by Robert Wilkinson
Our Sunday show features two awesome musical birthdays! Today we celebrate the life and music of the great Gene Cornish, lead guitarist for the "blue eyed soul" group the Young Rascals, and the legendary blue eyed soul singer, Bobby Darin.
We start with Gene, lead player for the Rascals, one of the top "blue eyed Soul" bands of the 60s. Known as “the blackest white group of all,” the Young Rascals hit the charts in 1965, and never looked back!
The Young Rascals, later just the Rascals, were one of THE premier "white soul" groups of the 60s, and their music stands up today as some of the best ever made!! Gene Cornish's (May 14, 1944) guitar licks were pretty incredible, given he was the only guitar in the group as counterpoint to Felix Cavaliere's wailing organ.
Here's their first big hit, a major tune with an even bigger attitude! (The Rascals always did songs with attitude, even when they were just "groovin'") From Shindig in 1965 (with Alan King doing a schtick) here are the Young Rascals on tv doing their breakthrough tune "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore."
Here’s a treat! From Hullabaloo in 1966, a spoof video of the Rascals set to them performing a wailing version of the Larry Williams smash hit, the "B" side of "Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore," “Slow Down”
From early in their career, a live 1965 performance of their first monster hit, "Good Lovin'." Studio version of "Good Lovin'" here.
We'll close this 1965 set of tunes from their first album with the original studio version of a great rave up penned by Gene and the drummer Dino Danelli! One of my faves from that first album, the infinitely danceable tune giving us a hint of things to come, "Do You Feel."
I found this live performance gem from 1968! Dino’s drumming is highlighted, and this band cooks! Seriously, check this one out. "Do You Feel."
From their second album Collections, the original studio version of the beautiful "What is the Reason"
The original studio cut of the infinitely danceable "Come On Up."
This year I only found one of the pair of tunes in this performance. Here they are live and in color in 1966 on The Ed Sullivan Show doing an absolutely electrifying performance of the soul classic "Mickey's Monkey" This one's kinetic, and so is Dino’s drumming! (This year the second performance, "Turn On Your Love Light," Is nowhere to be found.)
Here’s the studio version from the album with both tunes! "Mickey's Monkey"
Here they are again in 2013, in concert cranking out their two-fer soul classics "Mickey's Monkey" and “Turn On Your Love Light.”
Punk attitude with a wailing Hammond B-3 and a guitar riff wound tighter than a watch spring! The original studio cut of "You Better Run."
A live lip-synched performance of "Lonely Too Long."
Here’s the studio version of a tune co-written by Eddie, the infinitely danceable “Love Is A Beautiful Thing”
Here are the studio versions of two songs written by our birthday boy, the first a soulful ballad "No Love To Give," and the second a raw rocker, "Nineteen Fifty Six."
I found it again! Here’s the studio version of a tune the Young Rascals covered on Collections. It originally won an Academy Award Nomination for the top song of 1963, and is a classic! For your enjoyment, one of the best known songs in the world that was the soundtrack tune from Mondo Cane, the beautiful "More (Theme from Mondo Cane"
Here's a great live set showing off Felix's amazing singing and organ work, with some classic and utterly fantastic drumming by Dino Danelli. Seeing this shows how exciting the Young Rascals were at their peak! From The Mike Douglas Show on March 3, 1967, a four song set! Last year I had the first three on one clip, but it’s disappeared. So now we have the set on four clips. Have fun enjoying ”Good Lovin’” followed by ”Lonely Too Long," moving into “Since I Fell” and closed with a short minute and a half playout of "Come On Up." (Sorry about the time code generator on “Lonely Too Long,” but this is the only clip out there.)
We launch into 1967 with a great live performance during the legendary “Summer of Love!” Here are the Rascals in 1967 on The Ed Sullivan Show doing their smash hit, the title song of their third album, "Groovin'." From what looks to be the same appearance, here’s another huge 1967 hit for the Rascals, “A Girl Like You.”
Here’s the studio version of “A Girl Like You.”
Here’s the studio version of the “B” side to “A Girl Like You,” an amazing soulful psychedelic tune featuring the exquisite flute playing of Hubert Laws! One of my all-time favorites, here’s the fantastic “It’s Love”
From the Groovin' album, two tunes written by Gene Cornish! "I'm So Happy Now" and the mellow bongo sound of "I Don't Love You Any More"
Here's a live performance of "How Can I Be Sure."
From 1968's Once Upon A Dream, one of their obscure gems! Here's the studio version of an archetypal 1967 vibe, "It's Wonderful."
Also from Once Upon A Dream, the Gene Cornish oom-pah tune "I'm Gonna Love You."
Here's a 1968 performance of "It's A Beautiful Morning."
Here’s the original studio version of "It's A Beautiful Morning."
Here they are live in 1969, doing their huge #1 hit from the 1969 Freedom Suite album, "People Got To Be Free."
From some point back then, a b/w lip-synched performance of “People Got To Be Free”
Here’s another great live version from 1970 of ”Glory Glory” and “People Got To Be Free”
Original 1968 studio version of "People Got To Be Free" here. (This song was written in reaction to the assassinations that year of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and went straight to #1 on the charts.)
Also from Freedom Suite, here are the Rascals in 1969, performing live on German television! For your enjoyment, “Heaven.” Here’s the original audio-only studio version of “Heaven”
From Freedom Suite, studio versions of tunes Gene wrote, "Me and My Friends" and "Love Was So Easy To Give."
Last year I had a great 1969 live performance on ABC’s Music Scene of the next song, but it’s disappeared. So instead, here’s the studio version of “Carry Me Back” And here the New Rascals take us to church at the Greek in 2013 with a rousing live performance of “Carry Me Back”
Couldn’t find a live clip that’s been pulled recently, but here’s the original studio version of “See” (It’s obvious where the J. Geils Band got their sound!) And it seems they’re still rocking out on this song. From what looks to be their 2013 tour, the 21st Century original Rascals cranking out “See”
Here's a clip from 1988, The Rascals on Regis.
Last year I had a great clip from 1988 at MSG where the Rascals were backed by “the World’s Most Dangerous Band,” with Ackroyd and Murray introducing the Rascals who crank it out for New York. This year it’s gone, so better luck next year.
We'll close this birthday tribute with one last smokin' live performance of 'the Young Rascals and Friends" doing the immortal rock and roll anthem "Good Lovin'" Gene's still got the moves!
Here’s a great 9+ minute encore! The Rascals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Steve Van Zandt, lead player for the Boss and mos def NEW JERSEY ATTITUDE! His speech is great, but this year the clip chops the final 2 minutes when Felix gives us his speech cuts to the heart of the matter. It reminds us how art can help us heal even when too many assassinations have killed a dream. For your enjoyment, The Rascals’ Induction Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, pt. 1
Part 2 where they perform “Good Lovin,” and ”Groovin’” ” is still nowhere to be found, but this year this performance surfaced! "People Got To Be Free"
Our last encore will be their live performance at the 2013 Tonys honoring their Broadway Musical “Once Upon A Dream Starring the Rascals” of "Good Lovin'."
There are a bunch of great videos out there of recent performances by this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, so if you’re of a mind, you can find all the classics and more, so if you want more, enjoy!
Happy Birthday, Gene! You, Eddie, Dino, and Felix made my teen years a true joy.
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We’re also celebrating the birthday of the great Bobby Darin (May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973). In his short life, he cut a huge wake across pop music, and gave us some immortal tunes, so today we check out some of his greatest!
From the Spring of 1959, live on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show, Bobby giving us a lip-synched live performance of his first huge hit, "Splish Splash."
Later on that Summer of 1959, again live on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show, Bobby again lip-synching two of his biggest hits, "Dream Lover" and "Mack The Knife"
In yet another appearance on Dick Clark’s Beechnut Show in 1960, Bobby the teen idol laying out his classic, "Beyond the Sea"
A tune I just remembered that was HUGE on the radio when I was young! From 1962, the #3 hit "Things."
On the Kraft Music Hall television show, here's Bobby with the great Stevie Wonder in a great 1969 live performance of Tim Hardin’s iconic "If I Were A Carpenter"
Here's two great live performance on television! The first is from early in his career, "Beyond the Sea" and this one comes later in his career of his signature hit, "Beyond the Sea"
Live in 1970 on The Andy Williams Show, "Mack The Knife"
From 1972 on his television show, Bobby giving us his version of the Frankie Valli/Bob Gaudio monster hit, “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” Also from his show, “Alone Again Naturally”
Here’s a change of pace with Bobby live belting out an 8 minute soulful offering of “Midnight Special”
Speaking of the “Midnight Special television show, here’s Bobby live in 1973 giving us a rousing medley of “If I Were A Carpenter,” “Dream Lover,” and “Splish Splash.”
From the final episode of the Bobby Darin Show in 1973, Bobby Darin and Peggy Lee - Duets
This year both the television special and the album Bobby Darin – Legends in Concert are nowhere to be found. However, I found this peculiarity from 1960 titled Coke Time TV Special featuring Bobby, Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon, and Pat Boone! Bobby Darin on the Coke Time Special
A rare gem featuring two of the best! From very early on, a great 6 minute b/w clip of Bobby Darin and George Burns performing “I Ain’t Got Nobody”
Here’s a great 4 minute clip from many years later of the two doing it again! Bobby Darin and George Burns doing a song and dance to “I Ain’t Got Nobody”
We'll begin to wind up this birthday celebration with three great ones from a 1973 performance he did 9 months before he died. First, the beautiful Tim Hardin song "If I Were A Carpenter," which we'll follow with his version of Hank Williams' "Lonesome Whistle." We'll close this one of his most beautiful tunes, "Simple Song of Freedom"
Here’s a great 33 minute live show from the sound board! Bobby Darin at Lake Tahoe – 1967
For our closer, also from 1967, the video isn’t great, but the performance is excellent! Here’s an hour and 38 of Bobby Darin – This is London 1967
For our encore, here's another classy performance of that iconic tune, "Simple Song of Freedom"
"Come and sing a simple song of freedom,
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
That we, the people here, don't want a war...."
Bobby was among the best of the best of any era. His music made us all feel better and more alive.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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