forward to December 2014. The Cristeas still looked and sounded
squeaky clean as they sent us a Christmas greeting in the form of a
song entitled  "Ho Hey," a cover of the 2012 worldwide hit by
the American folk rock band The Lumineers.

"Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
cover by The Cristeas (Dec. 2014)

 L I L I A C 

With the passing of time comes change. It is now September 2015.

The band of brothers and sisters has a new name, Liliac, and a new look,

sound and attitude. A metamorphosis is underway. Clearly the cute kids

are becoming real rockers as they do the Troggs' monster "Wild Thing."

 "Wild Thing" - The Troggs 
 cover by The Cristeas/Liliac 
 (September 2015) 

Pair-mit me to interrupt you, Mr. Knight.

You have conveniently

left out one very

important part of

the story, one very

interesting fact.

You failed to mention

that the Cristea family

has its roots in the

old country!

HEY...

DON'T EVEN

GO THERE, BRO!

I told you before,

Grandpa Munster,

Mr. Knight and I are

handling this post.

 

We don't need you chimin' in every two seconds.

So why don't you just dry up and blow away?

ARE YA FEELIN'

ME, BITCH?

It's okay, Jesse. Calm down. Now that

Dracula has let the bat out of the bag,

so to speak, it's time for readers to know

the whole story. Liliac, the Cristea kids,

these adorable poppers turned rockers,

are the children of Florin Cristea, who

grew up in Transylvania, Romania, not

far from Castle Dracula. Florin came to

America where he met and married Nineta,

also born in Romania. The couple settled

in Southern California to raise a family.

The rest, as you are seeing and hearing

in this post, is rock history. Now let's

continue to follow the timeline. 

Two more years pass. It is December 2017, and the Transylvanian transformation is
complete. Now one of the great up-and-coming bands in rock, Liliac erases all doubts
about their cred with a cover of Metallica's classic "Enter Sandman." Keep your eyes
and ears on the act's hottest attractions, the three oldest children, all in their teens.
Watch and listen as Samuel shreds on lead guitar, Aby kicks butt on drums and
younger sister Melody, absolutely KILLS on lead vocals and bass guitar.
Melody says she was first influenced to sing rock by one of my favorites,
Ronnie James Dio, the late, great frontman of Elf, Rainbow, Sabbath, Dio,
and Heaven & Hell. As you are about to hear, Melody does a superb job of
channeling Dio and other legendary masters of metal including, in this
performance, Metallica's James Hetfield. I have to be honest. When I
watched this video for the first time, I thought that I was listening
to the Metallica recording with the Cristea kids doing a fantastic
lip sync. Imagine how astonished I was to realize that this
amazing sound was actually produced by the Liliac band.
Behold the rock resurrection, the rock reincarnation.
They are fierce. They are bold. They are mighty.
They are... Liliac!

 "Enter Sandman" - Metallica 
 cover by Liliac (Dec. 2017) 

Few groups can match the musicianship, spirit and grandeur of an act like Iron Maiden,
one of the pioneer bands of the so-called New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the 70s
and 80s. Liliac proves their metal mettle in a video that dropped two weeks ago.
As you will see the two youngest members of the band, Ethan on rhythm guitar
and Justin on keyboards, are now coming into their own as rock showmen.
Witness another spectacular performance by a band that's for real,
a band that is making believers out of hardcore metal heads
and, week by week, winning new fans all over the world.
Feel the unbridled excitement as Liliac performs
Iron Maiden's "The Trooper."

 "The Trooper" - Iron Maiden 
 cover by Liliac (Sept. 2018) 

Marty Balin, the primary founder of

Jefferson Airplane, died three days

ago here in Tampa. One day later,

Liliac released their cover of the

Airplane's first and best known

hit, one of the most important

songs to come out of the 1960s

West Coast counterculture scene.

The Cristeas do the song justice

and honor the memory of rock

pioneer Marty Balin. I think

you will find every reason

to love Liliac's version of

"Somebody To Love!" 

 "Somebody To Love" 

 - Jefferson Airplane 
 cover by Liliac (Sept. 2018) 

Liliac has a dream...

to change the world one song at a time.

If anyone can do it... they can!

Dawn will soon break.

I think I'll grab a bite before bed.

I could go for a Bloody Mary.

Fangs for being here tonight.

I hope you enjoyed the post.

(It's much more pleasant than a stake.)

I'd like to have you for dinner

sometime soon. Until then, I will

satisfy my craving with Adam's apple.

Yeah whatever,

Uncle Fester.

Knock yourself out.

Meanwhile, find out

what's cookin' on

my hit TV show

Breaking Bad

now screaming streaming on Netflix!