Thursday, December 12, 2013

More This And That

re:  THE JOEL WHITBURN / 1950's CHALLENGE:
Sounds like a couple of you are tearing out what may remain of your hair over this one!!! (Hey, I told you it wouldn't be easy!!!)  On the other hand, hopefully you're finding it challenging and fun. (As of this morning we've got a real horse race going on ... four readers are neck-and-neck to win a copy of Joel's brand new book The Billboard Best Sellers And Hot 100 Charts of the 1950's.)
You still have until 10 pm Chicago time tomorrow night to get your entries in.
We'll announce the winner on Sunday ... and run the complete set of answers early next week.  Meanwhile, get your entry in before tomorrow's deadline for YOUR chance to win a copy of this great new book!   

I'm missing 14 answers. That's not gonna be good enough. Jack  
Nope ... not with this crowd it isn't!!!  (lol)  But you've still got time to dig a little deeper ... so I say go for it!  (kk) 

Hi Kent,
I'm trying to decide if this was a cruel trick or an early Christmas present! Oh my! The synapses are burning now! What a cruel trick to offer a super 50's trivia contest at the busiest time of the year! What a terrific marketing ploy to help Joel sell his super book! 
I browsed through the questions ... what a devious mind he has! How wonderful to rekindle joyous memories from our innocent youth. I have put off doing the quiz until a quieter time after Christmas ... (then I can use his book as a reference!) and take pleasure in the discovering the answers and learning other aspects and secrets of the great era the fifties were.
Merry Christmas to you and to all the FH readers, supporters, and contributors! And to all my friends from "Music Oldies" who enjoy this wonderful chronicle of our unequaled journey towards adulthood.
Happy New Year,
CharlieOFD



re:  GARTH BROOKS:  
After wrapping up his three years residency at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Garth Brooks is hitting the road again ... and in a very big way.  He has just announced a world tour, beginning in 2014.  (Guess he missed performing after all!)  I expect this to be a VERY hot ticket.  More details to come.  (kk)    

re:  THIS AND THAT:  
Revised copyright laws is making for some very interesting digital releases.  FH Reader David Beard tells us about an upcoming Brian Wilson release  
Click here: Brian Wilson's "The Big Beat 1963" - National Beach Boys | Examiner.com   
And also how these new laws have caused record labels to open the vaults and release previously unheard material by Bob Dylan and The Beatles!  Interesting stuff!  (kk)   

Kent, 
In your column today about the soundtrack album from MARY POPPINS being nominated for the Grammy Hall of Fame, I agree with you that it is somewhat hard to believe. When I first read that, I thought immediately of the New Christy Minstrels' tune out of 1965 CHIM CHIM CHEREE which was played on local top 40 radio stations. The reason I remember it real well as that one of our local DJ's would turn the record over and play the flip side, THEY GOTTA QUIT KICKIN' MY DOG AROUND. Always liked that tune over the "A" side of the record. 
Larry  
I think people tend to forget just how big the "Mary Poppins" soundtrack really was back in '65.  It held down the #1 Spot on Billboard's Albums Chart for fourteen weeks, the longest stretch of the entire year, holding even The Beatles at bay during some of that time.  
Consider this ... "Mary Poppins" was #1 for 14 weeks ... The Beatles spent a total of 24 weeks on top that year ... but that was spread out over THREE albums ... "Beatles '65" (9 weeks), "Beatles VI" (6 weeks) and "Help!" (9 weeks).  That accounts for 38 of the 52 weeks.  What other albums topped the charts in 1965?  One by Elvis ("Roustabout", #1 for a week), one by The Rolling Stones ("Out Of Our Heads", #1 for 3 weeks) and "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, which held down the top spot for eight straight weeks.  (Hmm ... that sounds like an interesting album ... I wonder what the album cover looks like???)  
The remaining five weeks were filled with more movie soundtracks ... "Goldfinger" (#1 for three weeks) and "The Sound Of Music" (#1 for two weeks ... and all over the media again this past week after Carrie Underwood's "questionable" performance.)  That means that soundtrack albums occupied the top spot for 29 weeks in 1965.  (Remember, "Roustabout" and "Help!" were soundtrack albums, too!) 
As for The New Christy Minstrels, they clearly had a sense of humor.  One of my all-time favorite tracks by them is their version of "Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips", a song I first discovered on The Dr. Demento Show!  (kk)

Always interested in Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. I did not know about Thelma or Mary back then. When I heard them on the radio, I did not know a woman was in the group. Nice to know it now! 
Please subscribe me to your newsletter! 
Thanks, 
Tanna  
I'm a First Edition fan, too.  We've covered them several times over the years.  For those who'd like to catch up, may I suggest:  
Click here: Forgotten Hits: Search results for first edition

re:  CLIP OF THE WEEK:
Here's a real "feel good" video clip, just in time for the holidays ... reminds you of what they're really supposed to be all about.  Sent in by FH Reader Chuck Buell.  Thanks, Chuck!  (kk)  
Check This Out!
CB  (which also stands for "Christmas Boy!"  Ho-Ho-Ho!!)