.
.
.
“Fighting to
stay free” #173...April
2013
And now, ladies and gentlemen…
…and so many of you! Nearly 200 I.R.S. forms helped build the 6th
Annual Top 104, nearly twice last year’s intake. Over 5,500 songs declared.
As I always say, there were –
and will always be – more songs that didn’t that did reach the Top 10. But how
many of those “really shoulda” been there?
That’s become the burning question at tax time every year since 2008 (no
matter what you hear otherwise). Now, once again, your answer(s) to that
question.
The 6th annual
I.R.S. Top 104 is brought to you by…
and
(LY #261) DOES YOUR MAMA KNOW ABOUT ME / Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers [1968, #29; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 75
(2011)]
How you know it’s an accurate ranking and not just broadcast friendly,
part 1: Who would start a countdown with a ballad?
103 (59) 
[1969,
#60; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 59 (2012)]
(218) AMIE / Pure Prairie League [1975, #27;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Healthy
turnover in this year’s I.R.S. includes this country-pop (and at the time, FM
rock) gem.
(400) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN / Led Zeppelin [1972; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 19 (2008)]
How you know it’s an accurate ranking and not just broadcast friendly,
part 2: Whoever heard of a countdown with “Stairway” at #101?
100 (50) 
[1965, #20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 9 (2009)]
99 (95) HERE
COMES MY BABY / The Tremeloes [1967, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 95 (2012)]
The cats covering Cat came back.
98 (86) I
CAN HEAR MUSIC / The Beach Boys [1969, #24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 32 (2008)]
From their ‘trying to get the magic back’ era.
97 (83) 
[1968,
#23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 55 (2010)]
(185) PAY TO THE PIPER / Chairmen of the Board [1970, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
A/k/a, the little more time we gave them.
(349) 
[1966, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s:
1]
(386) DOUBLE SHOT (of My Baby's Love) / Swingin' Medallions [1966, #17; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Surprised it took ’em this long to make the I.R.S. Now that’s some
hangover.
93 (40) SOCIETY'S
CHILD (Baby I've Been Thinking) / Janis Ian [1967, #14; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4;
Highest position reached: 40 (2012)]
The
prequel to #104?
92 (42) 
[1964, #12; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 10 (2008)]
(472) IT'S MY LIFE / The Animals [1966, #23;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
The original beasts of Burdon finally break through.
(160) 
[1966, #32; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 21
(2009)]
89 (33) WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN / Runt (Todd Rundgren) [1971, #20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 33
(2012)]
Another year, another opportunity to overlook “They may be stupid but
they sure are fun.”
(607) LOOK THROUGH MY WINDOW / The Mamas & The Papas [1966, #24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Seeing this and #90 almost back-to-back, thinking Microsoft must really
want me back.
[1970, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s:
1]
86 (36) AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS / The Formations [1968, #83; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 6
(2009)]
“Philly top 10, spring of ’68.” (Kate Palmer)
[1972, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s:
1]
84 (78) EVERY DAY I HAVE TO CRY / Steve Alaimo
[1963, #46; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position reached: 24 (2010)]
…is one of nine songs to show up in all six I.R.S. Top 104s.
[1967, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
82 (63) ALL
MY LOVING / The Beatles [1964, #45; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position
reached: 53 (2009)]
…where it also means “It Really Shoulda” been a single release over (or
down) here.
(200) 
[1966, #20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
(109) DRIVER'S SEAT / Sniff 'n the Tears [1979, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
…is the oldest ‘newest song’ in the I.R.S. Top 104’s history. We’re
80s-less this year.
(163) 
[1968, #16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
78 (21) WALKING IN THE RAIN / The Ronettes
[1964, #23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 21 (2012)]
Interesting that of the three Spector-produced songs in this year’s Top
104, not one is from that peak era of 1961-1963.
77 (41) 
[1973, #17; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest
position reached: 21 (2010)]
(565) CONCRETE
AND CLAY / Unit Four Plus Two [1965, #28; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 68 (2010)]
Somehow slipped through the cracks, I guess. The song that taught Russ
Ballard to hold his head up when he walks on those sidewalks.
75 (44) 
[1963, #29; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest
position reached: 17 (2009)]
74 (58) RUNAWAY / Jefferson Starship [1978,
#12; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 19 (2010)]
What U.S. state accounted for the most songs in the I.R.S. Top 104, with
21? With each guess you’ll be getting’ warm-ahhhhhhh.
ASK THE LONELY / The Four Tops [1965, #24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
The 4th from Tops to make the 104 over the years, following
“I’ll Turn To Stone,” “Without The One You Love” and the one coming up.
(323) 
[1969, #24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 60 (2011)]
(318) GO
BACK / Crabby Appleton [1970, #36; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position
reached: 20 (2009)]
And that’s exactly what it did. First time in the Top 104 since 2009.
(228) 
[1971, #24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
(329) I HAD TOO MUCH TO DREAM (LAST NIGHT) / The Electric
Prunes [1967, #11; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Funny, Washington state isn’t normally known for its prunes.
(373) 
[1970, #92; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
67 (6) YOU'VE
GOT TO BE LOVED / The Montanas [1968, #58; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position
reached: 6 (2012)]
Just not as loved as in the last three I.R.S. Top 104s, where it
finished inside the top 15.
(441) 
[1964, #14; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
(108) MR.
BUSINESSMAN / Ray Stevens [1968, #28; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position
reached: 16 (2008)]
Back on the job with its best showing since I.R.S. #1, when it finished
at #16.
64 (46) WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH
HIS EYES / The Supremes [1963, #23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position
reached: 46 (2012)]
…is one of the most fascinating songs to make the list each year. Who in
December ’63 could have pegged this as the future of pop music?
(437) 
[1969, #14; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
62 (97) BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING / The Four Tops
[1964, #11; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 3 (2009)]
“Played it over and over on my Victrola in late summer of '64.” (Howard
Rose)
61 (23) 
[1977, #26; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 23 (2012)]
(471) DARLING
BE HOME SOON / The Lovin' Spoonful [1967, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 60 (2013)]
“Memorable appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show with a fifty-piece
orchestra revealed from behind a curtain.” (Rose)
59 (37) 
[1967, #14; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 37 (2012)]
(205) LIES
/ The Knickerbockers [1965, #20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position
reached: 10 (2010)]
As long as there scandals involving public figures who deny everything,
and DJs like me, this song will never go away.
57 (47) 
[1969, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 47 (2012)]
56 (20) TEMPTATION EYES / The Grass Roots
[1971, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 20 (2012)]
The story of the I.R.S. right here: “Midnight Confessions” and “Live For
Today” aside, an act who gave us top 10 hit after hit…that shoulda been.
55 (28) 
[1968, #20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest
position reached: 18 (2010)]
54 (32) LOOK OF LOVE / Lesley Gore [1965, #27;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 10 (2011)]
Which version? Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
53 (70) 
[1966, #42; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 53 (2013)]
52 (65) EARLY IN THE MORNING / Vanity Fare
[1969, #12; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 52 (2013)]
With an overabundance of pop tunes like this one during that era, it’s
no surprise this couldn’t climb a couple of rungs higher.
51 (51) AIN'T
NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH / Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell [1967, #19;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 11 (2009)]
“Another Philly chart topper.” (Palmer)
50 (77) 
[1973, #35; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest
position reached: 15 (2008)]
49 (27) MY WORLD FELL DOWN / Sagittarius [1967,
#70; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 27 (2012)]
For some, the soundtrack of the summer of love was a winter song.
[1974, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s:
1]
47 (52) SOUL COAXING (Ame Caline) / Raymond LeFevre
and His Orchestra [1968, #37; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached:
17 (2010)]
And we’ll be right back after the news.
46 (48) 
[1964, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 46 (2013)]
(226) BLACK PEARL / Sonny Charles & the Checkmates,
Ltd. [1969, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Sadly, he couldn’t put her up where she belonged.
I WANNA BE WITH YOU / Raspberries [1972, #16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Carmen, the second show.
43 (66) 
[1963, #21; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 43 (2013)]
42 (26) TUESDAY
AFTERNOON (Forever Afternoon) / The Moody Blues [1968, #24; I.R.S. Top
104s: 3; Highest position reached: 26 (2012)]
With all the great songs this group couldn’t bring to the top 10, it
always amazes me that this is the one that shows up in here every year.
(106) 
[1966, #16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 41 (2013)]
40 (80) IT'S ALL OVER NOW / The Rolling Stones
[1964, #26; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 40 (2013)]
Were they ever this bluesy on a hit single again?
(204)
[1966, #22; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 30 (2011)]
(140) IF I CAN DREAM / Elvis Presley [1968, #12; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Four years, four different King songs in the Top 104: “Treat Me Nice,”
“Way Down,” “Viva Las Vegas” and now this.
37 (34) 
[1967, #14; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 34 (2012)]
36 (94) LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU / Spanky and Our
Gang [1968, #17; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 36 (2013)]
…which includes what might be the original “breakdown” near the fade.
[1969, #18; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest
position reached: 35 (2013)]
34 (24) LAUGH, LAUGH / The Beau Brummels [1965,
#15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 24 (2012)]
Or maybe, in this instance, a Sly chuckle?
(238) 
[1970, #23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
32 (16) RIVER DEEP - MOUNTAIN HIGH / Ike & Tina
Turner [1966, #88; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position reached: 3 (2008)]
“To me, it is STILL the IRS-104 poster child. Lots of “mountain
highs” in Switzerland, huh Tina?” (Rob Price)
31 (8) 
[1965,
#103; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position reached: 8 (2012)]
30 (35) WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU / The
Grass Roots [1966, #28; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 30
(2013)]
Before their trademark sound took root, if you will.
29 (4) BORN TO RUN / Bruce Springsteen [1975,
#23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position reached: 1 (2009)]
“So who WAS in the Top 10 when this one stiffed out at #23? Oh, the
usual suspects: Captain & Tenille, Morris Albert, and ‘Bad Blood.’ (Price)
28 (82) CALIFORNIA NIGHTS / Lesley Gore [1967,
#16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 28 (2013)]
First time she’s placed three in the Top 104. That’s not just fly, dude,
that’s…Tena-fly.
27 (92) 
[1970, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 2; Highest position reached: 27
(2013)]
(144) FRIDAY ON MY MIND / The Easybeats [1967,
#16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 1]
Not so easy after all, as it took six I.R.S. Top 104s for ’em to get
here.
25 (93) 
[1969, #22; I.R.S. Top
104s: 3; Highest position reached: 25 (2013)]
24 (14) BIG MAN IN TOWN / The 4 Seasons [1964,
#20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 14 (2012)]
Proving you can have lots of top 10 hits and still have songs that
really shoulda. This is the one that broke their two-year eight-top-ten-hit
string (discounting Xmas and VeeJay releases after the fact).
23 (43) 
[1967,
#20; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 23 (2013)]
22 (18) OPUS 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) / The 4
Seasons [1966, #13; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 18
(2012)]
It never occurred to me how different a direction this was for the boys
at the time, but I guess it really was an attempt to ‘go Motown.’
(455) 
[1967; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position
reached: 21 (2013)]
20 (15) IN THE STILL OF THE NITE / The Five Satins
[1956, #29; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 4 (2009)]
“Still” the only song representing doo wop every year on the I.R.S. Top
104. Although a second, The Capris’ “Morse Code Of Love,” made the cut in
2011-2.
19 (9) 
[1973, #53; I.R.S. Top
104s: 3; Highest position reached: 9 (2012)]
18 (38) NO MILK TODAY / Herman's Hermits [1967,
#35; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 18 (2013)]
Ironically, probably the least homogenized of their hits.
17 (17) 
[1973, #49; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest
position reached: 15 (2009)]
16 (22) IT'S A SHAME / The Spinners [1970, #14;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 16 (2013)]
Before all their hits that really were top 10, during their tenure with
Atlantic.
15 (55) GOD ONLY KNOWS / The Beach Boys [1966,
#39; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 15 (2013)]
The part of the countdown where the titles just made sense with the
theme (“It’s A Shame” this wasn’t a Top 10 hit, “God Only Knows” why this
wasn’t…etc.)
14 (11) 
[1969, #17; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 11 (2012)]
13 (12) PRETTY BALLERINA / The Left Banke
[1967, #15; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 5 (2011)]
So we have now reached the ‘faux-classical’ portion of our program.
12 (25) 
[1966, #21; I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest
position reached: 12 (2013)]
11 (98) THE SUN AIN'T GONNA SHINE (Anymore) / The
Walker Bros. [1966, #16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 8
(2011)]
Which would have been a perfectly acceptable sentiment a year ago when
this fell from #8 to #98. But apparently the sun is shining again for the
Walkers.
10 (56) DARLIN' / The Beach Boys [1968, #19;
I.R.S. Top 104s: 3; Highest position reached: 10 (2013)]
And Darlin’ makes five. Matching last year’s haul for the boys. Same
five, too.
9 (68) 
[1969, #22; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest
position reached: 9 (2013)]
8 (39) YELLOW
RIVER / Christie [1970, #23; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached:
8 (2013)]
Clearly jealous of the Red and Green rivers, both of which did make Top
10.
7 (19) 
[1972,
#24; I.R.S. Top 104s: 4; Highest position reached: 7 (2013)]
6 (10) THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY / The New Colony Six
[1969, #16; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 4 (2011)]
That toddlin’ town was no dawdlin’ town, pushing both NC6 songs higher
in the rankings this year.
5 (5) 
[1969, #32; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest
position reached: 5 (2012)]
4 (7) SHAME,
SHAME / The Magic Lanterns [1968, #29; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position
reached: 4 (2013)]
Every year they leave the light on for I.R.S. filers.
3 (3) 
[1968, #80; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest
position reached: 1 (2008)]
2 (1) MR. DIEINGLY SAD / The Critters [1966,
#17; I.R.S. Top 104s: 5; Highest position reached: 1 (2012)]
Well, fellow Jerseyans, I’m sure the past year was fun, but it’s time to
give the crown back…and back to…
1 (2) 
[1969, #34; I.R.S. Top 104s: 6; Highest position
reached: 1 (2010)]
“Continues to be an ‘oh-wow’ favorite for oldies fans and collectors.
It's an injustice that this song didn't even crack the Top 30! The vocals
remind me of Freda Payne.” (Scott Lowe)
So there it is. Many thanks to:
All of you who filed I.R.S. returns this
year, and those who re-posted about it on Facebook
Allan
Sniffen at RewoundRadio.com
Bob
McKenna at HardToFindMusicAndMovies.com
Jim
deYong at RadioLogoLand.com
Randy
Price, producer of the 2013 I.R.S. Top 104 CD collection
Bob
Radil, host of “The Friday Night 60s-70s Show”
Mike
Riccio at the Oldies Message Board
Kent
Kotal at ForgottenHits.com
Sean
“Ross
On Radio” Ross
Glenn
“Hits
of Yesteryear” Sauter
Don
Tandler at Pop Gold Radio
Kath
Hollinsworth at BlobTalkRadio.com
Brian
“The Cannon” Bannon at WLNG radio
Phil
Nee at WRCO radio
Everyone at WRNJ radio.
Now, let’s make it official.
Rich Appel
Preparer’s Signature
Paid Preparer:
H&Z
ROCK
a division of
And
the hits…
ZE PLUGS…
* “The CHRonicler” in Thursday’s Billboard Top 40 Update (subscribe free
at http://www.billboard.biz/newsletters)
* “The Rest Of The Week…” Saturday 6am-1pm and
Sunday 10am-3pm ET at http://wrnjradio.com/streaming/
* Follow me at http://twitter.com/#!/@Restoftheweek
* Friend me on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/richappel7). While there, if you like the weekend
show, join the group “Fans of The Rest of the Week with Rich Appel on WRNJ” (https://www.facebook.com/groups/323136847786834/?fref=ts).
Click.