Mr. O'Connor's Top 25 Paul McCartney Beatle Songs-- Part 2

15.  *Paperback Writer
14.  *I Got to Get You Into My Life
13.  Michelle
12.  *I'm Looking Through You (Great song, but I really love to put those little eyeballs into the doule "o"s.
11.  *Good Day Sunshine

10.  Eleanor Rigby
9.  *We Can Work It Out
8.  And I Love Her
7.  Mother Nature's Son
6.  Martha My Dear

5.  *Things We Said Today
4.  *For No One
3.  Here, There and Everywhere
2.  "I've Just Seen a Face
1.  Penny Lane

Numbers 1 and 10 sure paint word pictures.

OK, So It Was 11 Favorites.  --RoadDog

Good Times This Past Weekend

Thursday--  After boating on the Chain, it was on to Donovan's for NTN and Italian beef samwiches.

FRIDAY--  The movie "Men In Black 3" and the Spring Grove Fish Boil to raise money for the Spring Grove Fish Hatchery Park.  At one time, this hatchery provided fish for most of the state's waters.  They had a band, but they were playing dinner music, so left after eating.

Met the Usual Suspects at Stormy Monday on Fox Lake.

SATURDAY--  Boated over to McDonald's for breakfast and just got the boat covered before it rained.  In the evening, we saw the band HiFi Superstars at the Fox Lake Lakefront Park and then went over to Captain's Quarters on Fox Lake and saw the high energy band Sucker Punch.

SUNDAY--  Worked in the yard, then met the Usual Suspects over at Caprtain's again for the band Selective Recall who play some real great 80s music.

Not a Bad Weekend.  --RoadDog

Mr. O'Connor's Top 25 Paul McCartney Beatles Songs-- Part 1

From the June 14th List of the Day by Rob O'Connor.  These are in no particular order and for no particular reason.  Just a way to salute the McC.  An asterisk means it would be in my Top Ten.  O'Connor has comments, but these are mine.

25.  Hey Jude (Played to death back then.  I still have a hard time hearing it.)
24.  Yesterday  (Give me Scrambled Eggs Anytime.)
23.  The Fool On the Hill (In my case it would be (Fool in the Yard.")
22.  Helter Skelter (Too Mansonish.)
21.  Blackbird

20.  I'll Follow the Sun
19.  *Back in the USSR
18.  I Will
17.  *I Saw Her Standing There
16.  *All My Loving

Mote to Come.  --RoadDog

Give Me Those Summer Songs and the Sixties!!

Of music note, Bob Stroud, on Chicago's WDRV, the Drive, will be doing these in the upcoming week.

Today, on his Ten at Ten show, he will be playing ten great songs from 1969.  The music is great, but I also love the bits he does about the year every two songs, and, you get to vote on your favorite one.  Then, on Friday, he does 1968.

This will be at 10 AM, CSDT and it will be repeated at 10 PM, if you miss it.

Then, Sunday, Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots Show is his annual ode to Summer, it being the first full weekend of summer.  Then, July 1st, it's his part 2 of his four-part salute to the Summer of '72, forty years ago.

Don't live near Chicago?  The show streams over you-know-what at http://www.wdrv.com/.

I'll be Listnin' Shortly.  --RoadDog

The 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812

Todays marks the United States declaration of war on England back in 1812, starting the War of of 1812,  This is a largely forgotten war, but I started a blog on it back in April, Not So Fortgotten: The War of 1812.  I must admit that I have found out a lot about it in my research.

Take a Look at the Blog.  --RoadDog

Happy 70th, Paul McC

I should mention that today marks the 70th birthday of one Paul McCartney of that real old group, Wings and himself.  So, he has passed up "When I'm 64" and even his Route 66 sojourn when he turned 66 (something I want to do).

I was actually more of a George fan, but, could put up with Paul.  His group was the one that got me interested in music, so, they had a HUGE impact on me.  I didn't just spend a little over a quarter century deejaying parties for nothing and am now "stuck" with many old tech albums, 45s, cassettes and soon-to-be obsolete CDs.  Why, I even have some, not many, 8-tracks and reel-to-reel tapes.

Yesterday, WDRV's Bob Stroud played the entire Ram album, McCartney's second solo album in 1971.  Other than "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" and a few others that I have heard on Terri Hemmert's Breakfast With the Beatles Show on WXRT, I really hadn't heard too much of it, but must admit I liked it a lot, especially "Smile Away."   Of course, the world's biggest Beatle fan, Terri Hemmert, devoted her whole show to Paul McCartney music.

Go Ahead, Paul, Impact My Life.  --RoadDog

Blogger Still Essentially Down, But Having More Fun

Even though Blogspot has elected to hassle me and NOT TELL WHY, I find that the added time is well spent both working in the yard and, of course, boating.  All they will say is that my browser is no longer supported by Blogger.  Looks like I'll need to start searching for a new home for my blogs.

People ask me why, if we are both retired, we don't move from here,  Hey, summer here on the Chain of Lakes and in northeastern Illinois is as much fun as you can have anywhere else.

Just this past weekend, we saw three bands outside and boated over to McDonald's for breakfast (not many places you can do that) and ate on the boat.

Talking 'Bout the Yard Tomorrow,  --RoadDog

Still Down

Day three with the Blogger problems. I realize that Blogger and Google are so huge that they can't really deal with just one person, but, I sure wish they would tell me why they are doing this to me. 

But, actually, it is a good thing because we now have the boat in the water which means I will be giving time to that, plus, there is always the yard, and I really do need to clean the garage, sunroom, study and utility room, so this will give me more time.

I will continue to do posts on my other three blogs on the unaffected dashboard as long as I can until they too are shut down are extremely limited as these four are.

This is the second time since Jan. 1st that Blogger has done this to me.

Sure Wish I Knew What Was Going On.  --RoadDog

The Drive's Z to A: Day One

Apparently the good folks at Google have decided to do their Tuesday thing they do every so often and mess up my blogging for this blog as well as the World War II, history and War of 1812 ones.

Sadly, they don't say what the problem is, just that they are no longer supporting my browser.  The only thing they offer is to try Google Chrome.

I'll be back or elsewhere as soon as I get it sorted out.

Kiss These Once-Popular Home Features Goodbye

From Yahoo! Finance from Market Watch.

If you're planning on having these in your new house, probably better to forget them.

1.  Outdoor kitchen and outdoor fire place.

2.  Sunroom (Hey, I have one and really enjoy it.)

3.  2-story family room.  (Looks neat, but a real waste of space.)

4.  Media Room (Overkill)

5.  2-story foyer  (Another waste of space.)

6.  Luxury master bedroom  (Why would you want to get away from the kids?)

7.  Formal living room  (Probably the biggest waste of space these days.  We put Liz's 'puter in there, so it now gets use.). 

8.  Whirlpool tubs  (Hey, I work hard and deserve something soothing.)

9.  Master-planned development.  (I like these, myself.)

Personally, I Like #2 and #8.  --RoadDog


OLDSTER BUMPER STICKERS:  At my age..."Gettin' Any?" means sleep.

Three Days, 5 Bars, Three Bands and a Chain Crawl

The boating season has arrived.  Each of the last three days, we saw more and more boats out on the Chain of Lakes here in northeast Illinois.

FRIDAY, MAY 11TH

Met the Usual Suspects at Stormy Monday on Fox Lake.  Terry and Gregg Spizzirri dropped by after their Happy Hour gig at Lindy's Landing in Wauconda and played an hour set.  They will be back in June.


SATURDAY MAY 12TH

Chain Crawl Kick-Off Party.  Picked up passport, book and tee shirt at the American Legion.  Had a Red Solo Cup party at the Mineola and had a great time with Doug Autry entertaining at Stormy Monday.  Back to the Mineola for some really bad karaoke and more Red Solo cups.  This could be the last time there as the place most likely will be closing this week.


SUNDAY, MAY 13TH

Worked in the yard all three days.  Gorged ourselves at the China Buffet in Fox Lake (crablegs, seven kinds of shrimp, all sorts of shell fish, salmon, roast beef and hand dipped ice cream.

Then to Route 12 Bar and a show by Just Jake.

Good Times in the Area and the Boating season is Just Getting Started.  --RoadDog

Where Were You May 6, 1974?-- Part 2

OH MY MY--  RINGO STARR--  ex-Beatles all over the radio.
I'VE BEEN SEARCHING SO LONG--  CHICAGO--  featuring a nice guitar solo by Jerry Kapp.

STAR BABY--  GUESS WHO--  Big hit in Chicago.  (Another Great White North band.)
THE SHOW MUST GO ON--  THREE DOG NIGHT--  They racked up a lot of numbers in sales from'69 to '76.  (I love the circus feel to this one.)

BENNY AND THE JETS--  ELTON JOHN--  From Goodbye Yellow brick Road.  (Old Elton sure ruled the waves back then.)
MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS--  MARIA MULDAUR--  One of the great guitar solos of the decade by Amos Garrett.  (And, then, Maria kicked in with all those octaves.)

I'LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  JIM CROCE--  a posthumous release.  (What could he have done had he been around longer.  Jim, we hardly knew ye.)
TUBULAR BELLS--  MICHAEL OLDFIELD--  From the beautifully peaceful (Croce) to the frightful. From the movie "Exorcist." 

OH VERY YOUNG--  CAT STEVENS--  From the Top Ten album Buddha and the Chocolate Factory.  (You always have to wonder how he came up with that album title.)
RAISED ON ROBBERY--  JONI MITCHELL--  These last two were a couple tracks from the two biggest albums in town, both in the Top Ten in sales.  This one from Court and Spark.  (One of my all-time favorite albums.)

LOCO-MOTION--  GRAND FUNK--  the #1 song here in Chicago.  (What happened to Railroad?)

What Was the Name of Benny's Band?  --RoadDog

Where Were You May 6, 1974?-- Part 1

I remember I was finishing up my first year of teaching at John T, Magee Middle School in Round Lake, Illinois, and commuting from our apartment in Des Plaines in our trusty new Ford Pinto with the manual transmission.  Liz was still working at General Finance Corporation in Evanston next to Dyche Staidium.

Every Friday, I stopped at the Last Chance in Grayslake for a faculty get-together after school.  Sure glad the cops weren't so much into DUIs back then.

From Bob Stroud's Mat 6th Rock and Roll Roots Time Warp.

MOCKINGBIRD--  CARLY SIMON AND JAMES TAYLOR-- Very close, both humanely and musically.
LET IT RIDE--  BTO--  From the Great White North. (Canada, that is.)

FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY--  O'JAYS-- out of Philadelphia
COME AND GET YOUR LOVE--  REDBONE--  Redbone

BAND ON THE RUN--  PAUL McCARTNEY--  title track from his new album.
JET--  PAUL McCARTNEY--  falling down the charts

What People Will Do for the Love of .....  --RoadDog


OLDSTER BUMPER STICKERS:  I Don't Exercise: It Makes My Coffee Spill.

It's Them, Not Me: Now here's a Real Big Shocker

From the May 8th Northwest Herald "Exxon Mobil tops Fortune 500 list."

Hard to believe it, but someway, some how, this Big Oil Company has managed to make a LOT OF MONEY!!  They bumped Wal-Mart from first place among Fortune 500's top revenue-generating U.S. companies.  Two other Big Oil Companies ranked behind Wal-Mart for third and 4th: Chevron and ConocoPhillips. 

For 2011, Exxon Mobil reported revenue of $486 billion while Wal Mart came in at $444 billion.

I am anxiously awaiting to find out what their first quarter profits were.  They had to have been huge!!

How Can This Be?  --RoadDog

It's Them, Not Me: Obama Getting Tough on Oil Speculators?

From the April 18th Chicago Tribune "Obama: get tough on oil speculators" by Kathleen Hennessey and Morgan Little.

Finally, the president is facing heat for these ridiculous gas prices and he is trying to shift the blame to Congress, Republicans and traders.  He wants "more cops on the beat" to crack down on price manipulations.

Obama wants more money from Congress to add $52 million to the budget of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission  saying  "We can't afford a situation where some speculators can reap millions while millions of American families get the short end of the stick."

Analysts have said that speculators are a factor in the recent spike in oil prices, but are not the main reason.  They blame it on global demand.  I'm sure demand plays some role, but then there are those who stand to make big profit from high oil prices and that would be oil-producing countries and states as well as Big Oil.

Obama needs to be Doing a Lot More Than Just Lip Service.  Time to Start Working on Controls.  Like We Used to Say in Teaching, "If Someone Doesn't Play Well With Others..."  --RoadDog

Where Were You May 6, 1969?-- Part 3

GET BACK--  BEATLES--  A new Beatles 45, and, as was so often the case, John had one side and Paul the other, and, as so often was the case toward the end, anyway, John had the "B" side.
DON'T LET ME DOWN--  BEATLES--  "B" side.  Billy Preston was featured on the keyboards on both sides.

I CAN HEAR MUSIC--  BEACH BOYS--  From the 20-20 album.  Old Ronettes song, produced and sung by the late-great Carl Wilson.
PINBALL WIZARD--  WHO--  The streamin', waxin', flaxin' sounds from the upcoming Tommy album.

HAIR--  COWSILLS--  From the Off-Broadway musical.  (led the way for "The Partridge Family" on TV.  Kind of sad what has happened to the boys in the family.)
HAWAII-FIVE-O--  VENTURES--  Book 'em Stroudo!  One of the big TV shows back then and today.

THESE EYES--  GUESS WHO--  debuting on RCA Records with their first hit.  (Oh, those Canadians.)
THE BOXER--  SIMON AND GARFUNKEL--  One of two #1 songs in Chicago.  This one #1 at WLS.  The #1 at WCFL was "Guitarzan" by the always-out-to-tickle-your-funny-bone, Ray Stevens.

"Though My Stoey's Seldom Told."  --RoadDog


OLDSTER BUMPER STICKERS:  I'm Speeding Because I Have to get There Before I Forget Where I'm Going.

Where Were You May 6, 1969?-- Part 2

YOU'VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY--  BS&T--  From their second album.  Originally a Motown 1967 hit for Brenda Holloway.
I COULD NEVER LIE TO YOU--  NEW COLONY SIX--  Chicago band that placed more hits on the local charts than any other in the 1960s.

ATLANTIS--  DONOVAN--  his last US Top Ten single.
SWEET CHERRY WINE--  TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS--  Tommy James has some big things going on for him these days.

IT'S YOUR THING--  ISLEY BROTHERS--  #1 here in Chicago for awhile.  Great Groove.
NOTHING BUT A HEARTACHE--  FLIRTATIONS--  One of my favorite one-hit wonders from back then from a girl group  .Kind of a rip-off of an old Small Faces tune called "Tin Soldier."  I love the chord progression.

AGE OF AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN--  From the Off-Broadway, soon to be Broadway musical "Hair."
GOODBYE--  MARY HOPKIN--  Written by Paul McCartney.

More to Come.  --RoadDog


OLDSTER BUMPER STICKER:  I Don't Think About Dying.  It's the Last Thing I Want to Do.

Where Were You May 6, 1969?-- Part 1

This past Sunday WDRV's Bob Stroud went back to May 6, 1969 on his Rock and Roll Roots show and since we didn't go on the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor celebration, I got to listen to it.

May 6th, 1969, I was a senior at Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois, getting ready to graduate in about a month.  I had already been accepted at Northern Illinois University.  I'm not sure if we had had prom yet, but Liz and I were going (I'll have to ask her).  Liz was going to Harper College in Palatine, so we weren't sure how that would affect our relationship (going steady).

I was working at Burger King in Palatine on Northwest Highway (US-14) and earning a whopping $1.55 making those Whoppers.  Liz would be  working with her dad at general Finance Corporation in Evanston that summer (earning considerably more, but not having as much fun). The Burger King is now Photos.

These were the songs playing on Chicago radio 43 years ago (man, that's getting near HALF a CENTURY!!!

MORE THAN YESTERDAY--  SPIRAL STAIRCASE--  These first two songs were brand new this week back then.
SORRY SUZANNE--  HOLLIES--  A band we had been familiar with for the past 4-5 years.  (And those great vocal harmonies.)

TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY--  MARVIN GAYE--  Brand new from the Motown legend.
MR. SUN, MR. MOON--  PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS--  from the West Coast.  (Not one of their bigger hits.)

More to Come.  --RoadDog


OLDSTER BUMPER STICKERS:  Young at Heart.  Slightly Older in Other Places.