Sent via BlackBerry
About CPG
- Classic Pickups Garage
- Follow field reporters from around the world as they take shots from cruise nights and shows in their areas. If you want to become a field reporter send us an email. classicpickupsgarage@gmail.com
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
MUSIC TRIVIA from the Music Man
lived it. Music is the genie out of the bottle that revisits our youth,
agrees with our continuing eighteen year old mentality and glues us to what
we fondly refer to as the good old days. Music and hot rods go together like
mom and apple pie so sit back and enjoy the journey into the world of
musical trivia.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST ROCK AND ROLL SONG?
The group that everyone thinks originated rock and roll, Bill Haley & His
Comets had a #1 hit with Rock Around the Clock in 1955. This Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame song was also featured in the movie 'Blackboard Jungle' staring
Glenn Ford. But, it was not the first rock and roll song. Some argue it was
the 1951 #1 R&B hit song Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston. While others of the
rock era argue the first rock and roll song was the #1 pop chart hit Sh-Boom
by the Crew Cuts in 1954. There were several different music charts at the
time and unlike today a hit by an R&B artist was not played on the pop
charts. Instead, record labels would have white singers cover (copy) black
songs and that is what happened here. Sh-Boom was introduced by the Chords
in 1954 and was an R&B hit but was not getting any pop play until 1951 when
D.J. Allan Freed's radio program, The Moondog Rock'N'Roll Party, began
broadcasting black music to an audience of white teenagers. As a result, the
Chords version made it to #5 on the pop charts, thus giving it the
distinction of being the first R&B song to cross over to the pop charts.
Even Elvis got in on the cover (copy) action by covering such artists songs
Lloyd Price's 1952 hit song Lawdy Miss Clawdy, and Little Richard's 1956 hit
song Tutti Fruiti among others.
BUDDY HOLLY:
Holly's last performance was at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake Iowa.
February 3, 1959, "The Day the Music Died" Don McLean's 1971 hit "American
Pie" was inspired by the plane crash that claimed the life of Holly, Ritchie
Valens and The Big Bopper. John Wayne in the 1956 movie, 'The Searchers'
frequently says, "That'll Be the Day". It has been said that this influenced
Holly to write the hit song. Who can forget the 1957 hit single Peggy Sue.
This Rock & Roll hall of fame song was first written with the title as
'Cindy Lou' but was renamed for Jerry Allison's girlfriend & later wife
Peggy Sue Gerron. Bobby Vee and his backup group The Shadows had several
hits in the 60's including Rubber Ball; The Night has a Thousand Eyes and
Take Good Care of My Baby. Did you know that in 1959 following the death of
Buddy Holly that it was Bobby Vee's group the Shadows that filled in for
Holly at his next scheduled show in Fargo North Dakota?
MOUSE HOUSE:
She was America's most popular Musketeer following her debut on the Mickey
Mouse Club in 1955, can you name her? Here is a clue; she had a #7 pop chart
hit song in 1959 titled Tall Paul. Need more clues? Her other hits included
Pineapple Princess, First Name Initial, and O Dio Mio. Here movie credits
include Beach Blanket Bingo co-staring Frankie Avalon. If you haven't
guessed it, the answer is Annette Funicello.
GIRLS GROUPS:
There were many 'Girl Groups' of the rock era. The Angels, The Bobbetts, The
Supremes, The Chantels, The Chiffons, The Crystals, The Dixie Cups, The Teen
Queens and Martha & The Vandellas to name just a few. However, this girl
group holds a special place in rock history. They were the role model for
all the others to follow. Their first R&B chart hit, 'I Met Him on a Sunday
(Ronde-Ronde)' was recorded in their Grandma's basement. The groups pop hits
would include, Tonight's the Night, Baby It's You, Soldier Boy, Mama Said,
Dedicated to The One I Love, Foolish Little Girl and Will You Love Me
Tomorrow which was the first song by an all girl group to ever hit #1 on the
Billboard charts. The group was the Shirelles and they have the distinction
of being the most popular all 'Girl Group' of the rock era.
ELVIS:
A side bar, before moving on to 'The King'. Did you know Columbia records
introduced the 12-inch 33-1/3 RPM long-playing vinyl record in 1948 with RCA
Victor introducing the 45 RPM vinyl record in 1949? Now, if you are lucky
enough to have an original 45 RPM record of MILK COW BLUES (flip side of
'You're A Heartbreaker' on the 'Sun' label), depending on condition you may
have a valuable piece of vinyl. When last I checked its estimated value was
$5,000 dollars. Did you know the #1 Elvis recording of 'Its Now or Never' in
1960 was adapted from the 1899 Italian song 'O Solo Mio? Issued on the RCA
label and reissued on the RCA 'Living Stereo' series, it has an approximate
value depending on condition of $750 or more but that's peanuts compared to
the estimated $10,000 price tag for the 'Compact 33-1/3 single release of
the 1962 Elvis #1 hit 'Good Luck Charm'. PRESLEY'S LAST CHART HIT while
still alive was the 1977 song 'Way Down' it charted at #18 and stayed on the
pop charts for 21 weeks. Little known to pop listeners was that the song was
also a #1 country hit.
BEACH BOYS:
Did you know the Pendletones, Carl and the Passions and Kenny and the Cadets
were all group names used by the Beach Boys? Formed in 1961 in Hawthorne
California, their 1962 song 'Surfin'' was the groups first top 100 hit
peaking at #76 on the pop charts. If you have the first release on the song
on the XCandix301 label and it's in good condition, the estimated value is
around $1000. The Groups first #1 song was 'I Get Around' but, it was their
#3 hit 'Surfin' U.S.A.' that was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
and the 1963 song 'In My Room' which peaked at #23 on the pop charts, was
the groups first Grammy Awarded song. The 1966 album 'Pet Sounds' reached
#10 on the pop charts in America and in Britain it reached #2 and would have
been #1 except for a little known #1 album 'Revolver' by the Beatles. Pet
Sounds was voted the #1 all time album by the musicians industry.
BEATLES:
The 'Quarrymen' changed their name to the Silver Beatles; the name was
influenced by Buddy Holly's group The Crickets. In 1960 the group included
Stuart Sutcliffe on bass guitar with Pete Best on drums. Sutcliff quit and
Best was replaced by Ringo. Pete Best can be heard on such songs as the 1961
versions of Ain't She Sweet and My Bonnie. On the strength of those
recording, Capitol Records passed on signing the Beatles and they were
offered to Vee Jay Records by EMI instead. In a deal for signing Frank
Ifield, Vee Jay Records acquired the Beatles as a 'throw in'. There was
another version of My Bonnie that was titled 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean'.
It was first released on Deca as Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers; it has
an estimated value of $15,000 depending on condition. Vee Jay records
released the Beatle first Album in 1964 called 'Introducing The Beatles'.
'Ask Me Why' the flip of 'Please Please Me' has an estimated value of $1,500
and 'From Me To You' also released on Vee-Jay is estimated at $900 and for
the -promo sleeve $2000 depending on condition. Capitol began placing
injunction upon injunction on Vee Jay and ultimately took over Beatle record
production.
ONE HIT WONDERS:
1956 Larry Hall – Sandy. The record labels were all searching for the next
Elvis. Although this teenage singer didn't click, he had a #15 rock and roll
hit song that today has a modest estimated value of around $60.
1957 The Mello-Kings hit with Tonight, Tonight a Doo-Wop song that would
chart again in 1961. Today the estimated value is $500.
1958 The Danleers – One Summer Night. A Doo Wop group named after their
Manager Danny Webb who wrote the song.
1959 Ray Sharpe – Linda Lu. A rockabilly song that featured Duane Eddy and
Al Casey on guitar. Phil Phillips & The Twilights with the original #2 hit
single Sea of Love. If you have the original Khouri label and it's in good
condition, you're looking at around $1000.
1960 The Fendermen – Mule Skinner Blues, hit both pop charts at #5 and
Country charts at #16. This fun song was written in 1931 by Jimmie Rogers.
1961 The Duals – Stick Shift. This instrumental rock and roll-hot rod
inspired tune was first released on Star Review records and has an estimated
value of $300.
1962 Ernie Maresca – Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out). This #6 one hit
wonder wrote 'Runaround Sue' & 'The Wanderer' for Dion.
1963 The Chantays – Pipeline. This surf-rock instrumental was recorded in
the back of Wentzel's Music Town in Downey California. The store doubled as
a recording studio and record label. If you have a 'Downey' record label
hang onto it!
1964 The Premiers - Farmer John. Billed as having been recorded 'live' at
the Rhythm Room in Fullerton California, the song was actually a studio
recording with friends.
1965 Cannibal & The Headhunters - Land Of A 1000 Dances. The original
version of this song was by Thee Midniters, a local L.A. band that had a hit
with the instrumental song that asked you to take a trip down 'Whittier Blvd'.
1966 The Count Five - Psychotic Reaction is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame song
and an example of 60's psychedelic garage-rock.
HONNERABLE MENTION:
If you weren't tired of reading I would include some early rockers, Eddie
Cochran of Summertime Blues Fame. Be Bop A Lula's Gene Vincent who was
injured in the car accident that took Eddie Cochran's life. The Twist king,
Chubby Checker who got is name from American Bandstand's Dick Clark's wife
who thought young Ernest Evans looked a lot like a young Fats Domino. Danny
& The Juniors song At The Hop which was originally titled At The Bop, until
Dick Clark convinced them to change the title. The 'Fat Man' Fats Domino
singing the 'Happy Days' anthem, Blueberry Hill and Chuck Berry asking
Maybellene, Why Can't You Be True? Etc., Etc.
Life is short, enjoy the music.
Until That Time…Dan
The Music Man
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)