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Sunday, March 16, 2014

"Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock n Roll" by Freddy Cannon & the Belmonts

Song#:  0752
Date:  09/26/1981
Debut:  89
Peak:  81
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Cannon had been a popular Boston musician in the mid-50s when he signed with Swan Records via that label's co-owner Dick Clark. His first song for the label, "Tallahassee Lassie," became a national hit and reached #6 in 1959. He would go on to have several more chart entries with his biggest hit being the #3 "Palisades Park" in 1962. But the hits slowed after that single and his last chart entry came in 1966. Fifteen years later, Cannon found himself on the chart again with this song recorded with The Belmonts, who reached #5 in 1959 with "A Teenager in Love" as Dion and the Belmonts. It was a brief appearance, but it got these early rockers back on the chart one last time.

ReduxReview:  There were several nostalgia-ish tunes going on around this time so why not drag out some early rockers to bring back the old sound? So here we have Cannon and the Belmonts reminiscing about the innocent times and sounds of the late 50s. Sure the lyrics are little corny with the boy-meets-girl-gets-married-relives old days schtick, but I have a distinct feeling that it is kind of a swipe at the new decade of rock, new wave, and synthpop. I was really expecting this to be horrible, but it is actually not too bad and they do a nice job with the tune. I'm not gonna rush out and buy it, but a little blast o' tha past can be fun on occasion if done well.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Cannon became known by the nickname Boom Boom. This was due to the heavy thumping sounds featured on his recordings.  2) Cannon's hit "Palisades Park" was written by future "The Gong Show" host, Chuck Barris.

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