Songs from the Summer 1974-- Part 2: 'Sundown'

PRETZEL LOGIC--  Steely Dan

DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT A THING--  Stevie Wonder

SAME OLD SONG AND DANCE--  Aerosmith

BENNY AND THE JETS--  Elton John

A DREAM GOES ON FOREVER--  Todd Rundgren

REBEL REBEL--  David Bowie

I'LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  Jim Croce

WORKING MAN--  Rush

THE AIR THAT I BREATHE--  Hollies

MIGHT JUST TAKE YOUR LIFE--  Deep Purple

MOCKINGBIRD--  Carly Simon & James Taylor

SUNDOWN--  Gordon Lightfoot

CALL ME THE BREEZE--  Lynyrd Skynyrd

WALL STREET SHUFFLE--  10CC

THE SHOW MUST GO ON--  Three Dog Night

COME MONDAY--  Jimmy Buffett

CAN'T GET ENOUGH--  Bad Company

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Heading Out To San Francisco For The Labor Day  Weekend Show."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten Songs for Week of May 4, 1974: 'Tubular Bells'

1.   THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

2.  COME AND GET YOUR LOVE--  Redbone

3.  THE ENTERTAINER (MUSIC FROM THE STING)--  Marvin Hamlisch

4.  THE STREAK--  Ray Stevens  (Was #21 previous week)

5.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

6.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Margaret Mead

7.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

8.  I'LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  Jim Croce

9.  TUBULAR BELLS (THEME FROM THE EXORCIST)--  Mike Oldfield

10.  TSOP (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)--  MFSB & the 3 Degrees

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DEBUTS

16.  THE SHOW MUST GO ON--  Three Dog Night

17.  KEEP ON SINGING--  Helen Reddy

18.  DANCING MACHINE--  Jackson Five

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Lips As Sweet As Candy It's Taste Is On My Mind."  Answer below.  --RoadChaka.

"Hooked On a Feeling"

WLS Top Ten for Week of April 27, 1974: 'T S O P'

1.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John  (Third week at Number 1.)

2.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Janet Mead    (Imagine this song on a Top Ten today.)

3.  COME AND GET YOUR LOVE--  Redbone

4.  THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

5.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

6.  TUBULAR BELLS--  Mike Oldfield

7.  ERES TU--  Mocedades

8.  SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford

9.  T S O P (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)--  MFSB & The 3 Degrees

10.  I'D HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  Jim Croce

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DEBUTS

13.  THE ENTERTAINER (MUSIC FROM THE STING)--   Marvin Hamlisch

16.  LOOKING FOR A LOVE--  Bobby Womack

17.  OH MY MY--  Ringo Starr

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well, I Know It's Kind Of Late.  I Hope I Didn't Wake You."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I'd Have To Say I Love You In A Song"

WLS Top LPs and Tapes for Week of March 23, 1974: 'Court and Spark'

Maybe you still have one of these albums in either record or tape form?  Was it an 8-track or cassette tape?  Probably 8-track.

1.  GREATEST HITS (5th week at #1)--  John Denver

2.  THE WAY WE WERE--  Barbra Streisand

3.  HOTCAKES--  Carly Simon

4.  TUBULAR BELLS--  Mike Oldfield

5.  COURT AND SPARK--  Joni Mitchell

6.  SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH--  Black Sabbath

7.  UNBORN CHILD--  Seals & Crofts

8.  YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce

9.  BRAIN SALAD SURGERY--  Emerson, Lake & Palmer

10.  BURN--  Deep Purple

--RoadDog

WLS Top 29 Songs for Week of Dec. 11, 1972-- Part 4: 'I'm Stone In Love With You'

Yep, still fifty years ago.

15.  SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH ME--  Austin Roberts     #12      I don't remember it.   From Newport News, Virginia.

14.  OPERATOR--  Jim Croce      #17      And kids today would say "Operator?   What's an operator?"

13.  I'D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME--  Lobo    #2    Born July 31, 1943.

12.  ROCKIN' PNEUMONIA BOOGIE WOOGIE FLU--  Johnny Rivers     #6      Just a rockin' good song.  Tickle those ivories.

11.  I'M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU--  Stylistics      #10     From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   The unique voice of Russell Thompkins, Jr.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "See The Number On The Matchbook Is Old And Faded."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Operator"

WLS Top 27 Songs for Week of November 13, 1972-- Part 1: 'I'm Stone in Love with You'

That's right, a half century ago these were the big songs on Chicago's Powerhouse WLS, 890 AM.

*  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.

27.  *I'M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU--  Stylistics    #10  With that unique voice of Russell Thompkins, Jr.  From Philadelphia.

26.  *CLAIR--  Gilbert O'Sullivan     #2       Dig the whistling.  Follow up to "Alone Again (Naturally)"  Real name Raymond O'Sullivan.   A song about the 3-year-old daughter of his manager.

25.  *CRAZY HORSES--  Osmonds     #14      This is a great Halloween song.  Weird.  Who says the Osmonds can't rock.  This could be Heavy Metal.  Seriously.  Give it a listen if you don't remember it.  Especially watch the video.

24.  *OPERATOR--  Jim Croce      #17      My favorite Jim Croce songs.  Too bad we didn't have him longer.  Just imagine all those great songs he might have had.

23.  *IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOW--  Harold Melvin       #3      Hard to imagine a song that is more of a belly rubber.    His group?  The Blue Notes.

22.  *BEN--  Michael Jackson     #1      A song about a rat?  Title song from the movie.

21.  EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL--  Main Ingredient     #3     Again, this songs always reminds me of driving the Ramblin' Wreck ('63 Rambler station wagon)  on Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, Illinois, my senior year at NIU.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "See, The Number In The Matchbook Is Old And Faded."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Operator"

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"

Summer of 1972 Again-- Part 11: 'Join Together'

Songs on your radio and in your record cllection on September 4, 1972.

HOT N' NASTY--  Humble Pie

YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce

JOIN TOGETHER--  Who

IF I WERE A CARPENTER--  Bob Seger

HOLD YOUR HEAD UP--  Argent

AMERICA--  Yes

PEACEFUL EASY FEELING--  Eagles

COCONUT--  Nilsson

CONQUISTADOR--  ProculHarum

CELLULOID HERO--  Kinks

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Like The Way Your Sparkling Earrings Lay Against Your Skin So Brown."  Answer below.  --   RoadDog

"Peaceful Easy Feeling"

WLS Top Ten for Week of August 21, 1972: 'Hold Your Head Up'

The Top Ten songs in Chicago fifty years ago.

1.  ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)--  Gilbert O'Sullivan

2.  BRANDY--  Looking Glass

3.  LONG COOL WOMAN--  Hollies

4.  I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU--  Al Green

5.  IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG--  Luther Ingram

6.  HOLD YOUR HEAD UP--  Argent

 7.  WHERE IS THE LOVE--  Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

8.  YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce

9.  GOODBYE TO LOVE--  Carpenters

10.  HOW DO YOU DO--  Mouth & McNeil

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DEBUTS

22.  SATURDAY IN THE PARK--  Chicago

27.  JOIN TOGETHER-- Who

28.  POWER OF LOVE--  Joe Simon

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "He Came On A Summer's Day Bringing Gifts From Far Away."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Brandy"

WLS Top 27 for Week of August 14, 1972-- Part 2: 'Day By Day'

*  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.

20.  MOTORCYCLE MAMA--  Sailcat    #12     Who'll be the queen of his highway?  They'll see the world from a what?  Clocks in at a whole 2:12.  Pop duo from Alabama.

19.  HAPPY--  Rolling Stones      #22     And still Rockin' 50+ years later.

18.  ROCK AND ROLL Part 2--  Gary Glitter      #7    Just try not to jump, just a little.  A boon to sports stadiums everywhere.   Glam Rock singer.

17.  DAY BY DAY--  Godspell     #13     Their only Top 40.  The original cast from the Broadway rock musical "Godspell."

16.  YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim Croce      #8    It was way too sad that we lost him so early.  How many more of these great stories would we have had.   His first big hit.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "42nd Street Got Big Jim Walker, He's A Pool Shooton' Son Of A Gun."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"You Don't Mess Around with Jim"

Summer of 1972 Again-- Part 5: 'Mother and Child Reunion'

ROCKET MAN--  Elton John

YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM--  Jim  Croce   Man, the songs we could have had if he hadn't left us so soon.

30 DAYS IN THE HOLE--  Humble Pie

GO ALL THE WAY--  Raspberries

DOWN ON MY KNEES--   Bread    Give this a listen all you who thing Bread was just smaltzy slow tunes.

TIGHTROPE--  Leon Russell

LIVING IN THE PAST--  Jethro Tull    The very first Grammy Heavy Metal group.   Can you believe it?  What were those voters smoking when they voted for this one?

MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION--   Paul Simon

TAKE IT EASY--  Eagles

ROCK ME ON THE WATER--  Linda Ronstadt   What was the connection between her and the group above?

Name That Tune (from the above songs)  "Uptown's Got Its Hustlers, The Bowery Got Its Bums."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"You Don't Mess Around With Jim"

Summer of 1972 Again-- Part 3: 'Willin' '

Remember, tomorrow from 9 am to noon and againat 9 pm to midnight, Bob Stroud will host his annual Salute to Summer show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  This is CDST and it streams.

These are the songs he played on June 12 going back to the songs on the radio and in our record collections fifty years ago.

SPACE TRUCKIN'--  Deep Purple

THICK AS A BRICK--  Jethro Tull    I still chuckle when I think of them winning the first Heavy Metal Grammy back in the 80s.  They thought it was funny as well.

WILLIN'--  Little Feat   Definitely not appreciated by most, but I sure do.

ROCKS OFF--  Rolling Stones

SOMEDAY NEVER COMES--  CCR   My all-time favorite group.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES--  Jim Croce    We sure lost him way too soon.

IMMIGRATION MAN--  Crosby & Nash

IT DOESN'T MATTER--  Manassas   (Steve Stills' group)

HEART OF GOLD--  Neil Young    The last three songs was CSN&Y apart.

JUNPIN' JACK FLASH-- Peter Frampton

WITCHY WOMAN--  Eagles

I'LL TAKE YOU THERE--  Staple Singers    The #1 song in Chicago.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "But We Sure Had A Good Time When We Started Way Back When."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Photographs and Memories"

Jim Croce's Untimely Death

Bob Stroud saluted Jim Croce this morning on his Rock and Roll Roots Show on Chicago's Drive, 97.1 FM. Yesterday was the 35th anniversary of the plane crash at Natchitoches, Louisiana, that claimed his life at age 30 on September 20, 1974.

He was just hitting it big and we'd heard him for about 14 months, then, it was all gone. Croce had a way with telling stories such as "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," "You Don't Mess With Jim," "Time in a Bottle, " and my favorite of his, "Operator."

I even have his Greatest hits CD on my Ultimate Juke Box. You just have to wonder what could have been had his life not been cut so short.

That's Not the Way It Should Be. --RoadDog