Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.

Friday, December 29, 2017

JSS: It Is COLD!-- The Drive's A to Z-- Bowls


JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1. IT IS COLD!--  To say it has been a bit cold around here is an understatement.  Doggone Canadians and their weather.  Wish they would be nice enough to KEEP IT!!

Looking at the weather forecast from yesterday's paper, highs and lows:

THURS:  14 // 6,  FRI.  16 //  -1,  SAT.  7 // 1,  SUN.  13 // -5,  MON.  11 // 1,  TUES. 10 // 5,  WED.  19 // 8.  A real heat wave Wednesday.  Time to start working on the old tan.

2.  THE DRIVE'S A TO Z--  I've been enjoying listening to the Drive's A to Z going on right now.  (WDRV, 97.1 FM and streaming.)  They are in the letter "L" right now.  Last songs played:

LIGHTS--  Journey
LIGHT UP--  Styx
LIGHT MY FIRE--  Doors
LIFE'S BEEN GOOD--  Joe Walsh
A LIFE OF ILLUSION--  Joe Walsh
LIFE IS A ROCK--  Reunion
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY--  Tom Cochrane

3.  BOWLS:  NIU's Bowl woes continue after Tuesday's 36-14 drubbing by Duke in the Quick Lube Bowl in Detroit.  In the last ten bowls Northern has appeared in our record is 2-10 and we haven't won the last  five and have been blown out in the last three.

Please, No More Bowl Games for NIU.  It Is Too Embarrassing to Watch.  --RoadSorry


WLS Top Ten for December 29, 1967: "Woman, Woman"


Closing out another year, 2017, that went way too fast.  Also closing out a year round look at the top songs on Chicago's WLS AM 890 radio station for the year 1967.

1.  JUDY  IN DISGUISE--  John Fred
2.  BEND ME, SHAPE ME--  American Breed
3.  WOMAN, WOMAN--  Union Gap

4.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees
5.  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS--  Royal Guardsmen
6.  CHAIN OF FOOLS--  Aretha Franklin
7.  BOOGALOO DOWN BROADWAY--  Fantastic Johnny C

8.  GREEN TAMBOURINE--  Lemon Pipers
9.  I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE--  Gladys Knight
10.  HELLO GOODBYE--   Beatles

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "For Five Long Years I Thought You Were My man."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS: "I was taking my canary to the hospital.  It got loose in the car and flew out the window.  The next thing I saw was his rear end, and there was a crash."

"Chain of Fools"

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Past Movie Scratches: Shrek-- Scrooged-- Pirates-- Potter-- Lord


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

91.  SHREK EVER AFTER--  12-26--  Shrek has his George Bailey experience.

92.  SCROOGED--  12-25--  Eddie Murray gets "beat up" by a ghost

93.  PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:  CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL--  12-29--  Something about the moonlight and the pirates.  "Very interesting."

94.  HARRY POTTER:  GOBLET OF FIRE--  The contest with the Russians and the girls.

95.  LORD OF THE RINGS:  RETURN OF THE KING--  Age of Man begins in Middle Earth.  The Giant Eye, Orks and Gollum get theirs.
RoadDog

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Music Deaths: Wayne Cochran "White Knight" and Mitch Margo "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"


WAYNE COCHRAN, 78

Died November 21, 2017

"The White Knight of Soul Music"  Wrote "Last Kiss" a big hit for J. Frank Wilson and Pearl Jam.  He never ha an American pop hit but had a huge influence on black and white artists.



MITCH MARGO, 70

Died November 24. 2017

High tenor voice with the Tokens.  he sang the high falsetto in "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"  (#1-1961).  He cowrote "Tonight I Fell in Love"  (#15-1961).

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Past Movie Scratches:: Back-- Frozen-- Midnight-- Christmas-- Story-- Story


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

85.  BACK TO THE FUTURE 3--  12-13--  Clint Eastwood would be so proud.

86.  FROZEN--  12-17--  Good old Kristoff and Sven the Reindeer.

87.  MIDNIGHT SPECIAL--  12-18--  The others are watching.

88.  A CHRISTMAS STORY--  12-24--  Scut Farkus' laugh and he sure got his.

89.  A CHRISTMAS STORY--  12-25--  "Daddy's going to kill Ralphie."

90.  A CHRISTMAS STORY--  12-25--  "It's a major award."  "Fragile, must be from Italy."

--RoadDog

Friday, December 22, 2017

WLS Top Ten for December 22, 1967: "Snoopy's Christmas"


1.  JUDY  IN DISGUISE--   John Fred
2.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees
3.  BEND ME, SHAPE ME--  American Breed

4.  WOMAN, WOMAN--  Union Gap
5.  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS--  Royal Guardsmen
6.  GREEN TAMBOURINE--  Lemon Pipers
7.  BOOGALOO DOWN BROADWAY--  Johnny C

8.  I SECOND THAT EMOTION--  Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
9.  HELLO GOODBYE--  Beatles
10.  I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE--  Gladys Knight

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "A Lemonade Pies, With a Brand New Car."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:   I saw the slow-moving, sad-faced old gentleman as he bounced off the hood of my car.

"Judy in Disguise"

Thursday, December 21, 2017

"Those Little Dogs Had Their Biggest Day": Wofford College Beats UNC!!


There has to be a lot of smiles on the campus of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, today, as their team, the Terriers played National Champs University of North Carolina and BEAT them!!!

I went to the Spartanburg Herald Journal which, of course, had the story on the front page.

"Those little dogs had their biggest day.

"Wofford stunned the college basketball world Wednesday by knocking off fifth-ranked defending national champion North Carolina 79-75 at the Dean Smith Center."

Last night I had seen on the TV listings that UNC was playing Wofford, but chose not to watch it, figuring it would be a Tarheel blowout.  I sure wish I had, though.  When it comes to the Big Boys in college basketball, I am a big Tarheel fan.  But, I always pull for any of the Little Dogs when they play one of the Big Dogs.  And I sure would have been pulling for the Wofford Terriers.

In case you're wondering about Wofford College, it was established in 1854 and in the fall of 2016, had 1,692 undergraduate students.  Their teams are called the Terriers.

I imagine they have quite the thing to remember about their college years now.

I Am So Proud of These Guys!!  --RoadDog



Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Past Movie Scratches: Star-- Star-- Star-- Frozen-- Back-- Back


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

79.  STAR WARS 3--  How Darth Vader came to be.

80.  STAR WARS 4--  The first one  A new Jedi named Luke.  Still love the cantina scene.

81.  STAR WARS 5--  Luke finds his father.  Not what he expected.

82.  FROZEN--  12-11--  Someone worth melting with.

83.  BACK TO THE FUTURE--  12-12--  Ol' Biff never hit him.

84.  BACK TO THE FUTURE 2--  12-13--  Its deja vu forward, back and forward.

--RoadDog

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Past Movie Scratches: Rocky-- Mummy-- Die-- Vacation-- Indiana-- Halloween


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

67.  ROCKY IV--  Loved that James Brown "Living In America" production.

68.  THE MUMMY RETURNS--  9-8--  Battling the Scorpion King.

69.  DIE HARD WITH VENGEANCE--  9-8--  Out to give John a hard time.

70.  CHRISTMAS VACATION--  9-10--  That poor, poor cat.

71.  INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE--  9-11--  Looking for the Holy Grail before the Nazis get it.  Lots of looking back over shoulders.

72.  HALLOWEEN--  10-13--  Just can't keep the Boogeyman (AKA Mikie) down.

It's the Scorpion King Vs. Michael.  --RoadDog



Monday, December 18, 2017

"Star Wars" Overload


I have to wonder how many companies got in line to advertise the new "Star Wars" movie.  Every commercial break has at least two or more commercials tying the company into the movie.  As if I didn't know about it release this past Friday (well, Thursday).

I must admit, though, that I am a big fan of the movies.  Though I haven't seen it yet and don't plan to until sometime in January.  I am not a big fan of crowded theaters and that is what it will be until the kids o back to school.  And, I will see the new movie twice at the theater.  It is just one of those movies you need to see on the really big screen and see it twice to see anything you missed the first time.

I also greatly enjoyed TNT showing the first six movies over the past weekend.

"I Have a Bad Feeling About This."  --RoadDog



Past Movie Scratches: Torino-- Blazing-- Ghostbusters-- Gremlins-- Avengers-- Wonderful


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I watched on TV in 2016.

73.  GRAN TORINO--  11-9--  That great spitting contest.

74.  BLAZING SADDLES--  11-16--  That Mongo!!  What a character.

75.  GHOSTBUSTERS II--  11-19--  The 5th Ghostbuster

76.  GREMLINS--  11-23--  Ol' Stripe had quite the 'tude.  And conniving to boot.  Still the funniest Christmas scene ever in that bar.

77.  THE AVENGERS--  11-26--  The way to really tear up a town.  Loki and his mean minions.

78.  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE--  12-3--  I still can't get through that finale without tearing up.  You never know the impact you have, as George learned.

--RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  "The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him."






Friday, December 15, 2017

Happy Fiftieth Anniversary Liz


No, it is not our wedding anniversary which is on August 25.  This is the anniversary of our starting to go together and that was December 15, 1967.

Back then, we were both juniors at Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois.  We had not received our class rings yet (those came in May) so I gave Liz my ID bracelet.  When we finally got the class rings, I was "allowed" to wear it for a day and then Liz got it.  She didn't even give back my ID bracelet.

This date was also on a Friday and I was looking for a way to surprise her when she would least be expecting the bracelet.  She had to go to the laundromat at Palatine Plaza on Northwest Highway (US-14) to do her family laundry.  I tagged along.

Unfortunately, the laundromat is no longer there and we don't remember exactly where it was but know it was close to the Pankau drugstore.  We think there is an ice cream place there now.

Giving her the bracelet there sure caught her by surprise.

Happy Anniversary, Liz.  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for December 15, 1967: "Massachusetts"


On this date, fifty years ago, I gave Liz my id bracelet and we started going steady.  Fifty years later, we are still together.  "Massachusetts" was "Our Song" and on the charts at the time.

All these songs have special meaning for us.

1.  HELLO GOODBYE--  Beatles
2.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees  (Liz's ringtone)
3.  JUDY IN DISGUISE--  John Fred

4.  BEND ME, SHAPE ME--  American Breed
5.  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS--  Royal Guardsmen
6.  BETTER SIT DOWN KIDS--  Cher
7.  RAIN, PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills

8.  I SECOND THAT EMOTION--  Smokey Robinson
9.  WOMAN, WOMAN--  Union Gap
10.  BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Bobby Vee

22.  MASSACHUSETTS--  Bee Gees

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "They Brought Me Back To See My Way With You."  answer below.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  "No one was to blame for the accident, but it never would have happened if the other driver had been alert.

"Massachusetts"

Thursday, December 14, 2017

To DeKalb Last Weekend-- Part 2: A College Basketball Game


DECEMBER 9, SATURDAY

Took a ride on Lincoln Highway all the way to the east end of DeKalb, Illinois.  Had the breakfast special  at Sonic , mini burritos for $1.49 which was quite good.

Drove around campus and out to Greek Row and found the old Delta Sig house.

Went to the NIU-Central Connecticut basketball game which just cost $5 with seating wherever you wanted.  Hard to beat that deal, but sad to see how few people were in the Convo Center, especially the lack of students.  We saw a good game with Northern jumping off to a sizable lead and then having a struggle to hold on to it.

Then we drove back home and went to the Legion in Fox Lake where they were having a party for the Army-Navy game and that was sure some finish.

A Good Time.  --RoadDog

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

To DeKalb Last Weekend-- Part 1: A Scholarship and Pizza


DECEMBER 8--  Friday

We drove to DeKalb, Illinois, and got a room at the Red Roof Inn and met with out university person at Fatty's and discussed what is going on on campus.  We gave money for our education scholarship.

Took a ride through campus and it would appear that Lincoln Hall (where I lived freshman year at NIU) was closed.  We then went to Wal-Mart and then to Lord Stanley's, the place you want to be for Blackhawks games.  Lord Stanley's is named after the man who gave the Stanley Cup.  Watched the first two periods there and had their great pizza/beer deal, two pitchers and a 16-inch one topping pizza for $19.

Then, we went back to the hotel and walked across the street to Pizza Pros and watched the end of the game (and the Blackhawks actually won)!!  The bartender has a remarkable memory.  We don't get t DeKalb often, but she remembered us.

--RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  "I thought my window was down; but found it was up when I put my hand through it.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "National Lampoon's Animal House"


Alright, I'll have to include this here since I was doing Stephen Furst's obit.  Great music, both the originals and the new ones made for the movie.  And, of course, John Belushi.

It is too bad the movie came out after I was out of school as this album definitely would have been on our party  playlist.  And, tose Toga Parties!!  What a great idea.  We, Delta Sigma Phi, played four albums, front and back, at our parties:  Four Tops Greatest Hits, Temptations Greatest Hits, Sly & the Family Stone Greatest Hits and "Green River" by CCR.

Of course, this is in my Ultimate CD Jukebox.

Faber College Theme--  Elmer Bernstein
Louie, Louie--  John Belushi
Twistin' the Night Away--  Sam Cooke

Tossin' and Turnin'--  Bobby Lewis
Shama Lama Ding Dong--  Otis Day & the Knights
Hey Paula--  Paul and Paula

Animal House--  Stephen Bishop
Intro--  Stephen Bishop
Money--  John Belushi

Let's Dance--  Chris Montez
Dream Girl--  Stephen Bishop

Wonderful World--  Sam Cooke
Shout--  Otis Day & the Knights
Faber College Theme--  Elmer Bernstein

What, No "I Gave My Love a Cherry?"  I'll Have Another.  --  RoadDog

LAWS OF PARENTING:  Backing your car out of the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.




Monday, December 11, 2017

Past Movie Scratches: Transylvania-- Brothers-- Despicable-- Trek-- Avatar-- Pirates


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

61.  HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA--  8-15--  Cutest vampires and bats (and monsters) you ever saw.

62.  STEP BROTHERS--  8-21--  Two 40-year-old live at home sons in a blended family learn to get along.

63.  DESPICABLE ME: 2--  8-22--  Minions become real meanies and Gru gets married.

64.  STAR TREK: BEYOND--  8-27--  Venturing into Klingon space.  They probably won't like it.

65.  AVATAR--  8-27--  It's the Indians battling the evil whites.  Only this time in space.

66.  PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:  FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD--  9-1--  Listen to Papa Keith Richards and "Hoist the Colors!!"

--RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have.


Friday, December 8, 2017

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 7: "Skinny Legs & All"


10.  SKINNY LEGS & ALL--  Joe Tex     #10
9.  NEON RAINBOW--  Box Tops    #24
8.  JUDY IN DISGUISE--  John Fred & His Playboy Band   #1

7.  BEND ME, SHAPE ME--  American Breed    #5
6.  BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Bobby Vee
5.  I CAN SEE FOR MILES--  Who    #9
4.  HELLO, GOODBYE--  Beatles  #1

3.  BETTER SIT DOWN KIDS--  Cher   #9
2.  RAIN, PARK & OTHER THINGS--   Cowsills   #2
1.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees    #1

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Know You've Deceived Me, Now Here's a Big Surprise."   Answer below.  --RoadDog



"I Can See for Miles"

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 6: "Boogaloo Down Broadway"


15.  BOOGALOO DOWN BROADWAY--  Fantastic Johnny C    #7    His biggest hit.  Born in South Carolina in 1943.

14.  SNOOPY'S CHRISTMAS--   Not ranked.    Made some money with Snoopy and the Red Baron, though.

13.  IN & OUT OF LOVE--    Diana Ross & the Supremes    #9  Vocal group from Detroit.

12.  I SECOND THAT EMOTION--   Smokey Robinson    #4   First Top Ten with Smokey Out in front.

11.  I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER--  Dionne Warwick    #4   Born in East Orange, New Jersey.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "The Moment I Wake Up, Before I Put On My Makeup."  --Answer below.  --RoadDog


"I Say a Little Prayer"

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 5: "Woman, Woman"


20.  CHAIN OF FOOLS--  Aretha Franklin    #2   That's Joe South doing the guitar introduction to the song.

19.  I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE-- Gladys Knight & the Pips    #2   #1 R&B for six weeks.  Then, Marvin got ahold of it.

18.  WOMAN, WOMAN--  Union Gap    #4    Later, Gary Puckett took front and center.  Their first hit.

17.  SHE'S MY GIRL--  Turtles    #14   Formed in Los Angeles in 1961.

16.  SUSAN--  Buckinghams    #11   WLS backing those hometown Chicago bands again.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "For Five Long Years I Thought You Were My Man."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  I had been learning to drive with power steering.  I turned the wheel to what I thought was enough and found myself in a different direction going the opposite way.

"Chain of Fools"

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Illinois USS Oklahoma Pearl Harbor Victim Identified


All of my blogs today will be about Pearl harbor, this being the 76th anniversary of the attack.

From the December 7, 2016, Chicago Tribune "For Pearl Harbor Dead, A Final Rest" by Ted Gregory.

"Katherine Kany was at work last spring when she got the phone call that pulled together the loose ends of a family mystery.  The remains of her uncle, a 22-year-old from Waukegan who died 75 years ago Wednesday, finally had been identified.

"The call was part of a project begun in earnest last year with the goal of identifying and returning to loved ones the remains of 388 sailors and Marines -- 18 from Illinois -- killed when Japanese fighter planes riddled the USS Oklahoma with torpedoes on December 7, 1941.  At least five of the explosions struck the Oklahoma about 8 a.m., and the battleship capsized in less than 10 minutes."

"Kany, of Arlington, Va., and other relatives gathered October 25, at Arlington National Cemetery for a full military funeral for Navy Fireman 3rd Class John H. Lindsley, a man who died before Kany was born."

Identifying These Dead Is the Correct Thing to Do.

Got My Flags Up To Commemorate the 76th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Today


I just went out in the cold (and a light smattering of snow) and put up two U.S. flags to honor those who died and survived that attack on Pearl Harbor 76 years ago that plunged the country into World War II.

Pearl Harbor, along with the Alamo, Fort Fisher and the Titanic have always been the four history stories that have interested me the most.

Sadly, as far as I know, there are no ceremonies in our part of northeast Illinois that is having anything for it.

This being the very first major action of the war for the United States, these persons are among the very oldest of those remaining from World War II and because of it, they are dying off even faster than the others.

When I was growing up, it seemed that all of my parents' friends were World War II veterans and it is hard to imagine there coming a time when they won't be around anymore.

In observance, every one of my blogs today will be about Pearl Harbor.

Hope You Are Flying Your Flag Today.   --

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 4: "Massachusetts"


25.  HONEY CHILE--  Martha & the Vandellas   #11  Martha Reeves and her group.

24.  BABY, YOU'VE GOT IT--  Brenton Wood    #34  Born Alfred Smith in Shreveport, Louisiana.  raised in California.

23.  PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER--  Bobby Vinton   #6  His father was a bandleader.  Toured as part of backing band for Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" in 1960.

22.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock   #1    West Coast psychedelic band.  Lead singer on this song was 16-year-old leader of another band, Greg Munford.

21.  MASSACHUSETTS--  Bee Gees   #11   "(The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts."  This song was Liz and my song when we first went steady back at Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois.  We will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of when I gave her my ID bracelet (as a junior, we had not yet gotten our class rings) on December 15 this year.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Something's Telling Me I Must Go Home"  Answer Below.  --RoadDog



"Massachusetts"

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 3: "To Sir With Love"


30.  OTHER MAN'S GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER--  Pet Clark   #31   On the radio at age 9 and had her own TV show at age 11.

29.  IT'S WONDERFUL--  Young Rascals   #20   Last song as the Young Rascals.  Shortened to Rascals after this.

28.  TO SIR WITH LOVE--  Lulu   #1   Title song from movie starring Sidney Poitier.

27.  SUMMER RAIN--  Johnny Rivers   #14   Real name John Ramistella.  Was named Johnny Rivers by DJ Alan Freed in 1958.

26.  KEEP THE BALL ROLLIN'--  Jay & the Techniques   (D)   #14  Follow up to biggest hit "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie"  #6 earlier in 1967.

Name That Tune (from above songs):  "West Wind Soft As A Sweet Dream."  Answer Below.  --RoadDog



"Summer Rain"

Music Deaths: Mel Tillis


MEL TILLIS, 85

Died November 19, 2017

One of my all-time favorite country singers.

Very popular in the 1970s.

SZome of his big songs:

"I Ain't Never", "Good Woman Blues", "Coca-Cola Cowboy (from movie "Every Which Way But Loose"), "Memory Maker" and "Southern Rain."

And, my personal favorite  "I Got the Hoss."

A Great One.



Past Movie Scratches: Bad-- Gladiator-- Ghostbusters-- Jaws-- Jaws II-- Ice


Past Movie Scratches.  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

55.  BAD BOYS--  6-23--  Trading places with your cop buddy.

56.  GLADIATOR--  7-5--  "Prepare to unleash hell!!"  Great, great battle scene.

57.  GHOSTBUSTERS--  7-16--  "Get her!!  That's your plan??""

58.  JAWS--  7-177--  "We're gonna need a bigger boat."

59.  JAWS 2--  7-19--  Humor or toy.  That is the question.

60.  ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT--  7-22--  Its the end of the world as they knew it.

Not Sure About #59.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  "The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention."

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Past Movie Scratches: Hobbitt-- Hawk-- Survivor-- Bluebird-- Blind-- Jumanji


Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

49.  HOBBITT:  AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY--  Battling the White Orc on that  White Whatever That Is.

50.  BLACK HAWK DOWN--  4-20--  Rotten Somalians!!

51.  LONE SURVIVOR--  Take a Lickin'.  Take a Beatin'.  Keep on Fightin'.

52.  BLUEBIRD--  4-23--  Shirley Temple horns in on Oz.

53.  THE BLIND SIDE--  5-14--  Rescuing Michael.  A real feel-good movie.

54.  JUMANJI--  6-8--  Loved that Robin Williams.  Real funny guy in a very DANGEROUS game.

--RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS  (From the Orange Peel). :  A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.



Music Deaths: Della Reese


DELLA REESE, 86,

Died November 19, 2017.

Best remembered for "Don't You Know"  (#2-1959)

Born Delloreese Patricia Early in Detroit.  better known for her R&B)  Had "And That reminds Me"  (#12 R&B-1957.

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 2: ""Wear My Love Like Heaven"


35.  BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX--  Glenn Campbell    #26  Born 1936 in Billstown, Arkansas

34.  IF I COULD BUILD MY WORLD AROUND YOU--Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell    #10  Follow up to their #5 "Your Precious Love."  They had a total of 12 Top 100s together and 4 Top Tens.

33.  WEAR MY LOVE LIKE HEAVEN--  Donovan   #23   Born Donovan Phillip Leitch near Glasgow, Scotland.  Was there a better Flower Child?

32.  GREEN TAMBOURINE--  Lemon Pipers    #1  Their biggest-ever hit of three top 100s.  Psychedelic/bubblegum rock quintet from Oxford, Ohio.

31.. AN OPEN LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SON--  Victor Lundberg   #10   Showing how split the country had become.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "She'll Find the Note I left Hanging On her Door."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"By the Time I Get to Phoenix"

Monday, December 4, 2017

WLS Top 40 for December 8, 1967-- Part 1: "Tell Mama"


(D)=  Debut.  The number behind the performer is the highest the song got on the Billboard Top 100.

40.  EXPLOSION--  Soul Survivors   (D)   #33  White soul band from New York City and Philadelphia  (In Your Soul)  (In My Soul)

39.  SKIP A ROPE--  Henson Cargill   (D)    #25   Country singer born in Oklahoma City.  His only hit.

38.  LET THE HEARTACHE BEGIN--  Long John Baldry  (D)    #88    Influential blues rocker from England.  Probably best known for his "Don't Try To Lay No Boogie-Woogie On the King of Rock and Roll"  which went to #73, his highest charting song in the U.S..

37.  WHO WILL ANSWER--  Ed Ames   (D)   #19   One of the Ames Brothers.  His biggest hit was "My Cup Runneth Over"  (#8-1967)

36.  TELL MAMA--  Etta James  (D)  #23  Her biggest hit.  Born Jamesetta Hawkins in 1938

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Oh Listen To the Children While They Play."  Answer Below.  --RoadDog


"Skip A Rope"

Better Late Than Never-- Billboard Top Ten Halloween Songs


Gary Trust, Jessica Latkem and Chris Payne track sales during the 2013 Halloween season.

10.  THIS IS HALLOWEEN--  Danny Elfman
9.  HIGHWAY TO HELL--  AC/DC
8.  DON'T FEAR THE REAPER--  Blue Oyster Cult

7.  CREEP--  Radiohead
6.  SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder
5.  WEREWOLVES OF LONDON--  Warren Zevon
4.  DEAL WITH THE DEVIL--  Pop Evil  (Great video)

3.  GHOSTBUSTERS--  Ray Parker Jr.
2.  MONSTER MASH--  Bobby Pickett
1.  THRILLER--  Michael Jackson

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "All Out Times Have Come."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Don't Fear the Reaper"


Music Deaths: Keith Wilder of Heatwave and Robert Knight "Everlasting Love"


KEITH WILDER, 68

Died October 29, 2017.

Lead singer and co-founder of Heatwave with brother Johnny.

Their hits included:  "Boogie Nights"  (#2-1977),  "The Groove Line"  (#7-1978), and the ballad "Always and Forever"  (#18-1978).  I sure played the lat song a lot at weddings when I deejayed.

ROBERT KNIGHT, 72

Died November 5, 2017.

He did the original hit version of "Everlasting Love"  (#13-1967).

Saturday, December 2, 2017

JSS: Football Alabama and Auburn-- 16-Team College Playoffs-- Rochester, Illinois


JSS--  Just Some Stuff

This one's about football.

1.  ALABAMA AND AUBURN--  That was one great football game last Saturday when Auburn upset Alabama.  I always like to see Alabama lose.  But what about the teams they played the week before.  The mighty 'Bama played Mercer and Auburn played the Citadel.  Come ON!!!  Those easy wins shouldn't count as victories.

2.  16-TEAM PLAYOFFS--  And again, I sure would like to see a 16-team playoff for the Power Five Conferences and another one for the rest of the teams.  That would make some of those "toilet" bowl TV games account for something.

3.  ROCHESTER, ILLINOIS--  This one is for high school football.  This team has dominated the Class 4A playoffs, winning seven of the last eight years.  Time for them to move up to 5A.

--RoadDog

Music Deaths: Fats Domino


ANTOINE "FATS" DOMINO  89.  Died October 24, 2017

R&B, rock pianist,  vocalist.  Played with the band The Solid Senders in the 1940s and then had quite the remarkable solo career as "The Fat Man."  Met producer Dave Bartholomew who cowrote the songs in 1949.

Together, they reeled off quite the string of hits.

Blueberry Hill  (#2-1957)
I'm In Love Again  (#3-1956)
I'm Walkin'  (#4-1957)
Blue Monday  (#5-1957)
Whole Lot Of Lovin'  (#6-1959)

Was on the Top Pop 100 for 66 times and has a dozen in the Top Ten.  Also, a whole lot of R&B hits.

He was feared dead in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but had survived.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.  His last public appearance was ten years ago.

A Huge Talent.

Past Movie Scratches: Hustle-- Reddick-- Vegas-- Phillips--


43.  AMERICAN HUSTLE--  2-27--  The "Sting" goes 1970s.  Worst comb-over ever.

44.  REDDICK-- 3-2--  Particularly nasty snake things.

45.  VEGAS VACATION--  3-3--  Papageorgio can't lose.  Papagriswald can't win.

46.  CAPTAIN PHILLIPS--  3-5--  No doubt the scrawniest, skinniest bunch of pirates ever assembled.

47.  PERCY JACKSON:  SEA OF MONSTERS--  A cyclops and titan that like to eat people.

48.  PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:  ON STRANGER TIDES--  3-12--  Battling bad-ass mermaids and looking for that Fountain of Youth.  Ponce de Leon was so jealous.

--RoadDog

Friday, December 1, 2017

WLS Top Ten for December 1, 1967: "I Can See For Miles"


1.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees
2.  RAIN, PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills
3.  TO SIR WITH LOVE--  Lulu

4.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock
5.  PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER--  Bobby Vinton
6.  OPEN LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SON--  Victor Lundberg
7.  BETTER SIT DOWN KIDS--  Cher

8.  BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Bobby Vee
9.  NEON RAINBOW--  Box Tops
10.  I CAN SEE FOR MILES--  Who  This and "My Generation" are my two favorite Who songs.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "The City Lights, the Pretty Lights."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Neon Rainbow"



Music Deaths: George Young: Australia's Easybeats


GEORGE YOUNG, 70  Died October 22, 2017.

Guitarist with Australia's Easybeats.  Cowrote their big hit "Friday On My Mind" (#16-1967).  Brother of Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC.

He produced AC/DC's "Dirty deeds Done Dirt Cheap" album.  He also cowrote the John Paul Young song "Love Is In the Air" (#7-1978)

His brother Malcolm Young died November 18, 2017.

Past Movie Scratches: Iron-- Jurassic-- Thor-- Battleship-- Z-- Finding


Movies seen on TV in 2016.

37.  IRON MAN 3--  2-14--  Jeeves knows.  Jeeves knows.

38.  JURASSIC PARK 3--  2-15--  Looking for Eric and finding the ultimate dino.

39.  THOR:  THE DARK WORLD--  2-19--  Loki turns out to be a good guy after Asgard falls.

40.  BATTLESHIP--  2-22--  It was like Pearl Harbor for the aliens.  Love those old battleships  like the USS Missouri.

41.  WORLD WARD Z--  2-26--  Those Z-dudes can sure motivate.

42.  FINDING PRIVATE RYAN--  2-27--  That D-Day part and the end (in the cemetery) still get me.

--RoadDog

THE LAST MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  You think CPR stands for "Coffee Provides Resuscitation."