LookBack #23: Soulful Tunes

This week's Classic Track LookBack looks back at the man who grew to be known by many as the King of Soul.

When it comes to remembering the rock and soul artists that we've lost during this week over the years, I can't help but reflect on their huge contribution to the music that we love. It has indeed been a bad week for rock and soul artists. In 1964, Sam Cooke was gunned down. In 1980, outside the apartment building where he lived, John lennon was cut down. Finally, we remember December 10, 1967 when Otis Redding and most members of his band were killed in a plane crash. They were flying from Cleveland Ohio, following a live performance when the tragedy occurred. But as is the case when I write about an artist who is no longer with us I want to concentrate on Otis' life rather than his death.

1965 - Respect

During the 60s, as a kid growing up near Detroit, Michigan, I was fortunate to have the choice of two radio stations that pumped out the best in rhythm and blues all day and all night. That's where I first heard Otis' music. For instance, as well as hearing the huge hit version of Respect by Aretha Franklin and the local Detroit hit of the same song done by the Rationals, I got to enjoy the Otis Redding interpretation as he belted out his plea for respect.

Respect

1966 - Try a Little Tenderness

If you were into rock music in the early 70s, as many of my readers were, you no doubt recall Three Dog Night and their version of Try a Little Tenderness. But have you ever heard the Otis Redding version of the song, recorded years before that?

Try a Little Tenderness

1967 - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

When Otis died at age 26, he had never enjoyed significant success on the top 40 charts. But that was about to change. Shortly before his death, he performed at the Monterey Pop Festival. Following that performance, he penned his most famous song, Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, just days before his death. After its release, it hit #1 in the US on both the Top 40 and Rhythm and Blues charts. When an album was released with Dock of the Bay as its title track, it went #1 in the UK as well. Was all of this popularity due to the tragic manner in which Otis died? I like to think that the record would have topped the charts regardless of when it was released. Have a listen and see what you think.

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

1967 - Merry Christmas Baby

Christmas time gives us the chance to recall a couple of Otis Redding Christmas classics. I offered one of them on my #rockhistory Twitter feature during this past week. It was Otis Redding's version of White Christmas. But my favourite Otis Christmas tune was released for Christmas 1967.

Merry Christmas Baby



I've barely scratched the surface when it comes to recalling Otis Redding's true classics. I encourage you to search out more. You might want to start with his first solo release, These Arms of Mine, or maybe Mr. Pitiful, or a great blues tune called I've been Loving You Too Long. Otis Ray Redding Jr, the King of Soul.

Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history. Speaking of rock history, you can find all of my rock history tweets in all of their Storified glory. You can rock the holidays with Maindog too by visiting Rockin' the Holidays with Maindog Sound on Storify. Or best yet, follow me live on Twitter, and see my #rockhistory tweets as I roll them out sitting send from my studio. Do you have a Christmas fave that you love to rock to at Christmas?

Legendary Lightfoot

This week's Classic Track LookBack looks back at a singer-songwriter's career which is very much still in progress. The inspiration for the post was born a couple of week's ago, when Gordon Lightfoot performed at Canada's Grey Cup Game.

Yes, Canada does have a professional football league, and this is Canada's Superbowl of sorts). For the benefit of those living outside Canada, that's the Canadian Football League's championship game. This year marked the 100th Grey Cup and it was played in Toronto.

But I digress. This story isn't about football. It's about a Canadian legend.

So anyway, when Gordon Lightfoot performed as part of the game's entertainment, some of the younger fans wondered who this Gordon Lightfoot guy was. Tweets went out from the game - but not about what the Biebs was singing, who was also part of the entertainment. Admittedly, Justin Bieber is a Canadian icon of sorts, but not the kind of superstar that the venerable Gordon Lightfoot represents.

Gordon has been part of the Canadian landscape for decades, and still performs regularly, including his annual concerts at Toronto's Massey Hall.

Sure, he may have aged a few years (a few of us may have too), but you know what? This man can sing, and he hasn't lost his status - or his voice!

Indeed Gordon is (not was) an icon - he's a legend - and holds that place in Canadian musical history at the very least.

But the thing is, they don't teach Lightfoot in our schools. They should though. Maybe Lightfoot101 and beyond for those who wish to specialize? A lot can be learned from listening to what Gordon Lightfoot has to tell us in his music. Yeah but in all honesty, I knew little about my parents' music and absolutely nothing about the favourites of those who were a generation beyond.

Still, all this uproar concerning the music of this extraordinary singer-songwriter got me to thinking about him some more. Actually, Lightfoot deserves the title of icon, as long as you add the word active in front of the title. That title, just by the way, is one that I think is overly used, but for Gordon? Of course it is a good one.

1967 - Black Day in July by Gordon Lightfoot

I first heard Gordon Lightfoot shortly after the 1967 racially motivated riots which crippled the city of Detroit in the summer of 1967. At the time, I was a kid growing up in the suburbs of the city, out of harm's way, but near enough to take very close notice.

For me, a kid who knew nothing of the problems which lead to the rage that spilled over in the Motor City, Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian, drew the picture which gave me my best grasp of the situation in his track called Black Day In July. To my way of thinking, every word has a place in our collective social consciousness.

Black Day in July

1967 - Does Your Mother Know

When I bought the album, Did She Mention My Name, which featured Black Day in July, I learned that Lightfoot also wrote and sang of situations that lived on a more personal level. The song Does Your Mother Know is about someone who is young, perhaps too young to have left home to be on her own. As a guy, I could relate to the words as well. Like the subject of the song, I had left home recently, probably too young to have done so.

Does Your Mother Know

The Singles, Hits and More

Lightfoot has enjoyed hit singles as well, big hits, not just rarities that we no longer hear. The list includes If You Could Read My Mind, Sundown, Carefree Highway, Rainy Day People and The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald. In Canada, the country that I call home these days, the list is quite a bit longer. These songs are all well worth checking out. But my purpose here is to offer some insight into Gordon's career that may well be unfamiliar to those living in the United States and other countries outside Canada.

1974 - Circle of Steel

Finally though, while mulling over the question of what to feature in my admittedly brief glimpse of someone whose career has spanned nearly 5 decades, I wondered if I could include anything that Lightfoot had written or recorded that might be considered seasonal. I did come up with one that I hadn't heard until listening to an anthology called Gord's Gold. It originally was released on his Sundown album in 1974, and it is not a typical Christmas song, in that it deals with they type of person who tends to be virtually forgotten during the holidays.

1974 - Circle of Steel


What you've read here amounts to nothing more than a few words leading up to a couple of Lightfoot songs that have touched me in one way or the other. There are many more of those to be sure. But perhaps the ones that I've shared will serve to encourage you to look around and see what else you can learn and what else you can listen to from the huge collection of music given to us by a true Canadian legend, Gordon Lightfoot.


Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history. Speaking of rock history, you can follow me at @MaindogSound and find all of my #rockhistory tweets in all of their Storified glory by visiting last week's tweets today and heir rockin' music links right here.

LookBack #21: All Things Past

This week's Classic Track LookBack looks back at an album that was released in late November 1970. Actually it's a triple album, not to mention a multi-platinum LP. George Harrison's All Things Must Pass still stands as the best selling post-Beatle release.

My Sweet Lord

The album opens with My Sweet Lord, a song which gently suggest we embrace the concept of a "higher being" rather than one specific religious denomination or even one specific definition of said "higher being." Side by side it embraces Hindu and Christian beliefs. It features co-producer Phil Spector's "wall of sound" and George's slide guitar technique. This peaceful song with its peaceful message was also the subject of a plagiarism claim, alleging that its sound copied that of a 1963 hit by girl group, the Chiffons, called He's So Fine. Personally, I don't see the intent to copy. For me, it's just a really good song. Yet for some reason no one asked me what I thought. But enjoy listening to it.

My Sweet Lord

Apple Scruffs

The song Apple Scruffs can be found on the B side of the 45 What is Life, as well as on All Things Must Pass. But who were theese Apple Scruffs?

The name was coined by George Harrison as the Beatle years raced toward their inevitable close. It referred to a group of fans who congregated outside Apple Corps and hung out within easy sight of London's Abbey Road Studios. In both cases, they were hoping for a glimpse of one of the group members, or maybe even some interaction with one of them.

Please note that the original version of Apple Scruffs has proved itself to be difficult to find. While I usually choose YouTube as video source because of its accessibility, Vimeo was the only place that I could find it. If you have trouble accessing it, please just let me know.

Apple Scruffs

George Harrison - Apple Scruffs from ana diaz on Vimeo.

Wah-Wah

And for our third song? You might wonder why I singled out Wah Wah instead of Isn't It a Pity which was the flipside of My Sweet Lord? Or I could have picked the hit single that asks the alltime conundrum of questions, What is Life?

Well I could fashion an explanation that sounds really intellectual, even artistic, while saying nothing at all. I'm pretty good at that and might even be doing just that right now. But the truth is that I just like the song, the sound of it when I say it, and the way George sings it. Is that baseless, groundless, shallow and even weak? Ok, I can live with that. But I can also tell you that George wrote Wah Wah following an argument with Paul McCartney during the Beatles Let It Be sessions. Ride with whichever explanation you like. They're both true. Then listen to George sing the song. I bet you'll like it too.

Wah-Wah



Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history. And speaking of rock history, check out Maindog Sound's Storified tweets all in one place or check out the original tweets in last week's Twitter's Rock History hashtag #rockhistory tweets and their rockin' music links right here.

LookBack #20: Mooning Around

This week our Classic Track LookBack looks back at moon songs. We sure have a ton to pick from, starting with the dawn of rock and sliding through all of the decades that we cover, so let’s lean toward the road less travelled and call on some songs that might not instantly come to mind.

1965 - The Beatles

Our first choice comes from Beatles 65, a North American LP release. The last track on the album is one called Mr. Moonlight and it’s rare to the point that some of you might not even remember it. But here on the LookBack, we never let that stand in our way. We’ll just link to it and then you’ll know the song.

Mr. Moonlight

1972 - April Wine

Our 70s moon music comes to us from one of the best all-time Canadian bands, April Wine, best known in the U.S. for their song You Could Have Been a Lady. I’ve always believed that their music was under-represented in the U.S. for some reason, so I’ll take this opportunity to give you the chance to hear one of their best, an Elton John/Bernie Taupin composition. And it fits just right in with our moon theme.

Bad Side of the Moon

1982 - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

From 1982 comes a Bob Seger track written by country singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell, who had his own version of this song, which charted as a country hit. At any rate, here’s Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band who proclaim "Shame on the Moon".

Shame on the Moon



Till next time, that’s another Classic Track LookBack. In the meantime, don’t forget that the previous week’s #rockhistory tweets and links are always Storified here.

LookBack #19: Defining Tracks

This week our Classic Track LookBack looks back at two tracks and a double album that could arguably be termed career defining.

1968 - The Beatles

If we check the singles charts for this week in November 1968, we find The Beatles at #1 for what would be the first of 9 weeks. Hey Jude stands as a Fab Four defining track because both then and now it stands as one of the longest chart-topping singles in the history of the charts. Even for the Fab Four, who set a new standard for chart success, Hey Jude, backed by Revolution, was a record that made rock history.

Hey Jude

1968 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Meanwhile, the #1 album for this week in 1968 was a double album from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Electric Lady Land is, for me at least, the Hendrix career defining album. It featured the Dylan penned All Along the Watch Tower, Cross Town Traffic, Voodoo Chile and Rainy Day, Dream Away is the track we'll feature here to give you something a little different from the tracks we usually hear from Jimi. Guest performers on the album included Dave Mason, Steve Winwood and Al Kooper. It was nothing short of brilliant.

Rainy Day, Dream Away

1976 - Rod Stewart

Moving ahead to this week in 1976, Rod Stewart was launching his own 8 week visit to the top of the US singles charts. The record was not without controversy, which never hurts sales. First, there were the contributions to the song from Britt Ekland, Rod's girlfriend at the time. I'm sure if you know the song, you know exactly what I mean. Then there were lyric lines that some folks weren't pleased to hear. One of the lines in question was "don't say a word, my virgin child. Just let your inhibitions run wild". Credit the controversy or the fact that people just found it to be a really good record. For Rod Stewart, former member of both the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces, Tonight's the Night stands as a defining track.

Tonight's the Night


Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history Oh and don't forget that last week's #rockhistory tweets and links are now Storified!

LookBack #18: October Monkee-ing Around

This week our Classic Track LookBack looks back at The Monkees first single, a late 80s #1 album from the Boss and the making of one specific Beatles LP.

1966 - The Monkees

We'll begin with this week in 1966, when The Monkees had their first #1 song with Last Train to Clarksville. It was later revealed that though they sang on their early recordings, they did not play any of the instruments due to TV filming commitments. Since we were not privy to that fact until later, could we say that someone was engaging in a little Monkee business? (Ok, I'll wait while you groan.) Then, since most of us who listened to pop music back in '66 are familiar with the A Side of The Monkees' first hit single, we'll flip it over and treat you to the B Bide.

Take a Giant Step

1967 - The Beatles

It seems that albums are born in all sorts of ways. Take The Beatles' album Magical Mystery Tour for instance. This week in 1967, the group finished recording the tracks Flying, Magical Mystery Tour, and the rather eclectic Blue Jay Way. At that point, they had recorded six new songs, which was not enough for a new album. So they decided to release a Double EP, a format which meant that the 6 songs would be spread over 2 45s, with each including two songs on one side with one song on the other. Still with me? Ok, the story continued with Capitol Records concluding that the EP format wouldn't fly in North America. So they took the 6 new songs, added 5 of the 6 tracks that had released on singles during 1967 and voila, the Magical Mystery Tour album was born. Here's its most eclectic track.

Blue Jay Way

1987 - Bruce Springsteen

In November '87 Springsteen's 8th studio album Tunnel of Love topped the charts. The album went triple platinum in the US and featured one of the Boss' biggest hit singles, Brilliant Disguise, which peaked at number 5 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Brilliant Disguise


Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history.

Oh and don't forget that here at Maindog Sound, you can always visit previous #rockhistory tweets at their new(ish) Storify home!

Some Time for Britain

It's an all British Classic Track Look Back this week, with an artist and a group who were part of the British Invasion and well beyond, and a record setting band with iconic status.

1965 - The Who

First, back to this week in 1965 when The Who released My Generation. The song reached #2 in the UK, but only #74 in America. What's interesting about this chart anomaly is that later on, Rolling Stone would list the strack as #11 among the Top 500 of All Time. Further, VH1 rated it #13 among history's top 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs. So it seems that even a song that is buried in the middle of the top 100's bottom 50 when charting can later distinguish itself on "all time" lists. I think if My Generation had been released 2 or 3 years later, it would have been an American smash as well. Perhaps in 1965 the record buying public, who was busy buying hits from Herman's Hermits, Gerry and the Pacemakers and classic Motown artists and groups, just wasn't ready for it.

My Generation

1971 - John Lennon

In the Fall of 1971 as October became November, John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band's album Imagine was the UK's #1 album and was doing great west of the Atlantic as well. Two tracks on the LP demonstrated that John was still working out his resentment toward Paul McCartney. One was called Crippled Inside, while the other, is featured this week.

How Do You Sleep

1983 - Pink Floyd

This week in 1983 marked Pink Floyd's 491st week on the US album charts with Dark Side of the Moon. That made it the longest charting album in history, surpassing Johnny's Greatest Hits by Johnny Mathis. When it finally slipped from the list in October 1988 it had spent a grand total of 741 weeks on the chart. It could be said that our featured track from the album gets too much radio play on classic rock stations, but who can argue with its success?

Time


Till next time, that's another Classic Track Look Back at rock history. Oh, and don't forget that last week's #rockhistory tweets and links are now Storified!

Opinions and Judgements

This week the Classic Track Look Back features 3 artists who stood out from the rock & roll pack as individuals who were proud to go their own way. Two of them are still with us, both with ample reasons to be proud of what they have accomplished and are still accomplishing. The third, no longer with us, blazed a trail which took him from rock's roots through the 70s and into the mid 80s.

1966 - Beach Boys

First, let's head back to this week in 1966 when the Beach Boys' Good Vibrations entered the U.S. singles charts. Of course it was a future #1 which is still played today. The track, written by Brian Wilson an Mike Love, took 6 weeks to record, a feat that was spread among four Los Angeles studios. The recording engineer later commented that the final take sounded exactly like the first.

Good Vibrations

1971 - Rick Nelson

October 1971 found Rick Nelson enthusiastically booed at a Madison Square Gardens oldies show show for playing new material instead of sticking with his 50s and 60s hits. I expect that the audience was judging him for his audacity to believe that his new stuff was also relevant and worth sharing. The performance and the audience's reaction served as the inspiration for Rick's last big hit. (And get it? "Garden" Party!).

Random Fact: Maindog's fave line in the song: "But if memories were all I sang, I'd rather drive a truck."

Garden Party

Squaring off: Fogerty vs. Creedence Clearwater Revival

This week in 1988, Creedence Clearwater Revival's label and John Fogerty squared off in court. The claim, advanced by the owners of songs written by Fogerty for the Creedence catalog, was that the song writer ripped off his own Run Through the Jungle when writing Old Man Down the Road. Since he no longer owned Run Through the Jungle, the owners of the song believed their claim to be actionable.

Fogerty won the case, but it would be years before he would be allowed to perform songs which he had written for Creedence. Crazy? Welcome to the run through the jungle which is the justice system. And how about those 2 songs. Was there indeed a similarity? You be the judge. First up:

Run Through the Jungle


Next up is Old Man Down the Road. The link to that song, featured here, is the only studio version of the song that we could find that contained no audio anomalies.

Old Man Down the Road

Till next time, that's another Classic Track Look Back at rock history. Oh and don't forget that last week's #rockhistory tweets and links are now Storified. Check out the stories from the last couple of weeks, all in one place.

Defining R&B on Motown Week

This week's Classic Track Look Back features the magic of Motown, a record label that rocked the charts during the 60s and 70s with artists and groups who both helped to define rhythm and blues and traveled beyond. We're rocking you back with the music that made our Motown memories.

And please check out our Announcement at the bottom of this post - we're very excited about it!

1969 - The Temptations 

It was this week in 1969 when the Temptations scored their second #1 with Can't Get Next To You. Their first #1, rising to the top from a mountain of 60s classics was My Girl. This week, our featured Temps track is the one that topped the charts as the 60s bordered on the 70s.
I Can't Get Next To You

1970 - Jackson 5 

On to Oct 1970, when the Jackson 5 hit #1 with their assurance that they would be there. That ssong spent 5 weeks on top. But that's only part of their 1970 story. According to Motown, their singles during that year sold a combined 10 million records!
I'll Be There

1970 - Stevie Wonder

Finally, let's head back to Oct 1976 when Stevie Wonder found the right key with his double album Songs in the Key of Life. It was a key that opened the door to a #1 LP. The album included the hit singles Sir Duke, I Wish and Isn't She Lovely.
I Wish

Announcement! Maindog Sound is on Storify 

Social Media is great because it provides an ever evolving platform to share. The Classic Track Look Back was born on Twitter, where all week long we tweet special moments in rock history. It then moved to this blog (and thank you for checking it out, by the way), and now we add another one to the mix.

We will continue to do the live tweets for #rockhistory, and right here, but you can check out our rockin' tweets and links to the music that inspired them (and some extra stuff too). Just visit Maindog Sound on Storify, and read this week's story here.

Rolling from Yesterday through Today

This week's Classic Track Look Back features a cast that includes the Beatles, the Stones and a song that was deemed too naughty for number 1 status in the UK. We're rocking you back with the music that made our memories.

1965 - The Beatles 

In mid-October the Beatles started a 4 week #1 run on the US singles charts with Yesterday. Oddly enough, the song was not released as a single in the UK until 1976.
Yesterday

1968 - Big Brother and the Holding Company 

Big Brother and the Holding Company held the #1 position among charting albums in North America in mid October 1968 with Cheap Thrills. Janis Joplin was their lead singer on most tracks, including this one.
Piece of My Heart

1969 - The Beatles 

On a mid-October Sunday afternoon in 1969, DJ Russ Gibb from Detroit's WKNR FM received a listener call claiming that if you played the Beatles track Revolution Number Nine backwards, you could hear the words "turn me on dead man." The conversation soon evolved into a rumor that Paul was dead. It spread worldwide, gathering steam and supposed song references. One offered the certainty that Strawberry Fields Forever included the spoken John Lennon lyric line "I buried Paul." Rumors abound in rock history.
Strawberry Fields Forever

1969 - Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg 

This week in 1969 for the first time ever the UK show Top of the Pops refused to air the #1 song, due to its suggestive content. The song, Je t'aime by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg holds the distinction of being the only track to appear at 2 different chart positions on the same UK chart. It's the same song in both cases, performed by the same artists. The reason why is simple. Je t'aime was originally released on Fontana Records, which pulled the song not long after release, due to the controversy building around it. However, some records pressed on the Fontana label made it into stores. The track was then released on Major Minor records, meaning that, for a time Je t'aime boasted 2 separate labels. Since UK chart positions were based on the record's label as well as the song and artist, it appeared at 2 distinct chart positions for 2 weeks.
Je t'aime... moi non plus

1971 - Led Zeppelin 

Led Zeppelin II was #1 on the US album charts for 7 weeks in fall 1971. The album climbed to number 1 twice, both times dethroning the Beatles Abbey Road, while enjoying a hundred weeks on the UK charts.
Whole Lotta Love

1971 - Three Dog Night 

In fall 1971, Three Dog Night hit #1 for 2 weeks, bringing joy to their world.
Joy to the World

1974 - Billy Preston 

In mid-October 1974, Billy Preston subtracted Nothing from Nothing and took the answer to #1.
Nothing from Nothing

1975 - Neil Sedaka and Elton John 

Sedaka was definitely back. Singing with Elton John, Neil had the #1 song this week in 1975. This was Sedaka's second time around for significant chart success. In the early 60s he scored big with songs like Happy Birthday Sweet 16, Breaking Up is Hard to Do and Next Door to an Angel. Here's how he sounded with Elton.
Bad Blood

1981 - A-Ha 

This week in 1981, A-Ha took on the task of hitting #1 and succeeded admirably.
Take On Me

1988 - Pink Floyd

Completing the ultimate display of chart success, Pink Floyd finally exited Billboard's Hot 200 list in October 1988, after spending a record 741 weeks on that chart. You could say that they certainly earned a lot of what our featured Floyd track is all about.
Money

2012 - Rolling Stones 

It's been a while since we've heard a new Stones track. But one was released a few days ago and it rocks. They recorded it to mark their 50 years as a band. So this weeks 2012 track is Doom and Gloom by the Rolling Stones.
Doom and Gloom


Till next time, that's another Classic Track Look Back at rock history.

A Double Shot Look Back

Our Classic Track Look Back takes a weekly look and a listen at the music that made our memories. Lots of double shots of rock, and check out the Remaking Rock History at the end of this post.

Rock continues to evolve as it should. Our mission is to remind you of where it has been, and offer a peak of where it's going.

1962 - The Beatles 

The Beatles' Love Me Do was released in England 50 years ago this week spending 26 weeks on theUK charts and peaking at number 17. The Fab 4 classic would not cross the Atlantic as a North American hit until 1964.
Love Me Do

1965 - The McCoys

Our next Classic Track Look Back takes us for another ride in the way back machine, this time to October 1965 for a song with 2 titles. When the McCoys released it, it was called Hang On Sloopy. It was with this song that they enjoyed their only chart topper. Not long before, the song had been released by the Vibrations, who called it My Girl Sloopy. Here's the McCoys version.
Hang On Sloopy

1969 - The Beatles 

Last week marked the anniversary of Abbey Road's UK release. This week, another track from that album, as we celebrate its' October 1969 arrival in North American record stores. Here's one from the album that we don't hear as often as we should.
Oh! Darling

1969 - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

None of their singles topped the charts but CCR's Green River LP hit #1 and stayed for 5 weeks in October 1969. This album is about more than the hits it contained. Check out Wrote a Song for Everyone.
Wrote a Song for Everyone

1971 - Janis Joplin 

This week in 1970 Janis Joplin died after an accidental heroin overdose. Still her music lived on. In 1971 her Pearl album and Me and Bobby McGee single topped the end of year charts.
Me and Bobby McGee

1971 - Rod Stewart

In October 1971, Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story album netted him a double sided 45 hit with Maggie May and Reason to Believe. Together, the tracks topped the singles charts for 5 weeks. The album remains my favourite Stewart release.
Maggie May (Side A)


Reason to Believe (Side B)

1975 - Pink Floyd 

Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here was selling strong in October 1975. The album included a tribute to former Floyd member Syd Barrett. That track is featured here.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond

1982 - John Mellencamp 

John Mellencamp doubled the fun with his double No. 1 in October '82. #1 LP with American Fool & #1 single with Jack and Diane.
Jack and Diane

1983 - Bonnie Tyler 

In Fall '83 Bonnie Tyler enjoyed a total eclipse of the chart, when Total Eclipse of the Heart eclipsed all other tracks of the day, landing at No. 1. That accomplishment made her the only Welsh singer to achieve No. 1 status.
Total Eclipse of the Heart

1987 - Aerosmith 

This week in 1987, Aerosmith hit the album charts for a long stay with Permanent Vacation. The album included 2 hit singles, Dude Looks Like a Lady and Rag Doll.
Dude Looks Like a Lady

Remaking Rock History 

This week we're closing with a rock remake. The song Money has received generous air play from at least 4 artists. First came:

1962 - Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)


Then there was the Beatles in 1964, the Kingsmen in the same year... and and then came the most recent, just 50 years after the original...

2012 - David Gray - Money (That's What I Want)


Till next time, that's our Classic Track Look Back, yet another slice of rock history.

What's New and Looking Back

This week, our Classic Track Look Back continues in its new direction. Whether you're hearing each featured song for the first time or are just rocking with it once again, I hope you enjoy our new twist to the Classic Track Look Back.

Beach Boys News

Hate to start the Look Back on a downer, but something happened this week in rock that deserves the space. After a summer of putting differences in the past and playing together as the Beach Boys, Mike Love apparently decided that enough was enough. He has chosen to fire 3 members of the group, including Brian Wilson. Can the Beachboys be the Beach Boys without Brian? In this bloggers not so humble opinion, the group, as many of us new them, are now part of rock history. Still, we at least have the music.
I Get Around

1964 - Roy Orbison

Roy ended September 1964 with the #1 record on the singles charts only 4 weeks after its chart debut.
Oh, Pretty Woman

1968 - The Beatles

Fall '68, Hey Jude from the Beatles started a 9 week #1run. It was also the year's top single.
Hey Jude

1969 - The Beatles

This week in 1969 saw the Beatles UK Release of Abbey Road. Though the fab 4 had not officially decided it would be their final album, they sensed that it might well be the last. So they decided to set their differences aside and go out on a high note.
Octopus' Garden
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1970 - The Partridge Family

This week in 1970 ABC TV debuted the Partridge Family. Teen and pre-teen girls loved it. And here at Maindog, we give them a (very brief) nod (and to score a few brownie points with a certain Maindog's wife).
I Think I Love You

1980 - Led Zeppelin

A sad day this week in 1980, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham passed away. Bonzo was 32 years old.
Rock and Roll

1980 - David Bowie

In fall 1980, David Bowie's latest LP Scary Monsters and Super Creeps topped the UK album charts.
Ashes to Ashes

1981 - The GoGo's

The Go-Go's hit #1 in late September '81 with their album Beauty and the Beat.
We Got the Beat

1983 - Billy Joel

In Fall 1983 Billy Joel topped the singles charts with a song advising guys to Tell Her About It.
Tell Her About It

1983 - ZZ Top

September '83 saw ZZ Top's Eliminator go platinum. It featured Legs and Sharp Dressed Man.
Legs


Till next time, that's another Classic Track Look Back at rock history.

Looking Back: Born to be Wild and Crazy

This week, our Classic Track Look Back moves in a new direction. It will now be based on the rock history tweets that I present during the week. As is only natural, some of those tweets rise above others in their importance to music's legacy. So what I'll do is present the best of those tweets, eeach week in this space. Of course, I'll also offer a YouTube link to each entry, so that you can hear each song.

Whether you're hearing each classic track for the first time or are just rocking with it once again, I hope you enjoy our new twist to the Classic Track Look Back.

1968 Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf took their brand of "heavy metal thunder" all the way to the million seller mark this week in 1968.
Born to Be Wild

1969 Blind Faith

In the Fall of '69, Blind Faith was hot with their self-titled and only album
Can't Find My Way Home

1969 John Lennon

In a September 1969 meeting with Paul and Ringo, John Lennon announced he was leaving the Beatles.
Cold Turkey

1970 Edwin Starr

It could be said that Edwin Starr was anti-war. His song that said so topped the charts for 3 weeks as summer turned to Fall in 1970. The Temptations were the first to record the song, but it was decided to have Edwin Starr record the single due to concerns that the track might offend more conservative elements among the Temptations fan base.
War

1970 Jimi Hendrix

Was this week the week the music died? No, but in 1970 it was the week when we lost Jimi Hendrix
Angel

1974 Barry White

Back to 1974 when Barry White enjoyed his only #1 single
Can't Get Enough of Your Love Baby

1974 David Bowie 

Early Fall '75 meant Fame 4 David Bowie as the song he co-wrote with John Lennon hit #1
Fame
  

1980 Queen

Queen played the album charts game and won when their LP the game hit #1 in fall 1980
Another One Bites the Dust

1981 Rolling Stones

Did the Stones tattoo your album buying dollars to their fall '81 release? If so, you're not alone. Tattoo You began a 9 week #1 album run that year as fall was born.
Start Me Up

1994 Dave Matthews Band

Fall '94 saw the release of Under the Table and dreaming by the Dave Matthews Band.
What Would You Say


'Til next time, that's another Classic Track Look Back at rock history.

In the Mood for Some Plant?

This past week, Robert Plant turned 64. Yikes!!

We're all familiar with Robert Plant, lead singer for the iconic Led Zeppelin from 1968 to 1980. If nothing else, even many younger rock fans have heard or at least heard of Stairway to Heaven, one of the most memorable rockers that was never released as a single.

(If you don't know Stairway to Heaven, because like you've been under a rock, lost on a desert island, or just merely very young, check it out here. I'll wait.) 

 

Then there was his collaboration with the lovely Alison Krauss called Raising Sand released in 2007. That one was honoured with a Grammy as album of the year in 2009.

 But how about Robert Plant the solo artist?

For this classic track look back, I chose a song that we rarely hear on the radio these days. It comes from Robert's Principle of Moments 1983 solo album. In the Mood was first heard as an album cut and reached No. 4 on Billboard Magazine's Top Tracks chart. When it was released as a single in November 1983, it climbed to No. 39, peaking there on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in January 1984.

Ready for more? Ok, classic track look back bonus track time. Check out Little by Little from his 1985 album Shaken 'n' Stirred.

Some lovely English countryside in that video, if not some rather transgender creepy looking brides - not something you see everyday.

'Til next time, that's a double shot classic track look back at rock history.

I Want My, I Want My, I Want My MTV... Back

Before August gets away from us, I want to take a classic track look back to August 1, 1981, when a very cool all-music video service called MTV was born. It launched its new music service with the perfectly-themed video, the 1979 hit which became even bigger, when MTV played Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles.

MTV of the 80s was much different from MTV as we know it now, except to say that in my not-so-humble opinion, today's MTV is a far cry from the original. In the 80s, MTV played music videos - all videos, all the time. There were no made-for-MTV series and no reality shows. It just played the best music videos that the 80s could offer, played by hosts - the VJs. Only the hourly music news stopped the music, and that was just the talk about the music. With the exception of the late J.J. Jackson who passed away in 2004, all of the original VJs are now anchoring Sirius/XM's 80s channel, a perfect rockin' home for them. 

The 80s were truly the MTV decade. During MTV's prime, they were even mentioned in songs such as Dire Straits' Money for Nothing, where Sting joins in, singing the falsetto introduction "I Want My MTV." Didn't we all?

In 1987, MTV Europe was born, opening with Money for Nothing. Another obvious choice.

So what happened to the network that gave us radio with pictures?

As the '80s became the '90s, MTV gradually evolved, and, in my opinion, not in a positive direction. Non-music shows were aired, such as Beavis and Butthead (in September '92), and obviously were aimed at teens and young adults. Slowly these types of shows began to creep into the daily broadcast schedule, gradually taking over from music videos.

 Truly worthwhile content, right? You be the judge.

Unquestionably, MTV is still aimed at teens and young adults, but now airs reality shows and original series. Although there was no specific day when the all-music-all-the-time concept died on MTV; the days of non-stop videos hosted by people who knew the music - the VJ stars of the day.

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history, and the day-in-day-out videos that we watched, defining rock history throughout the 80s and 90s.

A Numbers Game

The other day, while preparing my #RockHistory feature for Twitter (and of course, I invite you to check it out and follow me!), I happened to notice that Michael Jackson's Thriller from 1982, still sits atop the world's top 10 selling album list.

That's in the whole world, folks! Pretty impressive! For 30 years now, there sits Thriller.

Thriller by Michael Jackson

The world's top 10 album sales list should be pretty clear cut and seldom changeable, right? Well most of the time, yes. But these days maybe not so much. Could that be true? Could Michael Jackson's Thriller be unseated from its lofty height? Yes music lovers, I think it could possibly happen.

As of this writing, most sources for the Top 10 albums of all time show no recent changes. But according to at least one source, namely the Rock Telegraph, Adele's album, 21, has moved into the No. 7 position.

Rumor Has It by Adele

Quite the dramatic themes happening in both of these videos, don't you think?

21 is still selling strong and shows no sign of moving into the slow lane anytime soon. To crack the top 3, it would need to surpass Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, now at No. 3 and AC/DC's Back in Black, currently the runner up.

Formidable competition to say the least. Still, in my mind, 21 stands a real chance of rising to the top. It has already surpassed Dark Side of the Moon in UK album sales. Without a doubt it could become the top seller of this century.

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history, not to mention a look ahead at the album that seems poised to reshape rock history a bit.

Lost: My Brave Face

On my Live 365 radio stations, 101.1 Doghouse Radio and 101 Maindog Gold. I like to play Lost 45s along with past hits that we still know and love. Lost 45s are songs that were once hits, but for some reason known only to the consultants who seem to rule terrestrial (aka traditional over-the-air) radio these days and they are played no more. (What's a 45, you ask?)

One of the Lost 45s that ought to be found by said radio consultants was recorded by none other than Paul McCartney.

Yes, they have overlooked Paul. Really! This 1989 hit called My Brave Face was from his album Flowers In the Dirt.

Holy Japanese, Batman!

Give it a listen and see if you can explain to this lost DJ why this 45 got lost.

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history.

Jumpin' Jack

This week's classic track look back is more about a man than about a song. But more on that in a second.

During the past few days, unless you've found yourself under a rolling rock, you've no doubt heard plenty about the Rolling Stones celebrating their 50th anniversary as a performing band. In fact, Mick Jagger is said to be thinking that maybe too much is being made of the occasion. So I'll make no more of it.

Instead, let's move ahead to 1968. That's when the Stones released their album Through the Past Darkly. The album included a future number 1 song called Jumpin' Jack Flash, which some viewed as a departure from the psychedelic and a return to the group's blues roots. But the story goes on.

Check out the beginning - John Lennon introduces the Stones in sign language!

Call it fact or fiction, Mick and Keith had apparently been up most of the night and were trying to catch some sleep. Well at some point in that rainy English early morning, Mick heard someone stomping about under the window and he asked Keith who was making all the noise.

Well now, perhaps the word asked is a bit of an understatement. I'm betting that the pros were prolific, though it's just my guess. Anyhow, Keith is said to have replied: "That's Jack, Jumpin' Jack.

Jumpin' Jack, as Keith called him, was Jack Dyer, his gardener, and it wasn't long before Jumpin' Jack Flash evolved from a gardener's name into another number 1 for the rockin' Rolling Stones. So if you, like me, like the song born of a gardener's name, then don't forget to raise a glass of whatever to one Jumpin' Jack Dyer.

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history.

Round Round Get Around

If I had to choose one song in rock history which signifies summer, It would be I Get Around by the Beach Boys (I'm providing the link for the Boys of Summer, but if you're here, I'm sure you know who they are! #justsaying).

It not only signifies summer...

It screams it!
It shouts it!!
It tells the world about it!!!

A hit that still rocks the Way Back Machine from the Summer of '64, I Get Around was the Beach Boys first #1 45, an accomplishment that might have been helped by the fact that its flip side, Don't Worry Baby was pretty cool in it's own right. In 1992, Beach Boy Mike Love sued his cousin Brian Wilson and won, seeking song writing credit and back royalties over the claim that he, not Brian, wrote recurring lyric "round round get around."

The Sound of Summer!!!

   

But isn't it really more important that the Beach Boys are together and touring again? One more question begs to be answered. How come a blind guy like me picks a car song as the record that signifies summer? 

After all, your sort-of-humble sometimes-writer never drove, right? 

 Well, almost right. There was that night when I was 18... but that's a story for another day. Oh, and besides, the teen me believed that you didn't need to drive to cruise. Back then I didn't elaborate on that particular conviction and I won't now. But I will maintain, and now I have explained why I Get Around still rules. 

'Til next time, that's another classic track look back at rock history.

Love's Greatest Hurts

If you're the right age to have followed the procession of top 40 hits through the mid-70s or enjoy listening to classic rock, you have no doubt encountered the Nazareth rock anthem Love Hurts.

It's not much of a stretch to say that most people believe that Nazareth recorded the original or at least the only hit version of the song, an assumption that is far from the truth. In fact, In the UK, the Nazareth version of the song did not even achieve the highest chart position among the records which lamented that musical sentiment.

Humble beginnings marked the start in life for Love Hurts. It first appeared as an album cut in the 1960 section of the Way Back Machine, during a period of the rock era when albums generally consisted of a couple of hits and 8 or 10 throw away tracks. The Everly Brothers included it on an album called A Date with the Everly Brothers.

Nice harmony, but little notice.

During its second time around, Love Hurts was the B Side to a Roy Orbison No. 1 hit from 1961 called Running Scared. In Australia, the Orbison version actually received more air play than the side being promoted by Monument Records.

Then, for Love Hurts, it was 14 years of silence, moving us forward to 1975. That's when Nazareth recorded it and for most of us, theirs is the signature Love Hurts. It was Top 10 in the US and reached No. 1 in Norway and the Netherlands.

So, isn't that the end of the story? It might be, unless you happened to live in the UK at the time.

Classic rock fans remember a group called Traffic who recorded an impressive list of successful albums between the late 60s and the mid 70s. Though they didn't achieve a lot of success with the singles they released, one group member, Jim Capaldi did enjoy watching some of his 45's as they climbed the UK singles charts. One of those chart successes was Capaldi's version of Love Hurts, which reached number 4 in the UK, also in 1975. It's vocal treatment reminds me of Roy Orbison, but musically, it's unlike any of the other versions mentioned here.

Four unique interpretations of the song, each with elements that set it apart from the rest. You may well listen to all of them and decide that Nazareth's is still the best. Maybe it is, but in rock history, it does not stand alone.

'Til next time, that's another @maindogsound look back at a classic track.

Most Wanted: Louie Louie

This week's odyssey into our rock music herritage begins way back in 1955 when a song writer named Richard Berry wrote a tune called Louie Louie, a Jamaican track about a sailor returning home to his lady love. Then let's fast forward 8 years to 1963 when a band out of Portland, Oregon made the song their own and, in my not always so humble opinion, gave birth to garage rock, opening the door wide for bands like the Bobby Fuller Four, the Swinging Medallions, the McCoys and, of course, Paul Revere & the Raiders.

The Kingsmen took their Louie Louie version to No. 2 on the singles charts, where it would remain for 6 weeks. Proving that music lovers sometimes can't get enough of a good thing, Louie Louie would revisit top 40 radio yet again for another, even if less successful chart run.

Perhaps the most intriguing story surrounding this song is that it was actually considered to merit a full scale FBI investigation, due to claims that it contained obscene lyrics. Really? The FBI? Yup, it must have been a slow crime year because the Feds actually placed Louie Louie under some audio version of a microscope and gave it the most suspicious of listens.

I wonder if they played the 45 record to play on 33 rpm to try and hear the dirt the way the record buying public did. Well at least my friends and I did. So were they really and truly on a nasty words witch hunt or were they just trying to figure out all of the guitar chords.

The investigation, which was proven pointless, did a world of good when it came to record sales. So at least something worthwhile came of it.

One of the coolest things about the Louie Louie 45 is that it actually contained a flip side that was worth a listen. That was at least somewhat extraordinary, because back in the days of those little records with the big holes, side 2 was generally a throw away track. But in the case of this 45, the flip side received a lot of plays on my old mono record player.

So listen to "Haunted Castle", perhaps the lesser known of the two, but well worth checking out. 

In the land before MTV

Music has been a part of my life ever since I was old enough to listen. So when Jamie, my wife, Editor in Chief and Publisher of InkStain'D, asked me if I'd like to write something, I jumped at the chance. She said I could write about anything I liked. While I can't say that all of my posts will feature some aspect of music, I'm betting that the majority will. After all, I'm into music, be it past or present. In another life, I wrote a bit to help pay the bills for a while. So if I'm going to write about what I know well, where should I start?

When Dick Clark passed away recently, memories flash through our minds. For some, he was the host of a TV game show, originally known as the $10,000 Pyramid, which (perhaps due to inflation?) later evolved into the inflation friendly Pryamids ($20,000, $25,000, $50,00, and so on!)

Watch for a very young Rob Reiner and June Lockhart (the Mom from Lost in Space) in this clip!

For others, the TV memory of New Year's Rockin' Eve, hosted every year by Dick Clark from Time Square came to mind.

Yes, I recall the very popular game show and spent many New Year's Eves, albeit warm and dry in my living room, with Dick cranking out one headline act after another. But my nearest and dearest memory of the man affectionately known as "the world's oldest teenager" is wrapped within a TV classic known as American Bandstand, a show hosted by Dick Clark from 1956 to 1989(!!).

It was based on a really simple premise, one that maybe you had to experience to totally appreciate. What was it all about? Well for the most part, records played and we watched kids dance to the rock and roll. During each show, an artist or group who was often enjoying a hit record at that time would appear to lip sync the song (usually). Others would be introduced to share a blast from their musical past.

During Bandstand's run, guests ran the gambit from Run DMC performing Jam Master Jammin' to Jerry Lee Lewis singing Great Balls of Fire in 1957 (this clip is live, not lip synced):



Simple? Sure, but it worked. Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon holds the record for most Bandstand appearances, with the show's teenage regulars dancing to his music during a total of 110 appearances. Frequently, Freddy must have been trotting out one or more of his classics. Though he enjoyed many charted 45s, some of which I'm lucky enough to have in my collection, he had nowhere near 110 hits.

Originally Bandstand ran Monday through Friday and for me, watching it was an after school must. During a brief period, Dick even hosted a Saturday night version of Bandstand. Eventually the show moved to Saturdays only, generally running during the early afternoon, but TV season after TV season, there it was, renewed for another year.

Those of us who fondly recall bandstand as part of our kidhood can't forget a feature of the show called "Rate a Record". This segment involved the playing of a new record, later only part of a record, after which several of the show's current regular dancers would be asked to rate its hit potential within a range from 35 to 98. The criteria often revolved around whether the song "had a good beat" and whether or not it was "easy to dance to."



So during these early days, there was a huge variety of music that once made its way through the top 40 charts. Hard to believe but these songs were considered up and coming songs. The kids rate them pretty high, only one of the songs ever made it as a minor hit (the last one). The songs seem quaintly dated, but what it does show that today, music within a format is strictly limited, so that it can present a seldom deviating sound. But back in the Bandstand days, that certain sound consisted of anything that was popular at the time, not to mention anything that the station's music director believed to be deserving of a chance. American Bandstand reflected the same personality and philosophy.

A simpler show for a simpler time. No videos, no glitz, no glamour. Just one man proving week after week that he knew what teens wanted and knew how to deliver it. On AM Top 40 radio during those early days, strong and memorable personalities dotted the dial. There were no cue cards, and no station images fashioned by consultants. Those early rock and roll radio days will no doubt be a topic for another post.

They were magical moments from a far more innocent time. But for me, when it comes to rock and roll TV personalities, Dick Clark stands alone. So Dick, when it comes to Bandstand, it was easy to dance to and it had a great beat. I'll give it a 98.

~Larry

Life's been good so far

Not long ago, Jamie asked me if I'd like to write something that would appear in InkStain'D on a weekly basis. She said I could write about whatever happened to be topping my mental playlist at the moment. Maybe that's not quite how she put it, but in another life I was an author, freelance writer and a sometimes editor, so I guess I still feel free to edit. But moving right along, I've always felt that I had plenty to say and that all I needed was an audience. And now I would have one? Who could ask for more?

So, now that I have this space which is all mine, what do I want to do with it. Or, I asked myself, do I want to commit to one specific topic? I gave my own question some thought and decided that the answer was a most emphatic, firmly stated yes and no. Yes, since music from the '60s to music out there right now is my passion, I'll mostly write about it. But no, I don't want to be restricted, even if said restriction is self-imposed. What if I sat down to write one day, only to find that something else was perched at the top of my mind's mountain?

So here I am, just a guy who will write mostly about music, but maybe not always. Does that make sense? It does to me and I'm good with that.

But who is this guy who thinks he can write something interesting that's mostly about music. Well, I'm a former DJ, who at one time or another played a bit of everything that one can play on the radio. I'm now doing freelance voice work and running a couple of Internet only radio stations at Live 365. I'm happily married to Jamie, the editor, owner and everything else that matters at her blog Flying Furballs and publisher of the e-newsrag InkStain'D. All of that translates to me borrowing the words of Joe Walsh to say "life's been good to me so far."

 

Yup, that about covers it, except to say that I hope I'll be able to offer some looks back, ahead or sideways at the musical scene or sometimes at something else that keeps you coming back for more.

 ~Life's been good to me so far~ Joe Walsh 

 ~Larry