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mike sparrow MusicFan
Joined: 12 November 2004 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline Posts: 17
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Posted: 06 March 2006 at 1:24pm | IP Logged
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This spoken-word record from 1971/72 is one of the few Top 40 Hits from the early 70's not yet available on a domestic CD, but it has just been released on an Ace (UK) import, "Dead! The Grim Reaper's Greatest Hits" (Ace #1100).
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edtop40 MusicFan
Joined: 29 October 2004 Location: United States
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Posted: 06 March 2006 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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thanks for the heads up.....any others you've uncovered???
__________________ edtop40
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Paul C MusicFan
Joined: 23 October 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:10am | IP Logged
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This monstrosity is mono on the Ace CD. The US
commercial 45 is stereo.
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crapfromthepast MusicFan
Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:24am | IP Logged
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Monstrosity? Are you saying that this song is not the feel-good dance hit of the summer?
I honestly can't see how this got any airplay at all in the early '70s. I occasionally play it on my show, and even though I routinely play bad novelty songs, this song still grinds my radio to a halt.
__________________ There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.
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aaronk Admin Group
Joined: 16 January 2005 Location: United States
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:28am | IP Logged
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I recently dubbed the stereo version on the vinyl LP, and it's wider stereo than the 45. Also, the backing track is quite a bit lower on the LP. Lastly, the LP starts with "things get a little easier" panned completely to the left. It's centered on the stereo 45.
__________________ Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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Paul Haney MusicFan
Joined: 01 April 2005
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 9:05am | IP Logged
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Believe it or not, this "song" actually charted twice (1971 & 1974)! Even as a little kid, I found it pretty cringy.
Edited by Paul Haney on 08 September 2020 at 9:06am
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eriejwg MusicFan
Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 10:25am | IP Logged
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Here in Erie, PA, the song ended up being #24 for the
entire year on the WJET Top 50 Of 1971!
Edited by eriejwg on 08 September 2020 at 10:26am
__________________ John Gallagher
John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment
Snapblast Photo Booth
Erie, PA
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Santi Paradoa MusicFan
Joined: 17 February 2009 Location: United States
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 6:24pm | IP Logged
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Good guess that since the last time this song charted it gets little to no spins on commercial or internet radio that still play music from the 70s. Along with "Desiderata" and the Tom Clay medley
of "What The World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John" these three records are probably guaranteed channel changers. Times sure have changed. Love the word Paul C. used to describe this "classic."
Edited by Santi Paradoa on 08 September 2020 at 6:26pm
__________________ Santi Paradoa
Miami, Florida
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eriejwg MusicFan
Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States
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Posted: 08 September 2020 at 7:00pm | IP Logged
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70s on 7 recently spun the Tom Clay selection for a couple
of weeks. I think from time to time they throw in a nugget
or two. I haven't heard Think or Les Crane since 1971
anywhere. And, none of them made the recently aired,
listener voted Top 700 of the 70s.
__________________ John Gallagher
John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment
Snapblast Photo Booth
Erie, PA
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Hykker MusicFan
Joined: 30 October 2007 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1386
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Posted: 10 September 2020 at 5:02am | IP Logged
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eriejwg wrote:
70s on 7 recently spun the Tom Clay
selection for a couple
of weeks. I think from time to time they throw in a
nugget
or two. I haven't heard Think or Les Crane since 1971
anywhere. And, none of them made the recently aired,
listener voted Top 700 of the 70s. |
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I'm not sure I'd call any of these songs a "nugget",
though they all were somewhat topical in their day.
Songs like these generally have a very short shelf
life.
As for "Once You Understand", those of us of a certain
age remember the so-called "generation gap" of that
era which seemed unbridgeable at the time so the
record did resonate with many.
I have no idea why it was reissued in 1974...it
sounded very out of place then.
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Paul Haney MusicFan
Joined: 01 April 2005
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Posted: 10 September 2020 at 7:58am | IP Logged
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According to a story in Cash Box, WRKO-AM in Boston started playing the record again in January 1974 and other stations
started picking up on it too. Big Tree purchased the master from Laurie and the record once again charted in early
March 1974.
Edited by Paul Haney on 10 September 2020 at 7:59am
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Hykker MusicFan
Joined: 30 October 2007 Location: United States
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Posted: 10 September 2020 at 8:32am | IP Logged
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Huh. Just checked my WRKO surveys, and indeed it was on
their chart for 7 weeks, peaking at #16 in mid-Feb.
Don't EVER recall hearing it though...maybe it was
dayparted. Seems an odd record to go out on a limb for
on a station that had as tight of a playlist as WRKO did
around that time.
Somewhere I think I have the Big Tree reissue.
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AdvprosD MusicFan
Joined: 12 June 2020 Location: United States
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Posted: 10 September 2020 at 7:16pm | IP Logged
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Holy Jamolie!
I remember this from back then. I just looked it up on Youtube and remembered. I couldn't place the song just by reading about it here, so naturally I had to look... Ugh! Some things are better left forgotten!
__________________ <Dave> Someone please tell I-Heart Radio that St. Louis is not known as The Loo!
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FrankG MusicFan
Joined: 31 March 2019
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Posted: 11 September 2020 at 7:15pm | IP Logged
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My other creepy/odd "favorite" from this time is "D.O.A"
by Bloodrock. That one creeps me the hell out. lol. I
can kind of handle the mawkishness of "Once You
Understand" compared to "D.O.A". For my old-timer radio
friends out there, did "D.O.A" actually get much airplay
when it hit the top 40?
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Yah Shure MusicFan
Joined: 11 December 2007 Location: United States
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Posted: 11 September 2020 at 9:54pm | IP Logged
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FrankG wrote:
Did "D.O.A" actually get much airplay when it hit the top 40? |
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See this separate "D.O.A." thread
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