You've heard of the Sweet Sixteen,
the Elite Eight and the Final Four.
Dell Rat Tom circa 1961, age 11
Today Jim and I are spreading
MARCH GLADNESS
and introducing you to
THE BIG THREE!
Hi, friends!
Dell Rat Tom
back to share with you another
surprise from my hometown -
York, PA. It's another picture
that's directly related to my old
alma mater - The Shady Dell.
The picture arrived in an
email sent by my friend
Jim Sieling, a Yorker
with family ties to
John Ettline and
The Dell.
As you recall, Jim is the husband of Nancy Rae Sieling,
the niece of Dell owner John Ettline.
Last year, Jim sent me pictures of a 45 rpm record, "Close Your Eyes" by the
Five Keys, the song that tops my list of the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell.
Writing on the label indicates that my first wife and I shipped that record to
Helen & John at the Dell in 1973. I had forgotten all about it over the years!
Jim found the 45 in a large batch of records salvaged from the Dell's
dance hall jukebox (above) which Jim also owns. A few months later,
Jim surprised me again by sending pics of another record of special
interest to Dell rats, another record that I had sent to the Ettlines
and forgot about - "Jingle Bell Rock." Today I present the third
surprise from Jim, yet another priceless picture. Jim explained:
Tom -- It’s been a while since I last contacted you. I’ve been busy organizing
the 45’s that were saved from the Shady Dell. Most are now in artist sequence,
have title strips, and are in sleeves. There are still a few that need title strips
and some of them also need sleeves. Once they are merged together the
final step will be log them into my computer so a particular record
can be found either by artist or song. There may be as many as
2500 records – once they have been entered into the
database we will have a good count.
In any event, after reading your blog I kept my eyes open and found
the original copies of your Shady Dell top three songs and have
attached a photo of all three together to this note.
Apparently at one time ‘Close Your Eyes’ was at location A 3...
...and N 8 was pressed for ‘Peace of Mind’. I hope the pictures
bring back even more fond memories of The Dell. - Jim
Jim, you have me shaking my head
and smiling ear to ear, my friend!
I am very grateful to you for sharing
these priceless pictures with me and
with Shady's Place readers. It blows
my mind to gaze at these records,
"The Big Three" - the top three
Jukebox Giants of the Dell -
and to realize these are the
actual records I listened and
danced to hundreds of times
at the Dell in the mid 1960s.
It's surreal that these are the
same title strips I squinted
to read as I peered into that
Seeburg jukebox in the
dimly lit Dell dance hall,
the strips that compelled
me to play these great
songs countless times.
Yes, Jim, thanks to you my mind is indeed reeling and filled with fond
memories. Thank you very much for this kind gesture, my friend!
Now that the field of 200 Greatest Dell Hits has been whittled down to
THE BIG THREE, let's listen to a few songs. Last year, in my first
post inspired by Jim's generosity, I played "Close Your Eyes."
To listen to the song again, click HERE. For today's post,
Jim sent me the picture below, a marvelous closeup of
the label and the many different title strips used in
the jukebox over the years for "Close Your Eyes."
Jim wrote: This one record (out of all the records found at the Dell) had
so many title strips. (I don’t think any other one had more than 4). There
must have been something special about this 45 !!!!
Probably about 90% +
of all of the hand written strips over all the years were printed by the same
person (notice the L’s, G’s, & T’s). I’m guessing it had to be either John or Helen.
about that 45, Jim. As you already know,
"Close Your Eyes" ranks #1 on my list of
The Dell's Greatest Hits. It also earned
the title of Record of Greatest Longevity
because it first entered the Dell jukebox
shortly after its release in January, 1955,
and it was still being played frequently
ten years later in 1965 when I arrived
on the scene. In fact, "Close Your Eyes"
was still in the "Barn box" and still
popular in 1971 when I ended my
stint as a Dell rat and moved away
from York. To my knowledge, no
other record lasted that long on the
Dell's main jukebox. It should be noted
that many other 1950s doo-wop records
were eventually retired from the jukebox
in the Barn and found a new home inside
the music machine in Helen's snack bar.
Since I played the A side
song "Close Your Eyes"
last year, today I'd like
to spin the seldom heard
B side of that Five Keys
single. I honestly don't
remember this song
being played at Dell,
even though it's on
the back of the #1
ranked Dell hit.
From what I've gathered
on YouTube, the song is
an early example of the
Carolina Beach Music
genre. Here now are
The Five Keys with--
"Doggone It, You Did It."
"Doggone It, You Did It" - The Five Keys
(Jan. 1955, B side of "Close Your Eyes")
The second biggest hit of the Shady Dell is by the local York group
The Del-Chords aka Del-Cords led by Dave Bupp and Buddy King.
Released in 1964, this dreamy soul ballad was played on radio stations
across the mid-Atlantic region and is one of Pittsburgh's Favorite Oldies.
In "the Barn" at the Dell, it was a monster, a genuine Jukebox Giant.
Here are Bupp, King and The Del-Chords reminding us that--
"Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday."
"Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday" - The Del-Chords
(1964, uncharted nationally #2 Shady Dell)
I consider the Del-Chords' platter a double-sider, because the flip
is also fantastic. Here's a sad story that's got to be told, a song
originally titled "Daddy's Lonely," and officially released
as-- "Your Mommy Lied To Your Daddy."
"Your Mommy Lied To Your Daddy" - The Del-Chords
(1964, B side of "Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday")
We now move to the third record scan sent in by Jim Sieling,
the #3 ranked Dell song "Peace Of Mind" by our hometown
heroes... The Magnificent Men. Lead singers Dave Bupp
and Buddy King founded the all white member R&B
and soul band after dissolving The Del-Chords.
Along with "Stormy Weather," this is one of the group's signature songs,
a smash hit at the Dell in 1966 and beyond. Rats scurried out to the
dance floor, formed a line and rode the tempo as The Mag Men
performed-- "Peace Of Mind."
"Peace Of Mind" - The Magnificent Men
(Mar. thru Sept. 1966, uncharted, #3 Shady Dell )
Those were The Magnificent Men with
the sweet soul anthem "Peace Of Mind,"
a single that missed the national chart
but hit the Dell like a tsunami, earning
the lofty position of #3 on my list -
the third most popular song on the
Shady Dell jukebox in the mid 60s.
Now let's flip that platter, because
it's another genuine double-sider...
two great songs for the price of one.
Here again are "our blue-eyed soul
brothers," The Magnificent Men,
with the Northern dancer-- "All
Your Lovin's Gone To My Head."
"All Your Lovin's Gone To My Head"
- The Magnificent Men (Mar. thru Sept.
1966, B side of "Peace Of Mind,"
#18 Shady Dell)
As a bonus, I will expand
THE BIG THREE
into
THE VINYL FOUR
and play the 4th biggest hit of
the Shady Dell in the mid 60s.
The majestic fanfare at
the start of this record
was the signal that sent
Dell couples flocking to
the floor for three minutes
of heavenly embrace -
ample time to do some
huggin' and smoochin'.
Hands down this is one of
the greatest R&B ballads
of all time. At #4 on the
Dell's 200 Greatest Hits
survey, Mr. Dynamite,
James Brown, sings--
"It's a Man's Man's
Man's World."
"It's A Man's Man's Man's World"
James Brown And The Famous Flames
(May, June 1966, highest chart pos. #1 R&B,
#4 Cash Box/#8 Hot 100/#4 Shady Dell)
You just witnessed a steaming, sizzling, sweat-drenched performance by
The hardest working man in show business, James Brown, along with
his crackerjack band, The Famous Flames, doing "It's A Man's Man's
Man's World," the song ranked #4 on my Dell's Greatest Hits list.
Once again I wish to thank my good friend Jim Sieling in York
for his kindness and generosity, and for doing so much
to preserve the Shady Dell legacy.
Have a Shady day!
