Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll Podcast

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Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_108 Apr 01, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_108 – "40 GREATEST BIRD-NAMED GROUPS"

More rock, rhythm & blues, and country groups have been named after birds than any other member of the animal kingdom on this planet. Thirty-seven of our feathered musical friends have found nesting places on the hit singles charts.

Our "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" Ornithology Department has also identified three more bird groups whose records perched on the playlists of major radio stations even though their tweets didn't result in hits.

That's a total of 40 bird groups in the flock of songs we're presenting on this podcast.

These include multiple different groups who named themselves after the same bird species – such as eagles, larks, crows, and swans.

Nay Nassar – a world-class expert on vocal groups, will opine on why so many groups with bird names took flight in pop music. Our resident Rockologist Ken Deutsch will explain how the harmonious chirps that went into many of these recordings were put together. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_107 Mar 15, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_107 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF NEIL DIAMOND, PART 2

This is part two of our two-part salute to a singer/songwriter who's been making hit records for more than a half-century. His recordings have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. And the songs he composed for other performers have added many millions to that total. He's Neil Diamond.

Continuing our retrospective from the year 1970 forward, we'll chronicle all the rest of his hit singles, along with the original versions by other artists who inspired him, Plus, later hit recordings of Neil Diamond originals by different singers – as well as songs he composed for various artists, but didn't record himself.

In this part two of our two-part Neil Diamond rockumentary, we'll highlight Neil Diamond's special connections with Paul Newman, Glen Campbell, Barbra Streisand, and Brian Wilson, among others.

Our resident "Rare & Scratchy Rock & Roll" Rockologist Ken Deutsch will spotlight Neil Diamond's incredible impact on raising the spirits of Americans during difficult times. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_106 Mar 01, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_106 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF NEIL DIAMOND, PART 1

This is part one of our two-part salute to a singer/songwriter who's been making hit records for more than a half-century. His recordings have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. And the songs he composed for other performers have added many millions to that total. He's Neil Diamond.

We'll chronicle all of his hit singles, along with the original versions by other artists who inspired him. Plus, later hit recordings of Neil Diamond originals by other singers – as well as songs he composed for various artists, but didn't record himself.

In this part one of our two-part Neil Diamond rockumentary, we'll highlight Neil Diamond's special connections with Pat Boone, Jay & The Americans, the Monkees, Cliff Richard, Lulu, Deep Purple, and Junior Walker & The All-Stars, among many others.

Our resident "Rare & Scratchy Rock & Roll" Rockologist Ken Deutsch will put Neil Diamond's accomplishments into the context of the times. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_105 Feb 15, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL – "THE LOST TOP 40 HITS OF 1961" –

This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from the year 1961. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Tony Orlando, Fats Domino, Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles, and Chubby Checker, as well as famed actress/singer Ann-Margret, among many others.

We'll also reveal the special connection between one of Elvis Presley's #1 hits from 1961 and a 78 RPM platter recorded in 1905 by one of that era's most famous operatic tenors. You'll hear a sample of that rare & scratchy recording – restored as much as possible to its original fidelity by our "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" Production Department.

Many of the lost 1961 top 40 hits that have found their way onto this episode are instrumentals – a type of tunes no longer heard on today's rock stations. Our resident Rockologist Ken Deutsch will be along to explain why. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_104 Feb 01, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_104 – "THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE EVERLY BROTHERS, PART 2" –

This is part two of our two-part salute to two siblings who comprised the most successful duo in the history of rock and roll – the Everly Brothers.

We'll chronicle the rest of their hit singles – singing together and also apart as solo artists – along with the original versions by other performers who inspired them. Plus, later hit recordings of Everly Brothers songs by other singers.

We'll track their successful 1983 comeback – a decade after their 1973 breakup. We'll remember more of their connections with Buddy Holly & The Crickets and Simon & Garfunkel, as well as their later collaborations with the Hollies, Paul McCartney, Warren Zevon, Cliff Richard, Dave Edmunds, Johnny Cash, the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, among others.

Our resident "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" Rocklogist, Ken Deutsch, has a special presentation for you on hit singles by some of the many acts that successfully imitated the Everly Brothers. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. Hear it all, right here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_103 Jan 15, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_103 – "THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF THE EVERLY BROTHERS, PART 1" –

This is part one of our two-part salute to two siblings who comprised the most successful duo in the history of rock and roll. They mixed their Appalachian mountain music heritage with some rockabilly, a little country and western, a dash of rhythm and blues, and a sprinkle of easy listening pop to chart more hit singles than any other twosome ever. They're the Everly Brothers – Phil and Don.

We'll chronicle all of their hit singles, along with the original versions by other artists who inspired them. Plus, later hit recordings of Everly Brothers songs by other singers. In this part one of our Everly Brothers rockumentary, we'll highlight their special connections with Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Chet Atkins, Roy Orbison, Simon & Garfunkel, and Linda Ronstadt among many others.

Our resident "Rare & Scratchy Rock & Roll" Rockologist Ken Deutsch will put the Everly Brothers accomplishments into the context of the times. And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_102 Jan 01, 2020

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_102 – "40 GOOD SONGS FROM 30 BAD MOVIES"

Have you ever seen a really bad major motion picture where the original soundtrack music was the only good part of the film? We have.

Our resident "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" Rockogolist, Ken Deutsch, picked 30 such flicks, and I plucked 40 songs that debuted in those pictures for this presentation.

Most of these movies were musicals that hit the wrong notes. But our celluloid collection also includes atrocious comedies, dreadful dramas, science fiction fiascos, and creepy cult classics.

Three of those films featured songs that were written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David – one of the greatest composing teams of all-time. And there were sundry superstars whose singing surpassed the plots of the pictures in which their songs originated: Olivia Newton-John, Queen, Dionne Warwick, David Bowie, Diana Ross, the Electric Light Orchestra, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston, the Bee Gees, Dusty Springfield, and Frankie Avalon, among others. Then there's the famed actor – Lee Marvin – whose vocal was so bad that it turned out good.

Hear it all here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_101 Dec 15, 2019

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _101 – 45 LOST 1960s XMAS 45s

This is our fourth annual Xmas podcast. On earlier editions, show #25 told "The Little-Known Stories Of The Biggest Christmas Hits." #51 showcased "The Top 40 Lost Hits Of Christmas." And #75 presented "The Beatles & Elvis Presley For Christmas."

Now, on this episode #101, it's the yuletide tunes of a specific decade. We'll remember "45 forgotten 1960s Xmas 45s." Most were played on one or more radio stations somewhere, but with just a few exceptions, they went nowhere on the hit music charts.

These include platters by then-established or emerging artists, such as Aretha Franklin, Gary U.S. Bonds, Solomon Burke, Jack Scott, Dodie Stevens, Charles Brown, and Ike & Tina Turner, among others.

We'll also unwrap some singles worth hearing by artists who were hardly ever if ever heard from again. And we've got some 45s that appeared on the rock charts back then, but seem to have disappeared from radio station playlists today.

They're all part of the greatest rock and roll stories on record. And you'll hear them all right here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_100 Dec 01, 2019

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R&SRNR_100 – "What's Playin' On The Jukebox At Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll World Headquarters"

This is show #100 in our podcast series. And to commemorate our reaching the century mark, we've prepared a celebration that we hope you'll share. It's 40 of the records that are playin' on the Jukebox at "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll World Headquarters."

These are some of the songs that I, my podcast partner and our resident Rockologist Ken Deutsch, our support staff, spouses, enablers, and known children and grandchildren like to listen to when we're relaxing around our studios.

I chose 20, and Ken chose 20. Each tune has a back story, and Ken and I will tell those tales, including why we chose them.

These include the absolutely smokin' hit version of a movie theme that became the soundtrack for a famous cigarette ad campaign. And there's the psychedelic folk song that provided the name for a comic book super hero nearly two decades later.

They're all part of the greatest rock and roll stories on record, and you'll hear 40 of them all right here.

Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll_099 Nov 15, 2019

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RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_099 – "Sex-Rated Hit Singles Of The 1960s & 1970s"

Our earlier episode #8 – "Risque Records, Banned Ballads, & Profane Platters" – is the second most downloaded show in our "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll" series. It covers 52 songs spanning all the decades since the 1950s.

Now, as an extension of that rockumentary, we'll listen a little closer to how rock and roll reflected the evolution of pop culture attitudes about sex in the 1960s and 1970s. Radio stations played all the songs we're presenting in this edition back in the day, and most of these tunes are still heard today. That said, we suggest you cover the ears of any younger rock and rollers who might be listening to this download with you. That's because we'll sample 40 songs with lyrics that have adult content.

We're calling this presentation "Sex-Rated Hit Singles Of The 1960s and 1970s."

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