Hombres

It was a catch-phrase that became a big hit... "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" went to #12 in 1967 for the one-hit wonder band from Tennessee, The Hombres.  More of a novelty song than a music piece, the song has appeared in movies and television ads a number of times over the years.  Today it's mostly just a forgotten oldie.
check the song out here

Dennis Wilson

December 28th is the anniversary of the day in 1983 that Dennis Wilson drowned in the Pacific Ocean.  Dennis was the drummer for the Beach Boys, and the middle brother between Carl and Brian.  Today's forgotten oldie is a song Dennis sings lead on that was a #12 hit for the Beach Boys in 1965.  A  tribute to Dennis Wilson... the only surfer in America's first big surf band.
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Jo Jo

Jo Jo Gunne is a rock band that formed in L.A. in 1971 by Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes after they left the band Spirit. The band had a one-hit wonder in 1972 with "Run Run Run", breaking into the top 40 and staying there for 11 weeks.

The band was probably notable for it's members' presence in other bands... Jay Ferguson had a notable solo career with hits like "Thgunder Island" and "Shakedown Cruise", Andes joined Firefall and later Heart and scored many hits with both bands, and drummer William Smith was successful with Boston.

The original lineup re-formed in 2005 and still tours today!

Run, Run, Run

Liar

Today one of my favorite songs from the 70's.  Liar was Three Dog Night’s single release after their chart topping song of 1971, Joy To The World. The song peaked at number 7. The song was on their 1970 album Naturally and was the third and last single released off of the album. According to Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton recorded the studio version of this song by singing it into a toilet, with his head just a few inches above the water. It makes sense since there is an eery vibration in the vocal.  I have never understood why this song is largely forgotten. A top ten hit, a great song and my all-time favorite from Three Dog Night!

great song

You're Having My Baby

Paul Anka was already forgotten in 1974.  His last hit record had been back in his teen idol days in 1959.  Then in 1974, out of nowhere, Paul Anka went all the way to #1 on the hot 100 with :"You're Having My Baby".  Paul wrote the song for his wife and family, but was almost immediately labeled a chauvinist for what a lot of people perceived as a song about the baby being the man's.  Sheesh, it's just a song about a man in love with his wife.  But the song was also voted the worst song of all time in a wacky poll, and today it's a forgotten oldie.
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Tighten Up

Today's forgotten oldie was requested by a listener that can't understand why a song that was #1 on the Hot 100 in 1968 isn't played any more. I've never understood it either.  Archie Bell and the Drells, a Houston band that actually had several hits, took "Tighten Up" all the way to #1 on BOTH the R & B chart and the Hot 100.  AB&TD performed and recorded until their final breakup in 1980, but they were always known for their signature song, the "Tighten Up." Today it's mostly forgotten.
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A Tribute to John

John Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980, 36 years ago today.  So today's forgotten oldie is one of my favorite John Lennon songs... "Stand By Me" which peaked at #20 on the hot 100 in 1975. I still wonder how much great music we missed when John was killed.... and an even greater crime - the chance of a Beatle reunion gone forever.  In tribute to John and what should have been, John Lennon and "Stand By Me".
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Those Were The Days

In 1968, the Beatles started Apple Records. Their first big hit on the new label, surprisingly came not from the Beatles, but a virtual unknown named Mary Hopkin whose version of "Those Were The Days" went all the way to #2 on the Hot 100 and was a hit all around the world.  The song has been recorded by an amazing array of performers from Bing Crosby to Dolly Parton, but today it's just another great song that's forgotten.
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Partridge Family

From 1970 to 1974, the Partridge Family ruled Friday night TV.  Loosely patterned after The Cowsills, the fictional family was led by Shirley Jones and her two older kids; David Cassidy and Susan Dey.  Interestingly, David Cassidy was hired mostly because of his looks, but he turned out to be a pretty good musician and his vocals dominate the band's music.  In 1971 the PF had a huge hit with "I'll Meet You Halfway", hitting #9 on the Hot 100.  Today it's a forgotten oldie.
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Bee Gees

Today my forgotten oldie has no business being a forgotten oldie.... "Lonely Days, Lonely Nights" by the Bee Gees went to #3 on the hot 100 in 1970. It was their first record to reach the top five, it has been a mainstay of their live shows and TV appearances, it established the Bee Gees as superstars, and, it's a great song!  But we never hear it anymore... why???
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Spoonful

The American band Lovin' Spoonful, had a brief but very successful career lasting from 1965 to 1968.  The Spoonful had seven top ten hits in a row, starting with "Daydream" and ending with today's forgotten oldie, "Nashville Cats" in 1967.  The band broke up when lead singer John Sebastian went solo in '68, but their unique brand of what they called good time music, definitely left a mark.
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You Don't Own Me

Today I thought it would be fun to play a forgotten oldie that has recently appeared in a popular TV commercial.  "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore went to #2 on the hot 100 in 1964, and couldn't get to #1 because of the Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand".  The song became an anthem for women, and was Lesley Gore's last top ten hit.  Today it was a forgotten oldie... until it showed up on TV recently.
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Grass Roots

With over 20 million records sold between 1966 and 1975 including three top tens, three more top twenty hits, and eight more top forty hits, it's easy to see why Grass Roots songs slip through the cracks becoming forgotten oldies.  This song is a great example, "Things I Should Have Said" hit #23 in 1967 helping establish the Grass Roots as a force in American rock, but today it's a forgotten oldie.
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I'm Crying

In 1964 The Animals released their second record, shortly after the #1 success of "House of the Rising Sun".  "I'm Crying" climbed into the top 20 in the USA, Canada and Great Britain.  I remember seeing the Animals perform the song on Ed Sullivan.  A great song forgotten today!
watch it here

Elusive Butterfly

Bob Lind both wrote and recorded the song "Elusive Butterfly".  In 1966 it climbed to #5 on the Hot 100, staying on the charts for many weeks.  Although Bob Lind has written many songs for other artists over the years, he never had another hit himself.  In 2006 at the urging of Arlo Guthrie, Bob came out of retirement and continues to perform today.  Unfortunately his one hit is a forgotten oldie today.
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Bluebird

Any fan of Buffalo Springfield will tell you how talented the band was.  With Stephen Stills and Neil Young, who both went on to solo success as well as the supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Richie Furay who formed the now legendary Poco, the band should have been a major player.  They had too many battles to fight and broke up in less than two years... however, they had many great songs and several broke into the hot 100... such as 1968's "Bluebird", today just a forgotten oldie.
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Dave Clark Five

After the Beatles arrived on Ed Sullivan, then came the Dave Clark Five.  A huge part of the British Invasion, the DC5 roared into America in March of 1964 and had a string of hits through the 60's, and after 17 top 40 hits in the USA, broke up in 1970... for good,  I always liked the band and they have plenty of forgotten oldies.  Here's one, "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", from 1967.
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The Searchers

In 1964 the Searchers arrived in the USA seemingly a few days after the Beatles.  Actually they were about a month behind the Beatles with "Needles and Pins" breaking into the Hot 100 in March of 1964. The Searchers already had a list of British hits under their belts when they hit America, and "Don't Throw Your Love Away" had already hit #1 in England. It reached #16 on the Hot 100 and stayed around for 11 weeks.  It's a very cool song. forgotten today.
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Lady Godiva

A naked lady with a cause, riding her horse through town... a piece of history as well as a hit record in 1966 for British duo Peter and Gordon.  The song was a hit worldwide going all the way to #6 in the USA.  But "Lady Godiva" falls into the novelty song category, and as we've learned many many times, those records become forgotten oldies.
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Raspberries

The Raspberries were a USA band influenced heavily by the British invasion sound that had a string of hits in the 70's.  Their second record "I Wanna Be With You" was a great follow-up to "Go All The Way", reaching the top 40 on three charts.  It was a great dance tune and got heavy airplay.  Today, it's a forgotten oldie.
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Joanne

After the Monkees TV show ended in 1968, Mike Nesmith formed the First National Band and headed to the recording studio.  In 1970, the song "Joanne" climbed to #21 on the Hot 100.  Although not a monster hit, the song and the First National Band are credited with being a pioneer for country rock.  After the band recorded three albums, it disbanded, going down in rock history as a one-hit wonder and forgotten oldie.
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Words

Fifty years ago this week, the Monkees released their first album.  Those early years, radio stations treated the Monkees much like they did the Beatles, i.e. they played every song on every album when they were released.  By 1967, the Monkees had much more control over their music and decided which songs to record.  They also played most instruments themselves rather than employ studio musicians.  That year they had a huge hit with the double-sided Pleasant Valley Sunday bw Words. Today "Words" is very much a forgotten oldie.
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Down On Me

October 6, 1966... a band named Big Brother and the Holding Company performed in San Francisco at the love pageant rally, yes, 50 years ago today.  This was a time when the world was discovering Janis Joplin.  A year later the band scored their first hit with "Down On Me", and although the song only made it to #43 on the Hot 100, it established Janis as something very special.  Today the song is a forgotten oldie...
watch it here

Something in the Air

In May of 1968, a band promoted by the Who's Pete Townsend reached #1 in England and the top 40 in the USA with the song "Something In The Air".  But the song's performance on the charts is just the tip of the iceberg as the song has been prominently featured in movies like The Magic Christian, The Strawberry Statement, Almost Famous and The Girl Next Door.  It's also been covered by the likes of Tom Petty, Phil Collins and The Eurhythmics.  A very memorable song that deserves more airplay.
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Sit Down I Think I Love You

Okay, 1967's "Sit Down I Think I Love You" wasn't a huge hit, peaking at #36 on the hot 100, but the San Francisco based band The Mojo Men was the first band to cover a Buffalo Springfield song, and it's a pretty cool song... forgotten today.
watch it here

Hey Jude

48 years ago today, September 28,1968, the Beatles hit #1 with "Hey Jude".  The song dominated the airwaves and stayed at the top for nine weeks. Today we never hear the song... it's a solid forgotten oldie.  Was the song too long or did we hear it too many times?  You decide...
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Dr. John

In 1973 a very interesting musician known simply as Dr. John, scored a top twenty hit with "Right Place Wrong Time". Although he has recorded dozens of abums and continues to perform, Dr. John remains a one-hit wonder and his song, sadly, is a forgotten oldie.
Watch here for a live version with Eric Clapton

Paul Revere and the Raiders

American rock group Paul Revere and the Raiders had a long string of hits in the late 60's,  The band suffered tumultuous line-up changes throughout their heyday, but somehow kept coming back.  Even after they ceased recording they continued to tour up until Paul Revere's death in 2014.  Today's forgotten oldie "Too Much Talk" was a top twenty hit in 1967 that seems forgotten today.
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B.J. Thomas

In 1966 an iconic American singer got his start when the song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" went all the way to #8 on the Hot 100, establishing B.J. Thomas and the Triumphs as a new force in the industry.  Then nothing.  It wasn't until two years later, after Thomas got rid of the Triumphs and went solo, that he started his long string of hits.  But "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" was a genuine smash hit, taken from the Hank Williams song it sold over a million copies.  Today it's mostly forgotten.
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Hey Joe

In 1966 the American garage band The Leaves had a top 40 hit with "Hey Joe".  The song is something of a mystery, who wrote it?  When was it written? Why has an amazing list of people recorded the song from the Byrds to Jimi Hendrix?  Seriously, look it up on Wikipedia... the list of people that have done the song will blow you away.  But today, it's a forgotten oldie.
watch it here

Janis Ian

Starting her career at the age of 16 with "Society's Child", Janis Ian was highly controversial, even banned on some radio stations because of the inter-racial nature of her song.  But the record reached #14 on the Hot 100 and started a long, successful career.  Although Janis Ian only reached the charts a few times, over the years she released many albums, and even started a successful career as a Science Fiction writer. Today her music is mostly forgotten.
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Happy Jack

You probably don't know the first song to make the top 40 in the USA for the Who.  The Who were NOT part of the first wave of the British Invasion... they didn't have a legitimate hit in the USA until this song hit #34 in 1967... the song?  Happy Jack.  Since today is the anniversary of drummer Keith Moon's death in 1978, our song today is both a forgotten oldie, and tribute to Keith... Happy Jack.
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Chicago

On September 1, 1969 the band Chicago released their first album, Chicago Transit Authority, and began an amazing run of successes that continues today.  Their second album, Chicago 2, contained a song that became the theme for proms and balls for 30 years... "Colour My World".  Despite it's astounding airplay back in the day, today we never hear it, another forgotten oldie.
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Lay Down

"Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" was Melanie's breakthrough hit climbing to #6 on the Hot 100 in 1970.  There's also a story that Melanie walked onto the stage at Woodstock an unknown, and walked off the stage a superstar, but regardless, she wrote Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) to describe what she felt onstage at Woodstock.  Today it's another forgotten oldie.
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Not a one-hit wonder!

Everybody remembers The McCoys for their #1 hit "Hang On Sloopy in 1965. Their follow up "Fever" was a huge hit as well, climbing to #7 on the Hot 100 the same year.  And actually, the McCoys put nine songs on the Hot 100 over the next four years.  Definitely not one-hit wonders!  A great song, Fever has been mostly forgotten today.
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Another Saturday Night

The song "Another Saturday Night" is truly unique among forgotten oldies... it was a huge hit for two artists and both versions have been forgotten!  Sam Cooke scored top ten with the song in 1963, and Cat Stevens went all the way to #6 on the hot 100 in 1974.  This great song deserves a better fate!  Listen to the Cat Stevens version and you'll agree!
watch and listen here

Time Has Come Today

"Time Has Come Today" is a hit single from 1968 done by a soul group, the Chambers Brothers.  The song stayed at #11 for five weeks never cracking the top ten and yet today it's considered a landmark song of the psychedelic era.  Not bad for a soul group... still today it's simply a forgotten oldie.
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Cilla Black

One of the strange things about the British Invasion was how few female artists were successful in the USA.  An artist that the Beatles strongly supported, Cilla Black, was a huge star in England but hardly made a ripple here.  She even went on to become one of Britain's most beloved TV personalities, hosting three different shows over the years.  She did have one small hit in the USA though, 1964's "You're My World"... which peaked at #26 on the hot 100.  Cilla Black died a year ago when she fell at her villa... but she should be remembered, as a great talent and a bonafied part of the British invasion!
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Magic Bus

The Who released their "Magic Bus" album on August 10, 1968... 48 years ago today.  The title song "Magic Bus" quickly became a concert favorite, as well as a hit record.  Cashbox had the song as high as #10 on the chart.  Using a strong latino beat, the song has also been a Who Concert staple, although on the radio it's largely forgotten.
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"Let's Spend The Night Together"

The Rolling Stones hit "Let's Spend The Night Together" was released in 1967 as a double-A side 45 record with Ruby Tuesday. When the Stones appeared on Ed Sullivan, Ed asked the group to sing "Let's Spend Some Time Together, the band agreed but sang the song with definite attitude.  Ed banned the Stones, but they appeared again anyway.  Interestingly, Ruby Tuesday peaked at #1, while "Let's Spend The Night Together" showed up at #55 (however that works).  The song was also the title of a live performance movie (see photo).  Today, the song seems to be forgotten...
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Vanilla Fudge

48 years ago today, August 3, 1968, American band Vanilla Fudge broke into the top 40 with a remake of  (of all things) a Supremes hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On".  Cited as one of the few links between psychedelia and heavy metal, the band still tours today with three of it's four original members. Today though, their biggest hit is just a forgotten oldie...
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It's My Life

In 1965 the British band The Animals were riding high with a series of solid hit records.  "It's My Life" was a top ten hit around the world, going to #2 in Canada and #7 in England.  Part of the wave of social consciousness songs of the era, the song is a tremendous cry for individual independence, but today it's largely ignored... another forgotten oldie.
watch a great clip here

The Miraculous Hump Returns From the Moon

The San Francisco based band Sopwith Camel had several interesting factoids.  They were the first San Francisco band to score a top 40 hit, "Hello Hello" in 1967.  Their producer also handled the Lovin' Spoonful, so there's a noticeable sound similarity.  Finally, they had the best album title ever... The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon.  Today, they are pretty much a one-hit wonder that's mostly forgotten...
Reunion version

I Started A Joke

In  1968 the Bee Gees established themselves as more than one-hit-wonders when their second single to break into the top ten went gold.  "I Started A Joke" was another Bee Gee song that people said had special meaning in the lyrics, but the band said the words just went well together when they wrote it.  None-the-less, it's kind of a cool song, mostly forgotten today.
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Lighthouse

Lighthouse was a 13 piece Canadian band in 1971 when they climbed to #24 on the Hot 100 with "One Fine Morning".  Similar to Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, the band was half rock and half jazz and extremely popular, going gold with three albums before fading into obscurity.  "One Fine Morning" is a great song, today forgotten.
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Liar

At a time when they dominated the radio airwaves, Three Dog Night had another of a long list of hits in 1971 with the song "Liar".  Reaching #7 on the Hot 100, the song showed fans a darker side of the band and varied greatly from their normal music. It's actually the song that prompted me to buy my first 3-dog album, my favorite of all their songs, and today another forgotten oldie.
watch a rare cut here

Alone Again Naturally

When Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed #1 for six weeks, I never thought the song would be a forgotten oldie.  It was the #2 song for the entire year in 1972, and #3 in Great Britain.  Today, it's just one more forgotten oldie...
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Yardbirds

I love the Yardbirds.  Their music was edgy, experimental, and always good.  They served as a springboard for three of the era's greatest guitarists, Clapton, Beck and Page... all wore the Yardbirds' mantle.  They were for a time, the kings of the London music scene and in some ways were more influential than anyone else.  They broke up 48 years ago today, on July 7, 1968 but their breakup created another great band - Led Zeppelin.  Here's a tribute to honor a great band, and a forgotten oldie from the Yadbirds... "Over Under Sideways Down" which went to #13 on the hot 100 in May of 1966.
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Gene Pitney

In the early 60's, during the height of the British Invasion, one American solo act churned out hit after hit.  Gene Pitney scored 16 top 40 hits in the USA, four in the top ten.  He was also huge in England and Europe and even hung out with the Rolling Stones.  And even better, he wrote many of his songs.  In July of 1964, he went all the way to #6 with "It Hurts To Be In Love".  Remember, this at a time when Americans were mostly ignored by record buyers.  This song as well as most of Pitney's songs, are mostly forgotten today.
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Billy J. Kramer

In 1964, Brian Epstein was adding to his stable of acts when he signed Billy J. Kramer.  Providing Billy with a string of songs written by Lennon-McCartney, Billy enjoyed a bunch of successes, in both Britain and the USA. Although Billy's career fizzled in just a couple years, he did make a mark.  In 1964, he released the only debut single in the USA ever to have both sides enter the top ten of the hot 100... "Little Children" B/W "Bad To Me", #7 and #9 respectively.  To me, "Little Children" is Billy's best song, but today it's forgotten.
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Grass Roots

You could easily do forgotten oldies for the American Band the Grass Roots for many, many days without a repeat... since they put 21 songs on the hot 100 in the late 60's and early 70's. They were unusual for their time with a brass section well before Chicago popularized the use of a brass section.  They also had a tendency to go through members almost monthly.  But they had a lot of hits, big hits.  Today a song that hit top twenty status in 1969... "Bella Linda", taken from an old italian hit.  Today, this song and much of their other great music is forgotten.
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