BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION, AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
MONTHLY MEETING THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 11th 2017
2:00 PM HOMEWOOD LIBRARY – 1721 OXMOOR ROAD 35209
NEXT MEETING SUNDAY, JULY 9th, 2017 THE SECOND SUNDAY
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
A big thanks and congratulations to last months’ speaker, Andy Millard. Andy’s book is now released and our group was one of the first to have a chance to purchase a copy. I actually saw 7-8 guys sitting in their seats before the meeting started with their copy in their hand and the book was OPEN. We do read around here. Thanks to Andy for being patient enough as he researched material for the book and along the way roadblocks occurred but in the end the book is complete and available.
This month the interesting speakers just keep on coming. Scheduled to be with us will be Phillip Rumore. Those who grew up in the area or lived here anytime during 1949–1982 recognize the Rumore name. Phillip’s dad was WVOK DJ, personality, advertiser, part of everyone’s family, Joe Rumore. His show originated from the Rumore’s family basement and was broadcast over 50,000 watt radio station WVOK. Recently I was fortunate enough to be allowed to visit the basement and see where the show all took place. It was a very exciting moment to stand there and remember all the times I heard Joe say, ‘From our house to your house’. Be sure to be there this Sunday and meet and hear Phillip tell his stories and share his memories. It will be a wonderful time for all.
Also this month, two of our HOF members may drop by to see everyone. Sam Frazier and Country Boy Eddy, who spent over a decade together on Eddy’s TV show may slip in. We hope they can make it.
IN MEMORY OF BRC MEMBER, CLYDE RUTHERFORD
On Tuesday, May 30, long time BRC member passed away. Clyde was very active with the club for over 25 years. Clyde was also active in a ham radio operator club. That group had an annual meeting on the same weekend as our record show so Clyde would spend Saturday with that group and make it to our show on Sunday, always volunteering to help with cleaning up. He also played drums in a band. All that knew him will miss him and his radio handle, wa4jum. Clyde was 70 years old.
POP, LET ME HAVE THE CAR
OK, whether as a teenager or as a dad yourself you either asked to borrow the family car or have heard that question thrown at you. Last month was Mothers’ Day month and we looked at some of the recording stars who had famous mothers. I was going to do the same this month to honor Fathers’ Day but I decided to make a change. I thought we’d check out some songs that were about dads, fathers, pops, etc. There will be some you’ll remember from the radio and some you may never have heard before.
Let’s start with a Carl Perkins song that is the title of this piece, ‘Pop, Let Me Have The Car’. If you ever asked that question dad may have said you will have to fill up the tank. And it took every bit of $3-4 dollars to do so back then – but that was a lot of money then as well. This is a fun song that has that Carl Perkins kind of rockabilly beat and typical teenage lyrics. Taking his baby to the hop and he’ll bring it back without a dent. Fun song from a fun era.
There’s another song very similar to this one from Chuck Berry titled, ‘Dear Dad’. The difference is that Chuck is singing as a son writing his dad for the money to buy another car, a ’62 or ’63 Cadillac was his request. The old ford is just a mess and it’s too dangerous to drive it. The song has the typical Chuck Berry sound and just like the Perkins song above, it’s a fun song from the early rock era. By the way, the letter is signed, ‘Sincerely, your beloved song, Henry Junior Ford’.
There we a few songs about dear old dad that made it to the charts. Paul Peterson had a #6 hit in 1962 with ‘My Dad’. It was a tribute song to a dads written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Of course Paul Peterson was at the time a son on the TV show, ‘The Donna Reed Show’ and the song to his TV dad, Carl Betz, aka, Dr. Alex Stone.
Another father tribute song that made the charts was, ‘Color Him Father’ by the Winstons. Released in 1969 it reached #2, In this case, the song is about a man who married the singers’ widowed mother of seven and was a great father for him down through the years. The Winstons was a bi-racial funk and soul music group. The song received a gold record and won a Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Song.
Marty Robbins had a # 14 country hit with ‘Cigarettes And Coffee Blues’ but it’s the flip we’ll take a look at now. Marty sings about hosting a party for the teenagers on the block in the song ‘Teenager’s Dad’. He says that the rhythm of the songs began running up his spine and even though he’s a little pass thirty (remember those days), he was doing just fine. Everyone wanted to dance with him. I wonder if his own teenager at the party was wishing he would leave the party or enjoyed dear old dad being such a hit with the gang.
Sung to a similar tune of the Crystals, ‘Then He Kissed Me’, the girl group, The Satisfactions recorded ‘Daddy You Just Gotta Let Him In’. The song is about a guy who has to keep ‘out of sight’ because there was trouble on the road and they’re blaming him.
Another girl group sound along the same lines comes from The Petites. They were encouraging their guy to ‘Get Your Daddy’s Car Tonight’. The girls in this one really entice the guy to get that car. Those whose had a daughter probably remember when they reached the dating age. There’s a line from a movie where the father says he daughter can date when she 30. That may have been the wish of many a dad.
The list of songs about fatherhood goes on and on. I’ve dissected just a few but will end by listing just a few others. Maybe you know some of these. Click on the ITALIC ones to listen. Happy Fathers Day!!
Tommy Charles – Hit That Hay, Pop
Elvis – Don’t Cry Daddy
Ray Stevens – My Dad
Darryl Vincent & His Flares– Daddy’s Goin’ Batty
Wayne Newton – Daddy Don’t Walk So Fast
Johnny Cash – Daddy Sang Bass
Loretta Lynn – They Don’t Make ’em Like My Daddy Anymore
BRC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Come join us on Thursday night, June 8 at the Hoover Library to hear 2016 BRC HOF inductee Elnora Spencer perform. It’s a free concert and she beings singing the blues at 6:30.
Another HOF inductee Sam Frazier has ‘put the band back together’ and will begin performing soon. Updates on where you can see Sam and the guys will come soon.
And another of our HOF members, Art Grayson, blues and R&B singer will soon have a new CD out. We hope to have him at a meeting soon to bring some copies to sell and sign.
HEY! HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE? YEAH, IT’S SUMMER
The Chimes
(Chi-Town, this ones for you)
HEY, IT’S SUMMER! WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD THIS HIT?
The Jamies
(# 28 – 1956 & # 38 – 1962)
See ya,
Charlie