Where Were You in 1967?

Okay, 53 years ago.

I was a just getting ready to begin my junior year at Palatine Township High School in Palatine, Illinois.  My athletic career had been cut short the year earlier when I broke my leg in wrestling, but I joined the school newspaper as a sportswriter and became sports editor my senior year.

I met Liz at a party in November, and the rest, as they say, is history.  We are still married, celebrating our 47th anniversary this August 25.

Bob Stroud played 1967 on his Ten at Ten on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1, 96.9 FM on Wednesday, July 29.   It brought back some memories.

AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH--  Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
GIMME SOME LOVIN'--  Spencer Davis Group
FIXIN'-A-HOLE--  Beatles

SWALBR--  Cream
CARRIE ANNE--  Hollies
CASTLES MADE OF SAND--  Jimi Hendrix
DANDELION--  Rolling Stones

LITTLE BIT OF SOUL--  Music Explosion
WHITER SHADE OF PALE--  Procul Harum
I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW--   Tommy James & the Shondells

That Real Fine Year--  Road'67

WLS Top 40 for October 7, 1968: "White Room"

Fifty years ago.

15.  WHITE ROOM--  Cream      #6     The way to begin a song.  Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.

14.  HUSH--  Deep Purple    #4    Their first of three straight reimagined cover songs.  "Kentucky Woman" and "River Deep-Mountain High."  Watch out for that wolf.  Great opening guitar and organ riffs.

13.  TIME HAS COME TODAY--   Chambers Brothers    #11.  Their biggest hit.  One of my all-time favorite songs.  The perfect change to or from Daylight-Savings Time song.  Four brothers from Mississippi.  "Cuckoo!!"

12.  I GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU--  Bee Gees   #8   Born in Manchester, England.  Moved to Australia and back to England in 1967.  When I first heard them "New York Mining Disaster 1941" I was sure they were really the Beatles singing under another name.  Hey, Bee Gees could be Beatles, you know.

11.  ON THE ROAD AGAIN--  Canned Heat     #16   Great road cruisin' song.    Blues-Rock band formed in Los Angels in 1966.  Bob "The Bear" Hite on lead vocals and harmonica.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "The Preacher Talked To me And He Smiled."  Answer Below.  --RoadDog

WALLACE WOOD'S RILES OF DRAWING:  Never draw what you can copy.


"I've Gotta Get A Message To You."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Chain of Fools"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Judy in Disguise"

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

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

All these songs have special meaning for us.

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

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

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

22.  MASSACHUSETTS--  Bee Gees

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

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

"Massachusetts"

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

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

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

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

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



"I Can See for Miles"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


"I Say a Little Prayer"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Chain of Fools"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



"Massachusetts"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



"Summer Rain"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


"By the Time I Get to Phoenix"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


"Skip A Rope"

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

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

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

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

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


"Neon Rainbow"

WLS Top Ten for November 24, 1967: "You Better Sit Down Kids"

1.  DAYDREAM BELIEVER--  Monkees
2.  RAIN, THE PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills
3.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock

4.  TO SIR WITH LOVE--  Lulu
5.  PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER--  Bobby Vinton
6.  EVERLASTING LOVE--  Robert Knight
7.  AN OPEN LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SON--  Victor Lundberg

8.   YOU BETTER SIT DOWN KIDS--  Cher
9.  WATCH THE LOWERS GROW--  Four Seasons
10.  BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE--  Bobby Vinton

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Your Mother is Staying But I'm Going Away."    Answer Below.  --RoadDog


MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  You don't get mad, you get steamed.

"You Better Sit Down Kids"

WLS Top Ten for November 17, 1967: "To Sir With Love"

1.  TO SIR WITH LOVE--  Lulu
2.  RAIN, PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills
3.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock

4.  DAYDREAM BELIEVE--  Monkees
5.  PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER--  Bobby Vinton
6.  EVERLASTING LOVE--  Robert Knight   Sorry to see he died Nov. 5, 2017.
7.  OPEN LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SON--  Victor Lundberg

8.  IT MUST BE HIM--  Vicki Carr
9.  EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART--  Soul Survivors
10.  WATCH THE FLOWERS GROW--  Four Seasons

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Og, I Could Hide 'Neath the Wings of the Bluebird As She Sings."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  You don't tan, you roast.

"Daydream Believer"

WLS Top Ten for November 10, 1967: "Incense & Peppermints"

1.  TO SIR WITH LOVE--  Lulu
2.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock  (How's that for hippie-dippie?)
3.  RAIN, THE PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills

4.  LET IT OUT--  Hombres
5.  HUSH--  Billy Jo Royal
6.  IT MUST BE HIM--  Vicki Carr
7.  PURPLE HAZE--  Jimi Hendrix

8.  PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER--  Bobby Vinton
9.  LOOK OF LOVE--  Dusty Springfield
10.  EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART--  Soul Survivors

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Lately Things Don't Seem the Same."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  You have a conniption over spilled milk.

"Purple Haze"

WLS Top 40 for November 3, 1967-- Part 7: "The Letter"

The Top Ten Songs this week, fifty years ago.

10.  EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART--  Soul Survivors   #4
9.  HUSH--  Billy Jo Royal   #52
8.  PURPLE HAZE--  Jimi Hendrix   #65

7.  IT MUST BE HIM--  Vicki Carr   #3
6.  HOW CAN I BE SURE--  Young Rascals   #4
5.  INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS--  Strawberry Alarm Clock   ##1
4.  RAIN, THE PARK & OTHER THINGS--  Cowsills   #2

3.  THE LETTER--  Box Tops    #1
2.  LET IT OUT--  Hombres   #12
1.  TO SIRE WITH LOVE--  Lulu   #1

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "A 'Preachment, Dear Friends, You Are About To Receive On John Barleycorn, Nicotine and the Temptations of Eve."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  You can outlast the Energizer bunny.

"Let It Out"  ("Let It All Hang Out")

WLS Top 40 for November 3, 1967-- Part 6: ""Treat Her Groovy"

15.  HEY BABY, THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG--  Buckinghams    #12

14.  NEVER MY LOVE--  Association   #2   Formed in Los Angeles in 1966.

13.  SOUL MAN--  Sam & Dave   #2  How do you get any better Soul Music?

12.  TREAT HER GROOVY--  New Colony Six    Did not rank.  WLS pushing local Chicago talent again.

11.  LOOK OF LOVE--    Dusty Springfield    #22   From the James Bond movie spoof "Casino Royale."

--Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Coming To You On a Dusty Road, Good Lovin' I Got a Truck Load."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

MORE COFFEE SIGNS:  Your firsdt-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I-V hookup.

"Soul Man"

WLS Top 40 for November 3, 196-- Part 5: "Love Me Forever"

20. FACE THE AUTUMN--  Family    No ranking.  WLS backing another Chicago area band.

19.  KENTUCKY WOMAN--  Neil Diamond   #22  I'm a bit surprised this song didn't go higher.  Born Noah Kaminsky in 1941.

18.  THE LAST WALTZ--  Engelbert Humperdink   #24  Born in Madras, India.  His first hit was "Please Release me" in 1967.

17.  CHILD OF CLAY--  Jimmy Rodgers   #31

16.  LOVE ME FOREVER--   Bobby Vinton   #6  "Please Love me Forever"  Born in Pennsylvania

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "She Shines With Her Own Kind of Light."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Kentucky Woman"

WLS Top 40 for November 3, 1967-- Part 4: "Your Precious Love"

25.  WATCH THE FLOWERS GROW--  Four Seasons    #30   Produced by Bob Crewe.

24.  EVERLASTING LOVE--  Robert Knight    #13  His biggest hit.  Born in Franklin, Tennessee, in 1943.

23.  NATURAL WOMAN--  Aretha Franklin   #8   Full title "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."  Of course, Murphy Brown's favorite song.

22.  YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE--  Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell   #5

21.  LOVE IS STRANGE--  Peaches & Herb   #13   Francine Barker and Herb Fame.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Looking Out On the Morning Rain I Used To Feel So Uninspired."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Natural Woman"