Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for Rocktober 17th

Classic singles that still sound great and props for a Motown legend...

The Four tops, Nov. 1966. (Photo: Harold Clements/Express/Getty Images)

10/17/1964 (52 years ago today) - The song was first recorded by a group called The Exciters: Manfred Mann start a two week run at No. 1 on the U.S. chart with their version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (perhaps the first No. 1 with a "Nonsense Song Title"?), knocking Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" out of the top spot, and not related in any way to "Diddy Wah Diddy" which was written by Willie Dixon and Bo Diddley and was also a mighty cool, catchy classic (but done back in 1956). The Exciters, by the way, had a big hit with "Tell Him" in 1962. I think that's enough for now...

10/17/1970 (46 years ago today) - Impressive stats: The Jackson Five kick off five weeks in a row at No. 1 with the classic single "I'll Be There", their fourth Number One of the year! Motown claimed that by the end of 1970, The J Five had sold over 10 million records. Whether that was true or not, the group was mega-hot at this point in their career, with the other Number One's being "I Want You Back", "ABC" and "The Love You Save". Also hitting the top spot for 'em: "Never Can Say Goodbye" (1971) and "Dancing Machine" (1974). You can't go wrong with a Jackson Five "Greatest Hits" collection, really...

10/17/2008 (8 years ago today) - He had one of the best voices in all of Motown: Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs passed away at his home in Detroit, after a long bout with cancer, a stroke, and various other health problems that forced him to stop touring in 2000; he was 72 years old. Some of the classics that feature Levi on lead vocal include "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "It's The Same Old Song", "Standing In The Shadows Of Love","Bernadette" and the immortal "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)". Nice stuff indeed.

Share your sugar pies with the Calendar here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"When I call your name/Girl, it starts the flame...", xoxo!

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