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October 7, 2018 9:40 pm  #1


The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

I know the founder of the original SOWNY board (and still a great contributor) Dale Patterson would never blow his own horn here, so I hope he'll forgive a few beeps from this end. Dale has started a new free online station called "Oh Wow!" It's the reaction he hopes listeners will have when they hear songs they remember but which never or rarely get played on oldies radio.

His "none of the hits none of the time" is certainly unique. And some of them were huge chartmakers in their day. But in its zeal to play the same old 300 songs, they're the songs radio has forgotten.

It's a great way to hear some blasts from the past that didn't survive in the future. Congrats on the idea Dale. I tune in from time to time and always hear something I haven't heard in a long time - and a few that may have gotten past these ears the first time.

But really, anyone who resurrects the terrific "Mississippi" by former Mammas and Pappas founder John Phillips has my vote!

Oh Wow: The Songs Radio Forgot

 

October 7, 2018 9:53 pm  #2


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

“Mississippi” by John Phillips, one of my all time favorites and a good solo album as well.

Last edited by John D (October 14, 2018 4:24 pm)

 

October 8, 2018 6:56 am  #3


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Listening closely for instrumentals, many of which DID chart but haven't been heard on commercial oldies radio for decades

 

October 8, 2018 7:40 am  #4


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Dale tells me in an email that he's just getting started. For the moment he has about 250 or so lesser hits in rotation but as he ramps up, he expects to reach 3,000 or more songs on the channel.

     Thread Starter
 

October 8, 2018 8:37 am  #5


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

John D wrote:

“Mississippi” by John Phillips, one of my all time favorites and a good solo album as well.

Still have that 45. Wonderful song too bad about John's addiction issues and other problems.

Good for Dale in trying to expose the songs not played anymore.

There is also an oWOW that was launched in 2014 by a person who was at Cleveland's WMMS FM, a great free form and rock station. I just tried to see if they are still around and they are and were playing the Raspberries from Cleveland no less. Now there is a great band not heard much anymore and perhaps Dale can play them or  "It's Cold Outside" a 1967 near hit ( made the CHUM CHART) by the Choir. They had members who went on to form the Raspberries.
 


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October 8, 2018 8:57 am  #6


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

My Raspberries vote goes to "Let's Pretend."

Amazing tune that never gets played.

     Thread Starter
 

October 8, 2018 10:51 am  #7


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Lets pretend is a great song and I still have the "Fresh Raspberries" album. One of my regrets is trading in my copy of Raspberries Side 3 as it was shaped like a raspberry bowl and had some great tracks. The song "Overnight Sensation" by them is one of the best examples of the power pop genre. I never had their first album but I know it came with a scratch and sniff sticker (raspberry fragrance). I still have one album with a scratch and sniff that I bought in the 1980's and speaking of teen magazines:

Last edited by Fitz (October 8, 2018 10:51 am)


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October 8, 2018 10:55 am  #8


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

I have been listening to OWOW this morning and when I hear a song not heard in many decades OWOW is my first reaction. I have  never ever heard  or heard of Mexican Lady by Steel River. The only Steel River songs I knew [and liked] were Ten Pound Note and Southbound Train from around 70/71.                                                                        Dale, you must have a very deep playlist if you have Happy by the Blades Of Grass. Only 4 weeks on the Hot 100 in July 1967 peaking at #87.

 

October 8, 2018 11:49 am  #9


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

mace wrote:

I have been listening to OWOW this morning and when I hear a song not heard in many decades OWOW is my first reaction. I have  never ever heard  or heard of Mexican Lady by Steel River. The only Steel River songs I knew [and liked] were Ten Pound Note and Southbound Train from around 70/71.                                                                        Dale, you must have a very deep playlist if you have Happy by the Blades Of Grass. Only 4 weeks on the Hot 100 in July 1967 peaking at #87.

Happy was a bigger hit by the Sunshine Company but that one now is also a hardly played track.
 

Last edited by Fitz (October 8, 2018 5:02 pm)


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October 8, 2018 11:56 am  #10


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Added to my favourites list...

Will  keep checking in - hoping to hear some Ronnie Dove...


  
 

October 8, 2018 12:05 pm  #11


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

unclefester wrote:

Added to my favourites list...

Will  keep checking in - hoping to hear some Ronnie Dove...

"One Kiss For Old Times Sake", "A Little Bit of Heaven" and "Happy Summer Days" are in rotation.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

October 8, 2018 12:22 pm  #12


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Kilgore wrote:

Listening closely for instrumentals, many of which DID chart but haven't been heard on commercial oldies radio for decades

LOTS of instrumentals there. I happen to be be a big fan.

Just added The Choir and the Raspberries.

Thanks for the the requests!

 


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

October 8, 2018 4:16 pm  #13


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

A few minutes ago we heard "Asia Minor" by Kokomo and more recently "Ame Caline" by Raymond Lefevre (a favorite of the chap who used to post here as the Stickler).     Excellent material, sir! 

 

October 8, 2018 4:46 pm  #14


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Dale -- any Helen Shapiro?

Look Who It Is - always a favourite of mine...


  
 

October 8, 2018 9:08 pm  #15


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

unclefester wrote:

Dale -- any Helen Shapiro?

Look Who It Is - always a favourite of mine...

Just added "Look Who It Is" and "Walking Back to Happiness"


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

October 8, 2018 9:31 pm  #16


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Been listening for the last hour and the last day and was really pleased to see you've included some of my favourite obscurities. Misty by Ray Stevens is a stunning version of that now-not-so-slow song. So is the once controversial "Timothy" by the Buoys, a bouncy upbeat tune about cannibalism. (You couldn't make that up.) And I was blown away when I heard "Back When My Hair Was Short" (the top 40 version) by Gunhill Road. 

A few more suggestions, if I may and you may already have them: Ariel by Dean Friedman and the great "Jennifer Tompkins" by The Street People (which was written by Rupert Holmes, who also composed Timothy. See it's all seamless!)  

     Thread Starter
 

October 8, 2018 10:41 pm  #17


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Mace "]I have been listening to OWOW this morning and when I hear a song not heard in many decades OWOW is my first reaction. I have  never ever heard  or heard of Mexican Lady by Steel River. The only Steel River songs I knew [and liked] were Ten Pound Note and Southbound Train from around 70/71." 

Mexican Lady charted in early 1972. It appears to have peaked at #13 in mid February 1972 on the RPM Top 100 singles chart.                                                                     
 

 

October 8, 2018 11:07 pm  #18


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

A great lost classic I'd like to hear: Dave Edmunds, I hear you knocking.



 

Last edited by Radiowiz (October 8, 2018 11:08 pm)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

October 9, 2018 9:17 am  #19


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot


 

October 9, 2018 9:30 am  #20


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Just added "Jennifer Tompkins" and "Ariel" and will be adding "Tears of Misery."


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

October 9, 2018 11:13 am  #21


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Great Job Dale!
I'm sure this has required a lot of work.
I'll keep listening
Thanks

 

October 9, 2018 11:25 am  #22


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

This is sort of fun and I know you are getting a lot of requests Dale and perhaps better to take things off line but here's three FM crossovers that made the Billboard hot 100 and were CHUM FM/CFNY regulars for a time:

Going To the Country  Steve Miller Band pre mega fame ( 1970)




You Got Me Anyway - Sutherland Brothers and Quiver ( 1973)




I'm On Fire - Dwight Twilley Band ( 1975)



Bonus
Majic Woman Touch - The Hollies without Alan Clarke, Graham Nash or Tony Hicks on Lead vocals and this did make the Billboard Hot 100:




 

Last edited by Fitz (October 9, 2018 11:38 am)


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October 9, 2018 12:00 pm  #23


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

It amazes how certain songs didn't become hits. What part of this 1974 song didn't have HIT written all over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7j7XSOOZD8


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

October 9, 2018 2:30 pm  #24


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Ladies, pick your partners...


 

October 9, 2018 2:35 pm  #25


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot


 

October 9, 2018 4:08 pm  #26


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

I remember reading an article in Rolling Stone maybe around 1970 titled "Crosby, Stills and Crumbs"  about eventual soft rock kings Bread and the fact that they felt they had been sidelined due to CSN working the same sound. Which I guess they sort of were before their chart success.  Which brings me to this song Games by Redeye. Was one of the better distillation of the sound of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young ( America not withstanding). The song reached number 27 and I have not heard it anywhere in years but it was played on CHUM and CKFH.




 

Last edited by Fitz (October 9, 2018 4:12 pm)


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October 9, 2018 4:41 pm  #27


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

What’s amazing about this thread is how much it proves how Dale seems to have struck lightning in a bottle – or at least on a PC. Seems like everyone has an idea, and they’re all worthy.
 
I was going to suggest another great hit – The River is Wide, a #31 hit by the Grassroots. But in a wild coincidence, as I sat here typing this very post, a version I’d never heard by Forum came on the "Oh Wow" site. Turns out they had the original hit in 1967. I prefer the Grassroots one from 1969, but it was certainly interesting to discover its origins.
 
(Another suggestion that just popped into my usually empty head – Baby Take Me In Your Arms by Jefferson, #23, in 1970)
 
Most of what’s been suggested here are songs that just bubbled up under the Top 30 or 40, maybe reached the 20s, but here’s one that actually made it to #1 on Billboard and never gets played. And considering we’re in the Donald Trump era, you’d think it would be more relevant than ever.
 
The song was a message to Richard Nixon, who resigned in 1974, the year it was released. It was called “You Haven’t Done Nothin’ ” and it was by the legendary Stevie Wonder – with the bonus of the Jackson Five doing background vocals, which Stevie references in the lyrics.
 
Great song and I still love the part at the end where he shouts, “Sing it Dickie!”
 
Nixon may have “done nothing,” but this song certainly did a lot more than that. 





     Thread Starter
 

October 9, 2018 5:23 pm  #28


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

One of the least likely songs to hit Top 40 radio, but there it was.....as slick as hot grease on a frying pan. Mel Tormé rode this to #36 on the Billboard pop chart in November 1962, becoming his biggest hit since the early 1950s, and reached #13 on the UK singles chart.

It peaked at #16 on the December 17, 1962 CHUM Chart.



Sssssssssslick.
 

Last edited by Dial Twister (October 9, 2018 9:23 pm)

 

October 10, 2018 10:41 am  #29


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Re Games by Redeye. I have always been surprised that the track  did not get more air play subsequently. Something that Dick Bartley probably played on his show as he was good at re-exposing such tracks. I have the album and so that's where it remained alive for me.

This from the CHUM tribute site. The track was actually top 10 in Toronto. I also see that We Got to Get You a Woman by Todd Rundgren ( Runt) is at number 7. That's another track not heard much any more but at least has not completely disappeared due to the fact that it involved Todd.


 

Last edited by Fitz (October 10, 2018 11:20 am)


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October 10, 2018 12:20 pm  #30


Re: The Songs Oldies Radio Forgot

Fitz wrote:

Re Games by Redeye. I have always been surprised that the track  did not get more air play subsequently. Something that Dick Bartley probably played on his show as he was good at re-exposing such tracks. I have the album and so that's where it remained alive for me.

This from the CHUM tribute site. The track was actually top 10 in Toronto. I also see that We Got to Get You a Woman by Todd Rundgren ( Runt) is at number 7. That's another track not heard much any more but at least has not completely disappeared due to the fact that it involved Todd.



 

From that chart I'm adding Games, 1900 Yesterday, Ain't That a Sad Thing and maybe one or two others.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram