Hi, I'm Debbie the Dellette...
a teenager of the 1950s
dancing at the Shady Dell.
I am also president of the Old York -
Shady Dell chapter of the
Top Hit Club of America!
Today my friends and I will make
you regret the day you were born!
What do I mean by that? When you hear the records my fellow Dell rats
play at today's meeting, you will wish you had been a teenager in York, PA,
in the 1950s and 60s and a regular at Shady Dell during those golden years.
in the 1950s and 60s and a regular at Shady Dell during those golden years.
Remember, as these original
Dell rats spin their songs:
"Don't just listen with your ears -
listen with your heart."
The rats are restless and eager to get started. I second that emotion.
(Debbie bangs the gavel.) The meeting of the Old York - Shady Dell
(Debbie bangs the gavel.) The meeting of the Old York - Shady Dell
chapter of the Top Hit Club of America will hereby come to order!
As I review the minutes of our last
meeting, I recall that in volume 2,
original Dell rat Jerre Slaybaugh
joined Dell rat Tom Anderson,
and the veteran vermin took
turns playing Dell classics.
Today our good friend Dell rat
Ron Shearer returns to play
dueling banjos turntables
with Tom. Rat Ron...
the floor is yours!
THE TEMPTATIONS
Sup, Debbie? The Dell jukebox was home to many
records by The Temptations including their first pop
chart hit, "The Way You Do The Things You Do."
I wonder how many people remember the B side
of that single. Most Dell rats do, and we have the
Del-chords, York's great doo-wop soul group, to
thank for that. The Del-chords were influenced
by The Temptations, covered their songs and
always made sure we knew all of the Temps'
early recordings, even most of the B-sides.
It was like a personal triumph for so many
records by The Temptations including their first pop
chart hit, "The Way You Do The Things You Do."
I wonder how many people remember the B side
of that single. Most Dell rats do, and we have the
Del-chords, York's great doo-wop soul group, to
thank for that. The Del-chords were influenced
by The Temptations, covered their songs and
always made sure we knew all of the Temps'
early recordings, even most of the B-sides.
It was like a personal triumph for so many
of us when "The Way You Do the Things
You Do" hit both nationally and in the
Dell jukebox, and the B-side I am
You Do" hit both nationally and in the
Dell jukebox, and the B-side I am
about to play, "Just Let Me Know,"
also received heavy airplay.
also received heavy airplay.
"Just Let Me Know" - The Temptations
(Mar./Apr. 1964, B side of "The Way You Do The Things You Do")
MARCY JOE
Shady, years ago on your old blog, Shady Dell Music & Memories, you posted
"Lover's Medley: The More I See You; When I Fall In Love"... a beautiful duet
recorded by Pittsburgh songstress Marcy Jo and
Hazleton's Eddie Rambeau.
I've got another great one, a solo record by Marcy Joe aka Marcy Jo, this
time backed by a group called Lugee & the Lions which consisted of
Lou Christie, his older sister Amy, Kay Chick and Bill Fabec.
Here's Marcy Joe with her 1961 regional hit (and I like
the name of the song)-- "Ronnie."
"Ronnie" - Marcy Joe aka Marcy Jo
(June 1961, highest chart position
#64 Cash Box/#81 Hot 100)
Thanks for that "Ronnie"
song, Ronny... and that
killer B by The Temps.
Now let's hear from
Dell rat Tom who's
standing by with his
first play of the day.
THE SIX TEENS
FEAT. TRUDY WILLIAMS
Thanks, Debbie. The first song I'm going to
spin today was recorded by a Los Angeles
based vocal group called The Six Teens.
In 1956, when they began making
records, The Six Teens were all
teenagers or younger. The group's
youngest member was their twelve
year old lead singer Trudy Williams.
Did... did you
say Trudy?
My wife's name
was Trudy.
In 1957, 25 years before the English new wave band
ABC scored a U.S. hit with "Poison Arrow," little
Trudy Williams and The Six Teens made a dent
in Billboard's pop chart with "Arrow Of Love."
"Arrow Of Love" - The Six Teens
featuring Trudy Williams (Aug. 1957,
highest chart position #80 Hot 100)
Thank you, Tommy boy!
Now let's turn the table
and the mic back over
to Dell Rat Ron and
listen to a couple
more of his faves.
Now let's turn the table
and the mic back over
to Dell Rat Ron and
listen to a couple
more of his faves.
JAMES BROWN AND
HIS FAMOUS FLAMES
HIS FAMOUS FLAMES
Earlier I played a record by The Temptations.
The Motown men were heavy hitters at the
Shady Dell, and so was this R&B titan dubbed
The Hardest Working Man in Show Business -
James Brown. In 1962 Brown released his
5th studio album Good, Good, Twistin' which
contains the hit single "Shout and Shimmy"
along with two other JB gems, "I Don't Mind"
and "Good, Good, Lovin'." I'm going to play
another song from the album. It was released
on the B side of Brown's 1964 single "So Long,"
a great ballad from his 1963 Prisoner Of Love
album that sold poorly as a single and merely
Bubbled Under at #132. Here's that obscure
flip side-- James Brown And His Famous
Flames doing "Dancin' Little Thing!"
"Dancin' Little Thing" - James Brown And His Famous Flames
(June/July 1964, B side of "So Long," from
1962 album Good, Good, Twistin')
1962 album Good, Good, Twistin')
MAJOR LANCE
Now here's one of my favorite songs that
our hometown heroes The Delchords liked
to cover. It was written by Curtis Mayfield
and recorded by Major Lance, the man
who hit big with "The Monkey Time."
I think Major Lance did
just as good
a job on his record as the Delchords
did in their live sets. Is Major backed
by The
Impressions or by Billy Butler
and The Enchanters? It was a topic
that often came up when Dave, Buddy,
Ike and the other Chords discussed
records that involved Curtis Mayfield.
"It Ain't No Use" - Major Lance
(July 1964, highest chart
pos.
#68 Hot 100 & R&B)
Thank you, Ron.
Now, it's back to
you, Dell Rat Tom,
to bring today's club
meeting to an end.
MONICA ROCHA
To wrap up today's club meeting, I've got a
double dose of a sensational young Latina
singer from SoCal's Inland Empire region.
Described as "a young voice from an old
soul"... Monica Rocha covers R&B and
soul songs of the 1960s and 70s, sounds
Dell rats love, and she makes them her
own... turning them into new classics
that will surely stand the test of time.
You just heard Dell rat Ron play "It Ain't No Use," a song written by
Curtis Mayfield and recorded by Chicago R&B singer Major Lance.
Now you're about to see and hear Monica Rocha perform another
song penned by Mayfield and originally recorded by another
Chitown soul great -- Gene Chandler. In the late winter and
early spring of 1963, "Rainbow," not to be confused with
Russ Hamilton's pop hit of the 50s, brushed the top 10
on the R&B chart and went top 50 pop. A live version
entitled "Rainbow '65 Part 1" recorded by Chandler
at the Regal Theater in Chicago, cracked the top 3
on the Black Singles survey early in 1966. Fast
forward to March, 2021, when Monica Rocha
laid down this fine cover of the deep soul ballad.
"Rainbow" - Gene Chandler cover by Monica Rocha
(March 2021)
MONICA ROCHA
& MALIK MALO
Finally, Monica is joined by singing partner
Malik Malo on a cover of "Hello Stranger,"
the official theme song of the Shady Dell.
First recorded in 1963 by Barbara Lewis,
a crossover hit for the diva, "Hello Stranger"
was waxed again in 1966 by the R&B group
The Capitols and released as the B side of
their top 10 hit "Cool Jerk." Both songs on
that Capitols 45 were huge hits at the Dell.
In early 2020, Monica and Malik brought
the smooth groove back to life in fine
chicano soul style.
"Hello Stranger" - Barbara Lewis/Capitols cover
by Monica Rocha & Malik Malo (Feb. 2020)
I hope you had a good time eavesdropping on this meeting of the
Old York - Shady Dell Chapter of the Top Hit Club of America.
Stay tuned for more golden greats of the 50s and 60s spun by
Dell rats Ron, Tom and Jerre Slaybaugh coming up in future
volumes. This is Debbie the Dellette. See you next time!
