WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 4: 'Marianne'

15.  DEEP BLUE--  George Harrison   Flip side of "Bangladesh" which went to #23.    I don't remember this one.

14.  THE STORY IN YOUR EYES--  Moody Blues    #23    Formed in Birmingham, England.  Their first hit was "Go Now!" which went to #10 in 1965.

13.  MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE--   Rod Stewart     #1      The first song always takes me right back to the Sigma Phi Epsilon house at the University of Georgia.

12.  STAGGER LEE--  Tommy Roe      #25     Goes Soul?   His last Top 40.   Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in  1942.

11.  MARIANNE--  Steven Stills   #42   Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1945.   His biggest hit was  "Love the One You're With" which peaked at #14 in the earlier part of 1971.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Late September And I Really Should Be Back At School."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Maggie May" or is it "Maggie Mae?"

WLS Top 10 for Week of August 30, 1971: 'Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey'

Fifty years ago in Chicago.

1.  SMILING FACES SOMETIMES--  Undisputed Truth

2.  SIGNS--  Five Man Electric Band

3.  UNCLE ALBERT / ADMIRAL HALSEY--  Paul McCartney

4.  SPANISH HARLEM--  Aretha Franklin

5.  RESURRECTION SHUFFLE--  Ashton,  Gardner & Dyke

6.  AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers

7.  WEDDING SONG--  Paul Stookey  Played this song at our wedding as well as "Sunrise, Sunset"

8.  I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE--  Rare Earth

9.  GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL--  Donny Osmond

10.  WHATCHA SEE IS WHATCHA GET--  Dramatics

**************************************

DEBUTS

26.  STAGGER LEE--  Tommy Roe

27.  MAGGIE MAE / REASON TO BELIEVE--  Rod Stewart   This song always reminds me of the Sig Ep House at UGA.

28.  THE STORY IN YOUR EYES--  Moody Blues

29.  ANABELLA--  Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

30.  SWEET CITY WOMAN--  Stampeders

**************************************

ALL HIT BOUND

SOLO--  Billy Sans

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Not Warm When She's Away."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Ain't No Sunshine"

WLS Top 30 for Week of January 11, 1971-- Part 1: 'Montego Bay'

*  means it was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 national chart.

HIT PARADE BOUND:  

*WHEN I'M DEAD AND GONE--  McGuinness Flint    #47     A real different sound.  Kazoos, but not accordions.   British rock group.  Both members, Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint were in the Manfred Mann Band.

30.  *WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN--    Runt       #20     We really know it's Todd.  He wrote it and also produced it.  This song always reminds me of when Delta Sigma Phi fraternity brother Tom Smith and I went to Florida for Spring Break in his VW Beetle.  This was his first hit  after leaving Nazz and Utopia.

29.  MONTEGO BAY--  Bobby Bloom    #8     Still didn't think he was a white guy.  His only Top 40, so that makes him a real ___ ___ _______.

28. * I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW--  Elvis Presley      #21     Smooth as silk, you know.   A number 11 hit for Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1954.

27.  *WATCHING SCOTTY GROW--  Bobby Goldsboro      #11    That's my boy, the King of Schmaltz.  Written by Mac Davis who died in 2020.

26.  AFTER MIDNIGHT--  Eric Clapton     #18       Always love the start of this song.  His first solo hit.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Leroy Boy, Is That You?  I Thought Your Post-Hangin' Days Were Through."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"We Gotta Get You A Woman"

Going Back to 1972-- Part 1: "Witchy Woman"

Today's WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback is going back to the year 1972, my last full year in college.  The first half at University of Georgia in Athens, where I tried to start a colony for my Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, but it ended up as an Acacia chapter.

The second half of the year was at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb where I took nothing but education classes so I could graduate in four years.  As much as I had enjoyed college my first three years, it was now time to get serious about my future.

Anyway, here is a partial list of songs played:

RESPECT YOURSELF--  Staple Singers

FREE FOUR--  Pink Floyd

IKO IKO--  Dr. John

WITCHY WOMAN--  Eagles

ANGEL--  Rod Stewart

THE WHEEL--  Jerry Garcia

SUPERFLY--  Curtis Mayfield

HAPPY--  Rolling Stones

FRANKENSTEIN--  Edgar Winter Group

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well, I Never Kept A Dollar Past Sunset."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Happy"

Back to the Summer of 1970, Part 12: "Mississippi Queen"

 Songs on the radio (mostly WLS and WCFL in Chicago) and in your record collection (that's right, vinyl albums and even 45s perhaps) on September 6, 1970.  That would be fifty years ago.

I was a sophomore at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and having a mighty good time as the original frat rat with that old fraternity of mine, Delta Sigma Phi.  We were more like the Deltas at "Animal House" and even had a guy who had been at college for seven years and was a sophomore named Czych.  Until the end, the movie could have been about us, but there was no parade scene.  I do, however, wish we had known about toga parties.  We definitely would have had to have one.

HOUSE AT POOH CORNER--  Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

HAND ME DOWN WORLD--  Guess Who

LET IT BE--  Beatles

MAN, WE WAS LONELY--  Paul McCartney   This would have been at the 10 am time.  As Bob Stroud always plays two Beatle songs then (which is when Terri Hemmert's Breakfast With the Beatles show on Chicago's WXRT ends.

MISSISSIPPI QUEEN--  Mountain

LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT-- Creedence Clearwater Revival  Off that great "Cosmo's Factory" album.

ALL RIGHT NOW--  Free   One of the best-ever rock songs.

IT'S UP TO YOU--  Moody Blues

SPILL THE WINE--  Eric Burdon

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "There She Stood In The Street Smilin' From Her Head To Her Feet."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"All Right Now"

Bob Stroud Goes Back to September 6, 1970, Today on Chicago's WDRV. 97.1 FM

 That would be the songs played on the radio and in your record collections FIFTY years ago today.  It streams from 9 am to noon CDST and will be repeated from 9 pm to midnight CDST.  This is the fourth and final Root Salute of the Summer of 1970.  Previous ones were on the first Sunday of June, July and August.

I was a sophomore at Northern Illinois University and living at the Delta Sigma Phi frat house out on Greenbrier in Greek Row.  This was my first year as an active, having pledged during spring semester as a freshman.  Probably the most fun I has while a college student (and I sure had a lot of good times).

The songs he will be playing will sure bring some memories back.  I will be recording the show on my cassettes (that's how far behind I am).  

Looking Forward to the trip Back.  --RoadFrat

Ten Songs from 1970 and That Dear Old Fraternity of Mine: Delta Sigma Phi-- 'But to Raise Hell While We're Here'

 Yesterday, Bob Stroud played ten songs from 1970 on his Ten at Ten at Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM.  I feel obliged to include them here for you.

Like I said yesterday, 1970 was the end of my freshman year, start of sophomore year at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb  It was also a fraternity year for me, pledging Delta Sigma Phi in the spring and as an active in the fall.  I figured being in a fraternity was going to be fun and it sure was.

Not to say that my grades suffered, but they did.  School got in the way of fraternity.  I was a real frat rat of the first order.  Like one of our old frat songs went:  "Well, it's not for knowledge that we came to college, but to raise hell while we're here!"

Anyway, Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten 1970 songs played Thursday, September 3.

CRAZY--  Van Morrison

FUNK #49--  James Gang

BELL BOTTOM BLUES--  Derek & the Dominos

LET'S WORK TOGETHER--  Canned Heat

SPIRIT IN THE SKY--  Norman Greenbaum

DEJA-VU--  CSN&Y

LOLA--  Kinks

CASEY JONES--  Grateful Dead

COME AND GET IT--  Badfinger

HAND ME DOWN WORLD--  Guess Who

The number one song on September 3, 1970:  "War--  Edwin Starr,  #1 album:  "Cosmos' Factory"--  Creedence Clearwater Revival,  #1 movie:  "Diary of a Mad Housewife."

Hoddy Toddy!!

Name That Tune (from the above songs:  "I Met Her In A Club Down In Old Soho."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Lola"

Bob Stroud Going to 1970 for His Ten at Ten Today at 10 am on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM

 In just a few minutes, Bob Stroud will be going back to the hood college year for me, 1970, while a freshman and sophomore at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  Since the songs that came out in my high school and college days are by far my favorite, I am really going to enjoy this one.

It streams at ww.wdrv.com and will be replayed tonight at 10 pm.  All times CDST.

Give a listen.  I'll be recording the show on my audio cassette recorder.  Not that I'm a little behind times or anything.

Download?  --OldRoadDog

PONDER THIS:  Never take life too seriously.  Nobody gets out alive anyway.

WDRV Playing 'Lodi' Right Now (the Old Delta Sig 'Buffalo Song')

I am listening to Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, The Drive,  right now and Bob Stroud is playing Creedence Clearwater's "Lodi."  This was my fraternity's "song" back in 1970-1973 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  Only we called it "The Buffalo Song."

It was on one of the four albums we would play at all our parties.  We'd play one side of each album (stacked to four) then flip them over and play the other side.

Our four "party" albums:

"Green River" by Creedence which had "Lodi" on it.
Temptations Greatest Hits
Four Tops Greatest Hits
Sly & the Family Stone Greatest Hits

So, as you can see, we really liked out soul music, much like the guys on the movie "Animal House."

Only, we had other words to "Lodi" which I won't recount here.  Czych and Beazey put the new words to the song.  When it came on, we'd all get in a circle, arms on each others' shoulders and sing at the top of our voices as we swayed back and forth.  When we got to a break in the singing, that was time to take a swig of a beverage.

Sure brought back some fun memories.  Thank You, Bob.

By the way, all day today, the Drive is doing Two-For-Tuesday.  Two songs in a row by an artist.  Coming up at 10 am, Bob will be doing "Just" songs, songs with the word "Just" in the title.  It streams and will have a repeat at 10 pm.

"Just About A Year Ago, I Took Out the Buffalo."  --RoadDog

FOX HUNTING: Who played the title character in the movies "Foxy Brown" in 1974 and "Jackie Brown" in 1997?


"Pam Grier"

Seems to Be the Time of Music from 1970: "Blue Money"

I listened to part of WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback, 93.1 FM this morning.  They went back to the year 1970.  Again, lots of memories of a great college year for me at Northern Illinois University as a member of Delta Sigma Phi.

NATURE'S WAY--  Spirit
ROCK AND ROLL--  Velvet Underground
VEHICLE--  Ides of March

UNCLE JOHN'S BAND--  Grateful Dead
DON'T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN--  Neil Young
BRON-Y-AUR STOMP--  Led Zeppelin

THE LETTER--  Joe Cocker
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN/GYPSEY QUEEN--  Santana
COUNTRY COMFORT--  Elton John

BLUE MONEY--  Van Morrison
WAITING FOR THE SUN--  Doors
EL CONDOR PASA--  Simon & Garfunkel

INSTANT KARMA--  John Lennon
MEMO FROM TURNER--  Mick Jagger
HAND ME DOWN WORLD--  Guess Who

LAYLA--  Derek & Dominos
RIDE CAPTAIN RIDE--  Blues Image
COUNTRY GIRL--  CSNY

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I'm a Friendly Stranger In a Black Sedan."  Answer below.--  RoadDog


"Vehicle"

It's A Creedence Thing For Me: "Lodi" and CCR Getting Back Together?

I was listening to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots just a little while ago, 7 am to 10 am Sundays on WDRV, 93.1 FM, Chicago, the Drive, something I do most every Sunday (I record Terri Hemmert's Breakfast With the Beatles, 8 to 10 am on Chicago's WXRT, 93.1 FM on my cassette tapes to listen to during the week.)

Anyway, Stroud played "Lodi" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and that song, of course, perked up my ears and is one that really takes me back to my college days because it was my fraternity's song (Delta Sigma Phi), that we sang about a special girl.  Only our words were different.  I couldn't tell you them here, but believe me, at our parties, we really belted our version out.

The new words were written by Cyzck and Beasey.

But, after the song, Stroud said the words I gave been waiting so long to hear, that Doug Clifford, Stu Cook and John Fogerty have been meeting and talking about burying the hatchet.  John's brother Tom Fogerty has since died.  When the band broke up in 1972, there were really hard feelings.

I consider CCR my favorite 1960s band.

Can a tour be long in coming?

CCR Forever.  --RoadFan


EGGCELLENT EASTER JOKES:    Q:  What would you get if you crossed the Easter Bunny with an over-stressed person?   A:  An Easter basket case!!

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "National Lampoon's Animal House"

Alright, I'll have to include this here since I was doing Stephen Furst's obit.  Great music, both the originals and the new ones made for the movie.  And, of course, John Belushi.

It is too bad the movie came out after I was out of school as this album definitely would have been on our party  playlist.  And, tose Toga Parties!!  What a great idea.  We, Delta Sigma Phi, played four albums, front and back, at our parties:  Four Tops Greatest Hits, Temptations Greatest Hits, Sly & the Family Stone Greatest Hits and "Green River" by CCR.

Of course, this is in my Ultimate CD Jukebox.

Faber College Theme--  Elmer Bernstein
Louie, Louie--  John Belushi
Twistin' the Night Away--  Sam Cooke

Tossin' and Turnin'--  Bobby Lewis
Shama Lama Ding Dong--  Otis Day & the Knights
Hey Paula--  Paul and Paula

Animal House--  Stephen Bishop
Intro--  Stephen Bishop
Money--  John Belushi

Let's Dance--  Chris Montez
Dream Girl--  Stephen Bishop

Wonderful World--  Sam Cooke
Shout--  Otis Day & the Knights
Faber College Theme--  Elmer Bernstein

What, No "I Gave My Love a Cherry?"  I'll Have Another.  --  RoadDog

LAWS OF PARENTING:  Backing your car out of the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.

My Vietnam War Experience-- Part 4: Pledging Delta Sigma Phi

Continued from August 7, 2017.

In the spring semester 1970, I pledged Delta Sigma Phi fraternity at Northern Illinois University.  Tension on campus continued to get worse as the Vietnam War dragged on.  There was quite a bit of this anti-war sentiment that flowed over to anti-establishment and fraternities and sororities were viewed as "The Establishment," so our groups came under increasing fire from the others.

I had a great time during pledging and I have to admit that my grades slipped quite a bit.  To put it mildly, we partied a whole lot.  Delta Sig pledges had to carry this big old empty bomb shell around campus and protect it, or dire consequences if it got "stolen."  It was painted green with our Greek letters on it.  We never lost it.

Of course, failing college was a REAL Good way to get yourself to Vietnam via Uncle Sam's Draft.  You flunk, you get shot.

The frat house was on Augusta Avenue, east of campus (44 Augusta?).

Anyway, I became an active in April.

Hoddy Toddy, God-Almighty, Who the Hell Are We?  We're the Delta Sigs.  --RoadDog

Music Deaths: Stephen Furst "Animal House's" Flounder

STEPHEN FURST, 63

Died June 16, 2017

OK, he wasn't a singer, but he was on that great movie and soundtrack "National Lampoon's Animal House."  I regard that as the best movie ever made as it reminds me so much of my old fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi at Northern Illinois University.  Until the end, this was my fraternity.  We even had our own Bluto we called Czyck (pronounced Shike, long i)

Delta House was Delta Sig House.  Alright, we didn't cause a horse to have a hear attack in the dean's office.  Nor did we ever hve a Toga Party, but I'm sure we would have if we'd known about them.  And like Boone and the others, we really loved R&B music.  We were kind of the misfit frat at Northern, not as bad as the Delta Taus though.

Actor, film and television director.  His big break came in 1978 when he played Kent "Flounder" Dorfman on"National Lampoon's Animal House."  Then, the next year, he played the same character on the TV series "Delta House."

He played other roles on TV's "St. Elsewhere" and "Babylon 5."

Don't Shoot the Horse, Flounder!!  --RoadDog

Music Deaths: Winfield Scott and Cynthia Robinson

WINFIELD SCOTT, 95

Died Oct. 26, 2015.

Co-wrote "Return to Sender" and "One Broken Heart."    "Return to Sender is one of  my favorite Elvis songs.  Also wrote "LaVern Baker's hit "Tweedle Dee," Connie Francis' "Many Tears Ago" and Bill Haley's "Burn That Candle."

CYNTHIA ROBINSON, 69

Died Nov. 23, 2015

Vocalist and horn player with Sly & the Family Stone.  Also played with Graham Central Station.  Inducted into Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 1993 with Sly & the Family Stone who charted ten times including #1 hits "Everyday People"-1969, "Thank You Falletin Me BeMice Elf Agin"-1970 and "Family Affair"-1971.

Sly & the Family Stone's Greatest Hits was one of four albums we played at my fraternity parties (Delta Sigma Phi at Northern Illinois University) back in the college years.  The other three: Temptations Greatest Hits, Four Tops Greatest Hits and CCR's Green River.

"Animal House" and My Old Frat, Delta Sigma Phi: Thanks Harold

And, Harold Ramis' best ever.  My all-time favorite movie, "Animal House."  Until the end of the movie, he might as well have been writing about my fraternity at Northern Illinois University, Delta Sigma Phi.  We even had a guy named Czichowski whom we called Cziak, who could have been Bluto's brother.  He drank as much and was on the seven-year plan and never did graduate.

We even had a serious pledge initiation ceremony messed up when one of them said, "I, state your name."  No one could keep a straight face after that.

Our parties were legendary, though we sure wished we'd known about the Toga Parties.  Like Boone, we loved out R&B, soul an Motown Music.  At every party we played just four albums:  Greatest Hits ones by the Four Tops, Sly & the Family Stone and Temptations.  The fourth was "Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, primarily because of "Lodi."  This was song we had adopted for our own words and particular dance to it.

We also had road trips and pledging.

When I saw Harold Ramis' "Animal House, it sure did bring back all those memories.

Thanks Harold.  --RoadDog


CHEERS' NORM PETERSON'S BEST QUOTES:  Hey Mr. peterson, there's a cold one waiting for you.  "I know, if she calls, I'm not here."

Sad News From Northern Illinois University

With all the hoopla over our school's appearance in the Orange Bowl, there are still some stories out of campus that aren't good at all.

The most recent is the death of the Pi Kappa Alpha pledge, Pikes, David Bogenberger, from alcohol.  He was 19 and from my old high school, Palatine.  We went to school with his aunt and father.

Rightfully so, the fraternity is now off campus and its leaders and members on trial for his death.  Hey, I know fraternities drink, I was a Delta Sig there.  But what he drank was really above and beyond, but not surprising in this day and age of everything "EXTREME."

Then, there was the murder of Toni Keller on October 21, 2010.  Her killer was found and now will be standing trial.

Worst of all were the St. Valentine's murders on Feb. 14, 2008, when five students were slain in Cole Hall.  At least there is now a fitting memorial to them on campus.  I just went to the Wikipedia article.  Too bad they chose to use the murderers name.  It is my belief that when someone does the unthinkable as mass murderers, theirs should become a name that must not be mentioned.

Sad Times at NIU. 

Delta Sigs at NIU Played Four Albums at Parties in Early 70s

Listening to Lin Braehmer on Chicago's WXRT and he relates going to a fraternity party back in the 70s where they played all four sides of the Rolling Stones' new Exile on Main Street album.  He said it was one hell-of-a-party.

Well, the Delta Sigs (Delta Sigma Phi) at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb had four albums we played at every party.  They'd be stacked and as soon as the sides played, they would be flipped over and the other sides played.  And, these were some great party songs.

The albums:

Temptations Greatest Hits
Four Tops Greatest Hits
Sly and the Family Stone Greatest Hits
Green River by CCR

We loved our soul and Motown.  CCR was on especially because of the song "Lodi" which served as the base of our fraternity song.

Some Really  Fine Times to Those Tunes.  --RoadDog


FUNNY HEADLINES:  Stiff Opposition Expected to Casket-Less Funeral Plan.

Where Were You April 8, 1970?-- Part 1: Pledging Delta Sigma Phi

I was pledging Delta Sigma Phi fraternity at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb at the time along with my good buddy Bob from Rockford. Our house was on Augusta Avenue. It was a blast and I was having the time of my life.

This was back in the days of hazing and it sure happened to us. There were always the fun paddle exchanges, plus all sorts of inane stuff we had to do like carry the "Bomb" around and make sure no sorority stole it. The bomb was an empty bomb shell about three feet high that pledges had to carry around campus and guard with our lives.

There were always the fun commands to count the bowling balls in the Union as well as the number of holes on the ceiling and the always-fun say the Greek alphabet three times on a match before it burned your fingers.

The pledges had to really stick together and make sure no actives took any of us for a "ride." Most of the actives were alright, but some went out of their way to make our lives as miserable as possible.

All In All, I'd Have to Say That This Was the Most Fun I Had in the Fraternity, Though. --RoadDog


WILL ROGERS SAYS: If I studied all my life, I couldn't think up half the number of funny things passed in one session of Congress.

A Delta Sig Incident

It's a Delta Sig Thing. You Wouldn't Understand.

No Fire Comes Between a Brother and His Food.

This news out of Macomb, Illinois, involving the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house at Western Illinois. I was a Delta Sig many, many years ago at Northern Illinois. Some things don't change, or do they?

A Western Illinois student was ticketed when he chose to eat rather than evacuate the house after a fire alarm went off in the fraternity house.

Police and fire personnel responded and went through the house which was empty except for this one brother who said it had taken them too long to get there and he was going to eat his lasagna meal.

Firemen said the 22-year-old was uncooperative and police ticketed him for failure to evacuate. Officials say alcohol was a factor.

I'm not sure my old fraternity would have stayed for food, but just might have if leaving would jeopardize the booze supply.

Oh, Well. That Old Fraternity of Mine. --RoadDog


QUOTES: I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. --W.C. Fields