Rock History: Hey Bulldog

This week in 1969, the Beatles soundtrack for Yellow Submarine reached gold record status. Only four new songs appeared on the album and Yellow Submarine was not one of them. It originated on the Revolver album in 1966. New songs included All Together Now, Only a Northern Song and It's All Too Much. The best, at least in my not always so humble opinion was Hey Bulldog,written by Lennon and McCartney.

1969 - Hey Bulldog by The Beatles



See ya next time on Rock Steady.

Rock History: The Day The Music Died

Fifty four years have passed, but many still refer to February 3, 1959 as the Day the Music Died. It is a day that has become infamous as we lost some early Rock & Roll legends.

On this fateful day, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson (better known as the Big Bopper) were killed along with the pilot of the single engine plane taking them from Clear Lake, Iowa to Fargo, North Dakota. They chose to fly because of heating problems that had developed on Holly's tour bus. After all, it would be more comfortable with heat, and faster too.

The Winter Dance Party Tour was to include 24 stops in 21 days. Buddy Holly booked the tour as a way to make additional money following the break up of his original band, the Crickets, the previous year. His new band, which included future country star Waylon Jennings, was along as Holly's backup group.

Jennings was to be one of the original passengers on the flight, but gave up his seat to the Big Bopper, due to the Bopper's case of the flu, which was probably related to poor conditions on the cold tour bus. Another member of Holly's band lost his seat to 17-year-old Richie Valens due to a coin flip.

Not all of the music died on that tragic day in 1959, but it definitely created a void that could never be filled.


Buddy Holly recorded Raining In My Heart in 1958, and was released posthumously as the B Side to It Doesn't Matter Anymore. Needless to say, the loss of these legends does matter to Rock History as we know it. Here's Raining In My Heart which captures the feeling we have as we remember one of the legends today.

1959 - Raining In My Heart by Buddy Holly




To find out more about it, you can read about the Day the Music Died here.

Remembering Ol' '55

Too often really good songs seem to get lost inside the passage of time and the constant parade of new music. I'd like to feature one of those tracks, a song that was written and originally recorded by Tom Waits. It's called Ol' '55 and it got radio play when the Eagles included it on their On The Border album.

Waits wasn't particularly fond of the Eagles interpretation of his song, terming it "a little antiseptic." Well, antiseptic or not, I liked the Eagles version when I heard it in 1974 and I like it now. For the most part it's gone from the radio, but now and again my memory plays it loud and clear.

1974 - Ol' '55 by the Eagles



And if you prefer the grittier, non-antiseptic Tom Waits style, check out songwriter Wait's version.

1973 - Ol' '55 by Tom Waits



That's another LookBack from Rock Steady. See ya next time.

R&B Legend Remembered

Sadly, it was during this week in 1984 when we lost soul singer and dynamic live performer Jackie Wilson. He died of a massive heart attack at the age of only 49: still touring; still doing what he loved. Jackie Wilson was from Detroit and I am from the Detroit area. Perhaps I have that accident of location to thank for my musical familiarity with him.

With a voice capable of bordering on operatic, this super talented soul legend could sing ballads capable of bringing a person to teas, and he often did. Yet, known as Mr. Excitement, he could also belt out an R&B classic, destined to become a top 40 smash as well. And aren't we glad he chose to do just that, time and again?

On my rock history twitter feed I've featured Higher and Higher as well as Whisper's Gettin' Louder, two of his later and biggest hits. But now let's take it back a bit further to my own favourite Jackie Wilson record.

1959 - That's Why (I Love You So) by Jackie Wilson



That's another Classic Track LookBack. See ya next time.

LookBack #28: Walls and Bridges

Today, it's a classic album track LookBack. It's from John Lennon's 1974 release, Walls and Bridges. The LP gave us two singles, namely Whatever Gets You Thru the Night and #9 Dream. But this one is my favourite.

1974 - Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) by John Lennon



That's another Classic Track LookBack. See ya next time.

LookBack #27: Stones Censored

A trip in our virtual way back machine offers another example of how much times change.

In January 1967, when the Rolling Stones performed Let's Spend the Night Together on Ed Sullivan's popular Sunday night variety show, they were instructed to change the recurring lyric line to "let's spend some time together." I guess this was because "nice people" did not spend the night together back in '67.

Anyway, the Stones complied, but Mick Jagger rolled his eyes several times as he sang the altered line. Ed Sullivan responded by saying that the Stones would never again appear on his show, and indeed, they never did.

Today's track features the Stones singing their classic hit, complete with those squeaky clean lyrics, at least a couple of eye rolls and a lot of camera work not being focused on Mick, or at least at a great distance. If I were a betting man, the cameras were being directed to avoid focusing on it as much as possible.

1967 - Let's Spend ... Some Time Together by the Rolling Stones[[cue eye roll]]


We now return you to your current century.

That's another Classic Track Lookback. See ya next time.

LookBack #26: Bowie is Back

Hey Bowie Fans!

I know you're out there in big numbers.

It's been 10 years since the last David Bowie album and you'll be glad to hear that a new album from him is planned for release in March. In the meantime, we have a single from that album called Where Are We Now. I like it a lot.

2013 - Where Are We Now? by David Bowie


That's another Classic Track LookBack. Or should I say LookAhead? Either way, see ya next time.

LookBack #25: Seger in '66

Those of us who were into rock music between the mid '70s and early '80s may still own at least one Bob Seger album, perhaps Night Moves on either vinyl or CD. But let's have a look and a listen to a Seger TV appearance from 1966. This is a lip-synched clip of Seger's first single, East Side Story, from a show called Swingin' Time, a local Detroit teen dance show hosted by WKNR's (Keener13) DJ Robin Seymour. It was enjoyed by the same viewers who more than likely tuned in American Bandstand.

1966 - East Side Story by Bob Seger


That's another Classic Track LookBack. See ya next time.

LookBack #24: Flipping the 'A' Sides

Today our Classic Track Lookback looks back at a few flipped over 45s. I'm betting that half of the fine folks who dropped by for a look and a listen are wondering what in the world I might be talking about. I'll explain, but first a minor diversion, a twist in the path, if you will.

This week as I contemplated my first blog of the new year, inspiration didn't drop by with a bright and shiny new year idea. My excuse? Well, January has never been my favourite month and perhaps its confines tend to dull my brain as well.

So I persevered with the Rock History tweets that I write during the week, hoping that an ember of an idea might drop by for a visit. Finally it did, in the form of the humble 45, specifically those 45s that not only reached #11, but did so with a hit on both sides of the record in question. That happened four years in a row during the first week in January between 1965 and 1968.

OK, diversion concluded. For my readers who started following music when it came on CD and only learned about record albums as they resurfaced during the past few years, let's talk about the historic 45. It came with one song on each side and was priced somewhere between 70 cents and a dollar, depending on where you chose to spend your record buying allowance.

Usually, Side 1, generally termed the 'A Side', contained the song that either was, or was meant to be the hit which radio stations played frequently. The 'B Side', or flip side, was generally a throwaway song that left you wondering why the artist in question hadn't been just too ashamed to record it. But sometimes, you found that the flip side also contained a strong song. Rarer still, you would begin to hear that flip side on the radio, essentially doubling the artist's exposure.

That brings us back to the four #1 records that topped the charts during the first week of January between 1965 and 1968. Not suprisingly three of the four records were by the Beatles. Just for the record, I bought all four of these double sided hits. I guess this means that either I had good taste or that I simply followed the stampede that rushed to the record store to buy two hits for the price of one. We'll start our lookback in 1965.

1965 - The Beatles

Beatlemania was still going strong, a year after burstng forth west of the Atlantic. At that time, just to confuse things a bit, the Beatles had two albums out. There was Beatles for Sale in the UK and Beatles 65 (which I still own on mono vinyl) in Canada and the United States. The Hot 45 on that album was I Feel Fine. The flip side, which I actually liked a bit better, was this one.

She's A Woman

1966 - The Beatles

January 1966 brought us We Can Work It Out, another hit for the Beatles, with Day Tripper on the flip side. This one was marketed as a 'double A side' record, meaning that, at least in theory, its label promoted both sides equally. To further confuse the issue, when both sides of a record became hits, they were considered separately for chart positioning. So, on one national US chart we had We Can Work It Out topping the chart, while Day Tripper peeked at #5. To me, they are from the same record. You could not purchase only one side, therefore, to me at least, both should be considered to have reached the same chart position.

Day Tripper

1967 - The Monkees

The first week of the new year saw a break from #1 Beatle music. Instead, we had the Monkees enjoying chart supremacy with I'm A Believer. The other side of the record, again my favourite side, was (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone. You couldn't say that the Monkees evolved naturally through friendship or shared musical interests. Rather, they were assembled for a TV show which ran from 1966 through 1968. Nevertheless, unlike the Partridge Family, another TV show-inspired group which came along a couple of years later, the Monkees all sang and generally played on the singles and albums that they released. I'm A Believer was written by Neil Diamond, while Steppin' Stone was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who also charted nicely with hits which they performed themselves. Steppin' Stone was originally recorded by Paul Revere and the Raiders, appearing on their 1966 Midnight Ride album. But it was the Monkees who put the song on the radio.

(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone

1968 - The Beatles

By 1968, the Beatles were into more complex lyrics and chord progressions. We had already enjoyed Sgt. Pepper, their summer 1967 release. Then, as 1967 neared its end, it was time for a Magical Mystery Tour. As for this particular Mystery Tour single, Hello Goodbye was the side that I heard first. Then, very shortly thereafter, I heard I Am the Walrus. In a way, Walrus contradicted the image of more complex Beatles lyrics.

I Am the Walrus was credited to both Lennon and McCartney, though it was mainly a Lennon project. It came to be as the result of several concepts. As for the Walrus reference itself, it originated in a Lewis Carroll poem entitled The Walrus and the Carpenter. Other aspects of the song came from three different song ideas that John had been working on. Finally, a verse of basically nonsense became part of the recipe when John heard that a teacher at his old primary school was having students analyze Beatles lyrics as part of their classwork. John was bothered by the idea of turning Beatles lyrics into schoolwork, so he set out to write a line of lyrics that could not be analyzed. Still, many have tried and B side or not, Walrus rode the singles charts to the top.

I Am The Walrus



Till next time, that's another Classic Track Lookback at rock history. Speaking of rock history, you can always find my rock history tweets in all of their Storified glory, waiting for you to read, complete with music links. These are not dated tweets that die with the moment, but are mini slices of the music that we love. Find last week's tweets and their rockin music links right here.

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.