JSS: Cold-- Bears Party-- After Bears Party-- Early Legion New Year's

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  COLD--  Just went out to feed the little feathered friends and like to froze.  Temps are about 8 degrees here, but can't complain as there is no snow on the ground (sorry snowmobilers, and it has been unseasonably warm here, 30s-40s, until a couple days ago.  However, it was quite cloudy.  We almost forgot what the sun looked like.  Sure is a big difference from last year this time when it was nothing but vortex and snow.

2.  BEARS PARTY--  This past Sunday we had 20 friends over for the Bears game.  Sad as the game was, we still had a great time, with plenty of food, drinks and shotters.

3.  AFTER BEARS PARTY--  After the party, a lot stuck around for the Packer-Dirty Lions game.  A much better game, despite dirty player Suh.  Then we had a long Name That Tune contest on the ultimate jukebox.  Last night, we had another couple over to finish off the keg.

4.  EARLY LEGION NEW YEAR'S--  In a little while. we're going to the American Legion in Fox Lake for an early New Year's Eve party with food, karaoke from 1 to 5 p.m..  Toast is at 4 p.m..  Probably will be asleep at the stroke of midnight and 2015,

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  One goose, two geese.  One moose, two meese?  One index, two indices?

Bert Russell (AKA Bert Berns): "Twist & Shout" Songwriter Died Today, 47 Years Ago

I was looking at ye Olde Disc Jockey site this morning and saw that songwriter, producer Bert Russell (a.k.a. Bert Berns) died December 30, 1967.  I have been writing about his song "Twist & Shout."

besides that song, he wrote a lot of others and produced many as well.  Here is a partial list of songs he had a lot to do with during his much-too-short life.

Wrote these songs:

A Little Bit of Soap-- Jarmels 1961
Cry to Me--  Solomon Burke 1962
Tell Him--  Exciters 1962
Cry baby-- Garnett Mimms 1963 and Janis Joplin 1971
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love--  Solomon Burke 1964, Wilson Pickett 1967, Blues Brothers
Here Comes the Night--  Lulu 1964, Them 1965
I Want Candy--  Strangeloves 1965
Hang On Sloopy--  McCoys 1965
Piece of My heart--  Erma Franklin 1967, Big Brother & the Holding Company (Janis) 1968
Twenty-Five Miles--  Edwin Starr 1968

Produced these songs:

Cry to Me
Twist & Shout
Nobody But Me--  Isley Brothers (Big hit for the Human Beinz)
Under the Boardwalk--  drifters 1964
Baby Please Don't Go--Them 1965
Baby I'm Yours--  Barbara Lewis 1965
Make Me Your Baby--  Barbara Lewis 1965
Brown Eyed Girl--  Van Morrison 1967

One Really Talented Guy.  --RoadDog

Top Notes, R&B Band

From Answer.com.

Last week I was writing about the early Beatles hit "Twist & Shout" and mentioned the song had originally been sung by a R&B group called the Top Notes.

The group was founded in Philadelphia in the 1950s and featured vocalist Curtis Harmon on the piano.  In 1952. they had their debit single "For Love of All" on the Jubilee labels which became a minor regional hit.  However, the source wasn't sure if this was the Top Notes group that signed with Atlantic and had the first version of "Twist & Shout."

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth?

Take a Listen to Rock and Roll Musicians Who Died in 2014 This Sunday

Bob Stroud will feature the musicians we lost during 2014 on his Rock and Roll Roots program airing this Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, on WDRV 97.1 FM in Chicago.  Time is from 7-10 a.m., CST.

It streams at www.wdrv.com.

Worth a listen.

Tonight, his Ten at Ten at 10 p.m. will feature songs from 1968.  Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., he will feature 1979 and 1983.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groc and hammers don't ham?

Six Classic Christmas Songs That Are Secretly Horrifying

From the Dec. 24, 2014, Yahoo! TV by Zach Seemayer.

Well, I just had to look into this one.  Some of the choices were stretching it a bit.

1.  I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS--  Terrifying to a child's viewpoint (although adults know better).  His mother is cheating on Dad and Santa is supposed to be the model of virtue.

2.  THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS--  Where is he getting all that stuff and at what cost?  Definitely exorbitant luxuries while there is so much suffering and hunger in the world.

3.  BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE--  Essentially, date rape set to music.  "Put some records on while I pour."

4.  SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN--  Santa watches all and knows all and then passes judgement.  I sometimes think Big brother is watching.  Well, what about Big Santa.

5.  JINGLE BELLS--  There is actually more than one verse.  In the second one, they drift into a snow bank and are thrown into it.  That had to hurt, and then someone rides by and just laughs.  Good Samaritan indeed.

6.  WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND--  People with overactive imaginations making pretend snow men at the height of the Great Depression.

Makes You Think.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Quicksand can work slowly, a boxing ring is square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

WLS Top Ten Survey for December 25, 1964

Fifty years ago.

1.  I FEEL FINE/ SHE'S A WOMAN--  Beatles
2.  MR. LONELY--  Bobby Vinton
3.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies

4.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits
5.  MOUNTAIN OF LOVE--  Johnny Rivers
6.  COME SEE ABOUT ME--  Supremes
7.  LEADER OF THE LAUNDROMAT--  Detergents

8.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley
9.  ANYWAY YOU WANT IT--  Dave Clark Five
10.  THE WEDDING--  Julie Rogers

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Sweetmeats are candy while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

Ten at Ten: Christmas

From WDRV, Dec. 24, 2014, Ten at ten.

Today, Bob Stroud played the Ten at Ten Christmas Songs show a day early.

HAPPY X-MAS (WAR IS OVER)--  John and Yoko
MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY--  Bruce Springsteen
PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS--  Bon Jovi

I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS--  Gregg Lake
I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS--  John Mellancamp
CHRISTMAS, BABY PLEASE COME HOME--  U-2
DING DONG, DING DONG--  George Harrison

CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME TO SAY I LOVE YOU--  Billy Squier
DO THEY KNOW ITS CHRISTMAS--  Band-Aid
CHRISTMAS EVE--  Trans-Siberian Orchestra

--MerryDog

Huskies Get Rolled in Florida

We had thought to go to Florida for the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl between two conference champs, the Northern Illinois Huskies of the MAC and Marshall Thundering Herd of C-USA.  But, we didn't care to pay those big pre-January prices and this year our Huskies were good, but not as good as in the past,  We were 11-2, but a whole lot of those victories were by the skin of our teeth.

We also considered going to DeKalb, Illinois, to watch it, but again, I was figuring a definite loss and we have a really bad storm rolling in today.

Well, I'm glad we didn't go.  It was a blow out.  Marshall beat us up badly 52-23.  We actually scored first, but on the ensuing kickoff, they ran it back for a TD and it went down from there.

We watched it at home in Margaritaville.

Marshall had something to prove for not getting into one of the Big Bowls and they sure did.  That happened to the Huskies before in the Poinsettia Bowl when TCU also had something to prove and buried us.

I'd say Marshall is ready for the next level.  We sure aren't, but we are on our third coach in five years.

I did learn that Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is in Boca Raton.  We played in their huge stadium.

I was very impressed with Marshall's quarterback.  The Bears hopefully will be looking for a new quarterback.  Maybe?

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.

Deaths: Glen Larson: Four Preps and TV

GLEN LARSON, 77 Died Nov. 14, 2014.

Founding member and baritone of the Four Preps.  Also, a well-known TV producer.

The harmony of the Four Preps was a huge influence on Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.  The group charted 18 times in eight years starting in 1956.

Some of their "biggies" that he sang and wrote:

26 Miles (#2, 1958)
Big Man (#3, 1958)
Down By the Station (#13, 1960)

After the group, he worked for Quinn Martin Productions on "The Fugitive."  he produced "Alias Smith and Jones," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "Battlestar Gallatica," "Quincy M.D.," "Magnum PI" and "Knight Rider."

he also wrote the themes for "Battlestar Gallatica" and "Fall Guy."

Quite an impressive resume for someone I'd never hear of before.

"Twistin' and Shoutin'"-- Part 2

From Wikipedia.

The original title of "Twist and Shout" was supposed to be "Shake It Up Baby.".  It became a chart hit for the Isley Brothers with their 1962 cover.  It became a big hit when the Beatles released it on their first U.K. album, Please Please me.

Chaka Demus had a #1 hit in the U.K. with it in 1994.

The Who have performed the song throughout their career.

Bruce Springsteen has played it in concert 350 times.

Phil Spector produced it (before his Wall of Sound).

It was the Isley Brothers' first big hit and notched their first Billboard Top 20 on the pop charts, peaking at #17 (It went to #2 on the R&B chart.)

Ronald Isley sang lead on it.

When the Beatles recorded it, John Lennon had a cold which is why his voice sounds that way.

When they recorded Please Please Me, they did 11 songs in ten hours.  This was the last one recorded.

The Beatles' single of the song was released March 2, 1964, with "There's a Place" as the "B" side.

Now You Know.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Let's face it, English is a crazy language.  there is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple or in in pineapple.

Twistin' and Shoutin'-- Part 1

From You Tube.

The song "Twist and Shout" which was a big hit for the Beatles fifty years ago in 1964, was originally sung by the Top Notes in 1961 and is a very rare version.  Back in 1961, they were a rising Philadelphia R&B band on the Atlantic records label

It was produced by staff member Phil Spector who had previously been a member of the Teddy Bears in 1958 and had the hit "To Know Him Is to Love Him."

When the song's writer Bert Burns (aka Bert Russell) heard it, he told Spector that he had messed up his song and said it would never fly.

The Beatles were mostly inspired by the 1962 version of it done by the Isley Brothers.

More to Come.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLIST IS EASY?  How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Music Deaths in 2014: Ray Charles Singer and Max Frost

BOB HARRIS, 91, died Feb. 14, 2014.  One time member of the Ray Charles Singers.

CHRISTOPHER JONES, 72, died Jan. 31, 2014.  Played Max frost in the 1968 movie "Wild in the Streets."  The song "Shapes of Things to Come" from the movie went to #22 that year.  Sung by Paul Wybier.  Jones also starred in TV's "The Legend of Jesse James."

Mo' Sox, Less Cutler

White Sox fans are all ecstatic about the signings of expensive free agents starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija, relief closer David Robertson and left fielder Melky Cabrera this past couple weeks.

I sure hope they do better than the last there really-highly paid free agents the Sox signed: Adam Dunn, Jake Peavey and Alex Rios.  Adam Dunn had about as bad of a year any player could have his first and second seasons, but played reasonably well the last two.  Peavey was a huge flop, completely worthless.  Only Rios played like he should have.

And, on the subject of Jay Cutler, he was FINALLY benched as DaSadBear quarterback, something that should have been done weeks or months ago when it became apparent he is not the NFL qb that his salary would indicate.

Our poor backup qb gets to face the #1 NFL defense tomorrow,

One thing our Chicago sports franchises don't know how to do is spend their money.

Oh Well.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

WLS Top Ten R&B for December 18, 1964

1.  TWINE TIME--  Alvin Cash
2.  SOMETIMES I WONDER--  Major Lance
3.  THE JERK--  Larks

4.  LONG LONG WINTER--  Impressions
5.  BLIND MAN--  Little Milton
6.  VOICE YOUR CHOICE--  Radiants
7.  WHAT NOW--  Gene Chandler

8.  TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA--  Marvelettes
9.  HOW SWEET IT IS-- Marvin Gaye
10.  WILD ONE--  Martha & the Vandellas

--RoadDog

Songs From Last Week's WLS Top 30 That I Didn't Know.

As usual, I remember the Top Ten songs fairly well, but see the names of others that I don't remember hearing.  As such, I have to go to You Tube which almost always has the recordings.

Here are the songs I didn't remember.

7.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley  And I thought I'd heard all his big hits.  A pretty slow one.
13.  SHE UNDERSTANDS ME--  Johnny Tillotson  (Country pop)  Country comes to town.
14.  EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT--  Newbeats  A take-off on "Bread and Butter."

16.  SCRATCHES--  Travis Wammack  instrumental
17.  RIGHT OR WRONG--  Ronnie Dove  Slow ballad
18.  LEADER OF THE LAUNDROMAT--  Detergents  (See #30)

19.  WEDDING SONG--  Julie Rogers  Was this played a lot at weddings back then?
25.  I JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE--  Bobby Rydell     Slow
27.  WALK AWAY--  Matt Monro  Super slow.

28.  THE OTHER RINGO--  L:arry Finnegan  Not Lorne's outlaw desperado, but that guy with that famous band.
29.  FALL AWAY--  Eddie Albert  Slow
30.  DO WACKA DO--  Roger Miller  (OK, I've heard it, but just had to hear it again.)

And, He Had a What?  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for December 18, 1964: Beatles Back at #1

*  bRITISH iNVASION GROUP.

1.  I FEEL FINE/ SHE'S A WOMAN--  Beatles*
2.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies*
3.  MR. LONELY--  Bobby Vinton

4.  COME SEE ABOUT ME--  Supremes
5.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits*
6.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene
7.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley

8.  MOUNTAIN OF LOVE--  Johnny Rivers
9.  TIME IS ON MY SIDE--  Rolling Stones*
10.  ANYWAY YOU WANT IT--  Dave Clark Five*

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY.  Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.

A Fifty Year Christmas Comparison-- Part 2: 1963-2013

TELEVISION SPECIAL

1963--  The Judy Garland Christmas Show
2013--  Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular

COST OF A MAIL-ORDER 2 LB. FRUITCAKE

1963--  $4.25
2013--  $27.95  (You'd think that something that expensive would be more popular)

COST OF MAILING A HOLIDAY CARD

1963--  5 cents
2013--  46 cents

PRICE OF A CHRISTMAS TREE

1963-- $2.50
2013--  $45

MOST POPULAR TOY

1963--  Easy-Bake Oven $15.95
2013--  Big Hugs Elmo  $59.99

Now You Know.  --RoadDog

A 50-Year Christmas Comparison 1963-2013-- Part 1: Christmas Creep and Black Friday

From the December 2013 AARP Bulletin "A Boomer's History of the Holidays."

The holiday season has changed drastically in the last 50 years.  Perhaps the biggest difference is in the increasing "Christmas Creep" merchandising which had moved Christmas sales into October (and now September.  I saw stuff in September this past year.  And, of course, there is now Back-to-School Creep which starts in early July.)).

And, of course, mention "Black Friday" and opening stores on Thanksgiving to someone back in 1963 and they would look at you puzzled and ask if you are out of your mind.  No one gets up at 4 a.m. back then except maybe to get the turkey started.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  The wind was too strong to wind the sail in.

Favorite Christmas Movies: Three Down, One to Go

I have managed to watch three of my top four favorite Christmas movies within the last two weeks.

It's a Wonderful Life--  #3
Miracle on 34th Street (original one) #4
Christmas Vacation #2

Guess What My favorite One Is (Which I Will See One Week from Tonight).  Hint, It has a 24-Hour Marathon.  --RoadDog

John Fogerty's Set List

These are some really great songs.  Set List from Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.

1.  Introduction
2.  Centerfield
3.  Born on the Bayou
4.  Green River
5.  Looking Out My Back Door

6.  Who'll Stop the Rain
7.  Hey Tonight
8.  Big Train from Memphis
9.  Run Through the Jungle
10.  Midnight Special

11.  Garden Party
12.  Have You Seen the Rain
13.  Keep On Chooglin'
14.  The Night Time Is the Right Time
15.  Rock and Roll Girls

16.  Down On the Corner
17.  Good Golly Miss Molly
18.  Bad Moon Rising
19.  The Old Man Down the Road
20.  Fortunate Son

My favorite Group, CCR.  --RoadDog

Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Beatles Songs

Just #1200 to #91.  Date written, writer and album  *--  older Beatles song

100.  Hello Goodbye  11-27-67 Paul, Magical Mystery Tour

99.  Yes It Is--  4-19-65--  John, "B' side, Past Masters

98.  Long Long Long--  11-25-68--  George, The Beatles

97.  All I've Got to Do--  1-20-64--  John, With the Beatles

96.  Within You Without You--  6-2-67--  George, Sgt. Pepper's

95.  Ant Time At All--  7-20-64--  John, A Hard Day's Night

94.  You Won't See Me--  12-6-65--  Paul, Rubber Soul

93.  Sexy Sadie--  11-25-68--  John, The Beatles

92.  Dig a Pony--  5-18-70--  John. Let It Be

91.  Every Little Thing--  6-14-65--  Paul, Beatles for Sale  (Written to girlfriend Jane Asher)

--RoadDog

2014 Songwriters Hall of Fame

From the Feb. 14, 2014, Oldies Music News.

The following people were inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame in New York City on Jan. 12, 2014:

Donovan
Ray Davies (Kinks)
Jom Weaherly "Midnight Train to Georgia," "Neither One of Us"
Graham Gouldman (10CC)
Mark Jones "Suspicious Minds"

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

Rolling Stone Magazine Readers' Poll: Ten Greatest Early Beatle Songs

10.  I've Just Seen a Face
9.  The Night Before
8.  Yesterday

7.  I Want to Hold Your Hand
6.  A Hard Day's Night
5.  She Loves You
4.  I Feel Fine

3.  And I Love Her
2.  Ticket to Ride
1.  I Saw Her Standing There

"And I Love Her" was written by Paul McCartney in February 1964 for his girlfriend Jane Asher.  It took just there days to complete and was unusually long for a Beatle song back then.  It can be considered a forerunner of "Yesterday."

--RoadDog

Beatlemania Hits in 1964

From Yahoo! News.

Jacqueline Horsfall, then 15 years old, recalls her dad calling from the sofa: "The Beatles are on TV.  Don't you want to watch?"  She replied, "The what?  Beatles?"

She joined her parents and wrote in her diary that night: "Sunday, February 9.  The Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show tonight.  Their haircuts are out of the world.  I don't think they'll last long though."

The next day, she wrote: "Monday, February 10.  All the kids and teachers were talking about the Beatles. Ten of their songs are in the Top Twenty.  Almost immediately, we started imitating them."

"Tuesday, February 11  After church meeting tonight, everyone was acting like the Beatles.  The boys wore their hair in a fringe, and we played two Beatle albums.  An enterprising classmate sold Beatle photos at school snapped off the Ed Sullivan Show."

I sure wish I had been keeping a dairy or journal back then.

It Had Arrived.    --RoadDog

Two-Hit Wonders-- Part 3

10.  STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK--  Incense and peppermints, Tomorrow

9.  NINE INCH NAILS--  The Day the World Went Ahead, The Hand That Feeds

8.  LOS LOBOS--  Come On Let's Go, La Bamba

7.  MARKY MARK AND THE FUNKY BUNCH--  Good Vibrations, Wildside

6.  JETHRO TULL--  Living in the Past, Bungle in the Jungle

5.  ? MARK & THE MYSTERIANS--  96 Tears, I need Somebody

4.  KRIS KRISTOFFERSON--  Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again), Why Me

3.  JANIS JOPLIN--  Piece of My heart, me and Bobby McGee (Written by #4)

2.  PINK FLOYD--  Money, Another Brick in the Wall

1.  YOUNG M.C.--  Bust a Move, Principal's Office

Now, You Know.  --RoadDog

Two-Hit Wonders-- Part 2

20.  BROWNSVILLE STATION--  Smokin' in the Boys Room, King of the Party

19.  THE CLASH--  Train in Vain, Rock the Casbah  (What, no Should I Stay or Should I Go?)

18.  ELVIS COSTELLO--  Everyday I Write the Book,  Veronica

17.  DIDO--  Thank You, White Flag

16.  EMF--  Unbelievable, Lies

15.  ANDEW GOLD--  Lonely Boy, Thank You for Being a Friend

14.  SSG BARRY SADLER--  The Ballad of the Green Berets, The "A" Team

13.  RADIOHEAD--  Creep, Nude

12.  MEN WITHOUT HATS--  Safety Dance, Pop Goes the World

11.  NEW ORDER--  True Faith, Regret

--RoadDog

Two-Hit Wonders-- Part 1

From the March 8, 2013, List of the Day by Rob O'Connor "Two Hit Wonders Because Every Radio Station Needs to Do a 'Two-for Tuesday' or be seen As Letting Us Down."

Based on Billboard Top 40 Charts.  These are groups and performers with just two Top 40 hits.

25.  THE BAND--  Up on Cripple Creek, Don't Do It  (The Weight went to #63)

24.  BARENAKED LADIES--  One Week, Pinch Me (It's All Been Done went to #44)

23.  BERLIN--  No More Words, Take My Breath Away

22.  BLACK CROWES--  Hard to Handle, She Talks to Angels

21.  BLUE OYSTER CULT--  (Don't Fear) the Reaper, Burnin' for You

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

Around Here

THURSDAY DEC. 11TH:

Drove to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and had lunch at the Lake-Aire Restaurant and then went to Donovan's Reef in Twin lakes, Never Sink Inn in Spring Grove and Tommy's.

FRIDAY, DEC. 12TH:  I went to McHenry and paid $2.22 for gas as the "GAS WAR" continues.  Went to Target, Aldi's and on the way home, Angelo's Super Market in Johnsburg.  Gas there at $2.50.

Later, met the Usual Suspects at The Tank in Ingleside for $1 bottles and stopped at the Legion on the way back home.

SATURDAY, DEC. 13TH:  Met the president if out teacher union during the strike, Terri, for breakfast at the Iron Horse Grill in Round Lake.  This was my way of thanking her for the outstanding job she had done 20 years ago during the 38-school day strike we had to endure while the school board did all in its power to break the union.

In just a little while, we are going to the Legion for the Army-Navy game and then a later, a fundraiser for a lady with cancer.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  The buck does funny things when the does are present.  (Well, the buck passed the buck.)

JSS: Christmas Lights-- Low Gas Prices-- Why So Few Sports-- Great Radio

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  CHRISTMAS LIGHTS--  I've been working on the outside lights whenever I get the chance because of really cold weather and have most of them up.  I have found a whole lot of the light strands where half of them don't work, way more than usual.  Perhaps it was the extreme cold from last winter which stopped me from taking them down for so long.

I also helped Liz put up the two inside trees, something I normally don't do.

2.  LOW GAS PRICES--  Gas prices in northeast Illinois are around $2.60 to $2.70.  Yesterday, gas in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, was $2.56.  But, the best news is in McHenry along Illinois Highway 31, where a Murphy USA station opened and has sparked a gas war.  Wow, gas war.  How long has it been since you've heard that?  Gas is "down" to $2.27!!

Enjoy it now, because come spring, Big Oil and their friends will have gas back up to $4+ and that will be really hard to take now that we're starting to get used to gas below $3.

3.  WHY SO FEW SPORTS--  Even though I don't mention it often, I am a real big sports fan.  I don't mention it, especially where success is concerned because that is the "Kiss of Death."  I mention it and my teams lose.

4.  GREAT RADIO--  Tune into WXRT, 93.1 FM tomorrow morning from 8 to noo, CST to listen to Saturday Morning Flashback which goes back 30 years to 1984.  It streams at www.wxrt.com.

Also over the internet, check out Fessa John Hook's Beach Class Reunion which this week is to 1955.  He will play the Top Forty Beach Songs from that year and give you lots of background.  Some of the songs he played: "No More Alcohol" by Jimmy Liggins, "Can't Do 60 No More" by the Dominos, "Fujiyama Mama" by Aniston Alla, "Hearts of Stone" by the Jewels and "Tweddly Twiddly Dee" by LaVern Baker.  This is Rock and Roll before it became Rock and Roll.  Streams at www.beachshag.com.

--RoadDog

WLS Top Ten R&B Songs, December 11, 1964

I decided to go ahead and list all of the top songs in Chicago for this date, so here is the R&B list.

1.  VOICE YOUR CHOICE--  Radiants
2.  IT'S ALL OVER--  Walter Jackson
3.  AIN'T IT THE TRUTH--  Mary Wells

4.  LONG LONG WINTER--  Impressions
5.  WHAT'S NEW--  Gene Chandler
6.  ADORABLE ONE--  Joe Simon
7.  THE JERK--  Larks

8.  TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA--  Marvelettes
9.  SOMETIMES I WONDER--  Major Lance
10.  REACH OUT FOR ME--  Dionne Warwick

--RoadDog

WLS Top Thirty Survey, December 11, 1964-- Part 2

16.  SCRATCH--  Travis Wammack
17.  RIGHT OR WRONG--  Ronnie Dove
18.  LEADER OF THE LAUNDROMAT--  Detergents  "I don't know?"

19.  THE WEDDING--  Julie Rogers
20.  I'M GONNA BE STRONG--  Gene Pitney
21.  AS TEARS GO BY--  Rolling Stones

22.  BIG MAN IN TOWN--  Four Seasons
23.  SHA LA LA--  Manfred Mann
24.  SIDEWALK SURFIN'--  Jan & Dean

25.  I JUST CAN'T SAY GOODBYE--  Bobby Rydell
26.  SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES--  Drifters
27.  WALK AWAY--  Matt Munro

28.  THE OTHER RINGO--  Larry Finnegan
29.  FALL AWAY--  Eddie Albert
30.  DO WACKA DO--  Roger Miller

"Who's That Bangin' On the Piano?"  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  They were too close to close the door.

WLS Top Thirty Survey from December 11, 1964--- Part 1

From Oldies Loon site.

Fifty Years Ago, that's right.  I usually just do the Top Ten, but there were so many interesting songs on the list as well as quite a few I'd never heard of before, I went ahead and wrote all thirty.  There were only 30 listed because they also had the Top Ten R&B songs as well.  *= British Invasion

1.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies*
2.  MR. LONELY--  Bobby Vinton
3.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits*

4.  I FEEL FINE/ SHE'S A WOMAN--  Beatles*  (From #18, guess where it will be next week.)
5.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene
6.  MOUNTAIN OF LOVE--  Johnny Rivers

7.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley
8.  TIME IS ON MY SIDE--  Rolling Stones*
9.  COME SEE ABOUT ME--  Supremes

10.  DANCE, DANCE, DANCE--  Beach Boys
11.  BABY LOVE--  Supremes
12.  ANYWAY YOU WANT IT--  Dave Clark Five*

13.  SHE UNDERSTANDS ME--  Johnny Tillotson
14. EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT--  Newbeats
15.  GONE GONE GONE--  Everly Brothers

"Anyway You Want It" or "Look Through Any Window" were the first two 45s I ever bought.  I'm still not sure which one was first.

One or the Other.  --RoadDog

Three Hit Wonders, or, Third Time's the Charm-- Part 3

10.  FLOCK OF SEAGULLS--  I Ran (So Far Away), Space Age Love Song, Wish (If I Had a Photograph of You)

9. THE CURE--  Just Like Heaven, Love Song,  Friday I'm In Love

8.  CREAM--  Sunshine of Your Love, White Room, Crossroads

7.  THE KELLERS--  Mr. Brightside, When You Were Young, Human

6.  BEASTIE BOYS-- (You Gotta) Fight for Right (To Party), Intergalactic, Hey Ladies

5.  HOOTERS--  And We Danced, Day By Day, Where Do the Children Go

4.  HAMILTON, JOE FRANK & REYNOLDS--  Don't Pull Your Love, Winners and Losers, Fallin' in Love

3.  RUN D.M.C.--  Walk This Way, You Be Illin', Down With the King

2.  SPANDAU BALLET--  True, Gold, Only When You Leave

1.  AC/DC--  You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, Money talks  (Highway to Hell peaked at #47.)

A Different Way to look at the Hits.  --RoadDog

Three Hit Wonders, or, Third Time's the Charm-- Part 2

20.  TROGGS--  Wild Thing, With a Girl Like You, Love Is All Around

19.  SAM & DAVE--  Hold On! I'm Comin', Soul Man, I Thank You  (A big surprise they only had the three huts as I really liked so many of their other songs.)

18.  ZOMBIES--  She's Not There, Tell her No, Time of the Season

17.  LISA LOEB--  Stay (I Missed You), Do You Sleep?, I Do

16.  PROCUL HARUM--  A Whiter Shade of Pale, Homburg, Conquistador

15.  BO DONALDSON & THE HEYWOODS--  Billy Don't be a Hero, Who Do You Think You Are, Heartbreak Kid

14.  DEEP PURPLE--  Hush, Kentucky Woman, Smoke on the Water

13.  CUTTING CREW--  (I Just) Died In Your Arms, I've Been In Love Before, One for the Mocking Bird

12.  KEITH--  Ain't Gonna Die, 98.6, Tell Me to My Face

11.  THE KNACK--  My Sharona, Good Girls Don't, My Baby Talks Dirty

What Color Are You Turning?  --RoadDog

Three Hit Wonders: Third Time's the Charm-- Part 1

From the March 29, 2013, List of the Day "Three Hit Wonders: Third Time's the Charm or Three's Company" by Rob O'Connor.

I sure miss Mr. O'Connors column that ran on Yahoo every so often.  Always interesting items with pictures and lots 'o info.

These are groups that only had three Top 40 hits.  Some of the songs I've heard, others not.  First song listed was biggest hit.

25.  PLAYER--  Baby Come Back, This Time I'm In It for Love, Prisoner of Your Love

24.  SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET--  She's About a Mover, The Rains Came, Mendocino  (One of my favorite groups with Doug Sahm and Augie Meyers who went on to form the Texas Tornadoes.)

23.  BANANARAMA--  Cruel Summer, Venus, I Heard a Rumour  (Or were they the Go-Gos.  I can never keep them apart.)

22.  RUPERT HOLMES--  Escape (the Pina Colada Song), Him, Answering Machine.  (Had a way with humorous songs.)

21. KATRINA & THE WAVES--  Walking on Sunshine, Do You Want Crying, That's the Way

And Who Did His Date Turn Out to Be?  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

While On the Subject of Annoying: Now We Know About the "Wilting Rose"

We are so lucky here in Chicago to have two of the most overpaid annoying athletes ever.  I'm talking about the Bears' "Scary Jay" and the Bulls' "Wilting Rose."

No one goes through the motions of being a "MVP qb (Trestman's words, not mine) better than Jay.

But our wonderful Rose is maddening because he so rarely plays, yet still gets that huge paycheck.  It's hard for the Bulls to rise to the top while pulled down by his anchor (not to mention the salary cap which so much of his money takes up).

But now we know exactly why he is unable to play so much.  The Rose is simply "Unable to Breathe" as his tee shirt says.  I would have to imagine it is quite difficult to play such an intensive game as basketball when you can't breathe.

Perhaps Rose Should See a Doctor About This Malady.  --RoadDog

Ten Most Annoying Songs of All Time

From the Sept. 15, 2013 The Y! Music by Robert of the Radishes.

10.  ACHY BREAKY HEART--  Billy Ray Cyrus  (Hey, helped raise Miley.)
9.  AFTERNOON DELIGHT--  Starland Vocal Band
8.  YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL--  James Blount

7.  I'M TOO SEXY--  Right Said Fred
6.  MY HUMPS--  Black Eyed Peas
5.  MACARENA--  Los Del Rio
4.  WANNABE--  Spice Girls

3.  MUSKRAT LOVE--  Captain & Tennille
2.  BARBIE GIRL--  Aqua
1.  PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME--  Chip-man & the Buckwheat Boys (I don't recall ever hearing this one.)  You Tube here I come.)

Again, played ad infinitum and infinitum, etc.

My Humps, Is That "Dirty?"  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

Top Ten Most Annoying Songs of the 1970s

From the Aug. 31, 2013, The Y! Music Playlist Blog by Robert of the Radishes.

Played on AM radio.

1.  MUSKRAT LOVE-- Captain & Tenille
2.  AFTERNOON DELIGHT--  Starland Vocal Band
3.  THE STREAK--  Ray Stevens

4.  MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS--  Maria Muldaur
5.  ESCAPE (THE PINA COLADA SONG)--  Rupert Holmes
6.  YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE--  Debby Boone
7.  CONVOY--  C.W. McCall

8.  (YOU'RE) HAVING MY BABY--  Paul Anka and Odia Coster
9.  RUN JOEY RUN--  David Geddes
10.  HAVE YOU EVER BEEN MELLOW--  Olivia Newton-John

I liked some of these, but my biggest problems with these songs were they were constantly played over and over and over and over.

And Over and Over and Over.  --RoadDog

Earlier This Year, the Beatles Grammy Special

From the November 14, 2013 Yahoo! TV, WRAP "The Beatles Get Grammy Special on CBS.

There was a two-hour special aired on CBS earlier this year "The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles."  Contemporary artists performed the songs of the Beatles along with archival footage of 50 years ago.

The show aired on February 9, 2014, the 50th anniversary of that dramatic appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show back in 1964.

The Beatles' initial appearance on Ed Sullivan is regarded as a pivotal moment in TV history with an estimated 74 million people watching.

The special will be taped on January 27th, the day after the Grammy awards and w aired at 8 p.m. on Feb. 9th.

The Beatles eventually won 7 Grammys, including three in 1996 for "The Beatles Anthology" album and "Free As a Bird."

I watched this special and sure enjoyed it.  Of course, it was the Beatles who got me interested in music.

Can't Get Enough of the Beatles.  --RoadDog

Linda Ronstadt's "Different Drum"

From the October 31, 2013, Wall Street Jornal by Marc Myers.

Linda Ronstadt was caught by surprise back in 1967 when she showed up at the studio to sing her first lead vocal single with her band, the Stone Poneys.  She was expecting an acoustic ballad.  Instead, she was given a faster arrangement with a rhythm section and string players brought in to replace her band mates.    She had just seconds to figure out how to sing it before the tapes started rolling.

Released in September 1967, it was written by future Monkee Michael Nesmith.  It peaked at #13 in Billboard's Top 100 chart.

One of my favorite performers.

Good Move.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  I do not object to the object.

Pearl Harbor: The First of the Big Three "Where Were You"

Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the event that launched the United States into World War II.  I rarely post on Sundays, but will make an exception when it occurs on December 7th.  Pearl Harbor has always been of great interest to me.

It was my parent's "Day of Remembering."  This is one of those days that you remember where you were when you first heard about it.

For my generation, it was the assassination of Kennedy.  For the next one it was 9/11.

I'll be putting my flags out today, hope you do the same.

This day will always be observed in all seven of my blogs.

My Five Picks for the RnR Hall of Fame Class of '15

MARVELETTES--  Great Motown female soul group.  (23 Top 100s, 3 Top Tens)  "Please Mr. Postman" #1, "Playboy" #7, "Don'r mess With Bill" #7.  I also liked "Beechwood 4-5789" #17, "Too Many Fish in the Sea" #25 and "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game" #13.

SPINNERS--  Another great soul group dating from 1961, but hit their peak in the70s and early 80s.  (29 Top 100s, 7 Top Tens)  I especially liked "I'll b Around" #3. "Could Be I'm Falling in Love" #4, "One of a Kind Love Affair" #11, "Mighty Love Pt.1" #20, "Then Came You" #1, "The Rubberband Man" #2, "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me Girl" #2 and "Cupid/I've Loved You For a Long Time" #4.

WAR--  (17 Top 100s, 7 Top Tens)  California band.  I especially liked their "Spill the Wine" #3, "Slippin' Into Darkness" #16, "The World Is a Ghetto" #7, "The Cisco Kid" #2, "Gypsey Man" #8,  "Why Can't We Be Friends?" ##6, "Low Rider" #7 and "Summer" #7.

BILL WITHERS--  From Slab Fork, West Virginia.  (13 Top 100s, 3 Top Tens)  "Ain't No Sunshine" #3, "Lean On Me" #1, "Use Me" #2 and "Lovely Day" #30.  he also sang with Grover Washington, Jr. on "Just the Two of Us" #2.

CHIC--  R&B, disco group from New York City  (10 Top 100s, 4 Top Tens)  "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) #6, "Le Freak" #1, "I Want Your Love" #7 and "Good Times" #1.

Well, Those Are My Picks.  --RoadDog

Nominees for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Class of '15

These groups and performers have been nominated for inclusion in this august group.

Marvelettes
Spinners
War
Bill Withers
Chic
Sting (already in with the Police)
Kraftwerk
Lou Reed
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Joan Jett
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Nine Inch Nails

Induction of the winners will April 18, 2015, in Cleveland, Ohio.

These Are Some Worthy Inductees   --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?    When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

Seven Surprising Things Your Insurance Covers-- Part 3

5.  DOG BITES--  If your dog is a bad dog and bites someone, your homeowner's policy should cover it.  One-third of all homeowners insurance liability claims are related to dog bites.  Standard policies cover between $100,000 to $300,000.  But, what if your cat bites you or someone? What about the pet bird?

6.  DORM ROOM THEFT--  If your kid's flat-screen TV disappears at college, don't panic.  Most policies cover your children's college rooms, but most require the kid to be living on campus (so frat rooms are not covered).

7.  DEFENSE LAWYER--  No matter how careful you are, one accident at your home can entangle you in costly legal problems.  Your liability coverage should help pay for it.

--RoadDog

Seven Surprising Things Your Insurance Covers-- Part 2

3.  METEORITES--  Chances are slim of having your house hit by a falling meteorite, satellite or some other falling object, but your insurance should cover it if that happens.  Also, a life insurance policy should also pay up if the owner is struck and killed.

4.  RIOTS--  What if a victory celebration turns ugly or the locals don't agree with a judicial decision.  Are you covered?  Yes.  And, if you live in certain areas with certain folks, it is a  thing.  No rioting when O.J. was found innocent, but certain folks "liked" that decision.

--RoadDog

Seven Surprising Things Your Insurance Policies Cover-- Part 1

From the May 4, 2014, Chicago Tribune by Cameron Huddleston, Kipplinger Consumer News Service.

"Accidents happen.  That's why you have insurance."  You know about standard claims, "But what if your dog bites the mailman? A meteorite crashes through your roof" Or rioters torch your car (or business as in Ferguson)?  Suddenly, the answers or less clear."

Here are seven things you might not know that you have coverage in their event.

1.  VOLCANIC DAMAGE--  A definite possibility in some parts of the country.  But, you're covered, even here in Illinois.  But, your home isn't covered by earthquake damage and floods on standard policies.

2.  RODENT DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR-- Mice chewing on your wires?  Considered an "other than collision" auto claim.  But, some policies don't cover it.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

WLS Survey December 4, 1964

Fifty years ago.  It had been quite a while since the Beatles had been in the Top 20 until this week.  Would this one go to #1?

1.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies
2.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene
3.  MR. LONELY--  Bobby Vinton

4.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits
5.  YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Kinks
6.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley
7.  DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD--  Overlanders

8.  LEADER OF THE PACK--  Shangri-Laws
9.  BABY LOVE--  Supremes
10.  MOUNTAIN OF LOVE--  Johnny Rivers

12.  DANCE DANCE DANCE--  Beach Boys
13.  GONE GONE GONE--  Everly Brothers
18.  I FEEL FREE/ SHE'S A WOMAN--  Beatles

Hard to belive, a Half Century Ago.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Since there is  no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

Deaths: Bob Crewe, Wrote and Produced the Four Seasons Hits

STANLEY ROBERT "BOB" CREWE, 82.  Died September 11, 2014.

New Jersey native who wrote and produced for the Four Seasons.also "Music to Watch Girls By" #15 and the classic Diet Pepsi commercial in 1966.

Some of his Four Seasons hits:

Big Girls Don't Cry-- #1 1962
Walk Like a Man-- #1 1963
Let's Hang On--  #3 1965
Rag Doll--  #1 1964

He also did the same for the Rays on "Silhouettes" and "Daddy Cool" #3 1957
"La Dee Dah" for Billy & Lillie #9 1959
"Tallahassee Lassie" by Freddie Cannon #6 in 1959
"Navy Blue" for Diane Renay #6 in 1964
"Lady Marmalade" for LaBelle #1 1975

His Dyno-Voice label gave us Mitch Ryder & the detroit Wheels and the Toys.

Quite a Songbook.

Deaths: Acker Bilk and Al Byron

ACKER BILK (MR. ACKER BILK), 85.  Died Nov. 2, 2014.  Best known for his #1 hit "Stranger On the Shore" in 1962.

AL BYRON,  Died Nov. 29, 2014.  Co-wrote "Roses Are Red (My Love)" with Paul Evans which hit #1 in 1962 for Bobby Vinton.  He also wrote the lyrics for Paul Evans' "Happy Go Lucky Me: which went to #10 in 1960.

25 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs-- Part 2

Ever since Steppenwold used that tern in "Born to Be Wild."  * I've heard it before.

14.  METAL THRASHING MAD--  Anthrax
13.  AM I EVIL--  Diamond Head
12.  SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE--  Judas Priest
11.  WELCOME TO THE JINGLE--  Guns N' Rose*

10.  DETROIT ROCK CITY--  KISS*
9.  RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL--  Van Halen*
8.  AT WAR WITH SATAN--  Venom

7.  THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST--  Iron Maiden
6.  N.I.B.--  Black Sabbath*
5.  SOUTH OF HEAVEN--  Slayer
4.  SATAN'S FALL--  Mercyful Fate

3.  FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE--  Metallica
2.  BLACK SABBATH--  Black Sabbath*
1.  ACE OF SPADES--  Motorhead

These songs tend to be in the same category of evil.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

25 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs-- Part 1

From November 24, 2014, Yahoo! Music by Rob O'Connor.

Not that I am a big-time heavy metal guy, but I have heard of some of them and you know how I feel about lists.  * I've heard of before.

25.  MASTERS OF PUPPETS--Metallica*
24.  COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN--Led Zeppelin*
23.  BLACKOUT--Scorpions
22.  PEACE SELLS--  Megadeath

21.  MIND OVER MATTER-- Raven
20.  TOXIC WALTZ--  Exodus
19.  UNDER THE BLADE--  Twisted Sister
18.  WAR PIGS--  Black Sabbath*

17.  COWBOYS FROM HELL--  Pantera
16.  OVER THE MOUNTAIN--  Ozzy Osbourne
15.  HELL'S BELLS--  AC/DC*

And, there are videos and information at the site.

I'm Just Listing Them.  --RoadDog

And, a Happy Thanksgiving to You

Finally have some sun here in Goldsboro, North Carolina, after overcast ever since I got here.  It rained and drizzled ever since Monday night.

Getting ready to sit down to an extremely good-smelling turkey that Mom has cooked for us.

I kind of felt like Ralph's old man in "A Christmas Story" as I was helping move the turkey from pan to platter,  What did Ralphie call him, "a real Turkesaurus?"

Watched the Macy's Parade in NYC and now getting ready to watch Da Bears play the Lions.  We'' have to see what our resident turkey, Scary Jay is going to do.  Will the good or bad Jay be with us today?  We'll know in about three hours.

Gobble, Gobble.  --RoadDog

Cold Ahead: N.C. T-Giving Trip 2014-- Part 2

NOVEMBER 21ST:

Drove south from the motel about 8 miles to US-33 and took it southeast to West Virginia, stopping in Athens, Ohio, for breakfast at Burger King (great biscuits) and then to I-77 and south through West Virginia and the W.Va. Turnpike. ($6 for three tolls).

Gassed up in Wytheville, Va., always the cheapest on the trip.  It was $2.56.  Decided not to stop in Mt. Airy, N.C., so I could hopefully get through the Durham-Raleigh traffic mess and driving along I-40 made it.

Took US-70 to Goldsboro and stopped at the Wal-Mart east of it and bought some items.

Arrived at Mom's and we went to Goldsboro's Paramount Theater and saw Jason Coleman's show.  He is the grandson of noted Nashville country pianist Floyd Cramer who was famous for his instrumental "Last Date" and his slip note style of playing.  I did not know he played piano on so many country hits.

--RoadDog

Cold Ahead, 2014 N.C. T-Giving Trip: Day 1

NOVEMBER 20TH:  Actually left early at 7 a.m..  Took Il-49 south to Mahomet, Illinois, stopping at Gibson City for a McRib meal (that season, you know).  Gas was $2.65 in Mahomet, the lowest I've seen in years.

Picked up I-74 southeast to Indianapolis in no problems going through the city on I-70.  East to Ohio and a stop at Englewood, Ohio, for my Skyline Chili fix (gotta have my Cincy Chili every chance I get.  I got to Columbus, Ohio, near the end of rush hour, but no traffic jams and got a room east of town at a Knight's Inn.

Drove around the surrounding area and found one of my favorite stores anywhere, Half Price Books.  Books and music, that's my game.  I almost thought I was going to set a record and get out of there without buying anything, but then found two Civil War Navy books, a CD by Buck Owens and two historical calendars.

The reason I'm calling this Cold Ahead is that it is mighty cold for November.  The temp in Spring Grove was 12 degrees when I left and it finally got into the upper 20s by the time I got to Ohio.  At least there wasn't as much road work as there was in the summer trip.

--RoadDog

Chicago Area Rugby Football Union

From Wikipedia.

Not long ago, I wrote about the rugby game played in the United States between our team and the best rugby team in the world, New Zealand's All Blacks which resulted in the U.S. being routed.  I mentioned that there were several rugby clubs in the Chicagoland area.

Among the men's Divisions:

DIVISION I:Chicago Griffins, Chicago Lions

DIVISION II:  Chicago Blaze (Lemont), Lincoln Park (Chicago), Southside Irish (Chicago) and Chicago Riot (Chicago.

DIVISION III:  Fox Valley Moors (St. Charles), Chicago Westside Condors, IAS CW Shamrocks (Manhattan, Il.), Illiana Misfits (Hammond, Ind.) NW Indiana Exiles (Hobart, Ind.), NW Woodsmen (Schaumburg) and Rockford Ravens.

DIVISION IV:  Chicago Blue (law enforcement), Chicago Dragons, Chicago Roosters (Wheaton), Kellogg School of Management and Lake County Gladiators.

There are also two women's divisions.

COLLEGIATE:  Eight teams

Chicago, DePaul, UIC, Lake Forest, Loyola, NIU, Northwestern, Lewis and Elmhurst.

NIU, my school, has won the last four collegiate championships.

Go Huskies!!!  --RoadDog

Movie Scratches: Annabelle-- Dracula-- Fury-- John

Movie Scratches.  A dog's Eye View of Currnet Movies.

The number refers to the number of movies I've seen this year.  10-15 refers to the date seen, Fox Lake is where I saw it and $4.50 is the price I paid.

69.  ANNABELLE--  10-15--  Fox Lake, $4.50--  How that doll got so darn mean.  A prequel.  Just as bad as Chuckie, but no sense of humor.

70.  DRACULA UNTOLD--  10-15--  Fox Lake, $4.50  To drink or not to drink the blood.  he did it for his family and country.  The fault is those mean old Turks.

71.  FURY--  10-21--  Fox Lake, $5--  "Machine" comes of age.  "best job I ever had."  War's real nitty gritty.

72.  JOHN WITT--  10-29--  Fox Lake $4.50--  Absolutely don't kill his cute little Beagle puppy.

The Mad Rush for the Bathrooms After a Long Movie.  --RoadDog

Global Blah Blah Blah

I am still at odds what to call this Al Gore thing.  Looking at the 12 degree temp reading this morning by our front window and seeing that we have gotten over freezing here in northern Illinois since last Wednesday and with three more days of it predicted, I just have a REAL HARD time calling it by Al's name.

To me, the "w" word means the opposite of cold, we we sure aren't getting.

I mentioned my problem with calling it the "G.W." words on one of my forums and one person said he called it Global Blah Blah Blah.  Sounds like a good name to me.

I was even thinking about going to Athens, Ohio, tonight to see my team play the University of Ohio, but am glad that didn't work out.  I wouldn't sit out in the cold at night, anyway.

It is way too early to be this doggone COLD!!

Any Better ideas for a Name?  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten R&B for November 27, 1964

1.  ADORABLE ONE--  Joe Simon
2.  TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA--  Marvelettes
3.  AIN'T DOIN' TOO BAD--  Bobby Bland

4.  VOICE YOUR CHOICE--  Radiants
5.  SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU--  Chuck Jackson
6.  OH NO, NOT MY BABY--  Maxine Brown
7.  LONELY LONELY NIGHTS--  Vernon & Jewel

8.  AIN'T IT THE TRUTH--  Mary Wells
9.  WHAT'S NEW--  Gene Chandler
10.  AMEN--  Impressions

--RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for November 27, 1964

1.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits
2.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies
3.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene

4.  LEADER OF THE PACK--  Shangri-Las
5.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley
6.  YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Kinks
7.  TIME IS ON MY SIDE--   Rolling Stones

8.  BABY LOVE--  Supremes
9.  HAVE I THE RIGHT--  Honeycomb
10.  COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER--  Jay & the Americans

15.  MOUNTAIN OF LOVE--  Johnny Rivers
30.  ANY WAY YOU WANT IT--  Dave Clark Five

Going Back Fifty Years--  RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  He could lead if he would get the lead out.

Movie Scratches: Behind-- Leave--Gone-- Alexander's

Movie Scratches: A Dog's Eye View of Today's Movies.

65.  LEFT BEHIND--  10-3--  Fox Lake, $6--  It's Rapture Time and we're not talking about Blondie's song.  It's the real deal.

66.  THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU--  10-7--  Fox Lake, $5--  One of the funniest movies I've seen.  Finding old loves back home.

67.  GONE GIRL--  10-8--  Fox Lake, $4.50--  Like the lawyer said, "Just don't p___ her off.  One of the scariest females ever.

68.  ALEXANDER'S REALLY BAD DAY--  10-14--  Woodstock, free--  Don't even begin to think you've ever had a really bad day until you see what happened to this family.  Come on!!  Punched out by a kangaroo and menaced by an alligator?

Trying to Avoid As Many Pre-Movie Commercials As possible.  --RoadDog

Em-Bear-assing Bears

We got together with the Usual Suspects at the Squaw Bar in Ingleside, Illinois, for Da Bear game against Minnesota yesterday and were shocked, after the last three losses, to cheer for a Bear victory.

These last three weeks, with the blowouts at the hands of the Patriots and Packers and a bye week in between were surely times that tried Bear fans.  The team's play has been nothing short of embarrassing.

The whole team looks flat, but nothing as glaring as the shoddy, uninspired play of Scary Jay ( our qb Cutler).  The guy needs to be elsewhere, but die to an unbelievably bonehead play where the Bears signed his for a real long, well-paid, contract.  So, we're stuck with him.  Even the Cutler supporters, including several of our Usual Suspects, are not rising to his defense anymore.

And, the coach inspires no one.

I was hoping that if the Bears had lost yesterday, that they would have benched Cutler and told him he would have a shot at his old job after others had had their shot and failed as well.  We would have had the highest-paid back up quarterback in the NFL, bit, perhaps that would have lit the fire under Scary Jay and turned him into a real qb.

Oh, Well.  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for November 20, 1964

Since I'll be away from my lists, I will go ahead a couple weeks.

1.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits
2.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies
3.  LEADER OF THE PACK--  Shangri-Las

4.  YOU REALLY GOT ME-- Kinks  (Three of the Top Four are British Invasion songs thanks to the Beatles.)
5.  RINGO-- Lorne Greene  (Pa on "Bonanza.  Go ahead and hum that song.  Did it have something to do also with another Ringo with the Beatles?)
6.  BABY LOVE--  Supremes
7.  COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER--  Jay & the Americans

8.  TIME IS ON MY SIDE--  Rolling Stones  (Their first WLS Top Ten.)
9.  PRETTY WOMAN--  Roy Orbison
10.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley

17.  GONE GONE GONE--  Everly Brothers (Probably my favorite E.B. song.)
18.  SHE UNDERSTANDS ME--  Johnny Tillotson
19.  WALKING IN THE RAIN--  Ronnettes

20.  SCRATCHY--  Travis Wammack
29.  THE WEDDING--  Julie Rogers
30.  EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT--  Newbeats

I'm not familiar with #10, 18, 19,20, 29 and 30.

You Tube Here I Come.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  We must polish the Polish furniture.

JSS: Gas Gouge Here-- Jaime Brockett-- Coyote On the Loose in Round Lake Beach

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  GAS GOUGE HERE--  Liz and I were shocked Friday to see gas had jumped from $2.94 on Thursday to $3.10 in Fox Lake, Illinois.  This even though the price of oil continues to fall.  As near as we know, the jump took all of qa second or two.

Hey, there is profit to be made.

Our gas stations like to do this every several weeks.

2.  JAIME BROCKETT--  On Tuesday, after the Vietnam Memorial ceremony in McHenry, Illinois, I went to one of my favorite places, Vinyl Revolution, a mom and pop music store and was shocked when I entered to see a copy of Jaime Brockett's album featuring that great "Ballad of the USS Titanic" song which clocked in at 10+ minutes and was a staple in early 1970s FM underground radio.

We have a copy, but the years of playing it for friends and on pretty bad stereos has done a lot of wear and tear.on it.  This one was in excellent condition and they were only charging $4 for it.  I grabbed it up right away and had the owner put it on his turntable.

He had never heard of the song or Jaime Brockett and was impressed.  I offered to let him play a song on the other side of the album that I like it, but he told me I'd best hurry up and pay for it as he was half motivated to put a new price on it.  he had looked it up and found that a copy of the album in excellent shape sells for around $60.

As the Who say, "Won't Get Fooled Again."


3.  COYOTE ON THE LOOSE IN ROUND LAKE BEACH--  Yesterday we were driving around Round Lake Beach after our dentist appointments, we saw what we though was a dog running down the street and near some houses.  As we got closer, we saw that it was a coyote.  And, it was in a heavily populated area.

They're Everywhere, They're Everywhere!!  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

Dedication of the Vietnam Memorial in McHenry, Illinois

This past Tuesday, I joined around 300-400 others at Veterans Park in downtown McHenry for the dedication of this.  It was a really crummy cold, drizzly day and no fun to be out there on that count, but a very worthwhile one on a much larger scale.

McHenry's VFW, American Legion, Polish Legion and the Marine Corps League were in attendance as well.

The city was honoring four young men who graduated from McHenry High School, three in 1964 and one in 1967, who gave their lives there all those years ago.  This has been an ongoing effort for the past 14 years by the Class of '64 and one man in particular, but I didn't catch his name.

We had several speeches and McHenry's mayor called this a beautiful day for McHenry despite the weather.  It was.

Then, the families of the four fallen were introduced.

The monument stands in the southeast corner of the park and has four benches around it, one for each man.  The stone has their names, a map of South Vietnam showing where each fell and pictures on the back of it.

As a member of the Vietnam Generation, I was especially appreciative of all the efforts..

It Is a Very Fitting Memorial.

WLS Top 10, November 13, 1964

1.  THE LEADER OF THE PACK--  Shangri-Las
2.  YOU REALLY GOT MR--  Kinks
3.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits

4.  HAVE I THE RIGHT--  Honeycombs
5.  SHE'S NOT THERE--  Zombies
6.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene
7.  PRETTY WOMAN--  Roy Orbison

8.  COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER--  Jay & the Americans
9.  BABY LOVE--  Supremes
10.  OVER YOU--  Paul Revere & the Raiders

"You're My Kind of Man."  --RoadDog

WLS R&B Top Ten, November 6, 1974

1.  AIN'T DOIN' TOO BAD--  Bobby Bland
2.  OH NO, NOT MY BABY--  Maxine Brown
3.  BABY DON'T YOU DO IT--  Marvin Gaye

4.  BEAUTICIAN BLUES--  B.B. King
5.  YOU MUST BELIEVE ME--  Impressions
6.  ADORABLE ONE--  Joe Simon
7.  THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS MADE OF--  Miracles

8.  HAD A TALK WITH MY MAN--  Mitty Collier
9.  IT'S ALL OVER--  Walter Jackson
10.  THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT--  Sam Cooke

"No Matter What the Others Might Say.  --RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY.  "  The farm was used to produce produce.

Movie Scratches: Turtles-- Runner-- Equalizer-- Tombstones

A Dog's Eye View of Today's Movies.

61.  TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES--  9-5--  Fox Lake, $6.  Wise-cracking hard shells, led by a big ol' rat battle evil and the hair guy sacks.

62.  MAZE RUNNER--  9-25--  Fox Lake, $6.  Watch out for the Grievers.  Bunch of boys face post-apocalyptic world, but don't know it.  Stay tuned for part 2.

63.  EQUALIZER--  9-30--  Fox Lake, $5--  Moral of this story: Absolutely don't mess with his friends.

64.  A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES--  10-2--  Fox Lake, free--  Even drug traffickers have feelings and family.  Liam battles certified psycho cases.

Love Those Free Movies.  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 10, 2014: The End

Last song played Monday.

YOUR LOVE--  Outfield
YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY--  Sammy Hagar
YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina
YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW--  Beatles

YOUR SONG--  Elton John
YOUR TIME IS GONNA COME--  Led Zeppelin
YOUR WILDEST DREAM--  Moody Blues
YOURS IS NO DISGRACE--  Yes

ZIGGY STARDUST--  David Bowie
ZOO--  Scorpions

It Starts Again in Spring.  How Long Is Spring?  --RoadDog

Finishing Up on the Drive's A to Z, November 10, 2014: Lots of "You"

Sad, but its all over until spring.  No more of that massive 2,000+ classic rock song alphabetical countdown, A to Z.  I listened to a lot of it, obviously.  It ended at 10:48 p.m. on Nov. 10th after eight days.

Here are the many, many "You" songs:

YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHI N' YET--  Bachman-Turner Overdrive
YOU BELONG TO THE CITY--  Glenn Frey
YOU BETTER YOU BET--  Who
YOU CAN CALL ME AL--  Paul Simon

YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HAT ON--  Joe Cocker
(YOU CAN STILL) ROCK IN AMERICA--  Night Ranger
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT--  Rolling Stones
YOU CAN'T DO THAT--  Beatles

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS--  Tom Petty
YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME--  Bon Jovi
YOU GOT IT--  Roy Orbison

YOU GOT LUCKY-- Tom Petty
YOU GOT ME ROCKING--  Rolling Stones
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT--  Lynyrd Skynyrd
YOU LOVE THE THUNDER--  Jackson Browne

YOU MAKE LOVIN' FUN--  Fleetwood Mac
YOU MAY BE RIGHT--  Billy Joel
YOU MIGHT THINK--  Cars
YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY--  Beatles

YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Kinks
YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Van Halen
YOU SHOOK ME--  Led Zeppelin
YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG--  AC/DC

YOU WEAR IT WELL--  Rod Stewart
YOU WON'T SEE ME--  Beatles
YOU WRECK ME--  Tom Petty

You Know Who You Better Not Mess Around With.  --RoadDog

Happy Birthday Route 66, U.S. 12, U.S. 14, and Most All U.S. Highways

Yesterday, November 11th, was the birthday of the United States Highway system, the one that replaced the previous mosh of named and confusing roads like the Lincoln  and Dixie highways.  They became official on that date in 1926.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Feast your eyes on some of these very confusing sentences.  I had to stop and think about some of them.  I'll be running these for the rest of the month at the end of every first day's post in this blog.

Here's the first one.

The bandage was wound around the wound.

Dedication of Vietnam Memorial Today in McHenry, Illinois

In just a little over an hour, I will be going to McHenry, Illinois, so I can be at the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial at Veterans Park.  i usually go to the ceremony at the train station in Fox Lake, but the Vietnam War was my generation's war, so it means even more to me.

This is a project by the McHenry High School Class of 1964, to honor three of its classmates who were killed over there.  It also honors another one from the Class of 1967, who also died.

Sadly, it is on a cold and nasty day outside, but these veterans had to overcome all sorts of weather -related hardships, so that is another way to honor their memory.

I will be writing about it tomorrow.

Thanks, Veterans from All Wars.

Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

November 10, 1975, the freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a horrific storm on Lake Superior, one of the last Great Lakes disasters.

Of course, there is the song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot which came out in 1976 and went to Number 1.  Hopefully WDRV will play that song today as they are in the letter "W" and are just playing "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys.

My students used to hear the song and take it apart to find out all the history they could.  This eventually evolved into a four day unit on the Great Lakes.

(They did play it, but Bobby Skafish, the DJ, didn't know it (nor did I until Liz reminded me).  He said that two people had notified him on his Facebook page of the importance of playing that song on this day.)

--RoadDog

Happy Birthday USMC!!

The United States Marine Corps was established by the Continental Congress on this date, 239 years ago.

November 10, 1775.

Happy Birthday.

Drive's A to Z, November 10, 2014: While I Was Typin'

These songs have played since I got on the old 'puter.

UNDER PRESSURE--  Queen & David Bowie
UNDER THE BOARDWALK--  John Mellancamp
UNDER THE BRIDGE--  Red Hot Chili Peppers
UNDER THE MILKY WAY--  Church

UNFORGIVEN--  Metallica
UNSKINNY BOP--  Poison
UP AROUND THE BEND--  CCR
UP ON CRIPPLE CREEK--  Band

URGENT--  Foreigner
US AND THEM--  Pink Floyd

VALERIE--  Steve Winwood
VALLERI--  Monkees
VALLEY ROAD--  Bruce Hornsby
VENTURA HIGHWAY--  America

VENUS--  Shocking Blue
VENUS AND MARS/ROCK SHOW-- Paul McCartney & Wings
VICTIM OF LOVE--  Eagles
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR--  Buggles

THE VOICE--  Moody Blues
VOODOO CHILE (SLIGHT RETURN)--    Jimi Hendrix
WAITING FOR THE BUS/JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO--  ZZ Top
THE WAITING--  Tom Petty

WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU--  Foreigner
WAITING FOR A FRIEND--  Rolling Stones

WALK AWAY--  James Gang
WALK OF LIFE--  Dire Straits
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE--  Lou Reed
WALK ON WATER--  Eddie Money
WALK THIS WAY--  Aerosmith

WALKING IN MEMPHIS--  Marc Cohn
WALKING ON THE MOON--  Police
WALKS LIKE A LADY--  Journey

--RoadDog

Drive's A to Z, November 10, 2014: End "S" begin "T"

SIZIE Q--  CCR

SWEET CAROLINE--  Neil Diamond
SWEET CHILD O' MINE--  Guns N' Roses
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS--  Eurythmics
SWEET EMOTION--  Aerosmith
SWEET HITCHHIKER--  CCR
SWEET HOME ALABAMA--  Lynyrd Skynyrd
SWEET HOME CHICAGO--  Blues Brothers
SWEET JANE--  velvet Underground
SWEET TALKIN' WOMAN--  ELO

SWINGTOWN--  Steve Miller Band
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL--
SYNCHRONICITY I--  Police
SYNCHRONICITY II--  Police

TAKE IT EASY--  Eagles
TAKE IT ON THE RUN--  REO Speedwagon
TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT--  Eagles
TAKE ME HOME--  Phil Collins
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT--  Eddie Money
TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS--  Doobie Brothers
TAKE ME TO THE PILOT--  Elton John
TAKE ME TO THE RIVER--  Talking Heads
TAKE THE HIGHWAY--  Marshall Tucker Band
TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME--  Supertramp
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN--  Steve Miller Band

--RoadDog

WLS Top 30 Songs, Nov. 6, 1964: Ones I Didn't Know-- Part 2

Follow Up.

DIXIE CUPS--  The whole name of the song "You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked At Me."  Girl group sound.  Biggest hit "Going to the Chapel."

OVERLANDERS--  British male quintet, part of the British Invasion.  Their song "Don't It Make You Feel Good" peaked at #75 on Billboard.  Had the "Beatle Sound."

TERRY BLACK--  Canadian male singer.  "Unless You Care" hit #99 on Billboard.

RONNIE DOVE--  Had 20 Top 100 hits 1964-1969.  "Right Or Wrong" hit #14.  Also sang #14 "One Kiss for Old Time's Sake."

HAL WILLIS--  Canadian singer who had an international hit with "The Lumberjack" which sold over 1.5 million copies.  Hit #5 on the Billboard country charts in 1965.  He and his wife's big break was when they were hired to tour with Elvis Presley in 1956.

--RoadDog

WLS Top Thirty Songs November 6, 1964: Ones I Didn't Know-- Part 1

Well, some of them I did know, but rarely ever heard, even back then.  Some I was completely unaware of at all.  I went to You Tube and heard all of them.

18.  I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN--  Peter & Gordon
19.  YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN--  Dixie Cups

21.  DON'T IT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD--  Overlanders
23.  TEEN BEAT '65--  Sandy Nelson

24.  PEARLY SHELLS--  Burl Ives
25.  UNLESS YOU CARE--  Terry Black

26.  RIGHT OR WRONG--  Ronnie Dove
27.  WALKING IN THE RAIN--  Ronettes

28.  THE LUMBERJACK--  Hal Willis
30.  ASK ME--  Elvis Presley

--RoadDog

Deaths: Jack Bruce, Member of Cream

JACK BRUCE, 71  Died October 25, 2014.

Scottish bass player and vocalist who played in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Manfred Mann (played on "Pretty Flamingo" (#29, 1966).  He was invited to join Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton in Cream and wrote many of their songs.

That's him you hear sinking "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968) and "White Room" (6, 1968).

The group broke up after three years and he started the West, Bruce and Laing Band with Leslie West and Corky Laing.  Later he toured with Ringo Starr's All-Star Band.

I was a huge Cream fan and bought everyone of their albums as they were released.  My cousin Joe in North Carolina was the first person to let me know about them.

--RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 9, 2014: "Some" Stuff

"Some" of the songs played yesterday.

SOME GIRLS--  Rolling Stones
SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL--  Grand Funk Railroad

SOMEBODY--  Bryan Adams
SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR--  Van Halen
SOMEBODY TO LOVE--  Jefferson Airplane
SOMEBODY TO LOVE--  Queen

SOMEBODY'S BABY--  Jackson Browne
SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT--  Elton John

SOMETHING--  Beatles
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU--  Police

SOMETIMES A FANTASY--  Billy Joel

"Sometimes You feel Like a Nut, Sometimes You Don't."  --RoadDog


THE VERY LAST SAY WHAT?  "X-rates"--  Sounds much worse than NC-17.

The Drive's A to Z, November 8th: While I Was Typing

Since I went downstairs to the old 'puter and started banging away at the keys, the Drive has played these songs.

SCHOOL'S OUT--  Alice Cooper
SEA OF LOVE--  Honeydrippers
SECOND HAND NEWS--  Fleetwood Mac
SECRET JOURNEY--  Police

SEE WHAT LOVE CAN DO--  Eric Clapton
SEEKER--  Who
SEND HER MY LOVE--  Journey
SENTIMENTAL LADY--  Bob Welch

SEPARATE WAYS--  Journey
SET ME FREE--  Kinks
SEVEN BRIDGES ROAD--  Eagles
SEX & DRUGS & ROCK AND ROLL--  Ian Drury

SGT. PEPPER'S-A DAY IN THE LIFE--  Beatles
SGT. PEPPER'S-WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM NY FRIENDS--  Beatles
SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT--  Pat Benatar
SHAKE IT UP--  Cars

SHAKEDOWN--  Bob Seger
SHAKING--  Eddie Money
SHAKIN' ALL OVER--  Who (live)
SHAME ON THE MOON--  Bob Seger

SHARE THE LAND--  Guess Who
SHATTERED--  Rolling Stones
SHE--  Monkees
SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE--  Thomas Dolby

Loved the Video of the last song (Back When MTV Actually Played Videos.  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 8th-- "Rockin'" Everywhere

Not too surprising, but a whole lot of Rock and Roll songs begin with the word "Rock."

ROCK AND A HARD PLACE--  Rolling Stones
ROCK AND ROLL--  Led Zeppelin
ROCK & ROLL--  Velvet Underground
ROCK AND ROLL AIN'T NOISE POLLUTION--  AC/DC

ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT--  Kiss
ROCK AND ROLL BAND--  Boston
ROCK AND ROLL GIRLS--  John Fogerty
ROCK & ROLL, HOOCHIE COO--  Rick Derringer

ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC--  Beatles
ROCK AND ROLL NEVER FORGETS--  Bob Seger
ROCK AND ROLL PART 2--  Gary Glitter
ROCK AND ROLL STEW--  Traffic
ROCK AND ROLL WOMAN--  Buffalo Springfield

ROCK CANDY--  Montrose
R.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A.--  John Mellancamp
ROCK ME--  Steppenwolf
ROCK ME ON THE WATER--  Jackson Browne

ROCK ME TONIGHT--  Billy Squier
ROCK MUSIC--  Jefferson Starship
ROCK 'M ME--  Steve Miller
ROCK 'N ROLL FANTASY--  Bad Company

ROCK OF AGES--  Def Leppard
ROCK ON--  David Essex
ROCK ROCK (TIL YOU DROP)--  Def Leppard
ROCK STEADY--  Bad Company

ROCK THE CASBAH--  Clash
ROCK THIS TOWN--  Stray Cats
ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE--  Scorpions

Where Was the Casbah?  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "What a bummer."--  As in an LSD trip gone bad.

Marine Corps Birthday

I'm getting ready to leave to go to the annual Marine Corps Birthday Breakfast at the Fox Lake, Illinois, American Legion, something I've done for the last eight years since they transferred it to the home post.

It is also the kickoff for the 2014 Toys for Tots program.

Lots of scrambled eggs, harsh black coffee and SOS.

This year I may also help out my Sons of the American Legion group who is handling the cooking chores.

The USMC was established on November 10, 1775.

A Proud Organization.

JSS: Boat's Up-- McRib's Back-- Gettin' Cold

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  BOAT'S UP--  I towed the boat over to the barn in Hebron and put it up for the winter today.

2.  McRIB'S BACK--  Well, that just really makes my day!!  I had my first one Wednesday.

3.  GETTIN' COLD--  We did have a real nice day Wednesday with temps in the 60s and sun.  By Thursdayhe winds were ripping and temps dropping.  It was in the nd sunny today, but the winds picked up again and temps dropped significantly so I have decided not to see the Johnsburg High School playoff game tonight.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 7th

Now on the letter "M."  You can listen to it as it streams at www.wdrv.com.  In the midst of over 2000 songs and ending this coming Monday or Tuesday.  They don't know yet.

Songs played since I've been typing:

MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS--  Babys
MIDNIGHT RIDER--  Allman Brothers
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL--  CCR
MIND GAMES--  John Lennon

MINUTE BY MINUTE--  Doobie Brothers
MINUTES TO MEMORIES--  John Mellancamp
MIRACLES--  Jefferson Starship
MISS AMERICA--  Styx

MISS YOU--  Rolling Stones
MISSING YOU--  John Waite
MISSISSIPPI QUEEN--  Mountain
MISTY MOUNTAIN HOP--  Led Zeppelin

MISUNDERSTANDING--  Genesis
MOBY DICK--  Led Zeppelin
MODERN LOVE--  David Bowie
MONA LISAS AND MAD HATTERS--  Elton John
MONDAY MONDAY--  Mamas and Papas

MONEY--  Pink Floyd
MONEY FOR NOTHING--  Dire Straits

"We Got To Move These Color TVs."  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 7th: "Just Lay" It Down

JUST A GIGGOLO--  David Lee Roth
JUST A JOB TO DO--  Genesis
JUST A SONG BEFORE I GO--    CSN
JUST GOT PAID--  ZZ Top

JUST LIKE A WOMAN--  Bob Dylan
JUST LIKE PARADISE--  David Lee Roth
JUST LIKE STARTING OVER--  John Lennon
JUST MY IMAGINATION--  Rolling Stones

JUST ONE VICTORY--  Todd Rundgren
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE--  Billy Joel
JUST WHAT I NEEDED--  Cars
JUST YOU 'N ME--  Chicago

LAY DOWN SALLY--  Eric Clapton
LAY IT ON THE LINE--  Triumph
LAY LADY LAY--  Bob Dylan

LAYLA--  (Unplugged)  Eric Clapton

LEAN ON ME--  Bill Withers

"Running Away With Me"  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT? "Wear the pants in the family." --  Back when the women wore the dresses.

WLS Top Ten for November 6, 1964

1.  LEADER OF THE PACK--  Shangri-Las
2.  PRETTY WOMAN--  Roy Orbison
3.  COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER--  Jay & the Americans

4.  YOU REALLY GOT ME--  Kinks
5.  HAVE I THE RIGHT--  Honeycombs
6.  TOBACCO ROAD--  Nashville Teens
7.  THE DOOR IS STILL OPEN--  Dean Martin

8.  DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY--  Manfred Mann
9.  I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD--  Herman's Hermits
10.  RINGO--  Lorne Greene  (That's right.  Pa.)

Even though the Beatles weren't in the top ten, their impact as starting the British Invasion was still there as five of the top ten were from England:  4,5,6,8 and 9.

There were quite a few songs rounding out the top 30 that I hadn't heard of before, so will write about them tomorrow.

It's Pa Cartwright Vs. Ringo, the Gunslinger,or Was He the Drummer from That Group?  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 6th

Songs I've heard since I got to the old 'puter this morning.  as you can see, we are now in the letter "I."

IMMIGRATION MAN--  Crosby & Nash
IN A BIG COUNTRY--  Big Country
IN-A GADDA-DA-VIDA--  Iron Butterfly
IN GOD'S COUNTRY-- U2

IN MEMORY OF ELIZABETH REED--  Allman Brothers

IN MY LIFE--  Beatles
IN THE AIR TONIGHT--  Phil Collins
IN THE CITY--  Eagles
IN THE DARK--  Billy Squier
IN THE EVENING--  Led Zeppelin
IN THE MOOD--  Robert Plant
IN THE SUMMERTIME--  Mungo Jerry (Summer, where did you go?)
IN YOUR EYES-- (live)-- Peter Gabriel

INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock
INDUSTRIAL DISEASE--  Dire Straits
INSIDE OUT--  Phil Collins

Giood Stuff, Maynard.  --RoadDog

RoadDog's School of Musical Knowledge: Hot, House, If, I Don't

Still Listening to the Drive's A to Z.  Today, you get to guess who performed the songs listed.  Answers are below:

1.  A HORSE WITH NO NAME

2.  HOT BLOODED
3.  HOT FOR TEACHER
4.  HOT LEGS

5. THE HOUSE IS ROCKIN'
6.  HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
7.  HOUSES OF THE HOLY

8.  IF I NEEDED SOMEONE
9.  IF 6 WAS 4
10.  IF YOU CAN'T ROCK ME
11.  IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND
12.  IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE
13.  IF YOU WANT BLOOD (YOU GOT IT)

14.  I DON'T CARE ANYMORE
15.  I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS
16.  I DON'T WANT TO KNOW
17.  I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING

  Answers below:








1.  America


2.  Foreigner
3.  Van Halen
4.  Rod Stewart


5.  Stevie Ray Vaughan
6.  Animals
7.  Led Zeppelin


8.  Beatles
9.  Jimi Hendrix
10.  Rolling Stones
11.  Gordon Lightfoot
12.  Sting
13.  AC/DC


14.  Phil Collins
15.  Boomtown Rats
16.  Fleetwood Mac
17.  Aerosmith

So, How'd You Do?  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "Tied to your mother's apron strings."--  Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah.

The Greatest Quarterback That No One Wants? Kyle Orton

From November 4, 2014, Yahoo! Sports "Buffalo's Kyle orton Is One of the Best Journeymen in NFL History."

Earlier this season the Buffalo Bills benched starting qb E,J. Manuel and put back up Kyle Orton in where he is now 3-1 as a starter and has the Bills at 5-3 and in the hunt for the playoffs.

Since 1958, there have been 17 quarterbacks who have started for five different teams, and Orton is one of them.  He has played for the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys and now the Bills and is 38-36 as a starter.

As a rookie, he went 10-5 with the Bears and led them to the playoffs, but was placed on the bench once there in favor of Rex Grossman (whom we like to call Gross Rexman for his extremely poor play).  We also believe the Bears could even have their last appearance in the Super Bowl had Orton played instead of Grossman.

Then, the Bears traded Orton to Denver for Jay Cutler.  And, we all know how ineffective Scary Jay is for us.  With Denver in 2010, Orton was 3-10, but a lot of that was because of how horrible the Bronco defense was that year.

I wonder if the Bills would like to trade qbs with us, even-up (considering how "elite" Jay is and the fact that Coach trestman thinks Jay will be the NFL's MVP this year.

Duh!!  Da Bears Know Da Nothin' 'Bout Da QBs.  --RoadDog

What's Up With the Presbyterian Blue Hose?

I came across mention this morning that this team was going to be playing #11 Mississippi this Saturday.  Before this year, when Northern opened the season against them, I'd never even heard of them.  I looked up their record which is 5-4 and in third place in the Big South Conference.

NIU blew them out 55-3 and the next month Presbyterian played North Carolina State and lost 42-0, and now, Mississippi.  They sure don't seem to mind playing out of their league, even though Northern is essentially out of our league when we play teams like Mississippi and State.

And, what's with the name, Blue Hose?

The rest of Presbyterian's record:

Bluefield College: Won 69-14
Furman: Won 10-7
Western Carolina: Won 19-14
Coastal Carolina:  Lost 40-28
Charleston South: Won 7-3
Monmouth Won 18-12
Liberty: Lost
Gardner Webb: Won 81-15

An Interesting School.  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 5th: Now in the Letter "F"

Tuned in this morning and while I was a-typing this here blog, the Drive, WDRV, played these songs.  As you see, the Drive, after nearly two full days, is now on the letter "F."

FORTUNATE SON--  CCR
FOUR STICKS--  Led Zeppelin
FOX ON THE RUN--  Sweet
FOXEY LADY--  Jimi Hendrix

FRANKENSTEIN--  Edgar Winter Group

FREE AS A BIRD--  Beatles
FREE BIRD--  live-- Lynyrd Skynyrd
FREE FALLIN'--  Tom Petty
FREE FOR ALL--  Ted Nugent
FREE ME--  Roger Daltry
FREE RIDE--  Edgar Winter Group
FREE WILL--  Rush

FREEDOM OVERSPILL--  Steve Winwood
FREEZE FRAME--  J. Geils Band

FROM ME TO YOU--  Beatles
FROM THE BEGINNING--  ELP
FULL MOON TURN MY HEAD AROUND--  Off Broadway
FUN FUN FUN--  Beach Boys
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/ LOVE LIES BLEEDING--  Elton John

At Least Bob Stroud Didn't Have to Say the T.N. Words.  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 5th: "Every" Song You Know

Before you look below, how many songs beginning with the word "Every" and variations of it can you recall?

Some of the songs played since yesterday.

"Every" Songs:

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE--  Police
EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC--  Police
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY--  Rod Stewart
EVERY ROSE HAS A THORN--  Poison

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME--  Van Halen
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD--  Tears for Fear
EVERYBODY WANTS YOU--  Billy Squier

EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING--  Santana
EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE--  Beatles

EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK--  Elvis Costello
EVERYDAY PEOPLE--  Sly & the Family Stone

EVERYTHING IS COMING OUR WAY--  Santana

FIRE--  Jimi Hendrix
FIRE AND ICE--  Pat Benatar
FIRE AND RAIN--  James Taylor
FIRE DOWN BELOW--  Bob Seger
FIRE LAKE--  Bob Seger
FIRE ON HIGH--  ELO
FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN--  Marshall Tucker Band

"Except for Me and My Monkey."  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "Watch the tube."--  But then flat screens are now tubeless.

The Drive's A to Z, November 4th: Currently "Crazy"

The Drive is now on the letter "C."  Since I have been typing away, these songs have played to right now.

COME SAIL AWAY--  Styx
COME TO PAPA--  Bob Seger
COME TOGETHER--  Aerosmith
COME TOGETHER--  Beatles

COMFORTABLY NUMB--  Pink Floyd
COMING UP--  Paul McCartney
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN--  Led Zeppelin
CONQUISTADOR--  Procul Harum
CONTINUING STORY OF BUNGALOW BILL--  Beatles

THE CORE--  Eric Clapton
COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT--  Climax Blues Band
COULDN'T STAND THE WEATHER--  Stevie Ray Vaughan
COUNTRY COMFORT--  Elton John

COVER ME--  Bruce Springsteen
COVER OF THE ROLLING STONE--  Dr. Hook
CRACKER JACK PALACE--  George Harrison

CRAZY--  Aerosmith
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE--  Queen
CRAZY OVER YOU--  Heart
CRAZY TRAIN-- Ozzy Osborne

CREEP--  Radiohead
CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton Jihn
CROSS-EYED MARY--  Jethro Tull

You Have to Wonder If "Communication Breakdown" Was Played for the First Time Ever Without That Second Song That Is Always Played?  --RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, November 4th: How Many "Baby" Songs Can You Name?

The drive played five songs beginning with that word.  Also, there were six songs beginning with "Back."

A look back at the beginning of the letter "B' from yesterday.  You can go to the site and find a list of all songs played.

BABA O'RILEY--  Who
BABE--  Styx
BABE I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU--  Led Zeppelin

BABY BLUE--  Badfinger
BABY HOLD ON--  Eddie Money
BABY, I LOVE YOUR WAY--  Peter Frampton
BABY (SOMETHING'S HAPPENING)-- live--  Peter Frampton
BABY YOU'RE A RICH MAN--  Beatles

BABYLON SISTERS--  Steely Dan

BACK DOOR MAN--  Doors
BACK IN BLACK--  AC/DC
BACK IN THE HIGHLIFE AGAIN--  Steve Winwood
BACK IN THE SADDLE--  Aerosmith
BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.--  Beatles
BACK ON MY FEET AGAIN--  Babys
BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG--  Pretenders

BACKSTREETS--  Bruce Springsteen

Interesting Songs Following Each Other.  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "Then the penny dropped."--  How the action started in one-cent slot machines.

The Drive's A to Z Songs-- November 3, 2014

As they promised, the Drive kicked off their A to Z a little after 7 a.m. today.  I am tuned in as I will be whenever I'm by a radio this next week plus.  WDRV 97.1 FM and 96.9 FM.  And they stream.  Go to the home www.wdrv.com and you can also see songs played by clicking on the A to Z bar.

Songs play so far:

ABACAB--  Genesis
ABOUT A GIRL--  Nirvana (unplugged)
ABRACADABRA--  Steve Miller
ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN--  Elvis Costello

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE--  Beatles
ADDICTED TO LOVE--  Robert Palmer
AFRICA--  Toto
AFTER MIDNIGHT--  Eric Clapton

AFTER THE GOLDRUSH--  Neil Young
AGAINST ALL ODDS--  Phil Collins
AGAINST THE WIND--  Bob Seger
AH LEAH--  Donnie Iris

AIN'T EVEN DONE WITH THE NIGHT--  John Mellancamp
AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers
AIN'T TALKING ABOUT LOVE--  Van Halen
AIN'T THAT A SHAME--  Cheap Trick

AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG--  Rolling Stones
AJA--  Steely Dan
ALABAMA GETAWAY--  Grateful Dead
ALABAMA  SONG (WHISKY BAR)--  Doors

ALLISON--  Elvis Costello--  Elvis Costello

Bring On Those Robert Palmer Girls.  --RoadDog

The Day of the Rugby-- Part 3

The real growth in rugby is taking place in the high schools.  In 2002, the number of rugby programs in Chicago-area high schools was 8, now it is 50  Programs such as Rookie Rugby and its reappearance on the Olympic stage have helped grow it.

About 25% of American rugby players are women.  That is even higher than the world average which is about 20%.

Plus, the quality of U.S. players has improved tremendously to where some are regarded as being on the fringe of world-class players.  (Although the "whupping" the All Blacks put on our team shows that we still have a long way to go to compete at their level.)

Another area where rugby is strong is in the college clubs.

And, "there are certain understood codes of honor among rugby players.  One is that what happens on the field, stays on the field."

According to Vaughan Palelei, "There's not a sport on this planet where you can go, beat the living crap out of each other and then both sides will go out, have a beer and sing songs afterward."  You also won't see excessive celebration after a good play.

I, for one, am hoping I'll get more of a chance to see rugby on TV.

--RoadDog

The Day of the Rugby-- Part 2

From the October 31, 2014, Chicago Tribune "Emerging sport gets day on the big stage" by Chris Hine.

"Rugby is an intensely physical game, played without pads, in which broken bones and battered bodies are common.  The sport is also remarkable for the toughness of its participants and the intense camaraderie formed between teammates and foes alike.  It is a culture unfamiliar to most Americans--but that is changing."

Saturday rugby will have one of its biggest moments in Chicago when the best team in rugby, New Zealand's All Blacks will take on the USA Eagles at Soldier Field in Chicago before a 61,000 sell-out crowd, the biggest-ever for a rugby match in this country.  (The All Blacks take their name from the color of their uniforms in case you're wondering.)

And, rugby makes its Olympic debut in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Chicago has two rugby clubs that play at the top level of U.S. competition, the Griffins and Lions.

Over the last two decades, rugby has become one of the fastest growing team sports in our country.  According to the Rugby World Cup, currently 1,130,000 Americans are involved in it, yet most people don't know much about it.

The Chicago Area Rugby Union says that the Chicago-area has 41 rugby clubs, including some women's clubs, up from 26 twenty years ago.

And, I Am Sure a Big Fan.  --RoadDog

One More Day of All Those Horrible Political Ads

The election is, thankfully, tomorrow.  This has been the worst-ever political campaigning in Illinois.  To hear the commercials, all candidates should be jailed for the horrible crimes they have committed against humanity.

And, the new Dirty Words are "Career Politician."  Man, if you're a "CAREER POLITICIAN" you are some kind of bad.

It is too bad that the candidates don't concentrate on what they plan to do instead of attacking their opponents.

As far as Illinois' two major jobs up for grabs this Tuesday, governor and U.S. Senator, I don't like any of them.  But, unfortunately, they are the only ones with a chance of winning.  I have to find the lesser of the two evils in each contest.  Perhaps they run their ads with that as the theme.  "I am not as bad as the other guy."

--RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z Is Back

I usually listen to WXRT FM Chicago,  WNCT AM Greenville, N.C., or the Surf out of North Myrtle Beach in the mornings while I am a-typing away on these blogs, but not so this week.

WDRV FM, 97,1 FM in Chicago starts their semiannual run through the alphabet today at 7 a.m. CST.  This is a massive undertaking which will continue through 2000+ songs played alphabetically this whole week and ending sometime early next week.

They don't play the same songs each time either, but do deep album cuts and audience suggested songs as well as ones they come up with.

I'll be listening and listing (imagine me listing something?) some of the songs, but it also streams live at www.wdrv.com.

--RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "That's all, folks"--  Where've you been, Porky?

The Day of the Rugby-- Part 1

I watched the All Black blowout of the team USA today on NBC.  The Americans never had a chance.  There is a reason the New Zealand All Blacks are the #1 rugby team in the world and they clearly showed it.  It was textbook how to play the game.  I think the final score was something like 72-6.  (They are called All Blacks because of the black uniforms they wear.)

But, at least I got to watch a rugby game, something you rarely get here in the United States.  And, even better, I saw the All Black Haka, which is something to behold.  Just check it out on You Tube.

But, at least Soldier Field in Chicago was sold out at 60,000, and even though the crowd was mostly American, they were pulling a whole lot for the All Blacks.  I pulled out my All Black Haka coolie and All Black flag, even though I was pulling for the USA.

I got hooked on rugby on a trip I went with my mom and sister to Australia and New Zealand.  We arrived right when both levels of rugby from Australia and New Zealand were playing.  If Americans think they have rivalries in football, that is nothing compared to the one between these two countries.

I sure had a great time watching the games and learning about the sport.

--RoadDog

SAY WHAT?  "That's the $64,000 question."--  The radio show became the $64,000 TV show.