WLS Top Ten for Week of December 22, 1973: "I Got a Name"

1.  GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD--  Elton John

2.  TOP OF THE WORLD--  Carpenters

3.  SHOW AND TELL--  Al Wilson

4.  BABY IT'S ME--  Todd Rundgren

5.  LEAVE ME ALONE (RUBY RED DRESS)--  Helen Reddy

6.  THE JOKER--  Steve Miller Band

7.  ONE TIN SOLDIER--  Coven

8.  I GOT A NAME--  Jim Croce

9.  TIME IN A BOTTLE--  Jim Croce

10.  D'YER MAK;ER--  Led Zeppelin

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

NEW TO CHART

36.  TEENAGE LAMENT--  Alice Cooper

38.  I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

40.  WALK LIKE A MAN--  Grand Funk

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Some People Call Me the Space Cowboy

--RoadDog

Long Time No Blog

I lost internet connection last May and am finally back on.

Right now trying to figure out how to do these blogs and e-mail and all sorts of stuff.  Should keep me busy for awhile.

--RoadDog

Visit With Liz, Donovan's, Trivia, Saylor Mick's, Kent State, Star Wars and a Movie

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

Visited Liz at Cole Cemetery and then went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes,Wisconsin, as we so often did.  Played live trivia with Uncle Jeffie.  Stopped at Saylor Mick's in Spring Grove for the wing special and those great retro $1 Hamm's pints.

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

THURSDAY, MAY 4

Today was the 53rd anniversary of the killings at Kent State in Ohio.  That set off rioting and troubles in college campuses across the United States, including at NIU where I was a freshman.  I thought I was seeing the end of the United States.

On a lighter note, today, being May the 4th, has a play on words "May the Force Be With You" so it is an "Star Wars" day.  All of Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten had to do with space.  I wrote them down earlier in this blog.

Went to the Fox Lake Theatre and saw "Renfield."  That Nicholas Cage makes a fine Dracula.

--RoadDrac

Music Deaths in 2022: Eihard, Anderson, Gracie and Jett

SHIRLEY EIHARD, 67

**  Died 15 December 2022

Singer / songwriter

RICK ANDERSON, 75

**  Died 16 December 2022

Bass player with the Tubes.  "She's a Beauty"  (#10-1983)

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

CHARLIE GRACIE, 86

**  Died 17 December 2022

Singer / guitar player (rock and roll)  "Butterfly"  (#1-1957).  If you're old enough, you will remember this song.

HARVEY JETT, 73

**  Died 21 December 2022

Guitarist and founding member of Black Oak Arkansas.  "Jim Dandy"  (#25-1974)

--RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for Week of May 7, 1973: 'You Are the Sunshine of My Life'

The top songs in Chicago fifty years ago.  Right!!

1.  TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn

2.  THE CISCO KID--  War

3. THE NIGHTS THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence

4.  SING--  Carpenters

5.  STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  Steeler's Wheel

6.  YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE  OF MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder

7.  THE TWELFTH OF NEVER--  Donny Osmond

8.  FRANKENSTEIN--  Edgar Winter Group

9.  DRIFT AWAY--  Dobie Gray

10.  LITTLE WILLIE--  Sweet

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

DEBUTS

17.  HOCUS POCUS--  Focus

22.  IT SURE TOOK A LONG, LONG TIME--  Lobo

26.  I'M GONNA LOVE YOU--  Barry White

27.  I'M DOIN' FINE NOW--  New York City

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "He Drink Whiskey, Poncho Drink The Wine."  Answer elow.  --RoadDog

"The Cisco Kid"

This Blog Passed Its 8000th Post

This post is # 8,020.  I started it on May 9, 2007, one year after I retired.

This was the second blog that I started and actually, the reason I started it was that I was unable to get onto my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog.  Shortly after I started this,I was able to get on my first blog, but kept this one to write about what I was doing and especially music.

Lots and lots of music posts.

Every week, I do the WLS top songs from 50 years ago.

Way Too Many Blogs.  --RoadDog

Music Deaths in 2022: Christie McVie of Fleetwood Mac

CHRISTIE McVIE, 79

Died 30 November 2022

Keyboard player / vocalist with Fleetwood Mac.

Wrote and sang lead on "Say You Love Me"  (#11-1976), "Go Your Own Way"  (#10-1977), "Don't Stop"  (#3-1977)  and "You Make Loving Fun"  (#9-1977).

In the 1970s it was hard to turn on the radio and not hear a Fleetwood Mac song and she was the cement that kept the group together.

May the 4th Be With You: 'Space Oddity' A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far Away...

Bob Stroud played songs with this theme today on his Ten at Ten show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive, Chicago's Classic Rock.

The reason, of course, was a play on words for a signatiure line from the Star Wars movies, "May the Force be with you."

Pretty good song selection and you can still listen to it tonight at 10 PM, CDST as it sure does stream.

SPACE ODDITY--  David Bowie

MAN ON THE MOON--  REM

SPACE TRUCKING--  Deep Purple

FULL MOON TURN MY HEAD AROUND--  Off Broadway

ROCKET MAN--  Elton John

2,000 LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME--  Rolling Stones

SPACE COWBOY--  Steve Miller Band

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE--  Beatles

WALKING ON THE MOON--  Police

MAJOR TOM--  Peter Schilling

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Told You About Living In The US  Of  A, Don't You Know That I'm The Gangster Of Love?"  Answer below.  --RoadForce

"Space Cowboy"

Music Deaths in 2022: Cipriano, Cara, Barnes, Simmonds

** GENE CIPRIANO, 94

Died 12 November 2022

Saxophone player, prolific session musician with the Wrecking Crew.

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

**  IRENE CARA, 63

Died 25 November 2022

Singer / actress, known for hit songs "Flashdance, What a Feeling" and "Fame."

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

**  J. J. BARNES, 89

Died 10 December 2022

Singer (rhythm & blues / soul).

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

**  KIM SIMMONDS, 75

Died 13 December 2022

Vocalist / guitar player with blues rock band Savoy Brown

Top Ten Songs for Week of April 30, 1973: 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree'

That's right, fifty years ago today.

1.  TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND TNHE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn

2.  THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence

3.  THE CISCO KID--  War

4.  SING--  Carpenters

5.  LITTLE WILLY--  Sweet

6.  STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  Steelers Wheel

7.  THE TWELFTH OF NEVER--  Donny Osmond

 8.  YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder

9.  MASTERPIECE--  Temptations

10.  AIN'T NO WOMAN LIKE THE ONE I GOT--  Four Tops

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

DEBUTS

20.  THE RIGHT THING TO DO--   Carly Simon

23.  DANIEL--  Elton John

24.  THINKING OF YOU--  Loggins & Messina

25.  ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS--   First Choice

26.  BLUE SUEDE SHOES--  Johnny Rivers

Name That Tune  (from the above songs):  "I Feel Like This Is The Beginning Though I've Loved You For A Million Years."  Answer below.  RoadDog

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life"

Movie Scratches 2023: Groundhog-- Brady--Plane-- 65

Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw in the theater in 2023.

5.  GROUNDHOG DAY--  2-5--  Woodstock--  $2--  There wasn't one today.  What if there is no tomorrow.  Nothing like seeing this great flick on the big screen and in a theatre that was actually in the movie.

6.  80 FOR BRADY--  2-10--  Super Brady fans  What those ol' gals got into?  Four lasses on the loose and their "particular" skills that avoided disaster.

7.  PLANE--  2-10--  All the action you could possibly want from a storm, lightning strike, jungle landing and those mean old rebels.

8.  65-   3-31--  Fox Lake--  $7--  Earth 65 million years ago was not a friendly place.  If the dinosaurs don't get you, that big ol' asteroid thing will.

--RoadDog

Movie Scratches 2023: Babylon-- M3gan-- Otto-- Avatar

Movie Scratches--  Movies I watched in the theater in 2023

1.  BABYLON--  Fox Lake--  1-9--  $6--  The rise and fall of Hollywood folks during the transition from silent to talkies.  The other side of "The Golden Age of Hollywood."  That was one bodacious party.

2.  M3GAN--  FOX LAKE--  1-20--  $6--  A lot prettier than Chuckie.  Not as funny, but every bit as dangerous.  Those creepy eyes.

3.  A MAN CALLED OTTO--  1-25--  $6--  You cried, you laughed.  Other than trying to die (and he wasn't very good at it).    I have had a similar experience when my wife of 49 years died in September.  This one should be up for an Academy Award.  (It wasn't.)

4.  AVATAR:  THE WAY OF WATER--  1-31--  $7--  Quite the epic and in 3D  Again, it is bad, meanie humans against the innocent and good Navee.  Loved the culture shock between the land dwellers and water folk.

--RoadDog

Top Ten Beach Music Songs for April 22, 2023: 'Tequila On Ice'

I love my Beach Music and listen a lot to 94.9 FM, WVCO, the Surf out of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. the Center of the Beach Music Universe.  I'm listening to it right now.

These are the Top Ten Beach Music songs right now according to their listeners.  If you're looking for some really cool throwback kind of music, give it a listen.

1.  GOT IT RIGHT (THE FIRST TIME)--  Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson

2.  OUGHT TO BE IN A SONG--  Pink Slips Band

3.  YOU'RE THE ONE FOR ME--  Rick Strickland

4.  GOT TO BE YOU--  Band of Oz

5.  THAT YOU HEAR IN A SONG--  Too Much Sylvia

6.  BREATHLESS--  Lesa Hudson

7.  HEY GIRL--  Scott Fine

8.  TEQUILA ON ICE-- Wayne Free

9.  I LOVE DOIN' NOTHING--  Starbuck

10.  TOP DOWN--  Nadia Lena  Shutkufski

GreatStuff--  RoadBeach

WLS Top Ten and Debuts for Week of April 23, 1973: 'Danny's Song'

That's right, 50 years ago.

1.  THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence

2.  TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn

3.  THE CISCO KID--  War

4.  SING--  Carpenters

5.  LITTLE WILLIE--  Sweet

6.  AIN'T NO WOMAN LIKE THE ONE I GOT--  Four Tops

7.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

8.  NEITHER ONE OF US WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

9.  THE TWELFTH OF NEVER--  Donny Osmond

10.  STIR IT UP--  Johnny Nash

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

DEBUTS

19.  DAISY A DAY--  Jud Strunk

22.  OUT OF THE QUESTION--  Gilbert O'Sullivan

23.  CHERRY CHERRY--  Neil Diamond  (Live from "Hot August Night".)

24.  PILLOW TALK--  Sylvia

25.  PINBALL WIZARD/SEE ME FEEL ME--  New Seekers

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Make It Simple To Last Your Whole Life Long."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sing"

Music Deaths: Gordon, Cafferty, Levine and Kalb

**  ROBERT GORDON, 76

Died 18 October 2022

Singer (rockabilly)

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

**  DAN CAFFERTY, 76

Died 8 November 2022

Singer with rock band Nazareth.  Had the big hit "Love Hurts" (#8-1976)

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

**  KEITH LEVINE, 65

Died 11 November 2022

Guitar player, founding member of The Clash and Public Image Ltd.  

"Rock the Casbah"  (#8-1983)

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

**  DANNY KALB, 80

Died 19 November 2022

Guitarist / vocalist with the Blues Project.

It's Record Store Day Today

Saturday, April 22.

Check out your local mom and pop record store today, especially if you haven't been for awhile.

Chicago's WDRV, the Drive is spotlighting vinyl albums today.

I will be going over to my favorite old record store, Vinyl Frontier Records in McHenry, Illinois, later today.  I will definitely buy a couple used vinyl records and some CDs.  (I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see albums back for sale at Wal-Mart, but not at the $25-$30 price.)

I'm listening to WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback right now which is back to the year 1987.  It goes to noon CDST.  

I am also listening to the Beach Music Top 20 over the internet on WVCO, 94.8 FM, the Surf.  It goes to 11 am CDST.  The annual Spring SOS is going on in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, right now, so all the bands and shaggers are down there having a good old time.

Both stations stream.

--RecordDog

Music Deaths: Jeff Cook of Alabama

JEFF COOK, 73

Died 7 November 2022

Guitarist / fiddle player with country rock band Alabama.

A country supergroup that had 46 Top 40s between 1977 and 1994, including 32 #1s on the Country Charts.  

Some of their hits:

"Tennessee River"  (#1 1980)

"Mountain Music"  (#1-1982)

"Dixieland Delight)  (#1- 1983.

They even had five Top 40s on the Pop Charts.

Got their start at the Bowery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, playing for tips.

Music Deaths in 2022: Jerry Lee Lewis

JERRY LEE LEWIS, 87

Died 28 October 2022

Singer / piano player (rock and roll / country)

One of the original rock and rollers, called "The Killer."  Cousin to country singer Mickey Gilley and TV evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.

"Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On"  (#3-1957)

"Great Balls of Fire"  (2-1958)

"Breathless"  (#7-1958)

Every Blooming THing: Mid-April 2023

As we shiver around here today.  Last week, we had four days with sun and temps in the 80s and higher.  This morning, woke up to about an inch of snow on the ground, snow flurries in the morning and temps in the upper 30s.  Like they say, if you don't like the weather around Chicago right now, wait a little bit.

Grass is green and I was smiling Saturday when the lawn tractor started right away.  Trees are budding out.

The Bradford pear trees are blooming big time white.  I have three of them.  The crabapples are budding out.

Plenty of twigs and limbs still to be moved from the ice storm a short time ago (we lost electricity for 17 hours).

Right now the daffodils and hyacinths are blooming and I have a lot of them.

--RoadFlower

WLS Top Ten for Week of April 16, 1973: 'Little Willie'

Fifty years ago this week.

1.  THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence

2.  AIN'T NO WOMAN LIKE THE ONE I GOT--  Four Tops

3.  TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn

4.  NEITHER ONE OF US WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

5.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

6.  SING--  Carpenters

7.  THE CISCO KID--  War

8.  LITTLE WILLIE--  Sweet

9.  BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics

10.  CALL ME (COME BACK HOME)--  Al Green

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

DEBUTS

22.  WILDFLOWER--  Skylark

23.  REELING IN THE YEARS--  Steely Dan

23.  FRANKENSTEIN--  Edgar Winter Group

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "He Drink Whiskey, Poncho Drink The Wine."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The Cisco Kid"

Music Deaths in 2022: Loretta Lynn

LORETTA LYNN, 90

Died 4 October.  Singer / songwriter (country).  "The Coal Miner's Daughter."  Had huge country career.  Between 1960 and 1993 had 63 Top 100 country singles.  Included in that were 11 No. 1s and 39 Top Tens.

Also sang with country star Conway Twitty and had five additional #1s and 13 more Top Tens.

Sang a lot of women songs like ""You Ain't Woman Enough", "Your Squaw Is On the Warpath", "One's on the Way" and "The Pill."

WLS Top 23 for Week of April 12, 1973-- Part 4: ''Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree'

Fifty years ago is a real long time.  Right?

* Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

10,  BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics   #5    I'd forgotten about this one, but glad I was reminded.  A great belly-rubber.

9.  SING--  Carpenters    #3       Feeling down?  Listen to this song and let a smile be your guide.

8.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays    #1

7.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray    #7

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

I doubt that there has ever been six longer-titled songs in the Top Six at one time.  I started typing these three days ago.

6.  *TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn    #1

5.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHISTRA--  Deodato     #2   Only Top 40.

4.  NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--  Gladys Knight & the Pips    #2

3.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack    #1   for five weeks

2.  *AIN'T NO WOMAN LIKE THE ONE I GOT--  Four Tops    #4

1.  *THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence   #1   Her only-ever Top 40.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Strumming My Pain With His Fingers, Singing My Life With His Words."

"Killing Me Softly With His Song"

WLS Top 23 for Week of April 9, 1973-- Part 3: 'The Cisco Kid'

*  Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high it got on the Biillboard Hot 100 National Charts.

15.  *LITTLE WILLIE--  Sweet      #3     Just hear it and try not to move.  Watch the video.  Hair that girls would kill for.  What was the guitarist at the end of the line wearing?  From England.

14.  MASTERPIECE--  Temptations      #7    The instrumentals.  Not one I was very familiar with.

13.  STIR IT UP--  Johnny Nash      #12     Essentially my introduction to reggae music though I didn't know what they called it at the time.   Johnny Nash had two Top 40s in 1958 and 1959, then not on charts again until 1968 with "Hold Me Tight"  #5.  Had #1 with "I Can See Clearly Now" in 1972.

12.  *THE CISCO KID--  War      #2     What a cool beat.    Latin funk-rock band from Long Beach, California.

11.  CALL ME (COME BACK HOME)--  Al Green       #10     Something about that voice with that music.  Wow!   In 1972 and 1973 had six straight Top Tens, including #1 "Let's Stay Together."

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Been A Long, Long Time  Since I had You On My Mind."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Stir It Up"

WLS Top 23 for Week of April 9, 1973-- Part 2: 'Last Song'

That's right, 50 years ago.

19.  *THE TWELFTH OF NEVER--  Donnie Osmond      #8     Watch the video.  That's Donnie with the Afro, not Michael.

18.  *YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder      #1     Could the guy be in love?   Born Steveland Morris in 1950.

17.  PEACEFUL--  Helen Reddy      #12     I hardly remember this song, but well worth a listen if you too don't remember it.  Came between two #1 songs:  "I Am Woman" and "Delta Dawn."

16.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear       #3      That's Larry Evoy singing the song.   The group took its name from a character in Winnie the Pooh.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "That's Why I'll Always Be Around."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life"

WLS Top 23 for Week of April 9, 1973-- Part 1: 'Drift Away'

Fifty years ago today.  That's half a century.  I know where I was.  I was living with Liz's parents in Palatine, Illinois, and doing my student teaching at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois.  I was driving the ol' Ramblin' Wreck (1963 Rambler station wagon) back and forth.

As a matter of fact, one of the songs in this post especially takes me right back to those days.

* Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard National Hot 100 charts.

23.  SPACE ODDITY-- David Bowie       #15    Good ol' Ziggy Stardust personna singing about Major Tom's trip.  His first Top 40.

22.  *DRIFT AWAY--  Dobie Gray       #5      One of my all-time favorite songs.  I love the comment:  "Almost  sounds like  he is opening  his heart up and baring his soul."  True.

21.  *ONE MAN BAND--  Ronnie Dyson      #28      Full title includes "(Plays All Alone)"  I don't remember it, however.   Good song.  Follow up to his only other Top 40 which was "(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You"  (#8-1970).

20.  *STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  Stealers Wheel      #6    That's Gerry Rafferty singing.  You might know him better for "Baker Street."   Scottish band.  This is the song that takes me back to student teaching.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well I Don't Know Why I Came Here  Tonight.  I Got The Feeling That Something Ain't Right."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Stuck In the Middle With You"

Music Deaths in 2022: Lewis, Post, Coolio, Miller and Kerr

RAMSEY LEWIS, 87

Died 12 September.  Pianist /composer (jazz / jazz funk).

JIM POST, 82

Died 14 September.  Had a #10 hit in 1968 "Reach Out in the Darkness" as a member of Friend and Lover.

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

COOLIO, 59

Died 28 September.  Rapper / singer who had the 1995 hit "Gangsta's Paradise."  

JODI MILLER, 80

Died 6 October.  Singer / country.  Had a big hit at #5 Country and #12 Pop in 1965 with "Queen of the House" an answer to Roger Miller's "King of the Road."  From 1965 to 1979 had 27 Top 100s in country and 5 Top Tens.

ANITA KERR, 94

Died 10 October.  Songer / arranger / composer.  Founder of Anita Kerr singers.

Anybody Care to Go Back to 1973? Three Hours of Music from Fifty Years Ago on Chicago's WXRT

If you're like me, 1973 was a very important year.  The first half was a college year at NIU (they're playing "Two Hangmen" by Mason Profitt right now at 9:09 AM) and then I graduated, got married, bought my first car and started my one and only job teaching.  You might say it was quite a year for me.

Anyway, right now, Chicago's WXRT, 93.1 FM is doing their weekly Saturday Morning Flashback to this year.  It streams, so check it out until noon, CDST.

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

I also wrote down every song they played in my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog.  Check them out.

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Also, if you're into Beach Music, WVCO, the Surf 94.9 FM,  in South Carolina is having the Beach Music Top Twenty songs ftrom now until noon EDST.

Tomorrow, Terri Hemmert has her Breakfast With the Beatles show on WXRT from 8 to 10 AM and Bob Stroud does his Rock and Roll Roots show from 9 to noon CDST on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM.  The show features music from the 1960s and 1970s.  All shows stream.

Lots of Great Music to Listen To.  --RoadMusic

Music Deaths in 2022: Allison, Foxx, John, Zeb and Till

I take these from the Hope I Die Before I Get Old site.

**  JERRY ALLISON, 82

Died 22 August.  Drummer with Buddy Holly and the Cricketts.  Want to talk about a Rock and Roll Pioneer!!

**  INEZZ FOXX, 84

Died 25 August.  Singer, worked in pop / soul duo with her brother Charlie Foxx.

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

**  MABLE JOHN, 91

Died 25 August.  Vocalist (blues / gospel).  Worked with Ray Charles.

**  DRUMMIE ZEB, 62 

Died 2 September.  Drummer / vocalist with reggae band Aswad.

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

**  JOHN TILL, 76

Died 4 September.  Guitarist and member of Janis Joplin's band.

Music Deaths in 2022: Musey, Dozier, Newton-John and Pitman

DAVID MUSEY, 73

Died 6 August 2022.  Multi-instrumentalist player with Firefall and the Marshall Tucker Band.

LAMONT DOZIER,  81

Died 8 August 2022.  Singer and member of the Motown writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland team that brought us all that classic Motown music.

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

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, 73

Died 8 August 2022.  Singer (pop), actress, notably for the 1978 musical film "Grease", co-starring John Travolta.  What can I say about her?  She was my second crush after Linda Ronstadt.

BILL PITMAN, 102

Died 11 August 2022.  Guitarist / session musician who played on many celebrated songs in the 1950s and 1960s.   Member of the Wrecking Crew.  Played on Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound.

Music Deaths in 2022: Jim Sohns of The Shadows of Knight 'Gloria'

JIM SOHNS, 75

Died 29 July 2022

Lead vocalist with the Chicagoland band The Shadows of Knight who had a hit song with "Gloria."

The four original members attendd Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, near where I attended  school at Palatine High School.  Became the house band at The Cellar in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Recorded "Gloria" which had originally been done by British band Them which featured Van Morrison.  It received big airplay on Chicago's two main pop stations, WLS and WCFL and went national, climbing to #10  in 1966.  It was followed up with "Oh Yeah"  (#39-1966).

We saw Jim Sohns at the Taste of Antioch back a few years ago which was his first performance after a stroke that he had.

WLS Top 10 (and Debuts) for Week of April 2, 1973: 'Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)'

Just fifty years ago.  Seems like yesterday, doesn't it?

1.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA--  Deodato

2.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

3.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

4.  NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--  Gladys Knoght & the Pips

5.  AIN'T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I GOT)--  Four Tops

6.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

7.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

8.  BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics

9.  SING--  Carpenters

10.  CALL ME (COME BACK HOME)--  Al Green

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

DEBUTS

16.  LITTLE WILLIE--  Sweet

17.  PEACEFUL--  Helen Reddy

20.  YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder

21.  THE CISCO KID--  War

22.  SPACE ODDITY--  David Bowie

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Make It Simple To Last Your Whole Life Long."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sing"

Music Deaths in 2022: Norman, Hart, Gooden and Durham

**  MONTY NORMAN, 94

Died 11 July 2022   Composer / singer, best known for writing the James Bond Theme.

**  WILLIAM "POOGIE" HART, 77

Died 14 July 2022   Singer with vocal group Delfonics.  Sang on group's big hits "La-La Means I Love You"  (#4-1968) and "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time"  (#10-1970)

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

**  SAM GOODEN, 87

Died 4 August 2022  Singer (soul), original member of the Impressions.  Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield were members of this group.  Had 17 Top 40 songs 1958 to 1974, including "It's Alright" (#4-1963) and "Amen"  (#7-1965).

**  JUDITH DURHAM, 79

Died 5 August 2022   Lead singer with folk group The Seekers.  "I'll Never Find Another You"  (#4-1965), "A World of Our Own"  (#19-1965) and "Georgy Girl"  (#2-1967).

Music Deaths in 2022: Tuggle, Morgan, Charlton and Wade

**  BRETT TUGGLE, 70

Died 19 June 2022  Keyboardist, played with David Lee Roth and Fleetwood Mac.

**  TOMMY MORGAN, 89   

Died 23 June 2022    Harmonica player / prolific session musician (popular music / film / television)  Played harmonica on "Good Vibrations"-- Beach Boys, "Rainy Days and Mondays"--  Carpenters and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by Hollies.

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

**  MANNY CHARLTON, 80

Died 5 July 22   Guitarist with rock band Nazareth.  Played on big hits like "Love Hurts."

**  ADAM WADE, 87

Died 7 July 2022  Singer / actor  "Take Good Care of Her"  (#7-1961), ""The Writing on the Wall" (#5-1961) and "As If I Didn't Know"  (#10-1961)

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 6: How to Keep Busy When There's Nothing to Do at Home

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

I went to Wal Mart and overheard several people talking about not having electricity and that was why they were out "shopping," also to stay warm.  Then I went to Meijer and I heard someone call to me, turned, and it was one of the couples from Midwest Breakfast Company.  Great minds must think alike.  Right?

Returning home, I walked around back to check for damage and sadly saw that one of my clump white birch trees was broken about two-thirds of the way up.  Too bad.  That is a pretty tree.  Plus, there were a lot of limbs down on both pine islands.

Like I said, this is by far the worst ice storm we've had in the thirty years living in this house.

Still no power when I got back to the house, so, what else could I do but take a nap.  I was awakened at 11:30 am when the power came back on. This means lots of resetting items that usually Liz did (and knew how to do).  But now I have to figure it out myself and remember, I'm pretty technologically challenged.  Electricity had been out 17 hours.

Then, there is that computer thing.

Actually, I somehow got it going again.  No idea how, though.

With roads in good shape, I drove over to Bulldog Ale House south of McHenry for their $2 draft beer special.  They have 32 draft beers, including domestics, imports and craft beers.  I like imports and craft beers, but not for $6 to $8, but am like a kid in a candy store at $2.  I tried quite a few different ones (No IPAs though, Yuck!!).

Came home and watched the Thursday TV shows (a favorite night).  Sadly, Wednesday night is also a favorite, but we all know what happened to that last night.

--RoadIce

WLS Top Ten for Week of March 26, 1973: 'Dueling Banjos

Fifty years ago this week.

1.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

2.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

3.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA--  Deodato

4.  DUELING BANJOS--  Deliverance

5.  NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

6.  AIN'T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I GOT)--   Four Tops

7.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

8.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

9.  I'M JUST A SINGER (IN A ROCK AND ROLL BAND)--  Moody Blues

10.  BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics

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

DEBUTS

18.  TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn

20.  THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vicki Lawrence

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "People Smile And Tell Me I'm The Lucky One."  Answer below.

"Danny's Song"

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 5: Quite the Mess

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

Sadly, when I got home (about half a mile away), the garage door didn't open so I knew the electricity was still off.  

Since I couldn't really do anything, I decided the time was good to do some shopping (in stores with electricity.)

So, drove over to Illinois Highway 31 in McHenry, a major shopping area.

This is the second winter event we've had in the last week.  Last Thursday we had about five inches of snow, now ths ice storm last night.  Both times, we got really hit along the Wisconsin-Illinois border.  The farther south you go, the less snow last week and less ice last night.  I am all in favor of sharing our good fortune with those folks.

The trees in the subdivision are still covered with thick ice and a while lot of limbs are down.  Same held true during my drive to McHenry.  Saw quite a few piles of limbs right up by the road and in several spots there were guys out clearing up the mess.  I could see a few spots where the remnants of limbs were actually on the road.

This was by far the worst ice storm I can ever remember.

--RoadIce

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 4: The Midwest Breakfast Company

I was happy to find all roads clear of ice both on the way to breakfast and afterwards.

The Midwest Breakfast Company has been mopen about ten years, but Liz and I had never been to it.  It has a great reputation for food and is usually quite crowded.  The only time we did think to go to it, there was too long of a wait to get seats.  

Plus, I understand they are also on the expensive side, but these days all places are expensive.  A breakfast anywhere is costing between $15 and $20 after paying for coffee and the tip.

The place wasn't crowded, but it did have a group of retired men there for a coffee club.  One of them turned out to be the owner.  I told him I was there because I didn't have electricity.  He said he didn't either and that he lived in Orchard Bluff Estates subdivision as I do also.

People continued to come in while I was eating and having several more cups of coffee.  What else did I have to do?  Most of the people coming in were in my boat with no elecricity.

The breakfast was every bit as good as I had heard it would be and really not more pricey than you'd pay anywhere these days.  Price:  $10.50 for Denver omelet, coffee $2.75, tax $1.07 and tip $3.  Just a bit ver $17.  Like I said before, breakfast is expensive these days.

I was kind of hoping to have electricity at home by then.

--RoadIce

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 3: Icy Neighborhood

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

I walked carefully out to the truck which was parked outside. The driveway was covered in ice, but part way to the street was clear.  Also, the street did not appear to have any ice on it either.  After some tugging, I was able to get the driver door open and grabbed an ice scraper.

The ice came off in sheets, fortunately,so wasn't as bad as I anticipated.  My long time neighbor across the street walked over and said he was without electricity as well, but had used his fireplace last night and slept by it where they stayed warm.  He said he had heard we weren't getting electricity until Saturday.  I sure didn't want to hear that.  It got pretty chilly last night as it was.

(I had heard that it might be later today or perhaps even as late as Saturday for some.  I found this out on my new smart phone which, of course, being battery operated, was still usable for the internet.  Something I didn't know how to do with the old flip phone I had.)

I was happy to find the streets in out subdivision were perfect.  That is a good thing as we have some hills in the area.  I saw that some of my pine tree limbs were bent and touching the ground.  Quite a few tree limbs down on my way and even a couple trees.

Drove down the hill to US-12 (Rand Road) and saw that the Midwest Breakfast Company had electricity.

Time for some breakfast.

--RoadIce

WLS Top Ten for March 19, 1973: 'Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)'

A mere 50 years ago.

1.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

2.  DUELING BANJOS--  Deliverance

3.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

4.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA  2001--  Deodato

5.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

6.  COULD BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

7.  I'M JUST A SINGER (IN A ROCK AND ROLL BAND)--  Moody Blues

8.  DADDY'S HOME--  Jermaine Jackson

9.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

10.  AIN'T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I GOT)--  Four Tops

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

DEBUTS

18.  SING--  Carpenters

19.  HUMMINGBORD--  Seals & Crofts

22.  STIR IT UP--  Johnny Nash

23.  MASTERPIECE--  Temptations

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I'm Just A Wandering On The Face Of This Earth Meeting So Many People Who Are Trying To Be Free."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)"

Trying to Reason with an Ice Storm-- Part 2: All That Real Gone Electricity

Continued from March 2, 2023.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

That was a miserable night.  No flushing toilets and I had to take a flashlight with me everytime I had to go.  All those shadows.  No washing hands afterwards either. No fun to lose electricity on well water.  The pump is electric.

I was hoping that when I woke up we'd have power again.  We didn't.  And, it was getting pretty chilly in the house.  We have natural gas, but guess what the blowers work on?  No going into the freezer or refrigerator either to make sure food keeps cold.

At daylight I could see that I have some branches down and others hanging on the pines.  It is pretty though with all the ice on everything.  Nature's doing its icing.

I was hungry so decided this would be a great time to go over to the Midwest Breakfast Company in Spring Grove and have breakfast.  It's been here for many years and Liz and I had never gotten over there to give it a try.

I was going to take the Malibu over to it, but it was in the garage and guess what the door opener works on.  Then I remembered I could just go over to the door and pull a chord and it would open.  But, guess what the lights out there work on.  And then, after I opened the door and backed out I would have to get out of the car, penguin walk on the ice back to the garage door and pull it down manually as I wasn't going to leave it open while I was gone.

So, I decided to go out to the driveway and drive the Dodge Dakota.  But, guess what that was covered in.  

--RoadFun

Some Irish Music for an Irish Thing These Days

From Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten for March 17, 2013.  In other words, St. Patrick's Day.  Though we started celebrating it last weekend.

All these songs have something to do with the Irish.  See if you can figure out what.

1.  GREEN RIVER--  Creedence Clearwater Revival  (color)

2.  DOMINO--  Van Morrison  (Irish)

3.  GOLDEN EARRINGS--  Steely Dan  (?)

4.  JAILBREAK--  Thin Lizzy  (Orish)

5.  GREEN TAMBOURINE--  Lemon Pipers  (color)

6.  GIVE IRELAND BACK TO THE IRISH--  Paul McCartney  (obviously)

7.  GREEN ONIONS--  Booker T. & the MGs  (color)

8.  LET'S STAY TOGETHER--  Al Green  (his last name)

9.  DESIRE--  U2  (Irish)

10.  GREEN GRASS & HIGH TIDE--  Outlaws  (color)

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I'm, I'm So In  Love With You Whatever You Want Me To Do.'  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Let's Stay Together"

WLS Top 23 for Week of March 12, 1973-- Part 3: 'Love Train'

That's right, fifty years ago, half a century.  These were thye songs playing on Chicago's WLS, 890 AM.

*  Means it was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

10. I'M JUST A SINGER (IN A ROCK AND ROLL BAND)--  Moody Blues   #12    Formed in Birmingham, England.

9.  DADDY'S HOME--  Jermaine Jackson      #9    Michael's brother.

8.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John    #1 for 3 weeks.

7.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA--  Deodato    #2  His only top 40.

6.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver     #9   Follow up to "Take Me Home, Country Roads."

5.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays    #1     Named after Cleveland DJ  Eddie O'Jay.

4.  COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners    #4  Formed in Detroit, Michigan.

3.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear    #3   

2.  DUELING BANJOS--  Deliverance     #2   Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell

1.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack    #1  for five weeks.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Remember When Rock WasYound, Me And Susie Had So Much Fun."  Answer below.   --RoadDog

"Crocodile Rock"

WLS Top 23 for Week of March 12, 1973-- Part 2: 'Danny's Song'

15.  *AIN'T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I'VE GOT)--  Four Tops   #4   Their last Top Ten.

14.  *DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray   #7   From Nova Scotia, Canada.  Her follow up to #8 "Snowbird."

13.  DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan    #6    Their first Top 40.  Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.

12.  *DO YOU WANT TO DANCE--  Bette Midler   #11     Her first Top 40.  Doing an old Beach Boys song.

11.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo     #8  His last of three straight Top Tens.

Name That Tune (from the abve songs):  "In The Morning You Go Gunning For The Man Who Stole Your Water."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Do It Again"

DeKalb, Illinois' Clinton Rosette Middle School

From the March 1, 2023,  MidWeek (DeKalb County) "Looking Back."

1973, fifty years ago.

"Clinton Rosette Middle School, named after the editor of the first daily newspaper  published in DeKalb, the DeKalb Chronicle,  has been tye center of controversy for many years.

"Built in 1903 as the township high school, it remained a high school until 1966 when it became the north side  junior high school.

"Three years ago, a study was made  on the feasibility of continuing operation of Rosette versus complete renovation of the facility, which was estimated at a cost of $1.5 to $2 million."

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

Back in the fall of 1972 and spring of 1973, I was at the school a lot as I was preparing to become a teacher and taking classes at Northern Illinois University (also in DeKalb).  It was a very run-down building at the time.

--RoadTeach

Top 23 Songs on WLS for Week of March 12, 1973-- Part 1: 'Dancing in the Moonlight'

The Top songs in Chicago Fifty years ago.

*  Means the Song was climbing the charts.  The number behind the artist is how high the song got on the BillboardHot 100 National Charts.

23.  *  CALL ME (COME BACK HOME)--   Al Green  #10

22.  *BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics   #5    R&B group fron Philadelphia.    

21.  DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT--  King Harvest   #13   Their only Top 40.

20.  *KISSING MY LOVE--  Bill Withers   n #31    Pride and joy of Slab Fork, West Virginia.

19.   *AUBREY--  Bread   #15    Their next to last Top 40.

18.  *BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN--  Gallery  #23

17.  *NEITHER ONE OF US  (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--  Gladys Knight & the Pips   #2

16.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon    #1  for three weeks.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Sad To Think We're Not Going To Make It."  --Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)"

2021 Cure Bowl Ranked at #3 Best Bowl on 247 Sports.

Okay, from over a year ago, but still a great game and it involved my school, Northern Illinois University.  Unfortunately, we lost, but that was one enjoyable game to watch.  Neither defense could stop the other's offense.

It was Coastal Carolina versus NIU.

From 247 Sports.com "College football bowl games:  Ranking  top ten from 2021"  by Riley Gates.

He ranked the Cure Bowl at #3.

"With Grayson McCall coming back, you just knew we were in for a fun shootout.  The Chanticleers star threw for 315 yards and  four touchdowns, while Northern Illinois' Rocky Lombardi (is that not a great football name or not?) threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

"Both teams ran the ball for massive numbers too, as the Huskies had 335 yards on the ground to the Chanticleers' 199.

"Down six with just a little more than three minutes to go, Northern Illinois looked  done for.  But the Huskies forced a punt and went for a 15-play, 83-yard to try to win the game.  With seven seconds remaining, Northern Illinois had the ball at the Coastal 8-yard line.  Lombardi threw a complete pass for the first down but the receiver did not get out of bounds and time expired.

Finakl score was Coastal Carolina 47 NIU 41.

--RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for Week of March 5, 1973: 'Crocodile Rock'

That's right, half a century ago.  Time sure flies by when you're having fun.

1.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

2.  DUELING BANJOS--  Delieverance

3.  COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

4.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

5.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

6.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

7.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver

8.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon

9.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo

10.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA--  Deodata

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

DEBUTS

23.  KISSING MY LOVE--  Bill Withers

24.  AIN'T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I GOT)--   Four Tops

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "He Was Born In The Summer Of His  Twenty-Seventh Year."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Rocky Mountain High"

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 1

The Icestorm of Wednesday, February 22.

Starting over the weekend of Feb. 18-19, we started getting dire warnings of a likely ice storm heading our way, with the worst part supposed to hit us along the Illinois-Wisconsin border and areas north.  To the south it would be more of a rain situation.  I always take it under advisement as the weather folks are often right, but also often wrong.  I was hoping they were wrong.

However, Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 20 and 21, it was still predicted to hit Wednesday, my usual day to drive up to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.  I adopted a wait and see attitude.  

Well, they were right on with their predictions.  We did have an ice storm and it was the worst I can remember having in the 30 years we've lived in Spring Grove, Illinois.  By the time I would have left for Donovan's at 1:30 pm, there was a thick coating of ice on all the trees and bushes.  Staying put now.

Really hoping we don't lose power.  At 6:15, the lights flickered and then ten monutes later, flickered and went out for good.  Of course, dumb old me had not put any flashlights nearby, so had to grope for some.  Finally found one and was in business.

But, now what.  I can't do anything without electricity and Wednesdays are one of my favorite TV days.  No TV, no radio, no stereo, no nothing.

Might just as well go to sleep.

--RoadIcedOut

Music Deaths in 2022: Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts

JIM SEALS, 80 

Died 6 June 2022

Singer / guitar player with soft rock duo Seals & Crofts who wrote the song "Summer Breeze."

."Summer Breeze"  (#6-1972)

"Hummmingbird"  (#20-1973)

"Diamond Girl"  (#6-1973)

"We May Never Pass This Way Again"  (#21-1973)

"I'll Play For You"  (#18-1975)

"Get Closer"  (#6-1976)

Music Deaths: Broughton, Hawkins, Such and Cruise

I am running way behind of music deaths from last year, so will be listing many of these with very little extra information.

STEVE BROUGHTON, 72

Died 29 May 1922.  Drummer with the Edgar Broughton Band.

RONNIE HAWKINS, 87

Died 29 May 2022.  Singer (rock and roll).  Had the big hit "Mary Lou."  Assembled the group later known as "The Band."

ALEC JOHN SUCH, 70

Died 5 June 1922.  Bass player 1983-194 with Bon Jovi.  This was the period of time the band had most of their big hits.

JULEE CRUISE, 65

Died 9 June 2022.  Singer.

WLS Top 10 (and Debuts) for Week of Feb. 26, 1973: 'Love Train'

These were the Top Ten songs in Chicago fifty years ago.

1.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

2.  DUELING BANJOS--  Deliverance

3.  IT COULD BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

4.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

5.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo

6.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

7.  DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan

8.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon

9.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver

10.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

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

DEBUTS

21.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray

23.  AUBREY--  Bread

25.  NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE  THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--   Gladys Knight & the Pips 

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Heard He Sang A Good Song.  I Heard He Had A Style."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Past Movie Scratches: Magnificent-- Transylvania-- Midway-- Blind-- Brave-- Edge

Past movie scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2022.

1.  MAGNIFICENT SEVEN--  1-1--   That's all they needed.  An interesting group to the rescue and battling huge odds.

2.  HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2--  1-4--  Along comes baby Dennisovitch.  The monsters are a bit rusty.  Will he "Fang Out?"

3.  MIDWAY--  1-7--  Diving through all that flak and Japanese officers continually gazing skyward with binoculars.

4.  THE BLIND SIDE--  1-8--  Against all odds, he ends up going to Ole Miss

5.  BRAVE HEART--  1-19--  That mean old Longshanks.  But, she got the better of him at the end.  So did Mel.

6.  EDGE OF TOMORROW--  1-20--  A cross between "Groundhog Day" and "Starship troopers."

--RoadDog

MIDDLE AGE:  Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty, but everything else starts to wear out, fall out or spread out.

Movies, Big Band Music and Da Bowl

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Saw a movie double header at Fox Lake Theatre:  "80 for Brady" and "Plane."  So good to be back at the movies again.  Enjoyed both movies.  Then met Kevin and Kelly at the Fox Lake Legion for 50-50.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg, ate at Taco Bell in Fox Lake and went to the Fox Lake American Legion where they were having a Valentine's dance with the Lakes Area Swing Band.  

They are 16 musicians who put on a great Swing/Big Band show.  There was a good crowd and most everyone was dressed like people used to when they went out dancing.  Most really could dance those style of dances.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12 

Went to Culver's in Fox Lake for that great double butter burger meals and then the SAL (Sons of the American Legion) meeting at the Fox Lake Legion.

I then went to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, to Donovan's Reef where I had paid to have a seat at the Super Bowl party with AUCE and drink during the game.  I also had a room at the motel behind the bar, so driving home was not a problem.

That was sure a great game.

--RoadBowl

Drinkin' and Eatin' on the Cheap

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6

I must remember to always put the checkbook in the same place.  Whenever I don't, it goes on the "lam" for awhile.  Like it is right now.  

Met Kevin and Kelly at Half-Times in Johnsburg, Illinois, and enjoyed the $1 Lite pints and the $11.50 (half price) slab of ribs, fried and garlic bread meal.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

Hey, Half-Times has $1 Lite drafts and half price pizza, sandwiches and ribs Monday to Thursday until the end of February.  I have to take advantage of ths deal.  I was back again.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

I found the wayward checkbook and put it where I always do.  Let's see how long  remember to do this.  Went to Donovan's in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and played live trivia with Kevin, Kelly and a host of others.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9

Met Kevin and Kelly at Bulldog Ale House in McHenry, Illinois.  They have their old special back.  Any of their draft beer pints for $2.  And, that includes domestic, import and craft beer.  That's talking my language.  Plus, 89 cent chicken tenders.

Too Good of Deals to Pass Up.  --RoadDog

WLS Top 10 (and Debuts) for Week of Feb. 19, 1973: 'Dueling Banjos'

Would you believe... Fifty Years Ago.  Time sure flies when you're having fun.

1.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

2.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon

3.  COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

4.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo

5.  DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan

6.  DUELING BANJOS--  Deliverance

7.  OH BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY--  Hurricane Smith

8.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack

9.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver

10.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear

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

DEBUTS

23.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA--  Deodata

25.  BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN--  Gallery

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Strumming My Pain With His Fingers."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Killing Me Softly with His Song"

A Day with the Groundhog in Woodstock then the Bars of McHenry and Johnsburg

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Drove to Woodstock, Illinois, for the last day of their Groundhog Days Festival.  I saw the movie "Groundhog Day" in the big screen at the Woodstock Theatre which was in the movie as the Alpine Theatre where Bronco Billy Murray and date went.  I didn't know the date was Mrs. Gary Fencik, Chicago Bears player from Super Bowl XX.

The place was packed and everyone was laughing at the comments.

Then took a walk around the Woodstock Square past the Top Top Cafe (now a Mexican restaurant) and Bill's Puddle, where Ned accosted Bill, the Pennsylvanian Hotel (Woodstock Opera House) and the bar where they drank to world peace.

Of course, the entire square itself was the site of Gobbler's Knob where the groundhog was pulled out of his burrow.   It also was where they danced in the gazebo, where Bill did his ice sculpture and the snowball fight.

Stopped at Wayne's Lanes which was the bowling alley in the movie where Bill saw his glass as half enpty and where the drunks got in the car and led the cops on a chase.  They now have a cut out of Bill Murray at the spot he was sitting at.

Drove to McHenry and had Bloody Marys at the Polish Legion  ($2.75), mixed drinks at the McHenry American Legion (rail drinks $3) and beers at Sunnyside  ($2).

Busy Day.  That Darn Goundhog's Got To Be Stopped.  --RoadHog

Thanks Groundhogs, Sunnyside, Legion, a Band and Chili!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Went to Sunnyside on a really cold day.  Thanks a lot Groundhog!!  Willie and that six more weeks of winter!!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4

First Saturday of the month means the Fox Lake American Legion was having their monthly music in the bar from 3 p, to 6 pm.  Where else you gonna get entertainment on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of winter (thanks Groundhogs)?  And today's group was the Three Aces who excell at 50s-60s and old country music. One of my favorite local bands.  You should hear themk do "The Auctioneer."

And, the Fox Lake/Round Lake Rotary Club was having their annual chili cookoff, so I was forced to judge and sample the 20 different entries.  Man, music, beer and chili in one day.  Nothing could be finer.

An Eager Volunteer, Believe Me.  --RoadChili

WLS Top 25 for Week of February 12, 1973-- Part 4: 'Crocodile Rock'

Fifty years ago in Chicago, these were the top songs according to WLS, 890 AM.

* Means the son was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

10.  *THE WORLD IS A GHETTO--  War

9.  TROUBLE MAN--  Marvin Gaye

8.  *COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

7.  WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER--  Timmy Thomas

6.  *DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo

5.  *DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan

4.  SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder

3.  *OH BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY--  Hurricane Smith

2.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Cary Simon

1.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "On The Morning You Go Gunning For The Man Who Stole Your Water."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Do It Again"

15th Anniversary of NIU Valentine's Day Murders

Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary since the five students were murdered and a whole bunch wounded on campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  It took place on Valentine's Day.  A murderer entered Cole Hall and opened fire.

I must admit it had slipped my mind until I saw a couple TV news segments on it.  One was about a student who was wounded and the other was about the professor who was teaching the class in geography (which was my minor) who was also wounded.

I was glad that neither show mentioned the killer's name.  I don't think the killers should ever have their name publicized.  Just refer to them as the killer or murderer.

Liz and I were eating dinner at K.C.'s Cabin in Spring Grove, Illinois, when we saw video on TV of what looked like NIU's campus.  The sound was off,  but the information was running across the bottom.  We were shocked and paying attention.  Our friend Gayle was a student there and another couple at K.C.'s was very concerned as their daughter went to Northern.

A sad time then and just this past Monday night three more students were killed at Michigan State.  At least this killer (and I notice they don't give his name most of the time) had the decency to, like NIU's killer, end his own life.

WLS Top 25 for Week of February 12, 1973-- Part 3: 'Dancing in the Moonlight'

*  Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

15.  JAMBALAYA (ON THE BAYOU)--  Blue Ridge Rangers      #16     But you might know them better as John Fogerty.  Where's Creedence?  Ol' Hank would be so proud.  This was a #1 country hit in1952 for Hank Williams.

14.  LAST SONG--  Edward Bear    #3       Little did I know this was the name of a band, not a solo performer.   Pop trio from Toronto, Canada.

13.  DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT--  King Harvest      #13     Takes me right back to 1973.  At this time I was getting ready to start student teaching in my senior year at NIU.  Their one and only Top 40 hit.

12.  YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina      #4      Gotta love this song.  Their only Top Ten as a duo.

11.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver       #9      We could sure use another John Denver about now.  Was that David Crosby in the audience at the beginning of the video for the Wildlife Concert?

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Goodbye Joe, Me Gotta Go, Me Oh, My Oh."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)"

WLS Top 25 Songs for Week of February 12, 1973-- Part 2: 'Killing Me Softly With His Song'

20. SUPERFLY--  Curtis Mayfield     #8     Love the intro to this song.   Follow up to "Freddie's Dead."

19.  DO YOU WANT TO DANCE--  Bette Midler       #17     Just breathless.  Just breathless.  I thought that Barbara Mason had sung a suggestive song at #25.    A new take on a Beach Boys classic song.  Her first big hit.

18.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays       #1       To better days.  We could sure use that now.  This song just makes you feel good.

17.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack        #1  for 5 weeks       As only Roberta can sing a song  Just a pure voice.

16.  DADDY'S HOME--  Jermaine Jackson     #9     He could sing too, not just Michael.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Hug And Kiss Me All Through The Night."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Do You Want To Dance"

WLS Top 25 Songs for Week of February 12, 1973-- Part 1: 'Dueling Banjos'

These were the top songs in Chicago according to powerhouse WLS, 890 AM, fifty years ago.

* means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

25.  *GIVE ME YOUR LOVE--  Barbara Mason         #31     About as sensual and erotic as you can get.  She had a #5  song in 1965 with "Yes, I'm Ready."  Was that a precursor to this new song?

24.  *I'M JUST A SINGER (IN A ROCK AND ROLL BAND)--  Moody Blues     #12     No cerebral, just kickin'.

23.  *PEACEFUL EASY FEELING--  Eagles      #22     Can Glenn Frey get any more laid back?

22.  DUELING BANJOS--  Delieverance      #2 for 4 weeks       Actually Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell.    From the movie "Deliverance.  Some mighty strange folk up in them thar hills.  

21.  ME AND MRS. JONES--   Billy Paul   #1 for 3 weeks    You know they have a thing going on.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I'm Just A Wandering On The Face Of The Earth."    Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I'm Just A Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)"

Movies, Expensive and Cheaper Beer, Round Lake Beach and the Groundhogs

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

Went to see the movie "Avatar:  The Way of Water" at the Fox Lake Theatre and to Half-Times in Johnsburg.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes and got a room for the Super Bowl game.  Stopped at The Grove in Spring Grove and was shocked by having to pay $4 for a Miller Lite 16 ounce draft. Then to Saylor Mick's where I had the more reasonable $1 Hamm's pints.  Final stop was at Margaritaville at home.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Groundhog Day...Again.  Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania as well as Woodstock Willie in the much-closer Woodstock, Illinois, both saw their shadows, so six more weeks of winter weather.  Sigh.

Went to Round Lake Beach for a dentist appointment and then to Big Lots, a new grocery store called Tony's and Meijer.  I found that Meijer has half gallons of milk for $1.65.  At Jewel, a gallon of milk is $2.99 and a half gallon is $2.49.  I hate paying almost as much for half the amount.   Later met quite a few friends at Half-Times and had a beef sub and those $1 Miller Lite drafts.

Of course, watched the movie "Groundhog Day" on AMC.  So nice of them to have a 24-hour run of the movie.

Not Loving This Winter Thing.   --RoadHog

I Was Back in Woodstock... Again-- Part 2: The Groundhog Bit Murray

More Fun Facts:

**  Murray was bitten twice by the groundhog while filming and even had to get rabies shots just in case.

**  The film was not shot in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, but rather Woodstock, Illinois.   During a scene with Ned Ryerson, Phil's old classmate,  a sign for Woodstock Jewelers can be seen in the background.

**  Ramis, Murray and  Stephen Tobolowski (Ned Ryerson) have been honorary  Grand Marshals  in Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day.

**  Other famous actors were considered for the role of Phil Connors that director Ramis considered "too nice: were  Chevy Chase, Steve Martin,  Robin Williams and Michael Keaton.  Keaton reportedly turned down the role because he thought it was too confusing.

** Even though the movie was filmed in Punxsutawney, it had a big impact on the town.  Celebrations went from about 5,000 to 35,000 after the movie came out.

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How long was Phil stuck in deja vu?  No one really knows, but a whole lot.  The movie shows him reliving it 38 times.

--RoadPhil

I Was Back in Woodstock... Again for 'Groundhog Day'

This past Sunday, I drove the eighteen miles from the house to Woodstock, Illinois, to partake in the last day of the town's annual Groundhog Days festuival which started on February 1.

I was too late for the pancake breakfast at the Moose Lodge (where the dance/bachelor auction was held in the movie), but managed to get a seat to see the movie on the big screen at the Woodstock Theatre (where the scene with Bill Murray as Bronco Billy and his date went to see the movie "Heidi.")  I found out earlier that day that his date was the wife of Chicago Bear player Gary Fencik of the Super Bowl XX champs.

From the February 2, 2023,  WTAJ, Rochester, NY.  "Bill Murray's 'Groundhog Day' celebrates 30th anniversary" by Bill Shannon.

ANYWAY, SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT THE MOVIE:

**  Bill Murray's character, Phil Connors, evolved into a much nicer human being during the film.  At times when  director Harold Ramis would explain a scene, Murray would ask him:  "Good Phil or bad Phil?" so he would know how to play the character.

--RoadHog

The Civil War, Some Hot Dogs, CDs and a Big Snow

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29

Drove to Crystal Lake, Illinois, for the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion meeting at Panera Bread.  Today's topic was the "The End, February and March 1865."  I, of course, brought up the Wilmington Campaign, also called the Battle of Wilmington, in North Carolina.  That was the follow-up to Fort Fisher's fall. 

It started snowing about half way through the meeting and coming down quite hard.  I decided not to go to Algonquin and visit Barnes & Noble or Half-Price Books because of it. Driving home, road conditions were getting quite bad.  

Stopped at Happy Jack's in McHenry for their great hot dogs and then The Vinyl Frontier Record Store, a real Mom and Pop store featuring albims, 45s and CDs as well as toys and stereo equipment.  One of my most fun places to go.

Snow conditions continued to get worse and I went home and stayed.  We had our biggest snowfall of the winter with around 8 inches by Sunday morning.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

Way too much snow to shovel by hand, and sadly, stoll couldn't get the snowblower started.  Later, I heard a snowblower out in front of the house and saw that a new neighbor was clearing my driveway and sidewalk for me.  I tanked him and said I couldn't start my snowblower so he took it home to take a look at it.  What a great neighbor.

Later I drove to Sunnyside and actually got a seat at the bar, something very difficult to do in Sundays when it gets reallycrowded.  Watched the NFC Championship game and part of the AFC one.  Came home and watched the rest of it.

--RoadSnow

Six 90s Shows That Wouldn't Fly Today-- Part 2

3.  *JERRY SPRINGER   1991-2018   Considered a daytime talk show.  But, all kinds of topics.  I must admit that this show is one of my guilty pleasures as I will sure watch it if I happen to catch a rerun.  You just can't help  smiling.

4.  JOHNNY BRAVO  Aired on the Cartoon Network.  Just, not for kids.

5.  THE REN & STEMPY SHOW   Aired on Nickelodeon.    Also not for kids.

6.  *DINOSAURS  1991-1995  Primetime sitcom.  I really liked this one.

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten (and Debuts) for Week of Feb. 5, 1973: 'You're So Vain'

That's right, 50 years ago.  Time flies when you're having fun.

1.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

2.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon

3.  SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder

4.  YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina

5.  WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER--  Timmy Thomas

6.  OH BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY--  Hurricane Smith

7.  DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan

8.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND--  Lobo

9.  TROUBLE MAN--  Marvin Gaye

10.  THE WORLD IS A GHETTO--  War

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DEBUTS

23.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays

24.  LAST SONG--  Edward Baer

25.  DO YOU WANT TO DANCE--  Bette Midler

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "13 Month-Old Baby  Broke The Looking Glass."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Superstition"

Six 90s TV Shows That Wouldn't Fly Today-- Part 1: 'TRL' and 'Married...with Children'

From Best Life by Lia Beck.

It's hard to believe, but the 1990s began 33 years ago.  (True) These TV shows probably wouldn't get made today.  She says some are outdated and others were offensive at the time and even more so today.  Lia says these should stay lost to history.  I disagree with the three that I watched.

*  Show I watched.

1.  TRL  Total Request Live MTV.   What, MTV playing music videos.  Why, the nerve.

2.  *Married...With Children  Aired 1987-1997.  This was a hilarious show with Al Bundy and loving wife and those two kids.  I didn't watch it at first because it was on Fox which I initially did not consider much of a network.  I was wrong.

Loved Al Bundy.  --RoadDog

'A Man Called Otto,' Crossword Puzzles, Word Searches, Half-Times and Some Snow

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

Saw one of the best movies I've seen in a long time, "A Man Called Otto."  Besides him being old and living in a world he doesn't much care for and the loss of his long-time wife six months earlier, I felt I had a lot in common with Tom Hanks' character.   

If this movie doesn't get Academy Award nominations for best movie, actor and actress there is something mighty wrong.

I completed a Tribune Crossword Puzzle (the one on the comics page) with no help.  This is the first time I've ever done this.  If you'd told me six years ago that I world be doing crossword puzzles, I would have told you you're out of your mind.  Both my mom and wife were big fans of those.  Plus, I have come to enjoy word searches.  

Who'd have ever "figgered."

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26

Went to Half-Times for their $1 pints of Lite and half price pizza and sandwiches and had another one of their great TBC (turkey, bacon & cheese) subs.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Stayed home today as it snowed all day.  It has snowed 1 1/2 to 2 inches every day starting Wednesday.  All that snow we haven't been getting, we're starting to catch up.  I still can't get the snowblower started, but so far I have been able to easily shovel accumulation off.

--RoadPuzzle

Legions, Historical Society, NFL Playoffs, Bloody Marys and Beer

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Met Kevin and Kelly at Johnny's Cafe in Fox Lake, Illinois.  There are new owners there.  But still good food at reasonable prices.  Then went to the Fox Lake American Legion for 50-50.  We also have pull tabs for drink prices: 50 cents, half price and full price.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

Went to the Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society meeting at the museum on Washington Street in Ingleside.  Met Frank and Lian there.  Today's topic was show and tell and a lot of the talk was about the old Pupper Bar/ Eagle Point Park, where I worked several yerars as house deejay until it closed.  That was one really fun place.  Imagine getting paid to have a good time.

Later, in the afternoon, I went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg to watch NFL playoff games and had a nice talk with Wayne and Angie who are now at the McHenry Moose Laodge, but for many years at Stucky's.  Wayne sponsored me joining the Moose Lodge there.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22

I went to the Polish Legion of American Vets in McHenry for the $2.75 Bloody Marys and had a good time talking with folks.  Then to the McHenry American Legion which was packed.  Watched NFL playoff games at both places, then went to Saylor Mick's in Spring Grove and enjoyed half-price BLT pizza (this time with no sugar) and $1 Hamm's pints.  Had a nice talk with Dan and Chuck who live in Spring Grove as well.

--RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?

WLS Top Ten for Week of Jan. 29, 1973: 'Do It Again'

Fifty years ago on the Mighty 'LS, AM 890.  That's right, AM radio.

1.  SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder

2.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon

3.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

4.  YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina

5.  WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER--  Timmy Thomas

6.  ME & MRS. JONES--  Billy Paul

7.  OH BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY--  Hurricane Smith

8.  SUPERFLY--  Curtis Mayfield

9.  DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan

10.  TROUBLE MAN--  Marvin Gaye

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

DEBUTS

20.  COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE--  Spinners

24.  DREIDEL--  Don McLean

25.  YOU TURN ME ON, I'M A RADIO--  Joni Mitchell

26.  DADDY'S HOME--  Jermaine Jackson

27.  KEEPER OF THE CASTLE--  Four Tops  (Returned to the chart.)

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "When You Believe In Things You Can't Understand."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Superstition"

Donovan's, a Presentation and Death of Crosby

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

Met Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's.  CW had that great "Soup Nazi" episode on Seinfeld.  For Liz and myself to call a person making soup a "Soup Nazi" is a high compliment.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

I made a presentation on "The Continuing Saga of the USS Montgomery" at McHenry County College.  Afterwards, I went to Half-Times in Johnsburg.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Sorry to hear of David Crosby's death yesterday.  Bob Stroud came on to do a live Ten at Ten on him.  One of my favorite performers both with the Byrds, CSN, CSNY and with Graham Nash.  A crazy but talented man.  I figure if he can live as long as he did, there is hope for all of us.

These are the songs Stroud played today:

TURN, TURN, TURN--  Byrds

WOODEN SHIPS--  CSN

ALMOST CUT MY HAIR--  CSNY

CARRY ME--  Crosby & Nash

EIGHT MILES HIGH--  Byrds

SHADOW CAPTAIN--  CSN

GUINNEVERE--  CSN

DEJA VU--  CSNY

TO THE LAST WHALE/WIND ON THE WATER--  Crosby & Nash

LONG TIME GONE--  CSN

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Nowhere Is There Warmth To Be Found."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Eight Miles High"

A College Basketball Doubleheader in DeKalb, Happy Jack's, Sunnyside, McHenry Legion and Saylor Mick's

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

Drove to DeKalb, Illinois, to NIU's Convocation Center where I saw a basketball doubleheader.  Our women played the University of Ohio at 1 pm and then the men played the University of Toledo at 3:30.  Not bad for a total cost of $6.

The women won by a lot, but the men lost by a lot.  Enjoyed Victory Pub overlooking the court with its $2 Busch Light cans.  Plus, a giant hot dog for $4.

Decided not to spend the night and drove back to McHenry where I stopped at Happy Jack's on Il-120 with all its Coca-Cola decor and outstanding Chicago-style hot dogs.  I had the two hot dog, fries and drink for $9 (with tax).  Then went to Sunnyside and home to Margaritaville in my basement.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

Went to the McHenry American Legion and then to Saylor Mick's in Spring Grove and enjoyed their $1 Hamm's drafts and had a small BLT pizza.  Unfortunately, I mistook a shaker of sugar for a shaker of parmesan cheese and that wasn't very good.

I Highly Recommend Not Putting Sugar on Your Pizza.  --RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Chicago's WXRT

WXRT, 93.1 FM is one of the main radio stations I listen to in Chicago.

Right now WXRT is tied for sixth in Chicago according to the most recent Nielsen ratings.  The station is owned by the Philadelphia-based radio chain Audacy.

Recently deceased Lin Brehmer, who I have been writing about the last several posts, has been an integral part  of the station throughout its history.  It began as a pioneering Chicago rock station in the early 1970s, launching under local ownership with an underground melange of  free-form album cuts, but only at night, after its ethnic-based programming like Korean gospel and Spanish talk radio had concluded their day.

The rock format station went full time in 1976.

They became a part of CBS Radio in the late 1990s.  In 2017, Entercom acquired WXRT and half a dozen other Chicago radio stations through a megamerger with CBS.

This company rebranded as Audacy in March 2021, is the second-largest radio chain in the U.S. behind iHeart-Media, and operates more than 235 stations nationwide.

Other Chicago Audacy stations include all-sports WSCR-Am 670 and news station WBBM-AM 780.

--RoadDog

WXRT's and Chicago's Lin Brehmer: 'Your Best Friend in the Whole World'

I've always had a hard time spelling his name in my blogs and journal. If I heard him say "Your best friend in the whole world" once, I hear him say it a thousand times.

Yesterday, WXRT had a lengthy show on Lin Brehmer and all the local news channels had bits on him.  He even had his name, birth year and death year on that iconic scorebeoard outside Wrigley Field, home of Lin's beloved Cubs.

I wonder if he gets cremated, will they spread his ashes around the field?

Lin Brehmer was a Queens, New York native and Colgate University graduate.  He started his radio  career at a station on Albany, Nerw York, before joining WXRT as a music director in 1984.  He left the station in 1990 for a one-year stint as music director at KTCZ- FM in Minneapolis before returning to host mornings at WXRT -- a position he held for nearly thirty years.

In 2020, he shifted to the mid-morning slot when Terri Hemmert retired.

I used to listen to him every morning after I retired in 2006.

Sure Going to Miss Him.  Our Best Friend in the Whole World.  --RoadDog

So Sorry to Hear About Death of WXRT's Lin Brehmer

Yesterday while doing these blogs I came across notice of the death of one of my favorite disc jockeys, Lin Brehmer on Chicago's WXRT, 93.1 FM.  I listened to him mornings until he shifted to midday.  Like he liked to say, "Your Best Friend in the Whole World."

He  had left the airways back in this past July because of cancer treatments and had a strong desire to get back on the air.

Listening to his show was like sitting with a good friend and talking music and especially his beloved Chicago Cubs (but, I didn't hold that against him).  And, how in the world did he come up with what he said on his Lin's Bin bits.  For any of you unjfamiliar with Lin's Bits, it was a lot like listening to that deejay on "Northern Exposure" only with bits of songs and lines from movies.

This past year has been rough on me as along with Lin Brehmer (always hard to spell his name), I lost two other of my favorite disc jockeys in Chicago:  Bob Stroud on WDRV and Terri Hemmert on WXRT.  But, though they are not on regularly, their signature shows are.  With Bob that would be Rock and Roll Roots, Ten at Ten and One 45 at 1:45.  Terri Hemmert has Breakfast With the Beatles.  Those shows still are on, so it is not like they are entirely gone.

Today, WXRT is going to salute the life of Lin Brehmer starting at 10 am, CDT.  It streams, so I will definitely be giving it a listen.

--RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for Week of January 22, 1973: 'Rockin' Pneumonia-- Boogie Woogie Flu'

According to Chicago Power House WLS, 890 AM.  Has it really been fifty years?!!!

1.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon  

2.   SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder

3.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John

4.  ME & MRS. JONES--   Billy Paul

5.  YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Messina

6.  WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER--  Timmy Thomas

7.  SUPERFLY--  Curtis Mayfield

8.  CLAIR--  Gilbert O'Sullivan

9.  ROCKIN' PNEUMONIA--BOOGIE WOOGIE FLU--  Johnny Rivers

10.  FUNNY FACE--  Donna Fargo

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

DEBUTS

21.  SEPARATE WAYS--  Elvis Presley

22.  DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE A FRIEND--  Lobo

23.  ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver

25.  LOVE JONES--  Brighter Side of Darkness

26.  JAMBALAYA (ON THE BAYOU)--  Blue Ridge Runners

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You Walked Into The Party Like You Were Walking Onto A Yacht."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"You're So Vain"

Little Ol' Texting Me, A New Insurance Plan Costs Me and the Moose

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

Met Laura, Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and actually did my first real texts to Sue and Paul. A year ago I couldn't even imagine me texting anyone.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

I had to pay full price at Walgreens for a prescription as our insurance provider with TRS had changed.  I will make sure I get the new company in the files right away.  Expensive.

Went to Half-Times in Johnsburg for the $1 drafts.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13

Met Kevin and Kelly and a whole bunch of Sunnysiders at the McHenry Moose for fish fry and karaoke.  George and I got the "band" back together and sang "It's Hard to Be Hunble" and "I Like Beer."  We used to sing those two songs and others at Stucky's during the Saturday night karaoke.  We were pretty good on those songs but really butchered other efforts.

Got the Old Band Back Together.  The George and Don Band.  --RoadDog

Things Sure Getting Expensive, A Saturday Afternoon Band and Da Bears Da Stink

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

.After finally getting the "Smart Phone" smart, we drove over to 'Cuda's on Grasslake Road and enjoyed their beer-batter fish fry.  It is now AUCE for $12.99 and was $9.99 before the virus hit.  Draft beer was $3 and had been $2 before.  Things sure getting expensive.  Gas it going up fast again as well.  I paid $3.20 on the way over to 'Cuda's

We then went to the Fox Lake American Legion for 50/50.

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

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7

Met Kevin and Kelly, Glenn and Barb at the Fox Lake American Legion for their first Saturday band.  Where else you gonna go in the middle of winter on a Saturday afternoon and get some band entertainment.  Performing today was Aging Teen Idols with out friend John Piet.  They play a whole lot of oldies, originals and Beatles songs.  Plus, draft beer is still just $2 a pint.

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

SUNDAY, JANUARY 8

Went to the McHenry American Legion and saw the Bears lose their tenth straight game to finish the season 3-14.  Da Bears!!  Were sure bad This Year!!     Oh, well.  At least we get the very first draft choice as a result of being the worst in the NFL.

--RoadBear

WLS Top Ten for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 5: 'Crocodile Rock'

*  means the song was clombing the charrs. The number after the artist is how high the song got on  the Billboard Hit 100 Charts.

10.  LIVING IN THE PAST--  Jethro Tull    #11    Believe it or not, but they only ever had two Top 40s.   The other was "Bungle in the Jungle in 1974.

9.  CROCODILE ROCK--  Elton John     #1   for three weeks.

8.  FUNNY FACE--  Donna Fargo     #5   Her highest ranking hit.

7.  KEEPER OF THE CASTLE--  Four Tops    #10

6.  YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE--  Loggins & Merssina  And what about your Daddy.   #4  Their only Top Ten.

5.  ROCKIN' PNEUMONIA -- BOOGIE WOOGIE FLU--  John Rivers    #6

4.  CLAIR--  Gilbert O'Sullivan   #2 for two weeks.

3.  SUPERSTITION--  Stevie Wonder   #1

2.  ME AND MRS. JONES--  Billy Paul        #1   for three weeks.It's a cheating situation.

1.  YOU'RE SO VAIN--  Carly Simon    #1  for three weeks.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  :When You Believe In Things That You Can't Understand."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Superstition"

WLS Top 28 Songs for Week of Jan. 15, 1973-- Part 4: 'Oh Babe, What Would You Say'

Just a mere fifty years ago.  A drop in the bucket.

15.  *OH BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY--  Hurricane Smith      #3    Norman Smith.  Kind of a throwback to music from the 30s.  Had engineered several Beatles albums.    His only Top 40.

14.  *DON'T LET ME BE LONELY TONIGHT--  James Taylor      #14     Could this guy get any more mellow?

13.  IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA--  Albert Hammond     #5     Also a songwriter.  Cowrite "Little Arrows" and "Gimme Dat Thing."  Wrote "When I Need You" for Leo Sayer and "The Air That I Breathe" for the Hollies.

12.  WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER--  Timmy Thomas      #3    Loved the organ.    "No more wars?"  Wouldn't that be loverly?   From Evansville, Indiana.

11.  SUPERFLY--  Curtis Mayfield      #8      If this ain't soul, I don't know what is.   From the movie "Superfly."  This is the second Top Ten he had from the movie.  The other was "Freddie's Dead"  #4.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Do Me Wrong, Do Me Right, Tell Me Lies, But Hold Me Tight."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"

WLS Top 28 Songs for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 3: 'Trouble Man'

Half a Century, fellow babies.

* means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high ot got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

20.  YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME--  Al Green  What is it about that voice and that music?

19.  SITTING--  Cat Stevens  Sure loved my Cat back then.  Not a better known song by him.

18.  TROUBLE MAN--  Marvin Gaye   A man and his song.  "I Come Up Hard."

17.  PIECES OF APRIL--  Three Dog Night   About that first love.

16.  I WANNA BE WITH YOU--  Raspberries   Of the last song was putting you to sleep, this one will jar you awake.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Oh, I'm On My Way, I Know I Am."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sitting"

WLS Top 28 Songs for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 2: 'Dancing In the Moonlight'

Whenever I do these top songs like this, I go to You Tube and listen to them.  That gets me a real slice of my life in time.

25.  I'M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU--  Stylistics     #10      Great slow dancing song.  Would make a great first wedding dance song.  That's Russell Thompkins Jr. singing.

24.  IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOW--  Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes     #3     Back-to-back great slow dancing songs.

23.  I AM WOMAN--  Helen Reddy     #1      And, she's so proud.  Hear her roar.

22.  WALK ON WATER--  Neil Diamond       #17    Not a better-known Neil song.  Starts out slow, but builds.  Kind of a "Brother Love's  Traveling Salvation" song.

21.  DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT--  King Harvest        #13     Hard to get it out of your mind after you hear it.  Their only Top 40.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "In Numbers Too Big To Ignore."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I Am Woman"

WLS Top 28 for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 1: 'Rocky Mountain High'

That's right, these are the top songs in Chicago according to powerhouse WLS, 890 AM half a century ago.

Fifty years ago today, I was a student at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and finishing up my senoir year.  I was taking my final education classes before I started student teaching the last 9 weeks before graduation.  I was also getting my last good licks as a college student in and hitting the bars of Lincoln Highway.  Our main hangout was Andy's.

*  Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number behind the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

28.  *THE WORLD IS A GHETTO--  War     #7     Great sound guaranteed to get you into the groovin'.   Latin Funk Rock band out of Long Beach, California.

27.  *ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver      #9    You forget how good of a voice he had.  And, he loved anything doing with mountains.  His second hit following you-know-what.

26.  *DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan      #6      That was some real good instrumentation.  Their first hit.   Jazz rock band formed in Los Angeles.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Walkin' Down The Street, Smoggy-Eyed."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The World Is a Ghetto"

The Day of the 'Smart RoadDog' Arrives... with a Whimper

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5

Met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  I had found a list of Magee principals and administration from 1983 to 2001 and we had a quiz, Name That Administrator.  This could be a new show on the Game Network.  We sure had a lot of them.  Maxine was principal's secretary for most of that time.

Sorry to say that Big Oil's gas gouge is back.  Gas in Illinois is up to $3.10 to $3.40 since a week ago.  Gas in Wisconsin also went up and was $3.06 to $3.10.  By the way, when I say $3.10, that is actually $3.99.9.

Did some shopping at Wal-Mart and Menard's in Antioch.  Met Kevin and Kelly at Half-Times in Johnsburg, Illinois, for the half price pizza and those $1 pints of Lite.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

The big question this morning was, "Is this to be the day of the Smart RoadDog?"  Would I get the phone working, or, actually, would Kelly get the smart phone working.  This was way beyond my meager technological ability.  And, it challenged Kelly because switching from a flip phone to a smart one involved difficult steps and especially when the old flip AT&T account was in Liz's name and she had a secret password, which of course I didn't know.

I eventually had to drive over to the AT&T place in McHenry with her death certificate and they gave me a temporary code so I could switch over to Consumer Cellular.    After that, switching over was easy at Kelly's house and now "I are Smart."  Well, let's say I am in, but have no idea what to do.  This will take a lot of time.

Smart Ol' Me.  --RoadDog

The Old Dummy Goes Smart...Well, Maybe

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4

Bob Stroud has been counting through the 1970s in his daily Ten at Ten on Chicago's WDRV, the Drive.  Yesterday, he did 1970 with songs like "Teacher" by Jethro Tull and "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz.  Today, he did 1971 with songs like "Going Mobile" by the Who and "Everythings Coming Our Way" by Santana.  Those were two great college years for me at NIU.  He will continue this the rest of the month going to 1980.  It streams at 10 am and 10 pm.

Drove to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to the Target store and bought a Consumer Cellular Smart Phone.  My friend Kelly is going to help me shed my old dumb ways.  It's going to be a long haul as when it comes to technology, I am severely challenged.

Met Kevin, Kelly, Pam and Laura at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and we had a good time with trivia.

We had no luck with our attempts to set up the phone.

It's Going to be a Long Road to Hoe with That "Smart" Phone.  --RoadDumb

Music Deaths 2022: Bob Neuwirth, Andy Fletcher and Alan White

BOB NEUWIRTH, 82

Died  18 May 2022

Folk singer/ songwriter.  Was road manager and associate of Bob Dylan and co-wrote Janis Joplins hit "Mercedes Benz."

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

ANDY FLETCHER, 60

Died 26 May 2022

Keyboard player and founding member of Depeche Mode.  "Enjoy the Silence"  (#8-1990) and "Personal Jesus"  (#28-1990)

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

ALAN WHITE , 72

Died 26 May 2022

Drummer with Yes and former member of the Plastic Ono Band.  Played drums on "Instant Karma" and "Imagine."  Joined Yes in 1972 and remained with them until his death.  Drummer on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (#1-1984).

Music Deaths 2022: Mickey Gilley and Vangelis

MICKEY GILLEY, 86

Died 7 May 2022

Singer (country/pop)  Became very popular after the movie "Urban Cowboy" was released.  Had pop hit with "Stand By Me" (#22-1980).  he also had 16 #1s in country music, including "Room Full of Roses"  (1974), "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time" (1976), "Stand By Me" (1980) and "Talk To Me" (1983)

I had my boots, cowboy hat and western shirt, but never rode no bull.

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VANGELIS, 79

Died 17 May 2022

Keyboard player/ composer (electronic / ambient / film scores).  Had a #1 song "Chariots of Fire" in 1982 from the movie of the same name.

New Year's Weekend 2022-2023

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30

Went to Sunnyside Tavern in the afternoon and met Kevin and Kelly at Johnny's Diner in Fox Lake for dinner before going to the Fox Lake American Legion for 50-50.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

Met Pam at the Windhill Pancake Parlor in McHenry, Illinois, and enjoyed the Christmas decorations.  They go overboard.  Later met Kevin and Kelly at the Fox Lake American Legion for the afternoon New Year's Eve Party with toasting at 4:30 pm.  That's my idea of "celebrating" the new year as it is hard to stay up past 11 pm for me anymore.  Enjoyed DJ Goldy, a real dj, not one of the new ones who do not interact with the crowd.

Watched the college playoffs at the Legion and at home in Margaritaville and was happy Texas Christian beat Michigan and especially happy about Georgia getting lucky and beating Ohio State.  (I went to UGA for a year, plus a whole lot of family went there.)

I actually managed to stay up to midnight.  Happy New Year!!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2023

I drove over to Squaw Bar in Ingleside to see the Bears play their game.  We used to get together with the "Usual Suspects" to watch the games here.  But, I hadn't been back there for years.  It was like old times, a fun place to watch the game with lots of fans.  Unfortunately, it was the 9th straight loss.

Then went over to Saylor Mick's, a new place in Spring Grove and had their $1 taco special and enjoyed the $1 pints of Hamm's.  This place used to be Tommy's and had huge crowds, especially during the Blackhawk games back 2010-2015.

--RoadNewYear

Past Movie Scratches: Wonderful-- Story-- Life-- Shooter-- Abiding-- Armageddon-- Ryan

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2021.

133.  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE"--  12-24--  That poor bridgetender.  "You look like an angel I'd get."  "You'll see a lot of strange things from now on."   Was that a bell ringing?

134.  A CHRISTMAS STORY--  12-25--  "Oh, Fudge."  Schwartz gets his (for no reason).  Good old Cleveland Street.  Higbee's.  My favorite Christmas movie.

135.  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE--  12-25--  Sadly, I am sure I could have a real good time in Pottersville.

136.  SHOOTER--  12-28--   Just who do you believe?  A certain set of shooting skills.

137.  LAW ABIDING CITIZEN--  12-28--  "You can't fight fate."  Definitely someone you don't want to anger.  Quite a skill set.

138.  ARMAGEDDON--  12-29--  A wacky group of wise crackers off to save the world.  Get off that nuclear weapon!

139.  JACK RYAN:  SHADOW RECRUIT--  12-30--  You just can't trust those Russians.  Getting more than he bargained for.

--RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn'y grow in it?