Golden Anniversary Song of the Week: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" by Ray Charles

Only 8 new songs -- and one "accounting" error -- on Billboard's Hot 100 for the week ending February 14, 1960. None of them made an impact.


The same title, though not the same song, as Gerry and the Pacemakers' first big U.S. hit record. This tender, beautifully rendered Ray Charles song is the "B" side of "Let the Good Times Roll", which entered the Hot 100 during the first week of 1960. Just one listen tells you that it was much too sophisticated for AM radio 50 years ago. No surprise then that it spent only 2 weeks on the chart, entering at #95 and "setting" at #93.

Other songs making their first appearance this week.

"Eternally" by Sarah Vaughan. (61, 41, 8)
This cover of a Charlie Chaplin tune, complete with lush strings, probably did much better with an easy-listening audience. Retiring Guy's favorite Vaughan song, "Broken Hearted Melody" was a big hit in the later summer/early fall of 1959.

"Delaware" by Perry Como. (71, 22, 11)
Without a doubt, the lamest song that Como every recorded. Ay-yi-yi!

"I Was Such a Fool" by the Flamingoes. (94, --, 72, 71, 76, 74, 100)
This single entered the Hot 100 at #94 two weeks earlier, a fact not indicated on this week's chart.

"Bad Boy" by Marty Wilde. (90, 45, 8)
Wilde's only appearance on the Hot 100.

"Closer Walk" by Pete Fountain. (94, 93, 3)
One of two singles by the New Orleans clarinetist that reached the Hot 100.

"I Know What God Is" by Perry Como. (95, 81, 2)
The "B" side of "Delaware".

"Honey Love" by Narvel Felts. (99, 90, 2)
A most unnecessary remake of the 1954 R&B hit by the Drifters.

"Clementine" by Jan & Dean. (100, 65, 6)
1960 was an arid year for this duo. They somehow lost their way and drove their woody to the desert. It's the same oh-my-darling-oh-my-darling-oh-my-darling folk ballad you remember from grade school -- done up surf style. Definitely not one of their greatest hits.

The Beatitudes: The Greatest Sermon Jesus Ever Preached

Letter is a 'head-scratcher' for reader.

What about Matthew 5:9?

And as Jesus says in summary, Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

Folks can cherry-pick Bible verses to their hearts' delight, but the pure essence of Jesus' gospel is found here.

By Popular Demand: Peanutty Candy Bars Recipe

Ingredients

* 4 cups quick-cooking oats
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2/3 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup peanut butter, divided
* 1/2 cup light corn syrup
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 package (11 ounces) butterscotch chips
* 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup chopped salted peanuts


Directions

* In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, corn syrup and vanilla. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until mixture is bubbly around the edges.

* In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butterscotch and chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in peanuts and remaining peanut butter; spread over the oat mixture. Cool for 10 minutes; chill until set. Yield: 2 dozen.


Nutrition Facts: 1 bar equals 362 calories, 21 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 13 mg cholesterol, 136 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 8 g protein.

Source: Peanutty Candy Bars published in Taste of Home June/July 2009, p74. (Thanks, Mom!)

The Frozen Tundra......Right Here in Middleton

Golden Anniversary Record of the Week: "Wild One" by Bobby Rydell

The Teen Idol Holy Trinity, circa 1960.

Bobby Rydell. Born Robert Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, in Philadelphia.

Frankie Avalon. Born Francis Avallone on September 18, 1939, in Philadelphia.

Fabian. Born Fabiano Forte on February 2, 1943, in Philadelphia.

Top 10 records.

Rydell. 6. (None reached #1.)

Avalon. 7. (2 reached #1.)

Fabian. 3. (None reached #1.)

Rank among Top Artists. (As determined in Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955-1990.

Rydell. #90

Avalon. #108

Fabian. #418

Number of appearances on American Bandstand. (According to imdb. These numbers should be double-checked.)

Rydell. 6.

Avalon. 3.

Fabian. 7.

Notable Hollywood movies.

Rydell (Bye Bye Birdie)

Frankie Avalon (The Alamo, Beach Party, I'll Take Sweden)

Fabian (North to Alaska, The Longest Day, Ride the Wild Surf)

"Wild One", Bobby Rydell's highest-charting single, entered the Hot 100 at #72 for the week ending February 7, 1960. It reached #2 and spent 16 weeks on the chart.

Other songs that debuted the same week.
(Entry position, peak position, weeks on chart)

"Country Boy" by Fats Domino. (61, 25, 10)
Eleven of the Fat Man's 66 singles reach the top 10 -- all but one of them from 1955 to 1959. "Blueberry Hill" is his best chart performer. In 1956, it spent 27 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at #2.

"China Doll" by the Ames Brothers. (70, 38, 13.)
Their last song to reach the Hot 100.

"Lady Luck" by Lloyd Price. (71, 14, 13)
Best known for "Stagger Lee" and "Personality", two of the most popular songs of 1959.

"Let It Rock" by Chuck Berry. (81, 60, 4)

"Time and the River" by Nat King Cole. (83, 30, 8)

"That Old Feeling" by Kitty Kallen. (85, 55, 5)
Kitty started singing with big bands in 1936.

"Little Bitty Girl" by Bobby Rydell. (86, 19, 15)
The "B" side of "Wild One".

"Sixteen Reasons" by Connie Stevens. (89, 3, 24)
Her follow-up to "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb". Those were the days.

"Tall Oak Tree" by Dorsey Burnette. (92, 23, 15)

"Money" by Barrett Strong. (95, 23, 17)
Strong is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

"Peace of Mind" by Teresa Brewer. (96, 66, 4)
Teresa had 4 top 10 hits in the mid-1950s: "Let Me Go, Lover!", "A Tear Fell", "A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl", and "You Send Me".

"Fanny Mae" by Buster Brown. (97, 38, 17)

"Hully Gully" by the Olympics. (98, 72, 7)
Learn to do the dance.

"Whiffenpoof Song" by Bob Crewe. (100, 96, 2)

Ruby Anniversary Song of the Week: "Come and Get It" by Badfinger

"Come and Get It" is Badfinger's first single. (As the Iveys, "Maybe Tomorrow" floundered in the lower half of Billboard's Hot 100 in for 6 weeks in early 1969.) Like the BeeGees before them and the Eagles after, Badfinger arrived on a huge wave of hype. "The Second Coming of the Beatles", some declared. (Record company publicists?) And it certainly didn't hurt that Paul McCartney wrote the song that jump-started their career. But after 3 top ten hits and two well-received albums, the band quickly dropped out of sight in 1972, although they remained together, in one form or another, until 1982. Two of the original members committed suicide: Pete Ham in 1977 and Tom Evans in 1983.

"Come and Get It" entered the Hot 100, inauspiciously, at #92 for the week ending February 7, 1970. It reached as high as #7 and spent 15 weeks on the chart.

The 15 other singles making their first appearance:
(Entry position, peak position, weeks on chart)

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel. (49, 1, 14)
One of the biggest songs of 1970, it spend 6 weeks at #1.

"Do the Funky Chicken" by Rufus Thomas. (62, 28, 12)
This song must have received zero airplay on Buffalo radio stations with a top-40 format.

"Never Had a Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder. (67, 26, 7)
Fast start. Abrupt finish.

"House of the Rising Sun" by Frijid Pink. (73, 7, 13)
It's one-hit wonder time again. Doesn't hold a candle to the Animals version.

"Good Guys Only Win in the Movies" by Mel & Tim. (74, 45, 7)

"Easy Come Easy Go" by Bobby Sherman. (75, 9, 14)
Perhaps we can call him the Fabian of his day. A pretty face. Lotsa radio play for a year or so. Some TV work ("Here Come the Brides"). Then it's adios, amigo. It's interesting to note that Bobby's and Fabian's birthdays are 5 months apart. As far as teen idols come and go, Bobby was practically an old man by the time he took his turn. (And no, Bobby wasn't born in Philadelphia.)

"Shiloh" by Neil Diamond. (82, 24, 14)

"Why Should I Cry" by the Gentrys. (83, 61, 6)
Yes, those Gentrys, the one-hit wonders from "Keep on Dancing" fame (1965). This one's a nice bouncy little ditty --perhaps a little too reminiscent of "Midnight Confessions" by the Grass Roots.

"My Elusive Dreams" by Bobby Vinton. (86, 46, 9)
Even his eyes are blue. His website conveniently omits a mention of the year he was born. (1935). If he still looks this good at 74, more power to him.

"I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" by Al Martino. (93, 51, 8)
Al, on the other hand, is obviously allowing himself to age.

"She's Ready" by the Spiral Staircase. (95, 72, 6)
The infectious "More Today Than Yesterday" (guilty pleasure!) is this group's only claim to fame. Another group has taken the name.

"1984" by Spirit. (96, 69, 9)
The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus remains one of my favorite albums. Subtlely psychedelic.

"Jesus is Just Alright" by the Byrds. (97, 97, 1)
The last of 16 songs by the group to reach the Hot 100. Columbia must have provided this single with no support.

"The Bells" by the Originals. (98, 12, 14)

"Call Me" by Aretha Franklin. (99, 13, 12)
We'll have plenty of opportunities to talk about Aretha later.

Captain Beyond Twin Spin

The 3 stages of collection development of Retiring Guy's personal music library, as exemplified by Sufficiently Breathless.

1. The album spent a considerable amount of time on my turntable in the mid-1970s.

2. I purchased the CD in the late 80s/early 90s -- can't remember when, exactly -- when we all made the switch from vinyl.

3. All the songs from this album are on my iPod, "Evil Men" being a shuffled selection during a walk to the post office this afternoon.