Ray's Song Pick of the Day from 23 June

Tommy Roe
DIZZY, US#1(4) from 15 March and UK#1(1), 4 June 1969 - Monster Hit in N.Z. Written by Tommy Roe with F. Weller and released in December 1968 and had sold two million by mid-April 1969. Described as ‘an easy riding, medium-paced pop dance disc with soft sound and violins.’ (Encyclopedia of Million Sellers)
Featured – Mon 23 June, 2008

THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO, UK#1(3) from 11 June, Au#1(4) from 7 July 1969 and US#8. Monster Hit in N.Z. This Lennon/McCartney song, with just John and Paul performing, tells the story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s marriage, their trip to Paris and Amsterdam and their life in general. John complains in song of people’s attitude to the events which immediately preceded and followed the marriage in Gibralter. The chorus had lines “Christ, you it ain’t easy” and “The way things are going/They’re going to crucify me”, which immediately caused the media to criticize the increasingly erratic Lennon. This was the 14th of the Beatles 17 numbers ones to reach the top in the second week on the UK chart and was also No 1 in Germany, Austria, Holland, Norway, Spain, Belguim, Denmark, Malaysia and Australia. No 2 in New Zealand with 9 weeks in the Top 20.
Featured – Tue 24 June, 2008

Paul McCartney & Wings
MY LOVE Apple [USA and Britain] Written by Paul McCartney and released in the UK in March 1973 and in the US in April 1973, the song peaked at #7 in the Britain and made US#1(4) from 2 June 1973, (18 weeks in the Top 100) and also US Adult Contemporary #1(3 wks). Awarded R.I.A.A. 6 July 1973.
Wings was formed in the northern summer of 1971, with no name for a start and comprised Denny Laine, Denny Seiwell along with Paul and Linda McCartney. Their first album, ‘Wild Life’ (1971) was not a success. Henry McCullough (guitar) joined but he and Seiwell subsequently quit. Wings second album ‘Red Rose Speedway’ (1973) which included “My Love”, was a big success especially in the US. The band toured Britain, playing at colleges, then Europe. It took the band some time to gel together and come up with good material, but ‘Red Rose Speedway’ dispelled all doubts, and Wings had taken off in a big way, with their next album ‘Band On The Run’ selling over 2.5 million and earning two Grammy Awards in 1974 (Best Engineered Recording [Non-Classical] and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus).
Global sale of “My Love” is estimated at two million.
Featured – Wed 25 June, 2008

Henry Mancini & Orchestra
LOVE THEME FROM 'ROMEO AND JULIET', Victor [USA] US#1(2) from 28 June 1969 - Monster Hit in N.Z. Mancini’s beautiful arrangement of the love theme from the Franco Zefferelli production of the film ‘Romeo and Juliet’ became a top instrumential single in the US. Released 4 April 1969 it had sold a million by 25 June with R.I.A.A. gold disc award (selling over 200, 000 copies in one week) and earned a 1969 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement. The theme is based on Nino Rota’s score for the film which starred Leonard Whiting, then aged 17, and Olivia Hussey, 16, said to be the youngest performers ever to play Shakespeare’s famed lovers professionally.
A vocal version of the theme titled “A Time For Us” was written by Eddie Snyder and Larry Kuisk.
Featured – Thu 26 June, 2008

Roy Orbison,
IT'S OVER An estimated million-seller globally, Roy's 12th was written by him with Bill Dees. Roy appeared on TV in Britain in 1964, which no doubt helped his single reach UK#1(2) from 25 June 1964. His 2nd UK#1 (4 years after "Only The Lonely") “It’s Over” was the first American No 1 hit in the UK for 47 weeks. “It’s Over” had a highly orchestrated arrangement that helped display Orbison’s marvelous soaring voice to best effect. His tunes were often referred to as ‘pop arias’. Orbison attained even greater popularity in the UK than in his homeland, and during his second British tour in 1963 he topped the bill over the likes of Gerry & The Pacemakers and The Beatles. His motionless stage persona, with the dark glasses, black outfit and, occasionally motorcycle leathers, hid a man who was incredibly shy. The Guinness Book of Number One Hits suggested the song was not as well remembered as most of his lesser hits from the previous four years – ‘Running Scared’, ‘Crying’ and ‘In Dreams’ – now all standards.
US#9 with 9 weeks in Top 100 from August.
Featured – Fri 27 June, 2008

And one I didn’t feel would suit Coast ….
George Harrison
Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth). US#1, 30 June 1973 (replacing McCartney/Wings – My Love at the top.) and came from George’s immediate Gold Disc album ‘Living In The Material World’ released in the US and UK in June 1973, with R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award (1 June 1973)