Today In Oldies 12/21/2010

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies.......where Santa comes for Oldies news

• A legendary record label impresario recalls not being impressed upon first hearing a band of Rock & Roll Hall of Famers
• Another 60s music legend and Hall of Famer recounts his journey to the top 
• Did a Rolling Stone just drop a hint that a tour may be in the works next year?
• Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet takes in a Stray Cat
• Who will be serenading this year's Miss America contestants in Las Vegas?
• Your favorite artists from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s have new CDs in stores

Oldies on TV

• Bette Midler - Regis and Kelly - syndicated (check local listings)
• Los Lobos - Conan - TBS (11:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 p.m. Central)

Behind The (Christmas) Music

This week, Everything Oldies tells the stories behind the classic pop Christmas songs and albums you've come to know and love.  From the original titles of some of your favorite Yuletide standards to the story of how unforeseen bad timing kept a classic 60's Christmas album from being fully appreciated upon its release, we hope you enjoy the tales that go along with the songs that have made Christmas merrier for many years.....

• When is a Christmas Song NOT a "Christmas Song"? 

A 1984 song that has become a holiday classic is a Christmas song in title only.  In spite of being just a failed relationship song that happens to reference Christmas, it has become as big as many established Christmas songs that revolve around the season and its traditions.  In the 26 years since its first release, it has been covered by more than 70 artists across all musical genres!  It is the biggest selling single, holiday or otherwise, of all time in the UK to never reach #1.  While it was not a chart hit in the U.S., it has become a staple around the holidays on radio stations who play continuous Christmas music.  Ironically, what was conceived as a charity single to benefit an organization for Ethiopian famine relief was kept out of the #1 slot in Britain by another all-star Christmas charity single written by the organization's founder. 

Wham! was the most dominant pop group on the British charts in the 80's, and George Michael wrote a song about a failed relationship referencing the Christmas season as a charity single.  It was expected to be in a battle for the #1 spot on the British chart at the time with another hot pop act at the time, Frankie Goes To Hollywood.  The song Michael wrote, "Last Christmas", was indeed involved in a race to the top of the charts, but from an unexpected competitor and one with which Wham! had some involvement.  "Last Christmas" was a smash, hitting #2 on the British pop charts and ultimately selling over a million copies, but the song which kept it from reaching the pinnacle was also a charity single.  Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof formed an all-star choir known as Band Aid, featuring most of the superstars on the British music scene from the era, including members of Culture Club, Genesis, Duran Duran, Bananarama, U2, and Kool and the Gang.  Wham! had also participated, with George Michael doing a few solo lines in the song.  Geldof's song, "Do They Know It's Christmas", garnered much of the attention due to its starpower and became the holiday song that year.  With proceeds from "Last Christmas" also benefitting African famine relief, millions were raised from sales of the two singles alone to fight hunger.  In fact, Wham! had the last laugh, eventually raising more money via "Last Christmas" than Band Aid thanks to subsequent annual re-releases of the song until Wham!'s breakup in 1987. The song actually was a much bigger smash worldwide than "Do They Know It's Christmas?", hitting #1 in Ireland and Top 10 in several countries around the globe. 

Along with the charitable benefits of "Last Christmas", it clearly struck a chord with the Gen X crowd.  It has been covered dozens of times since Wham! had a hit with it, being done by current chart topping acts such as Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and the cast of Glee.  You certainly don't have to listen too long to hear the Christmas song that isn't really a Christmas song on the radio this time of the year........

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

Two Billy Joel songs have doubled as TV show theme songs over the years.  Name both of them.

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

"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" began as a promotional vehicle for what now defunct department store chain?

Answer: Montgomery Ward

 

Today In Oldies 12/21/2010

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies.......where Santa comes for Oldies news

• A legendary record label impresario recalls not being impressed upon first hearing a band of Rock & Roll Hall of Famers
• Another 60s music legend and Hall of Famer recounts his journey to the top 
• Did a Rolling Stone just drop a hint that a tour may be in the works next year?
• Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet takes in a Stray Cat
• Who will be serenading this year's Miss America contestants in Las Vegas?
• Your favorite artists from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s have new CDs in stores

Oldies on TV

• Bette Midler - Regis and Kelly - syndicated (check local listings)
• Los Lobos - Conan - TBS (11:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 p.m. Central)

Behind The (Christmas) Music

This week, Everything Oldies tells the stories behind the classic pop Christmas songs and albums you've come to know and love.  From the original titles of some of your favorite Yuletide standards to the story of how unforeseen bad timing kept a classic 60's Christmas album from being fully appreciated upon its release, we hope you enjoy the tales that go along with the songs that have made Christmas merrier for many years.....

• When is a Christmas Song NOT a "Christmas Song"? 

A 1984 song that has become a holiday classic is a Christmas song in title only.  In spite of being just a failed relationship song that happens to reference Christmas, it has become as big as many established Christmas songs that revolve around the season and its traditions.  In the 26 years since its first release, it has been covered by more than 70 artists across all musical genres!  It is the biggest selling single, holiday or otherwise, of all time in the UK to never reach #1.  While it was not a chart hit in the U.S., it has become a staple around the holidays on radio stations who play continuous Christmas music.  Ironically, what was conceived as a charity single to benefit an organization for Ethiopian famine relief was kept out of the #1 slot in Britain by another all-star Christmas charity single written by the organization's founder. 

Wham! was the most dominant pop group on the British charts in the 80's, and George Michael wrote a song about a failed relationship referencing the Christmas season as a charity single.  It was expected to be in a battle for the #1 spot on the British chart at the time with another hot pop act at the time, Frankie Goes To Hollywood.  The song Michael wrote, "Last Christmas", was indeed involved in a race to the top of the charts, but from an unexpected competitor and one with which Wham! had some involvement.  "Last Christmas" was a smash, hitting #2 on the British pop charts and ultimately selling over a million copies, but the song which kept it from reaching the pinnacle was also a charity single.  Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof formed an all-star choir known as Band Aid, featuring most of the superstars on the British music scene from the era, including members of Culture Club, Genesis, Duran Duran, Bananarama, U2, and Kool and the Gang.  Wham! had also participated, with George Michael doing a few solo lines in the song.  Geldof's song, "Do They Know It's Christmas", garnered much of the attention due to its starpower and became the holiday song that year.  With proceeds from "Last Christmas" also benefitting African famine relief, millions were raised from sales of the two singles alone to fight hunger.  In fact, Wham! had the last laugh, eventually raising more money via "Last Christmas" than Band Aid thanks to subsequent annual re-releases of the song until Wham!'s breakup in 1987. The song actually was a much bigger smash worldwide than "Do They Know It's Christmas?", hitting #1 in Ireland and Top 10 in several countries around the globe. 

Along with the charitable benefits of "Last Christmas", it clearly struck a chord with the Gen X crowd.  It has been covered dozens of times since Wham! had a hit with it, being done by current chart topping acts such as Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and the cast of Glee.  You certainly don't have to listen too long to hear the Christmas song that isn't really a Christmas song on the radio this time of the year........

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

Two Billy Joel songs have doubled as TV show theme songs over the years.  Name both of them.

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

"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" began as a promotional vehicle for what now defunct department store chain?

Answer: Montgomery Ward

 

Today In Oldies 11/3/2010

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies.....we've got a nose for Oldies news! 

• An Allman Brother revisits his favorite color for his latest CD release
• Cher talks about her daugh, uh, son
• Which group is still gettin' 'er done after 40 years?  
• What do you do if you're a superstar with a warehouse full of memorabilia and photographs?  Find a way to make money on it, of course!
  

Where In The World Is.......Suzi Quatro?

The path to rock & roll stardom in America has often gone through Europe for many artists.  The Pretenders, The Stray Cats, and Jimi Hendrix are all examples of those who had to move to England to eventually be heard in their own country.  This was also the case for Suzi Quatro.  She was a bona fide superstar in Europe but couldn't make a dent in her own country.  It took a recurring role on the #1 prime time TV show in America to change that, at least temporarily. 

Suzi Quatro was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1950.  By the age of 14, she joined her first all-girl rock band, Pleasure Seekers.  She left that group to join Fanny, one of the first all-female bands to attract national attention.  She made the move to London in 1971, and was discovered by record producer Mickie Most and signed to RAK Records. 

Initially, Quatro's following as a solo artist began to build in the most unusual of places.  Her first single, 1973's "Rolling Stone", failed to chart anywhere but Portugal, where it hit #1.  Several more singles became hits throughout Europe, and she became a sensation in Australia.  She rode the "glam rock" wave as its first major female star, but in spite of becoming a household name on the other side of the globe, American success continued to elude her.  A dry spell lasting a few years came when glam rock began to fade as disco and punk rock took over.  She had some success as a session musician, but her long wait for a hit in her homeland was almost over thanks to her foray into acting. 

Over a 2 year period, Suzi Quatro would appear in seven episodes of the show that had become the most watched on American television by 1977, Happy Days.  She played the role of Leather Tuscadero, the sister of one of Fonzie's ex-girlfriends, Pinky Tuscadero.  She was the leader of an all-girl band on the show, which another central character, Joanie Cunningham (played by Erin Moran), joined.  Regular exposure in front of more than 25 million TV viewers each week convinced American record executives to break Suzi Quatro through as a singer.  Success in America finally came in 1979 thanks to a duet with Chris Norman.  "Stumblin' In" hit #4, but it would be her one and only taste of success in the U.S.  Follow up singles failed to crack the Top 40. 

Quatro did maintain success overseas, continuing her string of hit European singles and albums.  She has sold more than 50 million records as of 2010!  She has continued to act over the years as well, most notably guest starring on the classic British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous and appearing in an episode of KISS bassist Gene Simmons' reality show Rock School.  She continues to record and tour, playing about 60 live shows a year while continuing to reside in London.

Call her Suzi Quatro, Leather Tuscadero, whatever you will, but for a brief moment in 1979, you could also call her "hitmaker"........

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

What was the #1 song for the week on the debut episode of Casey Kasem's American Top 40? 

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 superstar once tried out (unsuccessfully) for the Detroit Lions?

Answer: Marvin Gaye -- the tryout came during a period where he was facing major "creative differences" with Motown founder Berry Gordy and just prior to recording his landmark album "What's Going On"