Best Jan and Dean songs

[jdman]

this board needs to liven up! lol
I'd like to know your favorite Jan and Dean Top 40 hit that wasn't a top 10

I'll go with Ride the Wild Surf. ( had this one come out a year earlier, it would have been top 10)

Favorite Jan and Dean Top 100 that wasn't Top 40

I'm going to say Tennessee (but this changes frequently)

[Surfermike]

One of the best songs that never made it up the charts was Batman. Besides Hot Stocker, this is one of Jan's best vocals. Listen how he will enunciate the words socialite, night and sky in the song. What a great, distinctive voice he had! Another 45 they released that also didn't go far was A Beginning From An End. Another great lead vocal from Jan with Dean filling in the rest will his falsetto. I guess the recitation about the hospital and not making it out was too much of a downer for a top 40. It was a great song though. Still is!

[jdman]

Good points SurferMike. Batman should've been bigger. Great production. and although A Beginning From an End doesn't get much love, even on this board, it's a damn good production. And the vocals are strong

[Spazzatron]

Top Forty that wasn't a Top 10: Popsicle
Top Forty that wasn't a Top 20: The New Girl In School & I Found A Girl
Charted, not a Top 40: The Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association
Charted below the Top 100: Yellow Balloon
Honorable mention to Schlock Rod Pt. 1 as a non-charting b-side

[jdman]

Cool!! Non charting B side is a good new category. I'll go with "When I learn how to cry" and " Midsummer Nights Dream". These are 2 significant Jan Berry compositions. I think they influenced future compositions. as did the Pixie song, which I now realize was a very significant JB composition and production.

[Surfermike]

How about one of the greatest, if not "The Greatest" b side to not chart(or barely chart) is Freeway Flyer. The flip side of Here They Come (From All Over The World) and to not ever make it on an album is one of my favorite. Listen to the oboe playing in the middle with the sirens in the background. The falsetto sounds a lot like Dean, however according to Mark's book, we have Sloan and Barri doing the honors. I've yet to play this for my friend Ray who is a retired highway patrolman. Like to know what he thinks and if a nice looking hip chick talked him out of a ticket !

[jdman]

Freeway Flyer is a great choice!! It actually charted in Louisiana(Shreveport). Jan and Dean did not have a lot of success down here. It's funny that Freeway Flyer actually got radio play in these parts.