Jan 2 Playlist + An Amazing Factoid Or Two

http://wvkr.radioactivity.fm/playlist.html?djoid=1633&date=01-02-2009

Happy New Year, you wonderful listeners. Your loyalty and enthusiasm keeps me coming back week after week with what I always hope are innovative ways to listen to the music of our past.

Commencing Memorial Day 2006, I started taking a weekly look back at the hits (and more often than not: misses) of 40 years ago.

In 1967, there were 322 singles that reached their peak position on the Billboard Top 40 charts that year. I played 286 of those in 2007 or all but 36.

In 2008, I did even better. Out of the 277 records to make the Top 40, I played 269 or all but 8! Wow!

In addition, over the year (including today's show), I played another 230 singles that reached the Billboard TOP ONE HUNDRED for a total of 499 songs from 1968! I think that's quite an achievement. Most Oldies shows, even on satellite, would shy away from Tiny Tim, Pigmeat Markham, Claudine Longet, The Archies (unless it's "Sugar Sugar") but The Lost And Found Oldies Show brought you all these artists and so many more. Songs you never thought you'd hear again and some that could comfortably wait another 40 years to resurface.

And let's not forget the great LP cuts, R & B records and regional songs played from the great '68 over the past year. Where else can you hear such variety????

Actually, I was planning to play 500 Billboard Hot 100 Hits from 1968. The plan was to play the last Number One song of 1968 and then "miraculously" find another '68 single in my bag making it the magic 500. But I brought the wrong CD by the #1 song's performer which meant I really DID play only 499 Billboard hits from 1968 this past year. Darn!

If you're wondering what Top 40 records from 1968 I did NOT play, here they are:

#39 B B King--Paying The Cost To Be Boss ( I should have borrowed a copy from Nick or Doug!)
#39 Bull & The Matadors--The Funky Judge ( But I played THREE versions of "Here Come The Judge"!)
#39 Roger Miller--Little Green Apples (But I played O C Smith's more successful version!)
#36 Billy Vera & Judy Clay--Country Girl City Man ( I have this 45 but it was too scratchy to play on the air)
#35 Etta James--Security (Great tune, wish I had it!)
#33 Andy Williams--Battle Hymn Of The Republic ( umm...not sure I'd play it even if I had it.)
#31 James Brown--Goodbye My Love (Oddly enough not on JB's 4 disc set "Soul Time.")
#31 Peaches & Herb--Two Little Kids (Not big on P & H's 60s output anyway. They're an act who improved with age ala "Reunited" and "Shake Your Groove Thing" in 1979.

Pretty impressive huh? I'm considering making the "Forty Years Ago" segment a once-monthly thing, probably coinciding with Primitive George's always awesome GarageARockARamaPaLooza the first Friday of the month. I'm ready to shake things up a bit.

Let me know your thoughts at lostoldies@yahoo.com Thanks for listening and Happy New Year!

Sammy