TODAYS MIX

Danny & the Juniors - Do the Bop

Yes DO not AT and BOP not HOP.

This is the original version (a Demo??) of At the Hop (1957). They were basically OHW (One Hit Wonders) although they still seem to be performing today albeit in a modified form, as the Danny was Danny Rapp who died in 1983.

The story seems to be that Dick Clark of Bandstand fame suggested the change to At the Hop. Another interesting version of At the Hop was done by a Nick Todd who was Pat Boone's brother. He couldn't emulate his brother as his singing career never took off.

James Darren - Goodbye Cruel World
Perry Como - Just born to be your baby
Lloyd Price - Under Your Spell Again. Mr Personality
Nini Rosso - Il silenzio

All here.

ALL KIWI

All Kiwi today - here -

The fantastic Topp Twins (Jools and Lynda - go see the film) - Untouchable

Peter Posa - The white rabbit - from 1950 something

Howard Morrison Quartet - White cliffs of Dover

Cathy & the Cucumbers - Day trip to Bangor

SUNDAY SIX

Six for Sunday - featuring the fabulous Mills Brothers.

Mills Brothers - Glowworm

Guy Mitchell - My heart cries for you

Tony Bellus - The end of my love

Conway Twitty - Danny Boy

Four Lads - Istanbul (Not Contantinople)

and two from Canada's Beaumarks - Billy Billy went a walkin' and Stay with me

C & W & F

Country and Western and Folk.
Starting with the Okie from Oklahoma Merle Haggard (who was actually born in California in 1937 although his parent were Okies). A real wild man in his younger days he got 3 years jail for robbery but vowed after seeing Johnny Cash perform at the prison to turn his life around. . 

So today we start with Fighting side of me and Okie from Muskogee - the live version. Then we have the Kingston Trio with 3 Jolly Coachmen and Everly's with I walk the line.

TUESDAYS SELECTION

A wide selection today -
Marianne Faithfull - Ballad of Lucy Jordan

Marianne's fantastic version of this song was used as the theme song in the film Montenegro as well as Thelma & Louise. I saw them both but I only really remember it from Montenegro where use of the song was wonderful. It suited the mood of the film perfectly.

Sir Cliff - Don't be mad at me - this is a great B side
Lance Fortune - Be mine
Larry Finnegan - Dear One
Doris Day - Everybody loves a lover
Emile Ford - Buona Sera
Lucille Starr - My happiness

QUEENS BIRTHDAY - BUT NO QUEEN

It is the Queens Birthday holiday today, although it is not exactly her birthday, just the day selected on which we celebrate the birth of the Queen (Elizabeth II). 

So we will not have Queen (the group) or British songs but Kiwi ones as she is the Queen of New Zealand.  

All of us - Sailing away. 

The song of the ill fated KZ7 (The plastic fantastic) 1987 challenge for the America's Cup in Perth. But of course that was only the start which led to success in 2000. 

The song was made in support of N Z's 1987 challenge and featured many Kiwi celebrities and singers such as Dave Dobbyn, Tim Finn, Billy T James, Barry Crump, Beaver, Suzanne Prentice, Ray Woolf, Annie Crummer, Tim Shadbolt, Jerry Coney, Roger Gascoinge and many others. 

Dean Waretini - The Bridge

Dinah Lee - Do the bluebeat. Her first and greatest hit

Howard Morrison Quartet - Get a little dirt on your hands

Toni Williams - Look over the hill.  I remember the stupid decision to change his name to Antoni so as to not get him confused with Tony Williams of The Platters. That idea lasted all of 10 minutes. 

Jim McNaught - Long tall Texan and I like your kind of love (with Rochelle Vinsen). Sadly Jim a great talent from Wellington died very young.

Librettos - Lets Go. This was the theme to the TV show hosted by Peter Sinclair. 

(listen from the link in the previous post)

SEVEN FOR SUNDAY

Jimmy Clanton from the 50's - Dig that hair style !!

And today.

I mentioned Jimmy Clanton in the previous post and have today posted his biggest hit Just a dream along with his version of Venus in Blue Jeans ( Mark Wynter had the biggest version in NZ). He is still performing today. 

The Browns - 3 Bells
Laurie London with the religious He's got the whole world in his hands. I seem to remember that Laurie was 13 when he made this one hit wonder. He was born in 1944 so the song came out in 1957.
Connie Francis - Jealous Heart
Ricky Nelson - Take these chains from my heart. Partly sung in French; this version gives a whole new take on this song and rated by me as better than the Ray Charles version.
Monotones - Book of love. Yes I wonder who did write it!
Listen right here.