COLD OPEN:
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" - The Platters
(Dec. 1958 thru Feb. 1959, highest chart pos.
#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#3 R&B, scenes from
Aug. 1973 film American Graffiti)
Smile and say "cheese!"
It's time to meet the newest member of
the Shady Bunch Rodentia Intelligentsia!
Hi, folks! I'm...
Belle Rat the Dell Rat
...the ladies' answer to Denny the Dell Rat.
Welcome to my new S-P-M-M radio show
Saved by the Belle
The Music and Musings of
Belle Rat the Dell Rat
I'm on a mission to save you from boring elevator music.
I'm no Minnie Mouse, and the tunes I play are not Mickey Mouse.
My show brings you the best and most memorable sounds
from the glory days of your boomer youth.
At the top of the show, you experienced an awesome split-screen effect,
a custom YouTube video with The Platters performing "Smoke Gets In
Your Eyes," their chart-topping hit from late 1958 and early '59, while
on the large portion of the screen you were treated to scenes from the
1973 coming-of-age comedy film American Graffiti. Set in the summer
of '62, Graffiti features The Platters' romantic ballad in the soundtrack.
Watching the nocturnal adventures
of Steve, Laurie, Terry "The Toad,"
Debbie, Curt and the rest of those
California teenagers reminds me
of when I was their age. I used to
sneak out of my bedroom window
to meet up with guys and girls
I wasn't supposed to be with.
Alright, let's shift gears now
and jump ahead in time to the
rockin' psychedelic 60s as I
play one of the biggest and
most important hits of the
genre presented in another
awesome split-screen vid!
CLICK TO
START VIDEO!
It's the San Francisco-based Jefferson Airplane
with their signature song-- "Somebody To Love!"
"Somebody To Love" - Jefferson Airplane
(May/June 1967, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100 & Cash Box,
scenes from May 27, 1967, ep. of American Bandstand)
That was Grace Slick and company,
the Jefferson Airplane, performing
their 5th single but first major hit,
"Somebody To Love," together on a
split-screen with the studio dancers
on American Bandstand groovin' to
the band's exciting new hard rock
sound. Speaking of breaking on
through to the other side of the
success barrier, here's another
band that did just that in the
weeks and months after
"Somebody To Love"
peaked on the chart.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
It's Jim Morrison and his psychedelic rock band The Doors with
their own sig-song, a record that went all the way to #1
in the summer of 1967-- "Light My Fire!"
"Light My Fire" - The Doors
(June thru August 1967, highest chart pos.
#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
Come on, baby, "Light My Fire" cried rock legend Jim Morrison...
a Doors ditty that rode high on the chart throughout the summer of '67.
Belle Rat the Dell Rat keeping you company
here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio.
Baby, it's cold outside... and I'm warming you up
with red hot platters fresh from the jukebox.
Ready for another split-screen
dazzler? I've got it. Check out
Motown's mighty Temptations
on the left side doing their chart-
topping 1966 single "Ain't Too
Proud To Beg," and on the right,
a cool dance routine performed
on Dick Clark's music TV show
Where The Action Is.
CLICK TO
START THE
VIDEO NOW!
Watch as Jeri, Lesley, Roberta
and The Action Kids entertain
you with The Temptation Walk!
"Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - The Temptations
(June/July 1966, highest chart pos. #1 R&B,
#10 Cash Box/#13 Hot 100, dance perf. by
The Action Kids on Where The Action Is)
From 1966, that was rare and nicely
restored footage of The Action Kids,
the exciting dance troupe on the
TV series Where The Action Is,
doing The Temptation Walk
along with a restored clip
of The Temp's on stage
performing one of
their biggest cross-
over hits-- "Ain't
Too Proud To Beg."
If you're just tuning in, I'm
your Hostess With the Mostest...
Belle of the ball, leader of the pack,
queen of the Rodentia Intelligentsia...
Belle Rat
the Dell Rat
...newest member of the
Shady Bunch deejay team.
Far from mousy, I'm the
pick of the litter - the
prettiest, perkiest and
most personable
member of the
Rat Pack.
I'm playing the best tunes in town and telling my rat tails tales
here on S-P-M-M Rat-ro-sonic Radio. This is the premiere of
Saved by the Belle
and we're right in the middle of a 7-in-a-row cheddar cheese block party,
so let's get back to the songs from the soundtrack of our boomer youth.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Here now are The Mama's And The Papa's in various performances and
outfits, doing their breakthrough hit and signature song "California Dreamin'."
"California Dreamin'" - The Mama's And The Papa's
(Feb./Mar. 1966, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears, that was the LA-
based psychedelic sunshine pop and folk rock quartet
The Mama's And The Papa's. (Yep - that's the exact
spelling on the label of the original Dunhill single.)
Hot during the cold winter months in the early part
of 1966, the song "California Dreamin'" became a
signpost of the California sound and heralded
the arrival of the 60s counterculture era.
You're boppin' with Belle on
S-P-M-M... the station with
personality. You've got a rat
to rock, and I'm her, she's me.
I'm runnin' down the groovy
sounds of the 50s, 60s and
70s, those Wonder Years
classics that never grow old.
In the fall of 1970, singer -
songwriter Neil Diamond
achieved his first #1 hit on
the Billboard pop chart,
his third million-selling
single and his break-thru
UK hit, all with the song
you are about to hear.
The pop troubadour is
literally beside himself in
this split-screen restoration
video. Here's Neil Diamond
appearing on The Johnny
Cash Show and singing
his soft rock favorite--
"Cracklin' Rosie!"
"Cracklin' Rosie" - Neil Diamond
(Sept./Oct. 1970, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box,
#1 Canada, perf. on Sept. 30, 1970, ep. of The Johnny Cash Show)
Hot-hot-hot in the chilly weeks leading up to Halloween in
1970, that was "Cracklin' Rosie," one of Neil Diamond's
biggest hits and catchiest singalong songs.
In addition to topping the pop charts in the U.S. and Canada,
"Rosie" reached #1 in New Zealand, #2 in Australia and Ireland
and also peaked at #2 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart.
RATS!!!
Shady's waving me off, so I need
to scurry on home. It's just a hole
in the wall, but the food is good.
I hope you enjoyed the debut of
Saved by
the Belle
The Music and
Musings of
Belle Rat
the Dell Rat.
Earlier, you saw and heard the Jefferson Airplane perform "Somebody
To Love," their breakthrough top 5 charting hit from the spring of 1967.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
To play us off, here's the band's follow-up single, a record that
approached the top 5 on Cash Box during that magical, mystical
Summer of Love. Grace Slick sings-- "White Rabbit!"
"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane
(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #6 Cash Box/#8 Hot 100)
I gotta run
(because
Belle Rat's
hungry)...
but I hope
to see you
next time!
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Belle Rat the Dell Rat
Artwork courtesy of my wonderful longtime friend Belle Unruh.
Born in California's Inland Empire...
Belle moved to Canada as a teenager.
Thank you very much for contributing this delightful
"Belle Rat" drawing to Shady's Place, dear friend Belle!
Now this is Belle Rat the Dell Rat reminding you that a Dell Rat
must be brave, and a Dell Rat must behave. See you next time!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI hope you're getting your bearings back after this morning's appointment. I'm tackling things early and if I'm luck to hit publish before someone else then I shall be your first commenter of the day. :)
Your friend's contribution to your Saved By the Belle series of Belle the Dell Rat is cute. I like Belle's winter wardrobe. It actually feels like winter here in east Tennessee. The temperature overnight dipped into the upper 20s. Our forecast is expected to stay on a similar wave for the next several days, too. Mid-November is a bit too soon for our weather to be this cool.
I enjoyed all of these fab tunes from the 60s. When these hits hit the charts, I was still too young to remember them when they released. It wasn't until the mid-70s that I probably took notice of these classics with the exception of The Mamas & The Papas, "California Dreamin'" I think I recall my auntie and her cousin playing the record. The Temptations was another group she and her cousin liked listening and dancing to. Psychedelic rock music didn't really make it to my ears until the end of the 70s and even then there wasn't too much of it for me to absorb. You may recall when I was a kid, I lived in a valley in the hills of WV where radio signal from far away stations couldn't reach very well. This left me with music exposure of whatever my friends played Elton John, The Partridge Family, The Osmond Brothers, to name just a few.
The sound of yesterday trumps anything being produced today across all genres. Keep spinning these jewels for our enjoyment, my friend. Have a boogiestastic week!!
Hi, Cathy! Yessum, you're the Early Bird, and I thank you for coming right over!
DeleteI'm finally here on this slow-and-go Monday, dear friend. The traffic to and from my appointment was horrible due to large numbers of snowbirds that have arrived from northern states to spend the winter. The store I needed to visit on the way home was a madhouse. I'm happy to be off the road and back online.
Welcome over to my clubhouse as I introduce the newest member of the Shady Bunch DJ squad - Belle Rat the Dell Rat, a character brought to life through the kindness, generosity and artistry of my dear friend Belle up in British Columbia. I'm glad you like her rat image and appreciate her bundled-up look for late fall and winter. I'm sorry you guys are having such a cold wave in E. Tennessee this early in the season. Here in Florida, it was pleasantly cool this morning, but now its getting very warm again and the air conditioner is running.
I'm pleased that you enjoyed Belle Rat's first playlist, heavy on psychedelic sounds, but with a 50s doo-wop oldie and a mid 60s soul hit mixed in. You also heard from singer/songwriter Neil Diamond who is in a class of his own. Neil turned in a fine performance of his late 1970 hit "Cracklin' Rosie" on that episode of The Johnny Cash Show. Thanks for telling your own tale of how and when you were first exposed to psychedelia and mentioning some of the artists you listened to in your youth in WV.
I totally agree that the sounds of yesterday eclipse most of the music that's popular today. You can count on Belle Rat the Dell Rat to play the greatest hits from your boomer youth (and mine) on every show.
Thanks again for coming early and have a safe and happy week, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
DeleteIt's funny, I remember a lot of the variety shows from the 70s but I don't remember The Johnny Cash Show. I know this time of year the return of the snowbirds swoop back to their winter homes in Florida. I tell you, if we had the finances I think I'd surely like to have a place along the Gulf coast but that's just something I can dream about. It'll never be a reality unless we win it big in the lottery. I wish we could buy lottery tickets online.
Last week it was so warm we came close to running our AC but instead we put our shorts on in the evenings after showers and were fine. What a striking contrast our weather is this week. I'm bundle up and still my feet are cold. Brrr, I wonder what this all means? Will we have a wickedly bad winter in store? I hope not.
I hope you've recouped from your two doctor appointments this week and feeling more energized. Take care of yourself, dear friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming back over today, dear friend! I'm always delighted to see you.
I remember The Johnny Cash Show (1969 to 1971), but regret to tell you that I didn't watch it at the time. At that age, I had not yet cultivated an appreciation of country music. Little did I know that the musical guest lineup on Johnny Cash also included pop favorites like Neil Diamond. Wiki lists some of the artists who appeared on Johnny's show as follows: << Regulars included members of his touring troupe, June Carter Cash (his wife) and the Carter Family, The Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins, and The Tennessee Three. It featured many folk, singer-songwriter and country musicians, such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Merle Haggard, James Taylor, Tammy Wynette and Roy Orbison. It also featured other musicians such as jazz great Louis Armstrong who died eight months after appearing on the show. >>
As I told friend YaYa (below) I read that much of the nation is in for a harsh winter - cold and wet. You might dream of having a home on the Gulf coast of Florida, but if you ever endured a hurricane strike, you'd wish you were anyplace else. Maybe the scenic coast of Maine is a better choice for you and DH.
Thanks for the well wishes. Following two straight days of having to focus on medical matters, I'm happy to be back full time and connecting with dear friends like you.
Thank you again for your return visit and sweet comment, dear friend Cathy!
How about that - I actually know and like every song you featured today, Shady! Though to be honest, I much prefer José Feliciano's version of Light My Fire.
ReplyDeleteHope things went well at your routine appointment this morning.
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteYou finished a strong second again this week, dear friend, and I thank you for coming right over!
I'm delighted that the playlist for Belle's first show drew such a favorable response from you. It's not often that you know and like all 7 songs in any given post at Shady's Place. In fact, I don't think it has ever happened before! :) :) :) José Feliciano waxed a memorable cover of "Light My Fire," and I thank you for mentioning it and letting me know that you prefer his version.
Yessum, all went well at my appointment on the other side of town. Thanks for mentioning it. With all the snowbird traffic filtering in from up north, plus numerous stretches of road construction and detours, getting to the clinic and back was much worse than the medical procedure itself. :) Dang it, I have another appointment tomorrow morning that will use up half my day!
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Kelly, and have a great week!
Hi Shady, Thank you for using my paintings of Belle Rat the Dell Rat and then showing pictures of me. I loved the music of the 1960s and loved every song here on your playlist. I think, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," is one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard. I liked the split screen you used in some of the videos. It is always fun to watch people dance.
ReplyDeleteI remember very well, "Light My Fire," "Somebody to Love," and "White Rabbit." Those songs were the epitome of psychedelic music. I remember feeling I was listening to something new and exciting. "California Dreamin'," was a huge hit for me, seeing I lived there. I was lucky to have lived there in the 1960s, during the "Flower Child" era.
"Ain't to Proud to beg," is wonderful and I've always loved Neil Diamond. All fine songs from fantastic artists. Thanks for sharing them with all of us.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteWelcome in, dear friend, as I begin a new series and introduce Belle Rat the Dell Rat, a brand new Shady's Place character, the latest addition to The Shady Bunch family of DJs, presenters, hosts, hostesses and personalities. The rat is your creation, your labor of love, and I am proud to welcome her aboard. All these weeks, you have known her simply as "Rattie," while I secretly had plans all along to name her after you, the artist, and my wonderful sister friend.
Along with my intention to name the rat after you, I planned all along to use this series to present some of the specific songs and artists that you have designated as favorites over the years. Indeed, it has been nearly a dozen years since you first submitted to me a list of your favorite songs to be used in posts on my old blog, Shady Dell Music & Memories. I am excited to refresh your memory as this new series goes along. Every volume of Saved By The Belle will feature at least one of your favorite songs or artists. This debut edition actually contains four of the favorites you mentioned to me all those years ago: "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "Light My Fire," "California Dreamin'" and "White Rabbit." in addition to your specific favorites, the series will include hits by California and West Coast artists that you probably remember from your years as a California girl. Moreover, Belle Rat will use some of your actual quotes originally submitted years ago as comments on SDMM posts. Once such quote is used here in Vol. 1: "I used to sneak out of my bedroom window to meet up with guys and girls I wasn't supposed to be with." So you see that this series is truly dedicated to you and to our wonderful, long lasting friendship.
I wish I could take credit for those marvelous split screen videos, but they are the work of the YouTube producer/uploader. To my delight, I am discovering more and more channels that offer extensive audio and video remixes of Boomer hits, extraordinary sound and picture restoration and upscaling, and creative editing effects like the juxtaposition of groups performing on stage and Bandstanders dancing. Those scenes of the dancers on Casey Kasem's Shebang show and Dick Clark's Where The Action Is are ultra rate and thrilling to find.
Thank you again for your kindness in painting and contributing the rat image for use at Shady's Place, and for creating two versions, one generic to be used all year 'round, and one that shows her bundled up for the cold weather seasons. Belle Rat the Dell Rat is surely the most lovable character in the ever-expanding Shady Bunch universe.
Thanks for being here for the launch of our brand new series, dear friend Belle. Stay tuned for volume 2 coming soon!
Shady, thank you for naming me, Belle Rat the Dell Rat. That was a huge surprise and I forgot to mention it. I do feel honored because I know how long and hard you have worked on this blog. I remember being excited to find a music blog, especially about the old songs that meant so much to me.
DeleteI thought I noticed those were some of my favorite songs! Lol. It was kind of you to choose them. You said this series is dedicated to me. I can't convey to you how much that means to me. Our long friendship is close to my heart. I consider you a brother, confidant and counselor.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteThank you ever so much for returning to follow-up, sweet friend! Your words mean a lot to me. I love to surprise people and make them happy. It's gratifying to know that it makes you happy to have our cute little rat character named after you, and her series dedicated to you and to our long friendship which is now well into double digit years.
I feel very fortunate that my old blog, Shady Dell Music & Memories, primitive as it was compared to Shady's Place, nevertheless attracted you. I think it is safe to say that you initially came to SDMM to listen to the old songs of your youth, and stayed because you found a genuine friend in me. Music and humor make blogging fun, but the opportunity to establish real, long-lasting friendships is what makes blogging great.
Yes indeed, Belle. This series is dedicated to you, and it's tailor made, featuring songs and artists you have mentioned as favorites over the years. I think other readers will enjoy this series because, unlike many Shady's Place radio shows, the song lineups will focus mainly on major pop chart hits, not obscure recordings nobody's ever heard of.
The last two sentences of your comment touch me deeply, Belle. They express exactly how I feel about you. You are much more than a friend. You are my wonderful "sister," confidant and counselor. Thank you again for bringing this delightful blog mascot Belle Rat the Dell Rat to life through your artistry. I hope to present new volumes of her series every few months, so stay tuned.
I hope you are having a splendid week. This morning, I went to my second medical appointment in as many days, saw my specialist, and checked out AOK.
Thank you again for coming back over to share your joy. You made my day. Your happiness is mine. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear sister Belle!
Oh Shady and sweet Belle Rat I could listen to this post 20 times over! It took me back to Junior High and High School and so many memories! I love every song and I loved the Action Kids doing the Temptation dance...I did that dance back in the day! So fun! Plus those groovy go-go boots! Then there's Neil Diamond..oh my heck probably one of the best concerts I ever went to (Besides Paul Revere and Raiders! Ha!) He was so amazing. Watching Jefferson Airplane reminded me that I had a Neru Jacket just like that one in the last video! I was groovin' back in the day! I could gush all night but I'll end with telling Belle that her drawings are adorable and I'll look forward to many more posts from that Belle Del Rat! A quick thank you to you Tom for the wonderful poem you left on my post comments. Perfect with my picture. Have a good week and be thankful you're down south...high only in the 20's this weekend..brrrrrrr
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteWelcome, dear friend! Thanks for coming over early to meet and greet Belle Rat the Dell Rat, the newest member of the Rodentia Intelligentsia rat pack at Shady's Place!
I'm thrilled that Belle's song lineup was a hit with you and other readers. You can count on this new series, Saved By The Belle, to bring you more of the greatest hits ripped from the soundtrack of your boomer youth. I'm very happy to know that these songs and video images brought fond memories of your school years flooding back.
I actually don't remember the dance called The Temptation Walk. However, as a teenager, I watched every single episode of Where The Action Is, and that means I must have seen this episode of the show with the choreographed routine performed by the Action Kids. I am excited to learn that you used to do the Temptation Walk back in the 60s. Did you know that I had the honor of exchanging emails with Jeri Lyn several years ago? She is the short girl with the ponytail and hair bow who first emerges from the group to dance in the foreground starting at the 37 second mark of the video. Making a connection with my favorite member of The Action Kids dance troupe was one of the biggest thrills of my life.
I already knew that you are practically president of the Paul Revere And The Raiders fan club. Thanks for letting me know you also love pop troubadour Neil Diamond, seen here in his prime performing live on Johnny Cash, and that you once saw Neil in concert. By the way, stick around for my next post coming up this weekend when Paul Revere rides again at Shady's Place!
My goodness, you wore all the trendy clothing styles of the period, didn't you? I think you should have packed your bags, hitched a ride out to LA and become a go-go dancer on Hullabaloo. That's how actresses Goldie Hawn and Teri Garr started out. :)
I'm so glad you appreciate the artwork contributed by my longtime friend Belle Unruh, a former San Berdoo area California girl who now resides in British Columbia. I was astonished when, out of the blue, Belle emailed me a few weeks ago with the initial drawing of a rat that soon evolved into this lovable character. Today, for the first time, Belle is finding out, along with you and other readers, that I have named the critter Belle Rat the Dell Rat, my way of thanking Belle for sending me the image and for double digit years of faithful friendship.
I'm touched that you appreciated the poem I posted along with my latest comment at Whispering Pines. The words of that poem have always meant a great deal to me, reminding me of lost loved ones and the fragility of our own precious lives as we enter the autumn and winter of our years.
Is that a typo, YaYa? HIGH in the 20s? That's shocking! I read that much of the nation is in for a harsh winter - wet and cold. Better send Jordan outside to chop some extra firewood.
Thank you again for your kind visit and exceptionally nice comment, dear friend YaYa. Keep safe and warm up there and enjoy the week ahead!
I knew all of these songs. My late husband Ken loved Jefferson Airplane so I've heard a bunch of their music. The Del Rat is too cute. If you hadn't guessed from my Monday posts, I like rats. I used to have pet rats before we got Falcor. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary!
DeleteYay - your comment published immediately this time! Thanks for coming over, dear friend!
I'm happy to learn that you know every song played by Belle Rat the Dell Rat, the newest (and cutest) member of The Shady Bunch DJ team. Thanks for telling me that your late husband loved The Airplane.
I'm pleased that you also admire the rat illustration painted and contributed to the blog by Belle Unruh, by my longtime friend up in Canada. Yessum, I am aware of your fondness for rats. My nephew used to keep as pets a large number of mice. Knowing that you like rats so much, this series is for you. Belle Rat plays the big hits - the greatest pop, rock and soul sounds of the 50s, 60s and 70s, so stay tuned for volume 2 coming soon.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Mary. Please give my buddy Falcor a bacon flavored Jerky-Treat and enjoy the rest of your week!
Ughh, I tried writing this on my phone and it wouldn’t publish. I hope you fared well over the latest hurricane. I have been thinking about you and your wife.
ReplyDeleteLove Belle the Rat who is so cute in her little outfits. She is very well drawn and I Best she will appear next in The Nutcracker Suite. Love Smoke Gets in Your Eyes...one of my favourite songs and done many times. I love this version but I also love Kathryn Grayson’s operatic take on it.
I love Grace Slick’s voice which is so unique and strong. Love this music including Mr. Sexual, Jim Morrison, who was so good the way he sang his songs..I can’t believe it has been 50 years since he died. Same with Cass Elliott from The Mamas and the Papas. The music from this time is just the best. I loved listening to it and loved watching the dancers. They all look so very young and some are now gone while others are over 70 if not over 80. They knew and know how to party.
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteThanks for staying up late to visit and comment, dear friend! I'm sorry you missed The Good Doctors sneak preview but glad you could make it here for show #1 of Bell Rat the Dell Rat.
I emailed you with the info about how we made out in the hurricane. Check your inbox.
I'm delighted that you singled out the artwork by your Canadian sister and mine, Belle Unruh. I was surprised and grateful when Belle sent me the first version of the rat (nekked). Next, Belle went to the trouble of getting our female rat all gussied up - appropriately dressed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and winter. From day one, I knew I wanted to name the character after the artist, my dear friend, and that's how Belle Rat the Dell Rat came about.
I was excited to discover on YouTube the tribute to American Graffiti with the Platters visible in a box singing the soundtrack song "Smoke." In Graffiti, as you recall, the scenes filmed at the dance in the high school gymnasium were especially realistic. The sounds of car engines throughout the film were also an important component as young men competed against each other on the streets and tried to impress and win over girls. Tagline: "Where were you in '62?"
Yessum, it has often been pointed out in YouTube comments on videos showing the dancers on Bandstand, Shebang, Lloyd Thaxton and similar music TV shows of the 60s, that some of the young men who appear in the vids out on the dance floor were shortly thereafter appearing on "the killing floor" - fighting and losing their lives in the Vietnam war. Questions arose in hit songs.
War! What is it good for? (Absolutely nothin'.)
Where have all the flowers gone?
When will they ever learn?
Yessum, you were/are a party peep and loved to dance . I'm very happy that you enjoyed these songs picked by Belle Rat and that you recognize the greatness of the music of this period in the mid to late 60s when The Doors, Airplane and Mamas & Papas and other groups and bands released their iconic hits. This series, Saved By The Belle, will feature more of the same - the greatest hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s, so please stick around for the next exciting chapter coming soon.
Thanks again for making time for a visit and for your excellent comment, dear friend BB. I'll be over to see you soon-- "At The Movies!"
I just got to this post and really enjoyed all the songs and love 50, 60 and 70s when I was in whatever prime I had. I went to see the Airplane in concert at Mt. St, Mary's college in MD about an hour from York. I actually liked the band The Great Society before Slick merged with the Airplane. As I recall they were not great at that concert. Listen to some of the Great Society stuff if you never have. Of course you already know I love the movie American Grafitti and the Platters. Great post. Jerre
ReplyDeleteHi, Jerre!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, good buddy! Thanks for the visit and kind words!
I think you'll love this series featuring the newest member of the pack - Belle Rat the Dell Rat. Don't you just wanna smooch her? I made Belle Rat aware of how much you like the film American Graffiti. She nearly flipped when she came across this fabulous split-screen video for "Smoke gets In Your Eyes" featuring scenes from the film. Belle Rat couldn't wait to get the vid plugged into the lineup as the show opener - allowing Steve & Laurie to stroll out on the floor and start the first dance of the evening.
SPOILER ALERT: One of those two Graffiti lovebirds returns in my very next post on Sunday!
I also remember that you like Slick and The Airplane and the band it grew out of - The Great Society. I've got you covered on that score as well. Stay tuned to Shady's Place and you shall see (and hear). As if all that were not enough, Vol. 3 of Saved By The Dell (not Saved By The Belle) is also coming up at the end of this month. I'll notify you by email on the eve of publication.
Thanks again for checking out the debut of Belle Rat the Dell Rat and meeting a fine person who has been a great friend for nearly as long as you have, namely Belle Unruh. Have a safe and happy weekend, good buddy Jerre!
"Once a Dell rat... always a Dell rat."
It's a small thing, but if you were going to show an American Graffiti poster, I wish you would have shown the Mort Drucker original. Not only did Drucker illustrate the poster, but later drew the Mad magazine parody of the movie as well!
ReplyDeleteWatching Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, and the Mamas and the Papas, I'm once again struck by how pop music, both in its sound and its visual representation, was so different in the second half of the 1960s than in the first. I can just imagine presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon, as he sat in front of his set while The Ed Sullivan Show played, gleefully rubbing his hands together and shouting out loud, "Silent Majority! Silent Majority! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
In the black-and-white part of "California Dreaming", did you see those cheerleaders jump out of the bathtubs? Not even The Mamas and The Papas seemed to know what to make of that.
Peace!
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for staying up late to visit and comment, good buddy! Belle Rat the Dell Rat welcomes you to lunch... er, I mean to the LAUNCH of her new series Saved By The Belle.
Regarding the choice of Graffiti poster, I researched various art compositions weeks ago as I began composing this feature. Naturally they included the Mort Drucker original, which I checked again just now at your urging. Of all the available options, the poster I finally selected, the one shown here at the top of my post, was and still is the one I like best. I hope that addresses your small thing.
Yes, good buddy, the Swinging Sixties was a decade of rapid and radical change, and popular music was part of that metamorphosis. In the early 60s, teen idols made the Hit Parade by crooning sweet, simple love ditties. Midway through the decade, counterculture rock groups and bands rose to prominence calling for an end to war and defying the establishment in thought, word and deed, opening the door for Nixon and others like him to wrap themselves in the flag and declare that they and their party espoused traditional family values. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend the 1999 comedy movie Dick starring Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams. The cast also includes Will (SNL - Anchorman) Ferrell, Teri (Close Encounters - Tootsie) Garr, Ted (Married... with Children) McGinley and French (3rd Rock) Stewart. It's a hoot.
Thanks for mentioning those Hullabaloo cheerleaders - slash - go-go dancers popping out of bathtubs during the "California Dreamin'" number. The set design was obviously inspired by the Mamas & Papas debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears:
https://comics.ha.com/itm/music-memorabilia/records/mamas-and-the-papas-if-you-can-believe-your-eyes-and-ears-dunhill-d-50006-album-this-is-the-rare-toilet-picture-album/a/808-3097.s
It's a small thing :)... but if they wanted to fully acknowledge that groundbreaking record album cover, the choreographed dance routine should have included go-go girls emerging from toilets.
Thanks for making it over in the nicotine. Stay tuned for my next offering coming up dark and early tamale. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, good buddy Kirk!
I did indeed see Dick and found it funny, especially when Michelle Williams daydreams she's being romanced by Nixon.
DeleteThanks for letting me know, good buddy!
DeleteHi Belle and welcome! Well, aren't you a cutie and a beauty. I love mice and you're looking more like a mouse than a rat. :) Shady, so glad your friend Belle drew this wonderful addition. Both Belles made me smile.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to love Saved by the Belle, she spun some of my favourite tunes. I love Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, and the Temptations. Most of these songs got me through the middle and high school years. I could listen to this playlist all day and I think I will, as I continue with NaNoWriMo and work on David's gift.
I know I'm late to the party. It was a very busy week and since Saturdays are my day of rest, I'm able to join.
Have a great Saturday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteMy goodness, welcome back, dear friend! I've been missing you.
I'm glad you arrived in time to meet and greet my Canadian friend Belle Unruh and view the delightful character that Belle created for our enjoyment - a cute little critter that I named Belle Rat the Dell Rat in her honor.
Yessum, I'm happy to know that you found some of your favorite songs on Belle's playlist, and I'll bet your dad would also enjoy listening to these major hits of the 60s and early 70s. I predict that he remembers most or all of them. You can expect to hear more great pop, rock and soul sounds in every edition of Saved By The Belle, so please stay tuned.
Thank you again for making time for a visit, dear friend JM. Stick around for my next post which starts first thing tomorrow morning. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!