Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.

Friday, January 15, 2021

WLS Top 30 for Week of January 11, 1971-- Part 4: 'Black Magic Woman'

Yep, fifty years ago. That's half a century for those of you counting.

15.  BLACK MAGIC WIMAN--  Santana  Such a different sound.  What a guitar sound.  Would Fleetwood Mac even recognize this song?

14.  *BORN TO WONDER--  Rare Earth    A  white band with Motown?  Who'd have figured?  All that an a flute solo intro?

13.  ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER--  Fifth Dimension     BB & HD & FD.  What a combination.  See below.

12.  *REMEMBER ME--  Diana Ross   There's our solo gal.  I'd forgotten this song.  One of the comments on the video on You Tube was that this song would make a perfect burial song.  True.

11.  *STONEY END--  Barbra Streisand  a Laura Nyro song.  My favorite Streisand song.


BB Burt Bacharach  HD  Hal David and FD  Fifth Dimension

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Should Be Happy, But All I Do Is Cry."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"One Less Bell to Answer"


Thursday, January 14, 2021

WLS Top 30 for Week of January 11, 1971-- Part 3: 'River Deep, Mountain High'

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

20.  *LET YOUR LOVE GO--  Bread       #28    Almost sounded like CCR at the beginning.  I didn't remember it, but for those of you who think Bread was just a schmaltzy slow song band.  Maybe they weren't.  Great song.

19.  *GAMES-- Redeye     #27    Great harmonies.  Sounded a bit like CSNY.    I'd also forgotten this song.  From Los Angeles.

18.  *1900 YESTERDAY--   Liz Damon's Orient Express      #33    A real different song.  Never heard it before, but keep listening to it and it grows on you.

17.  PAY TO THE PIPER--  Chairmen of the Board     #13   Beach Music way back then.  That's general Johnson and his guys.

16.   RIVER DEEP - MOUNTAIN HIGH--   Supremes / Four Tops    #14    Hey, who needs Diana?      

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "If You Dance To the Music."     Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Pay To the Piper"

 

Music Deaths: Bruce Swedien-- Recording and Mixing Engineer and Record Producer

BRUCE SWEDIEN, 86

Died 16 November 2020

Worked on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album.  Audio engineer.

First received recognition as engineer on Four Seasons' 1962 single "Big Girls Don't Cry."  Won five Grammy awards for Best Engineered Album.

Worked on albums by Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Chi-Lites, Tyrone Davis and Jackie Wilson.

Also on recordings by Patti Austin, Mick Jagger,  Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer.


Wednesday, January 13, 2021

WLS Top 30 for Week of January 11, 1971-- Part 2: 'One Bad Apple'

25.  DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS--  Chicago     #7      That piano then those horns.  Great story on the Chicago Infinity You Tube site for this song by Pablo:  "True Story:  I worked in an office with a 20-something receptionist; the rest of us were  in our 40s and 50s.  All the clocks in the office were out of sync, and -quite unknowingly - the receptionist asked 'Does anybody  really know what time it is?'  Everybody else chimed in 'Does anybody really care?'  We instantly had to explain that we weren't being mean, just quoting  song lyrics."  Good one.  

The group was called Chicago Transit Authority at the time.

24.  *ROSE GARDEN--  Lynn Anderson      #3      Back when country ladies piled their hair.  Good words of advice.  I don't know, country with strings?    Her only Pop Top Ten

23.  *MOST OF ALL--  B.J. Thomas    I'd forgotten this song.

22.  FOR THE GOOD TIMES--  Ray Price     #11     Written by Kris Kristofferson.  Country music.   Born in Perryville, Texas.

21.  *ONE BAD APPLE--  Osmonds      #1     The white Jackson Five.  Even down to the moves.   Donny sounded just like a young Michael Jackson

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Does Anybody Really Care?"  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is"


Monday, January 11, 2021

Music Deaths: Des O'Connor, U.K. Entertainer and Mac Mac MacLeod, Played With Donovan

DES O'CONNOR, 88

Died 14 November 2020

U.K. entertainer.  Had a #1 song in 1968 with "I Pretend."  

Quite the entertainer.  He could do it all.  Check him out on You Tube doing the 1965 Royal Variety Performance.  Recorded 36 albums and had four U.K. Top Ten singles.

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

MAC MacLEOD, 79

Died 16 November 2020

Folk guitarist who played with Donovan.  Was the original singer of "Hurdy Gurdy Man."

What is a Hurdy Gurdy Man?


Music Deaths: Jim Tucker of the Turtles

JIM TUCKER, 74

Died 12 November 2020

Guitarist with the Turtles who topped the charts in 1967 with "Happy Together."

Founding rhythm guitarist.   Featured on many of the band's classic hits like "She'd Rather Be With Me" and "It Ain't Me Babe."  

Joined the band while in high school.  Left the band at age 21 and had a long career as an electrical contractor.


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"


Sunday, January 10, 2021

JSS: Gone But Not Forgotten-- Still Choppin'-- If We Could Just Get Snow To...

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN--  At 9 am today, CST, Bob Stroud is going to have his annual Gone But Not Forgotten Salute on his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, The Drive.  It streams and goes to noon.  Of course, I have written about most if not all of these artists in this blog, but Bob always has interesting things to say about them and, of course, plays a song or two by them.

I don't know, but this year, two shows might be needed.  Quite a few deaths.

Worth a listen.

2.  STILL CHOPPIN'--  And are my arms, shoulders and especially my wrists really sore.  That snow we got last week was really heavy and between just the regular amount of it on the driveway and especially that huge amount deposited at the foot of it by the street, my poor little snow blower was completely outgunned.  

As a result, I have been out chopping ice most every day so far this week.

3.  IF WE COULD JUST GET SNOW TO...    If we could just get snow to stop falling on driveways, sidewalks, streets and roads, I would be a big fan of it.  But never when I have to deal with it.  It's really pretty on the yards and bushes this time of the year.  And, of course there are those times where the snow attaches itself to trees and bushes that are unbelievably pretty.  I call it "Nature's Done Been Painting."

Or, I wouldn't mind it if those folks who really love winter would come over and clear my driveway and sidewalks before they go out and have fun in it, I'd definitely be okay with that.  But, whenever I ask a skier or snowmobiler to do that, I just get a blank stare and sometimes a "kind" word or two.

Snowy, Snowy.  Stay Off My Stuff!!  --RoadDog

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  The people of India are divided into casts and outcasts.


Thursday, January 7, 2021

JSS: Ice Chopping-- How Come?-- A Disgrace Yesterday

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  ICE CHOPPING--  We were hit with 4 inches of snow the other day which would gave been more, except that it turned to sleet near the end.  However, that made the snow really heavy and overpowered my poor snow blower so I couldn't get the driveway cleared off.  And, driving on it has now caused it to turn to ice.

I have been out chopping it and are my wrists sore.

2.  HOW COME?  How come I get 2/3 of the snow on my side of the street when the snowplow comes by and the people on the other side get just 1.3.  Not fair.  They should get more.

3.  A DISGRACE YESTERDAY--  What happened in Washington, D.C. yesterday was a disgrace.  To think a group of people could get that far when our elected officials are conducting business is scary.

However, it was interesting to note how the liberal press was calling it as a riot when they would not call BLM's days of rampage, rioting, burning and looting anything other than civil unrest.

Come on Guys!  A Riot is a riot is a riot!!  

--RoadDog


Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Winners of the 4th WLS Hit Parade Awards for 1970

From the January 4, 1971,WLS Music Survey.

BEST MALE VOCALIST

Neil Diamond

BEST FEMALE VOCALIST

Diana Ross

BEST GROUP

Beatles

BEST DUO

Carpenters

BEST NEW MALE VOCALIST

Joe Cocker

BEST NEW FEMALE VOCALIST

Freda Payne

BEST NEW GROUP

Partridge Family

BEST INSTRUMENTAL

Assembled Multitude

BEST LOCAL GROUP

Ides of March

--RoadDog

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  An Indian reservation consists of a mile of land for every five square Indians.


Monday, January 4, 2021

WLS Top Ten for Week of January 4, 1971: 'My Sweet Lord'

The Top Ten songs in Chicago fifty years ago on Superstation WLS (World's Largest Store) 890 AM.  Back in those wonderful AM days.

1.  KNOCK THREE TIMES--  Dawn

2.  LONELY DAYS--  Bee Gees    The Pre-Disco Bee Gees

3.  DOMINO--  Van Morrison

4.  I HEAR YOU KNOCKING--  Dave Edmunds

5.  IMMIGRANT SONG--  Led Zeppelin

6.  MY SWEET LORD--  George Harrison  He didn't copy.

7.  LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH--  Steven Stills

8.  STONED LOVE-- Supremes

9.  BLACK MAGIC WOMAN--  Santana

10.  ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER--  Fifth Dimension

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

DEBUTS

26.  ROSE GARDEN--  Lynne Anderson

27.  GAMES--  Red Eye

28.  1900--  Yesterday Liz Damon's Orient Express

29.  MOST OF ALL--  B.J. Thomas

HIT PARADE BOUND:  SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU--  Little Sister

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "We Come From The Land Of Ice And Snow."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Immigrant Song"


Past Movie Scratches: Hunter-- Phantom-- Clones-- Resident-- Guardians-- Story

See if you can guess the movies in the title above.

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2019

115.  THE LAST WITCH HUNTER--  12-20--   Been hunting witches for a real long, long time.

116.  STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE--  12-20--  We meet the future Darth Vader, the son of a slave and real nice kid.  That real ugly Sith guy gets his.  So does Liam.

117.  STAR WARS:  ATTACK OF THE CLONES--  12-21--  Aniken grows up, falls in love and starts drifting over to the Dark Side.  It's da Clones vs. Da Droids.

118.  RESIDENT EVIL:  AFTERLIFE--  12-23-- Running from the umbrellas and zombies.

119.  GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY--  12-24--  My favorite group of Superhero oddballs.

120.  A CHRISTMAS STORY--  12-24--  The famed Furnace Fighter, Christmas Tree Trader, Tire Changer and Bumpkus Dog Hater.

Waiting for Commercial Break.  --RoadDog


Music Deaths: Bones Hillman of Australia's Midnight Oil and Dominic Grant of Guys 'n' Dolls

BONES HILLMAN, 62

Died  7 November 2020

Real name Wayne Stevens.  Joined Midnight Oil in 1987 and played bass guitar for them on their big hits.

"Bed Are Burning"

"Blue Sky Mine"

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

DOMINIC GRANT, 71

Died  18 November 2020

Three guys and three gals.  Big group in England.  Had two Top Tens.



Music Deaths: Len Barry '1- 2- 3'

LEN BARRY, 78

Died 5 November 2020

Lead singer of the Doo-Wop group Dovells.  As a solo performer had big hit with "1- 2- 3."

Real name Leonard  Borisoff.  Born and raised in Philadelphia.  Formed and was lead singer of the Dovells.  They charted two Top Tens:

"Bristol Stomp"  (#2-1960)

"You Can't Sit Down"  (#3-1963)

Then as a solo act:

"1- 2- 3"  (#2-1965)


Sunday, January 3, 2021

Need a Shot of 1969-- Part 2: 'I Want You Back'

Continued from November 28, 2020.

Over 50 Years Ago.  

These songs are from WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback.

UNDUN--  Guess Who

LONG TIME GONE--  Crosby, Nash & Stills

SOMETHING--  Beatles

MONKEY MAN--  Rolling Stones

THAT'S THE WAY LOVE IS--  Marvin Gaye

SOMETHING IN THE AIR--  Thunderclap Newman

VOLUNTEERS--  Jefferson Airplane

FEELING ALRIGHT--  Joe Cocker

SEA OF JOY--  Blind Faith

EVIL WAYS (WOODSTOCK)--  Santana

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN--  Led Zeppelin

I WANT YOU BACK--  Jackson Five

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Hey Girl Stop What You're Doin'.  Hey Girl, You'll Drive Me To Ruin."  Answer below.   --RoadDog


"Communication Breakdown"


Saturday, January 2, 2021

Good Listening Music This Morning, Saturday Jan. 2

A good time to turn on the old radio or internet if you're a fan of old music (and some new).

Right now:

WDRV, 97. 1 FM, the Drive (Chicago)

The Drive's A to Z where they are counting down over 2,000 songs alphabetically.  It started Christmas Eve and is still going and in the letter "S".  They just played Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."  It will continue to at least this coming Monday.

WDRV, 93.1 FM (Chicago)

Right now, Saturday Morning Flashback to the year 1970.  Johnny Mars just played "Bridge Over Troubled Water."  It goes to noon, CST.

WVCO, 94.9 FM, the Surf

Beach Music Top 25 Songs until noon EST.

Of course, tomorrow it is WDRV's Breakfast With the Beatles with Terri Hemmert from 8-10 am and Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show from 9 to noon on WDRV.

All shows stream.

Love That Music.  --RoadDog

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  A mountain range is a cooking stove used at high altitudes.


Friday, January 1, 2021

The Drive's A to Z Now at Letter "R": 'Ramblin' Gamblin' Man'

Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM is now up to the letter "R" on its annual year end A to Z countdown.

RAINY WOMEN NOS. 12 AND 35--  Bob Dylan

RAMBLE ON--  Led Zeppelin

RAMBLIN' GAMBLIN' MAN--  Bob Seger     (Did he say "Funkin' World/")

RAMBLIN' MAN--  Allman Brothers

READY FOR LOVE--  Bad Company

REAL LOVE--  Doobie Brothers

REASON TO BELIEVE--  Rod Stewart

REBEL REBEL--  David Bowie

RED BARCHETTA--  Rush

RED HOUSE--  Jimi Hendrix

RED RAIN--  Peter Gabriel

RED RED WINE-- UB40     (Reggae, Mon!)

REELING IN THE YEARS--  Steely Dan   (Always reminds me of driving the Ramblin; Wreck back and forth between Palatine and Des Plaines when I was doing my student teaching in 1973.)

REFUGEE--  Tom Petty

It streams.  Give it a listen.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Was Born In The Back Seat Of A Greyhound Bus Rolling Down Highway 41."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Ramblin' Man"


Music Deaths: Ken Hensley of Uriah Heep (Two Members of the Group Died in 2020)

KEN HENSLEY, 75

Died 4 November 2020

Keyboardist/guitar player with Uriah Heep 1969-1980

"Gypsy"

"The Wizard"

"Easy Livin' "

"Sweet Lorraine"

"Stealin' "

"Bird of Prey"

I bought a copy of their first album, 1970s'   "...Very 'Eavy ... Very 'Umble" and about wore the groves out.  You know, that one with the really ugly cover.

The band also lost another original member, drummer Lee Kerslake on 16 September 2020.

If you want to destroy your eardrums, put on the ol' headphones or some of those old speakers, put on "Gypsy" or "Easy Livin' " and bang away.

Who invented Heavy Metal?