Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 28 February 2010

I've dragged myself off my sick bed to bring you these delights:

The Outsiders - Time Won't Let Me (Capitol 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Brenda Lee - Dum Dum (Decca 1961)
Stamford Bridge - Happiness and Rainy Days (Penny Farthing 1970)
The Turtles - Wanderin' Kind (Immediate 1966)
The Young Rascals - Good Lovin' (Atlantic 1966)
Del Shannon - Led Along (Liberty 1967)
Bobby Angelle - Too Much for You (Money 1967)
Little Eva - Keep Your Hands Off Of My Baby (Dimension 1962) (Connect 3)
Baby Washington - Careless Hands (Sue 1962) (Connect 3)
Bobby "Blue" Bland - These Hands (Small But Mighty) (Duke 1965) (Connect 3)
Nicky Scott - Big City (Immediate 1967)
The Hipster Image - Can't Let Her Go (Decca 1965)
Barbara Acklin - Love Makes A Woman (Brunswick 1968) (Birthday: 28/2/44)
Annette Funicello & The Afterbeats - Tall Paul (Disneyland 1958)
First Class - Coney Island (UK 1972)
Alma Cogan - O Dio Mio (HMV 1960) (Foreign Language)
Robert Parker - Let's Go Baby (Where the Action Is) (Nola 1965)
The Original Checkmates - Hot Toddy (Pye 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Emmit Rhodes - Mary Will You Take My Hand (Dakar 1970)
Brian Wilson - South American (Giant 1998) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)
The Beach Boys - Shut Down (Capitol 1963) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)
PP Arnold - Life Is Nothing (Immediate 1967)
Benny Parker & The Dynamos - Boys and Girls (Decca 1964)
The Jam - Boy About Town (Polydor 1980) (Under The Influence)
Eddie Holman - Eddie's My Name (Parkway 1965)
Betty Johnson - Little White Lies (Bally 1957)
The Fairies - Anytime At All (Decca 1964)
Vicky Gomez - Boys Are Dime A Dozen (ABC Paramount 1965) (Connect 3)
Betty Bibbs - Pounds of Soul (Kent 1968) (Connect 3)
Kincade - Dreams Are Ten a Penny (1972 Label Unknown) (Connect 3)
Twice As Much - Sittin' On a Fence (Immediate 1966)
Gene Chandler - Mr Big Shot (Constellation 1966)
Billie Davis - Make The Feeling Go Away (Decca 1969) (Two of a Kind)
Billie Davis - Ev'ry Day (Piccadilly 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Albert Washington - Hold Me Baby (Ace? 1969)
Marc Bolan - Third Degree (Decca 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, it's good day and good health.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Life is a Moment in Space

After a particular shitty week I heard a record on Radio 2 today that took me back to a more innocent and happier time. A time when you paid the price on the ticket and nothing more and long before stress became the new bad back.

My day was in the army and we lived in Army Quarters just outside Bonnyrigg. If it was so far out of Bonnyrigg that it could've been in the Borders! And there was nothing bonnie about it. We didn't have the luxury of computers or iPods and we utilised the natural resources to have our fun. The pavements hosted running races, with long paths used as jumps on an imaginary steeplechase. The Harry the housing warden had also provided a pair of old rusty goalposts (no nets) in a local field but the grass was lumpier and bumpier than the school custard and the field sloped from wing to wing more than a drunk against a lamppost. We made do because that's what you had to do. I even made a showjumping course in our back garden until I "clipped a fence" and broke one of my mother's brush handles.

The highlight of the week was when the Harry would open up one of the empty quarters and allow us "young 'uns" to have a disco. To be honest, I only remember two records being played because the supply was somewhat limited. One of those was the so-bad-it's-bad novelty record by Joe Dolce. Nowadays, I pull anyone up for suggesting that "Shaddap Your Face" was by Joe Dolce, when any quizzer worth their salt knows it was the Joe Dolce Music Theatre who foisted such nonsense on an unfussy record-buying public. Of course, as kids we didn't know any better, and we enjoyed the pidgin Italian and joined in while telling each other to "Shaddap Your Face". I still have that song on a K-Tel album called "Chartblasters '81". I don't play it much, except for Susan Fassbender's "Twilight Cafe".

The other record, the one that always transports me back to 1981, was the velvety, lusciousness of Barbra Streisand's Bee Gees' written and produced "Woman in Love". Even for a 14-year old I was very tall. So much so that when I asked Teresa Black to dance she had to stand on one of the many plastic chairs hugging the wall of the tiny living room as we swayed, clenched, from side to side. This was somewhat awkward although with it being a "slow record" we wouldn't have done more than shuffle awkwardly anyway. These days mooning takes on rather different connotations but back in the day that's what we called slow dancing. The erection section would, ahem, come much later. From memory Teresa had dark, straight hair and a lazy eye and a brother who loved to wear Adam Ant's war paint on his face.

Even after our family moved away from the Army houses and closer to the centre of Bonnyrigg, my brother and I would walk the mile or so to the "disco". I even got a kiss one night, but not from Teresa; this Lothario was playing the field albeit one without a big slope and cow dung.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The Cat on "Where the Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 21 February 2010

After the slush and mush of last week's Valentine's Day special, it's back to basics with the usual fun-filled festival of pop 'n' stuff. This week's humble offerings:

Herman's Hermits - No Milk Today (Columbia 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Supremes - The Happening (Motown 1967)
The Marvelettes - Please Mr Postman (Tamla 1961)
Madeline Bell - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (Phillips 1967)
A Band of Angels - Cheat and Lie (Piccadilly 1966)
The Shangri-la's - Bull Dog (Red Bird 1965)
The Spencer Davis Group - I Can't Stand It (Fontana 1964)
Billie Davis - School Is Over (Columbia 1964) (Connect 3)
The Charmettes - School Letter (mono) (Federal 1959) (Connect 3)
The Langley Schools Music Project - Help Me Rhonda (Bar-None 2001) (Connect 3)
Arthur Alexander - Where Have You Been (London 1962)
Connie Francis - Where The Boys Are (MGM 1960)
Nina Simone - See Line Woman (Phillips 1964) (Birthday: 21/2/33)
Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermint (UNI 1967) RIP Lee Freeman
Wayne Fontana - Something Keeps Calling Me Back (Fontana 1966)
Pat Simon - Small Town (Vogue 1967) (Foreign Language)
Val McKenna - I Can't Believe What You Say (Piccadilly 1965)
The Rustlers - A Matter of Who (Pye 1961) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Gene Chandler - I Fooled You This Time (Checker 1966)
The Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda (alternative single mix) (Capitol 1965) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)
The Beach Boys - Break Away (Capitol 1969) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)
The Action - Come On, Come With Me (Parlophone Year Unknown) RIP Mike Evans
Sharon Tandy - One Way Street (Unreleased/Stax Year Unknown)
The Loving Kind - Ain't That Peculiar (Pye 1966)
The Knack - Good Girls Don't (Capitol 1979) (Under The Influence) RIP Doug Fieger
Everpresent Fullness - Suzi Q (White Whale 1970) RIP Dale Hawkins
The Hit Pack - Never Say No To My Baby (Tamla 1965)
Kim Weston - Just Loving You (Tamla 1963)
Young Blood - Green Light (Pye 1968) (Connect 3)
The Knickerbockers - Sweet Green Fields (Challenge 1967) (Connect 3)
Petula Clark - The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (Pye 1967) (Connect 3)
The Shondells - Special Delivery (King 1963)
Todd Rundgren - Couldn't I Just Tell You (Bearsville 1972)
The Kinks - Australia (Pye 1969) (Two of a Kind)
The Kinks - This Man He Weeps Tonight (Pye 1969) (Two of a Kind)
Marvin Gaye - One More Heartache (Tamla 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, it's good day and good health.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 14 February 2010

All you need is love on my Valentine's Day special. Here are this week's soft pop centres and hard soul bites:

The Love Affair - Everlasting Love (CBS 1968)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Billie Davis - Love (Decca 1970)
The Mamas and the Papas - Words of Love (RCA/Dunhill 1966)
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Third Finger, Left Hand (Gordy 1967)
Margo Guryan - I Love (Unreleased 1967)
Annette Funicello - Train of Love (Buena Vista 1960)
The Lovelites - I Found Me A Lover (Bandera 1970)
Billy Joe Royal - Hearts Desire (Columbia 1966) (Connect 3)
Hearts of Stone - If I Could Give You The World (VIP 1970) (Connect 3)
Gary Lewis & The Playboys - My Hearts Symphony (Liberty 1966) (Connect 3)
Barbara Ruskin - The Light of Love (Piccadilly 1966)
Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (Soul 1965)
Tim Buckley - Once Upon A Time (Unreleased 1967) (Birthday: 14/2/47)
The Shirelles - What Is Love? (Scepter 1967)
Brenda Holloway - Favour for a Girl (With a Love Sick Heart) (Motown 1964)
Sylvie Vartan - Donne Moi Ton Amour (Gimme Some Loving) (RCA 1967) (Foreign Language)
The Action - Love Is All (Unreleased 1967/1968)
The Packabeats - Evening in Paris (Pye 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Darlene Love - Strange Love (Philles 1964)
Bobby Hebb - Love Love Love (Phillips 1972)
The Beach Boys - Please Let Me Wonder (Capitol 1965) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - P)
The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Brother/Reprise 1971) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - P)
The Four Tops - Standing In The Shadows of Love (Tamla Motown 1967)
The Monkees - Love To Love (Unreleased 1967)
Aberfeldy - Love Is An Arrow (Rough Trade 2004) (Under The Influence)
Petula Clark - My Love (Pye 1965)
The Hollies - Too Young To Be Married (Parlophone 1970)
The Turtles - Guide for the Married Man (White Whale 1967)
The Holy Mackerel - Wildflowers (Reprise 1968) (Connect 3)
The Beatstalkers - Rain Coloured Roses (CBS 1968) (Connect 3)
The Jaynetts - Cry Behind The Daisies (demo) (Unreleased 1964) (Connect 3)
Glenda Collins - Head Over Heels In Love (Decca 1961)
Jackie Lee - Your Other Love (Unreleased 1966)
Love - The Daily Planet (Elektra 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Love - Hey Joe (Elektra 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Rose Valentine - I've Gotta Know Right Now (RCA Victor 1967)
April Stevens - Lovin' Valentine (Atco 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, it's good day and good health.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 7 February 2010

Time flies when you're having fun and we'll already into February. It's back to our normal mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown and alternative music from the late 50s to the early 70s. Here are this week's tasty musical morsels:

The Casuals - Jesamine (Decca 1968)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Claudine Clark - Party Lights (Chancellor 1962)
The Walker Brothers - (Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me (Philips 1966)
The Jewells - Smokie Joe's (King 1967)
Heinz - Questions I Can't Answer (Columbia 1964)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion (Tamla Motown 1968)
The Teardrops - Tears Come Running (Saxony/Musicor 1964)
Goldie & The Gingerbreads - Sailor Boy (Decca 1966) (Connect 3)
Petula Clark - Sailor (Pye 1961) (Connect 3)
The Zippers - My Sailor Boy (Hickory 1964) (Connect 3)
Glenda Collins - I Lost My Heart at the Fairground (HMV 1963)
Badfinger - Now Matter What (Apple 1970)
King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew (Atco 1967) (Birthday: 7/2/34 King Curtis, saxophonist)
The Jelly Beans - How Fine Can One Guy Be (Unreleased, Year Unknown)
Barry Ryan - Eloise (MGM 1968)
The Searchers - Mais C'Etait un Reve (It's All Been a Dream) (Vogue 1965) (Foreign Language)
The Honeycombs - Something Better Beginning (Pye 1965)
The Tornados - Life on Venus (German version) (Decca 1968) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Julie Grant - Don't Ever Let Me Down (Pye 1963)
Barbara Mason & The Tiffanys - Trouble Child (Crusader 1964)
The Beach Boys - Only With You (Capitol 1972) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - O)
The Beach Boys - Our Car Club (Capitol 1963) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - O)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - In and Out of Love (Tamla Motown 1968)
The Small Faces/PP Arnold - (If You Think You're) Groovy (Immediate 1968)
The Small Ads - Small Ads (Bronze 1981) (Under The Influence)
The Utopias - Sally Bad (Fortune 1965)
Dusty Springfield - I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten (Philips 1968)
Emitt Rhodes - Ever Find Yourself Running (ABC Dunhill 1970)
PP Arnold - Angle of the Morning (Immediate 1968) (Connect 3)
Margo Guryan - Something's Wrong With The Morning (Unreleased, Year Unknown) (Connect 3)
Episode Six - Morning Dew (Pye 1967) (Connect 3)
Jackie Lee - Co-Co (Pye 1971)
Joani Camp - His Lips Get In The Way (Unreleased, Year Unknown)
Herman's Hermits - A Must To Avoid (Columbia 1965) (Two of a Kind)
Herman's Hermits - For Your Love (Columbia 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Simon Dupree & The Big Sound Authority - I See The Light (Parlophone 1966)
The Searchers - Goodnight Baby (Pye 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week it's our Valentine's Day special. All love, hearts, flowers etc. Until then, it's good day and good health.