CG/KPOO/KCDX etcetcetc for the week of 12/7/09

[RGMike]

another Monday, another 4-hour Judge tribute to a year. Today: 1977. "Dance and shake yo' funky tambourine" -- NTM.

[RGMike]

Bless you, Judge, for playing the Tavares version of "More Than a Woman".

Followed -- OMGWTF! -- by "Disco Lucy".  Cheeze for lunch! (ETA: holy crap, it's the loooong version)

[RGMike]

Judge says 1977 is the year he was born; amazing that someone 32 can have the encyclopedic knowledge of music that he does -- he's the male Princess of Cairo, I tells ya!

[RGMike]

The Sylvers' "Any Way You Want Me Baby" is NTM and could easily pass for a Jacksons track from the "Enjoy Yourself"/"Goin' Places" period.

[RGMike]

Shalimar's "Uptown Festival" -- this has a slight edge over the Ritchie Family's "Best Disco in Town", even if they both made Stars on 45 possible, which is unforgiveable.  The guy doing the Smokey Robinson imitation on the Shalimar record is pretty good, actually. As usual, Judge plays the endless 12" version.

[RGMike]

wow, the Hues Corporation's obscure attempted-comeback in '77, "I Caught Your Act". Followed by the late great Joe Tex, speaking of disco comebacks. He ain't bumpin' no mo'.  And lawd! "Doctor Love" is here! He ain't got no competition, only he writes mah prescription!

[RGMike]

I realize Judge likes to play a token white artist each week, but did 1977's choice have to be Pablo Cruise?

[RGMike]

"ah'll snatch yo' HAIRPIECE off!" -- JJ plays the Raeletts, "Leave Mah Man Alone".

Followed by Billy Preston's wonderful, forgotten "I Wrote a Simple Song" -- an FM staple back in the day, now you never hear it (except on KPOO).

[RGMike]

the O'Kaysions "Girlwatcher" is a summery choice on a cold morning.

[RGMike]

ooo! the orig "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" by Madeline Bell Dee Dee Warwick! (Madeline Bell did it after Dee Dee, and THEN the Supes & Tempts had their big hit version)

[RGMike]

OMGWTFLOL-of-the-Week: the cover version of "Valleri" by the Pineapple Herd, a regional hit (midwest) in '67 -- the Monkees had done it on the TV show, but that version never got released; it was re-recorded with horns at the label's request and became a hit in '68. (at least I think I got that story right)

[RGMike]

Offshore gives us the Marmalade version of "Lovin' Things" (US hit by the GrassRoots) and then gives us the Bobby Sherman take on "Julie Do Ya Love Me?" (UK hit by White Plains).

[RGMike]

Nicest surpise of the day: Offshore resurrects Melanie's "Nickel Song", which sounds quite sweet to me this afternoon.

[Gazoo]

OMGWTFLOL-of-the-Week: the cover version of "Valleri" by the Pineapple Herd, a regional hit (midwest) in '67 -- the Monkees had done it on the TV show, but that version never got released; it was re-recorded with horns at the label's request and became a hit in '68. (at least I think I got that story right)

Dude.  I have read *multiple* Monkee biographies, and none of them mention the Pineapple Herd.  You're correct on the "Valleri" tale, to which I'd only add that the reason the label requested it to be released was that a few resourceful DJs had recorded the song off the TV and were getting loads of requests to play it.  Nesmith *hated* the horn-laden version, but I think it's great.  (Though I'm pissed I can't hit any of the notes in the titular refrain.)

And thank you for alerting me to "Simple Song," which I'd never heard of until now.  I quite enjoyed it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkTxHnsirxc

BTW, do you remember who did a disco-y "Babalu" with looped lines from the show?  I had it on a mix tape long ago but lost it and haven't found it since.

[RGMike]

OMGWTFLOL-of-the-Week: the cover version of "Valleri" by the Pineapple Herd, a regional hit (midwest) in '67 -- the Monkees had done it on the TV show, but that version never got released; it was re-recorded with horns at the label's request and became a hit in '68. (at least I think I got that story right)

Dude.  I have read *multiple* Monkee biographies, and none of them mention the Pineapple Herd.  You're correct on the "Valleri" tale, to which I'd only add that the reason the label requested it to be released was that a few resourceful DJs had recorded the song off the TV and were getting loads of requests to play it.  Nesmith *hated* the horn-laden version, but I think it's great.  (Though I'm pissed I can't hit any of the notes in the titular refrain.)

And thank you for alerting me to "Simple Song," which I'd never heard of until now.  I quite enjoyed it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkTxHnsirxc

BTW, do you remember who did a disco-y "Babalu" with looped lines from the show?  I had it on a mix tape long ago but lost it and haven't found it since.

Totally stumped on "Babalu".  The 'LNG jock did mention about DJs having recorded the orig "Valleri" off the TV and playing it; apparently that's why the Pineapple Herd did it when it became clear Colgems had no intention of releasing the Monkees version. I was indeed gobsmacked to hear it, since it also uses horns -- obviously where Colgems got that idea.