If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
In the first few minutes, we have a lot happening. A man named Mickey Patchek jumps out of a salon window and dies. A model’s face gets attacked by a cat. Another model gets scorched to death in a shower. This episode involves a lot of moving parts. The snooty fashion industry and the mob. The mob thinks Kolchak has some evidence, and they want it within 60 hours. This episode is different. More like a noir detective show for part of it. So far, this doesn’t sound like a Kolchak episode… okay, let’s throw in The Witch. Now we are getting somewhere!
As Kolchak investigates, he uncovers the presence of Madame Trevi, a powerful and wealthy woman who runs a private fashion empire and lives surrounded by luxury and secrecy. Beneath the surface glamour, Kolchak begins to suspect something far older and darker is at work. She treats him with contempt, like most do, but he has to investigate a little more to get to the bottom of it.
Lara Parker, who plays Madeleine, is a good actress, but she does go over the top a little but considering the subject, it does get the point across. Not a girl you would want to take out for dinner or to meet the folks. One scene I really like was when Kolchak visited a witches’ coven in their robes. It shows he will go to the end of the earth to find the truth.
While overall this episode is never exactly scary, it IS somewhat creepy. It’s one of my favorite episodes. There are some well-known television stars in this one. Marvin Miller (voice of Robby the Robot) as the lecturer, Bernie Kopell (Love Boat) as a doctor, Richard Bakalyan (Chinatown) as a mobster, Douglas Fowley as a super, and Henry Brandon in a bit part.
Spoilers!
Very good episode, and it has a satisfying ending. For once, a big article will come out over the fashion world fraud…but of course, nothing about The Witch…but she gets hers…who I’ll never tell.
This band was one of the most talented bands of the 70s. Well, more like all time in the history of rock and roll. Other musicians would go out of their way to see Little Feat. It’s an honor to put headphones on and listen to them. I’ve been doing that with other songs lately as well, trying to have a different view on my posts. Trying to describe the mood, and with this band, it’s a lot to describe.
Guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne formed Little Feat in 1969. Lowell George was a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Bass player of the Mothers, Roy Estrada, joined along with drummer Richie Hayward.
After Lowell George left the Mothers of Invention, he began writing songs that showed blues forms, rhythm, and breathing space rather than so much complexity. This one was designed to feel natural rather than a studio production. What you hear is close to how it sounded in the room. I wish more bands would do this. Lowell George’s voice just melts into this beat. The sync of the drums and keyboards is fantastic!
This song was on the album Sailin’ Shoes, released in 1972. When the song was recorded, producer Ted Templeman kept the song at a reasonable length. The take reflects how the group played the song live at the time, with minimal studio adjustment. Vocals were delivered with feel, and the band avoided overdubs that would alter the structure.
This song showed their interest in groove and patience. The song was not meant to stand out on its own. Back in that time, bands made albums, not just individual songs. Everything had to fit and sound good as a whole, transitioning from one song to another. I wrote in another Little Feat post: Only Little Feat could’ve made this record. That sentence fits this album.
The album didn’t come close to the top 40, but it has grown in stature. This album set the stage. Their next album, Dixie Chicken, would go gold. The lineup had many changes through the years, and unfortunately, Lowell died in 1979 of a heart attack. The band broke up after George’s death but reunited in 1987. The band continues today with Bill Payne still a member.
This is, to me, a pure album band. You don’t just sit through single songs…you listen to the album and get the entire vibe. Below is the album. Put on some of your sailin’ shoes, headphones, and eat some Dixie chicken and groove to Little Feat on this Sunday!
Cold Cold Cold
Cold, cold, cold Cold, cold, cold Freezing, it was freezing in that hotel I had no money, my special friend was gone The TV set was busted so she went along I called room, room service, I’m down here on my knees A peach or a pear, or a coconut please, But they was cold
Well it’s been a month since I seen my girl Or a dime to make the call ‘Cause it passed me up, or it passed me by, Or I couldn’t decide at all And I’m mixed up, I’m so mixed up Don’t you know I’m lonely And I wish the world would get off of my case And get on one of it’s own
Cold, cold, cold Cold, cold, cold That woman was freezing, freezing cold Well I tried everything to warm her up Now I’m living in this cold hotel ‘Cause she passed me, up or she passed me by, Or I couldn’t decide at all Oh I’m mixed up, yes I’m mixed up Don’t you know I’m lonely Of all the things I had to do I had to fall in love You know she’s cold
Turn your clock back woman when you see me comin’ round My feet don’t, feet don’t even touch the ground Don’t be cold, don’t be cold Don’t be cold, don’t be cold
What draws me to this band is the bass. It’s so raw in some of their songs that it sounds like it was plugged into an Ampeg amp and turned to 11. Before I heard them, this is close to the sound I got live, so it sounded totally natural to me. The Stranglers were labeled a punk band, but it’s clear they were musically superior to their peers and managed to retain that rawness. So a shout out to bass player J.J. Burnel.
This song was released in 1977 as the title song to their 1977 album. The Stranglers doubled down on their refusal to play by punk’s rulebook. While many of their peers were playing with speed and volume, the Stranglers were more into structure and order. It was written during a period of constant touring and confrontation, and with this band, that is totally believable. They already had a “difficult” reputation. Rather than celebrating rebellion, this song questioned the idea of hero worship altogether.
The track is driven by Jean-Jacques Burnel’s bass line, which carries the song as much as the vocals. Hugh Cornwell’s guitar work is sharp, while Jet Black keeps the rhythm steady and controlled. The playing sounds like a band that knows exactly what it wants to say. Producer Martin Rushent encouraged clarity and separation, helping the bass dominate without muddying the sound. Cornwell’s vocal was delivered straight, like he was observing something in real time. The list of names in the song came together naturally, chosen for how they fit the theme rather than for provocation alone. Basically, a rejection of dependency on figures to lead the way.
Lyrically, Cornwell runs through a list of historical and cultural figures, not to praise them, but to question why society keeps needing replacements for fallen idols. The chorus is blunt and repeated without any form of apology. This is a band more interested in thought than a the punk posture. Now, years later, the song still holds up because its message never tied itself to a moment. Heroes come and go.
The album No More Heroes peaked at #2 on the UK Album Charts in 1977. The song peaked at #8 on the UK Charts. This song was written by Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, and Jet Black.
No More Heroes
Whatever happened to Leon Trotsky? He got an ice pick That made his ears burn
Whatever happened to dear old Lenny? The great Elmyra, and Sancho Panza? Whatever happened to the heroes? Whatever happened to the heroes?
Whatever happened to all the heroes? All the Shakespearoes? They watched their Rome burn Whatever happened to the heroes? Whatever happened to the heroes?
No more heroes any more No more heroes any more
Whatever happened to all the heroes? All the Shakespearoes? They watched their Rome burn Whatever happened to the heroes? Whatever happened to the heroes?
After seeing the clip of a younger Jimi Hendrix with Jr. Walker and the All-Stars, I had to post something by him since it’s been a while. His playing and writing still blows me away. Hendrix had a flow through his songs. Is this one very commercial on the surface? No, but it IS because of the way he arranged his songs. His songs draw you in with that flowing sound. I first really found Hendrix when I was 11 or 12. Later on, when I started to play guitar and bass… no, I couldn’t do his solos (still can’t!), but I took some of his movements to the bass.
His guitar playing was off the charts and identifiable like a fingerprint. He slid a lot while playing, and after him, many guitar players picked that up as well. This song closed out his album Axis: Bold As Love, released at the end of 1967. Six months after his debut album, Are You Experienced. The biggest difference between the two albums can be heard. It was Hendrix realizing that the studio itself was an instrument, and learning how to play it or work it. I also read where his songwriting was catching up with his guitar playing, which fits.
The basic track was cut live by them, with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell locking into a loose groove. Hendrix kept the structure simple at first until the end, when it exploded. His voice was very intimate and more confident than on the first album. You could tell from this album that he wanted his lyrics more exposed.
The verses move gently with Noel Redding’s bass and Mitch Mitchell’s drumming, keeping everything fluid rather than forced. The album Axis: Bold As Love peaked at #3 on the Billboard Album Chart and #5 in the UK in 1967-1968.
Bold As Love
Anger! He smiles, towering in shiny metallic purple armor Queen jealousy, envy waits behind him Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground
Blue are the life-giving waters taken for granted They quietly understand Once happy turquoise armies lay opposite ready But wonder why the fight is on
But they’re all bold as love Yes, they’re all bold as love Yeah, they’re all bold as love Just ask the axis
My red is so confident, he flashes trophies of war And ribbons of euphoria Orange is young, full of daring But very unsteady for the first go round
My yellow, in this case, is not so mellow In fact, I’m trying to say it’s frightened like me And all these emotions of mine keep holding me from Giving my life to a rainbow like you, but I’m
Yeah, I’m bold as love, yeah-yeah Well, I’m bold, bold as love Hear me talking, girl I’m bold as love Just ask the axis
Well, it’s too damn early and your eyes are bleeding From the vicious bottle the night before And the last thing you need is a nicety-nice And small talk crawls out your ears
I always wanted to know more about John Cale of the Velvet Underground. That band influenced so many, and Cale was one of the reasons for that. This 1975 song is messy, mean, and totally alive. It’s a little offbeat and disjointed, but it never goes off the tracks. He has a nice groove going and space in the music.
By the mid-seventies, Cale was pushing back against the “serious composer” label that had followed him since the Velvet Underground days. Punk had taken off, and he pushed back by reconnecting with in-your-face rock ’n’ roll. The sound is quite dirty; this is not a crystal clear recording, and that is perfect for this.
The song took shape on the road, worked out with a touring band that thrived on volume and chaos. Cale wanted imperfection like letting riffs sprawl, tempos jumping forward, and vocals that snarled more than sang. It was finished without much revision at all. Cale resisted adding extra parts or effects. The final version reflects the session as it happened.
Lyrically and musically, the track was meant to sound blunt and slightly offensive. It would have been a deliberate swipe at anyone expecting his avant-garde music. This was on his 1975 album Slow Dazzle. On this album, he had Brian Eno on synthesizer, Chris Spedding on guitar, Geoff Muldaur on backing vocals, and super producer Chris Thomas on violin and electric piano. Cale produced the album.
John Cale – Dirty Ass Rock ‘N’ Roll
Well, it’s too damn early and your eyes are bleeding From the vicious bottle the night before And the last thing you need is a nicety-nice And small talk crawls out your ears
Maybe it makes you feel just like an undercover Sigmund Freud I hear it makes you feel just like an undercover Sigmund Freud
Hey there, hey now, hey there, hey now Well, you can make a pacemaker blink, yeah, easy thing Make a man’s heart go bibbity-bom, bippity-bom, bippity-bom Like a gentle drum and knowing you, it ain’t ever done
So go on, go on, go on, darling, go on Yeah, go on, go on darling, go on, go on
Yeah, the secretaries and typewriters chattering away Chatter-chatter-chatter-chatter Chatter-chatter-chatter, chatter away It ought to make you sick when you hear a woman cry
When she don’t get just whatever she wants But not my woman, she just keeps on keeping on That’s my woman, my woman That moving on shuffle side to side That sure can turn me on
Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll
Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now And the beach is a thing and the bees don’t sting Like complaining from a downtown whore I got my plasma patches and my hypodermic In hermetically sealed kid gloves
Yeah, tell me Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me Tell me Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me
Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll
I found this band a few weeks ago, and they have stuck with me. This song I really like because it’s subtle and not in your face, but strong at the same time. A slow groove that hooked me in. Give it a try…you might like it. I think I’ve found a winner. I’m digging into more Texas bands. They have it going on there.
The band was formed in Austin by Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi, and Gordy Quist in 2005. They were built around multiple singers and songwriters. The band’s name originated from a misprint in a local newspaper. The three original singer-songwriters used to perform separate sets at an Austin club called Momo’s on Wednesday nights, billing the show as “The Good Time Supper Club.” A local paper mistakenly listed the act as “The Heathens,” and the name stuck.
Some songs are bombastic and kick down the door, but this song just walks in easily and uneasily at the same time. It rolls on slowly but with depth. They are doing what they do best, blending Southern rock blues with gospel harmonies.
Musically, this 2011 song breathes. The guitars don’t rush the song whatsoever; they flow like a twig on the shoulders of a mighty stream (Thank you, John Candy for that quote!). The rhythm section keeps things steady but loose, and the groove settles into your bones. You can hear a little of The Band and Little Feat in them, but nothing here feels copied. This is a band that understands dynamics, knowing when to turn up and when to let silence do the talking.
This is some great roots rock. Pour a drink, turn it up just enough, and let it do its work. Cognac or Brandy, anyone?
A BONUS song…Hurricane by The Band of Heathens.
Medicine Man
Across the land, I’m spoken of* Wise as a snake, tame as a dove Just like a wolf, in the sheep’s clothes Shake the dust off, before I go I’m your medicine man I’m your medicine man I walk the land never seen before I’m on a mission, conquistador I’ll be your slave, I’ll be your king I’ll be what you want, be your everything I’m your medicine man I’m your medicine man Got juju beads and a mojo drum Gotta a whole lot more, where that come from I’ll make a sign, I’ll cross your head Make you shake and dance, Gonna raise the dead I’m your medicine man I’m your medicine man I’ll take your pulse, I’ll fix your health Give what you need, to save yourself Might lose your house, might lose your home But I’ll give you back more than you have known Put you in the black, gonna shake your bones Your healer, your dealer, your only one I’m your medicine man I’m your medicine man
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
It’s good to be watching Kolchak again after the Christmas and New Year’s break. Welcome back, everyone! In this one, we have two recognizable TV stars. Jamie Farr (MASH) and Pat Harrington (One Day At A Time) both appear.
The episode has Kolchak investigating a string of killings tied to a missing anthropology professor, and from there, it spirals into the missing link. The best course of action here is restraint; the monster is rarely seen clearly, and when it is, it’s brief, violent, and deeply unsettling. Director Robert Michael Lewis shoots much of the episode in shadows and tight frames, letting your imagination do most of the work. Frozen cell samples from the Antarctic are accidentally exposed to heat and grow into a missing link that breaks out from the lab and embarks on a rampage.
Kolchak, in this episode, is stubborn to the point of self-destruction, but also shaken by what he’s uncovering. There’s a moment when Kolchak realizes the killer isn’t driven by malice but by something older and uncontrollable. It works because it taps into a universal fear that, beneath our suits and the rules, we are still animals. The supporting cast, especially John Doucette as Sheriff Frank Packer, grounds the episode in realism, making the supernatural elements feel plausible.
No catchy catchphrases, no tidy ending, just a reminder that some monsters don’t come from folklore books, they come from inside us. Tony Vincenzo doesn’t get much to do this time, but there’s some comical interaction between Kolchak and Updyke as the latter threatens to have Kolchak’s car towed if he keeps parking in Updyke’s parking spot…but Kolchak gets him back.
Another good episode. Not the best one, but still up there. Again…with 7 more to go, I haven’t seen a clunker episode yet.
When that chorus kicks in, I’m in heaven. It sounds like early sixties greatness, and it’s just fun to sing along with. I’ve never been to New Jersey, but Southside Johnny and Springsteen make me feel like I did. Asbury Park has served as a musical mecca for decades. I’m hoping that one day I will get there.
This is not just a cover of the Sam Cooke standard; it is a full Jersey Shore revival meeting, led by Southside Johnny, who sounds like he has lived every lyric and is still catching his breath. When I see him perform on film, he performs with the audience rather than for… in what I’ve seen. He gets them involved and everyone has a good time.
I love this version because he doesn’t try to out-sing Sam Cooke, because who could? You can hear him reacting in real time, stretching lines, yelling encouragement as he feeds off the band as much as they feed off him. They are built to hear live, and they live up to that job.
It was on the album Havin’ a Party With Southside Johnny, released in 1979-1980. This song on the album was live, and it’s from 1976. The song was written by Sam Cooke and released in 1962. The original version peaked at #17 on the Billboard 100 and #30 in Canada in 1962. Rod Stewart also did a version that charted in 1994.
Havin’ A Party
Yeah, everybody Yeah, get every one apart Is there a problem, whoo Can we do this now
We’re havin’ a party Everybody’s swinging Dancing to the music On the radio (we’re on our way, man) So listen, Mr. DJ Keep those records playing (alright) ‘Cause I’m having such a good time Dancing with my baby
We’re having a party Dancing to the music Played by the DJ On the radio Cokes are in the ice box Popcorn’s on the table Me and my baby Are out there on the floor
And we’re havin’ a party Everybody’s swinging Dancing to the music On the radio So listen, Mr. DJ Keep those records playing ‘Cause I’m having such a good time Dancing with my baby
Everybody’s swinging (oldies) Oldies, doing the twist now If you take requests I’ve got a few for you Don’t forget the soul twist Play that one called “I Know” I got to hear what suites me No other songs will do
And we’re havin’ a party Everybody’s swinging Dancing to the music On the radio So listen, Mr. DJ Keep those records playing ‘Cause I’m having such a good time Dancing with my baby
‘Cause I’m having such a good time Dancing with my baby ‘Cause I’m having such a good time Dancing with my baby
Baby, is alright (baby, is alright) Baby, is alright (baby, is alright) Baby, is alright (baby, is alright) Baby, is alright (baby, is alright) Baby, is alright (baby, is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Baby, is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright)
Is alright (is alright) Baby, is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Baby, is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Is alright (is alright) Baby, is alright (is alright)
Ever since I wrote up the John Prine song Paradise (thanks to halffastcyclingclub) I knew then I had to write up the album. This album is very daunting to write up. If one person listens to it, then my job is done. It is one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard in rock, pop, country, folk, or anything else. I’m truly ashamed I didn’t dive into John Prine sooner. I knew some of his well-known songs like Dear Abbey, Angel From Montgomery, and a few other songs of his, but it was the song Paradise that totally won me over. Like the old lyric I remember from a long time ago…listening to this album is like taking a trip without leaving the farm.
John Prine was working as a mailman in Chicago, delivering letters by day and sharpening songs by night. He began playing open mics at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where his storytelling and humor transfixed the audience. One night in 1970, Kris Kristofferson wandered in, heard Prine sing Sam Stone, and reportedly told his record label mates he’d just seen “the best songwriter I’ve ever heard.” That moment changed everything for Prine.
Atlantic Records moved quickly, pairing Prine with producer Arif Mardin, a surprising choice. Mardin, known for polished soul and pop productions. He immediately understood that these songs didn’t need a big production. Sessions were kept deliberately restrained, focusing on clarity and feel rather than polish. Many of the songs were already road-tested long before they were recorded. Hello In There, Sam Stone, and Paradise had been perfected in coffeehouses and small clubs
At 24 years old, he plays thirteen songs that feel lived in, warm, sly, funny, haunted, and most importantly, human. There is one thing I found out about this album. On first listen, I thought it was charming. On the tenth, it is devastating. On the twentieth, it feels like a friend you have known your whole life, and I’m not exaggerating.
Right from the opener Illegal Smile, Prine is already telling you “Last time I checked my bankroll, it was gettin’ thin, Sometimes it seems like the bottom is the only place I’ve been”. Then comes Spanish Pipedream, which practically bursts out of the speakers, preaching the joys of ditching society’s noise. blowing up your TV, and finding your own piece of mind. But the album’s heart and soul song runs deeper. Sam Stone, with its unforgettable line “there’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes,” still lands like a gut punch.
And then, of course, there is Angel from Montgomery. If Prine had written only that one song, he would still have ended up on songwriter Mount Rushmore. I won’t go over every song, but if you like great lyrics and great melodies, this is the album for you. Google the lyrics on this fine Sunday and sing along with John Prine. It will be a beautiful Sunday…trust me on that. My personal favorites? Paradise, Sam Stone, Illegal Smile, Angel from Montgomery, and…ah, just listen to them all.
Sam Stone
Sam Stone Came home To his wife and family After serving in the conflict overseas And the time that he served Had shattered all his nerves And left a little shrapnel in his knee But the morphine eased the pain And the grass grew ’round his brain And gave him all the confidence he lacked With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes And Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don’t stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Sam Stone’s welcome home Didn’t last too long He went to work when he’d spent his last dime And soon he took to stealin’ When he got that empty feelin’ For a hundred dollar habit without overtime And the gold rolled through his veins Like a thousand railroad trains And eased his mind in the hours that he chose While the kids ran around wearin’ other people’s clothes
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes And Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don’t stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Sam Stone was alone When he popped his last balloon Climbing walls while sittin’ in a chair Well, he played his last request While the room smelled just like death With an overdose hoverin’ in the air
But life had lost its fun And there was nothin’ to be done But trade his house that he bought on the G.I. Bill For a flag draped casket on a local heroes’ hill
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes And, Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I suppose Little pitchers have big ears Don’t stop to count the years Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm Hmm Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
Good R&B song from Jr. Walker and The Allstars. A little trivia on this song. If you look at the live video below, you will see a young Jimi Hendrix in the background playing guitar. They were on a show called Night Train, and it was videotaped at Channel 5, at that time, WLAC in Nashville. He didn’t play on the original recording, but it’s cool to see him here playing guitar in 1965.
Walker, whose real name was Autry DeWalt, was a great saxophone player who made his vocal debut on this song. He recorded the vocals because the singer didn’t show up. He didn’t expect his vocal track to make the cut, but the Motown producers liked the sound and left it in. Junior Walker & The All Stars were Motown, but I would have sworn they were Stax. They had more of a raw, unpolished sound than Motown usually had.
This was the first hit for Junior Walker & The All Stars, who were signed to the Motown label. The “Shotgun” is a dance. There were many dance crazes in the ’60s, and 2 of them are mentioned in the lyrics: The Jerk “Do The Jerk, baby”, and The Twine “It’s Twine Time”. The band had several more hit songs, including What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) and a cover of the Supremes’ song Come See About Me. Walker also played sax on Foreigner’s Urgent before he died in 1995.
The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard 100 and #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1965. It was written by Jr Walker himself.
Here is the video of their performance on Channel 5. Jimi Hendrix is on the right side of the drummer when you are looking at it, and of course, playing left-handed.
Shotgun
I said shotgun Shoot ’em for he run now Do the jerk baby Do the jerk now Hey
Put on your red dress And then you go downtown now I said buy yourself a shotgun now We’re gonna break it down, baby now We’re gonna load it up, baby now And then you shoot him for he run now
I said shotgun Shoot ’em for he run now Do the jerk baby Do the jerk now Hey
Shotgun Shoot ’em for he run now Do the jerk baby Do the jerk now Hey
Put on your high heel shoes I said we’re goin’ down here to listen to ’em play the blues We’re gonna dig potatoes We’re gonna pick tomatoes
I said shotgun Shoot ’em for he run now Do the jerk baby Do the jerk now Hey
I said it’s twine time I said it’s twine time I said it’s twine time Hey, what’d I say?
I wanted to get a rockabilly post in before the new year got any older, and Robert Gordon is a great place to start! He did rockabilly proud as he stuck to the roots while also sharing his unique style in the songs.
Gordon released his debut album (Robert Gordon with Link Wray) in 1977. This song is on that album. Everyone thought he would be huge. His producer was Richard Gottehrer, and he helped launch the careers of Madonna, Blondie, The Ramones, and The Talking Heads. Gordon paved the way for future rockabilly acts like The Stray Cats, which emerged in the 1980s. He also shone a much-needed light on the legendary guitarist Link Wray. He saw Wray playing the oldies circuit and convinced Wray to play guitar with him.
Much like The Yardbirds and John Mayall, Gordon had a knack for picking great guitar players to play with him. Chris Spedding (a versatile session guitarist), Danny Gatton (toured with Roger Miller and others), Eddie Angel, Quentin Jones, and, most recently, Danny B. Harvey. Gordon’s 2020 album Rockabilly For Life had players such as Albert Lee, Steve Wariner, and the great Steve Cropper.
This song was written by Ray Scott and first recorded by Billy Riley and His Little Green Men (Love that name) in 1957. Others have covered this song like The Flamin’ Groovies, The Box Tops, and many others. This was on Gordon’s debut album, and it rocks! For a music fan, it’s pure entertainment.
From 1977 to 2022, he made 12 studio albums and 4 live albums. Gordon died in 2022 of acute myeloid leukemia.
Flying saucers Rock & Roll
Well, the news of the saucer been a-flyin’ around
I’m the only one that seen it on the ground
First thing I seen when I saw it land
Cats jumped out and they formed a band
Flyin’ saucer rock and roll, flyin’ saucer rock and roll
I couldn’t understand the things they said
But that crazy beat just a stopped me dead
Well the little green men, they were real hep-cats
Rockin’ and rollin’ doin’ their crazy flats
They brought out a sax and they started to blow
They brought out the drums and they started to roll
Well, I come out a-hidin’ and I started to rock
Little green men tought me how to do the bop
They were three foot high, hit a few bars
Started rock and roll al the way from mars
Some of us need his right now with the cold we are experiencing. Some way more than others. I live near Nashville, so we are in the 20s and 30s, but nothing compared to the northern states. I think of a few of my readers who live in Wisconsin and Michigan…I can’t imagine.
A gentle, sun-soaked groove that felt like the last afternoon before school started again. It’s a song that takes summer with it whenever you listen. Most of his radio hits were positive, like this one and Everyday People. He was huge during his heyday, but has been neglected since. He had such a span of success between 1967 – 1973. 9 singles in that span in the top 40 including 3 number ones. He also wrote most of their hits, including this one. A terrific songwriter.
This song came out in 1969, sandwiched between the more serious Everyday People and Stand!. The song primed their audience for their successful upcoming appearance at Woodstock. Some thought their set was one of the best of the festival. I was only two in 1969, but I would imagine this song was drifting out of car radios, backyard barbecues, and AM stations every summer like clockwork. You didn’t analyze it, you lived in it.
The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard 100 and #4 in Canada in 1969. In January of 2026, let’s listen to the song and think warm thoughts, and catch that warm vibe.
Sylvester Stewart passed away in June of 2025.
Hot Fun In The Summertime
End of the spring And here she comes back Hi, hi, hi, hi there Them summer days Those summer days
That’s when I had Most of my fun, back Hi, hi, hi, hi there Them summer days Those summer days
I cloud nine when I want to Out of school, yeah County fair in the country sun And everything is true Ooh, yeah, yeah
Hot fun in the summertime Hot fun in the summertime Hot fun in the summertime Hot fun in the summertime
First of the fall And then she goes back Bye, bye, bye, bye there Them summer days Those summer days
Boop-boop-boop-boop When I want to Out of school County fair in the country sun And everything is cool Ooh, yeah, yeah
Hot fun in the summertime (hey, hey, hey, ooh) Hot fun in the summertime (ooh, yeah) Hot fun in the summertime
I wanted to do something fun today…not exactly a thinking man’s movie, but fun.
I ran across a trailer for this on YouTube and ended up watching the movie again. Yes, I know this isn’t exactly Citizen Kane or the most sophisticated movie, but it does have redeeming qualities. This movie was released in the era of Jaws, Star Wars, and many more classics. It’s still remembered today very highly. It is not a movie that is going to make you think…it’s just going to entertain you, which is what movies are for. There are no hidden messages, just pure fun.
In the mid-1970s, Coors beer had a near-mythic reputation east of the Mississippi. It was not widely distributed nationwide, and it was famously unpasteurized, meaning it had to stay cold and be delivered fast. To people back east, Coors was contraband. The movie goes into this perfectly, turning a real-world distribution quirk into the ultimate outlaw challenge.
The entire plot kicks off with a simple outlaw wager: haul a truckload of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia in under 28 hours, back when the unpasteurized beer couldn’t legally be sold east of the Mississippi. The Snowman (Jerry Reed) drives the rig loaded with ice-cold contraband, while the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) races ahead in his black Trans Am, using speed and nonstop CB chatter to lure every lawman in the region away from the Coors. It was a game of misdirection and bravado, with Sheriff Buford T. Justice closing in, all for the satisfaction of proving that sometimes the best reason to. Along the way, Bandit picks up “frog” (Sally Field), a bride who just ran out of a wedding with Bufford T Justice’s son.
Burt Reynolds was in his prime during this stretch. A lot of guys grew the mustache, and their hair was black. My dad had the same look as Reynolds at this time. He had already been in many successful movies, including Gator, Deliverance, W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, The Longest Yard, and more. At this time, he was one of the biggest, most recognizable movie stars on the planet.
The public mostly adored Reynolds, but the critics did not like him. He had a charisma about him that he had at the beginning when he was on Gunsmoke for 3 years. Sally Field was also in this movie, and she played her part perfectly. The Flying Nun to “Sybil” or “Frog” in this movie is quite a stretch. She was one of my first crushes as a young boy, and in this film, that crush was only strengthened.
I guess one reason I love this movie is that it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is. It doesn’t aspire to great movie-making. It was just supposed to be 90 minutes of entertainment on the big screen, and it’s still entertaining. Turn your brain off for a while and have fun with it. It rolled into theaters and straight through American pop culture. Jackie Gleason’s Sheriff Buford T. Justice is the perfect comic counterweight to Bandit, loud and absolutely unhinged. Add Sally Field’s runaway bride with attitude and Jerry Reed’s snowman trucker charisma, and you’ve got a cast that clicks like a great bar band.
If you want Gone With The Wind, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, or Lawrence of Arabia…you have come to the wrong movie, but give it a chance and have some fun. Oh, I forgot Fred, the lovable Basset Hound dog in this movie, he was chosen by Burt Reynolds because the dog wouldn’t obey commands, adding to his character as Snowman’s independent but loyal companion.
I’ve heard this one since I was a kid, and I’ve always liked it. It just rolls right along.
The song itself grew out of Mason’s acoustic roots, written simply and deliberately, with the melody doing most of the heavy lifting. There was no attempt to modernize it for radio, which ironically is probably why it connected. When the song was released as a single in late 1970, it quickly became Mason’s breakthrough hit. It established him as more than “the guy who left Traffic.”
It was written and recorded by Dave Mason in 1970. It was on his album, Alone Together. The song was his first charting single, and it became a minor hit for him in the U.S. and Canada. Dave Mason played with Traffic; he also played on the Jimi Hendrix song All Along the Watchtower, Beggars Banquet by the Stones, and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. The guy got around and was in demand from other artists.
Recording sessions for Alone Together were loose but purposeful. Mason brought in an all-star cast of friends and collaborators, including members of Delaney & Bonnie’s circle, Leon Russell, and Jim Gordon. No one overplayed, no one tried to steal the spotlight. It feels organic because it is, musicians listening to each other instead of competing for space.
The song peaked at #42 on the Billboard 100 in 1970. It was also recorded by Delaney and Bonnie and peaked at #20 in 1971. I grew up hearing both versions of it.
Only You Know And I Know
Only you know and I know
All the lovin’ we’ve got to show
So don’t refuse to believe it
By reading too many meanings
‘Cause you know that I mean what I say
So don’t go, and never take me the wrong way
You know you can’t go on gettin’ your own way
‘Cause if you do, it’s gonna get you someday
We’re both here to be pleasin’
Oh, no, no, not deceivin’
But it’s hard to believe in
Ah yeah, when you’ve been so mistreated
‘Cause you know that I mean what I say
So don’t go, and never take me the wrong way
You know you can’t go on gettin’ your own way
‘Cause if you do, it’s gonna get you someday
If I seem to mislead you
It’s just my craziness comin’ through
But when it comes down to just two
Ah, I ain’t no crazier than you
‘Cause you know that I mean what I say
So don’t go, and never take me the wrong way
You know you can’t go on gettin’ your own way
‘Cause if you do, it’s gonna get you someday
Only you know and I know
Only you know and I know
Only you know and I know, oh yeah
Only you know and I know, oh yeah, get up
The warmth of your love Is like the warmth of the sun And this will be our year Took a long time to come
I love tradition, so here we are again! Happy New Year 2026. Next to Auld Lang Syne, this is my favorite New Year’s Song. A favorite of mine from one of my favorite bands and one of my favorite albums of all time (no pressure!). Have you ever had a song that would bring out an emotion in you? This one does it for me: hope, clarity, mixed with calm.
For the past few years, this has been my first post in the New Year. If you have followed me for a while, you should know this one. Again, for 2026, my first post! I have added some more context to the song this year.
There’s something quite miraculous about the way this song opens, like a warm and comfortable exhale. A few soft notes drift in like morning light through the curtain, and suddenly you’re there. The reason I like this song so much? The Zombies had a knack for making hope sound earned. This track is one of the gentlest and nicest declarations of optimism I’ve ever heard.
This song sounds like it should have been a hit, but it was never pushed as a single at the time. It was the B side to Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914), which is an experimental song, and it was a big surprise to the band that it was picked as the first single. Both are from the great album Odessey and Oracle in 1968. Several songs on this album could have been in the charts, but Time of the Season was the only one that made it, and it was a year after the album was released.
Tell Her No, She’s Not There, and Time Of The Season. They are best remembered for those three hits, but also for one album…Odessey and Oracle. With this album, they elevated themselves to new heights…but that took a little while. In Rolling Stone magazine in the ’80s and ’90s, I read great write-ups about this album. Finally, I tried it for myself and was more than happy I did. Many critics hailed this album as one of the greatest of the decade, and it lived up to their hype.
By the way… The band wanted to call the album “Odyssey and Oracle,” but cover artist Terry Quirk accidentally spelled the title wrong, and the band decided to run with the misspelling.
On recording Odessey and Oracle…Rod Argent:
“We had the chance of going in and putting things down in the way we wanted people to hear them and we had a new studio, we walked in just after The Beatles had walked out [after recording Sgt. Pepper]. We were the next band in. They’d left some of their instruments behind … I used John Lennon’s Mellotron, that’s why it’s all over Odessey and Oracle. We used some of their technological advances … we were using seven tracks, and that meant we could overdub for the first time. And it meant that when I played the piano part I could then overdub a Mellotron part, and it meant we could have a fuller sound on some of the songs and it means that at the moment the tour we’re doing with Odessey and Oracle it means we’re actually reproducing every note on the original record by having extra player with us as well.”
I hope you all had a fun and safe New Year’s! Also, do yourself a favor and listen to this album. It’s a masterpiece to me. Care of Cell 44 is brilliant! It’s as if Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney had a baby…that is what this sounds like! The bass is terrific. The fact that The Zombies are not mentioned with the greats shows you that life isn’t fair.
This Will Be A Year
The warmth of your love Is like the warmth of the sun And this will be our year Took a long time to come
Don’t let go of my hand Now darkness has gone And this will be our year Took a long time to come
And I won’t forget The way you held me up when I was down And I won’t forget the way you said, “Darling I love you” You gave me faith to go on
Now we’re there and we’ve only just begun This will be our year Took a long time to come
The warmth of your smile Smile for me, little one And this will be our year Took a long time to come
You don’t have to worry All your worried days are gone This will be our year Took a long time to come
And I won’t forget The way you held me up when I was down And I won’t forget the way you said, “Darling I love you” You gave me faith to go on
Now we’re there and we’ve only just begun And this will be our year Took a long time to come
Yeah we only just begun Yeah this will be our year Took a long time to come
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