WLS Top 26 for Week of September 11, 1972-- Part 4: The Top Ten Songs, 'Back Stabber'

That's right, fifty years ago.  If you remember thesesongs you are more than a half century old.

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

10.  *BLACK AND WHITE--  Three Dog Night      #1     Reminds me of driving the ol' Ramblin' Wreck ('63 Rambler station wagon) on the Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, Illinois.

9.  *SATURDAY IN THE PARK--  Chicago    #3    Pound that piano, bring in the horns.

8.  ROCK & ROLL PART 2--  Gary Glitter    #7

7.  BACK STABBERS--  O'Jays    #3   

6.  YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce     #8     Sure wish we'd had him around longer.

5.  LONG COOL WOMAN--  Hollies     #2    Just when you thought they were finished.

4.  *BABY DON'T GET HOOKED ON ME--  Mac Davis    #1 for three weeks.

3.  ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)--  Gilbert O'Sullivan    #1   It was #1 for six weeks.

2.  *I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU--  Al Green   #3

1.  BRANDY--  Looking Glass.     #1    This is its third straight week in a row at #1 on the WLS survey.  It was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week.

I don't know about you, but this is one of the best Top Tens I've ever seen.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "People Dancing, People Laughing, A Man Selling Ice Cream."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Saturday in the Park"

An Oktoberfest Kind of Weekend-- Part 3: Radio, Stucky's, Uncle Willie, Bears

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

As always, listened to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots on WDRV from 7 to 10 a.m. and recorded Terri Hemmert's Breakfast With the Beatles (on cassette) on WXRT.  On the internet and the #1 song in Chicago Sept. 23, 1968, was "Fire" by the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.  If you want to see a crazy video, watch it on You Tube.

Drove by Sunnyside in Johnsburg to watch the Bears-Cardinals game, but it was too crowded.  We turned around in the Angelo's, Stucky's parking lot and saw a guy out on the Stucky deck singing, so figured we'd stop to hear him and enjoy the $1.50 drafts.

It turned out that the performer was Uncle Willie, one of our favorite entertainers these days, so we just stayed and partied with him.  He even knew and sang one of out favorite songs, "Two Hangmen" by Mason Proffitt."  That song takes us back to our college days as the group often performed at NIU and DeKalb.

Plus, the Bears really stunk it up in the first half.  When Uncle Willie quit, we went inside and watched the 4th quarter and Da Bears rallied to win!!!

Then to Sunnyside and home.

Too Much Fun.  --RoadDog

MURPHY'S PHOTOGRAPHER'S LAW:  The other best shots are generally attempted through the lens cap.

DeKalb Footstompers Setlist, March 25, 2018-- Part 3

**  Footstomper original

Third Set

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Mountain of Love
Do You F*** on First Dates?**

Kansas City
Bring It On Home
I Fought the Law

Runaway
International Waltz**
Memphis

Secret Agent Man
Who Stole the Kishka
Polish Polka

Sweet Caroline
NIU Sorority Bitch**
Goodnight Irene

Purple Haze

Like I said, sure gonna miss dese guys.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Breaking Rocks In The Hot Sun."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

ABOUT US SEENAGERS (Senior Teenagers):  I have an ID that gets me into bars and liquor stores.  You don't.

"I Fought the Law"

Happy 44th Anniversary, Liz!!

Forty-four years ago today, Liz and I got married in DeKalb, Illinois, at the Newman Center on the campus of Northern Illinois University,where we had graduated in May.  We had the reception at the Holiday Inn (now Red Roof Inn) in DeKalb.

We then drove out to Galena, Illinois, and to our room at the Palace Motel (now the Ramada Inn).  Galena had not yet become the big tourist spot it is today.

We went back to Galena Wednesday and are still here today.

That Was One Busy Day.  --RoadDog

Is It DeKalb or Dekalb?

While writing about going to DeKalb for the NIU game, I took a look at the name of the town, DeKalb, and started thinking that maybe it didn't look right. Maybe I wasn't spelling it correctly. Until now, I always spelled it Dekalb with a small "k." //// I looked it up on the internet and it turns out that it is spelled with a capital "K." Looks like I would have noticed that at some point after all these years. //// Oh well, guess its better late than never. //// This joins my list of dumbies like Niagra Falls (Niagara) and Cutty Shark (Cutty Sark). //// Well, at least I always pronounced it correctly as DE-kalb, not de-kab as folks in Georgia do. //// Never Too Old to Learn Something. --RoadDog

Went to DeKalb for Da Game-- Part 2

On the way to DeKalb, we noticed gas prices at $3.36 in DeKalb and Sycamore. Went to barnes & Noble on Sycamore Road (IL-23) and Wal-Mart. Found out you don't want to go to Wal-Mart the day after Christmas. //// Went over to a house that decorates big-time for the holidays and even has its own FM station to watch the display. It was Nick's Christmas Extravaganza and we parked on the side of the road and watched the four musical displays, including the NIU Huskie Fight Song. We had seen the house on You Tube last year. Mighty impressive display! We're now officially in the mood for Da Game with Utah State. //// Checked into the Baymont Hotel and then walked over to Fatty's and found two seats at the bar. We were set for the night and, hopefully a Northern victory. //// GO HUSKIES!!! Thanks, Nick! --RoadDog

Went to DeKalb for Da Game-- Part 1

Yesterday, we drove to DeKalb, Illinois, to watch the Northern Illinois Poinsettia Bowl game against Utah State. We figured to watch it at Fatty's Bar and Grill on the Lincoln Highway with a whole bunch of NIU fans. Always more fun to watch a game on TV with a bunch of fans. (We have a group of Usual Suspects with whom we watch most Chicago Bear games at local watering holes, usually the Squaw Bar in Ingleside. We'll be there this Sunday for the game with arch rival Green Bay for the NFC Central Chamoionship.) //// And Fatty's was packed and boisterous. (It was one of the official watch sites for NIU fans for the Poinsettia Bowl and essentially is Huskie football headquarters all season long.) //// Why, I even cheered for Bowling Green against Pittsburgh in the Little Caesar's Bowl which was on before our game. Hey, have to cheer for the MAC (unless, of course, it's the hated Toledo Rockets). They (Bowling Green) were the ones who knocked us out of the BCS bowl appearance when they trounced us in the MAC Championship game earlier this month. I just hope that at some point in the future we will be able to devastate them in a game with such high stakes. //// Then, we were on ESPN at 8:30. //// And It Was Sad. --RoadDog

The Bronze Stalk Trophy-- Part 1

Watching the game Wednesday Night at Antonio's in Spring Grove, I saw this trophy many times and then the NIU team carried it off the field at the end of the game. I don't recall ever hearing about it before, so had to do some research.

From Wikipedia.

This is a fairly new trophy and goes to the winner of the annual Ball State- Northern Illinois MAC game. It began in 2008.

The impressive trophy was designed by nationally recognized sculptor and DeKalb, Illinois (Home of NIU), artist Renee Bemis, who also designed the new statue by the Chessick/Yordon Centers at Huskie Stadium featuring the three Huskies (dogs) which was just unveiled October 28th.

The Bronze Stalk Trophy  features intertwined stalks of corn done in bronze. The corn, of course, represents all the corn around the campuses of the two schools. When Bill Cosby opened the new NIU Convocation Center, he said that as soon as he stepped off the plane in DeKalb, a woman came up to him, handed him an ear of corn and said, "Welcome to DeKalb."

Pretty Corny If You Ask Me. --RoadDog

Mighty Big Game for NIU Tomorrow...Mighty Big One 30 Years Ago

Of course, the NIU game against Ball State tomorrow at 7 AM CST is going to be huge for the Huskies, probably their biggest-ever game. We'd really love to go to it, but at our age, sitting out in all that cold which came in yesterday, at night, just isn't a great idea.

I am reading my journal for 1983 and came across another really big game for Northern Illinois back on today's date in 1983 when we played the Toldeo Rockets, already back then, a long-term nemesis. I was at the game, which was played on a Saturday afternoon.

Here is what I wrote: "I went to probably the biggest-ever game in NIU history with the Toledo Rockets. A Northern loss would have kept us away from the California Bowl and insured Toledo another trip to it.

I met Jerry, his wife Nancy, and Kevin (Kevin and Jerry were high school friends at Palatine and went to NIU with me) at the Jungle. I then went to the Sharp Photocopying place in the Junction shopping area. They make copies for 3 cents but unfortunately they are closed on Saturdays. (I was going to make copies of my new deejay contract.)

The game was in progress when we got there but it didn't take NIU long to score. I jumped up and the bottle of schnaaps I had for warmth (and toasting) went flying out of my pocket and shattered on the stadium floor. What a waste!!

There was a placard section on the east side which spelled out "Tuck Foledo." Every so often they would interchange the F and T.

Big, Big, Big Victory!! Students took down a goal post and took it to the Lagoon in celebration."

This Was a Huge Win for Northern and we did end up going to the California Bowl Where I Believe We Played Fresno State, the Team We Are Now Competing With for a BCS Bowl Spot

--RoadDog

JSS: Geneva Lake-- Dekalb-- Sycamore

JSS-- Just Some Stuff

1. GENEVA LAKE-- Yesterday, we took a ride around Geneva Lake, Wisconsin, looking for color. Found some, but the wave is still not there yet (and perhaps not coming as then has been a strange fall foliage season).

2. DEKALB-- Driving out there in a few hours for the Chessick Center dedication (indoor football practice field), president's reception and my third college football game in three weekends (NIU, Northwestern, NIU).

3. SYCAMORE-- Sunday we are going to see the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival parade.

Coming to the End of Fall, Sigh! --RoadDog

Football, Parades and Boating Over Last Five Days

FRIDAY, OCT. 11TH:   Boating. Richmond-Burton High School victory over Burlington Central.

SATURDAY OCT. 12TH: Drive to Dekalb for NIU's 108th Homecoming. Alumni Tent Area. Met author of new "Huskie Football" book and new NIU President Doug Baker. Seats on the 45 yardline. NIU wins. Dekalb Footstompers at Lord Stanley's.

SUNDAY, OCT. 13TH: NIU souveniers and CDs at Wal-Mart and Barnes & Nobles. Breakfast of Champions at White Castle. Marengo Settler's Day Parade. Bar-Hopping at Coleman's and Red Mill in Woodstock.

MONDAY, OCT. 14TH: Halloween decorations. Boating. Kevin and Kelly. American Legion and NTN and pizza at J's.

TUESDAY, OCT. 14TH: Movie "Gravity." Shopping in McHenry.

Great Time. --RoadDog

NIU Homecoming 2013: Congrats Dekalb Footstompers on 40th Anniversary

After the game, as has been our custom for most of the last 40 years, we adjourned to Lord Stanley's in downtown Dekalb on the Lincoln Highway for the Dekalb Footstompers. The first whole bunch of years they were at Andy's, right down the street. They then moved to the Shamrock which is now Lord Stanley's, a hockey bar. Win or lose (we won), we get to hear and yell out "The Huskie Fight Song," a Footstomper staple.

We were a bit too late to find seats at first, but Liz, the master seat/barstool acquisition expert, eventually got two together. We are not the only alumni who don't consider it a proper homecoming unless they get their yearly Stomper dose.  Hey, a four piece band featuring drums, guitar, tuba and accordion can't be all bad. You haven't lived until you've heard them play rock songs like that, especially "Purple Haze." Of course, they can play polkas and oom-pah music. In addition, they have all sorts of their own songs like "Vasectomy" and "NIU Sorority Bitch." "Rocky Top" always gets a great ovation.

Thanks For All of the Good Times, Footstomper Guys. It Wouldn't Be Homecoming Without You. --RoadDog

Just Got Back: 40th Anniversary-- Part 1: (August 26th) To Dubuque

We just arrived back home after four days on the road, celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. As friends told us, that's a l-o-n-g time.

AUGUST 26TH, MONDAY: Out to Dekalb, Illinois, where we were married August 25, 1973. Lunch at Fanatico's, a new Italian restaurant with our scholarship person, Terri. We have a scholarship at Northern Illinois in education that we are building.

Then, drove by the Newman Center, where we were married and the Best Western on Lincoln Highway where we had our wedding reception.

Took that scenic US-20 from Rockford to Galena, then stopped for cocktails at the VFW, Paradise Bar and Grill and the Log Cabin. Forty years ago on this date, we ate our first meal after the wedding here, but not today as we were too full from lunch and had too much left over.

Swiss Inn in East Dubuque had no vacancy, so ended up at the Best Western in Dubuque. Met some friendly people at Champps and went to bed.

A Real L-o-n-g Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away.... --RoadDog

Star Trek in the Dorm Room Back in 1969

I don't think I had ever watched the TV show "Star Trek" when it aired, but things changed in the fall of 1969 after I got to Lincoln Hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

My roommate was Chuck from a small town near Peoria and he had a little 12-inch black and white TV. Only one other room on the 24-room dorm floor (3rd floor A Wing if I remember) had a TV other than one in the meeting room in the middle.

Every night after dinner, Chuck and I would go back to our room and I would commence reading my copy of the Chicago Daily News that my parents had subscribed for me and right at 6 PM (or was it 7 PM?) the number of occupants in the room would jump to anywhere from ten to sixteen. There'd be guys sitting everywhere, four across the edges of the bunk beds. You couldn't walk across the floor.

WGN, Channel 9, would have a rerun of Star Trek at that time. I became a "Trekkie" at the time. (But watching the old episodes now, I have to admit they were probaby the worst acted things since "The Lone Ranger.) We would all watch intently and have discussions about it afterwards before the all-night card games would get started. Hearts being the favorite.

These, Of Course, Being the Days Before All That Technology Reached Colleges. --RoadDog

Lincoln Highway Centennial Rendezvous in Dekalb

Yesterday, I drove to Dekalb to do my little bit for the Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration, meeting up with fellow Road Warrior, Denny.  This is the short version.  There will be a longer one in my RoadDog Roadlog Blog today.

I did my usual music thing (CDs and radio) to Dekalb and noticed gas prices getting cheaper as I got farther away from Chicago.  Lots of new ponds from all the rain of late and even a creek to ford across Queen Anne Road in Woodstock.

Bought a WWII book and CDs at Barnes & Nobles, had Sliders at the Castle and a search at Wal-Mart for Blackhawk Stanley Cup gear and flowers, of course.  More flowers at Lowe's.  Then drove around the campus, went to VCB, then a drive to Dekalb's east side on the LH and a cool-off and drink at McDonald's.

Only saw five LH caravan cars and got together with Denny.  Took him by Altgeld Hall, The Castle on the Hill) and gave up trying to navigate one-way roads and bus only streets to Cole Hall.  Then to Fatty's and met up with three of Denny's friends on the caravan and their first taste of deep-fried Cajun potato salad, but no beer nuggets.

They headed to the LH Headquarters at Franklin Grove and I went home.  Stopped at the Wal-Mart in Woodstock, Dick's Sporting Goods and the Wal-Mart in McHenry looking for Hawk gear.  Mission accomplished.

Home in time for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "Night Gallery."

And, Made Big Oil So Happy, Driving 140 Miles.  --RoadDog

Heading Over for the Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration

In a few hours I'll be driving out to Dekalb, Illinois, to see the eastern caravan of classic cars pass through on its way to Kearney, Nebraska, for the big to-do this weekend and the Lincoln Highway Association annual conference next week.

I plan on meeting my buddy Denny in his '63 Comet convertible who has been with the caravan ever since it left New York City Sunday.  I'll show him around Northern Illinois University's lagoon, Altgeld Hall, "The Castle on the Hill" and oldest building and Cole Hall, where the Valentine's Day killings took place five years ago.

Then, on to Fatty's on Lincoln Highway to introduce him to deep-fried Cajun potato salad and beer nuggets, two Dekalb traditions.

I'll then follow along to Rochelle and Franklin Grove before returning home.

Should Be a Real Lincoln Highway Thing Today.  --RoadDog

Ten Things You Need to Know About Northern Illinois-- Part 1

From the Dec. 11, 2012, USA Today by Paul Myerburg.

1.  Dekalb, where NIU is located) is roughly an hour west of Chicago.  (Illinois Route 38 forms the southern boundaro of campus.  It is called Lincoln Highway and is part of the United States' first transcontinental road, 1913's Lincoln Highway.)

2.  Barbed wire was patented by Dekalb resident Joseph Glidden in 1874 who donated 74 acres of land to create Northern Illinois State Normal School in 1895.  Became NIU in 1957.  (A normal school was to train teachers.  Supposedly, town fathers dammed up the Kishwaukee River, normally more of a slow-moving creek during the summer.  When state official came out to investigate the site, the dam was broken and it appeared there was a good-sized river flowing through campus, which swayed the decision.)

3.  NIU is one of only two schools to win 11 or more games in each of the last three years.  Oregon is the other one.

4.  One of only five schools to have ten or more wins in each of the last three years with Oregon, LSU, Stanford and Alabama. 

5.  NIU has won nine or more games in a row the last three years.  Northern won nine games in a row in 2010 and 2011 and 12 straight this year.

Five More on Monday.  --RoadDog

Waiting to Get Married 39 Years Ago

Brother Bob, cousin Joe and I were at the apartment in Des Plaines, Illinois, getting ready to drive to Dekalb for Liz and my wedding about this time 39 years ago.

Once there, we checked in with everyone at the Holiday Inn on Lincoln Highway and then I took them for a tour of the campus.  Hey, the groom is just so  much clutter at a wedding.  Almost an afterthought.

We must have been a bit late getting back as Dad was REALLY ANGRY.

Liz and I were married at the Newman Center by the Northern Illinois campus by Father Dan

The wedding reception was at the Holiday Inn.  We left about 11 PM and drove our new car, the '73 Pinto, to Galena, Illinois, for the honeymoon.  Seemed like we drove forever and was I ever tired.  Neither of us had ever been to Galena before.  At one point, I saw cliffs beside the road and was wondering where in the world we were.  Illinois shouldn't be having cliffs.

I remember hearing "China Grove" by the Doobie Brothers and "Frankenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group on WLS-Am on the drive.  Those two songs always remind me of our Forever Drive that night and  wee hours of the morning.

Arrived at the Palace Motel way late.  The owners had gone to bed and left the room open for us.

Definitely shouldn't have driven all that way.

But We Were So Much Younger Way Back Then.  --RoadDog

A trip Out to the Country-- Part 2

October 15th-- Saturday

Met up with some NIU folks at the alumni tailgating section and had a great meal at the College of Education tent where we met the dean and some profs.

Decided not to see the game at Huskie Stadium because it was too cold with the wind.

Drove downtown and went to Sully's and watched the first half of the game (with NIU losing 15-13). Then staked our seats at the bar at Lord Stanleys's and watched the second half when Northern came roaring back to win 51-22!

The Dekalb Footstompers played their 38th straight NIU Homecoming show and had the place jumping as usual.

Stopped at Pizza Pros for beer nuggets and a few more drinks before turning in.


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16th

Breakfast of Champions at White Castle. Home. Then watched the Packers win at Donovan's in Twin Lakes. Watched Da Bears actually play some football at Margaritaville.

All In All, Not a Bad Weekend. --RoadDog

JSS: Route 66-- End Boating?-- World Series-- Too Much Fun

JSS-- Just Some Stuff


1. ROUTE 66-- Real happy to see a front page article in the October 15th Chicago Tribune on our beloved Route 66 here in Illinois "Foreigners' ultimate road trip" by Vikki Ortiz Healy. You should check it out. Too bad foreigners seem to know and love the old road better than most Americans.

Like I tell foreigners, "You get to see the real America with the "Good, the bad and ugly." And take a trip back to the 40s-50s as well.


2. END BOATING?-- Thinking of taking the boat out one more time, making our goal of 40 times for the season, despite not starting until after the 4th of July and some pretty bad September weather. Not great today, only about 60 degrees, but let's hit out goal.


3. WORLD SERIES-- Watched the Brewer-Cardinal game last night. Too bad. Same with the Tiger-Ranger game. I was hoping for an all-Midwest World Series with Brewers vs. Tigers. At least we did get one Midwest team in.

Not sure who to pull for now. The Cards are my 4th favorite team (Brewers 3rd) and they are Midwest. Texas is American League (my favorite) and even though in the Series last year, have a history of losing going back to their Washington Senators days (even though they and equally hapless Kansas City As swept my all-time favorite team, the 1967 White Sox at the end of that season to knock us out of the World Series). I'll have to think about it.


4. TOO MUCH FUN-- One great weekend this past. Relived the glory daze of our college experience to the fullest at Northern Illinois' 104th Homecoming. Met our college dean, some profs, some bar owners, lots of alumni and lots of drunks.

Went to one new restaurant and one new bar. Did the Lincoln Crawl (as in the famous old Lincoln Highway), hitting seven bars on it in the space of a half mile. NIU won!! Got our fill of beer nuggets. And, then, the Dekalb Footstompers did their usual fun show at Lord Stanley's.

What to Do next. --RoadDog


PARAPROSDOKIAN SENTENCE: Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of a pool and throw them fish.