by Robert Wilkinson
We have classic Top 10 hits from the 60s on the jukebox at the Cosmic Cantina!
February features THREE birthdays of Brill Building songwriters! We begin with the music of Barry Mann (February 9, 1939), who wrote some of the most memorable hits of all time as part of a partnership with his equally talented songwriting wife, Cynthia Weil (October 18, 1940). This Brill Building team cranked out some of the greatest songs in pop history, made into huge hits by some of the best! Tonight we dance to some great music!
First, a tune Barry wrote with fellow Aquarian Gerry Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) and performed that was all over the airwaves in 1961 and peaked at #7 on the charts, the novelty hit “Who Put the Bomp”
Here’s a fun acapella version done by UMass Amherst! They’re obviously having a blast doing doo wop! “Who Put the Bomp”
Here’s his top 5 hit for the Paris Sisters, “I Love How You Love Me.”
Now for some Barry and Cyntia wrote together!
Here the New Drifters perform their tune that the originally went to #9, “On Broadway”
Here George Benson gives us a fantastic live performance of “On Broadway”
Live in 1989, the great Neil Young performing “On Broadway”
Here’s the original studio version by the Crystals of their huge 1961 hit, “Uptown”
They wrote another monster hit for the Crystals with “He’s Sure The Boy I Love”
Having fun in 2015, Bette Midler and the awesome Darlene Love cranking out a fun version of “He’s Sure The Boy I Love”
Live on television in 1973, here are the Ronettes doing “Walkin’ in the Rain”
From 1963, here’s the studio version by Eydie Gorme of “Blame It On The Bossa Nova” -
Paul Revere and the Raiders doing a Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann collaboration that the band took to #4! Here’s Mark doing real vocals over a backing track cranking out “Kicks”
A lip synched performance of their biggest hit, complete with a horse on stage! “Kicks”
This surfaced this year! From an ABC tv special in 1967, PR&TR lip-synching and goofing around to the studio version of “Hungry”
Here’s the extended uncensored version Columbia wouldn’t release because of the reference to being stoned in a penthouse! “Hungry”
Here’s a great 15 minute medley that is a perfect example of why Paul Revere used to be called “the Madman of Rock and Roll!” It's really kind of funny! “Hungry,” “Just Like Me,” “Rock Paulinoff”
Here the Righteous Brothers perform a Cynthia Weil-Barry Mann tune on Shindig!, originally produced by Phil Spector. For your enjoyment, the blue eyed Soul monster hit "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." Here they are again in 2003 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in great form doing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."
Live in 1966, here they are doing another Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil tune, “(You're My) Soul And Inspiration." Here’s another live performance from either Hullabaloo or Hollywood A Go Go from 1966 of “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration.”
From Hullabaloo in 1965, a live performance by Jay and the Americans of a tune the couple wrote with Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, a somewhat scathingly satiric commentary on the lack of civil rights at the time, “Only In America”
(As I’ve told you in previous birthday celebrations, it was originally written for the Drifters, and is not the tune "America" from West Side Story. From Songfacts: The song was written at a time before integration, and the lyrics were originally about racism. It had the following chorus: "Only in America, land of opportunity, can they save a seat in the back of the bus just for me. Only in America, Where they preach the Golden Rule, will they start to march when my kids go to school." Atlantic Records had a problem with the lyrics, so Lieber and Stoller changed them to be a satiric message of patriotism.)
Here’s Mama Cass solo live at The Hollywood Palace doing a tune she made into a hit "Make Your Own Kind of Music."
From the 1968 movie Wild in the Streets, the hit song from a legendary cult flick about teenagers taking over the vote and electing an anarchist kid as president! Here Max Frost and the Troopers perform Cynthia and Barry’s hit that went to #22, “Shape of Things to Come”
We’ll close with a great television clip from 1965 of the Animals singing to a backing track of their huge hit written by our birthday boy and wife Cynthia, “We Gotta Get Out of this Place” (#2 UK, #13 US)
Thanks, Barry, for being a major part of the soundtrack of my life! Your music will live forever!
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We now move into the music of two more great Brill Building songwriters! As noted earlier, February 11 is the birthday of Gerry Goffin, the husband and co-songwriter of a hundred hits with his wife, the ever-great Carole King (February 9, 1942) who shares a birthday with Barry! It seems the Brill Building loved Aquarians, and they gave us some of the most memorable tunes in history. In a nod to that team, here are a few of their greatest!
We begin with the original that Little Eva took to #1! Time to twist!! “The Locomotion”
I also found this early clip of Ms. Carole live on Letterman in 1982 pitching One to One, and having fun cranking out “The Locomotion” and “One Fine Day”
The Chiffons took this one to #5! “One Fine Day”
Bobby Vee took this one to #1 on the charts! “Take Good Care of My Baby”
Steve Lawrence hit #1 with “Go Away Little Girl”
The Cookies hit the top 10 (#7 US, #3 R&B) in 1963 with “Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad (About My Baby)" (The also did the backup vocals for “The Locomotion” by Little Eva!)
The Drifters shot to #5 with this monster hit! “Up On The Roof”
Herman’s Hermits took this to #1 on the UK charts, and #13 on the US charts! “I’m Into Something Good”
The Animals scored big with this one that went to #12 on the US charts! “Don’t Bring Me Down”
Lady Soul took this to #8! “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”
This hit for the Monkees topped at #3! “Pleasant Valley Sunday”
To close our show, we have two versions of Carole’s and Gerry’s monster hit! First, the original by the Shirelles that went to #1 on the charts! “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” And now, a duet by Carole with Saint Willie performing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”
For our encore, the entire 1 hour Carole King 1982 television special featuring some friends of mine! Carole King – One to One (sorry about the obnoxious commercials, but the other clip disappeared.)
Thanks to all the great Aquarians of the Brill Building for giving us some of the greatest tunes in history!
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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