Being an account of some things I'm interested in, what I'm doing, and reflections on my past, especially music.
BREATHE/ON THE RUN-- Pink Floyd
MIND GAMES-- John Lennon
GIVE ME LOVE (GIVE ME PEACE)-- George Harrison
OHH LA LA-- Faces
HYPNOTIZED-- Fleetwood Mac
DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO-- Rollng Stones
SUCH A NIGHT-- Dr. John
LAKE SHORE DRIVE-- Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah
KODACHROME-- Paul Simon
RAMBLIN' MAN-- Allman Brothers Band
PERSONAL CRISIS-- New York Dolls
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "There's A Road I'd Like To Tell You About, Lives In My Home Town." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Lake Shore Drive"
CHRISTMAS ALL OVER AGAIN-- Tom Petty
CELEBRATE ME HOME-- Kenny Loggins
2000 MILES-- Pretenders
STEP INTO CHRISTMAS-- Elton John
HAPPY X-MAS (WAR IS OVER)-- John and Yoko
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN-- Ronettes
WINTERTIME-- Steve Miller
GREENSLEEVES-- Jeff Beack
CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME TO SAY I LOVE YOU-- Billy Squier
SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN-- Elvis Presley
CHRISTMAS-- Who
RIVER-- Joni Mitchell
SLEIGH RIDE-- Ronettes
SANTA CLAUS AND HIS OLD LADY-- Cheech and Chong
SOMETIMES IN WINTER-- Blood, Sweat & Tears
CHRISTMAS MUST BE TONIGHT-- Band
CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME)-- Darlene Love
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Come On It's Lovely Weather." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Sleigh Ride"
These were the top 30 songs in Chicagoland fifty years ago. Half a century.
25 IMAGINE-- John Lennon #3 What a great world it might be if this song and the one at #26, "Peace Train" both came true.
24. *I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING-- New Seekers #7 British-Australian group Anybody feel the need for a Coke? Their biggest hit.
23. *YOU ARE EVERYTHING-- Stylistics #9 I'd forgotten this one, but wow, what a slow dance groove. It would also be a great wedding song.
22. *WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO-- Donnie Elbert #15 And, I didn't think you could do better than the Supremes. A great Beach Beat. By that Holland-Dozier-Holland group of guys.
21. WILD NIGHT-- Van Morrison #28 It would be impossible to listen to this song and not have some part of your body start moving. Infectious.
Name That Tune (from the above songs): " "As You Brush Your Shoes, Stand before The Mirror." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Wild Night"
That's right, fifty years ago. How many do you have?
* means I have it.
1. *SANTANA-- Santana
2. THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON-- Sly & the Family Stone
3. AT CARNEGIE HALL-- Chicago
4. SHAFT-- Isaac Hayes
5. STONES-- Neil Diamond
6. *TEASER & THE FIRECAT-- Cat Stevens
7. IMAGINE-- John Lennon
8. *EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY-- Rod Stewart
9. MEATY, BEATY BIG AND BOUNCY-- Who
10. *TAPESTRY-- Carole King
Wonder If That Cat's Still Alive? --RoadDog
Just think, fifty years ago we were getting ready to soon sit down and gorge ourselves on Thanksgiving dinner and listening to these songs on Chicago's WLS, 890 AM.
1. SHAFT-- Isaac Hayes
2. IMAGINE-- John Lennon
3. PEACE TRAIN-- Cat Stevens
4. BABY I'M-A WANT YOU-- Bread
5. FAMILY AFFAIR-- Sly & the Family Stone
6. HAVE YOU SEEN HER-- Chi-Lites
7. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT-- Five Man Electric Band
8. EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING-- Santana
9. TWO DIVIDED BY LOVE-- Grass Roots
10. WILD NIGHT-- Van Morrison
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DEBUTS
14. BRAND NEW KEY-- Melanie
18. OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG-- Three Dog Night
20. STONES / CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE-- Neil Diamond
25. SUPERSTAR-- Temptations
27. A NATURAL MAN-- Lou Rawls
THEME FROM SUMMER OF '42-- Peter Nero
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "As You Brush Your Shoes, Stand Before A Mirror And Comb Your Hair." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Wild Night"
Fifty years ago today, these were the Top Ten songs and Debuts on Chicago's WLS AM, 890.
1. SHAFT-- Isaac Hayes
2. IMAGINE-- John Lennon
3. GYPSYS, TRAMPS & THIEVES-- Cher
4. PEACE TRAIN-- Cat Stevens
5. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT-- Five Man Electric Band
6. INNER CITY BLUES-- Marvin Gaye
7. BABY I'M-A WANT YOU-- Bread
8. TIRED OF BEING ALONE-- Al Green
9. YO YO-- Osmonds
10. CHARITY BALL-- Fanny
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DEBUTS
29. RESPECT YOURSELF--
30. ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU--
A NATURAL MAN-- Lou Rawls
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Oh, I've Been Happy Lately, Thinking About The Good Things To Come." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Peace Train"
These were the Top Ten songs and debuts in Chicago according to WLS, 890 AM fifty years ago.
1. MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE-- Rod Stewart
2. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN-- Lee Michaels
3. YO YO-- Osmonds
4. IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME-- Stevie Wonder
5. I'VE FOUND SOMEONE OF MY OWN-- Free Movement
6. SWEET CITY WOMAN-- Stampeders
7. SUPERSTAR-- Carpenters
8. CHARITY BALL-- Fanny
9. GYPSYS' TRAMPS & THIEVES-- Cher
10. ONE FINE MORNING-- Lighthouse
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DEBUTS
26. INNER CITY BLUES-- Marvin Gaye
27. PEACE TRAIN-- Cat Stevens
28. IMAGINE-- John Lennon
29. TRAPPED BY A THING CALLED LOVE-- Denise LaSalle
30. YOU THINK YOU'RE HOT STUFF-- Jean Knight
EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING-- Santana
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Been Forty Days Since I Don't Know When I Just Saw Her With My Best Friend." Answer below. RoadDog
"You Know What I Mean"
This past Sunday, Bob Stroud kicked off his annual Rock and Roll Roots salute to all those great summer songs of our extreme youth. This year it was to the Summer of 1971, specifically the songs on the radio and in our record collections on June 6, 1971. That was fifty years ago.
He will have three more of these shows on the first Sundays of July, August and September. WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.
This is always a highlight of my summers.
JOY TO THE WORLD-- Three Dog Night
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY-- Faces (with, of course, Rod Stewart)
DRAGGIN' THE LINE-- Tommy James (without the Shondells)
FEELING ALL RIGHT-- Grand Funk Railroad (from Flint, Michigan)
WALK AWAY-- James Gang (Joe Walsh's band)
THAT'S THE WAY I ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE-- Carly Simon (Yet she got married to James Taylor.)
I'VE SEEN ALL GOOD PEOPLE-- Yes
POWER TO THE PEOPLE-- John Lennon
GET IT ON-- Chase (Did anybody say horns?)
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Makin' A Livin' The Old Hard Way." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Draggin' the Line"
* Means it is climbing the charts.
20. *IT DON'T COME EASY-- Ringo Starr #4 George Harrison wrote this song and gave it to his buddy. Nice guy, that George. His first big hit.
19. *WANT ADS-- Hone Cone #1 Group of back up singers. Edna Wright died September 12, 2020. She was the sister of Darlene Love.
18. *I'LL MEET YOU HALF WAY-- Partridge Family #9 Their last Top Ten. I still like that Susan Dey. She replaced Annette for me.
17. *BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER-- Aretha Franklin #6 A whole different spin and vibe on this Simon & Garfunkel classic. Aretha taking a song and making it her own again. Aretha could do that. I listened to this a whole lot of times.
16. POWER TO THE PEOPLE-- John Lennon #11 That old rabble rouser. The second song on this week's chart with the same name. The other one was by the Chi-Lites at #23.
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Got To Pay Your Dues If You Wanna Play The Blues." Abswer below. --RoadDog
"It Don't Come Easy"
25 *I DON'T BLAME YOU AT ALL-- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles #18 I don't remember hearing it, but a great song. Follow up to "Tears of a Clown."
24. *WILD WORLD-- Cat Stevens #11 One of my all-time favorites. My intro to the Cat. But, did he so "Wild" or "Wide"? Brings back memories of my time at the University of Georgia.
23. POWER TO THE PEOPLE-- John Lennon #11 An organizing song?
22. LOVE STORY (WHERE DO I BEGIN)-- Andy Williams #9 Sap on Sap.
21. WE CAN WORK IT OUT-- Stevie Wonder #13 Soulifying the Beatles and doing a great job.
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Now That I've Lost Everything To You. You Say You Wanna Start Something New." Answer below. --RoadDog
"Wild World"
That's right, 50 years ago. Or, to put it in perspective, half a century. Egads!!
1. SHE'S A LADY-- Tom Jones
2. JUST MY IMAGINATION-- Temptations
3. ANOTHER DAY-- Paul McCartney
4. EIGHTEEN-- Alice Cooper
5. L.A. GOODBYE-- Ides of March
6. WHAT'S GOING ON-- Marvin Gaye
7. I AM... I SAID-- Neil Diamond
8. ONE TOKE OVER THE LINE-- Brewer & Shipley
9. JOY TO THE WORLD-- Three Dog Night
10. WE CAN WORK IT OUT-- Stevie Wonder
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DEBUTS
22. STAY AWHILE-- Bells
23. CHICK-A-BOOM-- Daddy Dewdrops
24. POWER TO THE PEOPLE-- John Lennon
25. LOVE HER MADLY-- Doors
HIT BOUND: I DON'T BLAME YOU AT ALL-- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Name That Tune (from the above songs): "Always Something Nice To Say, Oh What A Blessing." Answer below. --RoadDog
"She's a Lady"
From the Jan. 31, 2021, American Profile "Stories behind the songs" by Jim Farber.
"MICHELLE"
WRITERS: Paul McCartney and John Lennon, 1967
Before the Beatles' "Michelle" took the prize, no rock band had ever won a Top Song Grammy. In truth, "Michelle" couldn't have rocked less. -- it swayed to a lilting melody penned by McCartney to recall his days as a student taking in Parisian culture.
But, because McCartney didn't speak French, he reached out to a friend for an assist with the translated part. He also got help from Lennon, who devised the "I love you, I love you, I love you" bridge of the song.
"Michelle" went on to become one of only two Top Song winners to feature non-English lyrics. The other: "Volare," the very first winner in the category in the Grammy's inaugural year, 1959.
--RoadDog
