Friday Afternoon Soul Music Is Celebrating the 2022 Birthdays of Two Blue Eyed Soul Brothers Jean Cornish and Bobby Darin

We start with Gene, the lead player for the Rascals, one of the top “Blue Eyed Soul” bands of the 60s. Known as “the darkest white group of all”, the Young Rascals hit the charts in 1965, and there’s never been a look back!

The Young Rascals, later just the Rascals, were one of the major “white soul” groups of the 60s, and their music stands as some of the best to date!! Jean Cornish (May 14, 1944) The guitar licks were unbelievable, given that he was the only guitar in the group to mimic Felix Cavaliere’s crying organ.

Here’s their first big hit, a major tune with an even bigger attitude! (The Rascals always used to sing with attitude, even when they were just “groovin'”) From dance Here on TV in 1965 (with Alan King a scholar) the young Rascals perform their breakthrough tune “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”.

Here’s a treat! from uproar In 1966, a spoof video of the Rascals set them performing a crying version of the Larry Williams smash hit, “Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore,” the “B” side of “Slow Down”.

From the start of his career, a 1965 live performance of his first monster hit, “Good Lovin'”. The studio version of “Good Lovin'” here.

We’ll close this 1965 set of tunes from their debut album with the original studio version of A Great Rave Up, written by Jean and drummer Dino Denelli! One of my favorite, infinitely danceable tunes from that debut album gives us a hint of things to come, “Do You Feel.”

I found this 1968 live performance gem! Dino’s drumming is highlighted, and this band cooks! Seriously, check it out. “do you feel.”

from his second album Collection, Original studio version of Beautiful “What’s the Reason”

Original studio cut of the infinitely danceable “Come On Up”.

This year I only got a couple tunes in this performance. Here they are live and colorful in 1966 The Ed Sullivan Show Spirit is performing an absolutely electrifying performance of the classic “Mickey’s Monkey”, it’s kinetic, and so is the dino drumming! (The second performance this year, “Turn on Your Love’s Light,” was nowhere to be found.)

Here’s the studio version of the album with both tunes! “Mickey’s Monkey”

Here they are, again in 2013, in concert cranking out their two-fer soul classics “Mickey’s Monkey” and “Turn on Your Love Light.”

The punk attitude with a weeping Hammond B-3 and a wound guitar riff is tougher than a watch spring! Original studio cut of “You Better Run”.

Live lip-sync performance of “Lonely Too Long”.

Here’s the studio version of a tune co-written by Eddie, the infinitely danceable “Love Is a Beautiful Thing”

Here are the studio versions of two songs written by our birthday boy, the first one by the soulful song “No Love to Give,” and the second by raw rocker, “Nineteen Fifty Six.”

I found it again! Here’s a Studio Version of a Tune Featuring the Young Rascals Collection. It originally won an Academy Award nomination for Top Song of the Year 1963, and it’s a classic! For your enjoyment, the soundtrack tune to one of the world’s most famous songs mondo cane, Beautiful” more (from theme.) mondo cane,

There’s a great live set showcasing Felix’s amazing vocals and organ work, along with some classic and utterly brilliant drumming by Dino Denelli! It just shows how exciting the Young Rascals were at their peak! from mike douglas show, Set of four songs “Good Lovin'”, “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” and “Come On Up” and we’ll end this 1966 set with a spectacular live performance of “Since I Feel.”

We were in 1967 with the great “Summer of Love!” Launched with spectacular live performances during here are the wicked in 1967 The Ed Sullivan Show The title song of their third album, “Growin'”, while performing their smash hit live. What it looks like, here’s another big 1967 hit for the Rascals, “A Girl Like You.”

Here’s the studio version of “A Girl Like You.”

Here’s the studio version of the “B” side of “A Girl Like You,” a wonderfully soulful psychedelic tune featuring excellent flute playing by Hubert Laws! One of my all-time favorites, this is the great “It’s Love”

from groovin’ album, two tunes written by Jean Cornish! The melodious bongo sound of “I’m So Happy Now” and “I Don’t Love You Any More”

Here’s a live performance of “How Can I Be Sure”.

since 1968 once Upon a Dream, One of their obscure gems! Here’s the studio version of an archetypal vibe from 1967, “It’s Wonderful.”

than even once Upon a Dream, Gene Cornish Om-pah Tune “I’m Gonna Love You.”

Here’s a 1968 performance of “It’s a Beautiful Morning.”

Here’s the original studio version of “It’s a Beautiful Morning.”

Here They Are Live in 1969, doing their huge #1 hit since 1969 Freedom Suite album, “People Got to Be Free.”

From a while back, ab/w lip-synced performance of “People Got to Be Free”

Here’s another great 1970 live version of “Glory Glory” and “People Got to Be Free.”

Here’s the original 1968 studio version of “People Got to Be Free.” (The song was written in response to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. that year, and went straight to #1 on the charts.)

than even Freedom Suite, These are the Rascals in 1969, performing live on German television! For your enjoyment, “heaven.” Here’s the Original Audio-Only Studio Version of “Paradise”

from Freedom Suite, Jean wrote the studio versions of the tunes, “Me and My Friends” and “Love Was So Easy to Give.”

I had a great 1969 live performance on ABC last year music scene of the next song, but it has disappeared. So instead, here’s the studio version of “Carry Me Back” and here’s the New Rascals take us to church in Greek in 2013 with a spectacular live performance of “Carry Me Back.”

No live clips pulled recently, but here’s the original studio version of “Watch” (it’s clear where the J. Giles band got their sound!) and it looks like they’re still rocking the song. are raging. The Original Rascals of the 21st Century Are Cranking “See” What Looks From Their 2013 Tour

Here’s a clip from 1988, The Rascals on Regis.

Last year I had a great clip from 1988 at MSG, where Aykroyd and Murray backed the Rascals by “The World’s Most Dangerous Band” while introducing the Rascals who had cranked it up to New York. This year it’s gone, so better luck next year.

We’ll close this birthday tribute with one last smokin’ live performance from ‘The Young Rascals and Friends’ with the immortal rock and roll anthem “Good Lovin’.”

Here’s a great 9+ minute repeat! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the key player for Boss and Minister of State for New Jersey Attitude! His speech is great, but this year the clip cuts off the final 2 minutes when Felix gives us his speech cut to the heart of the matter. It reminds us of how art can help us heal even when many murders kill a dream. For your enjoyment, The Rascals Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, pt. 1

Part 2 where they do “good lovin’ and grovin'” is still nowhere to be found.

Our last encore will be his live performance at the 2013 Ton, honoring “Good Lovin'” from his Broadway musical “Once Upon a Dream Starring the Rascals”.

There are a bunch of great videos recently presented by this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, so if you’re a minded you can find all the classics and more, so if you want more, enjoy Take it!

Happy birthday, Jean! You, Eddie, Dino and Felix made my teenage years a true joy. Stop by for pizza anytime. This will be one of the top three (and probably the best) you’ve ever eaten. Yes, I mean.

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It is also the birthday of the great Bobby Darin (May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973). In his short life, he sparked a major awakening in pop music, and gave us some immortal tunes, so today we check out some of his greatest tunes!

From the spring of 1959, live on Dick Clark Saturday Night Beachnut ShowBobby is giving us a lip-sync live performance of his first big hit, “Splish Splash.”

Later that summer in 1959, again live on Dick Clark’s Beachnut Show, Bobby re-lip-synced two of his biggest hits, “Dream Lover” and “Make the Knife”.

In another appearance on Dick Clark’s Beachnut Show in 1960, Bobby the Teen Idol performed his classic, “Beyond the Sea”.

The one tune I just remembered when I was little was huge on the radio! From 1962, the #3 hit “Things”.

Bobby is here with the great Stevie Wonder in a spectacular 1969 live performance of Tim Hardin’s iconic “If I Were a Carpenter” on the Craft Music Hall television show.

Introducing two of the best live performances on television! The first is from the beginning of his career, “Beyond the Sea” and it follows his signature hit, “Beyond the Sea”, later in his career.

On his television show since 1972, Bobby has been giving us his version of the Frankie Valli/Bob Gaudio monster hit, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” as well as from his show, “Alone Again Naturally.”

Change the pace with Bobby’s live broadcast of an 8-minute soulful offering of “Midnight Special”

Speaking of the “Midnight Special” television show, here’s Bobby Live in 1973 giving us a great mix of “If I Were a Carpenter,” “Dream Lover,” and “Splish Splash.”

Bobby Darin and Peggy Lee – Duets, from the final episode of The Bobby Darin Show in 1973

This year both the television special and the album Bobby Darin – Legends in Concert Can’t find anywhere. However, I found this peculiarity from 1960 titled coke time tv special Featuring Bobby, Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon and Pat Boone! on Bobby Darin coke time special

A rare gem that has the best of two! From long ago, a great 6-minute b/w clip of Bobby Darin and George Burns performing “I Ain’t Got Nobody”

Here’s a great 4 minute clip of the two doing it again after many years! Bobby Darin and George Burns performing a song and dance on “I Ain’t Got Nobody”

We will begin this birthday celebration with three greats from a performance performed 9 months before he died in 1973. First, the beautiful Tim Hardin song “If I Were a Carpenter,” which we’ll follow up with his Hank Williams version of “Lonesome Whistle.” We’ll close out one of his most beautiful tunes, “The Simple Song of Freedom”.

Introducing an amazing 33 minute live show from Soundboard! Bobby Darin in Lake Tahoe – 1967

For those close to us, even from 1967, the video isn’t great, but the performance is excellent! Introducing Bobby Darin’s One Hour 38 – This is London 1967

For our encore, here’s another classy rendition of that iconic tune, “The Simple Song of Freedom.”

“Come and sing a simple song of freedom,
sing it like you’ve never sung it before
let the air fill
tell people everywhere
That we, the people here do not want war…”

Bobby was one of the best of any era. His music made us all feel better and more alive.

© Copyright 2022 Robert Wilkinson