Debbie the Dellette Meets The Rat Pack - Vol. 2: Starlight Tonight at the Shady Dell

(below) "Hey, get up and ask Helen

to make me a cherry coke to go."

"It's time for us to

split the snack bar

and meet up with

Debbie the Dellette

and the Rat Pack

down in the dance hall."

"Starlight Tonight" - The Inspirators

{June/July 1958, B side of "Oh What A Feeling (In My Heart)"}

From the summer of 1958, that was B-13 on the Dell Jukebox, "Starlight Tonight,"

a glorious old school sound on Old Town Records by The Inspirators, a group

also known as The Five Stars. The Inspirators were one of many doo-wop

groups to emerge from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood

in the 1950s. High school friends since 1949, they performed in

 Brooklyn clubs and placed second in the Apollo Theater's

amateur competition. The group released three singles

but failed to make it as a recording act. The ballad

you just heard, "Starlight Tonight," features the kind

of sweet doo-wop harmony teenagers of the 50s and 60s

loved slow dancing to at The Shady Dell in York, Pennsylvania.

Hi! I'm Debbie

the Dellette!

As you know, I'm "The Hostess with the Mostest"

and president of the Old York/Shady Dell chapter

of the Top Hit Club of America. I'm a dancing Dell

teenager of the 50s and I'm back with my friends,

four Dell teenagers of the 60s, who'll play more

of the Shady Dell's greatest hits. This is not an

SPMM radio program. We will be taking turns

dropping our coins into the slot and playing

the Dell's jukebox. At this time, I'd like to

reintroduce my friends from The Rat Pack

who are ready to entertain themselves

and you with their favorite Dell

songs of the mid to late 60s.

THE RAT PACK

(LEFT to RIGHT)

JULIE

PETE

LINDA

DOUG

Looks like Rat Packer Julie's taken her position at

the jukebox and is selecting her first Dell song.

JULIE: Deb, I wish that you had

still been going to the Dell in the

mid 60s when The Temptations

came along. They were Shady Dell

heavy hitters, landing eleven songs

on Shady Del Knight's list of The 200

Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell. I just

pressed N-11 for one of the group's

great mid-tempo love ballads, a song

written by two of Motown's Miracles,

Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore.

From the spring of 1965, here now

are The Temps singing their top 3

R&B hit-- "It's Growing!"

"It's Growing" - The Temptations

(Apr./May 1965, highest chart pos.

#3 R&B, #18 Hot 100/#19 Cash Box) 

PETE: My turn, Julie. As you pointed out,

The Temptations placed 11 of their songs

on Shady's list of the Top 200 Dell Songs

of the mid 60. Well, these guys also have

11 songs on that exclusive list. They're

the Four Tops, another great Motown

group, and I just pushed G-17 to play

one of those soulful sides. This Tops

45 made the top 3 winner's circle on

the R&B chart and top 5 on the pop

survey. Here are The Four Tops

with Dell song #175, a giant

of the jukebox in the spring

of 1967-- "Bernadette!"

DELL SONG #175

"Bernadette" - Four Tops

(Apr. 1967, highest chart pos.

#3 R&B/#4 Hot 100/#8 Cash Box) 

LINDA: Scoot over, Petey. I'm gonna

play one of the most popular but

unlikely Shady Dell hits of the

mid 60s. It's an example of the

Dell's "killer bee" phenomenon -

a B side that equaled or surpassed

the popularity of the A side. In fact,

I don't remember the A side of this

45 ever being played at the Dell.

The biggie I'm talking about is J-8,

a song by Sam The Sham And The

Pharaohs, the Tex-Mex band best

known for their 1965 novelty hit

"Wooly Bully," the first American

record to sell a million copies during

the British Invasion.  The song I'm

playing is on the back of their top

30 charting follow-up "Ju Ju Hand."

Way up there at #12 on the list of 

200 Greatest Dell Songs, here's

"Big City Lights!"

DELL SONG #12

"Big City Lights" - Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs

(Aug./Sept. 1965, B side of "Ju Ju Hand")

DOUG: Hey guys, I'm sure we all

agree that The Motown Sound was

hot down here "in the barn."  We've

already played records by two great

Motown boy groups. Now I'd like to

hear a Dell hit by one of the record

label's top girl groups, Martha And

The Vandellas. These ladies placed

five of their songs on the Dell's

Top 200 list. At #48 this is their

highest ranked Dell song and

one of their biggest national

hits, a single that topped the

R&B chart in the early spring

of '67. I just punched L-16

and here's- "Jimmy Mack!"

DELL SONG #48

"Jimmy Mack" - Martha And The Vandellas

(March/April 1967, highest chart pos.

#1 R&B/#6 Cash Box/#10 Hot 100)

JULIE: Step aside, Doug, because I've

got another great Motown song in mind,

this one by Edwin Starr. You know, it's

funny to me that The Nashville born,

Detroit based soul man is best known

for his hit protest song "War." At the

Dell, his biggest and best remembered

record was "Agent Double-O-Soul," a

single released during the secret agent,

spy and detective craze of the mid 60s.

Three years later, this Edwin Starr 45

merely Bubbled Under nationally, but

it was hot in the Shady. I just pressed

O-9, and here's that cool sound from

Shady Dell the College Years - Edwin

Starr in the spring of 1968 boasting--

"I Am The Man For You Baby!" 

"I Am The Man For You Baby" - Edwin Starr

(May 1968, highest chart pos. #45 R&B/#112 Bubbling Under)

PETE: It's almost curfew. Time for

the last record of the night. As we

prepare to walk away from the

Dell dance hall, I'm playing

"Walk Away Renée" by the

New York based baroque

pop band The Left Banke.

This single reached the top 5

on Billboard and continued on

to #2 on Cash Box, held back

from the top of the chart by

The Monkees and their smash 

hit "Last Train To Clarksville."

This hauntingly beautiful sound

was a powerful memory maker

at the Dell during the Halloween

season in 1966. Coming in at #129

on the Greatest Hits of The Dell,

here's H-1 - The Left Banke -

and "Walk Away Renée!"

DELL SONG #129

"Walk Away Renee" - The Left Banke

(Sept./Oct. 1966, highest chart pos. #2 Cash Box/#5 Hot 100)

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

I hope you enjoyed our second

meet-up, a bash in the barn...

the Dell dance hall... down here

where all the cool kids hang out.

Stay tuned. We'll be back soon

to feed the jukebox and play

more Dell gold. Now for

The Rat Pack - Julie,

Pete, Linda and Doug,

this is Debbie the Dellette,

"Your Hostess with the

Mostest," Bye bye!

"In The Basement - Pt. 1" - Etta James And Sugar Pie DeSanto

(Aug./Sept. 1966, highest chart pos. #37 R&B)

Debbie the Dellette 5 years later

New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady 2020: Time to Rock, Roll & Remember Dick Clark and the Bandstand Dancers!

 I'm Shady Seaweed 

 "America's Oldest Living Toddler" 

 Welcome to the 

 58th 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 2020. 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 you 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 young studio dancers of the 1960s,
their body language, clothing styles and hairdos.
Note their attitude, how they conducted
themselves on the program.

 THE DOVELLS 

 Mem'ries light the corners of my mind 

"You Can't Sit Down" - The Dovells

(Jan. 4, 1964, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:05 MARK! 

 THE RONETTES 

 Misty water-colored mem'ries of the way we were 

"Be My Baby" - The Ronettes

(January 04, 1964, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 45 SEC MARK:

 THE SEEKERS 

 Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind 

 Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were 

"Georgy Girl" - The Seekers

(February 4, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:20 MARK! 

 GLADYS KNIGHT 
 AND THE PIPS 

 Can it be that it was all so simple then 

 Or has time rewritten every line 

"Friendship Train" - Gladys Knight And The Pips

(Nov. 8, 1969, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

FROM BEGINNING!

 THE MCCOYS 

 If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me, 

 would we..... could we? 

"Fever" - The McCoys

(December 18, 1965, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:44 MARK!

 PAUL REVERE 
 AND THE RAIDERS 

 Mem'ries may be beautiful and yet 

 What's too painful to remember 

 We simply choose to forget 

"Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" 

Paul Revere And The Raiders

(June 3, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

FROM BEGINNING! 

 SAM THE SHAM 

 AND THE PHARAOHS 

 So it's the laughter we will remember 

 Whenever we remember the way we were 

"How Do You Catch A Girl"

- Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs

(January 14, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:15 MARK!

Submitted for your approval - exhibits A through G - seven scenes of young people
having good clean fun... unbridled joy... fresh faced exuberance. Simply put -
it was great to be alive 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! 

2019 - Year of the Dell Rat

 CAN SHADY DEL KNIGHT KEEP YOU 
 ENTERTAINED IN THE COMING YEAR? 

 IS 

 PETER 

  GRIFFIN 

 "THAT GUY"? 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's exciting to be starting my first full year of blogcasting from

my new facility here at SPMM - Shady's Place Music & Memories.

S-P-M-M means more music with less talk, so let's get to it.

The gang's all here! I am pleased to welcome back the six members of

The Shady Bunch, the staff of cool DJs who will keep the great sounds

coming at you throughout 2019. The honor of spinning the first

record of the new year goes to my good friend Shady Green

who invites you to climb aboard his Wayback Machine!

Hey, thank you, Shady Del Knight, and happy new year

to one and all! My first nugget of the year is a real mind-

blower, and if you're following our simulcast on YouTube,

you will enjoy seeing as well as hearing this performance.

It's the singing Singer Family of San Diego, California,

along with a group of go-go dancers from the local

Young Actors' Theatre.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

Together they flash us back to 1971 with a cool cover of Tommy James'

biggest solo hit, the million seller "Draggin' The Line." Look out,
world... here comes-- The Singer Family!

 "Draggin' the Line" - Tommy James 

 (cover by The Singer Family, San Diego, 

 ft. go-go dancers from Young Actors' Theatre) 

The Zinger (Singer) Family of Southern

California there with a treat for the eyes

as well as the ears, bringing back the era

 of psychedelic sunshine pop, performing

the song "Draggin' The Line"... a top 5

hit for Tommy James of Shondells fame.

Hard to believe, but Tommy's groovy

tune almost got buried on the B side

of the single. Fortunately the decision

makers recognized the hit potential of

"Draggin' The Line," changed their

minds at the last minute and

released it as the A side.  

That's it for me today. I'll be back soon to give you a good

long ride in my Wayback Machine. Now it's time for me

to turn over the mic to everybody's favorite pooch,

S-P-M-M's very own Hound of Sound-- Toto Moto!

Thanks, Shady Green! You're a RUFF RUFF RUFF

act to follow! (BA-DUM-BUMP) My first record of

the year is a big beat ditty that's guaranteed

to blow out your woofers. Woofers... get it?

(BA-DUM-BUMP) It comes to us from across

 the great pond, and I don't mean the

one I made on the living room floor.

(BA-DUM-BUMP)

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

Remember when The Dave Clark Five were just as popular in
America as the Fab Four? Here's the English pop rock quintet
with one of their earliest and biggest hits-- "Bits And Pieces!"

 "Bits And Pieces" - The Dave Clark Five 

 (Apr./May 1964, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100/#2 UK) 

The DC-5 with one of their biggies from 1964, "Bits And

Pieces." I need to go huntin' for a hydrant, but I'll be back

later in the year with more nifty numbers like that one

in Toto's Top Tunes Time Tunnel. Up next, my good

buddy The Geator, Jerry Blavat, who just now dug

up a nugget from his show Geator Gold. I think

you're gonna dig it, too. Take it away, Jerry!

Alright, faaantastic!!! How 'bout a big round of applause
for my canine compadre, Mr. Toto Moto? Greetings and
salutations! I am the Geator with the Heater... I am
the Boss with the big Hot Sauce... and you're tuned
to the greatest little station in the nation, S-P-M-M!

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

My first spin of the year is a bombastic dance record dedicated to
all my yon teenagers on the Discophonic TV Scene. My good friends
The Contours from the Motor City are here to ask the musical question,
"What does every man look at first?" and it ain't what you think, y'all!

 "First I Look At The Purse" - The Contours 

 (Sept. 1965, highest chart pos. #57 Hot 100/#12 R&B) 

The great Motown Sound of The Contours and "First I
Look At The Purse." I gotta split, but I'll be back soon
with more great sounds of yesteryear on Geator Gold.

Now here to play the next song is a stupendous
record spinner, a real winner, my main man...
Mr. Shady Blue!

Thank you, Jerry Blavat, and happy new year, everyone!
By now it's no secret that I'm crazy about Elvis the Pelvis,
hence the name of my radio show Stuck Like Glue On
Shady Blue. My first song of the year is a sweet
ballad that Elvis sang to his lovely co-star
in the 1965 movie Girl Happy.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

It's Shelley Fabares (Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show) forgetting

all about Johnny Angel as Elvis serenades her with "Puppet On A String!"

 "Puppet On A String" - Elvis Presley 

 (from Apr. 1965 film Girl Happy) 

Elvis "The King" crooning the tune "Puppet On A String"
to pretty Shelley Fabares in the movie Girl Happy.
Keep it here on S-P-M-M Radio for lots more
pelvic platters and great oldies of the 50s
and early 60s made by other artists on
my show Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue.
Now here's my good buddy Dell Rat Tom
to play one of his favorite Jukebox Giants!

Thank you, Shady Blue, and happy new year! I'm beginning 2019 with a
flashback to a day in May of 1965. I was sick and spent that entire day in bed.
Yet, that evening, I begged my dad to drive me to a discount department store
so that I could buy a certain record, one of the most exciting sounds I ever heard.

It was "Wooly Bully" by rock 'n' roller Sam The Sham

and his band The Pharaohs. Named after his pet cat,

"Wooly Bully" was Sam's first and biggest hit. The

record shot to #2 on the chart only to be denied

the #1 spot by the Four Tops smash hit "I Can't

Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)." It was

quite an accomplishment for Motown's Tops and

Sam, a Tex-Mex artist from Dallas, to hold the top

two spots on the Hot 100 at a time when British

Invasion acts were dominating the chart.

Here now are Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs with that

rockin' little record I just had to have - the one that

got me up out of my sick bed-- "Wooly Bully."

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

 "Wooly Bully" - Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs 

 (May/June 1965, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100) 

Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs with their signature song

"Wooly Bully." Don't touch that dial. I'll be back throughout

the year to spin more of the greatest hits of the Shady Dell

on my regularly scheduled show Jukebox Giants. Now,

here's one of the coolest guys you're ever gonna meet.

For him cool comes naturally, and so it is apropos

that he hosts a program here on  S-P-M-M called

Natural Hy. He's my Shady Bunch buddy Hy Lit!

Thanks, Tommy boy! I appreciate the kind intro, my friend.
Hey, this is your pal on the radio, your man with the plan,
on the scene with the record machine here at station
S-P-M-M, where the cool oldies go to live forever.
Callin' uptown, downtown, crosstown - here, there,
everywhere, yours truly Hy Lit, and I'm starting the
year off right with a story song inspired by one of
Aesop's fables - The Farmer and the Viper.

CLICK TO START VIDEO!

It's without a doubt one of the grooviest sounds around, a Northern Soul killer,

a guaranteed dance floor filler, from the man who gave us the #1 smash

"Show And Tell," Al Wilson-- "The Sssssnake!"

 "The Snake" - Al Wilson 

 (Sept./Oct. 1968, highest chart pos. 
 #27 Hot 100/#32 R&B) 

 HAPPY NEW YEAR 

 FROM YOUR PALS 

 "THE SHADY BUNCH" 

 AT S-P-M-M... 

 THE STATION THAT'S #1 

 FOR MUSIC AND FUN!