The "Insane World Of Mike Sain" airs every Wednesday at 9:00 AM Eastern Time on WPON-AM 1460 Detroit. Today's theme was "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" in which Mike played songs with one or more of "rain," "park," or "things" in the title.
Next week: Live interview with Neil Sedaka
- The Rain, Park And Other Things - The Cowsills - 1967
- Cherry Hill Park - Billy Joe Royal - 1969
- Little Things - Bobby Goldsboro - 1965
- Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan - 1966
- Echo Park - Keith Barbour - 1969
- The Shape Of Things To Come - Max Frost And The Troopers - 1968
- Rainy Night In Georgia - Brook Benton - 1970
- Palisades Park - Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon - 1962
- The Things I Love - The Duprees - 1962
- Raindrops - Dee Clark - 1961
- Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart - 1965
Notes:
- "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" was the chart debut song for the Cowsills, a family pop group consisting of five brothers, one sister, and their mother. The Cowsills were an inspiration for the TV sitcom, "The Partridge Family."
- The highly suggestive "Cherry Hill Park" by Billy Joe Royal, which is mild by today's standards, was actually considered to be pretty risque in its day. Royal's best known songs also include his 1965 chart debut song, "Down In The Boondocks." After charting many songs on the Rock/Pop charts from 1965-1978, Billy Joe Royal later went country and had a long string of hits on the Country charts from 1985-1992.
- "Little Things" was one of many Billboard Pop/Rock chart hits from 1963-1973 for singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro whose best known songs include the 1968 smash hit "Honey." Goldsboro also had a long string of hits on the Country charts from 1968-1982 and hosted his own TV show from 1972-1975.
- The story of how Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 and #35" came to be and what it really means is unclear. Some claim this good timey song, in which raucous laughter and hollering can be heard throughout, is a doper's anthem. Others have speculated that it was Dylan's response to certain critics who chastised him for going mainstream. For the recording of this song, it has been rumored that Dylan got his entire band drunk and stoned before making them switch instruments. Bob Dylan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
- The introspective "Echo Park," which peaked at #40 in 1969, was Keith Barbour's only chart hit. Singer-songwriter Keith Barbour was at one time a member of the New Christy Minstrels. "Echo Park" was written by Buzz Clifford.
- Max Frost and the Troopers was a studio group with Paul Wybier as the lead singer. "The Shape Of Things To Come," a protest song, was part of the soundtrack for the movie, "Wild In The Streets." "The Shape Of Things To Come" was written by the famous songwriting duo, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
- Brook Benton's "Rainy Night In Georgia" was written by Tony Joe White and was one of many hits for this smooth soul baritone singer.
- "Palidades Park" by singer-teen idol Freddy "Boom-Boom" Cannon was written by "Gong Show" host Chuck Barris. Cannon's "Boom-Boom" nickname came from his big bass drum sound.
- The Duprees were a doo wop group (led by Joey Vann) whose best known songs include the 1962 hits, "You Belong To Me" and "My Own True Love." "The Things I Love" was included on their 1962 album, "You Belong To Me" (Coed 905).
- Dee Clark's "Raindrops" is his best known song. In this song, the sounds of pouring rain can be heard. Dee Clark was a male R&B singer (born Delecta Clark in Arkansas). Before going solo in 1957, Clark had been a member of the Kool Gents, a Chicago-based group that was famous locally.
- "Sitting In The Park" by Billy Stewart later also charted for GQ in 1980. Billy Stewart's other best known songs include "I Do Love You" (1965, 1969) and "Summertime" (1966).
Click here for a complete list of "Insane World Of Mike Sain" playlists available on this web site.