Posts From Jeff Tamarkin

The Rolling Stones Bring Howlin’ Wolf to U.S. TV

From the start they were huge fans of the blues. So when the British band had the chance to present one of their idols on American TV, they grabbed it.

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Desmond Dekker’s ‘Israelites’—Admit It, You Don’t Know the Lyrics

Even as it found its way to the top 10 in the U.S. and several other countries, many listeners had no idea what this proto-reggae song was about.

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Why Bob Dylan Covered the Rick Nelson Hit ‘Garden Party’

“His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood,” said Dylan of Nelson.

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James Lowe, Electric Prunes Lead Singer, Dies at 82

After the group disbanded in 1968, he went on to become a producer and engineer, working with such artists as Todd Rundgren and Sparks.

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‘Brandy’ by Looking Glass (It’s a Fine Song)

For one week only, in the summer of 1972, it was the best-selling, most often played single in the United States of America.

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When Liberace Was “Feelin’ Groovy”

The famed entertainer performed it on national television in 1968. Our look back at the song’s history. (Its composer, Paul Simon, hates it.)

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Wavy Gravy—The Hippie Icon Who Fed the Crowd at Woodstock

From poet to peace activist to clown that launched institutions that aided thousands, he was perennially dedicated to uplifting others.

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The Animals: Interview with the 5 Original Members—The Breakup

After the original band split, Eric Burdon started a new Animals and then declared War, while another member discovered a hotshot guitarist named Jimi.

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Donovan Interview: His Greatest Hits

The Scottish singer-songwriter and Rock Hall inductee examines some of his biggest songs including “Season of the Witch” and “There is a Mountain.”

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The Knickerbockers ‘Lies’: Sounding Like the Beatles Was Enough

The melodic, uptempo song was so reminiscent of the Beatles that many listeners hearing it on their local Top 40 radio station thought at first that it might actually be the Brits, recording under an assumed name.

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