Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.
CB sent this band to me and they are raw and powerful with a unique singer. I really love garage type bands. Bands like this were big in the sixties and turned toward punk in the 70s. They made a comeback in the 80s against the synth based mainstream at the time. The alternative rock scene was born which I liked more than the then top 40 with The Replacements, REM, The Dead Kennedys, and more.
The hardest part about this post was picking out which song to highlight. The album I’ve listened to is The Detroit Cobras: The Original Recordings which rocks. All of their covers are loud raw and catchy like garage rock is. I loved how they picked the songs they covered. Songs that went under the radar when they were originally released.
This song…not to be confused with Ain’t That A Shame was originally recorded by Question Mark and The Mysterians. The song was written by their drummer Robert Martinez and released in 1969.
The Detroit Cobras were known for their reinterpretations of classic R&B, rock, and soul songs. Guess where they are from? They emerged in the mid-1990s and added to the garage rock revival movement of that era. They came out of the same Detroit scene as the White Stripes did.
The band was formed in 1994 by guitarist Steve Shaw and drummer Jeff Meier but lead vocalist Rachel Nagy and guitarist Mary Ramirez would become the core of the band. The Cobras set themselves apart by reimagining lesser-known songs from the 1950s and 1960s rather than writing their own original material.
When I saw this 1998 movie I did with trepidation because of Jim Carrey. There is only so much of his comedy I can take at once but this was completely different. He did more of a serious turn in this movie and I must admit he was great. I’m not the world’s biggest Jim Carrey fan at all but this movie is brilliant.
Carey plays Truman Burbank, a man who unknowingly lives his entire life in a meticulously crafted, 24/7 reality TV show, with his every move broadcast to a global audience. I try to find themes in movies and this one explores themes of manipulation, personal freedom, commercialism, and the power of free will that wins out.
This movie was like looking into the future…a bleak near future. The Kardashians and others followed showed “real life” (heavy sarcasm) and delivered Warhol’s 15-minute fame theory in the worst possible way. To be honest…I’m honestly amazed that this movie’s plot hasn’t been tried.
Truman Burbank lives a seemingly perfect life in Seahaven, a fictional island town somewhere that is mixed between the 1950s and the 1990s. He was unaware that his entire existence was being broadcast to millions around the world. Every person he interacts with, including his wife, best friend, and co-workers, is an actor playing a role. As Truman begins to notice inconsistencies and strange events like a stage light falling from the “sky” and his wife advertising products mid-conversation…he starts to question his reality.
The film builds towards a powerful climax as Truman embarks on a journey of self-discovery and challenges the artificial world he has been confined to, sailing across the set’s ocean (which he is scared of) in search of freedom. Funny, he wanted to see the world but didn’t know the world was watching him being born, his first step, his first kiss, his marriage, and his escape.
This is a SPOILER but the most poignant thing about the movie to me is when he decides to go to the real world and the show ends. All of those people who bought Truman merchandise and tuned in through the years applauded and said hmm… what’s on another channel? They moved on quickly without a thought or care…and hopefully, Truman did the same.
I have so many feelings about this movie. After I watched it for the first time I took a second look in the mirror and the consistent things in my life and thought hmm what if? And you know what? There IS something called The Truman Syndrome… Psychologists later identified a phenomenon called “The Truman Show Delusion” where individuals believe their lives are being staged and broadcast.
When I first started to blog, mostly all I did was older hits and pop culture. I then started to experiment with album cuts and they seemed to go over pretty well. I’m surprised that I never blogged this song at the beginning. I’ve always liked it… it’s a mixture of pop, bubblegum, and a little psychedelia. What stuck out to me is the sitar…which I love to hear.
Bubblegum has a bad name but there is good bubblegum and I do like some of it. I never cared for The 1910 Fruitgum Company and The Ohio Express but some I did like. Crazy Elephant’s Gimme Gimme Good Loving and songs like that…I’ve always been fond of.
The Lemon Pipers were formed in 1966 in Oxford, Ohio, by students from Miami University. The band played harder psychedelic and blues rock. Buddah Records had different ideas. They pushed The Lemon Pipers into more bubblegum-type music. The tension between the record company and The Lemon Pipers eventually broke the band up in 1969.
You could probably consider The Lemon Pipers a one-hit wonder. They had some other charting songs but none in the top 40 on the Billboard 100 except the song Rice Is Nice which peaked at #6 in New Zealand.
This song did well here and everywhere. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #3 in Canada, #3 in New Zealand, and #7 in the UK in 1967. The song has appeared in various films and television shows and made its place as a symbol of 1960s pop culture.
Green Tambourine
Drop your silver in my tambourine
Help a poor man fill a pretty dream
Give me pennies, I’ll take anything
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Watch the jingle jangle start to shine
Reflections of the music that is mine
When you toss a coin, you’ll hear it sing
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Drop a dime before I walk away
Any song you want, I’ll gladly play
Money feeds my music machine
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine
Thanks to Dave from A Sound Day for publishing this post on October 25, 2024. It was part of his Turntable Talk: Our guest columnists are invited to go on a magical musical road trip and visit any musical location they want to – past or present – and see it in all its glory.
I would love to go to the Cavern. The Beatles would not have to be there for me to enjoy its dark wet walls. They have built a new one but it’s not the same location of the original. That is great for the tourists but what’s the point? I would love to go back to 1957 – 1972 to walk into the cavern. Just to feel the history inside of that place. The Beatles were not the only big name to play there as you will see. A small cellar club that would be known around the world…including a small town in Tennessee.
The original Cavern Club was founded on January 16, 1957, by Alan Sytner. Sytner was inspired by jazz clubs he had visited in Paris such as the Le Caveau de la Huchette. The Cavern Club was initially a jazz club, with early performances focusing on traditional jazz and skiffle, a blend of folk and jazz. No rock and roll or blue jeans were allowed in the club. Ringo Starr debuted there on July 31, 1957, playing drums in the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. John Lennon would appear there on August 7, 1957, with the Quarrymen Skiffle Group. That year Big Bill Broonzy played there along with jazz great Ronnie Scott. In 1959 Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee played there as well.
In the early 1960s, rock ‘n’ roll became popular in Liverpool, with skiffle bands embracing electric guitars and rhythm. The Beatles made their first appearance on February 9, 1961. They performed there 292 times between 1961-1963. Brian Epstein ran a record store called NEMS and when a teen asked for My Bonnie by Tony Sheridan and The Beatles…Brian wanted to find it. He was told that The Beatles played at the Cavern so on November 9, 1961, Brian walked down the steps in the Cavern to discover The Beatles’ playing.
In less than a year he had them sign an EMI contract and Ringo replaced Pete Best in August of 1962. A year later on August 3, 1963, the Beatles played their last show there…they had outgrown the Cavern and had to start touring nationally. After The Beatles left, other bands came there to play in Liverpool. The Cavern became a hotspot for other British acts, including The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Queen, The Yardbirds, Black Sabbath, Elton John, and The Hollies.
Paul McCartney didn’t forget the place. In 1968 he and Linda went back to visit the Cavern. The band Curiosity Shop was rehearsing, and Paul decided to join them by helping on the drums. Before getting on stage with the band Paul got behind the piano in the lounge and performed a solo performance of Hey Jude.
After struggling with financial issues, the original club was closed in 1973 due to the construction of a railway ventilation shaft. Much of the original Cavern was demolished, though some bricks were saved. A lot of the Cavern was filled in by rubble. In the early eighties architect David Backhouse said that the plans to excavate and re-open the Cavern Club in its original form would not be possible for structural reasons. Tests had revealed the arches of the old cellar had been too badly damaged during the demolition of the ground floor of the Cavern Club and the warehouses above.
There is a new Cavern as I said at the beginning and if I make it over there yes, I will see it but it would not be the same as seeing the real deal. That got me thinking…is that stage still there just covered with rubble from 1973? Dave, Obbverse, Randy, Keith, John, and Christian…grab a shovel and meet me there now!
Badfinger has always been one of my favorite bands. They had a brilliant songwriter Pete Ham and a very good one Tommy Evans. No Matter What is considered one of the earliest power pop songs.
Badfinger is the band that got me into power pop. After reading about them my interest widened into Big Star and then the Raspberries. If any of you readers have a time machine I could use…take me back to January 19, 1973, at the Chicago Aragon Ballroom…where The Raspberries opened up for Badfinger. That would be a power pop dream.
This song was featured on their 1974 album Wish You Were Here. It was written by Pete Ham and he is the lead vocalist. Dennis is on many “Badfinger Best” lists…in some number 1 over Baby Blue, Day After Day, and No Matter What. The melody in this song is very good.
The album was released in late 1974 and was pulled in early 1975 before it had time to do anything because of litigation between Badfinger’s manager (Stan Polley) and the Warner Brothers. It was released and pulled in a matter of weeks. Warner Brothers saw the money was missing (Polley took it all out of trust) and yanked the album off of the shelves. It was rising in the charts when it was pulled. They recorded another album right after this called Head First but because of litigation, it wasn’t released until 2000.
The band was basically broke. With all of their self-written hits, they should have been set financially for years.
Pete Ham didn’t have the money to pay his mortgage and with a baby on the way drunk and depressed at the fatal age (for rock stars) of 27 Ham hanged himself at the age of 27 in his garage studio in 1975. In 1983 after scrambling for gigs, Tom Evans broke and was not able to get to any of the royalties due him from co-writing Without You with Pete…hanged himself also.
Dennis
Deeper waters flowed Recently it showed Tryin’ to cover your head Tryin’ to frighten you Tryin’ to fight with you Really gettin’ you scared But don’t you worry, you love of mine Pretty soon it will all be fine And we’ll just go on
Higher hills to climb Climbin’ all the time Tryin’ to find a way through Fallin’ down again, on the ground again Wonderin’ what you can do But don’t you worry, you love of ours They look like weeds, but they’re really flowers And they’ll soon be gone
You won’t stand up, you won’t sit down Your head’s a mile above the ground And though we tend to scold you now I couldn’t start to tell you how We couldn’t start to tell you how There’s just no way to say how much we love you
You, little Dennis, you You’re full of new surprise Love you You, little Dennis with the rascal in your eyes You’re a prize
It could be bad, it could be worse You’re taking out your mother’s purse And though you cried when you got told The money there was for the old To keep their dogs from getting cold The only thing that can’t be sold is love
You, little Dennis, you You’re full of new surprise Love you You, little Dennis with the rascal in your eyes
Will you pick up your toys? Will you be a good boy? Will you please, please?
There’s a way There’s a way If you’ll play If you’ll stay There’s a way through There’s a way to Take away blue Take away blue
There’s a way There’s a way If you’ll play If you’ll stay There’s a way through There’s a way to Take away blue Take away blue
There’s a way There’s a way If you’ll play If you’ll stay There’s a way through There’s a way to
John turned his Kustom K200/A Amp up to 11 with this song. It’s a little harder than their radio hits and they dip into blues rock with this cut. It was never released as a single but has become a fan favorite, especially among those who appreciate CCR’s rock album tracks.
It featured on their 6th studio album Pendulum released in 1970. This album was the last to feature Tom Fogerty, the band’s rhythm guitarist and older brother of lead singer John Fogerty. He would leave the band band after this one. The album departed from the band’s previous work in several ways. Fogerty’s songs are strong throughout and are made more interesting by the addition of horns and keyboards
It was recorded at Wally Heider’s studio in San Francisco, it took a month to record which was a long time for a Creedence album. , was down to the fact that the initial take on each song was performed by all four members, this was then followed by overdubbing by John. The overdubs included a horn section, keyboards, and additional backing vocals, all of which were played and sung by John.
The album was met with mixed reviews from critics. Some praised the deeper sound they had in their songs. Some wanted the rawer energy they had on their previous 5 albums. It included the two hits Have You Ever Seen The Rain and Hey Tonight. Pagan Baby does have that earlier CCR energy.
Pendulum peaked at #5 on the Billboard Album Charts, #2 in Canada, and #8 in the UK in 1970. Their next album Mardi Gras was the only CCR album to be panned by critics and fans alike…including John Fogerty.
Pagan Baby
Pagan baby, won’t you walk with me? Pagan baby, come on home with me. Pagan baby, take me for a ride. Roll me, baby, roll your big, brown eyes.
Yeah! ooh! ooh!
Pagan baby, let me make your name. Drive it, baby, drive your big love game. Pagan baby, what you got, I need.
Don’t be savin’, spread your love on me.
Aah! mm-mm-mm!
Pagan baby, now won’t you rock with me? Pagan baby, lay your love on me.
Around 1984 or so I really started to get into Ricky Nelson. Song after song of quality. At first, I only knew Garden Party but it’s his 50s catalog where many of his best songs are found…and I love Garden Party.
By 1957, Ricky Nelson was already a well-known actor from his role on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”, a TV show that starred his real-life family. His transition into music was initially seen as a part of his television character, but he quickly proved his talents as a serious musician. The show helped him of course but also hurt his credibility as a rock and roll artist.
Stood Up was part of a string of hits he was enjoying in the late 50s. The song was written by Dub Dickerson and Erma Herrold. The great James Burton, who would later lead Elvis’s TCB Band, played guitar on this song.
The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard 100 and #27 in the UK in 1957. Stood Up was his second #2 single and the next year he would have his first number one with Poor Little Fool. Poor Little Fool featured The Jordanaires, who were Elvis Presley’s backing singers.
Throughout the 1960s, Nelson continued to record rockabilly and evolve as an artist. He shifted to a more folk-rock sound and formed The Stone Canyon Band and in 1972 he had the hit Garden Party.
Stood Up
Well, I’ve been waitin’ ever since eight Guess my baby’s got another date Stood up, broken-hearted, again
I’ll bet she’s out havin’ a ball Not even thinkin’ of me at all Stood up, broken-hearted, again
Well, I know just what I oughta do I oughta find somebody new But, baby, I couldn’t forget about you Stood up, broken-hearted, again, mm
Why must I always be the one Left behind never havin’ any fun? Stood up, broken-hearted, again
But I guess I’ll go on bein’ a fool Sittin’ around just waitin’ for you Stood up, broken-hearted, again
Well, I know just what I oughta do I oughta find somebody new But, baby, I couldn’t forget about you Stood up, broken-hearted, again
Stood up, broken-hearted, again Stood up, broken-hearted, again
This movie changed me when I was a teenager. It made me realize the power that a movie can have. Just a few movies have moved me like that, and this was one of them. Platoon and Full Metal Jacket were two others. I had seen violence before on the screen but this was realistic and brutal…especially when you are a very young guy (too young to watch this) viewing it for the first time. I had to rethink many things after seeing it.
I love the soundtrack, especially the music performed on a Moog synthesizer, which set the tone for the film. I’m not giving a synopsis of the movie…there are plenty of books and internet sites doing that… but a movie that will change you does its job and more. This film was directed by the great Stanley Kubrick and you know it’s his movie within 30 seconds of the intro.
There is a story about a frog and a scorpion, which I relate to this movie. It goes like this. A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, afraid of being stung, but the scorpion argues that if it did so, they would both drown. Considering this, the frog agrees, but midway across the river, the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both. When the frog asks the scorpion why, the scorpion replies that it is in its nature to do so.
This movie runs the gamut…cruelty, horror, the absurd, violence, pity, and justice. In my opinion, this movie shows that evil exists in all of us and what happens if we let it take over. Also, I think the movie shows you that no one can change someone’s nature no matter what drugs or treatment you may give them outside of a lobotomy. Treatment and drugs may slow them down and help but their nature is not going to change. They will at least have to keep fighting it every day.
In the end, A Clockwork Orange challenges viewers to consider human freedom and the ethics of “curing” people against their will. This movie has been analyzed to death and rightly so. It could have only been made in the period it was made. I can’t imagine this movie coming out now…although I wish more modern filmmakers would take chances.
The scene that stick with me are the record shop scene, the Billy Boy gang fight, Singing in the Rain, and of course the eye scene… The record shop scene was filmed in the Chelsea Drugstore… I would love to have a room like that place. Very 60’s-70s futuristic…immortalized in the Stones’s “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”…The building is now sadly a McDonalds…modern progress?
Malcolm McDowell as Alex was excellent in this movie along with his droogs Pete (Michael Tarn), Georgie (James Marcus), and Dim (Warren Clarke).
Plot from IMDB
Alex DeLarge is an “ultraviolent” youth in futuristic Britain. As with all luck, his eventually runs out and he’s arrested and convicted of murder. While in prison, Alex learns of an experimental program in which convicts are programmed to detest violence. If he goes through the program, his sentence will be reduced and he will be back on the streets sooner than expected. But Alex’s ordeals are far from over once he hits the streets of Britain.
The cool car is an Adams Probe 16 AB/4 that was referred to as a Durango 95 in the film has been restored…
This is part 4 of this series and I thought it was about time to do another installment. I found some more rare songs this time except for Mr. Berry.
Kinks – Cadillac
I think all of these I do must have Cadillac in at least one song. This one was on their debut album and it was written and recorded by Bo Diddley in 1960. The Kinks debut album Kinks was released in 1964.
Gene Vincent – Pink Thunderbird
This song was written by Tex Davis and Paul Peek. It was released by Gene Vincent in 1957. Gene Vincent’s voice and slap back echo go together perfectly. Every rock artist after Gene Vincent has gone after that sound including Springsteen.
Cliff Gallup played some great guitar on this recording. He recorded 35 tracks with Vincent including Be-Bop-A-Lula.
Chuck Berry – Maybellene
Chuck Berry was THE first guitar hero in Rock and Roll. He was also rock’s first poet. This song evolved out of “Ida Red,” a hillbilly song by Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys from the early ’50s. Berry heard that song on the Country radio station KMOX in St. Louis but didn’t know who recorded it.
Not only is the music great with the steady beat… but those lyrics. The motor cooled down the heat went down, And that’s when I heard that highway sound, the Cadillac a-sittin’ like a ton of lead, a hundred and ten half a mile ahead, the Cadillac lookin’ like it’s sittin’ still, and I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill
You can see what is happening in the song in your head with no problem… no MTV story video needed. He was one of the best descriptive lyricist rock and roll has ever had.
The Three Milkshakes – Jaguar
They were a rockabilly band from the 1980s led by singer Mark Kermode, who is now well-known as a British film critic. The group specialized in vintage rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly music, covering songs in a classic ’50s style. They were part of the vibrant rockabilly revival scene in the UK during that time.
Bob Dylan – From A Buick 6
This song is from Bob Dylan’s album Highway 61 Revisited released in 1965. This song was the B side to the single Positively 4th Street. It’s a cool bluesy song that has those Dylan lyrics going everywhere. It resembles Sleepy John Estes’ Milk Cow Blues.
CB recommended this band and it’s fresh sounding and I like their choice of covers. When I heard Imelda May sing…that was all I needed. I heard Hound Dog first and it sounds very 40s but yet modern. They now have a different singer but she is also great…Sophie Shaw. This is different for me and I like it…it’s nice to switch up occasionally. When I heard Hallelujah! I Love Him So it got me into them much more. I know this song very well…it was one of the first songs Quarrymen recorded and that led me to Ray Charles who wrote and recorded the song.
Blue Harlem has been one of the top swing/jump-blues bands on the London scene for over 25 years. They have become regular favorites at venues such as the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s, The 100 Club, The Hippodrome, Hideaway, Jitterbugs, and more. They have been invited on three occasions to perform at Highgrove House charity balls for the Prince’s Trust.
They are a British band formed in 1996 by tenor saxophonist and arranger Al Nicholls. Known for blending jazz and rhythm and blues, they take inspiration from the swing and jump blues styles of the 1940s and 1950s.
.They have also enjoyed international recognition, performing at festivals across Europe and the Middle East. Blue Harlem played a huge role in launching the career of vocalist Imelda May, who gained fame and success after performing with them. Sophie Shaw now serves as their lead singer, bringing a new feel to the band’s sound.
Imelda May left the group in the early 2000s. After leaving, May quickly rose to fame in her own right with the release of her debut solo album No Turning Back in 2003, followed by her breakthrough album Love Tattoo in 2008.
Hallelujah! I Love Him So was on the album Talk To Me released in 2005 with May lead singing. I added Hound Dog by Blue Harlem as well…it was on their Me And My Radio album released in 2011.
I have three songs. The bottom two feature Imelda May singing Hound Dog and Hallelujah! I Love Him So. Below is Sophia Shaw singing Swing Brother, Swing. She is a very good singer as well but I like May a little more.
Hallelujah! I Love Him So
Let me tell you ′bout a boy I know He is my baby and he lives next door Every morning before the sun comes up He brings my coffee in my favorite cup That’s why I know, yes I know Hallelujah I just love him so
When I′m in trouble and I have no friends I know he’ll go with me until the end Ev’rybody asks me how I know I smile and tell them he told me so That′s why I know, yes, I know Hallelujah I just love him so
Now if I call him on the telephone And tell him that I′m all alone By the time I count from one to four, I hear him on my door In the evening when the sun goes down When there is nobody else around He kisses me and he holds me tight He tells me “baby everything’s all alright” That′s why I know, yes I know Hallelujah I just love her so
Thank you Keith @ https://nostalgicitalian.com for inviting me to do this. Keith had bloggers over to his site to write about their favorite toys while growing up.
Whenever I see red, white, and blue not only do I think of the flag but I think of Evel Knievel. A hero to many in the 1970s… He is responsible for more broken arms, legs, bruises, bumps, and scrapes than anyone… Kids set up homemade ramps and then jumping them with their bicycles. I said kids…it wasn’t exclusive to boys because I remember some girls jumping also.
Riding down hills standing on your seat, popping wheelies, jumping ramps with your buddy stupidly laying in-between. We wanted to be Evel Knievel jumping over those cars or buses.
He was THE Daredevil… There are Daredevils around today but no one has reached the popularity that Knievel achieved. Not only did he jump and crash he looked cool jumping and crashing. He was like a cool Elvis in a jumpsuit jumping various objects.
I got the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle and Figure when I was 8 years old on Christmas Eve. I have a picture that I can see halfway unwrapped. I immediately started to play with it that night. Over the next couple of months, I would jump everything in sight.
I would make it jump on our porch, our outside dog, and finally, I got a great idea. It took me hours to set it up but I finally got it right. I had ramps going over my mom’s car. I never could get it to go completely over but I got it really close when it came down on the trunk…who needed the Snake Canyon? My mom wasn’t a big fan of the Stunt Cycle…when Evel missed and hit the flowers…some flowers would be missing. When I revved it up in the house…more than one glass shattered making mom shut down my jumping activities.
I wouldn’t mind getting one now to tell you the truth!
Another…well Keith could disqualify this but it was a toy to me…it was called Pong. Basically, it was magical! It would connect to your television, and you could play table tennis all day long. It was the forerunner of modern games that we have today. It was simple black and white, but I can’t tell you how it felt playing the thing.
I got it around 1977 and we just didn’t have things like this. There is one thing I remember well though…mom made me play it at night or on rainy days. The days were made for kids to go out and play baseball, play in the creek, or ride their bicycles for miles. What I wouldn’t give to relive one of those days being 11 again.
Que that spooky piano part now. This 1978 film is a horror classic that I still enjoy watching. While I’m at it…Happy Halloween Everyone! Sometimes, sequels can ruin a franchise and it gets silly. We sometimes forget how great the original is. I’m not a fan of the no-brain slasher movies that followed this.
From the very beginning, Halloween grabs your attention with its eerie, minimalist score—also composed by Carpenter himself. The haunting piano melody sets the tone for the entire film, creating a sense of dread even before it begins. It’s one of those soundtracks that sticks with you long after the credits roll. The two main leads…Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence do an excellent job. I’ve liked Pleasence in anything he has done.
What’s surprising about Halloween after rewatching it, is how little blood and gore is actually shown. The movie relies more on atmosphere and suspense than graphic violence, which is why it remains such an effective horror film today. Carpenter’s use of shadows, lighting, and camera angles makes everything feel off-kilter. Halloween doesn’t go overboard with its horror… just enough to leave a sense of unease.
There are little things as well that this movie does well. Before it all starts Lauire (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Annie (Nancy Kyes) are smoking a joint in a car while Michael is following them. While this was going on…Don’t Fear The Reaper was playing on the radio faintly. Annie’s dad is the sheriff and his name is Brackett. Dr Loomis (Donald Pleasence) tells him that he and his town better be worried. Michael Myers escaped a facility and was headed toward the town where Myers lived when he killed his sister when he was a kid.
This is another movie that has been ingrained in pop culture. After this film, there was a part 2. John Carpenter did not want to make it but was sued to make it. He made sure to blow Myers up in the 2nd film and part 3 had nothing to do with Myers. Halloween II was written by Carpenter and Debra Lee…the two who wrote Halloween. He refused to direct it and he never liked it. “I had to come up with something. I think it was, perhaps, a late night fueled by alcoholic beverages, was that idea. A terrible, stupid idea! But that’s what we did.”
Rob Zombie remade the film in 2007 and a sequel with much more blood and gore. He traded mystic for the obvious, which didn’t work as well for me…but I’m glad he put a little more reason on why Michael did what he did.
Plot IMDB
The year is 1963, the night: of Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that 15-year-old Judith Myers has been stabbed to death by her 6-year-old brother, Michael. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out on the night before Halloween. No one knows, nor wants to find out, what will happen on October 31st, 1978, besides Myers’ psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it’ll be too late for many people.
Quotes
Loomis: I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this… six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and… the blackest eyes – the Devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply… evil.
_____________________________________
Brackett: I have a feeling that you’re way off on this.
Loomis: You have the wrong feeling.
Brackett: You’re not doing very much to prove me wrong!
Loomis: What more do you need?
Brackett: i going to take a lot more than fancy talk to keep me up all night crawling around these bushes.
Loomis: I-I-I watched him for fifteen years, sitting in a room, staring at a wall; not seeing the wall, looking past the wall; looking at this night, inhumanly patient, waiting for some secret, silent alarm to trigger him off. Death has come to your little town, Sheriff. Now, you can either ignore it, or you can help me to stop it.
It doesn’t get much more Halloween than this song. Black Sabbath was a hard rock band that gets credited a lot for influencing heavy metal. That is perplexing to me…what is heavy metal and what is hard rock? When I think of heavy metal I think of some of the many heavy 80s bands with a huge processed sound on guitar. That probably isn’t what others think of though.
The song was inspired by a series of ominous and eerie experiences. According to bassist Geezer Butler, the concept for the song emerged from a frightening incident he had after reading an occult book given to him by Ozzy Osbourne. Butler claims that after leaving the book on a shelf, he saw a dark figure standing at the foot of his bed that disappeared suddenly. This experience led him to write the lyrics. The song is credited to Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.
The album cover. It has to be the spookiest album cover ever. On one hand it looks real and on another it looks like a horror movie poster but better. At the center of the album cover is a mysterious, cloaked woman dressed in black. Her identity has been the subject of speculation for decades. Some have claimed she symbolizes a witch or an occult figure, which fits the band’s early associations with the dark arts. It’s one of rocks most iconic album covers.
Louisa Livingstone was a model that was hired for the cover. No one knew who she was until Rolling Stone tracked her down in 2020. Turns out Mrs. Livingstone is not much a fan of Black Sabbath after she finally listened to the album. It just wasn’t her type of music. She now records electronic music under the name of Indreba. Keith Macmillan is the photograhper who shot the album cover.
The album peaked at #23 on the Billboard 200, #29 in Canada, and #8 in the UK in 1970.
Keith Macmillan: “She was a fantastic model. She was quite petite, very, very cooperative. I wanted someone petite because it just gave the landscape a bit more grandeur. It made everything else look big. She wasn’t wearing any clothes under that cloak because we were doing things that were slightly more risqué, but we decided none of that worked. Any kind of sexuality took away from the more foreboding mood. But she was a terrific model. She had amazing courage and understanding of what I was trying to do.”
Louisa Livingstone: I had to get up at about four o’clock in the morning, or something as ridiculously early as that. It was absolutely freezing. I remember Keith rushing around with dry ice, throwing that into the pond nearby, and that didn’t seem to be working very well, so he was using a smoke machine. It was just, ‘Stand there and do that.’ I’m sure he said it was for Black Sabbath, but I don’t know if that meant anything much to me at the time.”
If you want to know about Black Sabbath’s album Black Sabbath VOL 4 cover… go to The Press Music Reviews.
Black Sabbath
What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn around quick, and start to run
Find out I’m the chosen one
Oh no
Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan’s sitting there, he’s smiling
Watches those flames get higher and higher
Oh no, no, please God help me
Is it the end, my friend?
Satan’s coming ’round the bend
People running ’cause they’re scared
The people better go and beware
No, no, please God help me
Next to The Shining, this is my favorite King adaptation.
Carrie is a 1976 horror film directed by Brian De Palma, based on Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel of the same name. He used many techniques in this movie that put it over the top. Split screens, slow motion, and vivid color contrast just to name a few.
It is one of the most iconic films in the horror genre and focuses on subjects like bullying, supernatural powers, and revenge. It’s so easy to relate to because in high school we have all been through embarrassing things…getting pig blood dumped on you…probably not but we can relate with Carrie. We know the good people and we have known the bad people in this movie. We also know the popular cliques and the not-so-popular cliques. The girls that were out of reach and the ones that were.
The story revolves around Carrie White, a shy and socially awkward high school girl who is mercilessly bullied by her classmates. Raised by an overbearing, fanatically religious mother, Carrie leads a lonely and repressed life. After experiencing a traumatic event at school, she discovers that she has telekinetic powers. The situation escalates when her classmates cruelly prank her at the senior prom. In a moment of intense emotion, Carrie uses her powers to take a horrifying revenge on those who tormented her.
Sissy Spacek starred in this film and was perfect in the role. Piper Laurie portrayed her mother with an exaggerated, fanatically religious fervor. Laurie’s portrayal of a zealot was intentionally over-the-top, adding to the film’s tone. . The movie also launched the film careers of Nancy Allen and Amy Irving who both went on to star in many movies.
In 1976 my class went to see Charlotte’s Web at the theater. On the wall were movie posters of Carrie. Since then I’ve always associated them with each other. As a 9-year-old, seeing a teenager covered with blood with an evil look made me want to see it. I didn’t get to see it until almost a decade later. It was worth the wait!
Both Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie received Academy Award nominations for their performances, a rarity for the horror genre.
This story has been remade in 3 different movies. This one in 1976, 2002, and a remake in 2013. I’ve watched all of them…trust me on this…this is the best version out there at least to me.
That Lil Ol’ Band from Texas. I loved it when Billy Gibbons had this tone on his guitar. This was pre-Eliminator and his tone was just perfect. They sound loose in this but the music is tight. It’s classic ZZ Top. A buddy of mine had most of their albums and played this one a lot and Fandango.
I saw them on the Eliminator tour and they were fantastic. They had Sammy Hagar opening up for them after he released Three Lock Box. ZZ Top had the best lighting show I’ve ever seen to this day.
This song has the entire band credited. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard. This song was on their debut album ZZ Top’s First Album released in 1970. That is an easy way of remembering it.
This album isn’t as polished as some of their others, but it previews exactly what sound you would get until Eliminator. ZZ Top was formed in 1969, with Billy Gibbons (guitar and vocals), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums). Before forming ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons played in various bands, most notably The Moving Sidewalks, which opened for Jimi Hendrix during his 1968 tour.
The album didn’t make a huge splash commercially, but it helped establish the band as a powerful live act. The album was produced by Bill Ham, who became a key figure in shaping ZZ Top’s sound. He would go on to produce their subsequent albums and manage the band for decades. Ham produced or co-produced all of their albums up through 1996’s Rhythmeen as well as being their manager. They parted ways in 2006. He passed away in 2016 at 79.
Going Down to Mexico
I was on my way down to Mexico There was trouble on the rise It was nothin’ more than I’d left behind Which was much to my surprise I turned around and lit a cigarette Wiped the dust off of my boots When up ahead I saw the crowd I knew it was no use
It’s been the same way for oh so long It looks like I’m singin’ the same old song
A fine and fancy man was he Doin’ good things for the poor Givin’ rides in his rocket 88 for free They could not hope for more When it came my turn, he said to me “Have I seen your face before?” I said, “Oh no, you must be wrong I’m from a distant shore”
So if you don’t mind, I’ll just move along But it looks like I’m singin’ the same old song
A 1940 movie star With a long-forgotten name She was a sexy mess in her beaded dress Still hangin’ on to fame With forgotten lines, she missed her cue And left her glass of wine at home She was singin’ the same song that I was Could we both be wrong?
So hand in hand we walked along Each of us singin’ the same old song
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 