Eureka! I Have Found the Coolest Covers in the History of the World! - Volume 2: Victory at Sina!

 WELCOME TO 

 VOL. 2 OF MY SERIES 

 EUREKA! 

 I HAVE FOUND THE 

 COOLEST COVERS IN THE 

 HISTORY OF THE WORLD! 

Each volume of  EUREKA!  brings you great original recordings

along with cover versions that are good, great or even better

than the originals. It's up to you to decide. I know what
you're thinking. You're thinking this series sounds
exactly like other series I have run over the years:
Battle of the Bands, Battle of the Banned,
Version Sacrifice, WWF Grudge Match
and Winning Hand. Well, you're wrong.
This isn't exactly the same. Those series
 didn't include a picture of Peter Griffin!

Listen now to these confirmed classics and cool covers
and let me know which ones (if any!) you prefer.

Remember, ladies and gentlemen...

This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.

 BANANARAMA 

In 1976, "More, More, More," recorded by Andrea True, became one of the

best known disco hits of the decade. In 1993, those lovable banana girls,

the English dance-pop act Bananarama, once a trio, now a duo, covered

"More, More, More," and released it as a single from their album

Please Yourself. The ABBA-like, Europop single went top 25

at home in the UK and reached the top 10 in Portugal.

"More, More, More" - Bananarama

(Apr. 1993, highest chart pos. #8 Portugal/#24 UK)

 ANDREA TRUE 

 CONNECTION 

Nashville native Andrea True performed in dozens of adult films in Scandinavia

and New York before becoming a disco queen thanks to her international hit

"More, More, More" released under the stage name Andrea True Connection.

Initially the recording was released only to discos in the winter of 1975-76

but, when it exploded in popularity, Andrea's label, Buddah, released the

single to the public in the spring of '76. The record reached the top 3 in

the U.S. and in the UK. Here's Andrea performing her signature song

on the West German television music show Musikladen.

"More, More, More (pt. 1)" - Andrea True Connection

(June/July 1976, highest chart pos. #3 Cash Box,

#4 Hot 100, #3 UK, perf. on 1976 ep. of Musikladen)

 TRAKS 

Trax, a band based in Rome, is credited with giving birth to a new musical

genre called Italo-Disco. They did so in 1982 with their disco funk cover of

"Long Train Runnin'," the 1973 country rock hit by The Doobie Brothers.

"Long Train Runnin'" - Traks

(January 1982)

 DOOBIE BROTHERS 

Now here's the original version of "Long Train Runnin'" recorded

by The Doobies, a top 10 hit for the band in the summer of '73.

"Long Train Runnin'" - The Doobie Brothers

(June/July 1973, highest chart position

#8 Hot 100/#9 Cash Box)

 SINA FEAT. 

 VICTORY 

 VIZHANSKA 

Indeep was a New York based electro funk dance group. Their claim to fame

is the 1983 club classic and top 10 R&B hit "Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life,"

a song that acknowledged the emerging New York DJ scene of the early 80s.

On the last day of 2019, German drummer girl Sina, along with our good

friend, Ukrainian singing sensation Victory Vizhanska,

released this cool cover of the song.

"Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" - Indeep cover

by Sina feat. Victory Vizhanska (Dec. 2019)

 INDEEP 

Along with its success in the states, "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life"

was a top 3 hit in The Netherlands and performed well in the UK and

France. Indeep consisted of songwriter/producer Michael Cleveland

and sassy singing ladies Reggie Megliore and Rose Marie Ramsey.

Here now is Indeep doing their original version of "Last Night

a D.J. Saved My Life!"

"Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" - Indeep

(Feb./Mar. 1983, highest chart pos.

#10 R&B, #101 Bubbling Under)

 STAY TUNED FOR MORE 

 TUNEFUL TAKEDOWNS, 

 MELODIOUS MAT MATCHES 

 AND BOFFO BEAT BOUTS 

 IN THE NEXT VOLUME OF 

 EUREKA! 

Have a Shady day!

Salivating 74 Years of Service to the Blog World!

Hiya, I'm Brian Griffin!

As you recall, I'm a professional martooni taste tester.

(Lishen, I'm not as drunk as some thinkle peep I am.)

I am also the personable pooch from Family Guy

and a member of the DJ team on S-P-M-M

Retrosonic Radio here at Shady's Place.

Sorry about the typo in the title

of the post.  It should read 174

14 YEARS.

That's right!  This week,

Shady is observing his 

14th blogiversary! 

That figure includes 10 years as emcee of the old blog,

Shady Dell Music & Memories, and 4 years as the so-

called brains behind Shady's Place Music & Memories.

I shay this calls for a shalivation... and the gang's all here.

Well, some of them are here, because we only have time

for the traditional seven song salute. Without further

delay, let's start from scratch and get to the music

because I'm itchin' to dance with your leg.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

If you're a fan of my show Eclectic Avenue, then you know I love variety

(and Jerky Treats).  The original by Smokey Robinson And The Miracles

is still the greatest, but wait till you hear what I found, a cool rerecorded

version of Smokey's "More Love" released in the summer of 2015!

"More Love" (rerecorded) - The Miracles

(July/Aug. 2015, from albums Disco Hits, Disco Gold,

Disco Dance, Disco Heaven & Class A Soul Songs)

"The Woo Woo" is here for you you!

Hi everyone, this is Old Leather

Lungs... Old Aching Adenoids...

Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg

from WMEX Boston, simulcasting

my famous Night Train Show

on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio.

Congrats to Shady Del Knight

on his fourteen years as a

member (in shady standing)

of the blogging community!

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

To help Shady celebrate, here's

a song from my Wimex Tunedex.

It's the Brill Building Sound of Gene Pitney making a run

at the top 10 in the fall of 1964 with a song originally

intended for Neil Sedaka- "It Hurts To Be In Love!"

"It Hurts To Be In Love" - Gene Pitney

(Sept./Oct. 1964, highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

A Doctor Donald D. Rosey good morning to you,

and happy 14 to Shady Del Knight! The Doctor's

in the house! I'm Dr. Don Rose, top 40 DJ at

"Quixie in Dixie," on loan to S-P-M-M here at

Shady's Place. I dropped by on this special day

to spin the kind of record you're likely to hear

on my Rose-Colored Glasses show, sounds

of the 60s that are good for what ails ya. In

1966, The Left Banke found fame thanks to

their top 5 hit "Walk Away Renee." In 1968

Motown's Four Tops covered the song and

scored a hit of their own, a record that

finished in the top 10 on Cash Box.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Here they are, the mighty men of Motown, the Four Tops, with

one of the best covers of any song by anyone-- "Walk Away Renee!"

"Walk Away Renee" - Four Tops

(Feb./Mar. 1968, highest chart pos. #8 Cash Box,

#14 Hot 100/#15 R&B)

 HOWDY! 

 Hepcat Black's my name. 

 Hep music's my game. 

I'm a cool cool kitty, but let's get one thing straight
between us, Gus. I ain't from New York City!
On my S-P-M-M radio show Pink Cadillac
I play old school rock 'n' roll, R&R revival,
rockabilly, psychobilly, country, outlaw -
it's all good, understood

First off, happy 14 year blogiversary, Shady D! Now let's rock this

here roadhouse with a good old Texas boy named Moon Mullican,

a fella who earned the nickname King of the Hillbilly Piano Players.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Here's Moon backed by Boyd Bennett And His Rockets with the original

recording of the classic rockabilly song "Seven Nights To Rock!"

"Seven Nights To Rock" - Moon Mullican

(Feb. 1956)

Hyski here - Hy Lit - The South Philadelphia Kid,

The Potentate of the Keystone State - veteran DJ

on Wibbage, WIBG, and the host of Natural Hy

on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. Before I spin a

boss golden, I wanna give a shout out and props

aplenty to my good friend Shady Del Knight on

his 14 years of blogging. Way to go, man!

On Natural Hy, I play groovy greats of the 60s

and 70s with some 50s doo-wop occasionally

added to the mix. The epicenter of my show

is Philadelphia from the mid 60s through the

mid 70s, the sweet soul, psychedelic soul and

blue-eyed soul sounds that the kids danced to

in the studio on The Hy Lit Television Show.

START VIDEO NOW!

Here's a great example - Philly's very own Intruders with a

sound of the season-- "Love Is (just) Like a Baseball Game!"

"(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game" - The Intruders

(Aug. 1968, highest chart pos. #4 R&B,

#26 Hot 100/#41 Cash Box)

Hey, Vern! How's life been treatin' ya?

This here's yer old buddy, yer old pal

Ernest P. Worrell.

Ain't none of my beeswax, Vern, but looks like you got
somethin' caught in yer teeth there. Looks like Popeye
ain't the only one who's been eatin' his spinach!

Hey, Vern, guess what. Today Shady
Del Knight is celebrating the big 1-4.
No, he's not 14 years old, even tho

it sure seems like it sometimes.
I mean that he's been sharin' his
 music and memories with us for

14 years on two different blogs.

He deserves a great big attaboy.

Just a reminder, Vern. On my S-P-M-M show Rock-A-Billygoat, I spin

the best of rockabilly, early rock & roll, rock & roll revival, traditional

country & western and country-pop crossover. Now hold onto

yer hat, Vern, 'cause I got a dilly for you right cheer.

This boy and his band played everything from

rock & roll to R&B, folk, country, pop

and even psychedelic rock.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

In the late winter of 1969, the group scored a hit with this country

pop song. Here are Kenny Rogers And The First Edition

performing-- "But You Know I Love You!"

"But You Know I Love You" - Kenny Rogers And

The First Edition (Feb./Mar. 1969, highest chart pos.

#15 Cash Box, #18 U.S. Easy Listening/#19 Hot 100,

#9 Canada Easy Listening/#11 Canada, performance on

Dec. 8, 1968, ep. of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour)

Flashing back to late '68 and early '69, that was the late great Kenny Rogers
and his group The First Edition appearing on The Smothers Brothers

Comedy Hour and doing "But You Know I Love You," a single

that made the top 10 in Canada and the top 20 in the U.S.

Well, I'll be ding, Vern. We're

plumb outta time. Me and my

best buds need to skedaddle.

Hope you enjoyed this

anniversary bash we

threw to celebrate

Shady's 14 years

as a blogger.

Don't worry your head none, 'cause I'll be back in two shakes of a jiffy

with more toe tappin' tunes for your bobby sock high school hop,

your hillbilly hayride and your heartland hoedown.

Hey, this one's too cool for school, Vern.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

To play us off, Johnny Rivers and his cover of Chuck Berry's

"Memphis, Tennessee." Now for Brian, Arnie, Don, Hepcat

and Hy, this is Errnest P. sayin' don't take any wooden

nickels and don't do anything I wouldn't do...

know what I mean Vern?

"Memphis" - Johnny Rivers

(June/July 1964, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Millions Saddened by Temporary Closing of Walley World!

Sorry folks, park's closed.

Moose out front shoulda told ya.

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Oh my goodness, give me a moment

to catch my breath. Hello, folks...

I'm Shady Del Knight. If you're

like me, your sides are splitting

right about now as you recall the

misadventures of Clark Griswold

and his clan in the comedy classic 

Gone With the Wind

National Lampoon's

Vacation.

Reminding you of that particularly hilarious scene in the movie

is my way of letting you know that, effective immediately,

I am taking another break from blogging.

I urge you to remain calm.

Please don't run through the

streets in panic. Shady's Place

is not really "closing." Your

home away from home will

remain open 24-7 just as it

has for the last 57 years.

The only difference is that

I will not be here on the blog

circuit to publish new posts,

visit your blog and leave

comments. You see...

  Mrs. Shady and I

will be vacationing

the next nine days.

I hope to return to blogging

on Sunday, July 24. So, till

then, dear friend... till we

meet again, dear friend...

take good care of yourself

and my buddy/sweetheart

 (fill in your dog's name).

See you on the 24th!

WHEN I RETURN... YOU'LL JUMP FOR JOY!

Have a Shady day!

Shady's Angels, Vol. 1: Pretty Blue Eyes is a Work of Art!

COLD OPEN!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Venus In Blue Jeans" - Jimmy Clanton

(Sept./Oct. 1962, highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100/#10 Cash Box,

performance on June 5, 1965, ep. of Hollywood A Go-Go)

One of the many hit songs written by the great Neil Sedaka, that was

my first BLUE SONG of the show - "Venus In Blue Jeans' - by the

"swamp pop R&B teenage idol" Jimmy Clanton, a record that made

a convincing run at the top 5 in the weeks leading up to Halloween

in 1962. From 1972 to 1976, Jimmy Clanton was a DJ at an oldies

format radio station in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Dell Rat Tom's

old stomping ground, and he and Tom became friends thru

chatting numerous times on the station's request hotline.

Hello and welcome!

I'm Pretty Blue Eyes,

one of Shady's Angels.

Shady's Angels don't

battle bad guys... we

spin great records of

the 50s and early 60s.

To enhance the mood as you

listen to the greatest oldies,

Shady will deck the halls

and plaster the walls

with pictures of

Shady's Angels

...classic pinups by mid 20th

century artists like Gil Elvgren,

Walt Otto, Edward D'Ancona,  

Bill Medcalf, Edward Runci,

Art Frahm, Harry Eckman,

Frederick Sands Brunner

and Joyce Ballantyne.

Along with vintage pinup girls, Shady will decorate with
nostalgic record album art, covers of pulp romance mags
and comics, and soft drink print ads of the period.

So sit back and let

Shady's Angels
entertain you.
Better yet, pick
a partner, head
out to the floor
and get ready
to dance and
make romance!

Two days ago, pop crooner Steve Lawrence

turned age 87. To boomers, Steve is best

known as one half of Steve and Eydie...

the successful duo he formed with his

late wife Eydie Gormé. Both Steve and

Eydie recorded solo hits and I'm gonna

play one of Steve's, a record that made

the top 10 in the early weeks of 1960.

The song was written by Teddy Ran-

dazzo & Bobby Weinstein, the team

that composed the hits "Goin' Out Of

My Head" and "I'm On The Outside

(Looking In)" for Little Anthony &

The Imperials and "It's Gonna Take

a Miracle" for the Royalettes. Here

now is Steve Lawrence with my

theme song-- "Pretty Blue Eyes!"

"Pretty Blue Eyes" - Steve Lawrence

(Jan. 1960, highest chart pos. #7 Cash Box/#9 Hot 100,

scenes from June 1963 movie The Nutty Professor)

This just in: Mrs. Shady Blue had a baby!

(No... not really.)

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

As proud father Shady B welcomed the tot into the world, he sang this
hit from '61 by the Brooklyn trio The Echoes-- "(You're my) Baby Blue!"

"Baby Blue" - The Echoes

(Apr./May 1961, highest chart pos. #12 Hot 100/#15 Cash Box)

If you're just tuning in,

I'm Pretty Blue Eyes,

one of Shady's Angels,

and the newest member of

The Shady Bunch DJ team

on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio

brought to you in Futuresonic

Stereo Surround! We're right

smack dab in the middle of a

 7-in-a-row commercial free

cruise, so let's get right

back to the music!

Up next, The Polish Prince, Bobby Vinton. Starting in 1962 Bobby

recorded quite a few "color songs" including "Roses Are Red,"

"Blue Velvet," "What Color (Is A Man)," "Petticoat White

(Summer Sky Blue)," "Red Roses For Mom" and the one

that's cued-up on my turntable right now, a top 3 hit

for Bobby in the summer of '63-- "Blue On Blue!"

"Blue On Blue" - Bobby Vinton

(June 1963, highest chart pos. #3 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

Pretty Blue Eyes keeping you company and spinning the best sounds

of the Fabulous Fifties and pre-Beatles 60s here on S-P-M-M... where

we go hunting for the great songs of the past and bring 'em back alive.

Hey, we hit the jackpot!  My next record features not one but two great singers.

As you might recall, DJ Hepcat Black introduced The Collins Kids (Larry & Lorrie)

on his radio show in 2018. In January, 1958, Lorrie Collins appeared on the TV

series The Adventures of Ozzie And Harriet and sang  "Just Because" with the

show's breakout star, teenage idol Ricky Nelson. Ricky's attraction to Lorrie
was genuine and they dated in real life. Around Halloween, 1960, the duo
recorded "You Are The Only One," but it was released without Lorrie's
vocals as another Ricky Nelson single. Rick's record made the top 30.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Guess what? I'm gonna play that rare, unreleased

recording of Ricky and Lorrie's romantic duet!

"You Are The Only One" - Ricky Nelson & Lorrie Collins

(recorded Oct. 26, 1960, unreleased)

Pretty Blue Eyes here on the beach, yet also on your radio

thanks to your imagination and S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio! 

Now here is another rare treat.
It's same song, same TV series,

same teenage idol... but this
time a different episode and
a different singing partner.

Released as a single, their

version reached the top 30

in the early weeks of 1961.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

Performing on the last

Ozzie And Harriet episode

of 1960, here are Ricky

Nelson and actress

Linda Bennett!

"You Are The Only One" - Ricky Nelson & Linda Bennett

(Jan/Feb. 1961, highest chart pos. #25 Hot 100/#29 Cash Box,

scene from Dec. 28, 1960, ep. of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet)

As you might recall, the youngest member of the Nelson clan was billed as

"the irrepressible Ricky" in the opening title sequence of his family sitcom,

and you just heard Rick doing the same song with two different beautiful

singing partners, assuring each girl, "You Are The Only One." 😍

I hope you liked volume 1 of

Shady's Angels

featuring yours truly...

Pretty Blue Eyes.

Stick around for more vintage
glamour girls and more great

tunes of the 50s and early 60s

coming your way on our next

show right here on S-P-M-M

...the station with personality.

START VIDEO NOW!

To play us off, The Crickets
from their album Something Old,
Something New, Something Blue,
Somethin' Else! It's another
version of my theme song-

"Pretty Blue Eyes!"

"Pretty Blue Eyes" - The Crickets

(from 1962 album Something Old, Something New,

Something Blue, Somethin' Else !!!!!!)

Mandy & Molly Present: Gold Dust Woman's Mac Nuggets!

PIGGYBACK COLD OPEN:

CLICK TO PLAY FIRST VIDEO.

AT 10 SEC. MARK, CLICK
TO PLAY SECOND VIDEO!

"I Can't Wait" - Stevie Nicks

(May/June 1986, highest chart pos. #3 Cash Box,
#16 Hot 100, from Nov. 1985 album Rock A Little)

Proving that skin color has nothing
to do with soul, that was soulful
siren Stevie Nicks, former front-
woman of Fleetwood Mac, with
"I Can't Wait," a single from her
1985 solo album Rock A Little.
"I Can't Wait" reached its peak
at #3 on the Cash Box chart
late in the spring of 1986.

Hi, I'm Mandy Lang

from the Fox crime

thriller TV series

The Following.

I live in a shack in the boonies with

my prostitute mother Judy. I'm an

admirer of Joe Carroll, a former

professor turned serial killer and

cult leader, a man who spent a

year hiding out with us to

avoid capture. Joe is a

father figure to me.

And I'm Molly Quinn
from Hulu's dramatic
TV series Reprisal.

Like Mandy's, my life is no picnic.

My husband is an alcoholic, two-
bit gangster. Breaking the chains,
I hooked up with a relentless

femme fatale who, after being

left for dead, leads her posse on

a vengeful campaign against a

bombastic gang of gearheads.

In addition to coming from
hard times, Mandy and I
have something else in
common. We both have
soul and we both love
soul music, old and new,
 everything from grits 'n'
gravy southern R&B to
gospel tinged deep soul,
retro soul, sweet soul,
blue-eyed soul, disco-
funk and even classic
rock that has soul.

As you can see, I clean up good

here at my cabin in the cotton.

I got all gussied up to join
Molly as co-host for this
Shady's Place event:

Gold Dust Woman's

Mac Nuggets.

We kicked things off with
the real deal - Stevie Nicks.
Now meet a Stevie Nicks
soundalike who, along with
her group, will amaze you
 with their tribute to Stevie
and her band Fleetwood Mac.
They're Gold Dust Woman,
fronted by award winning
 singer Jo Elbers. The act
is billed as Australia's
premier tribute show and 
"The Ultimate Fleetwood
Mac Experience."

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Gold Dust Woman takes you on a
musical journey from the time Stevie
joined Fleetwood Mac through her
brilliant solo career. "Stand Back"
and get ready to be blown away
by-- Gold Dust Woman!

"Stand Back" - Gold Dust Woman

(Australia, Dec. 2019)

That was the fabulous

Jo Elbers sounding

more like Stevie than

Stevie as she and her

Aussie tribute band

Gold Dust Woman per-

formed "Stand Back,"

a top 5 solo hit for

Stevie Nicks in the

summer of 1983.

Up next, a song written by

Stevie Nicks and recorded

by Fleetwood Mac that

made Rolling Stone's

list of 500 Greatest

Songs of All Time.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Here again is Gold Dust Woman

doing Fleetwood Mac's top 10

hit from 1976 "Rhiannon

(Will You Ever Win)."

"Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)" - Gold Dust Woman

(Australia Nov. 2019)

If you're just tuning in,

she's Mandy Lang and

I'm her partner in crime
 Molly Quinn, and we're

bringing you the best of

Gold Rush Woman - the

Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood

Mac tribute band from

the land down under.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

In 1982 Fleetwood Mac scored a hit

with "Gypsy," another song penned

by Stevie Nicks. In 2017, Stevie

recorded an acoustic version for
use as the title song of a psycho-

logical thriller television series
that starred Naomi Watts.
Here again is Gold Dust
Woman and-- "Gypsy."

"Gypsy" - Gold Dust Woman
(Australia, Nov. 2019)

In 1977, Fleetwood Mac released Rumours,

an album that became their greatest success.

Rumours topped the Billboard 200 chart

well over half the year and can be found

on lists of best albums of the 1970s

and best albums of all time.

CLICK TO START

THE VIDEO NOW!

 "Go Your Own Way," the first single

released from Rumours, was the band's

first top-ten hit in the United States.
It made Rolling Stone's list of the
Greatest Rock Songs of All Time.
Here again is our featured act
Gold Dust Woman doing their
exciting live version of--

"Go Your Own Way."

"Go Your Own Way" - Gold Dust Woman
(Australia, Dec. 2019)

We hope you enjoyed this
tribute to Stevie Nicks and
Fleetwood Mac presented
by Mandy and me and
featuring the amazing
 Australian cover band
Gold Dust Woman.
If you did like what
you saw and heard,
you'll be happy to

know that we have
been picked up for a
a full series starting
soon at Shady's Place.

That's right. We'll be joining

five other soulful sisters from

TV land to host our own show

here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic

Radio.  We're gonna call it

 M-Squad 

 because all seven of us have

first names that start with

the letter "M." So please

join us for the official

debut of our show

coming soon.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

At the top of the show, Stevie Nicks performed her 1986 top 3 hit "I Can't Wait."
To play us off, here one last time is the magnificent sound of Jo Elbers and
her Australian band Gold Dust Woman doing their cover of the song.
Now for my sister in soul Mandy Lang from The Following this is
Molly Quinn from Reprisal urging you to stay clean, play it cool
and hang tough. So long everybody. We'll see you again soon
and you'll hear us loud and clear on S-P-M-M Retro Radio!

"I Can't Wait" - Gold Dust Woman
(Australia, (Dec. 2019)