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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 3 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Accuracy of Top 40 Playlists
From: Clark Besch
2. Re: "Pamela Jean" - damaged master?
From: Bob Wallis
3. New Hope / Kit Kats
From: Various
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 05:36:12 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Accuracy of Top 40 Playlists
Jim, First, you are assuming radio charts were based on sales. Many
wrote that they were indeed based on sales, requests, record store
reports, and the radio staff themselves' opinion or one or a
combination of these or other factors. Certainly, these charts could
be manipulated by deejays, program directors, fans of a particular
group all calling in requests, someone at a record store payed off to
give bogus reports to not only stations, but Billboard, Cashbox,
etc. Record men could even go into stores they knew were being
surveyed by stations or magazines and literally buy the records to
get sales reports and higher positions.
So, were Top 40 charts correct? They may not have been, but they
were all we had to go by. Certainly better than basing a top 40 on
MTV video countdown, right?
In the mid 60's, Billboard had a front page article on irate Chicago
retailers who were angry at WLS for putting a record on their top 40
then removing it the next week. WCFL listed a Top 20, plus a non-
prioritized "Sound 10 stairway" below. When I asked my buddy, the
late great WCFL DJ, Barney Pip, about this, he merely stated that CFL
had the right idea. He claimed that below the top 20 sellers, it was
impossible to correctly list the records and it was even hard to do
11-20! With WLS listing 40, they risked stores dropping their
playlists because of returning too many 45s to distributors because
they were quickly off the chart. So, stations had some reputations
to worry about when making these charts as well. Hope this helps.
Clark
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 19:10:14 -0000
From: Bob Wallis
Subject: Re: "Pamela Jean" - damaged master?
thirteen_eagle wrote:
> Now that I've got the Brian Wilson "Pet Projects" CD, I've noticed
> that the song "Pamela Jean" by the Survivors seems to be cut off at
> the opening; it starts with "A-wap-a-wa-da-doo...". Other releases
> on the "Summer Means Fun" and "Pebbles" (boot) LPs sound the same.
> The "Still I Dream of You" boot comp, however (disc dub?) has the
> complete "Wap-a-wap-a-wa-da-doo" opening. Is the master tape damaged?
I made the same observations about 'Pamela Jean' on this very same
list when Pet Projects first came out and was told that the record
company used the master just as it came from Capitol and that the
initial "Wop" that you hear on "Still I Dream of You" bootleg was
edited in.
BW
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Admin Note:
This matter has been discussed previously. Please let us not repeat
ourselves further. This thread is now closed, so please do not
respond to this message. Thank you.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 20:15:54 +0100
From: Various
Subject: New Hope / Kit Kats
Dear Members,
Once again the Kit Kats (aka the New Hope) are under discussion.
They are one of the most talked about acts here at S'pop. For
those interested, and to avoid any further repetition of past
discussions, a search of the archives is advisable. Simply click
here: http://www.spectropop.com/search/index.php and enter "Kit
Kats" or "New Hope" in the search box. In the meantime, for those
who might not have read it all before, here are the most recent
posts:
Al Kooper:
> The New Hope (Jamie 1381): Won't Find Better (Than Me)/They Call
> It Love. A side: 2:32 wr. by Hausman-Stewart / production & sound
> by Mike / Dandelion BMI. B side: 2:30 wr. by Lamp-Apsey/ Rendezvous-
> Tobac-Dandelion BMI (all other credits the same).
>From Jeremy:
Great A-side. The previous version those guys did (when they were
the Kit Kats) might even be better. . .
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>From Julio Niño:
Al, I haven't heard the New Hope version but "Won't Find Better
(Than Me)" was also recorded by The Kit Kats (Jamie 1321/B-side).
I love that song. Chao.
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>From John Sellards:
"Won't Find Better (Than Me)" is one of those songs that gets in my
head and lives there for days...one of those great hooks that
strangely wasn't a bigger hit.
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>From Jerophonic:
I believe New Hope was a later name for the Kit Kats, a Philly/South
Jersey group who made wonderful Turtle-ish singles in the mid-60's,
including Let's Get Lost on a Country Road. The Kit Kats were the
subject of various postings on S'pop a few months back. The lead
singer was a big, bear-like bearded guy who played guitar. They
also charted with a version of Nutrocker, if I'm not mistaken.
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>From Steve Harvey:
The Kit Kats changed their name to New Hope in an attempt get
progressive as the 60s ground to a halt. Their album featured a lot
of their old material redone, some in medleys that mixed 50s rock
and roll styles with their tunes. The highlight was a snippet of a
cover of "Oh My Angel" by Bertha Tillman. For years I wanted to hear
them do the whole thing, but a live tape I'd made of their reunion
concert in the 80s was as close as I got. Luckily it was included in
their double CD, It's About Time, which Jamie released a couple of
years ago. Great Cd and is currently making it's rounds in the cutout
bins, so grab it while you have the chance.
Unfortunately, Kit Stewart, died with little fanfare a couple of
years ago. Their "Let's Get Lost On A Country Road" was right up
there with "Alone Again Or" and (insert tune of your choice) as hits
that shoulda bin! I did an interview years ago with Kit when he was
selling vegetables near Chester, PA.
Cool guy.
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>From Fred Clemens:
I first heard the song, "Won't Find Better (Than Me)", over WFIL in
1969, picking up their signal in eastern central New Jersey. The
group was noted then as being "formerly known as the Kit Kats".
As the Kit Kats, they first recorded the song in 1966, also on the
Jamie label. It was their debut release for the label, but their
third record, having previously released a record on the Lawn label
in 1964, and one on Laurie before that in 1963. In 1966, another
Philly-located group picked up on it and recorded it later in the
year (October?). That group was the Elusives, and their's was
released on the Philips label titled as "You Won't Find Better Than
Me". This was more of a garage band type sound.
The writers were founding members of the original group, Karl (aka
Carl) Hausmann and Carson "Kit" Stewart. Kit Stewart has since passed
on, but Karl has been known to make regular appearances at Hershey
Park in Pennsylvania, and may be still doing so.
Of all the versions of the song, I feel the New Hope's version is the
best, as the 'sound' is more refined. My favorite Kit Kats song is
their classic "Let's Get Lost On A Country Road", which they would re-
record as the New Hope.
I don't FEEL sick...
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>From Billy G. Spradlin:
The New Hope were the renamed Kit Kats from Philadelphia. The strangest
thing is they re-recorded the same song 3 times for the label (in 1966,
1967 and 1970), all versions are on Jamie Records "Its About Time" CD
compilation. Guess they liked it, or were never satisfied with the
arrangement.
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