(Above: You may wish to add a few 45's to the table as well.) I grew up in a predominantly Catholic suburb of Chicago in the 1970s and 80s. We didn't stop to ask questions about other belief systems, especially not in grade school. The Spring Break calendar was the same every year: no classes … Continue reading Kosher for Passover: Jewish folk songs reimagined as rock and roll records
1960s
Car tunes: The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1967)
(Above: My 1969 Chevrolet Impala, nicknamed "The Chariot of Death.") April 4, 1985 was a Thursday. The end of my junior year of high school was in sight. While many of my classmates were making plans for the junior prom, I had no such prospects. Instead, I made a rather questionable investment of about $700 … Continue reading Car tunes: The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1967)
Rest in peace, Chuck Barris – songwriter: Freddy Cannon, “Palisades Park” (1962)
(Above: A dangerous mind, indeed.) At some point today you saw the news that television producer and reluctant game show host Chuck Barris passed away at the age of 87. Most of the accolades and memories center around one of Barris' most famous creations: either "The Gong Show," which I loved, or "The Dating Game," … Continue reading Rest in peace, Chuck Barris – songwriter: Freddy Cannon, “Palisades Park” (1962)
RIP Chuck Berry: “Come On” (1961)
(Above: The 45 copy of Chuck Berry's "Come On," which is missing from my collection.) Within the last six months I wrote about Chuck Berry turning 90 and about Leonard Chess turning 100 (were he still with us). Both of those posts come together today in this obit. Chuck Berry died today at his home … Continue reading RIP Chuck Berry: “Come On” (1961)
Erin go bragh-less: Irish bands on the charts and “The Unicorn” (1968)
(Above: The Clancy Brothers, replete with pipes and sweaters.) Ah, Oldies radio. We like to observe the same conventions each year when it comes to things like holidays and commemorations. I will bet you everything in my wallet (a low risk on a Friday, least of all on St. Patrick's Day) that your friendly neighborhood … Continue reading Erin go bragh-less: Irish bands on the charts and “The Unicorn” (1968)
Car mixtape review: 60’s Cruising Tape (1986)
(Above: The 1969 Buick Electra I bought for $400 in February of 1986.) In the last post I referred to buying a '69 Buick and driving around listening to mixtapes put together full of Oldies music. I was a constant anachronism in high school: whatever was in, I wanted no part of, instead choosing to … Continue reading Car mixtape review: 60’s Cruising Tape (1986)
An overdue Grammy: The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)
(Above: Poster for a movie soundtrack that didn't win a Grammy.) I think it's more fun to watch Twitter during an awards show than to watch the awards show itself. No matter who wins what, someone's got an opposing opinion, and the preponderance of gadgets allows those opinions to get out immediately. Such was the … Continue reading An overdue Grammy: The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)
RIP, Sonny Geraci: The Outsiders, “Respectable” (1966)
Lost in all of the Super Bowl hype today is the fact that Sonny Geraci of the Outsiders passed away at the age of 69. If you have spent any time listening to Oldies radio, you undoubtedly know "Time Won't Let Me," the song the band is best known for. The tight playlists of Oldies … Continue reading RIP, Sonny Geraci: The Outsiders, “Respectable” (1966)
Radio time travel: Ron Britain, WCFL, Chicago (January 28, 1967)
(Above: The psychedelic world of Ron Britain, WCFL.) In the last post I lamented the inability to travel through time to hear the WERX countdown. Today, at least, time travel IS possible, because we have this bit of radio wonderfulness to enjoy. 50 years ago this weekend, Chicago was cleaning up from the Blizzard of … Continue reading Radio time travel: Ron Britain, WCFL, Chicago (January 28, 1967)
Pop charts: WERX, Grand Rapids, Michigan (January 12, 1967)
(Above: Pepper-Uppers, unite.) If there's one thing we can count on in 2017, it's a lot of 50th anniversary retrospectives looking back at 1967. "Anniversary fatigue" is real, and while I don't want to do a lot of it this year, the problem is that some aspects of popular culture are just too damned good … Continue reading Pop charts: WERX, Grand Rapids, Michigan (January 12, 1967)
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 