November 12, 1966
A great American vocalist who got his performing name from legendary Cleveland Top 40 radio disc jockey Alan Freed captured the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 on this day.
One of my all-time favorite records from the 60’s, Poor Side Of Town by Johnny Rivers (born John Ramistella in Brooklyn, NY; raised in Baton Rouge, LA) had replaced Last Train To Clarksville, the debut single by The Monkees at #1.
But the slow ride back from the Boardwalk of Billboard to Mediterranean Avenue (Monopoly) would begin the following week. The song, written by Rivers and the song’s producer Lou Adler, was evicted when The Supremes‘ 8th chart topper You Keep Me Hangin’ On claimed the Hot 100’s peak position. (See On This Day: November 19, 1966)
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Said Rivers about the recording of PSOT:
“I had this tune I’d been working on, and I kept playing it for Lou. (Adler) It took me about 6 months to finish. We cut it with Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn and Hal Blaine (elite L.A. studio musicians The Wrecking Crew). I did my vocal performances live with the band. I sat and played my guitar and sang. There weren’t any overdubs. So we said it could use some singers and maybe some strings. That’s the time we got together with (arranger) Marty Paich.”
(Quote from JohnnyRivers.com)
[Note] The singers on ‘Poor Side Of Town’ to whom he’s referring included the great Darlene Love and her backup vocalists The Blossoms.
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POOR SIDE OF TOWN
Johnny Rivers
(Single Version)
[1966]
Poor Side Of Town marked a departure from the previous “go-go”-style hits by JR (Memphis, Maybelline, Midnight Special, Secret Agent Man) to a smoother and more soulful sound that would continue on his future records.
There were two versions of the record played on Top 40 – then Oldies – radio: a single with an early fade-out and the longer album version – both included below.
Usually a song’s chorus is the catchiest part of a song (called ‘the hook’) but for me personally, the most compelling portion of this particular tune is one of the truly great vocal “middle-eight” bars of any 60’s pop record:
“I can’t blame you for tryin’
I’m tryin’ to make it too
I’ve got one little hangup, baby
I just can’t make it without you”
Despite nine Top 10 hits and two million-sellers, ‘Poor Side Of Town’ would be Johnny’s only #1 song.
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BONUS STUFF!
BABY I NEED YOUR LOVIN’
Johnny Rivers
(Single Version)
[1967]
I’ve included another great hit by Johnny Rivers here because it’s significant in the annals of the Billboard pop music chart. It’s the first cover version by a white artist of a Motown Records song (in this case The Four Tops) to reach the top five on the Hot 100.
With most of the same personnel involved as on PSOT, Baby I Need Your Lovin’ reached #3 in 1967.
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POOR SIDE OF TOWN
Johnny Rivers
(Album Version)
[1966]
Here’s the aforementioned longer version of Johnny’s ‘Poor Side Of Town’ from his 1966 album Changes.
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POOR SIDE OF TOWN
The 5th Dimension
(B-Side of Paper Cup)
[1967]
An interesting version of the song was recorded by the Los Angeles group The 5th Dimension with the orchestra arrangements by the great songwriter Jimmy Webb, who penned their first big hit record Up-Up And Away (1967 • #7).
Co-produced by Rivers, the track was released on the record label he established, Soul City, both on the album Go Where You Wanna Go and as the B-side of their 1967 single Paper Cup.
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Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
