Mr. Oldie Knows!

our very own Mike Marvin shares his vast knowledge and in depth perspectives of all your favorite songs and artists every time you email him...

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You've Got Questions...I've Got Answers! MM

I'm trying to find the version of Abraham, Martin & John where they asked children question about prejudice.  Was this an album or 45?  GEZ

GEZ:

That version of "Abraham, Martin & John was by Tom Clay released in 1971. An interesting arrangement of "Abraham, Martin & John" coupled with "What The World Needs Now", combined with news actualities. The part where children are asked about prejudice was taken from an actual public service announcement promoting racial tolerance. The record was issued on MoWest, Motown's short lived susidiary. It was released on an album, but it has been deleted. It was issued as a 45 and made  the top ten in late Summer 1971. The first CD issue was on one of those Hard To Find Motown CDs.  Judging from the title of that CD, the song may be a tough find. Good luck. MM

I would like to know who sang "All These Things". It was played on your station 3-18 around 12:45pm. My sister and I have been straining our brains and can't come up with it.Thanks                                                   

Donna from Louisville

Hi Donna: "All These Thngs" is by Joe Stampley & The Uniques, a group from Spring Hill, Louisiana. It was a huge regional hit in the South. It was number one in Louisville in July, 1966. Joe Stampley later became a country star and redid "All These Things" in 1976. That version topped the country charts. Our sister station Big Cat 1055 WLVK plays that version. Thank you for your email.

When Elvis entered the Army in '57, what was done to keep his legions of fans happy, knowing he would not be recording from that time until his discharge in '60? 

Elvis recorded enough material before his Army stint to keep RCA busy. As a matter of fact, in the summer of 1958, he went to Nashville on furlough and recorded five songs. Among them is one of my faves with "A Big Hunk Of Love" with its somewhat demented piano solo by Floyd Cramer. I read that Elvis was worried that his career had been derailed by his Army tour. But when "Stuck On You" became his first post Army chart topper, that fear was put to rest.

Do you know who recorded the song "My Groovy Baby," and the year it was released?  Thanks

Tim Waits Taylorsville, Ky. 

Tim: 

"My Groovy Baby" was recorded by one time WAKY dj Tom Dooley along with his group The Lovelights.  Released on TRX records, It was number one on the old WAKY around September, 1968.  Thank you for your e-mail. 

Hello, Who sings The Haunted House Song that is played on WAKY?  

David Carroll

David:

Haunted House" was recorded by Jumpin' Gene Simmons, not to be confused with the Kiss guy. It was the only hit for this gentlemen from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis's birthplace. Thank you for your e-mail. 

You guys played a song Friday morning the 26th (maybe Thursday, but I'm pretty sure Friday) and it was the last song played before Paul Harvey's mid-day news.
The chorus line is "Ain't no woman gonna play no games with me" repeated twice. It's a monotone kind of song with a driving beat. I hadn't heard it in years until you guys played it that day.Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Lindley

Hi Lindley: The song is "Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Game With Me) by Crow, a hard rocking brassy group from one of our country's more colder reaches, Minneapolis. This song came out in 1969.  A year later, they had a record that was number one in Louisville called "Cottage Cheese".  I don't know what has happened to this group. But their material is extremely hard to find.  Thank you for your e-mail 

I heard a song this afternoon, but I can't think of the name of it for nothing.  A man has a flat outside a Diner and say's "I reached up and kicked ol green teeth right in the knee." Can you help?   I love your station.   Thanks!  Joe

Mike: Hi Joe, The song is "Uneasy Rider" which made the top ten on the pop charts in the summer of 1973. The song was number one on the old WAKY. Thank you your e-mail.

Was listening this afternoon. A song was on that had the words How Do you
Do & Your the one I'm living for. Driving me crazy, what is the song and artist?

Thanks,
MLW, JHS '66

Mike: The song is "How Do You Do?" by a dutch duo Mouth & Macneil.  That was a
top ten hit in America in the summer of 1972. However it topped the music
charts in England. Most pop songs in Europe has what's called "hooks".
"Hooks" are musical elements that really grabs your attention. They get
caught in our mental juke boxes. A prime example of hooks galore is almost
any song by  the Swedish supergroup Abba.

On Saturday afternoon August 18  around 2pm you all played a song that I had never heard and I laughed so hard I couldn't stand it.  The song talked about tying some girl up.  Could you please tell me the name of the song and the artist?

Mike: Hi Debra: This song is called "Along Came Jones" by the Coasters, a Los Angeles rhythm & blues group. The song was released in the spring of 1959, and went top ten.  This group is famous for comedy routines set to a rock and roll beat. Among their other songs that you can laugh and dance to are "Charlie Brown" and "Yakety Yak". The Coasters had ten top forty hits between 1957 and 1961, and the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Tuesday night about 9:28. It had a circus sound and there was a line in it about a high wire.  Could you tell me the name of the song and who sang it?

Mike: Hi Tom: The song is "The Show Must Go On", a song co-written by Leo Sayer later of "Long Tall Glasses" and "You Make Me Feel Like Dancin' " semi-fame. It was recorded by Three Dog Night and made top five in the spring of 1974.  Thank you for your e-mail. MM 

when did waky operate in Louisville; when did the call signs go to the
other Kentucky location? it is great  having you back. wife and I both listen constantly. Test question for you.........what rock group performed "popsicle".  This
song would be appropriate right now if you have it. I do and love hearing
it.Please let me know your answer(or guess).No cheating allowed! Please
let me know if you will play it. Again, we love WAKY.  It was very good
seeing the various djs, and management at the wednesday night fair oldies
show! Very enjoyable evening! Thank you WAKY!  John Murphy of Louisville

Mike: Waky began its rock and roll top forty era in 1958, and continued to be the
top rock and roll station till well into the mid 70s.  With the advent of
FM, WAKY along with other AM stations lost their audiences.  In the late
70s, WAKY changed their on-air approach and music to something more "laid
back".  On March 1982, WAKY changed to an oldies format, trying to recapture
its glory days. But it didn't work. On August 31st, 1986 WAKY became no
more, with the classic call letter given to a station in Greensburg,
Kentucky, a town located about forty miles from Elizabethtown. Well WAKY's
back!!! The song "Popsicle" was by Jan & Dean and was released in 1966.
There's another "Popsicle" song that came out in late 1963. "Popsicles &
Icicles" by the Murmaids, a one hit wonder.  You might call the station
during the noon hour and request that song.   Thank you for the e-mail and
glad you've enjoyed the concert.  MM


What group does   Pass around the six pack?  That may not be the tittle, but is part of the song.  It starts out don't want no marijuana or LSD, just want plenty of beer, it also has reference to Louisville, Ky. in it.
Thanks,
Garry Montgomery

Mike:  Hi Garry and Pam: The song is "Come On Back To Beer" by The Oxfords, a Lousville group.  It was number one in the Derby City during the summer of 1970.

I am curious as to what the name of the song that was being played at 5:50 pm today the 28th.  It's all instrumental and you hear it at high school bands at games.  Thanks for your help.

Justin J. Weaver

Mike: Hi Justin:  The song is called "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles & Company. This record has a strange history. The tune was orginally "Love Is All RIght", which is the same music track with a vocal.  The group did not have enough money to do a second song as a "B" side. So "Love Is All Right" was used as that back side, with only the instrumental tracks,  and re-titled as "The Horse". Well Mike Harvey, the current host of "Supergold" claimed he was the first DJ to play that wrong side by mistake, and "The Horse" became a number two  hit in the spring of 1968. He further stated he received a gold record for playing that song. Thank you for the e-mail  MM

Hello Mr. Marvin, I hope you can help me identify a song.  I could have called the studio and sung it for you, but no one would have wanted that.  It is from the mid-60's;  and part of it goes, "Come tomorrow, I'll be older.... come tomorrow, maybe a soldier... come tomorrow,  I'll be bolder, than today..." It also contains a line about "not destroying the land," or something like that.  Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated.  I tried a google search but came up empty. Thanks, Peggy Ray

Mike: Dear Peggy Ray: The song is "Shapes of Things" by the Yardbirds. The record came out in the spring of 1966 and almost made the top ten. If you're looking for the song, there have been and hopefully still are several Yardbirds compilations out there. One in particular is on Rhino, which was issued in 1989. I don't know that is still in print. Also there were two two-disc sets on Sony, released about 1991. Again there is the question of availability on that. Also there was a comprehensive box set on the group. Good luck in finding it. Thank you for the e-mail. Have a good day.

You play a song that I love by' Oliver' I think you said,the title is  "Tomasito" or something like that. Anyway it goes " I never met A girl like you in my lifetime". I have searched all over and can't find it so I must have got the wrong artist or something. Can you help me Mike?   Thanks

Mike:  The song is "Suavacito" by Malo. It came out in early 1972 and made the top 20. I recorded that to our system from one of those "Have A Nice Day" Cds. This was a series put out by Rhino, which chronicles one hit and sometimes two hit wonders of the 70s. I do not know if they are still available. Thank You for your e-mail.

Hi, I was thinking back about the old WAKY radio & remembering when a song was played, the radio host would always tell the name of the song & artist. Why is it that they don't do that anymore??? There are times when I hear a song that I really like & would want to know the name of it. I'm so glad that WAKY was brought back! I listen to it in the car & at home before going to sleep at night. Thanks, Laura

Mike: Hi Laura: Radio has changed a lot over the years. Everyone has taken the more music, less talk. Let's do this. If you hear a song on WAKY and you don't hear us front or back announce it, just e-mail me with the date and time you heard it, and I'll track it down. Thank you for the kind words.

Early Wednesday or Thursday around 4:30 a. m, I heard a version of I'm so lonesome I could cry.  It was not Hank Williams. Who was it, it was awesome. Where can I get a copy of this recording?

Mike: The version of the Hank Williams classic is by B.J. Thomas which went top ten in early 1966. There was an excellent greatest hits package on him released on Rhino records in 1993. But I do not if that is still available. You might try ordering it through Avatar Records in Radcliff. The phone number there is (270) 351-6075. Thank you for the e-mail and good luck. 

I don't know if WAKY keeps a list of songs played on a certain day, but today 6/6/07 between 1:30 and 1:33 a song was played that I have know clue as to find out the name and artist of the song.  The song is all instrumental and I have only heard it three times in my life and it has always been on your radio station.  If you can help me out by finding out what was played I would appreciate it.

Mike: The song is "A Taste of Honey" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. It made the top ten in the fall of 1965. It was one of the first records I got for Christmas that year. Aaah what memories! Thank you for the e-mail.

Good morning

Within the last two days you guys played the song “Resurrection Shuffle”.

Who sings that song?

Thanks J

Mike: The song "Resurrection Shuffle" is by Ashton, Gardner and Dyke.  It was a top forty national hit but was top ten in Louisville around September 1971.