Today's QOTD: October 28, 2010

"Those schoolgirl days of telling tales, and biting nails are gone. But in my mind I know they will still live on and on. But how do you thank someone, who has taken you from crayons to perfume? It isn't easy, but I'll try.If you wanted the sky, I would write across the sky in letters, that would soar a thousand feet high, To Sir, With Love."; Lulu Kennedy-Cairns ("Lulu"b.1948); Movie of same name (1967) w/Sidney Poitier (b.1927)

I've taken a few days off from Blogging to get some things in order, but I've had the pleasure of listening to the "70's on 7" and the "60's on 6" on Sirius radio in my '07 Expedition.  I've come to the realization that Music really does transcend the soul.  For example, how can you not be moved by songs like "Proud to be American" by Lee Greenwood, "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen, "America" by Neil Diamond, and "Ballad of Green Beret" by SSgt Barry Sadler?  I have covered all 4 of those songs in previous blogs, as well as "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot, but it was the airing of "Wreck" yesterday morning that caught my attention and caught me to think.  We are defined by the music of our day, whether it be the 40's or the first decade of the 21st Century.  Being the youngest of 7, I grew up watching "America Bandstand" when it was on every afternoon, and when it changed to a Saturday Noon format (I didn't have a choice - being the youngest, I only had control of the TV on early Saturday mornings or if I was home when none of my 6 Brothers and 2 Sisters were present.  I even endured (and began to love) the music of Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, as well as Tommy Dorsey and the sensation percussion of Gene Krupa.  To me, "Let's Dance" was one of the finest recordings ever played, as well as "Take the A Train" and "Moonlight Serenade" when Miller chose to substitute clarinets for coronets (the rest is history).

The Music I enjoyed in the 60's and 70's was incredible, but there are several musical renditions that really stood out to me as being ground-breaking:

• "Never Can Say Goodbye" (Gloria Gaynor - 1974) - regarded as the first true Disco Song (previously made famous by the Jackson 5 in 1971)
• "I Want You Back" (Jackson 5 - 1970) - their breakout hit
• "Ticket to Ride" (Carpenters - 1970) - their first single followed by the smash "Close to You"
• "Maggie May" (Rod Stewart - 1971) - his first chart topper
• "American Pie" (Don McLean - 1971 - the LONG version - 7 minutes)
• "Closer to Home" (Grand Funk Railroad - 1969)
• 'The Hustle" (Van McCoy - 1975)
• "Waterloo" (ABBA - 1974) - they learned the song in English (they didn't speak English YET!)  to win the Euro Competition in '74 and it became a world-wide hit!
• "Dancing Queen" (ABBA - 1976/77) - their biggest song ever
• "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (Gordon Lightfoot - 1976) - a TRUE story from November 1975
• "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen - 1976) - STILL nothing like it
• "What the World Needs Now" (Jackie DeShannon - 1969) - from the Movie "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice) Written by Burt Bacharach
• "Where Did Our Love Go?" (The Supremes - 1964) - their first #1 song
• Anything by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones
• "Your Song" (Elton John - 1970) - Composed by John before his association with Bernie Taupin, and it was originally a "B" side to 'Take Me to Your Pilot," but the radio station DJ's liked "Your Song" better, and the rest was history!  Followed by "Levon," and the smash hit "Rocket Man."  This is similar to "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, which was the "B" side of "It's the Magic of You Girl" by Steam, a ficticious group.  "Na Na" became the first number one single in Billboard History (December 1969) to be a "B" Single - considered a "throw away" recording on Mercury's label.  One Hit Wonder!

The list goes on, but it truly transcends us in every way.  These are the songs that made the difference to me growing up, as well as "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears (from the Movie "Real Genius" - 1985).

"Ticket to Ride" - Recorded by the Carpenters (Lennon/McCartney 1965) in 1970

I think I'm gonna be sad
I think it's today
Yeh
The boy that's driving me mad
is going away.
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care.
He said that living with me
was bringing him down
Yeh
He would never be free
when I was around.
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care.
Don't know why he's riding so high
He oughta do right
He oughta do right by me
Before he gets to saying goodbye
He oughta do right
He oughta do right by me
I think I'm gonna be sad
I think it's today
Yeh
The boy that's driving me mad
is going away.
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
and he don't care
he don't care.

Think about it . . . a trip down memory lane!

Yogi: 10/28/2010 10:51CDT