As everyone must know by now I love music. I do not remember a time when the radio was not playing in our house.
We listened to all types of music. My father was very fond of the 1812 Overture. Mom liked Cowboy Copas. When Elvis hit the scene I would dance through the house to Rock & Roll.
On TV we watched Spike Jones. That is where my love of silly songs started. We watched Lawrence Welk. I desperately wished I could be a Lennon sister. American Bandstand was seen all over the country... except where I lived. My grandparents did get that program so I could watch when I spent a few days there.
And of course it seemed like every town had at least one aspiring Rock & Roll band. It did not take me long to figure out that the first song every band learned to play was Green Onions. It is an instrumental song by Booker T and the MGS if you want to find it on YouTube.
Of course I had my favorites. I have written about them before so I will let you breathe. But I do want to mention two groups.
The Everly Brothers were from Iowa. Their voices blended so beautifully together. I think Wake Up Little Suzy was the first of their songs I heard. What made them special was that they never had a bad song. Every song they sang was perfect. My favorite is Poor Jenny.
Creedence Clearwater Revival also never had a bad song. They sang about bayous and swamps even though they were from California. Willie And The Poor Boys was not their first hit but it made us feel like we were watching those poor boys on the corner sing and dance to make a bit of money. My favorite somg is It Came Out Of The Sky.
Who do you enjoy listening to?
Don and Phil Everly's song "Bye Bye Love" was a favorite of mine and our prom featured several girls in evening dresses singing "All I Have o Do Is Dream" from the stage. I don't know whether I ever told you, but I was on Bandstand in Philadelphia for a couple of days in June 1958 and breathed the same air as Dick Clark himself just after graduating from high school in Texas (I was visiting my recently deceased mother's family in Pennsylvania). Bandstand was on television five days afternoons a week in those days in black and white. Later it moved to California, was in color, and was on Saturdays only. I visited my old high school in September before leaving for college and discovered that I was a celebrity because EVERYBODY watched Bandstand EVERY DAY. Crime by teenagers after school must have been practically non-existent. I hope you got to visit your grandparents often. You missed out on a phenomenon. Kenny and Arlene! Bob and Justine! Fran! Thanks for bringing back some good memories today.
ReplyDeleteSorry, that was me.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it and am jealous. You were on Bandstand!!!
DeleteCCR for me. Great musicians.
ReplyDeleteIt Came Out Of The Sky is my favorite. All of their songs are so good that the rest come in second.
DeleteGrowing up, it was Big Band music in our home and to this day I still like that music and also the boy and girl singers (as they were known) who were associated with many bands. In y teens, I liked 60s hits and The Beatles were favorites as were Paul Anka, Bobby Rydell and Elvis. In recent years, I've developed an appreciation of some country western, but not bluegrass. I also enjoy listening to classical music which is relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI listen to all types of music. It depends on my mood. My favorite Big Band is Louis Prima and there are a lot of others on the list.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. CCR is my all time favorite. Bad Moon rishing, Rolling on the river, and so many others. Glad it is enjoyed by others.
ReplyDeleteNever did a bad song. And their history is interesting too.
Delete