About This Super Bowl

Since neither of our two NFL teams are playing (Bears and Packers, Yep, that's right, Bears and Packers) Liz and I become free agents.  Especially since the hated New England Patriots are not in it.  Whenever that happens, we pull for the other team.  Thanks, Tennessee for knocking them out of the playoffs.

Normally, we pull for the NFC team, but not this time since Kansas City is in it.  They haven't been to the Super Bowl since IV, and it wasn't even called the Super Bowl back then.

However, San Francisco has two players of local interest on their team.  Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is from Arlington Heights, Illinois, played football at Rolling Meadows High School and college ball at Eastern Illinois.  Safety Jimmie Ward played college ball at Northern Illinois University, our alma mater.

Both played for non- Power 5 conferences which makes them playing in the NFL even more difficult.

So, we will be pulling for Kansas City to win, but Garoppolo and Ward to do well.

--RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  Nearly 300,000 trees are cut down yearly to produce the paper for all the IRS forms and instructions.

Movie Scratches: Jewel-- Skywalker-- Spies-- Ronstadt

Movie Scratches--  A Dog's Eye View of movies I saw in the theater.

1.  RICHARD JEWEL--  1-6--  Fox Lake, $6--   From hero to terrorist thanks to the FBI and the media.

2.  STAR WARS:  THE RISE OF SKYWALKER--  1-7--  Fox Lake, $5--  "Rey, I am your grandpa."  Sorry, Emperor Palpatine, her name is Rey Skywalker.  The end of the Sith.

3.  SPIES IN DISGUISE--  1-7--  Fox Lake, $5--  Learning to be a pigeon.  Pigeons aren't so bad.

4.  LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE--  1-13--   My all-time favorite female singer.   What a cutie!!!  And that voice!!!

Beware Seats With Plastic Covers.  --RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  The IRS sends out 8 billion pages of forms and instructions each year.  Laid end-to-end, they would stretch 28 times around the earth.

JSS: Last Week for Lin Brehmer's WXRT Morning Show-- "1917" and "Star Wars IX"-- Jo Jo Rabbit"

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  LAST WEEK FOR LIN BREHMER'S WXRT MORNING SHOW--  After a real long time, WXRT's Morning Show host, Lin Brehmer is leaving the show, but not going too far as he switches from his 5:30 to 10 am slot for the afternoon slot from 10 am to 2 pm.

Most every morning, I listen to him (and former co-host Mary Dixon) if I am not listening over the internet to Jim Morgan at the Surf 94.9 FM out of Myrtle Beach, S.C.).

I'll sure miss him in the morning, even though he had that really bad case of Cubitis,  a huge love of the Cubbies.  Bit, at least now he will be able to stay up to watch his favorite team when they have night games.

2.  "1917" AND "STAR WARS IX"--  Yesterday, I went to the Fox Lake Theatres and saw these two movies for the second time.  Movies like this need to be seen on the Big Screen and in that wonderful surround sound.  And, not just seen once, but twice.

A 70-inch screen is good, but no comparison to the Big Screen.

3.  "JO JO RABBIT"--  I went to see this because it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, along with Scarlet Johansson for Best Supporting Actress.  This was an outstanding movie with humor, sadness and the horrors of Nazi Germany.  Well worth seeing.

--RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  Even the easiest form, the 1040E has 33 pages of instructions, and all of it is in FINE PRINT!!

WLS Top Ten for January 26, 1970: "Someday We'll Be Together"

1.  THANK YOU--  Sly & Family Stone
2.  NO TIME--  Guess Who
3.  VENUS--   Shocking Blue

4.  WHOLE LOTTA LOVE--  Led Zeppelin
5.  RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD--  B.J. Thomas
6.  HEY THERE LONELY GIRL--  Eddie Holman
7,  DON'T CRY DADDY--  Elvis Presley

8.  SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER--  Diana Ross / Supremes
9.  WITHOUT LOVE--  Tom Jones
10.  IF I NEVER KNEW YOUR NAME--  Vic Dana

*********************************

DEBUTS

33.  RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA--  Brook Benton
37.  THE RAPPER--  Jaggerz

38.  HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY BROTHER--  Hollies
39.  THE THRILL IS GONE--  B.B. King

40.  BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS--  Simon & Garfunkel

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "A Goddess On A Mountain Top Burning Like A Silver Flame."  Answer below. --RoadDog


"Venus"

Gone in 2019, But Not Forgotten-- Part 3: "Oh, Pretty Woman"

PRETTY WOMAN--  Roy Orbison      Fred Foster    Producer for Roy Orbison on his big hits  Died February 20.  Started Monument Records.  Produced many Roy Orbison hits, some of them:

Only the Lonely
Running Scared
In Dreams
Crying

Also expanded to R&B and Soul with Joe Simon, Arthur Alexander and Ivory Joe Hunter.  Important in Dolly Parton's early career.  Also produced Willie Nelson, Ray Stevens and Kris Kristofferson

LOVE TO LOVE--  UFO     Paul Raymond   Guitarist and keyboardist.  Died April 13.

FRESH AIR--  Quick Silver Messenger Service     Gary Duncan died June 29.  San Francisco Sound.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER--  Canned Heat     Founding bassist Larry Taylor   Also known as "The Mole.  Died August 19.

COME DANCING--  Kinks    Ian Gibbons    Keyboardist  Died August 1.

BABY HOLD ON--  Eddie Money  Died
GIVE ME SOME WATER--   Eddie Money

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "They Put Up A Parking Lot On A Piece Of Land Where The Supermarket Used To Stand."  Answer below.


"Come Dancing"

Gone in 2019, But Not Forgotten-- Part 2: "Eye of the Tiger"

SHE--  Monkees       Peter Tork   Died February 21.  Keyboardist and bass guitar.
SHADES OF GRAY--  Monkees

POOR MAN'S SON--  Survivor  Stephan Ellis, bassist. Died Feb. 28.   Joined in 1981
EYE OF THE TIGER--  Survivor  Well, big thanks to Sylvester Stallone here.

KICKS--  Paul Revere & the Raiders    Wrecking Crew session drummer Hal Blaine on these two.  Drummed on 150 Top Tens and 40 #1s.   Some other songs:  Johnny Angel, Ringo, Surf City, Mr. Tambourine Man,  Monday Monday,  Windy, Mrs. Robinson, Bridge Over Troubled Water and I Think I Love You.   Played on most of Raiders and Beach Boys hits.
GOOD VIBRATIONS--  Beach Boys

MISERLOU--  Dick Dale    Died March 16   The King of the Surf Guitar.

RIGHT TIME, WRONG PLACE--  Dr. John    Died June 6  Born Malcom John Rebennack Jr.    Winner of six Grammy awards.  One of the Sounds of New Orleans.

I HEAR YOU KNOCKING--  Dave Edmunds      Dave Bartholomew  Died June 23     Two of New Orleans' best dying in the same month.  Wrote this song.  Wrote "Ain't That a Shame" and others for Fats Domino.
 
THE SUN AIN'T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE--  Walker Brothers   Scott Walker died March 23.  A trio who called themselves the Walker Brothers, but they weren't related.  Always reminds me of the Righteous Brothers.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You Went Away And Left Me Long Time Ago."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"I Hear You Knocking"

Gone in 2019, But Not Forgotten-- Part 1: "Look Through Any Window"

From Bob Stroud's January 5, 2020, Rock and Roll Roots.  For a more complete list of musician deaths last year, click on Music Deaths 2019 in the labels area beneath this.

LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW--  Hollies  The first death of 2019 , Jan. 5, was original Hollies bassist Eric Haydock.  This song was either the first or second 45 I ever bought.
I CAN'T LET GO--  Hollies

TUMBLING DICE--  Rolling Stones      Clydie King died January 7.  Made  mark as a back up singer.  Sang on these two songs.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA--  Lynyrd Skynyrd

SON OF A PREACHER MAN--  Dusty Springfield  Reggie Young, session guitarist with Memphis Boys, American Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee died Jan. 17.  Also a member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band on first several albums.  Played on Box Tops "The Letter,"  "Cry Like a Baby,"  "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond,  Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" and "Kentucky Rain" and "In the Ghetto,"  "Down in the Boondocks" Billy Joe Royal and B.J. Thomas'"Hooked On a Feeling."
DRIFT AWAY--  Dobie Gray

SUMMERTIME BLUES--  Blue Cheer   Paul Whaley, drummer, died Jan.28 of blues metal band.  Reportedly the loudest band on the planet.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "And When His Daddy Would Visit He'd Come Along."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Son of a Preacher Man"

I've Seen Just One Best Actor Nominee and No Best Actresses

This happens every Academy Awards show to me.  When the nominees are announced, I haven't seen many in any category.  This is usually because the movies weren't shown at my local theaters or were out for just a very short time.

As I said in a previous post, I only saw two of the Best Picture nominees:  "Ford v. Ferrari" and "Joker."

The only Best Actor nominee I saw was Joaquin Phoenix for "Joker."

***************************

BEST ACTOR NOMINEES

Antonio Banderas ""Pain and Glory"
Leonardo DiCaprio  "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood"
Adam Driver  "Marriage Story"
Joaquin Phoenix  "Joker"
Jonathan Pryce  "The Two Popes"

**************************

BEST ACTRESS NOMINEES

Cynthia Erivo  "Harriet"
Scarlett Johansson  "Marriage Story"
Saoirse Ronan  "Little Women"
Charlize Theron  "Bombshell"
Renee Zellweger  "Judy"

Hopefully, my local theaters will bring most of these back again.

--RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  There are at least 480 different tax forms, each with many pages of instructions.

WLS Top Ten for January 19, 1970: "Whole Lotta Love"

From Fifty years ago.  I would have been back at NIU in DeKalb, Illinois, in my freshman year and living at Lincoln Hall 3A.  I also worked in food service there which made for a handy commute.

1.  VENUS--  Shocking Blue
2.  THANK YOU--  Sly & The Family Stone
3.  WHOLE LOTTA LOVE--  Led Zeppelin

4.  DON'T CRY DADDY--  Elvis Presley
5.  RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD--  B.J. Thomas
6.  SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER--  Diana Ross / Supremes
7.  JAM UP & JELLY TIGHT--  Tommy Roe

8.  NO TIME--  Guess Who
9.  MIDNIGHT COWBOY--  Ferrante & Teicher
10.  WITHOUT LOVE--  Tom Jones

******************************

DEBUTS

26.  ARIZONA--  Mark Lindsay
36.  TRAVELIN' BAND / WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN--  CCR

37.  MY ELUSIVE DREAMS--  Bobby Vinton
38.  ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME--  R.B. Greaves

39.  BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO--  Lenny Welch
40.  SAVE THE COUNTRY--  Thelma Houston

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "On My Way To better Things."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"No Time"

Well, It's Oscar Time Again, and, As Usual I Haven't Seen Many Nominees

From the January 14, 2020, Chicago Sun-Times "Nominees in Top Categories."

Now, I know I only saw 38 movies at the theaters last year (and four so far this year) and that is considerably less than the 52 or more I usually see.  But, come on, I only saw TWO of the movies nominated for Best Picture.  And, there were nine movies nominated.

You'd think with 38 movies seen I might have seen more than two?

I only saw "Ford v. Ferrari" and "Joker."

The others nominated:

The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood
Parasite

Now, I get to play catch up as Classic Cinemas and Regal Cinemas start showing the nominees.  As a matter of fact, I expect to see "1917," "Parasite" and "Jojo Rabbit" this upcoming week.

How Come I Don't Get to See These Movies on Release?  --RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  (From the Orange Peel Gazette)  The Gettysburg Address is 269 words, the declaration of Independence is 1,337 words and the Holy Bible is only 773,000 words (depending upon version)  However, the tax law (code) has grown from 11,400 words in 1913 to 7 million wods today.

Music Deaths: Marie Fredriksson of Roxette

MARIE FREDRICKSSON, 61

Died December 9, 2019

Swedish pop singer and songwriter and lead vocalist of the pop duo Roxette with Per Gessle.    They had six hits on Billboard Hot 100 charts that went to #2 or higher.

The Look #1 1989
Listen to Your Heart  #1  1989
Dangerous  #2  1989
It Must Have Been Love  #1   1990
Joyride  #1   1991
Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)  #2   1991

Big Changes at Chicago's WXRT, 93.1 FM

This is one of the three main radio stations I listen to in Chicago.  Most every morning, I start with the Morning Show, hosted by Lin Brehmer and, until a few weeks ago, Mary Dixon with the news and essentially a co-host.  But the station dropped its morning news and she is now with another station, sadly.

Now, in a few weeks, Lin will be flipping time slots to 10-2:30 pm with Richard Milne.  Lin Brehmer played a lot of music while being somewhat talkative.  One of my problems with most morning shows is too much talk.  I need my music to get me going in the morning.

Plus, not too long ago, Terri Hemmmert retired from the midday job, but still comes back on Sundays to do her Breakfast With the Beatles show.  Sadly, on that one, Professor Moptop has reached the end of his informative segments on the history of the Beatles.  Hopefully they will start re-airing his reruns.

And, today (and last Wednesday) the station is playing all day with no commercial breaks.  I appreciate that, but, hey, over-the-air stations have to have a revenue stream and this doesn't do anything for that important aspect.  So give it a listen today on www.wxrt.com.

WXRT, Chicago's Finest Rock.  --RoadRadio

DID YOU KNOW:  "Stewardesses" is the longest English word that is only typed with the left hand.

Music Deaths: Herb Cox of the Cleftones

HERB COX, 81

Died 8 December 2019

Lead singer with the vocal group Cleftones.

Born in 1939.  In 1955, two singing groups, the Clefs and Silvertones combines and used part of their names.  Black dd-wop group from Queens, New York.

Their biggest hit was the one minute 56 seconds long "Heart and Soul" (#18-1961).  But also had Top 100 songs with "You Baby You" and "Little Girl of Mine."  I've been listening to the Cleftones on You Tube and they should have had a huge hit with "Little Girl of Mine" (#57-1956), even bigger than "Heart and Soul."

WLS Top 40 for January 12. 1970-- Part 7: "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head"

Fifty years ago.  The Top Ten songs in Chicago.

10.  LA LA LA (IF I HAD YOU)--  Bobby Sherman     #9

9.  THANK YOU--  Sly & the Family Stone    #1

8.  JUNGLE JANGLE--  Archies   #10

7.  JAM UP & JELLY TIGHT--  Tommy Roe    #8

6.  MIDNIGHT COWBOY--  Ferrante & Teicher   #10

5.  SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER--  Dina Ross / Supremes     #1

4.  DON'T CRY DADDY--  Elvis Presley   #6

3.  RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD--  B.J. Thomas     #1

2.  WHOLE LOTTA LOVE--  Led Zeppelin    #4   (Their only Top Ten)

1.  VENUS--  Shocking Blue    #1

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You'll Need Coolin' Baby, I'm Not Foolin'."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Whole Lotta Love"

WLS Top 40 for January 12, 1970-- Part 6: "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"

That's right, fifty years ago, today.

15.  WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES--  Joe South     #12    True in 1970.  True in 2020.   Successful Nashville  session guitarist and songwriter.  Also wrote "Down in the Boondocks," "Hush" and "Rose Garden."

14.  I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN--  Dionne Warwick      #16   Dionne, Burt and Hal.  What else?  Interesting comment:  "The guy who rhymed pneumonia with phone ya was a genius."

13.  BARBARA I LOVE YOU--  New Colony Six     #78     WLS backing the local Chicago bands again.

12.  IF I NEVER KNEW YOUR NAME--  Vic Dana       #47   Written by Neil Diamond.  His next song was also written by Neil Diamond, "Red Red Wine" and these were Vic's last two songs to break into the Hot 100.  His biggest hit was "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (#10-1965).

11.  WITHOUT LOVE--    Tom Jones    #5    That spoken beginning.  Two crooners in a row on the WLS chart.  Whole title "Without Love (There Is Nothing)."

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Hey Before You Abuse, Criticize and Accuse."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Walk A Mile in My Shoes"

Movie Scratches: Wonderful-- Frozen-- Jumanji

Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw in theaters in 2019.

I always try for 52 movies a year; one a week.

This year I didn't make that number.

36.  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE--  12-18--  Fox Lake, $5--  My third favorite Christmas movie on the big screen.  Thanks Classic Cinemas.

37.  FROZEN II--  12-19--  Fox Lake, $6--  One of those great animated movies these days but sure could have used a lot less Olav the snow man and all that singing.  The girls finding out some less than wonderful things their ancestors had done.

38.  JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL--  12-19--  Extremely hard to keep up with who was who, but lots of funny situations.

I Don't Go to the Movies During Christmas Break.  Way Too Many People.  --RoadFlick

DID YOU KNOW:  The letters KGB stand for Komitel Gosudarstvenoy Bezopasnosti.

WLS Top 40 for January 12, 1970-- Part 5: "Hey There Lonely Girl"

20.  WONDERFUL WORLD, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Jimmy Cliff   #25     I didn't know it back then, but this was my first taste of reggae music.  The shape the world is in.

19.  EVIL WOMAN--  Crow    #19     Their biggest hit.   Minneapolis, Minnesota rockers.  Mighty fine garage rock...and those horns.  Get your head to bopping like Wayne's World.  Whole name "Evil Woman Don't Play Your Games With Me."

18.  BLOWING AWAY--  Fifth Dimension     #21    Not one of their better-known songs, but all 5D.  And, I sure don't get tired of looking at those two female singers.

17.  HEY THERE LONELY GIRL--  Eddie Holman       #2     You wouldn't expect that voice to come off that man.  Born in Norfolk, Virginia.

16.  WINTER WORLD OF LOVE--  Englebert Humperdinck      #16    Great sideburns there, Engle.    What a voice.

Name That Tune (From the above songs):  "I See The Look Of Evil In Your Eyes.  You've Been Filling Me All Full Of Lies."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Evil Woman"

WLS Top 40 for January 12, 1970-- Part 4: "Na Na Hey Hey"

I get the Billboard Hot 100 from Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles 1955-1993."

25.  UP ON CRIPPLE CREEK--  Band     #25    A very different sound from this group.  I became a fan right away.  Their highest ranking hit.

24.  NO TIME--  Guess Who     #5   Love the introduction of this great break-up song.  Formed in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1963.

23.  NA NA HEY HEY--  Steam     #1    Written and recorded by studio musicians.  When it became a hit, they put together a band to go out and perform it.

22.  DOWN ON THE CORNER  #3  / FORTUNATE SON  #14--  Creedence Clearwater Revival.  My all-time favorite band.

21.  I WANT YOU BACK--  Jackson 5     #1   My favorite Jackson 5 song.  This one always gets me ta'Moving!!  Their first hit and first of four straight #1s and two #2s.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "A Drunkard's Dream If i ever Did See One."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Up On Cripple Creek"

Movie Scratches: Midway-- Ferrari-- Knives

Movie Scratches--  A dog's eye-view of movies I saw at the theater in 2019.

I shoot for 52 movies a year at the theater and didn't come anywhere near it this year.

33.  MIDWAY--  12-3--  Fox Lake, $5--  Like I said, this is a movie that has to be seen twice on the big screen with all that surround sound.  This was also a commercial for Zippo lighters.   (You had that familiar click.)  Lots of Japanese officers with those gloves looking frantically upwards with binoculars with American planes diving at them as well as Japanese anti-aircraft guns firing frantically up at those planes.

I don't know how any American planes made it through all that A-A fire.

34.  FORD v FERRARI--  12-3--  Fox Lake, Free--  Overcoming the stacked odds and Bee bee.  Who says Americans can't?  One brave driver.

35.  KNIVES OUT--  12-12--  Was it suicide or was it murder?  A great Who-Dun-It.  What did the real old lady know?

Thanks For the Free Movie, Classic Cinemas.  --RoadMovie

Movie Scratches: Midway-- Liar-- Doctor-- Last

Movie Scratches--  Movies I Saw at the Theater in 2019.

29.  MIDWAY--  11-18--  Fox Lake, $6--  Four battles for the price of one.  Pearl Harbor, Marshall Islands, Doolittle's Raid and Midway.  I'll have to see it again on the big screen.  Wow!!

30.  THE GOOD LIAR--  11-19--  Fox Lake, $5--  So, who's doing who? All this and a World War II background story.  Not what you think.  I think it should be an Academy Award nominee.

31.  DOCTOR SLEEP--  11-19--  Fox  Lake, $5--  "The Shining Pt. 2"  The story continues.  "Wakey, Wakey."   Like father, like son.

32.  LAST CHRISTMAS--  11-21--  Fox Lake, $6--  A dysfunctional gal from a dysfunctional family finds her way.  I was caught completely by surprise by the ending.  A modern day "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Groundhog Day."  Too good for Hallmark?

Love That Popcorn Seasoning At Classic Cinemas.  Almost makes the $7.50 Large Popcorns Worth It.  --RoadDog

DID YOU KNOW:   Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them;  a fully ripened cranberry can be  dribbled like a basket ball.

WLS Top 40 for January 12, 1970-- Part 3: "Leaving On a Jet Plane"

I always go to You Tube and listen to every one of the Top 40 songs when I do this.  Really takes you back.  My comments come from listening to these You Tube songs.

30.  YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY--   Stevie Winder      #7    Yeah, that great Motown sound.  Little Steveland Morris, born in 1950.

29.  LEAVING ON A JET PLANE--  Peter, Paul & Mary     #1   Two Vietnam veterans made comments and said they heard this song last and first when going to and returning from that war.  Really hits home.  Their biggest hit and last Top 100 song.

28.  EARLY IN THE MORNING--  Vanity Fare      #12      Is that a harpsicord?  Great pop song.  I always thought it was Vanity Fair.  British pop quintet.

27.  MY HONEY & ME--  Luther Ingram       #55   Never heard it before, but what a great song.  One comment said they were playing it on Chicago's WVON back in January 1970.  Probably Herb Kent, the Cool Gent playing it then.  The pride of Jackson, Tennessee.

26.  WALKIN' IN THE RAIN--  Jay & the Americans     #19    Another smooth outing for Jay.  Real name John "Jay" Traynor.  Group formed at New York University in 1959.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "What Happened To The World We Knew When We Would Dream And Scheme and While The Time Away."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday"

WLS Top 40 for January 12. 1970-- Part 2: "Come Together"

I get these from Oldies Loon WLS Surveys.

35.  TRACES / MEMORIES--  Lettermen     #47    Way, way too sappy for me.  But, great harmonies.  Give me some "Honey."  Formed in Los Angeles in 1960.

34.  SHE BELONGS TO ME--  Rick Nelson     #33     Not the Ricky Nelson we knew from 50s.  Starting a comeback.

33.  PSYCHEDELIC SHACK--  Temptations      #7    (D)  The Temps get psychedelic with a new Motown sound.

32.  SHE--  Tommy James  / Shondells       #23      I don't remember it.  The new TJ sound and short at 2:03.   Their last Top 40 as a group.

31.  COME TOGETHER #1   / SOMETHING  #3 --  Beatles  An interesting video of the band, their wives and girlfriends at the time "Something" was recorded.  A very hairy group.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):   "Let Me Tell You 'Bout A Place I Know, To Get In Don't Take Much Dough."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Psychedelic Shack"

Music Deaths: Jerry Naylor, Former Member of Crickets

JERRY NAYLOR, 80

Died 5 December 2019

Rock and Roll, Country singer.  Member and lead vocalist of the Crickets from 1961 to 1964.  The Crickets were Buddy Holly's back-up band.  He joined two years after Buddy Holly's death.
The Crickets had much more success in Britain than the U.S.

Their first hit while he was lead singer was "Don't Ever Change", a Carole King/Gerry Goffin song, that went to #5 in Britain.  It was the very first song that the Beatles performed live on the BBC in 1963.

Music Deaths: Don Baskin of the Syndicate of Sound "Little Girl"

DON BASKIN, 73

Died October 22, 2019

I missed this one but heard he had died on Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show Gone But Not Forgotten on Jan. 5, 2020.

Member of Syndicate of Sound, a garage rock band out of San Jose, California, who had just one really big hit with "Little Girl" which went to #8 in 1966.  One of my all-time favorite songs.  Don was guitarist and vocalist.

Essentially talked his way through "Little Girl."  Early rap?

WLS Top 40 for January 12, 1970-- Part 1: "My Belle Amie"

That's right, fifty years ago.  How time flies when you're having fun.

(D) means it is a debut.  The number after the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Hot 100 national charts.

40.  MY BELLE AMIE--  Tee Set    #5    (D)  One of my all-time favorite songs.  A different sort of song.  Their only Top 40.  Dutch quintet.

39.  HONEY COME BACK--  Glen Campbell      #19  (D)     Lesser known  A real cry-in-your-beer song.  A country "Honey"?   Who said country can't cross over?

38.  HOW CAN I FORGET--  Marvin Gaye    #41     (D)  I don't remember it at all, but great horns and that Motown sound, you know.

37.  BACK TO DREAMING AGAIN--  Pat Shannon   Peaked at 103.  I never heard it before, but this is a real good song.  The Grass Roots did a version, but Pat's is so much better.

36.  HOLLY HOLY--  Neil Diamond       #6     A follow up to "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show?"  He's got that Gospel feel.

Name That Tune (From the above songs):  "Where I Am, What I Am, What I believe In."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Holly Holy"

Past Movie Scratches 2018: Carol-- Story-- Clause-- Deadpool-- Dennis

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2018

108.  A CHRISTMAS CAROL, 12-25--  Animated Charles Dickens.  Marley's mouth falls open and then there's that really scary Ghost of Christmas Future.

109.  A CHRISTMAS STORY, 12-25--  "Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie."

110.  THE SANTA CLAUSE, 12-26--  Be sure to read the fine print.  All that facial and weight gain problems.

111.  DEADPOOL, 12-27--  So that is how he got his name.  Talk about your foul-mouthed, wise-cracking super hero.

112.  A DENNIS THE MENACE CHRISTMAS, 12-28--  A well-meaning Dennis causing havoc.  Poor Mr. Wilson.

The Soap Expert.  --RoadRalphie

Past Movie Scratches 2018: Krampus-- Gremlins-- Kumar-- Express-- Story

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2018.

103.  KRAMPUS, 12-20--  If I were you, I'd keep believing in Santa.  Not ready for the Hallmark Channel.

104.  GREMLINS, 12-20--  Just add water and presto, Mr. Hyde.Funniest bar scene ever.  "Hi-Ho."

105.  A VERY HAROLD & KIMAR 3D CHRISTMAS, 12-23--  Friendship's back on again thanks to Santa and lots of smoke.  How many times can you kill Christmas trees.

106.  POLAR EXPRESS, 12-23--  It's a bell thing.  I really liked Santa's big take-off ceremony.

107.  A CHRISTMAS STORY, 12-24--   I triple dog dare you."  Running from the bullies.

--RoadDog

DID YOU KNOW.  It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

WXRT's Musicians Who Died in 2019: In Memorium

From WXRT, 93.1 FM in Chicago.

Dr. John, 78

Robert Hunter, 78  Grateful Dead

Nesal Casal, 50

Art Neville, 81

Peter Tork, 77   Monkees

Daryl Dragon, 76   Captain & Tennille

Ric Ocasek, 75  Cars

Ginger Baker, 80, Cream

Paul Barrere, 71   Little Feat

Roky Erickson, , 71  psychedelic rock

Eddie Money, 70

For more musicians, check out this blog's Music Deaths 2019 in the labels section beneath this.

WLS Top Ten for January 5, 1970: "Evil Woman"

That's tight, fifty years ago today for this upcoming week.

1.  VENUS--  Shocking Blue
2.  WHOLE LOTTA LOVE--  Led Zeppelin
3.  RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD--   B.J. Thomas

4.  SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER--  Diana Ross / Supremes
5.  JAM UP & JELLY TIGHT--  Tommy Roe
6.  DON'T CRY DADDY--  Elvis Presley
7.  MIDNIGHT COWBOY--  Ferrante & Teicher

8.  JINGLE JANGLE--  Archies
9.  EVIL WOMAN--   Crow
10.  WONDERFUL WORLD, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Jimmy Cliff

*****************************************

DEBUTS

30.  BLOWING AWAY--  Fifth Dimension
29.  NO TIME--  Guess Who

28.  THANK YOU--  Sly & the Family Home
26.  TRACES / MEMORIES MEDLEY--  Lettermen

39.  BACK TO DREAMING AGAIN--  Pat Shannon
40.  SHE BELONGS TO ME--    Rick Nelson


Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You Look A Little Naughty But You're So Polite."  Answer below. --RoadDog


"Jam Up& Jelly Tight"

Tune Into Bob Stroud's Gone But Not Forgotten Show in Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM

Tomorrow, Jan. 5, 2020, Bob Stroud will have his annual Rock and Roll Roots Show salute to those musicians we lost in 2019.  It runs from 7 am to 10 am, CST and streams at www.wdrv.com.

I have been keeping a list all year as well and you can look at it at the Music Deaths 2019 label to the right of this.

--RoadDog

The End of the Drive's A to Z: "Ziggy Stardust"

It started on Christmas Eve and went until last bight at 11:22 with the last song "Ziggy Stardust" by David Bowie.

The last songs:

YOUR LOVE--  Outfield
YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina
YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW--  Beatles

YOUR SONG--  Elton John
YOUR TIME IS GONNA COME--  Led Zeppelin
YOU'RE GONNA LOSE THAT GIRL--  Beatles

YOU'RE IN MY HEART--  Rod Stewart
YOU'RE NO GOOD--  Linda Ronstadt
YOU'RE SIXTEEN--  Ringo Starr

YOURS IS NO DISGRACE--  Yes
ZIGGY STARDUST--  David Bowie

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "If You Don't Take Her Out Tonight She's Gonna Change Her Mind."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"You're Gonna Lose That Girl"

Getting In the Yule Spirit-- Part 5: Christmas Songs, Christmas Parties, Bands, the Civil War and CDs

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20

The Drive (WDRV, 97.1 FM, Chicago) did their Ten at Ten on A Merry and Bright which were ten Christmas songs, many of which you don't often hear.

I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS--  Greg Lake
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS--  America
I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS--  John Mellancamp

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN--  Ronettes
WINTER WONDERLAND--  REO Speedwagon
MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY--  Bruce Springsteen
THE RIVER--  Joni Mitchell

WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TIME--  Paul McCartney
SILENT NIGHT--  Stevie Nicks
CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME TO SAY I LOVE YOU--  Billy Squier

WE went to the Sunnyside Christmas party in Johnsburg.  The place was packed and we had a duo entertaining.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21

Went to Crystal Lake for the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group whose topic this month was Civil War engineers.  I, of course, talked about Maj. Gen. W.H.C. Whiting, CSA.  Someone should write a book about him.  Fascinating guy.  On the way home, I stopped at The Vinyl Frontier in McHenry, my local mom and pop record store.  I love these places and am sio embarrassed I missed Record Store Day this year.  Bought five CDs.

Liz and I went to the Squaw Bar in Ingleside for their Christmas party later in the afternoon and enjoyed the Average Joe Band.  Later to Sunnyside then home for "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones."

May the Christmas Parties Be With You.  --RoadDog

DID YOU KNOW:  A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.   Sometimes, I think I do as well.

Getting in the Yule Spirit-- Part 4: Movies, 5-Course Dinner and Bars

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18

Still watching the "Star Wars" movies.  Today "Star Wars"  The Empire Strikes Back."

A cold day, but went to the Fox Lake Theatre and saw "It's a Wonderful Life" on the big screen.  It is always good to see a favorite movie on the big screen.  This was the first of two showings and there was a fairly large crowd there doing the same.  Quite a bit of laughing at the funnier parts.  This is my third all-time favorite Christmas movie.

Later went to Sunnyside and then over to Stucky's for their five-course dinner for $12.99.  Then back to Sunnyside and home.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19

I went to the Fox Lake Theatre in Fox Lake, Illinois, and saw two current movies:  "Frozen II," and "Jumanji: The Next Level."  These are the last two movies I will see until after schools reopen in January as the theaters are too crowded during Christmas break.  I had my own private showing of "Frozen II."

Later, we went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and to Bricks & Ivy in Spring Grove, Illinois.

Came home and watched another Star Wars movie  "Return of the Jedi."

--RoadDog

The Drive's A to Z, Still in the Letter "S": "Street Fightin' Man"

STRANGE MAGIC--  ELO
STRANGE WAY--  Firefall
STRANGER--  Billy Joel

STRANGLEHOLD--  Ted Nugent
STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER--  Beatles
STREET FIGHTIN' MAN--  Rolling Stones

THE STROKE--  Billy Squier
STRUTTER--  Kiss
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  Stealers Wheel

SUBDIVISIONS--  Rush
SUBSTITUTE--  Who
SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER--    Motels

SUFFRAGETTE CITY--  David Bowie
SUGAR MAGNOLIA--  Grateful Dead
SUGAR MOUNTAIN--  Neil Young

SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES--  CSN
SUITE MADAM BLUE--  Styx
SULTANS OF SWING--  Dire Straits

SUMMER BREEZE--  Seals & Crofts
SUMMER OF '69--  Bryan Adams
SUN KING MEDLEY--  Beatles

SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY--  U2
SUNDAY PAPERS-- Joe Jackson
SUNNY AFTERNOON--  Kinks

This Sunday, Bob Stroud will be doing his annual Gone But Not Forgotten on his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's Classic Rock, WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  It streams.  From 7 am to 10 am CST.  This will about those musicians who died in 2019.  You can also look at my Music Deaths in 2019 to get a more complete list.


Name That Tune (from the above):  "Got My First Real Six String Bought It At The Five-And-Dime."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Summer of '69"

Drive's A to Z, the Letter "S": "See Emily Play"

It continues from 6 a.m. to midnight until we reach the letter Z.  It streams at ww.wdrv.com for those of you not in Chicagoland.

SCHOOL'S OUT--  Alice Cooper
SEA OF LOVE--  Honeydrippers
SEAGULL--  Bad Company

SEASONS OF WITHER--  Aerosmith
SECOND HAND NEWS--  Fleetwood Mac
SEE EMILY PLAY--  Pink Floyd

SEE ME, FEEL ME--  Who
THE SEEKER--  Who
SEND HER MY LOVE--  Journey

SENTIMENTAL LADY--  Bob Welch
SEPARATE WAYS (WORLD'S APART)--  Journey
SEPTEMBER--  Earth, Wind &  Fire

SEVEN BRIDGES ROAD--  Eagles
SERGEANT PEPPER'S (A DAY IN THE LIFE)--  Beatles
SERGEANT PEPPER'S (WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS)--  Beatles

SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT--  Pat Benatar
SHAKE IT UP--  Cars
SHAKEDOWN--  Bob Seger

SHAKIN'--  Eddie Money
SHAKIN' ALL OVER--  Guess Who
SHAMBALA--  Three Dog Night

SHAME ON THE MOON--  Bob Seger
SHARE THE LAND-- Guess Who
SHARING THE NIGHT TOGETHER--  Dr. Hook & the medicine Show

SHARP DRESSED MAN--  ZZ Top
SHATTERED--  Rolling Stones
SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE--  Thomas Dolby

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Read The News Today, Oh Boy, About A Lucky Man Who Made The Grade."  Answer below.  RoadDog


"A Day In the Life"

Really, Now 6,793 Posts and 14 Years To This Blog

Today marks the 6,793rd post to this blog, which started as my second blog, 14 years ago in 2007.

My original blog was RoadDog's RoadLog blog, but after I started it with the help of my niece Andrea in Tennessee, I couldn't get into it back home in Illinois where I was just looking out my back door.

While trying to get back into it, I accidentally started this one and let it continue even after I was able to get back into the original.  I figured this one could cover anything besides traveling on those old roads and trips.  All my other blogs, all six of them, started from this blog as I found more and more posts were about the Civil War, World War II and history in general.

This one came to mostly being current stuff, what we're doing and music, which is another one of my big loves.

Called Down Da Road I Go because it is me going down da road.  RoadDog as a signoff is a carry over from RoadDog's RoadLog blog.

--RoadDog