Normally I don’t think of these as being “old-time,” but then I don’t think of myself as “old-time” either, and these songs, like me, date back fifty years or more. Mostly they come from the rhythm-and-blues side of things, though there are some pure-pop tunes sprinkled here or there for balance — or at least enough balance to justify not having to throw in any Eddie Fisher records, which were huge hits and which leave me cold as a cod. As for the young lady in the photo, I don’t think she’s really playing the piano: how could she work the pedals?

Track listing for 111127-2:

1. Wynonie Harris: Good Rockin’ Tonight
2. The Drifters: Money Honey
3. Ruth Brown: Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean
4. The Chords: Sh-Boom
5. Anton Karas: The Third Man Theme
6. The Orioles: Crying in the Chapel
7. The ’5′ Royales: Baby Don’t Do It
8. Faye Adams: Shake a Hand
9. Arthur Godfrey: Slap ‘er Down Again, Paw
10. The Crows: Gee
11. Johnny Maddox: The Crazy Otto
12. Elvis Presley: That’s All Right (Mama)
13. Ella Mae Morse: Oakie Boogie
14. Bill Haley and the Comets: Rock Around the Clock
15. Nappy Brown: Don’t Be Angry
16. Etta James: The Wallflower
17. The Four Lads: Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
18. The Penguins: Earth Angel
19. Les Paul and Mary Ford: How High the Moon
20. Little Walter: My Babe
21. The Moonglows: Sincerely
22. Fats Domino: Ain’t That a Shame
23. Julie London: Cry Me a River
24. Jimmy Forrest: Night Train
25. The Platters: The Great Pretender
26. Big Joe Turner: Shake, Rattle and Roll
27. Patti Page: Mister and Mississippi
28. Chuck Berry: Maybellene
29. The Spaniels: Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight

The hits, as they used to say on the radio, just keep on comin’. I can’t place this picture too accurately, but it does seem to look the part, and sometimes that’s all I need.

Track listing for 111126-2:

1. The Gants: Road Runner
2. Marvin Gaye: Ain’t That Peculiar
3. The Mamas and the Papas: Creeque Alley
4. The Edwin Hawkins Singers: Oh Happy Day
5. The Turtles: She’d Rather Be with Me
6. Sonny and Cher: The Beat Goes On
7. The Critters: Mr. Dieingly Sad
8. The Electric Prunes: Get Me to the World On Time
9. The Supremes: Back in My Arms Again
10. The Beatles: Get Back
11. Tommy Roe: Sweet Pea
12. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Proud Mary
13. San Remo Golden Strings: Hungry for Love
14. The Byrds: Eight Miles High
15. The Doors: Touch Me
16. ? and the Mysterians: I Need Somebody
17. Gary Lewis and the Playboys: Count Me In
18. The Guess Who: Shakin’ All Over
19. The Dells: There Is
20. The American Breed: Bend Me, Shape Me
21. Lee Dorsey: Ride Your Pony
22. The Fireballs: Bottle of Wine
23. Billy Stewart: I Do Love You
24. The Kingsmen: The Jolly Green Giant
25. The Four Tops: It’s the Same Old Song
26. Herman’s Hermits: Wonderful World
27. Raymond Lefevre: Soul Coaxing (Âme Caline)
28. I Know a Place: Petula Clark

The top 26 songs on radio station WTMA, Charleston, South Carolina, for the week ending 30 April 1966, and you can be sure I was listening that week: this was my station of choice during the years I lived in the Holy City. (If this sounds familiar, I’ve already done a similar disc from May 1967.) The cover art is a cut-down version of an actual WTMA “Tunedex” Top 40 chart, courtesy of station historian Ted Tatman. The first track is preceded by a brief WTMA jingle; a less-brief one follows the last.

Track listing for 111125-2:

1. Johnny Rivers: Secret Agent Man
2. The Righteous Brothers: (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration
3. Cher: Bang Bang
4. The Beach Boys: Sloop John B
5. The Olympics: Good Lovin’
6. The Mamas and the Papas: Monday, Monday
7. Paul Revere and the Raiders: Kicks
8. The Outsiders: Time Won’t Let Me
9. B. J. Thomas and the Triumphs: I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
10. Petula Clark: A Sign of the Times
11. Percy Sledge: When a Man Loves a Woman
12. The Lovin’ Spoonful: Daydream
13. The Rolling Stones: 19th Nervous Breakdown
14. Len Barry: Somewhere
15. The Shadows of Knight: Gloria
16. Lou Christie: Rhapsody in the Rain
17. Dionne Warwick: Message to Michael
18. Ray Charles: Together Again
19. The Isley Brothers: This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)
20. The Yardbirds: Shapes of Things
21. Herman’s Hermits: Leaning on the Lamp Post
22. The Byrds: Eight Miles High
23. Elvis Presley: Frankie and Johnny
24. Nancy Sinatra: How Does That Grab You, Darlin’
25. Garnet Mimms: I’ll Take Good Care of You
26. Bob Dylan: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

The sequel to the original One Word contains more songs with a title consisting of, yes, one word. The young lady’s hosiery, if I remember correctly, is Holeproof®. It is perhaps noteworthy that the two acts represented on both discs are Dee Dee Sharp and ZZ Top.

Track listing for 111124-2:

1. Frankie Valli: Grease
2. Major Lance: Rhythm
3. Jan and Dean: Popsicle
4. Heart: Barracuda
5. R.E.M.: Stand
6. The Guess Who: Laughing
7. Rupert Holmes: Him
8. Jim Croce: Operator
9. Dee Dee Sharp: Gravy
10. J. J. Cale: Cocaine
11. Three Dog Night: Liar
12. The Outsiders: Respectable
13. Blondie: Rapture
14. Herman’s Hermits: Dandy
15. The Sheppards: Tragic
16. ZZ Top: Legs
17. The McGuire Sisters: Sugartime
18. Earth, Wind and Fire: Evil
19. Kim Weston: Helpless
20. Desmond Dekker and the Aces: Israelites
21. David Bowie: Fame
22. The Toys: Attack
23. Brick: Dazz
24. Mary Hopkin: Goodbye

After scads of Rare Stereo, here’s some Not-Too-Common Mono, because the 45 version is way different from (or way shorter than) the LP track, or the stereo mix is missing something, or there’s never been a stereo mix, or it just flat sounds better in one-channel sound.

Track listing for 111123-2:

1. R. Dean Taylor: Indiana Wants Me
2. Strawberry Alarm Clock: Incense and Peppermints
3. Four Jacks and a Jill: Master Jack
4. Brian Hyland: Gypsy Woman
5. Crispian St. Peters: The Pied Piper
6. Five Man Electrical Band: Signs
7. The Toys: A Lover’s Concerto
8. The Innocence: There’s Got to Be a Word
9. B. J. Thomas: Hooked on a Feeling
10. Cream: White Room
11. Wadsworth Mansion: Sweet Mary
12. Archie Bell and the Drells: Tighten Up
13. Tin Tin: Toast and Marmalade for Tea
14. The Mamas and the Papas: I Saw Her Again
15. The Monkees: (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
16. The Larks: The Jerk
17. J. J. Jackson: But It’s Alright
18. Merrilee Rush and the Turnabouts: Angel of the Morning
19. The Doors: Light My Fire
20. James Brown: It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World
21. Steppenwolf: Magic Carpet Ride
22. Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus: Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run)
23. The Shocking Blue: Venus
24. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bad Moon Rising *
25. Roy Head: Treat Her Right
26. Sagittarius: My World Fell Down
27. Edwin Starr: War

* Technically, this is a stereo mix, but it sure doesn’t sound like one.

Yep, here’s another one, and there’s at least one more in the can, assuming I can even find the can these days. The bisected young lady was hawking Fama garments in Italy some time around 1963.

Track listing for 111122-2:

1. The Rolling Stones: Mother’s Little Helper
2. Stevie Wonder: For Once in My Life
3. The Lovin’ Spoonful: Daydream
4. Brenda Lee: Is It True
5. Frank Sinatra: That’s Life
6. Jan and Dean: New Girl in School
7. Diana Ross and the Supremes: Reflections
8. The Yardbirds: Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
9. The Impressions: You Must Believe Me
10. The Grass Roots: Let’s Live for Today
11. Simon and Garfunkel: Scarborough Fair/Canticle
12. Marvin Gaye: I Heard It Through the Grapevine
13. Hugh Masekela: Grazing in the Grass
14. The 4 Seasons: Let’s Hang On!
15. The Beatles: Please Please Me
16. The Trashmen: Surfin’ Bird
17. The Amboy Dukes: Journey to the Center of the Mind
18. Petula Clark: Downtown
19. Brenton Wood: The Oogum Boogum Song
20. Jon and Robin: Do It Again (A Little Bit Slower)
21. The Dave Clark Five: Over and Over
22. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)
23. Bee Gees: I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You
24. The Beau Brummels: Just a Little
25. The Bobby Fuller Four: I Fought the Law
26. Bobby Vee: Come Back When You Grow Up
27. Sandy Posey: I Take It Back
28. The Rascals: A Ray of Hope
29. Glen Campbell: Wichita Lineman

Well, you can, but if you’re the machine that programs most commercial radio stations today — and if you are, how are you reading this? — you’ve probably already been told not to, because there are people out there who will complain given the slightest provocation, and some of these are pretty darn slight. In an effort to convey this sort of discomfort, I swiped a cigarette ad (DuMaurier, if you care) and painted the actual cancer stick out of the scene.

Track listing for 111121-2:

1. ZZ Top: Tush
2. The Contours: First I Look at the Purse
3. Randy Newman: Short People
4. Tammy Wynette: Stand By Your Man
5. Ray Stevens: Ahab the Arab
6. Rex Allen, Jr.: Don’t Go Near the Indians
7. April Wine: If You See Kay
8. Ginny Arnell: Dumb Head
9. Joe Tex: Ain’t Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)
10. Arthur Godfrey: Slap ‘er Down Again, Paw
11. Ian Thomas: Painted Ladies
12. Lesley Gore: That’s the Way Boys Are
13. Brute Force: King of Fuh
14. Bobby Goldsboro: Me Japanese Boy I Love You
15. Joanie Sommers: Johnny Get Angry
16. The Rolling Stones: Brown Sugar
17. 1910 Fruitgum Company: Indian Giver
18. Jerry Reed: Another Puff
19. The Crystals: He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)
20. The Dominoes: Sixty-Minute Man
21. Alan O’Day: Skinny Girls
22. The O’Kaysions: Girl Watcher
23. Ray Charles: Let’s Go Get Stoned
24. Sandy Posey: Born a Woman
25. Jimmy Soul: If You Wanna Be Happy
26. Randy Newman: Rednecks

It’s hard to believe that this is the seventieth CD I’ve done in this series. And it’s also hard to believe that the one song that inspired this compilation — Fats Domino’s “I’m Walkin’” — didn’t make it onto the disc. (Fats does make an appearance, but with a different song.) The walkers on the cover are wearing Van Raalte.

Track listing for 111120-2:

1. Jimmy McCracklin: The Walk
2. Dire Straits: Walk of Life
3. Dionne Warwick: Walk On By
4. Willie Tee: Walking Up a One-Way Street
5. David Ruffin: Walk Away from Love
6. The Essex: A Walkin’ Miracle
7. Joe South: Walk a Mile in My Shoes
8. The 4 Seasons: Walk Like a Man
9. Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight
10. Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side
11. The Rooftop Singers: Walk Right In
12. The Shangri-Las: Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand)
13. The Four Tops: Walk Away Renee
14. Katrina and the Waves: Walking on Sunshine
15. The Ventures: Walk—Don’t Run
16. Fats Domino: I Want to Walk You Home
17. Leroy Van Dyke: Walk On By
18. Rufus Thomas: Walking the Dog
19. Norma Tanega: Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog
20. The Turtles: You Don’t Have to Walk in the Rain
21. The Crystals: Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)
22. The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back
23. Bangles: Walk Like an Egyptian
24. Run-D.M.C.: Walk This Way
25. The Searchers: When You Walk in the Room
26. Nancy Sinatra: These Boots Are Made for Walkin’
27. Santo and Johnny: Sleep Walk

We keep dishing up that pre-British Invasion pop/R&B stuff, of which we have an abundance. And we also have another Belle-Sharmeer line-art wonder to illustrate it.

Track listing for 111119-2:

1. Bernadette Carroll: Party Girl
2. Bo Diddley: Crackin’ Up
3. The Big Bopper: Chantilly Lace
4. Ann-Margret: I Just Don’t Understand
5. The Diamonds: Little Darlin’
6. Brian Hyland: Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
7. Gary U.S. Bonds: Dear Lady Twist
8. The Drifters: This Magic Moment
9. Buddy Holly: It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
10. Jerry Butler: He Will Break Your Heart
11. Rick Nelson: Fools Rush In
12. Conway Twitty: It’s Only Make Believe
13. Sue Thompson: Norman
14. Percy Faith and His Orchestra: Theme from A Summer Place
15. Marty Robbins: El Paso *
16. Pat Boone: Speedy Gonzales
17. LaVern Baker: Tweedlee Dee
18. Peter, Paul and Mary: Puff the Magic Dragon
19. Johnny Burnette: You’re Sixteen
20. Clyde McPhatter: Lover Please
21. Elvis Presley: Return to Sender
22. The Crests: Sixteen Candles
23. The Impressions: It’s All Right
24. The Jamies: Summertime, Summertime
25. The Kingston Trio: M.T.A.
26. Martha and the Vandellas: Come and Get These Memories
27. The Four Preps: 26 Miles (Santa Catalina)
28. Connie Francis: Where the Boys Are
29. Ritchie Valens: La Bamba
30. Mark Dinning: Teen Angel
31. Jorgen Ingmann: Apache

* This is the stereo version; the mono 45 contains one extra verse.

Lucky number 13, as the deejays used to say two-thirds of the way through the Top 40 countdown. The cover photo originally sold Van Raalte hosiery in all those puffy shades.

Track listing for 111118-2:

1. The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night
2. Gene Pitney: It Hurts to Be in Love
3. The Shangri-Las: Give Him a Great Big Kiss
4. Billy Joe Royal: Down in the Boondocks
5. Jr. Walker and the All-Stars: Shotgun
6. Brian Hyland: The Joker Went Wild
7. The Barbarians: Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl
8. The Animals: We Gotta Get Out of This Place
9. Canned Heat: On the Road Again
10. Dion: Abraham, Martin and John
11. The Supremes: I Hear a Symphony
12. Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas: Little Children
13. Petula Clark: Kiss Me Goodbye
14. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Purple Haze
15. The Dave Clark Five: Glad All Over
16. Aretha Franklin: Respect
17. Dusty Springfield: You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me
18. Deon Jackson: Love Makes the World Go Round
19. Tommy James and the Shondells: Get Out Now
20. Simon and Garfunkel: The Sounds of Silence
21. The Temptations: (I Know) I’m Losing You
22. The Guess Who: These Eyes
23. Lee Dorsey: Working in the Coal Mine
24. The Kinks: A Well Respected Man
25. The Miracles: Going to A Go Go
26. Cream: Sunshine of Your Love
27. The Who: Happy Jack
28. Spanky and Our Gang: Like to Get to Know You