Each day leading up to the unveiling of the 2020 Grooveyard Great 88, we’ll share a video of one song that just missed the survey. Hear the full Great 88 on a special five hour edition of “The Grooveyard” on Saturday, December 26 from 7 PM to midnight. Check out the complete year-end schedule here.
#91
“Breaking Up is Hard to Do” by Neil Sedaka (1962)
Although Sedaka had had eight Top 10 hits in the US to this point, this was his very first #1. Howie Greenfield penned the lyrics at Sedaka’s urging, and then it was presented to Barry Mann (of the Mann and Weil songwriting team) for appraisal. Mann didn’t think much of it, so Sedaka then added the opening “dooby-doo” part. One lucky shot that this song had was debuting on June 30, 1962. This placed it in the perfect spot to start getting heavy airplay during the July 4th weekend, with vacationing teens at the parks and beaches requesting the song over and over again.
2019: not on survey, Highest Ranking: #11 (2012)
Come back each day as we unwrap another song that just missed the Great 88. You can also check out first round results here. Then join host Alan Seltzer on”The Grooveyard” for the Great 88 countdown on a special five-hour show Saturday, December 26 at 7 PM until midnight. Listen to “The Grooveyard” following “Rick’s Redneck Ranch” each Saturday night at 7 PM on 88.1 FM on Long Island or by clicking the 88.1 FM link on wcwp.org, via the TuneIn app. or the WCWP app on your iPhone or Android device. You can also follow us on Twitter. and on the Facebook groups for the show and WCWP.
Happy holidays from. . .
The Grooveyard 