by Robert Wilkinson
We begin our musical Saturday by celebrating what would have been the 95th birthday of the great Hal Blaine, core of the Wrecking Crew and drummer on over 10,000 records. We’re also celebrating the birthday of Jim Donlinger of Aorta, Motown's first hitmaker Barrett Strong, and singer-songwriter Rick Astley.
First, a very short set featuring the music of Jim Donlinger (b. James Vincent Dondelinger, 8 February 1943), vocalist and guitar player for an obscure but great band Aorta, which also had Kal David before he left for Illinois Speed Press and Peter Cetera before he left for the band Chicago. They were known for one extraordinary psychedelic album, and also recorded this major hit from the movie Wild In the Streets under the name Max Frost and the Troopers. For your enjoyment, the music of Jim Donlinger!
Very menacing and dynamic! 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 the Cynthia Weil/Barry Mann composition that went to #22, “Shapes of Things To Come”
Here’s the full 40 minute first album that was definitely part of the psychedelic music landscape in 1969-70, Aorta
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We now honor THE drummer! Hal Blaine (born Harold Belsky, February 5, 1929- March 11, 2019) is said to be the most recorded drummer in history, and has played on 50 number one hits, over 150 top ten hits and has recorded, by his own admission, on over 35,000 pieces of music over four decades of work. He is known for his work with the Wrecking Crew on hits by Elvis Presley, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, John Denver, the Ronettes, the Crystals, Sam Cooke, the Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, the Beach Boys, John Lennon, Diana Ross, the 5th Dimension, and countless others.
From wikipedia, we find he holds the record for most Grammys on consecutive records of the year. The songs were Herb Alpert’s 1966 “A Taste of Honey,” Frank Sinatra’s 1967 “Strangers in the Night,” the 5th Dimension’s 1968 “Up, Up and Away,” Simon and Garfunkel’s 1969 “Mrs. Robinson,” the 5th Dimension’s 1970 “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” and Simon and Garfunkel’s 1971 “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” You’ll also find him all over the Beach Boys’ albums, Simon and Garfunkel’s albums, and being Phil Spector’s go-to guy, he was the drummer anchoring “the Wall of Sound.”
Since it would be impossible to link to even 1/10 of the tunes he played on, today to celebrate this legendary drummer’s birthday we’ll showcase some of the number 1 hits featuring the drums of the great Hal Blaine! I’m only including the studio versions, since those are what he played on.
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley (12/1961)
“He’s A Rebel” by the Crystals (10/62)
“Surf City” by Jan and Dean (6/63)
“Everybody Loves Somebody” by Dean Martin (7/64)
“This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (1/65) [While it appears live, they’re lip synching to the original studio version]
“Help Me Rhonda” by the Beach Boys (5/65)
“Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds (6/65)
“I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher (7/65)
“Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire (8/65)
“These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra (2/66)
“Monday Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas (4/66)
“Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra (7/66)
“Poor Side of Town” by Johnny Rivers (10/66)
“Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys (10/66) The budget for this “official video” was about 10 bucks.
“Windy” by the Association (6/67)
“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension (4/69)
“Wedding Bell Blues” by the 5th Dimension (10/69)
“Bridge Over Troubled Waters” by Simon and Garfunkel (2/70)
“The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand (12/74)
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy” by John Denver (4/75)
“Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain and Tennille (5/75)
Here are some more of the hits he played on between 1962-1967!
From 1962:“Return to Sender” and “Devil in Disguise” by Elvis Presley
From 1963:
“Another Saturday Night” by Sam Cooke
“Be My Baby” by the Ronettes. His beat on this song was imitated by countless others after this song, and is featured on “Rag Doll,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Leader of the Pack,” “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” and dozens more!
“Da Doo Ron Ron” by the Crystals
“Be True To Your School” by the Beach Boys
“Dead Man’s Curve” (using the same beat as “Be My Baby”) and “Drag City” by Jan and Dean
From 1964:
“And Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals
“Blue Bayou” by Roy Orbison
“Cara Mia” and “Come A Little Bit Closer” By Jay and the Americans
From 1965:
“A Taste of Honey” by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
“California Girls” by the Beach Boys.
From 1966:
“California Dreamin’” by the Mamas and the Papas
“Caroline No” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by the Beach Boys.
From 1967:
“Baby I Need Your Lovin’” by Johnny Rivers
“Carpet Man” by the 5th Dimension
And for the finale, a most unlikely song for him to have played on!
“Broken Arrow” by the Buffalo Springfield
And so a huge Happy Birthday goes out to you, Mister Drummer Man! Thanks for the hundreds of memories!
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February 5 was also the birthday of Barrett Strong (February 5, 1941 – January 28, 2023), Motown’s first hitmaker who just passed not long ago. Writing with Norman Whitfield, he created many of the Temptations’ hits. He recorded one of the major iconic songs in history, and so let’s take a trip around the hits of Mister Barrett Strong!
“Money” – Barrett Strong
“Money” – Beatles
“Money” – Rolling Stones
Here’s a great live version by Stevie Wonder in Italy from 1970! “Money” – Stevie Wonder
From 1969, the Killer’s cranking it out live! “Money” – Jerry Lee Lewis
Here are a few more that he wrote, all with the great Norman Whitfield!
Live on tv in either 1968 or 1969, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye.
From a decade later, live at Montreux in 1980, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye.
Live on Soul Train, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Gladys Knight and the Pips
Live on television in 1983, both got together to crank out a duet of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight
Here’s a live performance in the studio of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and here’s the original album version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
One of my all time favorites! “War” – Edwin Starr
Live in 85, the Boss reminds us in a breathtaking performance why "blind faith in your leaders will get you killed." “War” – Bruce Springsteen
Live on tv in 1971, “Smiling Faces Sometime” – The Undisputed Truth
Some great live performances by the Temps! The four feature the incredible voice of Aquarian Dennis Edwards (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018) and the psychedelic soul of the era!
“Cloud Nine” – Temptations
“Psychedelic Shack” - Temptations
“Runaway Child Running Wild” - Temptations
“I Can’t Get Next To You Babe” - Temptations
“Ball of Confusion” - Temptations
“Papa Was A Rolling Stone” - Temptations
For our closer, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” – Temptations
Thanks for the memories, Mister Barrett Strong. You made an era come alive!
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The last part of our show is a short set celebrating the birthday of Rick Astley (6 February 1966), English singer and songwriter who had a mega-hit in 1987 and a few more after that. First, here’s a performance of the tune that went to #1 in 25 countries!
Live at the Royal Albert Hall in 1987, here’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”
This looks to be the official music video. “Never Gonna Give You Up”
Here’s the music video to his second hit, “Whenever You Need Somebody”
From TOTP in 1987, a live performance of “When I Fall In Love”
A tune that broke the Top 10! “It Would Take A Strong Strong Man”
We’ll close this brief set with his last hit, “Cry For Help”
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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