American Bandstand 1963 -Follow The Boys Promo- Memory Lane, The Hippies

[@g.michaelconnolly4223]

What a beautiful and nostalgic song! I love the lyric; "Take away the rain that falls on Memory Lane". ❤

[@alanspagnolia9474]

I'll never forget. 1972. My Babysitter of days of old gave me quite a few 45's. This one by the Hippies was one of them. It was on the PARKWAY label. When I first played this song, I remember getting goosebumps all over me. What a wonderful and yet haunting tune.

[@darrylevans4401]

Such a great song The Hippies were from Philadelphia right here on American Bandstand.

[@annlouisescheuer1979]

Great song.I had the 45 record and played it everyday.I was born in 1950 and my sister in 1948. We danced every afternoon watching American Bandstand.Great,great memories !!

[@plus34me]

Amazing how so much changed (music, hair, clothes, dance moves...) in just a mere 5 years.

[@gofrogsron-67]

Amazing to see plenty of room on the floor and guys sitting in the stands, instead of asking one of the girls to dance. And, possibly a rare chance to dance on AB!

[@onlyonemgpatch9612]

I love how the couples move around the dance floor and not stay in one position.

[@jamesamaker6377]

Takes me back Saturday mornings

[@moemcgovern7345]

I saw this movie....it was excellent!

[@YCDTI]

For more information about today’s clip (and any of the clips I’ve posted) please be sure to read the description above. Thanks for watching!

[@funkibloo3811]

Thank You!😃👍💖

[@maureenmcgovern6119]

Now I remember this song. Good one!

[@GaryYoung-eq1ph]

Best rock n roll show AB !!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

WOW! Connie sends an AUDIO tape to talk about her movie. Golden!

[@sandranorman5469]

If I remember correctly, she had a bad case of stage fright. Wonder if that was around the time she was raped

[@ernestcastro6238]

Thank you very much for this.

[@robertmasina4610]

Hippies was the name of the musical act in this 1963 song. But what we know as hippies came along four years later in 1967 during the summer of love.

[@mrob75]

Hi AARON R...What a FANTASTIC clip here. You know I'm big fan of early 60s AB as those clips are few and far between...Same with early 70s. "Memory Lane" has been in my 45 record collection for several years now....I bought it for the sole reason of knowing that it was a Bandstand fave. At about this time, another hidden Bandstand gem, was "The Promise of Love" by Sandy Stewart. As to the name, "The Hippies", this derived from the word "hip" vs. what the word "hippie" would develop into as the sixties moved forward. I notice that the dancers today are strangely slow dancing in unison to what appears to be a large circle around the studio (?!) The bleacher shots really reflect some long Monday afternoon faces :--) . Hope you find some more '60 - '63 clips! (Just read that the "Hippies" changed their name to the Hippies due to some flack that they caught from the R & B group, The Tams, of "What Kind of Fool" fame....Interesting stuff here, AARON!)

[@2005dave]

Charlie O’Donnell! This show was his big break, and he had a fantastic career announcing many TV shows, some involving Dick Clark in some way! His signature gig was Wheel of Fortune which he did from 1975-1980 and again in 1989 to his death.

[@laminage]

Yes. Merrill Schindler was to Casey Kasem what Charlie O'Donnell was to Dick Clark. It's amazing to know the number of Sponsors that American Bandstand had. 180% from Soul Train whose Soul Sponsor in it's early days was Afro Sheen created by George E. Johnson who was a Chemist who borrowed a total of $500.00 in the 1950's partially from a Bank and from a Friend and created the First African American owned Hair Empire.

[@dariowiter3078]

He was also the long time staff announcer for local Los Angeles television station KCOP Ch. 13 for years and was a DJ for L.A. radio station KRLA 1110 AM. 😁📻📺

[@maureenmcgovern6119]

I remember the movie Follow the Boys; but I was quite young.

[@mrob75]

Adding to this video: at 2:18 is a very pretty lady, Carmella Astrella, who was a regular during this era. Her friends fondly called her, “Mella”. This past April 30th was her 6th anniversary of her passing. Carmella had this quietness about her. May she be resting in peace.

[@gofrogsron-67]

Great to see, as always.

[@michaelthorpe2837]

Nice clip. Jerry Blavat probably promoted this song on his radio show in Philly, which is why it became a regional hit. I came across this song on a Geator with a Heater oldies album.

[@birdsfan57]

THIS is the American Bandstand I watched as a young grammer school-aged kid growing up in the Philly area in the early 1960's. We would rush home from school everyday to watch AB, and Sally Starr's Popeye Theater which immediately followed AB.

[@victoriabelveduto3279]

I never heard that song!! Very nice though.

[@shave-a-thon3415]

Great clip and terrific comments here. Every time I watch these clips, it leaves me wanting to see the entire show. You should encourage all comments to be posted in one long thread so we could be emailed each comment. For some reason, KZbin never enabled an option for that. We can only see replies to our own comments. I've aways wondered how loud the music was in the studio. I don't see any amps and most amps around this time were no more than 30 watts. You would think a few amplifiers would be placed around the studio out of site, but I've never read about that part of the production. I've often wondered the same thing about his Saturday night Beechnut show.

[@rickrick5041]

Memory Lane great song. Did you know I wasn’t one of the kids dancing and I wasn’t one of the kids on the sidelines?

[@moemcgovern7345]

These kids can really dance!

[@MrWahooknows]

I graduated from an all boys school in Overbrook in '63

[@Gaylel1]

Notice kids, this was before trailers or promotions.

[@AdrianDeVore]

Think of it as virtual reality circa 1963...lol..

[@stevieg7672]

I thought there were trailers in '63. The earliest ones I have seen were from at least 1968. Keep in mind I'm only 16 and just have an obsession with the 1950s through the early 1970s. I wasn't alive to know about these things firsthand.

[@Gaylel1]

Stevie G yep there were trailers during that time, but there were no video promotion with the press kits and all nowadays.

[@stevieg7672]

Yea, also Dick Clark loved to advertise all these teen films.

[@cnoland2000]

Dick was very good friends with Connie. When "Follow the Boys" opened in theaters in the Philly area (where AB was at the time of this TV clip), Dick actually accompanied Connie to a select few theaters in Philadelphia when the movie opened. I lived in that area at that time and theaters advertised the movie opening with Dick Clark and Connie Francis appearing together "in person" @@stevieg7672

[@ernestcastro6238]

I got a glimpse of Steve Lewis he dosen't come out very often.

[@randyhenry2477]

When dancing on Bandstand meant something. And sexy too. This appears to be pre-panty hose era cause you catch a panty line here and there. Those are the girls of my vintage. They were hotties, they were ladies, and they knew how to cook (home-ec class and from their mothers). Yup. Fantastic upload.

[@gregrak9389]

wow, such a perv, checking out panty lines, must be the highlight of your day, SAD.

[@stevieg7672]

At another note, Connie Francis actually lived in my town. At the school I attend, we even have our auditorium named after her. She also used to work at a Woolworths here and The Delicates and The Four Seasons were from my town as well. Another fact, "Where are the Boys" poster hangs in the auditorium at the back.

[@cnoland2000]

Very cool!!

[@stevieg7672]

Yeah, indeed.

[@josiechas]

I thought Connie Francis was from Belleville, NJ. I live in the town of Belleville now. Am I correct in that? Also, I was under the impression that the Four Seasons were from Newark, NJ or North Newark to be exact. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[@stevieg7672]

@@josiechas Yes, they are all from Belleville, NJ, my town.

[@maureenmcgovern6119]

Do I see Barbara....now Barbara Sobee? I’m her fan, just from these videos. She’s a Great dancer!

[@a.b.sproductionsllc]

For 1963, that song sounds more like 1957 or ‘58, too slow and looks like some of the dancers are falling asleep. But this is awesome regardless. I wish I was born when “AB” was in its prime.

[@YCDTI]

It’s definitely a slower song and I thought the same thing about it sounding more like a 50’s song. I think it was popular in the Philadelphia area, but I admit I’d never heard it before I saw it in this episode.

[@Shrinksjp]

It was a hit, but not as big as most of her others.

[@cnoland2000]

@@Shrinksjp I think the above two comments are about the song the kids are dancing to, and not Connie's "Follow the Boys".

[@lenscaparro5209]

Growing up in the NYC area and listening to the oldies station WCBS-FM, I never heard this record before. It must have been a local hit or so in the Philly area.

[@beatle9239]

@@lenscaparro5209 I"m sure it was.

[@lenscaparro5209]

I like all sorts of doowop among other styles of music, but where did they find this one? I never heard it before.

[@robertkeefer7791]

Little did they know that soon it would be: "Move over Rover and let Jimmy take over"

[@conejitacarreno4876]

Ufff, mis padres no me hubieran permitido bailar ssi, tan cerca del compañero de baile😇😇😇

[@catherineerwin8269]

Know that performers had to promote their movies & that time still under the studio system. But was Connie Francis promoting the movie on audio just a way to save money instead of having her perform on AB?

[@tomloft2000]

Dick Clark was a cheapskate/skinflint.

[@reynaldoballarini1886]

Época de ouro 🥇💛 CRUZEIRO ESPORTE CLUBE 💙💙💙💙💙 Foundation 02/01/1921BRASIL 🇧🇷 100 years old

[@DomFalance]

So AB was 30min before 1986. Never knew.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

It went back to an hour when it went weekly in September 1963

[@oldiesgeek454]

@@l81756 In the early years, were the shows aired live all across the country? Or just in the Eastern time zone?

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Do you have a clip of AB playing “Please, Please Me” or any Beatles songs before they broke out in 1964?

[@YCDTI]

I wish! The Rate A Record where they played “She Loves You” and “Please, Please Me” in ‘63 were not saved and don’t exist....so sad. I’m with you though, I’d LOVE to see those clips. The kids in ‘63 thought they looked and sounded silly. They gave “She Loves You” a score of 71 with one kid saying “it doesn’t seem to have anything special” and another saying “it wasn’t that easy to dance to”. To be fair, a bit later they did give “Please, Please Me” a score of 81 2/3.

[@berealsupportive2744]

YouCanDanceToit! Hi thank you for posting these. I am a young Connie fan but have about 13 years or so invested in her so far and I am a huge fan. Can you please email me I can use your help on things I missed out on. I will appreciate hearing from you [e-mail]

[@stevieg7672]

But if any Beatles clip is posted on KZbin, it will be muted or taken down due to copyright.

[@YCDTI]

Stevie G of that, I am painfully aware. I have 6 or 7 great Beatles Bandstand clips but can’t show them :(

[@berealsupportive2744]

YouCanDanceToit! Hi did you get my message? I am interested in seeing all your Connie and Beatles videos can you please email me? You cannot post without trouble on KZbin by artists but your free to share things on your own which is appreciated [e-mail]

[@gwardell2]

I would like to see a full episode . But I guess those don't exist anymore.

[@Prfdt3]

Some were doing box step.

[@cnoland2000]

Do you have a clip of Connie Francis appearing the next week on AB singing Follow the Boys, and talking after the song about the movie with Dick? I saw it when it first aired and Dick teased Connie about her upswept bouffant hairstyle (very Jackie Kennedy look).

[@YCDTI]

Charles Noland unfortunately I don’t have that episode but if I ever find it I will definitely post it. Great memory by the the way!

[@stevieg7672]

The blonde at the beginning looks like the blonde from the Serendipity Singers. Anyhow, do you have a clip of the kids dancing to "Don't Let the Rain Fall Down"? It would be a pretty good Spotlight dance. Same with "Doo Wah Ditty" from Manfred Mann.

[@YCDTI]

Stevie G no, unfortunately I don’t have any Serendipity Singers, although that would be an intriguing song to dance to...not sure? and no I don’t have “Do Wah Ditty Ditty” but that one is definitely on my wish list.

[@stevieg7672]

I know right. I'm so excited for Saturday!

[@YCDTI]

Did you ever pick a song for Saturday? You were debating back and forth.

[@stevieg7672]

Yes and I choose "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" by Spanky and Our Gang.

[@stevieg7672]

Sorry about the wait, I had a lot of school work. Any video you post is amazing though.

[@lorrainegarcia2559]

Lgarcia I see Lorraine Iannetti dancing with Mike barone sorry to hear she passed at the age of 25. Does anyone know how she passed?

[@dogdayz3821]

when men knew how to dress, miss those days

[@joefagan6244]

Wfil tv channel 6 46th market Street Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

[@cynthiapickett7403]

Rather ironic group name, singing a Doo-wop tune. Even before the British Invasion swamped the Billboard/Cashbox charts only months later, a few boys were sporting Beatle haircuts.

[@margiewallace5293]

Did Barbara watchol and Bruce Richard get married

[@JC-tn9iv]

I’d like to know as well.

[@TheCalnat]

Wondered why Barbara Warhol always wore same outfit on every show?

[@esthersantini7413]

She was pretty, used to comb by hair like hers, I liked it when she danced with this guy name Jackie. Wonder where they are. Do you?

[@JC-tn9iv]

From what I gather they came straight from school and had their uniforms on.

[@TomYaz]

Where is Nancy Sinatra!

[@BleedBNG]

Bummer... I wanted to see Nancy Sinatra.

[@janeleekeller]

Dick Clark was NEVER the Star of ABS ! The Philadelphia Kids that danced on the Show WERE. Clark was just a Walking Talking Giant EGO. A repulsive one at That 😡 ! in Suburban Philadelphia 8/28/22

[@janeleekeller]

Dick Clark was NEVER the Star of the Show! 😡

[@Dr.Pepper001]

100% agree. The dancers did not get paid, but Dick became a multimillionaire from this show.