New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady 2020: Time to Rock, Roll & Remember Dick Clark and the Bandstand Dancers!

 I'm Shady Seaweed 

 "America's Oldest Living Toddler" 

 Welcome to the 

 58th annual 

 New Year's 

 Rockin' Eve 

 in the Shady! 

The wrecking ball in Shady Square is about to drop, signalling the end
of the year 2020. As we look ahead to the coming year, let's view the past
with 2020 hindsight, specifically Dick Clark's long running music program
American Bandstand. Tonight the spotlight is not on the songs or artists
who performed on the show, not even on Dick Clark. Instead I ask that
you focus you attention on the teenagers who danced on Bandstand
over the years. In case you can't spare the time to watch every
video from beginning to end, I provided in bold red letters,

the recommended start point for each video.

 RETURN WITH US NOW 
 TO THE GLORY YEARS 

 OF BANDSTAND. 

Observe the young studio dancers of the 1960s,
their body language, clothing styles and hairdos.
Note their attitude, how they conducted
themselves on the program.

 THE DOVELLS 

 Mem'ries light the corners of my mind 

"You Can't Sit Down" - The Dovells

(Jan. 4, 1964, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:05 MARK! 

 THE RONETTES 

 Misty water-colored mem'ries of the way we were 

"Be My Baby" - The Ronettes

(January 04, 1964, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT 45 SEC MARK:

 THE SEEKERS 

 Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind 

 Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were 

"Georgy Girl" - The Seekers

(February 4, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:20 MARK! 

 GLADYS KNIGHT 
 AND THE PIPS 

 Can it be that it was all so simple then 

 Or has time rewritten every line 

"Friendship Train" - Gladys Knight And The Pips

(Nov. 8, 1969, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

FROM BEGINNING!

 THE MCCOYS 

 If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me, 

 would we..... could we? 

"Fever" - The McCoys

(December 18, 1965, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:44 MARK!

 PAUL REVERE 
 AND THE RAIDERS 

 Mem'ries may be beautiful and yet 

 What's too painful to remember 

 We simply choose to forget 

"Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" 

Paul Revere And The Raiders

(June 3, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

FROM BEGINNING! 

 SAM THE SHAM 

 AND THE PHARAOHS 

 So it's the laughter we will remember 

 Whenever we remember the way we were 

"How Do You Catch A Girl"

- Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs

(January 14, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)

START PLAYING VIDEO

AT THE 1:15 MARK!

Submitted for your approval - exhibits A through G - seven scenes of young people
having good clean fun... unbridled joy... fresh faced exuberance. Simply put -
it was great to be alive in the 60s! If you ever wondered why Boomers
say they wouldn't trade places with any other generation, the magic
moments on these videos are all the evidence you'll ever need.

 If I could turn back time 

  If I could find a way...  

 HAPPY 

 NEW YEAR! 

Pretty Paper, Precious Presents and Powerslams: For Christmas - Round 5 of my WWF Grudge Match!

Welcome to Round 5

of my

WWF

(Wow What Fun)
Grudge Match!

WWF Grudge Match is inspired by the pro wrestling exhibitions I watched

on television when I was a kid. Today I present, for your entertainment and

edification, original recordings, covers and a song parody, all competing

for your approval. Your mission, Jim, if you decide to accept it, is to

tell me which songs and which versions, if any, you prefer.

LET THE

WWF Grudge Match

BEGIN!

Remember, ladies and gentlemen...

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

 JIMMY BOYD 

This is a kinder and gentler edition of Grudge Match because it features the uplifting

sounds of the season. The first Christmas song brings a tear to my eye every time

I listen, because it takes me back to my earliest memories of childhood. In fact,

this was the first record I ever owned, given to me by my parents, I was told,

on my second birthday. The song was waxed by 13 year old Jimmy Boyd,

a California singer who, in 1960, lived many a young man's dream by

marrying beautiful model & actress Yvonne Craig who later played

"Batgirl" on the hit TV series Batman. Let's go way back to the

age of innocence, Christmas time 1952, to hear an evergreen

that generations of children know and love. Jimmy Boyd

sings-- "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." 

 "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" 

 - Jimmy Boyd (Christmas 1952, 

 highest chart pos. #1 BB/#6 Cash Box) 

 THE LENNON SISTERS 

In my previous post, The Lennon Sisters invited us to enjoy the holidays on

"Christmas Island." The sweet sibling songbirds from Lawrence Welk are back

this week to take part in my Grudge Match. Here now are The Lennon Sisters

singing their version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." 

 "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" 

 - The Lennon Sisters (from 1960 album 

 Christmas With The Lennon Sisters) 

 WHAM! 

1984 was a tremendous year for the English pop duo Wham! The act

scored three chart-topping singles in the U.S. with "Wake Me Up Before

You Go-Go," "Careless Whisper" and "Everything She Wants."

The song "Last Christmas," released in the UK and other countries as the double A

side of "Everything She Wants," shot to #1 in three countries and #2 in eight others.

The music video shows Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley

along with their girlfriends and other twenty-somethings enjoying the holiday

at a Swiss ski resort. In conjunction with the charity super group Band Aid,

George and Andrew donated all royalties to the mid 80s Ethiopian famine.

 "Last Christmas" - Wham! 

 (Christmas 1984, double A side 

 of "Everything She Wants," 

 highest chart pos. #1 Denmark, 

 Slovenia & Sweden) 

 MEGAN SINGER 

Who can forget Shady Green's contribution to my

New Year's Day, 2019, post - the singing Singer Family

of San Diego, California, and their cool cover of the

Tommy James hit "Draggin' The Line"? Requests

have been pouring in (from my mama) to see

it again, so here goes.

Just when you thought it was safe to stick your hand in the fan, daughter

Megan Singer is back with another cover. Miss Singer proves she's a

zinger with this a delightfully gruesome piece of performance art

entitled-- "Zombie Last Christmas!"

 "Zombie Last Christmas" - Megan Singer 

 (Christmas season 2016) 

 THE LENNON SISTERS 

Please listen to a third song from The Lennon Sisters' 1960 Christmas album.

Here again are 'lil Chanet," Kathy, Peggy and Dianne, The Lennon Sisters,

singing a seasonal song that was written in 1934 and has been popular

ever since and recorded by many artists-- "Winter Wonderland." 

 "Winter Wonderland" - The Lennon Sisters 

 (from 1960 album Christmas With 

 The Lennon Sisters) 

 TONY BENNETT 

In 1968 the ageless wonder Tony Bennett, sometimes nicknamed

Tony Benefit for donating so much of his time to charitable causes,

reached Billboard's special holiday chart with this fine rendition

of "Winter Wonderland." Yule love it! 

 "Winter Wonderland" - Tony Bennett 

 (Christmas 1968, highest chart pos. 

 #87 Billboard US Holiday 100, 

 from 1968 album Snowfall aka 

 The Tony Bennett Christmas Album)  

 I'm wrestling with the idea of

bringing you more volumes of

WWF Grudge Match

Stick around... oh, and by the way...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

That Was Then - This Is Now, Volume 6: The Jarring Juxtaposition of Female Vocalists Past and Present!

 You've come a long way, baby... 

 and these jarring juxtapositions 

 offer indisputable proof! 

Welcome to Vol. 6 of my series

Jarring Juxtapositions:

That Was Then - This Is Now!

It is not my intention to pass judgement. (That's your job. :) This series
merely invites you to compare apples and oranges. Hard as it might be
for you to believe, I enjoy all of the female recording artists you
are about to see and hear. Join me on this jarring journey
back and forth through time as we compare the look,
the sound and the attitude of female singers

then... and now!

THAT WAS THEN

THE LENNON SISTERS

It's a different world, my friend. When I was a boy in the 1950s, girls looked,

sounded and behaved like The Lennon Sisters, the popular sibling singing

group on The Lawrence Welk Show. In 1960 the girls released the holiday

album Christmas With The Lennon Sisters.  Listen as 'lil Chanet," Kathy,

Peggy and Dianne invite us to ditch the cold weather and spend the

holidays basking in the tropics on-- "Christmas Island."

""Christmas Island" - The Lennon Sisters

(from 1960 album Christmas With The Lennon Sisters)

THIS IS NOW

 KITTIE 

Our musical journey takes a jarring turn

and we find ourselves in the zombielike

clutches of Kittie, an all-female metal

band from Ontario, Canada. Formed

in 1996, Kittie names alternative

bands like Nirvana and Alice In

Chains as major influences.

In 2000, Kittie released their debut

album Spit with a dozen songs,

all written by band members

around age 14. As if by the

mysterious process of

spontaneous generation...

"Charlotte" arose from Spit!

"Charlotte" - Kittie

(July 2000, highest chart pos. #60 UK,
single from January 2000 album Spit)

THAT WAS THEN

CILLA BLACK

Her real name was Priscilla White but she called herself Cilla Black.

I regret that I only came to fully appreciate the English sparrow's talent

a year or so before her death in 2015. Until that time the only Cilla Black

song I knew was "You're My World," a single that reached the top 30 in

the U.S. in 1964. Maybe it's because some of Cilla's best recordings

were not released stateside. Here's one of them, a cover of Dionne

Warwick's soulful ballad "Anyone Who Had A Heart." Cilla took

the song, made it her own and eclipsed Dionne's version in the

UK with a single that spent three weeks at the top of the chart!

"Anyone Who Had A Heart" - Cilla Black

(Feb./Mar. 1964, highest chart pos. #1 UK)

THIS IS NOW

 AMARANTHE 

To bring you down from your blissful Cilla Black-induced Brit girl high,

I give you Amaranthe, a Swedish metal band that boasts three lead zingers,

each performing a different style. The band has two clean vocalists, one male

and one female, plus a growling cookie monster who handles the rough stuff.

The beauty among the beasts is Elize Ryd who made Playboy Magazine's

list of "The 14 Hottest Metal Maidens in Face-Melting History." Eliza's

vocals start at the 55 second mark of the song if you can hang on

 through the angry, transgressive rapping that precedes it.

 Feel free to sway, snap your fingers, tap your toes and

zing along as Amaranthe assaults your senses with--

"GG 6!" 

"GG 6" - Amaranthe

(Nov./Dec. 2019 single from Oct. 2018 album Helix) 

THAT WAS THEN

DORIS DAY

"Whatever Will Be, Will Be

(Que Sera, Sera)" was intro-

duced in the 1956 Alfred

Hitchcock film The Man

Who Knew Too Much

starring Jimmy Stewart

and Doris Day. Doris

released the song as a

single. The record spent

27 weeks on the pop

chart and made a

determined run

at the #1 spot.

However Doris's ditty was blocked week after week by

the man who would be King - Elvis Presley - and his

colossal doublesider "Hound Dog," b/w "Don't Be Cruel"

along with another mega-hit,"My Prayer" by The Platters.

"Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" - Doris Day

(July thru Sept. 1956, highest chart pos. #2, from June 1956
Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much)

THIS IS NOW

 IN THIS MOMENT 

Image courtesy of DesignWeapons @ deviantart.com

Nearly identical to Doris Day in appearance and singing style

is fresh faced girl next door Maria Brink, but whereas Doris

sang "Whatever will be, will be," Maria leaves nothing to

 chance, boldly commanding "Adrenalize me." (I'm sure

she's referring to an exciting game of shuffleboard.)

"Adrenalize" is the second single released by Maria

and her menacing male menagerie, the LA-based,

in-your-face metal band In This Moment, from

their 2013 album Blood. Ladies and germs,

if you can believe your eyes and ears...

experience the spectacle, the brutal

multi-sensory blitz, the sound and

the fury-- In This Moment!

"Adrenalize" - In This Moment

(Feb./Mar. 2013, highest chart pos. #18 Active Rock,

#20 Mainstream Rock, from Aug 2012 album Blood)

When I was young, I fell in love

I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead

Will we have rainbows, day after day

Here's what my sweetheart said.

"You're joking... right?"

Have a Shady day!

Best of Bandstands in Foreign Lands Vol. 13: Sam's Club!

Welcome to vol. 13 of

my globetrotting series

BANDSTANDS IN

FOREIGN LANDS!

 SAM 

 BROWN 

In this special edition of "Biffle" I am proud

to introduce English blue-eyed soul singer,

songwriter and musician Sam Brown. Sam

rose to fame in the late 80s and placed six

singles on the UK chart. In the studio as a

session backing vocalist, Sam has worked

with big name artists like George Harrison,

Adam Ant and Pink Floyd. How Sam and

 her great talent eluded me all these years

is an unsolved mystery. Today I present

  the best of Sam's recordings along with

a few of her classic live performances.

Let's begin in 2001 with Sam doing a gospel-tinged R&B song written

by Leiber and Stoller and first recorded by Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

LaVern Baker in 1960. Sam gave this incendiary live performance of

"Saved" at a star-studded Tribute to Leiber & Stoller concert in London. 

 "Saved" - Sam Brown 

 (2001 live perf. at A Tribute to Leiber and Stoller 

 concert in London, England) 

 LOW AUDIO - PLEASE TURN WAY UP, 

 AND BE SURE TO WATCH BEYOND 

 THE 1:40 MARK AS SAM SHEDS 

 HER JACKET AND DOES SOME 

 SERIOUS SOUL SHOUTING ON 

 THE FINALE OF THE SONG! 

In 1966 a little known Philadelphia gospel/R&B

singer named Lorraine Ellision was summoned

to a recording studio in a last-minute booking.

Frank Sinatra had canceled his session, and

the record company asked producer Jerry

Ragovoy to make productive use of the

studio time and the 46-piece orchestra

that had already been hired to back Sinatra.

With no time to rehearse, Lorraine walked

into the studio and nailed the deep soul

song "Stay With Me Baby" in a single

take. Her towering performance

stunned the veteran musicians.

Fast forward to 1990. In an appearance on the British television program

Jools Holland's The Happening, Sam Brown reached deep into her own soul, 

deeper than any other artist who has attempted the song since Lorraine Ellison.

Experience the raw intensity as Sam explodes with a hysterical wail that is

essential to a truly authentic performance of the tear-jerking soul classic. 

 "Stay With Me Baby" - Lorraine Ellison 

 cover by Sam Brown (1990 live perf. on English 

 TV show Jools Holland's The Happening) 

Here's another fantastic live Sam Brown

performance.  In mid 1990, Sam covered

Aretha Franklin's signature song "Respect"

in an appearance on the Australian TV

show Tonight Live with Steve Vizard.

Sam was backed by the studio band

and singers Vika & Linda Bull. 

 "Respect" - Aretha Franklin 

 cover by Sam Brown 

 (1990 live performance on 

 Tonight Live with Steve Vizard 

 in Melbourne, Australia) 

Now here's a song and single from

Sam Brown's 1988 debut album

Stop! The recording features the

guitar work of then-Pink Floyd

member David Gilmour. Listen

how Sam's voice glides up to

the heavens as she sings--

"This Feeling." 

 "This Feeling" - Sam Brown  

 (Aug./Sept. 1988, highest 

 chart pos. #23 Belgium, 

 #32 The Netherlands, 

 #82 Canada, #91 UK, 

 from June '88 album Stop!) 

I'm bringing you the very best of the UK's soulful songbird Sam Brown.

Sam's music videos are great, but her live performances are even better.

Behold the magic as Sam sings with energy and enthusiasm doing her

    1990 hit single "With A Little Love" on the Dutch TV series Telebingo.    

 "With A Little Love" - Sam Brown 

 (Feb. 1990, highest chart pos. #27 Australia, 

 #44 UK/#52 Germany, Feb. 5, 1990, live perf. 

  on the Dutch TV series Telebingo) 

 SHADY SEAWEED'S 

 PICK TO CLICK! 

Truth be told, every one of these Sam

songs is my Pick to Click, but this next

one tops them all. If you only have time

to watch one of Sam's videos from start

to finish, I urge you to make it this one.

It's her 1989 cover of a song that was a

hit for Marvin Gaye in late 1963. Sam's

rollicking rendition is sheer delight - 

clean outta sight - a classic in its

own right - the best version since

Marvin's. Judge for yourself as

Sam lays down the law in the

courtroom and asks the musical

question-- "Can I Get A Witness?" 

 "Can I Get A Witness" - Sam Brown 

 (May/June 1989, highest chart pos. #9 New Zealand, 

 #15 UK & Ireland/#17 Australia, from 1988 album Stop! 

Finally here is Sam doing her biggest and best

known hit "Stop!" The song was featured in

the soundtrack of Roman Polanski's 1992

erotic romantic thriller Bitter Moon. When

first released in 1988 this single fizzled in

the UK but went top 3 in Belgium and in

The Netherlands. Upon its re-release in

1989, Sam's record reached the top 5 in

the UK. It's amazing that this fine single

fell short of the top 50 in the U.S. Here

now is sultry blue-eyed soul sista Sam

Brown singing "Stop!" on the Dutch

music television show TopPop. 

  "Stop!" - Sam Brown 

 (Apr. thru June 1988, 

 highest chart position 

 #1 Belgium/#2 Netherlands, 

 #7 Germany, performance  

  on Dutch TV show TopPop) 

I hope you enjoyed this introduction

to the simply sensational English

sparrow Sam Brown

in this special edition of 

BANDSTANDS IN

FOREIGN LANDS!

stay tuned for the next

hip trip coming soon.

Have a Shady day!

Geator Gold - Vol. 4: Trickle Trickle Tear Drops!

BOOTH ANNOUNCER GARY OWENS:

...and the cow was returned to its rightful owner.

And that's the latest from S-P-M-M news...
fast, up-to-the-minute, completely fake
and proud of it. Now stand by for

 GEATOR GOLD 

on the station that's #1 for music and fun - S-P-M-M!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

(COLD SHOW OPEN)

"He's Got The Power" - The Exciters

(Mar./Apr. 1963, highest chart pos. #57 Hot 100,

#64 Cash Box, Scopitone film release)

Greetings and salutations! I am The Geator

with The Heater. I am The Boss with the

Big Hot Sauce, welcoming you to another

fantastic, bombastic edition of Geator Gold

here on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio. I've got

a parade of platters from the past and our

7-in-a-row block party has just begun.

You just saw and heard Brenda Reid,

the little lady with the powerful pipes,

singing lead for her mixed gender group
The Exciters on "He's Got The Power,"

a record that climbed halfway up the

pop chart in the spring of 1963 and

oddly failed to register at all on

the R&B chart. Now let's jump

back in time to the early 50s. 

Fiction and Fact from the Geator's Almanac: In 1952 a man by the name

of Ronald Cuffey was lead singer of The Five Sharps, the now legendary

doo-wop group from Queens, NY. The Five Sharps recorded the song

"Stormy Weather" on the Jubilee label. That 78 rpm single is so rare

that it is known as the Holy Grail of doo-wop 78's, coveted by

collectors as one of the most valuable records in the world.

In 2003, a used copy of "Stormy Weather" sold for
$19,000. The value of that Five Sharps platter shot

to $25,000 a few years later. It is not even known

if an original exists on 45 rpm. If one is ever

found it would be worth many times more.

Fast forward to the summer of 1958 when Ronald Cuffey was
singing lead with a new group called The Videos. Their first
record  got plenty of radio exposure in New York but did not
reach the national chart. The Videos now with-- "Trickle, Trickle!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

"Trickle, Trickle" - The Videos (July 1958)

You're jumpin' and jitterbuggin' with

The Geator With The Heater, charter

member of The Shady Bunch, and

this is Geator Gold on S-P-M-M

Retrosonic Radio, where all the

cool oldies come to play. 

You just heard a Geator golden gasser
by The Videos, their 1958 regional hit
"Trickle, Trickle." In January, 1959,
The Videos released a follow-up to
that jump tempo debut single. It's
a lot different, a dreamy ballad
entitled-- "Love Or Infatuation."

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

"Love Or Infatuation" - The Videos (Jan. 1959)

The Videos of Queens, New York, with their second single, "Love Or Infatuation."

Sadly, before the guys could put out another record, Ronald Cuffey died along
with another member of the group, bass man Ron Woodhall. Their deaths
put an end to this great doo-wop act, The Videos.

Don't touch that dial, because The Geator's
spinning another dreamy romantic ballad
for lovers only. This record was waxed in
1958 by one of Philly's Phinest groups,
Lee Andrews & The Hearts. I want you

to take your teen queen or teen king by
the hand, lead them to the dance floor
and sway to this snuggle song... a
doo-wop treasure-- "Teardrops."

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

"Teardrops" aka "Tear Drops" - Lee Andrews And The Hearts

(Jan. 1958, highest chart pos. #4 R&B/#20 Hot 100/#25 Cash Box)

A mellow sound from the early weeks of 1958, Lee Andrews
and the Hearts with "Teardrops," a record that reached
the top 5 on the R&B chart and top 20 pop.

If you're just tuning in, I'm The Geator,

Jerry Blavat, and we're right smack dab

in the middle of a 7 in a row commercial

 free cruise on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio.

The name of the show is Geator Gold...

 and I've got another classic nugget for

you right here and now. A one track

mind is the gist of a song that was

the second biggest hit of Motown

soul legend Marvin Gaye's 60s career.

Released in 1969, the single cracked

the top 5 on the Hot 100 and was

perched at #1 on the R&B chart

for six consecutive weeks. Here's

 Marvin joined in the recording studio

by The Andantes, Motown's in-house

group of female session singers, with 

one of the greatest Motown sounds--

 "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby!"

 "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" - Marvin Gaye 

 (June 1969, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#4 Hot 100/#5 Cash Box) 

You got The Geator in your ear, and I'm
spinning Geator Gold on S-P-M-M..,
where we go hunting for the great songs
of the past and bring 'em back alive.

The Geator's on a roll with one

old gold nugget after another. 

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Here now is the very first single
released by the Motown group
best known for their major hit
"Do You Love Me." Dig the
throaty sax and raw vocals
as The Contours sing--

"Whole Lotta Woman!"

"Whole Lotta Woman" - The Contours

(Feb./Mar. 1961, uncharted)

The first version of that catchy tune was

released regionally, and you just heard the

second version which was released nationally.

The Contours there with their first, and some

say their best single, "Whole Lotta Woman,"

an uncharted relic from early 1961 that

reminds me of the late 50s R&B hits

"Short Fat Fannie" and "Itchy

Twitchy Feeling." 

And as all good things

must come to an end,

so too must my show.

Thanks for tuning in.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Stay tuned. Coming up on the B side of news, it's Shady Seaweed with another

hip trip to Bandstands in Foreign Lands, and I'll be back soon with another

batch of boss beats and ballads on Geator Gold. Now this is Jerry Blavat,

The Geator with the Heater, reminding you to keep on rockin' 'cause

you only rock once! Hey, gimme a big strong line and let's do it

one last time as I play us off with Martha And The Vandellas

doing their first big hit. Baby, it's cold outside, but inside

 we're havin' a "Heatwave." Bye ya-ll!

"Heatwave" - Martha And The Vandellas

(Aug./Sept. 1963, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#4 Hot 100 & Cash Box)