"Touch Of Gray" by The Grateful Dead.

OK, more 80's one-hit wonders (!): The ONLY commercial hit for this immensely popular band came in '87 with a Garcia/Hunter composition. About aging, "chemicals", overcoming life's tough situations - we'll never know?! Their ONLY Billboard Top Ten Hit and their ONLY MTV music video. It introduced the "mainstream" audience and a whole new generation to their music. Band? Song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmT6udys8Tc

Yesterday's answer: ‎"Witch Doctor" by Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. Advice: "Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang". " The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" was Alvin and The Chipmunks' first recording. And, of course, who can forget "El Medico Brujo"?!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lksIoWfndgk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3NPWuw2WE

"Witch Doctor" by Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.

OK, more 50's one-hit wonders: This '58 smash hit was written and recorded by "David Seville", a pseudonym. A man in love with a woman who ignores him takes "drastic" measures and is given some advice. Recorded in the artist's bathroom taped at double-speed. Mistakenly thought to be Alvin and The Chipmunks' first recording. It topped the Billboard, Cashbox and R&B charts and sold over one million copies. Covered in Spanish by Manuel "El Loco" Valdes. Song? Artist? For extra credit - advice?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lksIoWfndgk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q3NPWuw2WE

Yesterday's answer: "Take A Letter, Maria" by R. B. Greaves. Tony Orlando and Dawn did a cover and actually many thought it was the original. Remember stenos?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1abTKsAhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1abTKsAhc

"Take A Letter, Maria" by R. B. Greaves.

OK, more 60's TWO-hit wonders (?!): A Georgetown, Guyana native of mixed ancestry, Ronald Bertram Aloysius Greaves III composed and recorded his first hit in '69. He was Sam Cooke's nephew. A businessman learns of his wife's infidelity and dictates to his steno before asking her out. It peaked at #2, stayed in the charts for 15 weeks and was RIAA Certified Gold. He had another Top 40 (#27) hit the following year. Doug Stone's '99 cover hit #45 on the Country charts. Artist? Song? Second hit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1abTKsAhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1abTKsAhc

Yesterday's answer: "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer". I'm partial to Joan Baez's version - from the heart!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPtkwhsaOI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aejQHbet5YY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idXLnuCsirg

"Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer"

OK, back to the 70's: Stevie Wonder co-wrote this '71 moving, heart-wrenching ballad with his late ex-wife Syreeta Wright. A failed love affair likened to the changing of the seasons. Peaked at #78. Masterfully covered by Joan Baez in '75 as well as by Three Dog Night, Phil Collins and Lauryn Hill. Featured on the '93 Janet Jackson film "Poetic Justice" soundtrack. A tearful Stevie Wonder sang it for his friend Michael Jackson at his Memorial Service.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxPtkwhsaOI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aejQHbet5YY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idXLnuCsirg

Yesterday's answer: "Surf City" by Jan & Dean. Or, as Belinda Carlisle would have it, "Two boys for every girl!"! We had the privilege of seeing Jan & Dean live in '79 opening for McGuinn, Clark & Hillman at the Valley Forge Music Fair - what a thrill!http://www.youtube.com/wat...ch?v=AxMyFe81FUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KkSQpV8WV4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP5pjan45ZA

"Surf City" by Jan & Dean.

OK, back to the 60's: Brian Wilson penned this surf classic in '60 as "Goody Connie Won't You Come Back Home". He "gave" it to Jan Berry and Dean Torrence who altered it and gave it its well-known name. Their '63 recording topped the pop charts for 2 weeks and peaked at #3 on the R&B charts (!). First surf song to hit #1 on Billboard. Through Dean's efforts, Huntington Beach, CA has been nicknamed after this song and at least 65 of its businesses incorporate the title in their names. Covered by The Ramones and by The Go-Go's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxMyFe81FUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KkSQpV8WV4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP5pjan45ZA

Yesterday's answer: "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" by The Spaniels. Some say "goodnight", others "goodnite" - we'll never know. How do you spell the bass line intro phonetically? (To-toro, to-tum?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egX9N8yOgaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5szouJfKfeI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRdYHuFD0k

"Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" by The Spaniels.

OK, more 50's one-hit wonders: This Gary, Indiana doo-wop/R&B quintet started out as Pookie Hudson and The Hudsonaires while its members were still in high school. They changed their name shortly after graduation. Their one hit was a '53 Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson/Calvin Carter composition released in '54 which peaked at #24 Pop and at #5 R&B. The McGuire Sisters' "white" cover version sold even better. First successful midwestern R&B group, first vocal group to incorporate tap into their routine and first vocal group to give the lead singer his own microphone. Famous doo-wop bass line intro. Used by Sha Na Na as the closing number during their 70's TV show. Part of the "American Graffiti" and "3 Men And A Baby" soundtracks. Members of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. "Pookie" died of cancer in Des Moines in '07. Group? Hit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egX9N8yOgaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5szouJfKfeI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRdYHuFD0k

Yesterday's answer: Darlene Love. "Today I Met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnHujxAVBI4

"Today I Met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" by Darlene Love.

OK, back to the 60's: This Hawthorne, CA native will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame later on this month. She joined the Blossoms under Phil Spector in '62 while still in high school. Her biggest SOLO hit came in '63 with a Powers/Greenwich/Spector composition which peaked at #39. Spector paid her $3,000 for the rights to the song. She played Danny Glover's wife on all 4 "Lethal Weapon" movies. Artist? Solo hit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnHujxAVBI4

Yesterday's answer: "Something In The Way She Moves" by James Taylor. Quite possibly my fave JT tune. The guitar work is beyond sublime. Check out JT's James Olson guitar on the video - HEAVEN! (Of course, I might be just a little biased towards Olsons!). It inspired George to write "Something".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKyRuSoQ0Qo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbPdNcJaj2A