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

Labor Day Weekend 1967 Time Warp Part 3

Final Hour of Bob Stroud's Rock 'n Roll Roots. Every Sunday 7 AM to 10 CST on 96.9 FM, the Drive. I highly suggest listening to this show if you are into music from the 60s and 70s. I doubt that there is anyone who knows more about that music. He streams live at http://www.wdrv.com/

Once I heard him tell why he got into deejaying. He said he always ended up playing the songs on the record player at parties and decided that he might as well earn some money from it. That was exactly why I started deejaying.

These songs are sure bringing back a lot of memories.

Light My Fire-- Doors--- (My first introduction to this band. "Light My Fire" was good, but I always liked "Alabama Drinking Song" better.

Thank the Lord for the Night Time-- Neil Diamond--- (I liked his earlier songs like this and "Cherry, Cherry" better than his later ones like "Holly Holy".

Astronomy Domine-- Pink Floyd---From intro-Psychedelia had been around about ten months, but with the August release of this album, the musical trip was taken to a whole new dimension. They called themselves Pink Floyd and were headed by Syd Barrett. Their debut album here in the U.S. was "Piper at the Gates of Dawn." The named themselves after a couple of elder blues statesmen: Pink and Floyd. (I even bought this album at the time. I liked it, but that was the only Pink Floyd album I bought until the late 80s. Their music got to a bit too far-out for these Motown, country rock ears.)

Reflections-- Supremes--- One of those great Motown groups that I so loved to listen to and watch those great dance steps and movements up there on stage. That choreography was absolutely entrancing, a whole lot better than the overdone productions of today's divas. Listening to the Surf right now and Billy Smith, one of my favorite deejays, is playing "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch (I Can't Help Myself)" by the Four Tops. I really LOVE that Motown. Thanks, Berry Gordy, for bringing it to us.)

It Could Be We're in Love-- Cryan Shames--- #1 for four straight weeks. (Another great Chicago group. Another one of Liz and my songs. I first met Liz in October, 1967,  and started going steady on December 15th, so these songs all have significance in our relationship.)

Twelve Thirty-- Mamas and Papas--- Another stunning composition from John Phillips. (I really liked his wife, Michelle. She was VERY easy on the eyes.)

Baby You're a Rich Man-- Beatles--- The band whose album really set the Summer of Love in Motion. This was the B-side of "All You Need is Love."

Baby I Love You-- Aretha Franklin--- (The Queen of Soul. Great song, but my favorite remains "Chain of Fools" and I loved the continuing bit on Murphy Brown of "(You Make Me feel Like a) Natural Woman," and who can forget that great version of "Think" on the "Blues Brothers."   I can still see Blue Lou playing that sax down the counter.)

Motorcycle Song-- Arlo Guthrie--- Legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie's son released his debut album in 1967. His name Arlo, his album "Alice's Restaurant." (At first, I was afraid Bob was going to play the title track which would have taken way too long. "You can get anything you want at ...." Love that Officer Obie and all those black and white glossies.)

Words-- Monkees--- B side of "Pleasant Valley Sunday." (Talk about your two-sided hits!)

Requiem for the Masses-- Association--- B-side of "Never My Love" One of the more sobering experiences included in the "Insight Out" album. An unlikely war protest song from an unlikely group. (Probably my favorite Association song. Definitely not what you'd expect from this band which was more known for ballads and light weight songs like "Windy." Comparing the war to bullfighting is a unique approach. I loved the way it started out with an a capella chant. Liz, Kris, and I did a report Senior year for Mr. Denny on pop music and the world, and this was one of the songs we used for it.)

Ode to Billy Joe-- Bobbie Gentry--- The number one song in Chicago Labor Day weekend 1967, the Summer of Love. Just what the heck did he throw off the Tallahatchee Bridge anyway. (Bob always closes his Time Warps with the number 1 song in Chicago that day.)

Sure Enjoyed this Show. --RoadDog

Labor Day Weekend Time Warp 1967

Two Sundays ago, Bob Stroud did his final "Summer of Love" installment and played the songs "on our radios back forty years ago, Labor Day 1967." These sure brought back a lot of memories. I was deep into pop music back then after getting interested at the end of 1963 with all the Beatles hullabaloo.

I was buying singles and albums whenever I thought I could get away with it as Dad REALLY thought them to be a waste of money. As I recall, an album cost $2.99 to $3.99 and singles were 99 cents. Plus, you could get used 45s from special bins for 39 cents. These had been previously played on jukeboxes.

These were the songs playing on our radios and turntables ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. I will have Stroud's comments first, and then mine in parenthesis. Don't you just love it when a song brings back a memory?

I Dig Rock n' Roll Music- Peter, Paul and Mary- a giant smash, co-written by Dave Dixon, a dj who spent some time in the 60s at my hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan's Top 40 station WKMI. (This was my favorite Peter, Paul and Mary song.)

There is a Mountain- Donovan- brand new (Kind of a fun song.)

Brown Eyed Girl- Van Morrison's first solo effort from the Them frontman. (How do you get better party music than this. Always gets the people out on the dance floor.)

Gettin' Together- Tommy James & the Shondells-- new single- borrowed riff from Spencer Davis Group's "Give Me Some Lovin'" and turned it into their own.

Funky Broadway- Wilson Pickett- his latest (My second favorite soul singer. My first is Otis Redding.)

Things I Should Have Said- Grass Roots-- off their new album released in August. They'd already had a hit called "Let's Live for Today." This proved to be their second hit. (The Grass Roots are one of the most underrated groups from the 60s. They really had some great stuff. This is one of my favorites by them.)

Pleasant Valley Sunday- Monkees-- (Did somebody say somebody took a shot at suburbia?)

Groovin'- Booker T & the MGs. --a remake of the Young Rascal's song. (MGs stood for Memphis Group which consisted of Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn who went on to fame in the Blues Brothers. Hey, get that pipe out of your mouth, Donald!)

Find Somebody- Young Rascals-- embracing the psychedelic sounds of the season. From their new album, "Groovin'" It also contained the selections "How Can I Be Sure" and "A Girl Like You." (I was not familiar with this one.)

Carrie Anne- Hollies-- a hit all summer long (Great Graham Nash song.)

I Make a Fool of Myself- Frankie Valli-- unahamedly ripping himself off with a carbon copy of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"

Dandelion- Rolling Stones-- just released

Ticket to Ride- Vanilla Fudge-- Brand new band with a cover of the Beatles tune. From intro to song-In August 1967, a band out of Long Island, NY, released their self-titled debut album. Everything they did was over the top as they threw caution to the wind. When you set your needle down on side 1, track 1, this is what the debut album of Vanilla Fudge sounded like. (This was some mighty strange stuff.)

And this was all just from hour one of the three hour show.

To Be Continued. --RoadDog

Labor Day 1967

Last Monday was Labor Day. I can remember a time when it was very important to me, like all through school and teaching, but now, it is just another day. The only difference is that everyone else is now off as well.

I got to thinking about what I was doing way back then while I was listening to Bob Stroud do his final installment of his Summer of Love Rock and Roll Roots Salute.

I was living with my family at 1048 Anderson Drive in Palatine, Illinois.  Liz was living in Chicago, but coming out to Palatine on the Chicago & Northwestern train to attend Palatine High School.  We didn't meet u til near the end of October.

As near as Liz and I can recall, we hadn't gone back to school yet. School, even college, just didn't begin before Labor Day as it does today. Actually, my sister began school in Georgia around August 5th and teachers in Round Lake went back August 13th this year.

I was getting ready to start my junior year at Palatine High School at Palatine High School. I was working at the Burger King on Northwest Highway earning a whopping $1 an hour (but you could buy 3 gallons of gas for that back then). A Whopper cost 49 cents. You got a Whopper, fries, and small drink for 92 cents.

I still didn't have my drivers license, though. At Palatine High, you took drivers ed junior year.

Later, junior year, I joined the school newspaper, the Cutlass.

Forty Years Ago...Already!!...Ya Gotta Be Kiddin'!! ---RoadDog

Labor Day Weekend: Bands, Bars, Festivals, No Boating

Boating wasn't an option, even without the flooding. We generally stay off the Chain of Lakes on the weekends and especially holidays. We let the "weekend warriors" have their sway. Thank you very much, we'll go out on the weekdays.

SATURDAY I worked in the yard and fought mosquitoes. I planted eight tall phlox out by the deck flowerbed.

Then, we drove US-12 down to Wauconda where they were having a Main Street Festival. Old Rand Road, the original US-12 before the bypass, was blocked off and a great blues/rock band, Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners, was playing on a temporary stage.

We had some cotton candy for the first time in a long time. We had forgotten how little there is of it. The Rotary Club was selling it and the poor guy at the machine had cotton candy up to his elbows.

Lots of restaurants were offering food. I had an excellent burrito from a Mexican place for $4. Sat at a table and talked with another couple. They had been married for two years, BUT, had been married before and then divorced. They had met again at their daughter's wedding and the flame rekindled. That was a neat story. We found out they were also into the two lane roads so talked about some of our experiences.

SUNDAY I listened to Bob Stroud do his final Summer of Love installment. Today, he played the songs we were listening to on our radios back on this date in 1967. That was 40 years ago, and in Chicago, we were listening to WLS and WCFL. I'll print out the playlist later. I'm sure they will bring back some memories.

I then went to Alden Terrace in McHenry to visit with Frances.

Came home and then Liz and I drove to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for some of the World's Greatest Bloody Marys at Main Street. The big talk was about Wisconsin's easy victory and Appalachian State's great upset of Michigan. There are not too many Wolverine fans in Wisconsin.

Played NTN at Donovan's then drove back to the Chain of Lakes.

Passing over the Grasslake Bridge, we only saw about ten boats going no wake. Normally, on Sunday, you'd see close to a hundred and even more on a Labor Day weekend. The flooding has really put a damper on the celebration.

We went to Captain's Quarters to see Cirrus Falcon, one of out favorite bands. All those people who weren't out on boats were in here. There were no seats anywhere, so we left.

Drove Grasslake Road down to the Harbour Lounge and went outside to the tiki bar. When it comes to bands, we almost ALWAYS arrive when they're just going on break. However, this band was breaking down their equipment at 4 PM, way to early for an afternoon set. We found out that someone had complained and the police had told the owner that the band had to stop.

The owner had them move inside, but, again, we couldn't find seats so went home.

TODAY I enjoyed the deck, planted some more perennials, and caught some sun.

We went over to Alden Terrace so we could take Frances to the Labor Day celebration there. A guy was playing a piano with backing music and playing the Big Band songs this elderly group would like. He was quite an entertainer and everyone was having a great time.

Pretty Good Labor Day Weekend if You Ask Me. --RoadDog