'Lou Christie Says It Should Have Been a Hit' podcast pays tribute to rock's forgotten gems

Lou Christie made some of the biggest records in rock 'n' roll history.

Lately, he's been musing about some of rock 'n' roll's also-rans — the songs that should have been hits. It's the “Lou Christie Says It Should Have Been a Hit” podcast, where he plays rock's forgotten gems.

“They're songs that should have been a hits, and they’re not just my songs,” Christie said. “It doesn’t matter, the Beach Boys or Annette Funicello ... It’s just all kinds of songs that are just great.”

So far he's featured more than 100 songs, including his own 1966 single “If My Car Could Only Talk.”

“Twyla (Herbert) and I wrote this song especially after we were banned for writing 'Rhapsody In The Rain,' ” said Christie on the podcast. “More people approached me about this song and said this is one of their favorites.”

Christie has also highlighted non-hits by the Roy Orbison, the Ronettes, Lesley Gore and more. Check it out at www.itshouldhavebeenahit.com.

“These are artists that people do know, so I give a little spritz on them and I play the song,” Christie said.

Christie's falsetto launched a string of hits like “Lightning Strikes,” “Rhapsody in the Rain,” “The Gypsy Cried,” “Two Faces Have I,” “I'm Gonna Make You Mine” and more that lit up transistor radios in the '60s. The singer combined elements of doo-wop, classical, Brill Building and garage rock with complex arrangements and, of course, Christie's golden falsetto for chart-topping magic.

Like most everyone else, he's had some downtime because of the pandemic.

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“It’s stopped everyone in their tracks and made everyone think about some things they probably hadn’t thought of since the they decided to become a singer, become a dancer, a mailman or work in a steel mill, or who they married,” Christie said. “I think it turned a lot of people's heads around. ... It’s changed my opinion on many things, but it’s made me realize what I’ve done in my career and who I am, a lot of it is very positive. You rethink your life through and you can see the mistakes you made and the things you didn’t make a mistake about.”

Coming to the State Theatre

Christie will star in the Golden Oldies Spectacular with Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, Jay and the Americans, Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams, and the 1910 Fruitgum Company on Friday, Nov. 19, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. Attendees must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours, and they must wear masks inside the theater.

He's only played a handful of shows since the pandemic ebbed.

“I do have fans who are so dedicated. They’ve been interested in me for so many years,” said Christie, a Pittsburgh native who now lives in New York City. “I’m shocked at some of the things they know about and how they’ve taken on some of the lyrics I’ve written and some of the thought pattern. I’m sort of enjoying it now because a lot of them have caught on that I do a lot of thinking before I wrote some silly line.”

Golden Oldies Spectacular with Lou Christie, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, Jay and the Americans, Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams, and the 1910 Fruitgum Company, 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick. $35 to $85. Attendees must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours, and must wear masks inside the theater. www.stnj.org.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lou Christie podcast pays tribute to rock's forgotten gems