Monday, February 23, 2015

50 Year Flashback - February 23rd, 1965

This week we're off to New Hampshire where, just as we told you they would a couple of weeks ago, The Beatles sit on top of the chart again with their latest US Release "Eight Days A Week" / "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party".  (This record would not be released as a single back home in England and, incredibly, it's already topping this WKBR Chart the same week it is premiering on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart!  And it leaps to #1 from the #11 spot it held the week before!)

Both tracks were available on the British Album "Beatles For Sale", as were "Words Of Love" and "Kansas City", shown as the #11 Hit this week as "unavailable".  That's because those two tracks would wind up on the Capitol Records release counterpart "Beatles VI" a few months later, along with the aforementioned #1 single.  (Here in The States, "Beatles '65" was the album of choice at the time ... and it included their previous #1 Record "I Feel Fine" / "She's A Woman".)

Check out the #6 Hit ... it's by Boston Red Sox Outfielder Tony Conigilaro, who scored a nice-sized, regional hit with "Why Don't They Understand".  (Although this one never made the Billboard Chart, it "bubbled under" in Cash Box Magazine at #121.  Another local hit, "Little Red Scooter", is also quite a collectible record.)

Tony was a VERY popular player with The Red Sox and sort of an all-around playboy and ladies man at the time, even dating actress Mamie Van Doren.



Last week's WGLI chart showed "Red Roses For A Blue Lady" charting as an instrumental hit for Bert Kaempfert ... this week's WKBR Chart shows the vocal hit by Wayne Newton at #7.  (Vic Dana would also have a hit record with this tune in many markets.  Nationally, his would be the biggest hit version.)