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Pre-64s still heard on Oldies stations

C

carolinaradio

What are some of the (few) pre-64 songs that are still heard on some Oldies stations today?

Some I can think of:

Contours - Do You Love Me - 1962
Ben King - Stand By Me - 1961
Jan and Dean - Surf City - 1963
Kingsmen - Louie Louie - 1963
Four Seasons - Walk Like a Man 1963

There are some others I know of that the Oldies stations around here play (you know, Da Do Ron Ron, Be My Baby, all of those 'girl group' songs, early Elvis, The Twist, The Lion Sleeps Tonight) but I don't think the 'big market' stations do anymore.
 
I could never figure out the charm of Do You Love Me, as it's abrasive. First I look At The Purse was much more entertaining and melodic.

In the past few days I've heard the same Contours,
Do Wah Ditty
Oh, Pretty Woman
South Street
The Twist (#1 twice) earning him Joe Niagara's label "Chubby Chekka the Chart Wrecka"
Twist & Shout Beatles Version
SHout Isley's
Playboy

Evergreens, yes. But still mostly burnt outs. No Mary Wells, Tymes, Duprees, Rydell, Bobby Vee, Pitney, Chiffons or Phil Spector stuff.
 
Gotta remember "Do You Love Me" and "Stand by Me" were rereleased in the 80s
Click to expand...

"Morse Code Of Love" by The Capris was released in '82 and I don't think any station has that as part of their regular rotation anymore.
 
Those RRRRs said:
Gotta remember "Do You Love Me" and "Stand by Me" were rereleased in the 80s
Click to expand...

"Morse Code Of Love" by The Capris was released in '82 and I don't think any station has that as part of their regular rotation anymore.
Click to expand...

Ah, not so fast. My station (WXRB-FM/95.1, Dudley, MA) does have that song in rotation. We probably play it twice, maybe three times a week. Eventhough "Morse Code Of Love" was released back in 1982, it still had the flavor of the doo-wop era.... in a sort of 1980's style. Many stations around the Northeast including WOGL, WCGY (during their mid 80's oldies format), WCBS-FM and others played that song well into the early 1990's. Our little non-comm oldies FM'er specializes in the first 25 years of Rock and Roll (1954-1979). Since we're non-commercial and do not have to satisfy the needs of Madison Avenue et.al., our playlist is a little more "liberal" than most. Sure we'll play the Beatles and the British Invasion groups. But we don't forget the people who made this music grow in the first place, like Chubby Checker, Bill Haley and The Comets, Elvis, Bobby Darin and more. You could say we're kinda like the inimitable WLNG, but alas without the great Paul Sidney remotes (hi Paul!), the famous 'LNG PAMS jingles galore and the many Long Island commercial breaks heard on 92.1 (but I do LOVE 'LNG! Great station!). But we do have a lot of fun in what we do here in Central MA.

I'm sure that "Morse Code of Love" still gets played by other oldies stations from time to time. It's a nice song and it has some nice production values as well.


Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts
 
Those RRRRs said:
"Morse Code Of Love" by The Capris was released in '82 and I don't think any station has that as part of their regular rotation anymore.
Click to expand...

Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
Ah, not so fast. My station (WXRB-FM/95.1, Dudley, MA) does have that song in rotation. We probably play it twice, maybe three times a week. Eventhough "Morse Code Of Love" was released back in 1982, it still had the flavor of the doo-wop era.... in a sort of 1980's style. Many stations around the Northeast including WOGL, WCGY (during their mid 80's oldies format), WCBS-FM and others played that song well into the early 1990's. Our little non-comm oldies FM'er specializes in the first 25 years of Rock and Roll (1954-1979). Since we're non-commercial and do not have to satisfy the needs of Madison Avenue et.al., our playlist is a little more "liberal" than most. Sure we'll play the Beatles and the British Invasion groups. But we don't forget the people who made this music grow in the first place, like Chubby Checker, Bill Haley and The Comets, Elvis, Bobby Darin and more. You could say we're kinda like the inimitable WLNG, but alas without the great Paul Sidney remotes (hi Paul!), the famous 'LNG PAMS jingles galore and the many Long Island commercial breaks heard on 92.1 (but I do LOVE 'LNG! Great station!). But we do have a lot of fun in what we do here in Central MA.

I'm sure that "Morse Code of Love" still gets played by other oldies stations from time to time. It's a nice song and it has some nice production values as well.
Click to expand...

I remember back in 1986 when the AM I worked at (WMMM 1260 in Westport) transitioned from MOR to Oldies that this was one track we were responsible for "breaking" into the area. While recorded in 1982, it wasn't long after we started playing it in regular rotation that other stations, including CBS-FM, started playing it on a regular basis. I have no idea if CBS-FM even plays that track anymore, but it's a great track I play on my web stream.
 
amfmsw, was that playboy by Gene and Debbie?? haven't heard anyone play that (except me) forever, got big airplay here in NY in '68...Nice catch!!!

warm590 ;D
 
"Playboy" by Gene and Debbie gets a lot of airplay in the Southwest, Gene Thomas also had a big regional hit "Somtime". The same with "Talk To Me" (orig. by Little Willie John) by Sonny and the Sunliners and the orig. "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" (on Duncan/Imperial 1959 Freddy Fender). And once in a great while you'll hear "Only One" Scotty Wayne (aka: Freddy Fender also 1959/1960 Duncan records). The southwest still remembers those great artists from the Louisiana/East Texas region, Like Rod Bernard, Gene Thomas , Cookie and his Cupcakes (Mathilda), Joe Stampley and the Uniques, John Fred's "Shirley" 1959 (Pre "Judy In Disguise") Sir Douglas Quintet,Jimmy Clanton, Bobby Charles,etc. Great Memories.

Pal Al Wanabe
 
gr8oldies wrote:

"Gotta remember "Do You Love Me" and "Stand by Me" were rereleased in the 80s."

So was the Beatles' "Twist and Shout", in 1986. Heard it this past weekend on a replay of a 1986 episode of Casey Kasem's American Top 40.

Although not a re-release, didn't Chubby Checker also feature on a new version of "The Twist" by The Fat Boys?
 
Monster Mash by Bobby Boris Pickett was released in '63 ? and again in '73.
As a seasonal, it will probably always get some airplay.

Aint got no Home by ClarenceHenry (run together on the record's label) is still played by Mr Limbaugh for his homeless news intro.
 
1988 "The Twist" Remake Fatboys and Chubby Checker, Also re-done slightly "Unchained Melody" by Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers for Ghosts.
 
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