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.