Today In Oldies 1/31/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......where 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music news comes first!

• An 80's teen idol accidentally "outed" last week says he was never really in
• The man who invented the instrument that defined 80's music has died
• The cast of TV's hottest show will be hitting the road with Madonna
• A member of rock n' roll royalty did not collapse according to her PR machine

 

Common Knowledge

Welcome to the first in our series of Everything Oldies Games!  Play along and show off your knowledge of the music of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's by leaving a comment with your answers.  Our first game is Common Knowledge.  We'll give you a series of 4 songs accompanied by video.....one each from the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's.  You tell us what they have in common.  ***KEEP IN MIND THE COMMON BOND COULD BE FOUND IN THE SONGS, THE ARTISTS, AND/OR THE VIDEO CLIPS***  

Tell us what the following 4 clips have in common.........

 

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Who won the very first Best New Artist Grammy award?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a Comment here with your best guess!

Friday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which Michael Jackson classic was originally meant for Donny Osmond, who couldn't record it because of tour commitments?

Answer:

Today In Oldies 1/28/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......where the music and artists of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's coexist in perfect harmony!

• Details on Bob Seger's upcoming tour and album are here
• A member of the group that brought Motown Records its first #1 hit has died
• Two 80's teen queens discuss their "rivalry" in their heyday......and their new SyFy Channel movie!
• Who's the only band big enough to force a Major League Baseball team off their home field?
• Which 80's group has jumped on the reunion bandwagon?
• Which Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has strong words for Robert Plant for not wanting to put his old band back together?
• Who's planning a movie about his own life?

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

In 1981, only 18 songs hit #1 during the calendar year.  That means there were several hits that had lengthy stays at the top, including Olivia Newton John's "Physical" (a total of 10 weeks stretching into 1982), Diana Ross & Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" (9 weeks), and a song originally written and performed by Jackie DeShannon in 1975 that had a decidedly different sound than the version that became a smash for a former member of the New Christy Minstrels (which also included Kenny Rogers at the time, and this pair would team up for several 80's country and pop hits).  In fact, according to producer Val Garay, the demo sent to the singer for a potential cover version reminded him of a Leon Russell track, complete with "this beer barrel Polka part".  

Garay had an assistant go out and buy the cheapest drum set he could find.  Combining it with the sound of one of the first widely-used synthesizers of the era, they came up with a new sound and an instantly recognizable opening riff they needed to produce a hit.  And was it ever a hit of mammoth proportions!  Along with its 9 week run at the top in the U.S., it hit #1 in 31 countries.  It was also the Record of the Year winner at the 1982 Grammy Awards.  

So how did the woman whose name provided the title and subject of the song feel about it?  She loved it!  In fact, she wrote a letter to the artist thanking her for making her "a part of modern history".  It seems that in spite of being one of the top box office stars in film history, her granddaughter finally found her hip when she was mentioned in a hit pop song.

Kim Carnes had a string of hits of her own as well as hit collaborations with other artists, but clocking in at #15 on the Billboard All Time Hot 100 means she'll probably never have another hit bigger than.....................

 

 

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Which Michael Jackson classic was originally meant for Donny Osmond, who couldn't record it because of tour commitments? 

Check back Monday @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which act holds the record for the fastest sellout of the now-defunct Shea Stadium in New York?

Answer: Grand Funk Railroad

Today In Oldies 1/27/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music.....read all about it!

• Yet another music legend who claimed he was retiring is at it again!
• And another legendary band says they're taking a break
• A native Canadian will be honored for humanitarian efforts there
• Tension within Aerosmith?  Breakup rumors?  Bogus, says their producer
• Who does Aretha Franklin want to portray her on the silver screen?  Someone who has already turned down the role!
• Jimmy Buffett is released from a Sydney hospital following his scary onstage fall (click here for video from TMZ)
• The only living soul who likes Kanye West is revealed!  And he's a music icon!

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

The last #1 song of 1981, which carried over into 1982 and spent a total of ten weeks at the top of the charts (eclipsed at that time only by Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" for longest stay at #1) began to demonstrate the sea change in music at the time.  With MTV slowly beginning to take hold, having a hit record was as much about what you could do with a song's message visually.  The music video created for this song was played for comic effect, and its setting (an exercise gym) was meant to take the focus off the rather overt sexual lyrics of the song, which a few stations refused to play during its run up the charts. 

Written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, the team behind Chicago's "Hard Habit To Break", the singer who eventually had a smash with this song wasn't comfortable with it at first and had concerns that it would clash with her squeaky clean image.  Her manager, sensing he had lightning in a bottle, convinced her to go with it.  A hit song is sometimes the fortunate recipient of good timing, and in this case, the music video created was the recipient of good timing.  Aerobics were becoming trendy in the U.S., and the gym setting for the video capitalized on this.  The comic twist at the end also proved to be a little too much for MTV, which was still in its infancy.  Initially, they cut the ending where the men who are gaga over the female in the video turn out to be gay.  It was also banned outright in Canada and the UK.  The overt lyrics of the song and the sexual connotations of the video probably only proved to be an extra catalyst to get it to the top. 

How does this song stack up against the biggest songs of all time?  How about #6 on Billboard's All Time Hot 100?  And #1 on their list of "Sexiest Song Of All Time"?  The song Olivia Newton-John almost turned down became her biggest hit.........

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Which act holds the record for the fastest sellout of the now-defunct Shea Stadium in New York?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess! 

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Believe it or not, Gilligan's Island and Raiders of the Lost Ark have something in common!  What is it?  (Think "theme songs")

Answer: Both theme songs were written by legendary TV and film composer John Williams

 

 

Today In Oldies 1/26/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies.....Your 24 hour 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music news source!

• First, it was Steven Tyler.  Now, who's the latest rocker to fall off a stage?
• A music icon celebrates 50 years since his arrival in the Big Apple
• He may be a Knight, but he probably won't be on the guest list for Prince William's wedding
• As expected, Michael Jackson's doctor pleads not guilty
• A new documentary reveals the "agony and ecstasy" of one of the all-time great music producers
• Hollywood's A-list is lining up to guest star on Glee, but who isn't so keen on the idea?

 

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

Until 1981, Diana Ross had a lackluster history with duets, including an ill-fated album with Marvin Gaye in 1973 that was a commercial and critical disappointment and a "dream collaboration" with Michael Jackson that failed to make the top 40 ("Ease On Down The Road" from the soundtrack to 1978's film version of The Wiz).  She was able to remove the duets albatross with the 2nd biggest selling single of 1981, a song that spent 9 weeks at #1.  The experience of recording the song, however, was not without its obstacles according to the song's writer and Ross's duet partner. 

According to Lionel Richie, recording this song was "a disaster".  The song wasn't originally written as a duet, but when it became part of a movie soundtrack, Motown Records decided on another "dream team" collaboration between Richie and Diana Ross.  Ross told Richie she wanted the part he planned to sing.  He could not sing in the key written for her, forcing him to make it up as he went along.  It was recorded in one day due to a deadline to submit it for the movie.  It proved to be a smash nonetheless, providing Diana Ross with her last #1 song in the U.S. and establishing Lionel Richie as a bona fide superstar away from The Commodores. 

One of a long line of great 80's songs from a bad 80's movie..............

 

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Believe it or not, Gilligan's Island and Raiders of the Lost Ark have something in common!  What is it?  (Think "theme songs")

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which Motown classic got its title based on something the songwriter uttered in the midst of an argument with his girlfriend?

Answer: In the heat of the argument, songwriter Lamont Dozier uttered "Stop! In The Name Of Love"......which became a classic for The Supremes

Today In Oldies 1/25/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies....you want the scoop on the folks who made the music of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's?  You got it! 

• A self-proclaimed "lifelong friend" of Michael Jackson promises to tell all!
• In other King of Pop news, his doctor says he didn't do it
• And finally on the Michael front, his first posthumous album isn't selling very well
• Another Jackson, a rockabilly legend, is still feisty at 73

 

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

Today, we look at one of the more obscure songs ever to hit #1.  It is rarely heard on Oldies radio stations in spite of spotlighting a handful of 60's classics, and in its heyday, its success spawned a string of "medley" hits.  Disco might have been on life support in America in 1981, but in the Netherlands, it was still alive and well.  A series of bootleg disco records featuring compilations of various retro hits had become an underground sensation.  Willem van Kooten owned one of the copyrights and decided to make a legitimate record.  He hired soundalikes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney and wisely decided to make a medley of the most recognizable song catalog in the world, the music of The Beatles.  The intro to the radio edit version of the song also contained snippets of Shocking Blue's "Venus" and The Archies' "Sugar Sugar".  Medleys briefly became all the rage after this song was a global smash, hitting #1 in both the U.S. and nine other countries.  The song catalogs of The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, and another Beatles compilation (this time a medley of actual Beatles songs from their movies) all hit the Billboard Hot 100 over the next year.  Van Kooten's studio group, known as Stars on 45, briefly revived disco via The Beatles.........

 

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Which Motown classic got its title based on something the songwriter uttered in the midst of an argument with his girlfriend?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

What was the #1 song on the day MTV debuted.....August 1, 1981?

Answer: It was the subject of yesterday's "A View From The Top"........."Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield

 

Today In Oldies 1/24/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......where the people who made your favorite 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music are still making news! 

• We've heard this story before, but allegedly it's true this time
• Which 80's teen pop queen accidentally outed another teen idol from that decade?
• A former Eagle returns to his roots for a new album
• Sir Elton John has a new source of Glee in addition to his new bundle of joy

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

The inspiration for a #1 song can sometimes come from the most unlikely of places.  A song that spent 2 weeks at the top in August 1981 came from, of all places, a stained glass class with a student named Gary.  Gary's girlfriend was the object of desire by one of his classmates, although years later, the classmate admitted he never actually met the girl, calling it a case of "panting from afar" in a 2008 Oprah segment.  The classmate just happened to be a singer, songwriter, and by the time his song about the woman in question was released, a daytime TV heartthrob.  He planned to use Gary's name in the song's title, but decided that a different name had a better ring to it.  As for the girl, Oprah's people tried to track her down, but to no avail.  The teacher of the class had died, and his class records were thrown out a year after his death.  To hear the story straight from the horse's mouth, click here.  The song became both a chart topper and Grammy winner for Rick Springfield, and "Gary"s girl became forever known as............

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

What was the #1 song on the day MTV debuted.....August 1, 1981?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the Answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess! 

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

In the ultimate case of musical "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride", what song holds the Billboard Hot 100 record for most weeks on the chart at #2?

Answer: This is a slightly tricky question.  The actual record holder for most weeks @ #2 is Whitney Houston's "Exhale" (Shoop Shoop), which spent 11 weeks in the bridesmaid slot in 1995.  It actually spent a week at #1, however, so the record holder for most weeks @ #2 without ever hitting #1 is "Waiting For A Girl Like You" by Foreigner. 

Today In Oldies 1/21/2011

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......where your favorite 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music news lives! 

• Two 80's superstars have buried the hatchet
• John Lennon's artistic side is featured in a new book
• The lawsuits keep flyin' from the Michael Jackson estate
• Hot on the heels of stepping out with Meg Ryan.......John Mellencamp files for divorce

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

• Paul McCartney's first solo U.S. #1 single was not released as a single in the UK!  It was a combination of pieces of several unfinished songs, which had been the way several Beatles classics came together.  Paul's real life uncle, on which the song was based, would read and quote from the Bible when he got drunk.  The admiral was American Admiral William "Bull" Halsey.  This song won a Grammy in a now defunct category, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists. 

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

In the ultimate case of musical "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride", what song holds the Billboard Hot 100 record for most weeks on the chart at #2? 

Check back Monday @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess! 

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which superstar did movie producers have in mind to play Joe Buck in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy.....a role which eventually went to Jon Voight?

Answer: According to a memo sent from a studio executive to director John Schlesinger, "If we could clean this up and add a few songs, it could be a great vehicle for Elvis Presley."  Elvis, who by this time longed to be taken seriously as an actor, wound up doing Change Of Habit with Mary Tyler Moore, a box office dud that proved to be his last film. 

Today In Oldies 1/20/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......when you need news about your favorite 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's artists NOW!

• An R&B legend's health takes a turn for the worse
• What's the early buzz on the revamped American Idol?  Billboard puts in their two cents.
• A nugget from the Jim Morrison vault will soon be dusted off for charity
• Some artists enjoy participating in backstage debauchery at concerts.  Surprisingly, Rod Stewart does not! (at least not anymore)
• Which pop and R&B legend is trading disco jumpsuits for cowboy boots for his next album?

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

A song that was considered a novelty record at the time and spent a week at the top in 1971 has proved to be an enduring classic thanks to movies and TV commercials.  It was written by a folk singer who intended it as a lighthearted piece to perform between far more serious songs in concert.  It was meant as a simple song without a deeper meaning, but it generated some controversy upon its release for alleged sexual innuendo.  While the writer and singer does not deny that might have been an underlying theme, at the end of the day she says it's just a simple song about a girl getting a pair of new roller skates. 

If you weren't around in 1971 and wonder why you'd need a key for a pair of roller skates, the skates were most likely "quad skates".  They fit over a pair of shoes and had to be tightened with a screw. 

The song has had a brand new life on more than one occasion, with a cover version by The Wurzels hitting #1 in the UK for 2 weeks in 1976.  It also plays during a pivotal scene in the critically acclaimed 1997 movie Boogie Nights, and in 2010 it was heard widely in a U.S. TV commercial for Hewlett-Packard printers as well as in the 2010 movie Jackass 3-D. 

Whether it's about a pair of roller skates or something a little naughtier, Melanie struck a chord with record buyers and radio listeners.......

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Which superstar did movie producers have in mind to play Joe Buck in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy.....a role which eventually went to Jon Voight?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which 60's star, famous for his ponytail, had it cut off on live TV in 1967?

Answer: As part of a bet for charity on the Dick Clark-produced series Where The Action Is, a member of the "house band" on the show whose trademark was his ponytail cut it off.  He was..........Mark Lindsay, leader of Paul Revere and the Raiders! 

Today In Oldies 1/19/2011

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......when news breaks about your favorite 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's stars, we break in!

• A legendary pop music writer, publisher, manager, and TV host has died
• Did you like Bob Dylan's autobiography?  If so, there will be PLENTY more where that came from!
• A Queen gets the royal box set treatment
• Sir Elton John shows the first photos of his baby
• Cher sets a Billboard chart record!

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

To celebrate Cher hitting #1 in six different decades on at least one Billboard chart, let's revisit the hit that launched her solo career.  Written by Bob Stone, the success of the song caused a name change in the title of Cher's album.  Originally titled "Gypsies and White Trash", producer Snuff Garrett asked Stone to revise the song.  Although it isn't explicit in the lyrics, there was minor controversy over the implication of an affair between a man and the underaged female character from whose viewpoint the story is told.  The album was originally self-titled, but when the song became a hit, the name of the album was changed.  This song also provided Cher's first "music video", a piece done for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.  "Gypsies and White Trash" hit #1 in the U.S., Canada, and France under the name.........

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Which 60's star, famous for his ponytail, had it cut off on live TV in 1967?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

"Brother Louie" was a #1 hit for The Stories in the U.S. in 1973, but a British group best known for a different American hit originally released it in the UK, where it hit the Top 10.  Who originally did "Brother Louie"?

Answer: Hot Chocolate ("You Sexy Thing", "Every 1's A Winner")

 

Today In Oldies 1/18/2011

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......where the music of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's lives forever.....and so do the artists!

• You can't get your "Money For Nothing" (or your chicks for free, we assume) in Canada! 
• Aretha Franklin says "What cancer?"
• A local boy made good comes home......and plays for an hour and a half!  
• The Who play their first gig since last year's Super Bowl......with a little help from their friends (video included)
• Two rock heavyweights will team up for the first time to tour!
• A disco legend discusses his battle with cancer
• The writer of a 60's classic tells the story behind the lyrics
• New music from your favorite 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's artists hits stores and online today

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

A song that spent 6 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971 was originally written for an animated TV special that never materialized.  It was penned by Hoyt Axton, who had already had a successful collaboration with the group that made this song a smash.  In a later interview, he said he came up with this song in the process of recording some other songs.  He had a chorus, but no lyrics.  His bass player encouraged him to go ahead and record the song, so he did with nonsense lyrics meant as filler material.  The "filler" lyrics stuck, and the result was a hit!  Axton later launched a record label named after the title "character" in this song.......both a bullfrog and a good friend. Three Dog Night will be forever grateful for this "nonsense" song.........

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

"Brother Louie" was a #1 hit for The Stories in the U.S. in 1973, but a British group best known for a different American hit originally released it in the UK, where it hit the Top 10.  Who originally did "Brother Louie"?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess! 

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

What legendary TV game show host also served as producer of The Beatles' 1964 and 1965 concerts at the Hollywood Bowl?

Answer: Bob Eubanks ("The Newlywed Game")

 

 

 

Today In Oldies 1/5/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies........keep scrolling to keep up with the stars of the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's!

• NOW we know why John Mellencamp's marriage hit the rocks!
• And NOW we know why Roger Daltrey didn't sound so good at last year's Super Bowl.......
• The wise guy who posed as Bob Dylan and ordered 178 pizzas turns himself in
• Sir Paul implores India to back away from the butcher shop
• James Taylor helps a legendary concert hall celebrate an anniversary

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

• A song that spent 4 weeks at the top from April to May 1961, and also hit #1 in the UK, was a triumph for Charles Westover and his songwriting partner Max Crook.  Those names don't ring a bell, huh?  We'll get to that in a moment.  After landing a record deal in 1960, their manager persuaded them to rewrite and re-record a song they had scrapped as part of an earlier failed recording session.  It was meant to highlight the instrumental abilities of Crook, who had invented his own keyboard called the Musitron.  By this time, Crook had become known by the onstage pseudonym "Maximillian".  Charles Westover was the singer, but he, too, had taken on a new stage name.  Two months after the song was recorded, Westover appeared on American Bandstand to perform the song, but he appeared as....................Del Shannon! 

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

What legendary TV game show host also served as producer of The Beatles' 1964 and 1965 concerts at the Hollywood Bowl?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which TV show featured The Righteous Brothers each week during its run in the 60's?

Answer: Shindig

 

Today In Oldies 1/4/2011

****BREAKING NEWS**** Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2 are sad to report that Gerry Rafferty is dead today at the age of 63

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies.......bringing the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's to 2011!

• How much did John Lennon's "Abbey Road" suit fetch at an auction?
• A Beatle's childhood home could be demolished
• The World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band reconvenes for a tribute album
• Many of the great artists you hear each day on Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2 have new CDs in stores and online! 

A View From The Top
For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

• A song that spent two weeks at the top of the charts in October 1961 came as a result of a party in a schoolyard, according to its co-writer and performer, and became a jam that lasted about 45 minutes.  The woman's name in the title was just a generic one, as it was really about any woman with a fear of commitment.  The artist's wife always joked to friends that the song was about her.  This song became the first hit for Dion with The Belmonts not providing backup vocals.  This time, support came from the Del Satins, and it became Dion's biggest hit as well as his only #1 song.........

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day
Which TV show featured The Righteous Brothers each week during its run in the 60's?
Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!
Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day
Who were the musical guests on the first nationally televised episode of American Bandstand in 1957?
Answer: Billy Williams and The Chordettes

Today In Oldies 1/3/2011

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......new year, new news from your favorite artists from the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's!

• A legend collapses at a Saturday night show in Chicago
• A former wrestler and governor reminisces about another gig on his resume involving a legendary band
• A legendary doo wop singer passes away over the weekend

A View From The Top - 1961

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music. 

• The first #1 song of 1961 dates all the way back to the 20's.  Written by Lou Handman, who originally recorded the song with his sister on vocals, the song had been covered numerous times, with varying degrees of success, by 1961 from a distinguished roster of artists including Al Jolson, Jaye P. Morgan, and Blue Barron.  A favorite of Colonel Tom Parker's wife, he convinced his one and only superstar client to give the song a shot.  Reluctant at first, he eventually agreed, and the result is the most successful cover of the song.  Known to occasionally change the lyrics of the song in live performances, one particular performance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas became something of an underground classic thanks to Elvis Presley's fit of laughter.  Let's hear both versions, including the one that spent a week at #1 to begin 1961.

 

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Who were the musical guests on the first nationally televised episode of American Bandstand in 1957?

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess! 

Friday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

On New Year's Eve 1967, Sonny and Cher were informed that their invitation to appear at the next day's Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California had been rescinded.  What was the reason?

Answer: They had publicly voiced their support for the Sunset Strip Rioters, a protest group against the city of Pasadena's new curfew law