Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll Podcast

R&SRNR_ 177 – “THE LAST SHOW”*

Welcome to the final edition of our little podcast series. Yes, it’s true. After nearly eight years of episodes downloaded by a loyal worldwide audience numbering hundreds of thousands – plus critical acclaim as one of the highest quality oldies and music history programs in cyberspace, we think now is the right time to take our creativity in new directions. More about that during this prrogram.

Our bittersweet so-long will be light on our personal nostalgia and heavy on the types of tunes and tales about the music that you’ve come to expect from us. For instance, the only Elvis Presley hit single on which he didn’t sing a single note. And a song that embarrassed its performers, but topped the charts and then was adopted a few years later by a major league baseball team as its cheerleading anthem.

They’re all part of the “goodbye” songs we’ve gathered for this occasion – along with more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Hear it all here.

*Note:  All of our nearly 180 shows will remain online and available for downloads through November 2023.

R&SRNR_176 – “THE TRADE SECRETS OF LENNON & MCCARTNEY”

Although they only collaborated for about twelve years beginning in late 1957, John Lennon and Paul McCartney rank as one of the most successful songwriting duos of all time. Our best guestimate is that approximately one billion copies of their compositions have been sold as of the posting date of this podcast. This includes around 600 million or more of those waxed by the Beatles with the remainder recorded by countless other performers.

That extraordinary success wasn’t the result of an ordinary composing partnership. Behind the scenes, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were often on different emotional plateaus when they penned these tunes. And as you will hear, their opposite moods frequently played out musically. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, and Radio Dave will reveal some of the Lennon & McCartney trade secrets – with a lot of help from noted Beatles historian and National Public Radio music commentator, Tim Riley – who’s our guest expert for this episode.

It’s "The Trade Secrets Of Lennon & McCartney” – along with more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Here it all here.

R&SRNR _175 – “CAROLE KING – UPDATED & REMASTERED”

This episode spotlights the most successful female songwriter of the rock and roll era. She’s written or co-written more than 200 charted hits. There’s a hit stage musical about her life, and her live concerts continue to be huge draws worldwide. In addition to our playing snippets of all of her charted hit singles, Radio Dave and our resident rockologist, Ken Deutsch cover many of what are known as “demo” recordings that she did to sell her songs to established recording stars in 1960s along with samples of their hit versions. And we’ll spotlight her special connections with Neil Sedaka, Paul Simon, Bobby Vee, the Drifters, Aretha Franklin, Phil Spector, the Righteous Brothers, the Monkees, James Taylor, Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, and many others, as well as her remarkable comeback to international fame after breaking up with her first husband and primary co-composer Gerry Goffin in the late-1960s. She’s Carole King. Hear her remarkable story here.

R&SRNR_174 – “THEY PLAYED ON THE MOST HITS”

There’s one group of recording artists that played on more hits than anybody else in the history of rock, pop, and country music. It’s the Wrecking Crew – an amorphous collection of studio musicians based in Los Angeles from the late 1950s through the early 1970s.

They backed countless acts in a wide variety of genres, including rock, pop, folk, and jazz. You heard them supporting such stars as the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Paul Revere & The Raiders, and the Mamas & Papas. Also, the Byrds, the Monkees, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Ike & Tina Turner, and Simon & Garfunkel, among many others.

The Wrecking Crew remained mostly anonymous until a 2008 documentary film by Denny Tedesco, the son of the Wrecking Crew’s most prolific guitarist, Tommy Tedesco. Now, Denny Tedesco has even more Wrecking Crew history, and he shares it with our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch. We’ll sample 30 hit selections from the Wrecking Crew’s distinguished discography, along with more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.  Here it all here.

R&SRNR_173 – “40 LOST INSTRUMENTAL HITS OF THE 1960s”

Hundreds of instrumentals became hits during the 1960s, but only a handful are still heard these days. We’ve identified “40 Lost Instrumental Hits Of The 1960s.” These include melodies that were inspired by or used in Hollywood movies, television shows, and national advertising campaigns. Many of the acts we’re featuring in this episode were professionally connected with Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, and the Beatles.  One group recorded with the same producer and in the same studio as Buddy Holly. Another combined members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with the Motown Records in-house studio backup band. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along with lots of fun factoids – plus the inside scoop on how radio disc jockeys back in the 1960s used instrumentals in a special way. It’s all part of the greatest rock & roll stories on record.  Hear it all here.

 RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK ‘N ROLL_046A – “THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE FOUR TOPS” – “REMASTERED & EXPANDED”

This episode spotlights the Four Tops – four high school friends from Detroit who performed together continuously for 43 years. They failed to achieve a hit song during their first decade together, but succeeded as a popular draw at leading night clubs. They turned down a contract with Motown Records because they thought the company was too small, but years later they would join that label and become one of its most successful groups.

Their repertoire spanned doo-wop, jazz, rhythm and blues, pop, rock, soul, disco, and dance. In addition to many other Motown acts, their hit music collaborations also included another singer with a Detroit connection – Aretha Franklin – and surprisingly – a group from England – the Moody Blues. And in a twist of fate, their lives were saved when they slept late and missed an ill-fated commercial airplane flight that was blown up by terrorists.

Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, joins Radio Dave to co-anchor this episode as together we present more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Hear it all here.

R&SRNR_172 – “THE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER”

This is our seventh annual Xmas episode. We’re celebrating the season with a one-of-a-kind salute to the most famous member of the reindeer team that pulls Santa Claus’ sleigh through the skies every Christmas Eve – Rudolph Red-Nosed Reindeer.

We’ll trace Rudoph’s history – from his birth in an advertising campaign for a Chicago-based department store to the song that gave him superstar status as the best known and best-loved Christmas critter of all time.

Along the way, we’ll sample every hit single version of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Then we’ll survey the songs that continued his adventures. And finally, we’ll spotlight some “Rudolph wannabees” who also left their tracks in Xmas music history.

Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, and  Radio Dave are joined on this episode by our special guest and good buddy, Jay Douglas, Ph.D. Jay is an acclaimed archivist of anecdotes who’s an authority on “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’s” resume. Together, we’ve got more of the greatest rock and roll Christmas stories on record. Hear it all here.

R&SRNR_170 – “THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE BEACH BOYS, PART 2”

This is the second of two episodes spotlighting the most enduring rock and roll band in American History. –  the Beach Boys. No matter what the season, it’s always summer whenever and wherever their songs are playing.

They’ve sold more than 100 million recordings around the world since 1961. We’ll focus on their U.S.-charted hit singles – all of them – in a two-episode salute. We began this chronicle on show #169 – comprising the Beach Boys’ successful 45s during the1960s. Now, this edition #170 – reviews the band’s hit singles since 1970 – all together more than half a century of solid gold.

This includes hit records with Little Richard, the Fat Boys, and four late 1990s country music stars, as well as former members of the Mamas & Papas and the Byrds. Plus, the Beach Boys connection with famed classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will join Radio Dave  to co-anchor this episode, as together we present more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Hear it all here.

R&SRNR_169 – “THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE BEACH BOYS, PART 1”

This is the first of two episodes spotlighting the most enduring rock and roll band in American History. No matter what the season, it’s always summer whenever and wherever their songs are playing – the Beach Boys.

They’ve sold more than 100 million recordings around the world since 1961. We’ll focus on their U.S.-charted hit singles – all of them – in a two-episode salute. It all begins with this one – show #169 – comprising the Beach Boys’ successful 45s during the1960s. Then, 15 days after the posting date of this program, our subsequent installment – edition #170 – reviews the Beach Boys’ hit singles since 1970.

So, wax down your surfboard, rev up your hotrod, and grab your best girl or guy – for a Beach Boys celebration – as only our little podcast series can present it.

Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, joins Radio Dave to co-anchor this episode, as we present more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Hear it all here.

R&SRNR #_168 – “TOP 40 HALLOWEEN HITS COUNTDOWN”

For our Halloween spooktacular, we’ve conjured up a countdown of the 40 greatest trick or treat tunes of all time.

The Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll grooveyard ghouls have scared up monster hits by Bobby “Boris” Pickett, Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, Credence Clearwater Revival, Santana, the Eagles, the J. Geils Band, Warren Zevon, Guns ‘N Roses, Annie Lennox, and Donovan among many others.

Some of these macabre melodies have been raised from their vinyl resting places for the first time in decades of Halloweens.

Our very own Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, also drops by with some gruesome goodies – "trailers" and radio commercials advertising some of the most horrible horror movies of all time.

So wrap some garlic around your podcast player, don’t download this show alone in the dark, and listen to it at your own risk for our selection of the 40 greatest undead ditties.