Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Category: Roulette Records

"Honky-Tonk Woman"
Zeroto180

“Honky-Tonk Woman”: from 1958!

How likely is it that Don Davis borrowed the title for 1961’s “Honkey Tonk Woman” from a rockabilly tune released three years prior? “Honky-Tonk Woman” by Lee Russell (1958) Lee Russell appears to have recorded exactly one single before giving up a music career.  Unlikely that “Honky-Tonk Woman” spent any

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"Bigfoot Song"
Zeroto180

Buddy Knox’s Bigfoot Song

How can you not love Muddy Waters for his brilliant observation, “The blues had a baby, and they called it rock ‘n’ roll”?  And thank you, Jerry Wexler, for coining the term “rhythm & blues” as an alternative to the more 19th-century-sounding “race music.” The Grand Ole Opry would famously

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60s/70s rock +/- pop
Zeroto180

Too Far or Not Enough – The Consensus on Lennon?

The overwhelming majority of Beatle novelty and tribute songs were released in the first flush of Beatlemania when the Fab Four were at their peak level of cuddliness.  However, with the release “John You Went Too Far This Time” — in direct response to John & Yoko‘s controversial Two Virgins

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"Out of the Blue"
Zeroto180

“Out of the Blue”: Earliest Toy Piano Pop Recording?

As noted in the update to my original posting, it appears that Neil Diamond has been supplanted by Tommy James & the Shondells as the new reigning champions* in the pioneering use of toy piano in musical recordings with “Out of the Blue,” their pop hit from 1967.  The details,

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"Nitty Gritty"
Zeroto180

’20 Heavy Hits’: If For No Other Reason, the Album Cover

Not too long ago I picked up 20 Heavy Hits, a bubblegum-leaning collection of radio hits from 1968 that appears to be the predecessor to Crystal Corporation’s, 20 Solid Gold Hits.  Even though it was only a buck, I almost didn’t get it since I already had most of the

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