KEEP ON PUSHING
EPISODE 7

From Studio C Chicago, it's "Keep On Pushing," a motley and mind-expanding exploration of the Sixties, with plenty of air time given to pop, soul, British Invasion, blues, bossa nova, Broadway, jazz, lounge, film music, folk music, garage rock, country, and more.  I'm Andy Miles, and this is Aretha Franklin with The Ray Bryant Combo.

Aretha Franklin with The Ray Bryant Combo “Wont’ Be Long” (1961)

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass “Casino Royale” (1967)

Spirit “Girl In Your Eye” (1968)

Bobbie Gentry “Eleanor Rigby” (1968)

That's Bobbie Gentry with her version of "Eleanor Rigby," one of three Lennon and McCartney covers Gentry did on her well-received 1968 "Local Gentry" album. She was a Capitol Records labelmate of The Beatles.

Spirit before that with a song called "Girl In Your Eye," also from 1968.

From 1967 we heard Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass with their instrumental hit "Casino Royale Theme," written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach for the 1967 film "Casino Royale."

And Aretha Franklin with The Ray Bryant Combo from 1961, "Won't Be Long," the lead track on Franklin's debut album "Aretha," also known as "Right Now It's Aretha."  She was just 18 years old when she traveled to New York City to record the album for Columbia Records in the summer of 1960. The LP failed to chart, but "Won't Be Long" became her first hit, reaching the number seven position on Billboard's R&B chart.   

And you're listening to "Keep On Pushing."  I'm Andy Miles.  Thanks for joining me.  Lots of good stuff on the way, including Sly & The Family Stone, Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, The Hollies, Donald Byrd, and this from Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (1965)

The Walker Brothers “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” (1966)

The Hollies “King Midas In Reverse” (1967)

Sly & The Family Stone “Somebody’s Watching You” (1969)

"Somebody's Watching You" is the song, Sly & The Family Stone the band. 1969 was the year, "Stand!" the album. The band's occasional backup singing group was called Little Sister and they released the song on their own the following year, scoring a modest hit. They don't sing on the version we just heard, though they did contribute vocals to other tracks on the "Stand!" album, including the title track and "Everyday People."

Before that The Hollies with "King Midas In Reverse," a top 20 single in the U.K. In America it climbed to number 51 on the pop chart.

We heard The Walker Brothers with their 1966 top 20 Billboard hit "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," which was first recorded the year before by Frankie Valli. The band and that song are often packaged on British pop compilations, due to the Brothers relocating to England in 1965. They were neither British nor brothers.

Johnny Cash at the top of the set performing his cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," which Dylan had put out in 1962. Cash released his version in '65.

From Studio C Chicago this is "Keep On Pushing."  I'm Andy Miles.   Next up it’s Kenny Rogers & The First Edition.

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town” (1969)

Love “Alone Again Or” (1967)

Garnet Mimms “Looking For You” (1965)

Henry Mancini & His Orchestra “Arabesque” (1966)

Big finish! That's music from the 1966 film "Arabesque," composed by Henry Mancini and performed by his orchestra. The movie starred Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren and was directed by Stanley Donen, whose previous film had been another romantic comedy/spy thriller with music by Henry Mancini, the much better known "Charade."

Garnet Mimms before that; the song was "Looking For You." Mimms's best known record is "Cry Baby," which Janis Joplin turned into a major hit in 1970.

We heard the band Love with "Alone Again Or," the opening track and lead single from their "Forever Changes" album. 1967 was the year. 

And Kenny Rogers & The First Edition at the top of the set doing the 1969 hit "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town." The song went top 10 on a dozen charts in the U.S. and abroad.

This is "Keep On Pushing."  I'm Andy Miles.  We’re going to keep on pushing with one last set; it starts with The Association.

The Association “One Too Many Mornings” (1965)

Milton James “My Lonely Feeling” (1966)

Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy “Magazine Lady” (1967)

Bessie Banks “Go Now” (1964)

That's Bessie Banks with the original recording of "Go Now," co-written by Banks's former husband, Larry. Backing vocals on the Lieber and Stoller-produced single come from Dee Dee Warwick and her aunt, Cissy Houston, who was Whitney Houston’s mother.

"Spider" John Koerner & Willie Murphy before that with the song "Magazine Lady."

We heard a 1966 soul single from Milton James, "My Lonely Feeling."

And The Association at the top of the set, their cover of the Bob Dylan song "One Too Many Mornings," which was the band's second single. It went nowhere. But their third single, "Along Comes Mary," hit the top 10 a few months later.

And you've been listening to "Keep On Pushing" from Studio C Chicago.  I'm Andy Miles; thanks so much for listening.  One last song on the show; it’s 1963 jazz from Donald Byrd. Along with Byrd's trumpet, you'll hear Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on piano, and Kenny Burrell on guitar.

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