Category: 1970s

Fanny

I want to thank Lisa for inviting me to write for her Women Music March. She posted this on March 20, 2025. She has been doing this for years and it gets better and better. Thanks, Lisa! She has had some great artists this month. 

Joe Elliott: “I had no idea who they were, but this four minutes of music, and I was hooked.”

Kathy Valentine: They made 5 records.  The Go Gos get a lot of attention for what we did and we only made 3 records. 

Earl Slick: It’s always the ones that start it gets f**ked

David Bowie: They were one of the finest fucking rock bands of their time, they were extraordinary: They wrote everything, they played like motherfuckers, they were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them. They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever; it just wasn’t their time.

When you hear about an all-female band…the Bangles, Runaways, and Go-Go’s come to mind but this band was completely different. These women rocked…not pop-rock but some hard blues rock. They were pioneers and had a huge impact on those other female bands, and those bands all cited Fanny as an influence. 

They had a blues edge about them and weren’t as commercial. They never got that one big hit single to break them to the masses. They had a few songs with a pop flavor that really should have made it, such as All Mine… that would get my vote.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings:

They were formed in the late sixties in Sacramento by two Filipina sisters (their family left the Philippines in 1961 while kids), Jean and June Millington. June Millington was the lead guitar player and her sister Jean was the bass player. They started out in high school with the name The Svelts and then Wild Honey but the band was then renamed Fanny, not with a sexual connotation but to denote a female spirit. 

Career

Fanny released their self-titled debut album in 1970, making them one of the first all-female bands to be signed to a major label and record a full album with complete creative control. Their blend of rock, funk, blues, and pop set them apart. They would be the first all-female band to release an album on a major label (Reprise) and land four singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and two in the top 40. 

Like any other band, they had to pay their dues. They opened up for artists such as Jethro Tull, Humble Pie, Slade, Leon Russell, Van Morrison, Chuck Berry, Deep Purple, and many more. When you are opening for artists of that caliber, you are very good. Their range was incredible. They played on Barbra Streisand’s 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand. So they could play almost anything. 

They went on to release an album every year from 1970 to 1974, making it 5 studio albums in total in the 1970s, while touring relentlessly. By their third album,m Mother’s Pride, guitarist June Millington quit after it was released because she felt restrained by the band. After some changes, with her sister Jean still playing bass, the band released their last 1970s album, Rock and Roll Survivors. The album contained their highest charting single with Butter Boy, which charted at #29. 

Fanny broke up in 1975, reunited in 2018, and released an album titled Fanny Walked the Earth. I simply adore these women because they could keep up with anyone in any field. One night Deep Purple missed a gig and Fanny filled in for them for that night without complaints. 

Discography: (wiki)

Studio Albums

  • Fanny (1970)
  • Charity Ball (1971) (No. 150)
  • Fanny Hill (1972) (No. 135)
  • Mothers Pride (1973)
  • Rock and Roll Survivors (1974)
  • Fanny Walked the Earth (2018, as Fanny Walked the Earth)

Live Albums

  • Fanny Live (1998; recorded 1972) (reissued as Fanny: Live in 1972)
  • Live on Beat-Club ’71-’72 (2024)

Singles

  • “Ladies’ Choice” / “New Day” (1970)
  • “Nowhere to Run” / “One Step at a Time” (1970)
  • “Changing Horses” / “Conversation with a Cop” (January 1971)
  • “Charity Ball” / “Place in the Country” (September 1971) (No. 40)
  • “Ain’t That Peculiar” / “Think About the Children” (March 1972) (No. 85)
  • “Wonderful Feeling” / “Rock Bottom Blues” (July 1972)
  • “Young and Dumb” / “Knock on My Door” (October 1972)
  • “All Mine” / “I Need You Need Me” (January 1973)
  • “Last Night I Had a Dream” / “Beside Myself” (April 1973)
  • “I’ve Had It” / “From Where I Stand” (June 1974) (No. 79)
  • “Butter Boy” / “Beggar Man” (January 1975) (No. 29)

In recent years, Fanny has participated in reunion events, introducing their songs to new audiences. These performances have served both as a tribute to their historical impact and as a celebration of their music. They have a documentary out…watch it! It’s called FANNY: The Right To Rock that I placed at the top.

…

Dave Edmunds – I Hear You Knocking

I remember hearing it as a kid, and I loved it as much then as now. Edmunds first heard this song on his car radio back in 1970 while in Britain. He was going to cover Let’s Work Together but it had just been covered by Canned Heat. He heard this song and thought…the backing track to both songs is so close, so he did this one. 

I first saw Dave Edmunds in the film Stardust when it was shown as a late-night TV movie. He was part of the fictional Stray Cats in the film with Keith Moon as the drummer. The movie was a sequel to That’ll Be The Day. 

This song is stripped-down rock at its best. Dave Edmunds released this song in 1970, and it peaked at #4 on the Billboard 100, #1 in the UK, #3 in Canada, and #3 in New Zealand. It sold over 3 million copies. During the instrumental break, Edmunds paid homage to several recording artists by shouting their names: “Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Chuck Berry, Huey Smith.”

Dave had more tracks added to the song, but changed his mind and stripped it down and released it. It was the best decision. It was written by  Dave Bartholomew and Earl King and released by Smiley Lewis in 1955, and it went to #2 on the R and B Charts.

I Hear You Knocking

You went away and left me long time ago
Now you’re knocking on my door
I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you been

I begged you not to go but you said goodbye
And now you’re telling me all your lies
I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you been, oh yeah

Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Chuck Berry, Huey Smith

You better get back to your used-to-be
‘Cause you’re kinda love ain’t good for me
I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you been

I told you way back in Fifty-two
That I would never go with you
I hear you knocking but you can’t come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you been

Jerry Garcia – Deal

I read the book Deal by Bill Kreutzmann. the drummer for the Grateful Dead. I started listening to Garcia’s debut solo album because of that and ended up liking it. Another song I loved as a kid, Sugaree, came from this album. That song was the first Dead/Garcia song I remember. I remember skating at our local skating rink and the owner must have been a Dead fan…he would play this album at times. 

Garcia wanted to see what he could do without the Dead while making this solo album. One of the driving reasons was that he and his wife Mountain Girl wanted a house and the advance from the record company helped them get it. When you listen to the album the songs really flow and seem effortless. I could listen to this music at any time. I don’t have to be in a mood.

The album Garcia peaked at #35 on the Billboard Album Charts. He wanted to play all of the instruments on the album and did except drums. He brought Kreutzmann in to do that job. He also brought roadie Ram Rod (Laurence Shurtliff) in for those sessions, doing roadie work essentially, running errands and moving around the equipment. Kreutzmann and Ram Rod both were listed as “production assistants” in the credits. He paid Ram Rod the same amount that he paid Bill Kreutzmann and that was Garcia’s sense of fairness, which speaks volumes for his character. Although Bill doesn’t really agree with this to this day but sees that as Garcia’s character. Ram Rod ended up as  President of Grateful Dead Productions from 1976 to 1995.

Like the Allman Brothers, they formed a family atmosphere with their crew and it extended to their audience. From the early Kool-Aid acid tests to later allowing the audience to tape their shows drew their audience closer. They would later give them their own section to record in…while other bands like Led Zeppelin would send people to bust their tape recorder or head. Garcia commented: Well, my feelings are, the music is for the people…I mean after it leaves our instruments it’s of no value to us, ya know what I mean? it’s like, ya know…what good is it? So it might as well be taped, my feeling is that..and if people enjoy taping it and enjoy having the tapes to listen to, that’s real great. “

They never played the same show twice. They would take songs in different directions and Garcia has said that he couldn’t play something twice the same. He just wasn’t built like that. That made every show unique…not that every show was great. The Dead has admitted they had their share of bad ones.

Bill Kreutzmann Drummer for the Dead: The album, Garcia, was cut at Wally Heider Studios in July 1971 and released by Warner Brothers the following January. There are a lot of songs on there that became Grateful Dead mainstays, in addition to “Deal”—we’re talking about straight-up classics like “Sugaree,” “Loser,” and “The Wheel.” Also, “Bird Song” is on there, which, to this day, is one of my all-time favorite Dead songs and one of my absolute favorite songs to play live (along with “Dark Star” and “The Other One”).

When I want musicians I’m playing with to learn any of those songs, I give them the Garcia versions. They’re just so good. I had a really great time making that album. Dealing exclusively with Jerry was the most effortless thing in the world. I didn’t have to do anything other than be myself. And play.

Cocaine was our special guest throughout those recording sessions, but you’d never be able to tell because everything was very laid back. I have no idea how we were able to do that, because cocaine isn’t exactly known for its relaxing properties. Maybe it was just the dynamic between us that made it all so … easy.

Deal

Since it costs a lot to winAnd even more to loseYou and me bound to spend some timeWondering what to choose

Goes to show, you don’t ever knowWatch each card you play and play it slowWait until that deal come ’roundDon’t you let that deal go down, no, no

I been gambling hereaboutsFor ten good solid yearsIf I told you now all that went downIt would burn off both of your ears

Goes to show you don’t ever knowWatch each card you play and play it slowWait until that deal come ’roundDon’t you let that deal go down, no, no

Since you poured the wine for meAnd tightened up my shoesI hate to leave you sittin’ thereComposing lonesome blues

Goes to show you don’t ever knowWatch each card you play and play it slowWait until that deal come ’roundDon’t you let that deal go down

Wait until that deal come ’roundDon’t you let that deal go downWait until that deal come ’roundDon’t you let that deal go downDon’t you let that deal go downDon’t you let that deal go downOh, no

Neil Young – Like a Hurricane

This song is for Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams’s blog. This week the theme is to find a song related to a weather condition such as cyclones, floods, hurricanes, rainfall, storms, tornadoes, typhoons, or winds. 

I first heard this song in band practice back in the late 80s. The guitar started to play it and I thought it was an original. I told him I loved his song…he said “if only” it was mine! I learned about a lot of songs that way. I don’t know how I missed this one through the years. It’s now one of my favorite Neil Young songs. 

Neil Young’s playing style is unique and electrifying. He’s not Clapton, Page, Van Halen, or Hendrix—but they’re not him, either. His approach is all about feeling, and he uses volume and feedback like few others can. Watching him play is thrilling, you always think the wheels are about to come off, but somehow they never do. Together with Crazy Horse, Neil captures the raw spirit of rock better than just about anyone.

Like a Hurricane was on the American Stars ‘n Bars album in 1977. A single version was released that was edited down to under 4 minutes but it only charted in the UK at #48. The album version is the one known now.

Neil’s songs are so well written and detailed but they come out sounding so loose like he is improvising on the spot…cause most of the time while recording he is more interested in getting the right feel than anything technical. it works really well. For me, that is the best way to record and I wish more artists would do this. 

Neil Young: “I wrote it on a piece of newspaper in the back of (his friend) Taylor Phelps’s 1950 DeSoto Suburban, a huge car that we all used to go to bars in. As was our habit between bars, we had stopped at Skeggs Point Scenic lookout on Skyline Boulevard up on the mountain to do a few lines of coke; I wrote Hurricane right there in the back of that giant old car. Then when I got home, I played the chords on this old Univox Stringman mounted in an old ornate pump-organ body set up in the living room. I played that damn thing through the night, I finished the melody in five minutes, but I was so jacked I couldn’t stop playing.”

Neil Young: “When ‘Runaway’ goes to ‘I’m a walkin’ in the rain,’ those are the same chords in the bridge of ‘Hurricane’ – ‘You are…’ It opens up. So it’s a minor descending thing that opens up – that’s what they have in common. It’s like ‘Runaway’ with the organ solo going on for 10 minutes.”

Rock Critic Dave Marsh: “an eight-minute tour de force of electric guitar feedback and extended metaphor (Smokey Robinson meets Jimi Hendrix on Bob Dylan’s old block).” 

Like a Hurricane

Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar
Dancing on the light from star to star
Far across the moonbeam I know that’s who you are
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire

You are like a hurricane
There’s calm in your eye
And I’m gettin’ blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I’m getting blown away

I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip

You are like a hurricane
There’s calm in your eye
And I’m gettin’ blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I’m getting blown away, blown away

You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip

You are like a hurricane
There’s calm in your eye
And I’m gettin’ blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I’m getting blown away

Jack Bruce – Into Money

I’m featuring two songs by two different trios that Jack Bruce was a part of. I’m not speaking just for me when I say this because many bass players would agree… but Jack Bruce was one of the biggest bass influences I had. There were 3 bassists that I wanted to learn from when I was learning to play bass. John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, and Jack Bruce. All three for different reasons. 

John for the pure speed and those runs he pulled off that still amaze me to this day. Paul because of the melody he added to the bass in songs. He would be going everywhere but you hear a counter melody underneath it. Jack…he was the one that set me on my way because of Crossroads. He combined John Entwistle and Paul in some ways…plus a little extra. He added a jazz touch that Paul and John didn’t have…that is why he is one of the best. Plus one inspiration for Jack Bruce was that he played cello and attacked the bass in a different way than most of his peers.

After Cream I never knew much about him. We all know about Eric and to a certain extent Ginger Baker but Bruce I had no clue. Between 1969 through 2014 he released 14 solo albums. On top of the solo albums, he played with some bands like the power trio West, Bruce, and Laing or WBL including Leslie West, Jack, and Corky Laing for 3 albums. He also did collaborations with Gary Moore, Frank Zappa, Robin Trower, Tony Williams, Mick Taylor, and even his ex-bandmate Ginger Baker.

The song I’m featuring today was from an album B.L.T. Jack Bruce (bassist), Bill Lordan (drummer), and Robin Trower (guitarist). I saw this album at the Great Escape a lot. That was a used record store that I went to as a teen. As soon as CB sent me the link to this…I knew the album right away. It was made in 1981. The album peaked at #37 on the Billboard Album Charts. It’s a straight-ahead power trio that doesn’t let up. Into Money was written by Robin Trower. 

I saw Clapton and Santana in 1990 at the now-demolished amphitheater in Nashville. That summer I also saw Robin Trower and he really impressed me because I got to see him in a club atmosphere and he was spectacular. 

The other song (The Docter) I’m featuring is from WBL which features Leslie West, Jack Bruce, and Corky Laing. It was released in 1972 on the album Why Dontcha which peaked at #26 on the Billboard Album Charts. The Doctor was written by West, Bruce, Laing, and Sandra Palmer. It got quite a bit of radio play at the time. 

Into Money

You’ve got your house, you’ve got your carYou live up on the hill among the starsYou say you did what you had to doBut was it really worth what they put you throughYou know these things we believed inIt didn’t touch you at allI hate to see you like this babyWith your back to the wall

You lost your heart, when you lost your nerveMaybe you lost your grip on that first curveYou used to talk about bein’ freeWhy, you’re so tied up you can’t even breathe

You know these things we believed inThey didn’t touch you at allI hate to see you like this babyWith your back to the wallMoney into moneyMoney into money

Money into moneyMoney into moneyYou’re into money, into moneyYou’re into money, moneyInto money yeah, yeahInto moneyInto money, into money, into money yeah, yeah, yeah, yeahInto money

Badfinger – Midnight Caller

I first heard Badfinger in the late seventies. The song was “Come and Get It,” and I thought it was  The Beatles. I gradually learned more about Badfinger, and the more I read the more frustrating it got. 

This is a gorgeous song from Badfinger. Pete Ham wrote it, and he sounds a bit like McCartney. The song is about a real band friend who turns into a prostitute (midnight caller) and distances herself from her old friends and her old self. It was on the No Dice album, which peaked at #28 on the Billboard album chart in 1970.

Badfinger was the most successful power pop band of the early seventies. Their power pop brethren Big Star and The Raspberries did not have as many hits and attention as Badfinger had at the time. Big Star had nothing and The Raspberries at least had a top ten hit in Go All The Way and a few more top 40 hits. Badfinger had a total of 4 top-ten Billboard and Canadian hits while having 3 in the UK. Baby Blue only getting to #73 in the UK? Life is NOT fair. 

In 1971 Harry Nilsson gave them publicity and a big boost by covering Without You. It was number #1 practically everywhere. I always end up getting pissed off when writing about this band. They released albums after their hits that were never heard because their manager stole their money from escrow from their new record company Warner Bros and they pulled from circulation. Those albums were critically praised and have some of their best songs. I won’t go into what happened to Pete Ham and Tom Evans. 

Pete Ham was a top-tier pop/rock writer. They all wrote, but Pete’s songs were the hits and usually stood out more on their albums. He wrote Baby Blue, No Matter What, Day After Day, and Without You which he co-wrote with bassist Tom Evans.

Should this have been a top-ten hit? No, but it’s a catchy heartfelt written song, and being a true story adds more weight to it. They did have songs that should have been released as singles that were not. Many bands out there today are one-hit wonders touring and doing great. Badfinger had 4 huge hits but never got to do a victory lap. 

Midnight Caller never charted, but it is one of my favorite Badfinger songs. I also included a live short tv concert by Badfinger. Midnight Caller is not on there but it’s a great show. They open up with Day after Day.

Midnight Caller

Beneath the midnight caller
She thinks of paper green
You never hear them calling her name
They just know where they’ve been

You never hear her holler
The tears no longer come
She reads her daily book of the past
That shows of everyone

Grey years that show in her hair
Can’t be, but don’t seem to care
She unlocks the door and there’s no one there

She sees a daytime stroller
Walk from the night before
And though she paints a smile on her face
He won’t be back no more

She’s got no saint to follow
She’s got no place to go
Too proud to ask an old friend for help
Too proud to let him know

Grey years that show in her hair
Can’t be, but don’t seem to care
She knocks the door and there’s no one there

Nobody (nobody), nobody (nobody), nobody’s gonna help you now.

Badfinger… quick history

Today I’m having a Badfinger day.  Christian got me into a Badfinger mood with his Baby Blue Post. I would suggest you read a more detailed version of their story when you can. Their story will draw you in.

Badfinger was a very talented band that had a gift and curse of sounding like The Beatles. Their songs are remembered today but not the band which is a shame. They made some very good albums and at least one great one. This band’s story is a cautionary tale that other bands must consider. This is what signing with a bad manager can do to you.

The members were Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins, and Joey Molland (who replaced Ron Griffiths).

They started out as the Iveys and signed with the Beatle’s new label…Apple. They released Maybe Tomorrow as the Iveys which was a minor hit.  After that, they changed their name to Badfinger. Paul McCartney wrote their first big hit single”Come and Get It” and after that, they were writing themselves. The hits kept coming… No Matter What, Baby Blue, and Day after Day. They also wrote Without You…a small blues song that Harry Nilson covered…it became a monster worldwide hit. Mariah Carey also covered it and was again a giant hit.

They signed with a manager named Stan Polley and got a massive contract with Warner Brothers after leaving Apple. Things were looking really good. They had hits but they never made it over the hump in being a big-time group. Warner Brothers could have pushed them over the hump…Polley set up an escrow account for the band with the advance money and the money disappeared.

He told the band that he was planning for their future etc…He put them on a small salary and embezzled the rest. He really swindled them and their royalties for their songs were tied up for decades. 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 he hanged himself in his garage in 1975. In 1983, after scrambling for gigs, Tom Evans broke and not able to get to any of the royalties due him from co-writing Without You with Pete…hanged himself also.

Pete was a trusting soul and never would believe Polley was cheating them until the very end. His suicide note read…

“I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better  P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me.”

They all wrote to some degree but Pete Ham was a great songwriter. He had so much potential. He also was a great guitar player and singer. The other members did write some very good songs but Pete was the special one. 

Stan Polley died in 2009… escaping other scandals without punishment.

Their albums were

Magic Christian Music – This was the soundtrack to the movie The Magic Christian. Come and Get It is on this album and a minor hit called Maybe Tomorrow which is a good pop song.

No Dice – No Dice is where Badfinger starts to be themselves. No Matter What and Without You came off of this album. It also has some other great songs… I Can’t Take It, Blodwyn, We’re for the Dark, Better Days, and my favorite of the album and possibly of Badfinger…Midnight Caller.

Straight Up – This is my favorite album by them. It has Baby Blue and Day after Day but a host of other good songs. Take It All, Money, Name of the Game, Suitcase, Sweet Tuesday Morning, and I’d Die Babe. Joey Molland’s songwriting and singing were very good on this album.

Ass – Their last album for Apple Records and the start of the downward spiral. The songs I would recommend are Apple of My Eye and Icicles.

Badfinger – They just signed a new record deal with Warner Brothers and this was the first album. They recorded this album as soon as they finished their previous album Ass for Apple which was too soon. They should have waited a while before recording this album. This album didn’t do well, and one of the reasons is that it was competing with their previous album. They were released within months of each other because Polley wanted something out. The songs I like are I Miss You and Shine On.

Wish You Were Here – The album was released in late 1974 and was pulled in early 1975 before it had time to do anything because of litigation between their manager and the Warner Brothers. It was released and pulled in a matter of weeks. Warner Brothers saw the money was missing and yanked the album off of the shelves. The songs I like are Dennis and Just a Chance. This album should have been a giant hit. It had hit songs on there waiting to be played. Dennis is one of their best songs. 

Head First – They recorded this album after Wish You Were Here with Bob Jackson after Joey Molland had quit. The album was stuck in limbo for 26 years never released. It wasn’t released until 2000. I went out and bought this the day it was out at Tower Records when I read they were releasing it. On some songs, you can tell they are having problems with their management. The songs that stand out to me are Lay Me Down, Hey Mr. Manager, Rock N’ Roll Contract, and Keep Believing. A good album and I wish it would have had a chance at the time.

They did make a couple of albums after Pete died called Airwaves and Say No More. The song Lost Inside Your Love is the only song that approaches the Badfinger early quality.

Without Pete, the biggest talent was gone. That is not a knock on the others but he was just that good. Tom Evans was a good singer, songwriter, and musician who worked with Pete well and had a great voice. Joey Molland was a good guitar player, singer, and songwriter. The band didn’t lack talent.

In 1997 a CD was released of Pete Hams demos called 7 Park Avenue. It was various demos from his entire career. A follow-up was released in 1999 called Golders Green. The melodies he had rivaled McCartney. He was an amazing songwriter.

Go out and Google Badfinger and more importantly, listen to them. This band needs to be remembered.

Baby Blue… Maybe the most perfect power pop song ever in my opinion.

No Matter What…around 2:02-2:06…Tommy Evans does a cool backup. Not hard but very effective. 

Day After Day

Midnight Caller

Suitcase

A good article on Badfiinger

Miskel Spillman on SNL

These are the kind of posts I like the most. They are fun to write. 

Remember the SNL episode where Elvis Costello stopped playing a song and instead played a song Lorne Michaels did not want him to play? The song was Radio, Radio so Elvis defied Michaels and played it anyway. He banned Elvis from ever performing again on SNL. That was eventually lifted but that show is important and not only for that. The host of that show was special, to say the least. 

The person hosting that show was the only non-celebrity they ever had to host. At the time, she was the oldest person to host SNL at 80 years old. That record stood until 2010 when an 88-year-old Betty White hosted. Miskel Spillman won the “Anyone Can Host” contest that SNL had in 1977. The finalists were an unemployed Oregonian, a divorced mother of three, a freshman college student, the governor of South Dakota (Richard F. Kneip), and Miskel, an 80-year-old grandmother from New Orleans. 

The official “Anyone Can Host” ballot from November 1977

The show got over 150,000 entries. They all had them on an earlier show with Buck Henry as the host. The opening skit had John Belushi, Loraine Newman, and Buck Henry talking about how out of it Miskel Spillman seemed. Belushi then said he shared a joint with her. He said: WE SMOKED A JOINT OF OAXACAN AND MAUI WOWIE, A LITTLE HASH OIL…IT CALMED HER RIGHT DOWN.

Miss Spillman did a great job on the show. They limited her to an extent but she did well considering she had no experience. During her hosting stint, Spillman participated in various sketches, including one where she played the elderly girlfriend of John Belushi’s character. Her appearance remains a unique moment in SNL history. 

Lorne Michaels made the show to appeal to baby boomers with a touch of Avant-Garde and “guerrilla-style comedy.” It was a game-changer much like All In The Family was to sitcoms. Late night was never again a wasteland. This show helped open the doors for David Letterman and other shows to follow it. 

It started out as “Saturday Night.” The Saturday Night Live title belonged to ABC for a show hosted by Howard Cosell who was out of his league. After Cosell’s show was canceled, ABC let Saturday Night have the “Live” part.

Who was the best cast through the years? This is a question that is debated over and over again. People argue and usually pick the cast they grew up with. I grew up in the Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo era. Personally, I always thought the original cast was the best era of the show. Yes, I thought the Murphy and Piscopo casts were very funny along with later casts that had Dana Carvey, Michael Myers, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, and many others that followed. The first five seasons had something extra that others would not and could not have. It had an underground feel that vanished after it became a pure comedy show. They had a massive amount of talent in that first class. 

In the first 5 seasons, they tried things out, some failed some didn’t but they were going out on a limb and trying. The musical guests were also usually artists that didn’t appear on television at the time. If a guest host was too popular…Lorne would reject them. He would NEVER do that now.

Miskel would live a long life. She lived until she was 94 years old in 1992. She was one of only two hosts that were born in the 1800s. The other one was actress Ruth Gordon (She was a tad bit younger when she hosted). I would have loved to have met Miss Spillman…she looks like a lively fun lady. They did bring her up on the 50th anniversary. 

Miskel Spillman: “I love everyone in the cast, I watch it every Saturday night, and I thought, as I am 80 years old, I want a lot of old old people all over the world to watch it and get the thrill that I have every Saturday night watching it.”

…

Max’s Drive-In Movie – The Poseidon Adventure

I watched this around 5 months ago for the first time in about 10 years. Altogether, I’ve seen it around 7 to 8 times. I added another watch since I wanted to post this. Disaster movies are hardly ever on “great” lists, but this is a disaster movie done right. Watching it in hindsight, you wouldn’t think a movie full of stars would be this good. Many times, if you see a lot of stars advertised, they are mostly cameos, but this is not the case with this movie.  

I have a weak spot for this kind of movie. Horror and Disaster movies I fall for right away, and yes, I’ve seen a lot of bad movies that way. This one, though, has some smarts to it, and it is enjoyable. The set for this movie must have been super expensive and huge. It’s one of those films that has everything. Gripping adventure scenes, non-stop crises, drama, sadness, and hotpants. I was around 7 (1974) when I saw it on television, and I loved it. It’s a film that offers something for both kids and adults. As I’ve said before, I dislike the word dated, but aside from the clothing styles, it still holds up today. Plus, the special effects have a realism that I prefer over CGI; they just feel more authentic.

It has earned a reputation as the best disaster film of the seventies, not just for its impressive special effects but for its compelling story of survival. The film follows a select group of people fighting to stay alive, and despite some being a bit annoying, you find yourself rooting for them. If you love star power, this movie delivers, featuring Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Roddy McDowall, Leslie Nielsen, and more.

The acting was very good in this, as expected with their talent level. The film was based on Paul Gallico’s 1969 novel of the same name. It follows the journey of passengers and crew trying to escape a capsized luxury ocean liner. The budget was 4.7 million, a great amount back in 1972. It made over 125 million, so it did well. If I had to pick the two stars that had the biggest impact in this movie, it would be Gene Hackman and Ernest Borginine. They developed a rivalry in this movie, and it worked well for the survivors. Shelly Winters also did a good job, along with everyone else. She gained 35 pounds for the part of Belle Rosen. Afterward, she complained that she was never able to get back to her original weight. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The movie was directed by Ronald Neame. Also, don’t get this one confused with its “sequel” in 1979. That one wasn’t anywhere close to this one. 

PLOT

As the Poseidon sails on its final voyage before being retired, a festive New Year’s Eve party is underway. Meanwhile, the ship’s captain reluctantly follows orders from the ship’s owner to maintain high speed despite rough waters. Disaster strikes when a massive tsunami wave hits, flipping the ship upside down.

In the aftermath, a small group of survivors, led by the determined and strong-willed Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman), must navigate their way upward toward the ship’s hull, which is now their only possible escape route. 

…

Eric Clapton – Blues Power

Eric Clapton took the guitar and blues to new places. He played differently than most players when he started, and then he was widely copied. His guitar playing in Cream was off the hook with intensity. Because of the trio format, he was pushed by his bandmates. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy his solo work. His playing took on a different character, more restrained and refined. He explored new directions and evolved his sound. It wasn’t all about blazing solos anymore; it was about serving the song and embracing a more soulful, laid-back approach.

I first really noticed Eric Clapton when I heard the solo in Crossroads. I stopped and wanted to know more about this guy. I knew his name from Beatles books and the single my sister had called Promises. I rented a Cream video from the video store, and I was hooked. Like Neil Young and David Bowie, Clapton changed and evolved through the years. 

He wrote the songs for his debut album in early 1970, and it was released in July of that year. He wrote most of the songs with  Bonnie Bramlett, but Blues Power was written by Clapton and Leon Russell. Russell started the song’s first line the way people saw Clapton at the time. It did not chart when released in 1970, but it did chart when Clapton released a live version in 1980, peaking at #76 on the Billboard 100.

Clapton never stayed in any spot too long. He had gone from The Yardbirds, John Mayall, Cream, Blind Faith, and Delaney & Bonnie in a matter of around 7 years. He would soon be the leader of Derek and the Dominos. The Dominos played on this album and were also playing on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass around the same time.

Blues Power

Bet you didn’t think I knew how to rock ‘n’ roll.
Oh, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul.
There ain’t no need for me to be a wallflower,
‘Cause now I’m living on blues power.

I knew all the time but now I’m gonna let you know:
I’m gonna keep on rocking, no matter if it’s fast or slow.
Ain’t gonna stop until the twenty-fifth hour,
‘Cause now I’m living on blues power.

Talking to you, now.
The boogie’s gonna pull me through.
Keep on, keep on, keep on keeping on.
Keep on keeping on, keep on keeping on.

My Top 5 Big Star Songs

This band is one of the big reasons I started to blog in the first place. To meet more Big Star fans and if I got just one person who didn’t know them to listen… my mission was a success. Want a great documentary?  Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me

I thought I would list some songs that would be in my top 5 of their catalog. So maybe one of you reading this will take a listen. Here are Graham’s top 10 Big Star songs on his site. These songs are up there with the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, and Who to me. They didn’t have the quantity those bands had, but they had the quality.

Let’s make it 6. My bonus pick is:

BONUS: In The Street – I would say, hands down, the most known song by them besides September Gurls because it was the theme of That Seventies Show. Cheap Trick covered it and someone else for the intro…I wish they had used the original version. 

5: Life Is White –  Love this driving song by Big Star. It was on Radio City, their second album. Some say it is a response to the Chris Bell song off the first album called My Life Is Right…or a message to his girlfriend Diane (Don’t like to see your face Don’t like to hear you talk at all) that he was splitting with at the time.

4: When My Baby’s Beside Me: Great riff by Alex Chilton and full of the hooks that Big Star is known for. This song was the A-side to In The Street released in 1972. Both songs are on Big Star’s album #1 Record.

3: September Gurls: If Big Star had been heard, this would have been a top-ten hit or at least top 20. It was one of the best pop songs that didn’t chart. September Gurls was rated #180 by Rolling Stone in the magazine’s top 500 songs of all time.

Released as a single, it did not chart despite receiving excellent reviews, due mainly to poor marketing and distribution. It was on their second studio album Radio City. The song was later covered by The Bangles on their album Different Light.

2: Thirteen – This song is an absolutely perfect song about adolescence. I played it to my then 14-year-old son, and it made him a Big Star fan, now 10 years later. This song is the most covered song by Big Star, with 49 different covers. It’s almost a perfect acoustic song. The song is about an adolescent guy and his girlfriend who are rock fans, being what 13-14-year-olds are…confused and lost.

1: The Ballad of El Goodo – There are some songs that I hear, and I think…damn I wish I would have written this. This is one of those songs. To me, it’s a perfect song and represents everything I like. The way they transitioned into the chorus is magical to me. It comes very close to being my favorite song of all time. 

The Ballad of El Goodo

Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh
And I’ve been trying hard against unbelievable odds
It gets so hard in times like now to hold on
But guns they wait to be stuck by, at my side is God

And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round

There’s people around who tell you that they know
And places where they send you, and it’s easy to go
They’ll zip you up and dress you down and stand you in a row
But you know you don’t have to, you could just say no

And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round

I’ve been built up and trusted
Broke down and busted
But they’ll get theirs and we’ll get ours if you can
Just-a hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on

Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh
Though I’ve been trying hard against strong odds
It gets so hard in times like now to hold on
Well, I’ll fall if I don’t fight, and at my side is God

And there ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round
Ain’t no one going to turn me ’round

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on

Al Green – Tired of Being Alone

If I had to give a definition for soul music…I would play this song. Something about Al Green’s voice that is so soothing and exciting at the same time. Green originally wrote the song in 1968 and recorded a version while signed to Hi Records. However, the song was initially not released. Green said: “I was toting my song around in my pocket for days on end, saying, ‘Hey, I got a song.’ Finally, at the end of the session, I said, ‘Well, I still got a song.'” 

This song was released in 1971 as the first single from his album Al Green Gets Next to You. It was written by Al Green himself, along with Al Jackson Jr. (the drummer for his band, the Hi Rhythm Section). The song became a huge hit and is considered a classic. It has a blend of soul, gospel, and R&B, which did him well in his career. 

This song never gets old, and listening to Al’s voice certainly never gets old. This song peaked at #11 on the Billboard 100 and #36 in Canada. Al Green has had twenty songs in the Billboard top 100, eight top 10 songs, and a #1 with Let’s Stay Together. This song was a turning point in his career. This was his first top-twenty hit. Al Green Gets Next to You peaked at #58 on the Billboard Album Charts. 

During a 1979 concert in Cincinnati, he fell 12 feet off a stage and barely missed being seriously injured. Already a Christian, preaching in front of his Memphis congregation most every Sunday morning, Green thanked Jesus and walked away from performing, vowing never to return. “The fall was God’s way of saying I had to hurry up,” Green said a decade ago, smack in the middle of The Gospel Years. “I wasn’t moving toward God fast enough.” He has rarely performed live since then outside of his Church. 

Al Green is currently the Pastor at Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis TN.

Tired of Being Alone

I’m so tired of being alone,
I’m so tired of on my own,
Won’t you help me, girl,
Just as soon as you can.
People say that I’ve found a way,
To make you say,
That you love me.
But baby,
You didn’t go for that,
Ha, it’s a natural fact,
That I want to come back,
Show me where it’s at, baby.

I’m so tired of being alone,
I’m so tired of on my own,
Won’t you help me, girl,
Soon as you can.
I guess you know that I, uh,
I love you so,
Even though,
You don’t want me no more,
Hey, hey, hey, hey I’m cryin’ tears,
Through the years,
I tell you like it is,
Honey, love me if you can.

Ya baby,
Tired of being alone here by myself, now
I tell ya, I’m tired baby,
I’m tired of being all wrapped up late at night,
In my dreams, nobody but you, baby.
Sometimes I wonder,
If you love me like you say you do,
You see baby, I, I, I, I’ve been thinking about you,
I’ve been wanting to get next to you, baby,
Sometimes I hold my arms and I say,
Oh baby, yeah, needing you has proven to me,
To be my greatest dream, yeah

Awh!

I’m so tired of being alone,
I’m so tired of on my own,
Sometimes late at night I get to wonderin’ about you baby,
Baby, baby, ya ya, baby you’re my heart’s desire

Cowsills – Cocaine Drain

This is a band I never really thought about posting, although they had some huge hits in the ’60s. This is NOT what I was expecting from the Cowsills.  This song has a Linda Rondstadt/Clapton 1970s feel to it. The album Cocaine Drain Plus 6 was recorded in 1978 but not released until 2008. Paul, John, Barry, Bob, and Susan Cowsill are on this one and worked with Chuck Plotkin. Billy or his mom wasn’t on this album. Susan does most of the singing, and when you hear her grown up…you understand why. 

Susan Cowsill was just a little girl when she joined her brothers in the ’60s. Here she is, just 19 years old, and she belts out this song and others. Like I said, it does have a Ronstadt feel, and she is a very good singer. The band sounds really good. John Hall wrote this song. Critics at the time caught them live playing this song and really liked it. 

Since the band was pigeonholed, they would perform under different names like The Secrets and The Critics in the 1970s. They got together in 1978 after playing in Los Angeles at the time. The album was never completed, and at some point, the master tapes were lost. For almost 30 years, the album existed only as a scratchy acetate. An acetate played like an old 45. They were created for demo or publishing purposes NOT for selling.

In March 2008 a version of the album was finally released, remastered from that acetate under Bob Cowsill’s direction. Several other previously unreleased tracks were included in the 2008 release. After the Cocaine Drain sessions, the Cowsills did some reunion shows in 1979–1980 but returned to their separate careers after that.

Audiophiles here will not be happy, as these are obviously recorded from acetate, and the hisses and pops of any 30-year-old LP are apparent. If they couldn’t get it released when it was recorded, they obviously couldn’t afford high remastering to clean it up, and the value in this release is that we finally get to hear these songs AT ALL. But there are only so many things you can do now, though it probably COULD be cleaned up. I like that the proceeds went straight to the band, as it was released to Apple via their self-owned Robin Records label. It was released as MP3s only. 

They have some good songs on there, and the album is not bad at all. Spotify doesn’t have it, but HERE is a link to the album on YouTube. I added a bonus song called That Particular Way from the same album. 

Cocaine Drain

I remember you,
When you were the talk of town.
You always said,
Hello and goodbye.

You looked me right in the eye.
I could be sure of you,
You’d never lie.
You’re so different now.
Are you going down that Cocaine Drain.

Now you’re up all night (up all night),
Feelin’ like a shining star.
But with the Lord in mind,
Let you forget who you really are (really are).

You’re a fragile thing after all.
Remember that even a heavenly body can fall.
And I’m afraid you’re fallin’, (fallin’)
Falling down that Cocaine Drain.
(I’m afraid, afraid you’re fallin’)
Falling down that Cocaine Drain.
(Cocaine Drain)

Now you’re keeping up,
With some pretty fancy company. (fancy company)
But if things get rough,
You know you can always come to me.
(Come to me)

But please don’t wait too long.
I’ve known a few before you who are already gone.
And I don’t want to see you (I don’t want to see you)
Slipping down that Cocaine Drain.
(Cocaine Drain)

I can’t stand by to see you
Slipping down that Cocaine Drain.
I don’t want to see you
(I don’t want to see you)
Slipping down that –
(I don’t want to see you) Cocaine Drain.
Slipping down that Cocaine Drain.
(I don’t want to see you)
Slipping down that Cocaine Drain.
(I don’t want to see you)
Slipping down that Cocaine Drain.
(I don’t want to see you).

T-Rex – Baby Boomerang

It seems to me to dreamIs something too wildIn Max’s Kansas CityYou a belladonna child

I like joining in Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday when I can. I wanted to this weekend, and when I saw the subject (a Song that mentions your name), the answer should have been easy…Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. One problem: I don’t like it, and I only post songs I like. I searched around and found many songs that have my name, but this one I really liked. 

Now, what was Max’s Kansas City? It was a well-known nightclub, restaurant, and music venue in New York City, located at 213 Park Avenue South. It operated from 1965 to 1981 and became a central meeting hub for artists, musicians, and the counterculture. It was famous for being a meeting place for Andy Warhol’s Factory crowd, the punk rock movement, and early glam rock acts.

This song was on the album The Slider, released in 1972, and was written by Marc Bolan. It was never released as a single, but the album did really well. The album peaked at #4 in the UK, #11 in Canada, and #17 on the Billboard 200. It was their highest charting album in America and Canada. 

T. Rex was huge in the UK starting around 1970 but then declined in 1974. They did have a documentary made about them, produced and directed by Ringo Starr, called Born to Boogie. Some have credited Bolan with starting Glam Rock.

He went on to host a musical TV show called Marc, in which he hosted a mix of new and established bands and performed his own songs. Marc’s final show was recorded on September 7, 1977, with special guest David Bowie, who was a friend of Bolan. 

Baby Boomerang

Slim lined sheik facedAngel of the nightRiding like a cowboyIn the graveyard of the night

New York witch in the dungeonOf the dayI’m trying to write my novelBut all you do is play

Mince pie dog-eyeEagle on the windI’m searching through this garbageLooking for a friend

Your uncle with an alligatorChained to his legDangles you your freedomThen he offers you his bed

It seems to me to dreamIs something too wildIn Max’s Kansas CityYou a belladonna child

Riding on the highwaysOn the gateways to the southYou’re talking with your bootsAnd you’re walking with your mouth

Baby BoomerangBaby BoomerangYou never spike a personBut you always bang the whole gangThank you ma’am

Max’s Drive – In Movie – The Seven-Ups…

I’ve had problems posting this so I’ll try one more time. 

My cousin Ricky let me borrow this movie because he thought I would like it. He was right. It’s described as a crime, action, mystery, and neo-noir ’70s police movie. I would easily put it in the same category as The French Connection and movies like that. Some of the same techniques and backdrops. It was released in 1973, and you can’t get any more early seventies than this movie. 

My uncle was an undercover cop (Fulton was his name) in the ’70s and ’80s, and the movie rings true to some of the stories he told me. In one incident, he was undercover in a restaurant in a drug deal, and someone he knew in real life came up and yelled, “Hey, Fulton!” he had to lay the guy out right there with a punch and pass it off as something else.  I never asked if he was still friends with the guy afterward. It was a dangerous job, and black roses were delivered to his doorstep more than once. 

Philip D’Antoni directed this film. He had produced The French Connection and Bullit. This was his only director credit to his name. Some think it is a follow-up on Scheider’s character of Buddy from The French Connection. It doesn’t matter because it’s strong either way. The movie is not perfect; it has a few disjointed plot points, but it works well. 

It has that grittiness that I love in movies from this period. The realistic feel makes the story so much better because you buy into it. The actors look like everyday people against the backdrop of early 70s New York. When I see some period modern movies try to replicate this look… they usually fail. You won’t find one thing in this movie that is new and shiny. Even the car wash looks grim. 

The Seven Ups has all the earmarks of a 70s Cop film. Corruption, rogue cops, and the mafia all rolled up into one. It has that stark, cold landscape feel from the ’70s. You almost want to slip on a jacket while watching. You also have a hell of a car chase that was in many movies at this time, and this one does not disappoint. If you want a real white knuckle car chase, you just have to see the one in this film. You feel like you’re right in the middle of it.

 Roy Scheider is Buddy and one of a small group of NYC cops with unusual methods, and they are called The Seven-Ups. One of his partners is murdered, and he sets out to find and kill the thugs who were responsible while at the same time discovering that they’re involved in a plan to kidnap mobsters to extort ransom money. 

The movie encompasses all the pitfalls and dangers of police undercover work and the alliances between partners, as well as the relationships and betrayals of informers. The cast is superb, and one of the things that made it even better is none of the actors at the time were big stars. I do like that in some movies because you don’t really associate the actors with other roles. Roy Scheider would soon star in Jaws a couple of years after this movie. 

Plot

The movie follows Buddy Manucci (played by Roy Scheider), a tough New York City detective leading an elite undercover police unit called The Seven-Ups—named after their specialty of catching criminals who receive sentences of seven years or more. The unit operates in the shadows, using unorthodox methods to bring down high-level criminals.

However, their investigation into a series of kidnappings involving Mafia figures takes a dark turn when one of their own is killed, leading Manucci on a personal quest for justice.

The full movie