Bond Theme... smash hit too!

In 1967 Sean Connery returned to the movie screen as James Bond in "You Only Live Twice".  The theme song, recorded by Nancy Sinatra, was released as a single and climbed to #3 on the AC chart,  Considered by many to be the best of all Bond themes, the song also displayed Nancy Sinatra's vocal talents.  Today, except for occasional James Bond marathons on TV, or when another band records a cover version (which happens often), the song is a forgotten oldie.
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The amazing Buffalo Springfield

They are without a doubt my favorite American 60's rock band... Buffalo Springfield.  With a lineup of legendary musicians; Steven Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay and at times Jim Messina and Jim Fielder, Buffalo Springfield cranked out three amazing albums in their two years together, and really only had one hit record.  But everybody knew they were one of the best bands ever,  DJ's even played the heck out of their single releases, even when they didn't crack the top 40.  And that's the case for today's forgotten oldie... "Bluebird" which only made it to #58 in 1967 but was played by DJ's everywhere as if it were a top ten song.  Today's forgotten oldie... "Bluebird" by Buffalo Springfield.
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Smith

The band Smith, took an old song, "Baby It's You", gave it a fresh sound from previous hit versions by the Shirelles and Beatles, and scored a top 5 hit on the Hot 100 in 1969, selling over a million records between July and October.  It didn't hurt that lead singer Gayle McCormack was very attractive!  Today it's another forgotten oldie.
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Caroline No

The song "Caroline No" was a solo effort from Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.  Released in March of 1966, it only climbed to number 32 on the Hot 100.  Strangely, it then appeared on the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album listed as a Beach Boys song.  The song was added to the band's concert set list, although Carl did the lead vocals when it was performed live.  It's #214 in Rolling Stones list of the 500 greatest rock songs.  Today it's another forgotten oldie...
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Over Under Sideways Down...

No, it's not the instructions for Twister... it's the song by the Yardbirds that went to #13 on the Hot 100 in 1966.  "Over Under Sideways Down" is the forgotten oldie that TV and the movies don't forget.  Used in the 2009 movie Observe and Report, it also showed up this year on a Duck Dynasty commercial.  Regardless, Rolling Stone Magazine called it #23 on the top 100 guitar songs of all time, and yet on the radio it's a true forgotten oldie!
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Otis....

Today is another of those tragic anniversaries in rock music... on December 10, 1967, Otis Redding and his band were all killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin.  Otis is probably familiar to you for his monster hit, "Sitting On The Dock Of the Bay"... which remains his only top ten record on the Hot 100.  But Otis owned the R & B chart with many top tenners.  Today's forgotten oldie is one of those R & B monsters... "I've Been Loving You Too Long" went to #21 on the Hot 100, but was #2 on the R & B chart in 1965.  You'll remember this song, but today it's a forgotten oldie.
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When I Was Young

Eric Burdon and the Animals scored a top twenty hit in 1967 with "When I Was Young".  A huge hit around the world the song has become a favorite song for heavy metal bands and punk rockers, and many have covered the song.  What a great song... mostly forgotten today.
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If I were a Carpenter

I've always thought "If I Were a Carpenter" by Bobby Darin was an interesting song.  First, Bobby's previous endeavor was an album of show tunes.  Second the song easily crossed into the rock charts, hitting #8 on the Hot 100 in 1966.  And finally, it just shows Bobby's talent and versatility.  It really is a great song, mostly forgotten today.
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A Beatles forgotten oldie?

Yes!  The Beatles had a monster hit in 1967 with "Michelle".  The song was a #1 hit in many countries, and yet doesn't seem to have cracked the hot 100 in the USA.  However, it received tons of air play and won the grammy for 67's song of the year... so, yes a monster hit.  Today though, it's another mostly forgotten oldie.
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Lady Godiva

In 1966 Peter & Gordon had a huge hit with a music hall style rendition of "Lady Godiva".  The song went to #6 on the hot 100 in December and was actually Peter & Gordon's highest ranking USA hit.  I believe the many music hall style hits of the time (Herman's Hermits/Henry the 8th, New Vaudeville Band/Winchester Cathedral, etc.) were received so well because most British musicians practically grew up in the old English music halls, and Americans loved anything remotely British.  Nevertheless, Lady Godiva is a fun song, forgotten today...
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Life in a Northern Town

Today's forgotten oldie was requested by a listener... "Life in a Northern Town" by the British band Dream Academy.  In 1985 the song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, It was the highest charting song for the band in the USA, although the country duo Sugarland had a country charts hit with the song in 2007.  Not only is it a forgotten oldie today, I don't recall hearing the song since it's heyday....
Watch the video here...

Thunderclap Newman

The band Thunderclap Newman scored a #1 smash in England in May of 1969 with "Something In The Air".  The song only made it to #37 in the USA, but it immediately started a long run of use in movies and on TV and in commercials.  Unfortunately it's largely forgotten on the radio.
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Friday the 13th...

Do you have any bad superstitions about Friday the 13th?  I admit I do, there's one particular fear I have about doing a gig on Friday the 13th.  Here's a picture of my fear... this is NOT my throne, although it does look like mine... makes me shudder!!

First Top 40 hit?

I am always surprised at how many people will say "Satisfaction" when you ask what the Rolling Stones' first Top-40 record was,  And that's not even close. In 1964 the song "Tell Me" was released off their first, self titled album and climbed to #24.  Today it's a very forgotten oldie... very.  By the way, Satisfaction was the 5th Stones top 40 hit.
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LIAR...

"Liar" is a song written by rock legend Russ Ballard and recorded by Three Dog Night.  The song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.  The song has a dark feeling and oozes mystery and revenge, I love the song but it's another forgotten oldie from Three Dog Night, they have several!
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Tech breakthrough of the year!!

British Class Consciousness

So when you read the title above, did you immediately think of the Kinks "A Well Respected Man"?  The song was written by singer Ray Davies and was a hard jab at the upper crust in Britain.  Record company execs didn't want to release the song (didn't sound enough like earlier Kinks songs), but they did and it reached #13 in the USA in October 1965.  One of four Kinks' songs on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, today it's mostly forgotten.
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Coconut

In 1971, Harry Nilsson scored a #6 hit with "Coconuts" from the Nilsson Schmilsson album.  Except for occasional use in movies or commercials, this song is sadly just another forgotten oldie.
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Time Has Come Today...

In 1968 the Chambers Brothers had a huge hit with "Time Has Come Today", reaching #11 on the Hot 100.  Although considered a soul group, the band turned this song into a psychedelic anthem for hippies everywhere.  A great song, mostly forgotten today.
watch the full length version here

Monkee Love...

It's time for a little Monkee love today... By late 1967, the Monkees had three smash albums under their belts and were gaining more control over their music, something that they didn't have at all just a little over a year before.  They were also playing their own instruments both in the studio and at concerts. When they released their fourth album and the single  "Pleasant Valley Sunday" it roared to #3 on the Hot 100.  But the B side, "Words" got almost as much airplay, going all the way to #11 on it's own.  Words was a great song, sadly today it's another forgotten oldie...
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Ah, the Animals...

Yes, my forgotten oldie today once again comes from the Animals. In 1965 they took :Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood to #3 in Britain, #4 in Canada and #15 in the USA.  Rolling Stone ranks it at #322 on the 500 greatest rock songs of all time.  An absolutely great example of blues-rock... mostly forgotten today!
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Don't...

In 1964 the British Invasion overwhelmed the USA after The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan in February.  Teenagers were buying anything recorded in Great Britain, which means that some songs that weren't that good became hits.  It also means that because there were so many records, a few really good songs got lost in the shuffle.  Hungry for profit, many record companies caused the downfall of some truly good artists.  Anyway, The Searchers had a top-40 hit with "Don't Throw Your Love Away" that year... the song was #1 in England and it should have done better here, today it's pretty much forgotten.
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Best Truck Sign...

This one gets my vote!!

The Good Old Days

Remember when every kid in the neighborhood dressed up in their best cowboy duds and spent a whole Saturday staging shoot-em-ups and saving pretty gals from Black Bart?  It makes me feel really nostalgic to see pictures like this... and very sad to realize kids today don't get to experience this anymore.

The Family of Man

Three Dog Night has a long list of huge hit records, they practically owned the radio in the late 60's and through the 70's.  One of my favorites reached #13 on the hot 100 and featured a different lead singer on each verse... the song was "The Family of Man" and it's sadly a forgotten oldie today.
watch a great live cut here

Season of the Witch

Here's an appropriate song for October... Donovan's "Season of the Witch".  Although never even released as a single, the song was so popular that Donovan performed it at nearly every concert and the song has become his unofficial signature tune.  It's also been covered by dozens of other artists.  A great song, mostly forgotten today.

To my kids who snicker when I send them an email...

Get Me to the World On Time

The Electric Prunes were a highly experimental psychedelic USA rock band that had some solid success in the mid to late 60's. Their second hit, "Get Me to the World On Time" reached the top 30 and seemed to predict great things... but problems with copyrights on a lot of their material seemingly pulled the plug on future success.  Today the song is a forgotten oldie.

Seeds

The Seeds had a top 40 hit in 1967 with "Pushin' Too Hard".  The song is on the list of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, and is part of an exhibit dedicated to garage bands in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  I will never understand why this song isn't on playlists... just too good to be a forgotten oldie!
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How I spent Saturday evening...

Probably the most fun gig ever... playing for the last car show of the season at the Onalaska Dairy Queen.  Great time!!!

Everyone has a place like this...

I'm talking about a place you don't like, a place that you hate and you don't wanna be there, right?  That's why The Animals had an international hit with 1965's "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place".  The song became an anthem for people at work, in school, and especially serving with Uncle Sam in Vietnam.  It's ranked #233 on Rolling Stone's greatest rock songs of all time, and also in the rock amd roll hall of fame's top 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.  It was in the top ten in many countries around the world, and yet today a forgotten oldie...
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In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

VH1 calls it the 24th most important record in rock history... Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.  The original album cut was famously over 17 minutes long, however the 45 edit was just 3 minutes long and reached #30 on the Hot 100 in 1967.  The song is one of the first to open the door from psychedelic rock to heavy metal, Rumors persist today the the title was supposed to be In The Garden of Eden, but that lead singer Doug Ingle was a little drunk and somehow the title changed.  Regardless, it's a truly historic rock song, and today mostly forgotten...
watch a live video here

Love this!

Were you a Saturday morning cartoon and cereal kid?  I'm happy to say I was!  Those were great days!!

Can't Find The Time

In 1971, a Dallas rock group named Rose Colored Glass scored a Hot 100 hit with the song "Can't Find the Time".  A follow-up release did well, concerts were booked and the group appeared on American Bandstand... but then mysteriously the band broke up.  Tragically, some absolutely horrible management pushed the members over the edge and they quit.  Today they are simply a forgotten oldie...
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Runt

Runt was a rock trio that had a top ten hit in 1970 with "We Gotta Get You A Woman"... at least that's how it started.  Turns out, it was pretty much Todd Rundgren and subsequent re-releases gave the credit to Todd rather than Runt.  Regardless, the song launched Todd Rundgren's career and is a pretty decent song, despite being a forgotten oldie today.
Watch a later concert version here

Never forget!!

Rolling Stones

With their huge hit library, it's natural the Stones have some forgotten oldies. "Let's Spend The Night Together" was actually the B side of Ruby Tuesday, but in my opinion the song was a huge reason the record went to #1 on the Hot 100.  The Stones even performed the song on Ed Sullivan, although Ed made them change the lyrics to "Let's Spend Some Time Together"... pretty lame.  Regardles, it's rare that you hear the song on the air today, another forgotten oldie...
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Witchy Woman

1972 was the breakout year for the American band The Eagles.  Their self-titled first album produced three top ten hits, "Take it Easy", Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Witchy Woman".  For whatever reason, today we ignore"Witchy Woman" while the other two songs still get heavy air-play.  Another strange example of un-explainable forgotten oldies... Witchy Woman by the Eagles.
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It's coming...

Okay the picture is wrong, it's actually 15 days/// but it's coming!!!

Another Saturday Night

It's rare that a song can be a big hit for one artist, and years later a bigger hit for a different artist, but that's what happened with "Another Saturday Night".  Sam Cooke had a #10 in 1963, but in 1974 Cat Stevens took it to #6 in the USA, and #1 in Canada!  A huge hit, great song but another forgotten oldie!
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I'm Crying

The Animals roared on the music scene in 1964 as part of the British Invasion.  Their first record, "House of the Rising Sun" went to number one even sliding past several Beatle records. But their second record, "I'm Crying" cracked the top twenty and stalled, establishing a long pattern for the Animals of great songs that stayed out of the top ten.  Personally, I love the song.  It's tempo is wild and the bluesy flavor pulls me in.  Great song, a forgotten oldie today.
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Sidewalk Surfing

Jan and Dean had a top 40 hit in October 1964 with "Sidewalk Surfing", a song about skateboarding.  The song is actually the Beach Boys' song "Catch A Wave" with different lyrics.  Although not a huge hit for Jan and Dean, the song emphasized the new skateboarding craze, at a time when American artists were struggling to stay afloat during the British Invasion.
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Mashmakhan

Nobody seems to know what their name means, but Canadian Rock Band Mashmakhan scored a gold record in 1970 with the song "As the Years Go By".  The band broke up in 1971 and never reformed.  This is one of those songs that might make you go "oh yeah I remember that"... but maybe not.  Be sure and listen past the way-too-long intro, because it's actually a pretty good song.  But it's obviously a very forgotten oldie!
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So, are you ready for fall?

Saw this over the weekend... not sure I'm ready!

Little Red Riding Hood

In 1966 Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs had their second top ten hit, "Little Red Riding Hood".  Though a novelty song, it's musical and quite well done.  It's been covered most recently by the Smashing Pumpkins.  A friend of mine told me once he thought the song was a forgotten oldie because it has "stalker overtones"... I truly hope he's wrong and our sensitivity hasn't gone to that kind of ridiculous.
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Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas

Early on in the British Invasion of 1964, along came Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas.  Managed by Brian Epstein, produced by George Martin, and provided with songs by the Beatles, Billy J's immediate success was assured.  That year he took the song "Bad To Me" to #1 in England, #9 in the USA.  But success was fleeting... Billy put a total of six songs on the chart over two years and then never charted again.  It's not just their music, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas are all pretty much forgotten today...

New toilet...

So yesterday our faithful old toilet developed a crack in the tank and had to be replaced.  Since we had to buy one of those crummy water saver toilets and so far are scared to really test it, I'm thinking I might just have to decorate it a little... how about this idea?

No Milk Today

Herman's Hermits had a top ten hit in England in 1966 with "No Milk Today", but for reasons only a record executive would understand, it was released as the B side in the USA.  It was still strong enough to make it into the top 40 on it's own in 1967, but I think it would have been top ten as an A side.  Today, it's another forgotten oldie...