D-Sides, Orphans, and Oddities

Larry Lurex (Freddie Mercury and members of Queen) - I Can Hear Music (1973) More info here. You can already hear Brian May's multi-guitar leads. "No Synths"? What's the difference? Synths or multi-track guitars? 

Larry Lurex - Goin' Back (1973)

Bobby Lee Trammell - Long Tall Sally (1965) 

Bobby Lee Trammell - Mayonnaise (1967)

Bobby Lee Trammell - Tator (1964) Is this live or a fake crowd noise? No way to tell. Sounds real, but why would a bunch of kids be excited about a dance called "Tator"?

Bobby Lee Trammell - Twenty-Four Hours (1965)

Bobby Lee Trammell and the Jordanaires - What Is This World Coming To (1968) He mentions The Beatles somewhat obliquely, the Texas Tower Killer, and others. He turns from rockabilly rebel to country bumpkin as market dictates, I guess. 

Bobby Lee Trammell - Love Isn't Love (Till You Give It Away) (1972)

Cher - Masters of War - (1968)

Count Basie - I Wanna Be Your Man (1966)

Tom Wilson - Lesbian Seagull (1979)

NRBQ - Magnet (1972)

NRBQ - Ridin' In My Car (1977)

NRBQ - I Want You Bad (1978)

NRBQ -Me And The Boys (1980)

Quiet Riot - Back To The Coast (1977) One of the worst bands I've ever heard. They worked very hard for their fame, true, and Randy Rhodes was very good. But I cannot say I like anything I ever heard of theirs. 

Quiet Riot - Just How You Want It (1977)

Quiet Riot - Suicidal Show (1975)

Quiet Riot - Back To The Coast (Demo Version, I HOPE) (1975)

Sonny and Cher - Circus (1968) More disdain for rock music and young people in general, a common theme for Bono. Like a strangely out-of-touch extension of "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" by Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Sonny Bono - I Just Sit There (1967) More disdain for the young people of that era. This one is 11 minutes long. So it's like a strange mantra as if it was sung by a drunken middle-aged Uncle. I honestly can't believe this was released. Sonny Bono's lone solo record. As if you needed more evidence that he was a blight on the entire scene. I don't think Cher was much better, but she at least recorded some excellent singles in the early 70's without him. 

Tiny Doolittle & The Twisters - The Twist (1962?) A rote, but somehow worse rendition of this warhorse. Sometimes Shazam surprises me!!

Bo Diddely - Bo Diddley (1969) Why did he rerecord this? New record company probably. Although last in the US Top-40 with “Say Man” in 1959, Bo continued to issue records on Chess’ Checker subsidiary throughout the 60s, some of which, such as “You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover” in 1962, charted. 

The Bo Gentry-Ritchie Cordell team made some great records in the late 60s; notable with Tommy James & The Shondells, for whom they produced such classics as “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Mony Mony”. They were great songwriters too, having written or co-written most of the songs they produced.

Homer and Jethro - What A Lousy Day Was Yesterday (1966) Listen for their Beatle reference followed by a half-measure guitar motif, instantly recognizable. Harmless Fun.

Lee Hazlewood - These Boots Are Made For Walking (1966) 

?  - Smokin' - 

Nino Tempo & April Stevens - I Love How You Love Me (1966)  

NRBQ - Fergie's Prayer (1969)

Ray Stevens - Bubblegum The Bubblegum Dancer (1971)

Sparks - The Wedding of Jacqueline Kennedy to Russell Mael - (1975) I HATE Sparks. That's why I never play them. 

THIS IS THE IN-SOUND!!!! Record promoting the US Army under the aegis of something called "In Sound with Harry Harrison" - Napoleon XIV giving a cryptic, strangely somnambulant interview. (1968)

The Wayward Bus - Predictions by David Hoy (1968) RCA 47-9484; wr. arr. & cond. Tupper Saussy; produced by Chet Atkins & Felton Jarvis. Felton produced Elvis. Why'd it take two heavy hitters for this? In any event, I love it!!

Bay City Rollers - Hello & Welcome Home (1979) LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG after their moment in the sun, they kept recording, and sounding like a better-produced Badfinger.

Tony Orlando, Helen Shapiro, and Billy Crash Craddock loom large in this episode.

I play some of my own songs for Ken Ray, previewing my July 2020 release, "Mistakes of Memory", available through Wampus.com!

Gilbert Neal and Ken Ray Wilemon - Let It Snow 

Jenny Daren - Heartbreaker (1978) This song was written for her. 

Lord Sitar - I Am the Walrus (1968) Big Jim Sullivan was an English studio guitarist who appeared on some records as a sitarist before this release. 

American Spring - This Whole World (1972) Brian Wilson's wife in a revival of her group "The Honeys" with her sister. Not bad, because Brian Wilson produced it with love. A few years later she would help ruin "The Beach Boys Love You". 

Gilbert Neal and Ken Ray Wilemon - Superstar 

Gilbert Neal and Ken Ray Wilemon - The Christmas Song

Three Dog Night - A Change is Gonna Come (1969)

Barry McGuire - California Dreaming (1965) The original version with Mama's and Papa's backing track which they would later use. Stereophiles can still here McGuire's vocals with careful listening. 

Be Bop Deluxe - Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus (1974)

Bette Midler - Hang On In There Baby (1979)

Bob Seger - Turn the Page (rarely heard studio version) (1973)

Bruce Welch - Please Mister Please (1974) Bruce Welch cowrote the song and released this unsuccessful first version. 

George Duke - Dookie Stick (1978)

George Jones - The Poor Chinee (1970)

Gilbert Neal and Ken Ray Wilemon - Silent Night

Captain and Tennille - God Only Knows (1975)

Joey Heatherton - God Only Knows (1972)

Grace Slick - Better Lying Down (1974)

Mick Ronson - I'm The One (1974) I love this cover of an obscure Annette Peacock song. Mick was in The Spiders From Mars (WITH David Bowie - an important distinction) and Annette would appear with Bill Bruford's band. Pretty faithful version!

Joey Heatherton - Gone 1972

Jon Farrar - Falling (1980)

John Lennon - The Luck of the Irish (live and Yoko-less) (1972)

Keith Moon - Move Over Ms. L (1975)

Led Zeppelin - Royal Orleans (1976)

Leah Zavaroni - Jump Down Jimmy (1980)

The Clash - Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice) 1980

Gale Garnett and the The Gentle Reign - Peace Comes Slowly to the Thrashing Fish (1969) Gale Garnett had a hit in 1965 with the self-penned "We'll Sing in the Sunshine". Then she started smoking that devil weed, I guess. 

Rich Little - Rappin' Ronnie (1982)

Celebrating John Wetton's world-class bass playing, and two songs that endured repeated covers. "Satisfaction" and "Both Sides Now".

The Brady Bunch remixed, some Marvin Gaye soundtrack stuff, and Elliot Randall.

Les Humphries Singers were very popular in Germany and Austria. They are one of the more obscure acts I have encountered during my years doing this show. I really like them.

Mungo Jerry made a living off one hit. But people liked it! Here are some sports-related songs, rare and rarely heard. Plus some Beatle covers and Dan Lewis' request to hear some Herve Villechaize.

Bad Elvis and a few tracks from the cast of Saturday Night live's 70's cast. Plus some cool J Geils Band. They were fun and worked their asses off to reach deserved stardom. Hmmm.

The Monkees were an example of PERFECT timing. Find four guys of middling talent and put the Kirshner machine of the day behind them, and I believe that ANY four guys could have done the job.