Songs People Should Hear - Printable Version

Songs People Should Hear - Printable Version

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Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 18-12-2009

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbad22CKlB4

from wikipedia

"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" is a song recorded by Neil Sedaka and described by Allmusic as "two minutes and sixteen seconds of pure pop magic".[1] It is considered to be Sedaka's signature song. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11, 1962 and was a good hit all over the world, sometimes with the text translated into foreign languages. For example, the Italian version was called "Tu non lo sai" (" You don't know ") and was recorded by Sedaka himself.

Originally an uptempo song, Sedaka re-recorded it as a ballad in 1975 and the new version peaked at number eight in February 1976 and went to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart; it was only the second time that an artist made the Billboard Top Ten with two different versions of the same song.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 19-12-2009

YouTube - Del Shannon Runaway

from wikipedia

"Runaway" was a number one Billboard Hot 100 song in the spring of 1961 by Del Shannon. It was written by Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook, and became a major international hit.

It is #466 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Singer-guitarist Charles Westover and keyboard player Max Crook performed together as members of "Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band" in Battle Creek, Michigan, before their group won a recording contract in 1960. Westover took the new stage name "Del Shannon", and Crook, who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron, became "Maximilian".

After their first recording session for Big Top Records in New York had ended in failure, their manager Ollie McLaughlin persuaded them to rewrite and re-record an earlier song they had written, "Little Runaway", to highlight Crook's unique instrumental sound. On January 21, 1961, they recorded "Runaway" at the Bell Sound recording studios, with Harry Balk as producer,Fred Weinberg as audio engineer and also session musician on several sections- session musician Al Caiola on guitar, and Crook playing the central Musitron break. "Runaway" was released in February 1961 and was immediately successful. In April, Shannon appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand helping to catapult it to the number one spot on the Billboard charts where it remained for four weeks. Two months later, it also reached number one in the UK. On the R&B charts, "Runaway" peaked at number three.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 20-12-2009

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YouTube - LEN BARRY - 1-2-3 - 1966

from wikipedia

"1-2-3" is a hit 1965 song written and recorded by Len Barry. The song is actually a rework of "Ask Any Girl" released by The Supremes as the b-side to their single "Baby Love", and written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. It reached #2 in the U.S. Billboard chart and #3 on the UK Singles Chart. "1-2-3" also went to number eleven on the soul chart.

The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film, Mr. Holland's Opus.

"1-2-3" was one of the songs that appeared in John Lennon's jukebox.

Motown Records sued the songwriters, because "1-2-3" was a reworked copy of Holland-Dozier-Holland song "Ask Any Girl". The songwriters admitted to taking the composition which led to Holland-Dozier-Holland getting credit for writing "1-2-3".

In 1980, disco/dance group Salazar, peaked at number sixty on the disco/dance charts with their version of the song.

In 1987, English singer-songwriter Roy Wood recorded a cover version and released it as a single, but it failed to chart

In December 2005, Welsh singer-songwriter Cerys Matthews recorded a new version of "1-2-3" in Nashville, Tennessee for a children's charity in the UK.

Edwyn Collins sampled the opening for his single "A Girl Like You".

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 21-12-2009

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YouTube - Bobby Vee : Take Good Care Of My Baby

from wikipedia

"Take Good Care of My Baby" is a song written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and made famous by Bobby Vee, when it was released in 1961. It quickly became popular, reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in September. The song was covered by The Beatles during their audition at Decca Records on January 1, 1962. Dion also recorded a version, though it was not released as a single. Gary Lewis & The Playboys recorded a cover version in 1965 on their She's Just My Style album. In 1968, it became a hit again, this time for Bobby Vinton, but his version reached only #33 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in comparison. Vee re-recorded the song as a ballad in 1973 on his album Ain't Nothing Like a Sunny Day (released under his real name, Robert Thomas Velline). However, it's his original version, along with Vinton's, that remain as staples of oldies radio stations.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 22-12-2009

YouTube - Everybody Loves Somebody

from wikipedia

"Everybody Loves Somebody" is a song written in 1947 by Irving Taylor and Ken Lane. The song had already been recorded by several artists (including Frank Sinatra) by 1964, but without much success. But it was in that year that Lane was playing piano for Dean Martin on his Dream With Dean LP sessions, and with an hour or so of studio time left and one song short, Lane suggested that Martin take a run at his tune. Dean was agreeable, and the small combo of piano, guitar, drums and bass performed a relatively quiet, laid back jazz version of the song.

Almost immediately thereafter, Martin re-recorded the tune for his next album, this time with an orchestra and chorus. His label, Reprise Records, was so enthusiastic about the hit potential of this version, they even titled the LP Everybody Loves Somebody to capitalize on it.

Although still a major recording artist, Martin had not had a Top 40 hit since 1958. And with the British Invasion ruling the U.S. charts, few had hopes that a middle aged Italian crooner would sway many teenagers. And yet, defying the odds, Everybody Loves Somebody shot straight up to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The song also topped the Billboard "easy listening" chart for eight weeks. It ultimately replaced "That's Amore" as Martin's signature song, and he sang it as the theme of his weekly television variety show from 1965 until 1974. The song has become so identified with Dean Martin, that later cover versions are invariably compared to his hit take on the tune.

By 1964, Dino, Frank, Sammy and the rest of the Rat Pack's martini-swilling lounge sound was out of synch with the Rock n' Roll now dominating the Top 100 Billboard. Dean in particular, resented and despised anything rock n' roll, which created conflict at home with his fourteen year old son Dean Paul Martin, who like every other teenager in the Western world, worshipped the Beatles. Tiring of his son's infernal boasting of how great the Beatles were, Dino told Dino, Jr., "I'm gonna' knock your pallies off the charts". Quoted from Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams by Nick Toches. Having not had a hit for six years, Dino Jr. rolled his eyes, and simply cast the prediction off as nonsense and forgot about it. That is until August 15, 1964 when Everybody Loves Somebody knocked the Beatles off the Number One slot on Billboard. Dino smugly remarked to Dino Jr., "I told you I'd knock your pallies off the charts.". Dino Jr. stood there speechless and gazed at his father in utter amazement, wonder, and with a newfound idolatry. Dean Martin became the only person in history to ever predict he'd knock the Beatles off the charts, and actually succeed.

Following the song's peak at the top of the charts, Martin sent his close friend Sinatra a telegram saying "THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT". Dean sent a message to Elvis Presley "IF ONE OF US CAN BEAT THE BEATLES -- I'LL DO IT!!" In the 1990s the song was licensed to Western Union for use in a series of television commercials.

The words "Everybody Loves Somebody" appear on Dean Martin's grave marker in Los Angeles.

Songs People Should Hear - kvincent5555 - 22-12-2009

Music Head Wrote:...And with the British Invasion ruling the U.S. charts...

That reminds me of this clip I saw a while back. He's pretty rude, and the jokes seem so out-of-touch. A classic example of what you're talking about.

YouTube - Dean Martin presents The Rolling Stones

Funny...Nowadays Mick will sing with Christina Aguilera, and JPJ is in a band with Dave Grohl. Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be less suspicion between generations and genres these days. Perhaps they see the career value of playing nice together.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 23-12-2009

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YouTube - The Foundations - Build me up Buttercup (HQ Audio) [Over One Million Served!]

from wikipedia

"Build Me Up Buttercup" is the name of a song written by Mike d'Abo and Tony Macaulay, and released by The Foundations with Colin Young singing the lead vocals in 1968. This was the third major hit for the Foundations. Colin Young replaced Clem Curtis in 1968 and this was the first Foundations hit that he sang on. It reached number 2 on the UK charts and number 3 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, it stayed at number 3 for 11 weeks.

It was re-recorded in or around the late 1980s when original Foundations members Clem Curtis and Alan Warner teamed up to recut this as well as other hits of The Foundations.

In 2003 Colin Young recorded an updated version of the song backed by a choir of policemen from the Surrey police force. The proceeds from the sale of the CD go to Milly's Fund. The fund is a trust set up in memory of murdered school girl Amanda Dowler. Apparently the song was a favourite of hers.

The song was used in the 1983 film Luggage of the Gods!, and featured again in movies twice in the 1990s and once in 2007. It was covered by rock band The Goops in 1995 for the soundtrack of Mallrats, with the music video featuring View Askewniverse characters Jay and Silent Bob. Three years later, it was included (as its original version) in the 1998 film There's Something about Mary. The actors of the film also made a video for the song, with all the main actors miming to the words in character. It was also covered by The Frantic in 2007 as a bonus track on their album Audio & Murder. This version is popularly thought to have been done by both NOFX and The Donnas.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 23-12-2009

kvincent5555 Wrote:That reminds me of this clip I saw a while back. He's pretty rude, and the jokes seem so out-of-touch. A classic example of what you're talking about.

YouTube - Dean Martin presents The Rolling Stones

Funny...Nowadays Mick will sing with Christina Aguilera, and JPJ is in a band with Dave Grohl. Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be less suspicion between generations and genres these days. Perhaps they see the career value of playing nice together.

Nice clip - thanks

I really think there was a lot of resentment over that British Invasion.
Actually, rock 'n' roll in general, but the brits brought it out more. Those crooners of the 40's, 50's finally realized their day was over. Not just Dean. Frank felt the same way and it took him some time to accept the inevitable. I'm sure it didn't take Dean long to know that his victory was only temporary.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 24-12-2009

YouTube - The Doors - Touch Me

from wikipedia

"Touch Me" is a song by The Doors from their album The Soft Parade. Written by Robby Krieger, its riff was influenced by The Four Seasons' "C'mon Marianne". It is notable for its extensive usage of brass and string instruments to accent Jim Morrison's vocals, including the measures of crooning, (including a powerful solo by featured saxophonist Curtis Amy), and was one of the most popular Doors singles.

It was released as a single in December 1968. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in the Cashbox Top 100 in early 1969 (the band's third American number-one single). The single also did well elsewhere, peaking at #1 in the RPM Canadian Singles Chart and at #10 in the Kent Music Report in Australia. However, despite the band's commercial success the previous year, "Touch Me" did not chart in the UK Singles Chart.

According to Bruce Botnick's liner notes the song was initially referred to by its various working titles; "I'm Gonna Love You", from a line in the chorus, or "Hit Me", a reference to black jack playing. The opening line was originally "C'mon, hit me, I'm not afraid", the line thus reflecting the first person vantage point of a black jack player. Morrison reportedly changed the lyric out of concern that rowdy crowds at their live shows would mistakenly believe that "hit me" was a challenge to physically assault him.

One of the most famous television appearances of the Doors is of the group performing "Touch Me" on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour along with the single's B-side, "Wild Child". During the performance, Jim Morrison missed his cue for the lines "C'mon, c'mon" and Robby Krieger could be seen with a black eye.

At the end of the song, Morrison can be heard saying, "Stronger than dirt," which was the slogan of the Ajax household cleaning company, because the last four chords of "Touch Me" were the same as those in an Ajax commercial and as a mocking criticism of Krieger, Densmore, and Manzarek wanting to accept an offer from Buick to use "Light My Fire" in a commercial. The deal was aborted when Morrison opposed. This vocal was omitted on the single version which was a different mix.

Songs People Should Hear - Music Head - 25-12-2009

YouTube - Hit the road Jack!

from wikipedia

"Hit the Road Jack" is a song written by rhythm and blues artist Percy Mayfield and recorded by singer, pianist Ray Charles. It hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961. The song was also number one on the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, becoming Ray Charles' sixth number one on that chart. The song is ranked #377 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

from song facts

This was written by Ray's good friend Percy Mayfield, an R&B singer who was badly disfigured in a car accident soon after he started performing. Mayfield cut back his touring and made his mark as a prolific songwriter, with many of his compositions performed by Charles.

This was the second (and shortest, at an even two minutes) of Charles' 3 #1 hits.

The solo backing vocals were by Margie Hendricks, who was one of Ray's backup singers, The Raelettes. They were lovers for a time, but the song is not about their relationship. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

The continuing popularity of this song is evident by the many professional and semi-professional hockey teams playing the first few lines whenever a player is sent to the penalty box.

This was the winner of the 1961 Grammy for Best Male Rhythm and Blues Recording. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for above 2)

Canadian group The Stampeders released a version of this in 1976 that featured a telephone conversation with disc jockey Wolfman Jack. Their version hit #40 in the US. (thanks, Cole - Moose Jaw, Sk)