https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 03 May 2026 11:24:29 +0000 Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:37:50 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.07 360 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=6846 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum//images/Top-40-Music-on-CD-Forum-Logo.png https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64464&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64464 Author: PopArchivist
Subject: 6846
Posted: 29 February 2024 at 3:37pm

CountryPD wrote: It's clear that a significant number of stations played that recording but it's possible that they may have played just one side of that record. Because most stations played music from turntables in 1961, DJ's would have to pause to flip the 45 over or segue to a 2nd copy of the 45 cued up on another turntable. Both scenarios seems unlikely to me. Broadcast tape cartridges were becoming common in many control rooms so it's possible that some stations may have spliced both sides together like the 45prof did for his excellent composite YouTube version. But the 8+ minute duration makes that too seem unlikely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YXKL86H6kU I wondered if Kapp may have released a DJ promo 45 with an edited version or a composite version that combined content from both sides. But it appears that the promo 45 is the same as the commercial 45. The promo copy does list the running time on both sides of the label [A 4:31/ B: 3:39] https://www.discogs.com/release/5668599-Jose-Jimenez-The- Astronaut

I generally believe Paul Haney and Whitburn on this one, if they say it was played as side A and B, then that's what it is. I wasn't around in 1961 to hear it so I have to go with what Whitburn says since he lived in that era.

There was a track in 1955 I believe was almost 6 minutes and Whitburn confirmed at the time, through Paul Haney that the entire 45 was played. It does happen, just not often.]]> Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:37:50 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64464&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64464 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64459&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64459 Author: vanmeter
Subject: 6846
Posted: 28 February 2024 at 9:18am

I'm sure in another 50 years there'll be people scrutinizing the charts of our lives and saying, "Did anybody actually PLAY 'Stand By Me' in 1986? It doesn't sound anything like Madonna!" And they damn sure did!

Edited by vanmeter]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 09:18:02 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64459&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64459 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64458&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64458 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 6846
Posted: 28 February 2024 at 7:01am

It's also possible that stations could have played it directly from the album. Guess we'll never know for certain.]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 07:01:41 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64458&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64458 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64457&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64457 Author: CountryPD
Subject: 6846
Posted: 28 February 2024 at 6:12am

It's clear that a significant number of stations played that
recording but it's possible that they may have played just one
side of that record. Because most stations played music from
turntables in 1961, DJ's would have to pause to flip the 45 over
or segue to a 2nd copy of the 45 cued up on another turntable.
Both scenarios seems unlikely to me.

Broadcast tape cartridges were becoming common in many
control rooms so it's possible that some stations may have
spliced both sides together like the 45prof did for his excellent
composite YouTube version. But the 8+ minute duration makes
that too seem unlikely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YXKL86H6kU

I wondered if Kapp may have released a DJ promo 45 with an
edited version or a composite version that combined content
from both sides. But it appears that the promo 45 is the same as
the commercial 45. The promo copy does list the running
time on both sides of the label [A 4:31/ B: 3:39]

https://www.discogs.com/release/5668599-Jose-Jimenez-The-
Astronaut

Edited by CountryPD]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:12:15 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64457&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64457 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64456&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64456 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 6846
Posted: 28 February 2024 at 4:45am

IMO, the fact that some stations may have reported songs that they didn't actually air has been blown way out of proportion. Did it ever happen?
Of course it did, but for the most part I think the people who put together those surveys were sincere. I know that Bill Gavin would drop a Top
40 reporter if he found out they weren't being truthful to him about what they were actually playing. Since we can't travel back in time and
listen to what was being played (airchecks help somewhat, but they are spotty for the early 1960s), then we must rely on the printed surveys and
what the trades were reporting. The fact that Bill Gavin actually had "The Astronaut" listed at #1 in the nation leads me to believe that the
record was getting significant airplay. I think I've made a pretty strong case for it. If you want to believe otherwise, then there's nothing
more to say about it from my end.

Edited by Paul Haney]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 04:45:34 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64456&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64456 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64455&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64455 Author: eriejwg
Subject: 6846
Posted: 27 February 2024 at 5:18pm

Would this be one of those situations where it was on their
survey but they really didn't play it (I think Doug has
mentioned WLS had certain songs on listed on their surveys
but the songs never aired.)]]> Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:18:17 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64455&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64455 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64443&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64443 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 6846
Posted: 26 February 2024 at 1:33pm

But it wasn't JUST in Boston. Here are some other actual printed radio survey numbers from around the country...

#11 at KDWB in Minneapolis
#2 at KEWB in San Francisco
#5 at KYA in San Francisco
#3 at KFWB in Los Angeles
#6 at KILT in Houston
#3 at KRUX in Phoenix
#1 at KTLN in Denver
#5 at WLS in Chicago
There are plenty of others, this is just a sample.

Now, we can always debate as to the merit of those radio station surveys, but those are some pretty big Top 40 stations at the time.

60+ years after the fact, all we have to go on is those surveys (and the write-ups in the trade papers) and it's clear to me that "The Astronaut" was
getting significant airplay, regardless of its unusual length.]]> Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:33:55 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64443&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64443 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64441&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64441 Author: PopArchivist
Subject: 6846
Posted: 26 February 2024 at 10:56am

Paul Haney wrote: The Gavin Report had "The Astronaut" peaking at #1 for one week on 9/1/61 (in the heading of the chart Gavin explains that "these appear to be the popular records most preferred by radio listeners"). On 6/2/61 Gavin reported that the record was a "smashing success in Boston" and on 6/16/61 he reported "very active listener requests in several areas." Good enough for me!

I just can't wrap my head around an 8 minute plus vocal track being played on radio in 1961 when every song was generally 3-4 minutes tops in that era and even that was pushing it. Play in Boston vs play the rest of the country might be entirely different...]]> Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:56:21 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64441&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64441 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64440&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64440 Author: Paul Haney
Subject: 6846
Posted: 26 February 2024 at 10:53am

The Gavin Report had "The Astronaut" peaking at #1 for one week on 9/1/61 (in the heading of the chart Gavin explains that "these appear
to be the popular records most preferred by radio listeners"). On 6/2/61 Gavin reported that the record was a "smashing success in
Boston" and on 6/16/61 he reported "very active listener requests in several areas." Good enough for me! ]]> Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:53:34 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64440&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64440 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64435&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64435 Author: Hykker
Subject: 6846
Posted: 26 February 2024 at 6:45am

Paul Haney wrote: This record got quite a bit of airplay back in 1961. For example, it made it to #1 on WHIL in Boston and to #2 on KRLA in Los Angeles.

Let's not read too much into that. I don't know how much of a player KRLA was in 1961, but WHIL was anything but. It was a daytimer
licensed to Medford, a suburb of Boston. WBZ, WMEX and WHDH accounted for probably 90% of listening back then. ARSA didn't list any
surveys for either 'BZ or 'MEX for the summer of '61, WHDH was MOR. I suppose if anyone would have played a comedy cut it would have
been them, since at the time most comedy LPs were targeted to adults.
From the meager format description in the Broadcasting yearbook, it appears WHIL was somewhat block-programmed, not unusual for that
time frame. The survey you reference could very well be from a "teen scene" show that ran for a couple hours Saturday afternoon and
not representative of what the station typically played.
And we all know how trustworthy radio charts can be...

While 1961 was a year or so before I started to get into music, I don't remember any stations playing comedy material regularly.
Some
novelty songs, yes, with "songs" being the key word.

Edited by Hykker]]> Mon, 26 Feb 2024 06:45:19 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6846&PID=64435&title=jose-jimenez-the-astronaut-live#64435