Great trip down memory lane! Similar artists for the boy growing up, different songs in many cases. “She Loves You” was the Beatles kicker for me and George was always my fave. “Blue Velvet” at Friday night Teen Town was a song to fall in love with. A ton of Motown, as we could tune in Detroit radio stations easily in Southern Ontario … “Respect”! Wore out that first CTA album with “Introductions” and of course “I’m A Man”.
Listening to Joe, loved watching Mad Dogs and Woodstock though it was “With A Little Help From My Friends.
All incredible tunes too. How could we go wrong in that era? Fab songs and often dicey advice coming at us from all sides in the rock 'n' roll universe.
Friday Night Tune Town sounds like fun. But of course, what happens at Friday Night Tune Town stays in Friday Night Tune Town (not).
"Justice is not blind. It’s more like your mom, choosing to believe your brother over you just because he’s the ‘baby,’ her current favorite, and a better in-the-moment fabricator."
Really had me cracking up between that and some of your other stories.Sounds like you were a bit of a scamp in your younger years Ellen 😂
I also didn't know Joe Cocker did a version of The Letter or that Jose Feliciano was blind.
Love it, beautifully written. I followed a similar trajectory in the same era, and it's really interesting to hear a female perspective on it. Being male and born in the '50s of course I worshipped Jim Morrison and thought Jose's version inferior. So fun to read your take!
Thanks, Hugh! It's quite interesting that we were having similar experiences during that era and being influenced so powerfully by the music of the time.
Of course now I'm quite intrigued by Jim Morrison and a fan of The Doors. Watching the Jim Morrison documentary recently, he was struggling with drugs and other issues back then and just his voice seemed dangerous to me, so it seems I might have been picking up on those things subliminally. I suspect I saw him on Ed Sullivan as well, but don't remember it like I do the Beatles. They always seemed younger and more boy next door, whereas Jim was more like the guy kicked out of school and trying to entice you into the deep dark forest.
That’s a great story Ellen. Quite a soundtrack to be sure. My soundtrack would be a bit different, although it would include The Doors for sure. I’d have to slip Ronny and The Ronnettes in there though.
You’re the first person I’ve ever heard who felt that strongly about Terry Kath’s voice. I also admired his guitar playing. Seeing Chicago play live was a highlight of earlier years 25 or 6 to 4 was fantastic in their live set.
Thanks, Daniel! Ronnie and the Ronettes are a great choice, and I plan to do a post on Ronnie so we'll get to see what influenced her (besides Phil).
I'm so envious you got to see earlier Chicago. There's somewhat of a theme in my choices, in that many of them are rock/soul in terms of the song and artist's voice (Kath, Cocker, Joplin). Some would call it blue-eyed soul, but it's really just rock with a soul edge or soul with a rock edge. But, really, this post could've been miles long with many more songs if I had the stamina and my readers the interest.
I enjoyed early Chicago. Very early in my career I worked for Barry Fey (RIP) in Denver. The Caribou Ranch outside Boulder was a big recording venue at that time. I had the chance to see Chicago, Joe Walsh (pre Eagles), and a few other artists there in a very informal setting. I ran into Phil Spector once at a Hollywood party. I wanted to talk about his recording process but never got the chance. He was just weird, even for that crowd. The longer one lives, the longer the soundtrack. I realize that when I let Apple Music play a radio station based on my listening. The songs come from many years. It drives my daughter crazy if we’re working out. 🙂
You've certainly had an amazing career, Daniel. Can understand why your playlist drives your daughter crazy with so many artists and eras.
I read about Caribou Ranch in Danny Seraphine's autobiography, and then Terry's widow Camelia (who later married Jeff Lynne) visited the ranch in a documentary made by their daughter Michelle Sinclair called The Terry Kath Experience. It looked really cool, beautiful location. Really interesting doc if you ever want to walk down that memory lane.
Phil Spector's name just pops up everywhere, kind of like Leon Russell. Highly influential and intriguing but also you're not sure you want to go there. There are a lot of 'realities' in these biographies that are the opposite of sweetness and light.
Caribou was the standing its day. I didn’t know Terry’s widow married Jeff Lynne. That’s probably a good story. That Hollywood/LA time is one I would rather forget.
Well, who woulda thunk it? Ellen liked the bad boys!!! (If you don't know Gary Puckett's back story, it will give you the heebie jeebies...) George was of course the Bad Beatle. Morrison, well 'nuff said. Seriously, great piece, and not exactly symptomatic of writers' block--that looks like writing to me! And, yes, we've talked about this before, but I'm totally with you on the Supremes. Fully clothed and fully HOT.
It's like playing with fire. I wasn't into getting burned, so I watched the bad boys but kept my distance. That said, fire sure is mesmerizing!
I don't know Gary Puckett's backstory. Sometimes I post videos and then find out things that give me pause. If you have a source, let me know as wikipedia is not forthcoming.
This kind of writing is so much fun, but sometimes posts seem like work and then I know I've got some resistance to what I'm writing. There's a lot to say about Sister Rosetta, as you know all too well.
Those Supremes - making me rethink my wardrobe choices!
Re. Puckett, the song you picked is already bordering on creepy, but his biggest hits didn't just border. "Young Girl" is probably the most notorious, but "Lady Willpower" is also pretty directly about pedophilia. Puckett didn't actually write these songs, but as one commentator said, he sure sold them! Funny thing is back then, when the censors were still very active, they left the Union Gap alone. They probably didn't "get" what the songs were about. The censors were generally dumb that way.
I suspect it went over lots of heads as they were both hits, but I do remember at the time having a reaction to it myself. But then it makes me remember that we had some creepy teachers and incidents at school, one teacher later ending up in prison. Also a drivers' ed instructor who was an alcoholic. We kind of took that creepiness as part of life in a way we don't now. (Remember the whole flasher phenomenon?!)
Not to mention all the rock stars hanging out with and even marrying underage girls (thinking of Bill Wyman, with a 14 year old when he was 48, Anthony Kiedis with a 14 year-old when he was 23). It's a topic I'll have to contend with when I get to some of the groupie autobiographies.
My elementary school used to have assemblies twice a year in which a local cop would come and warn us not to talk to or accept rides from strangers. His tag line: "A stranger is a person you do not know." It was all vague and mysterious--no one ever explained what is was these terrible strangers might do. Of course, now we know that most perpetrators of child sex abuse are family members, close family friends, and clergy. 🙄🙄🙄
The warning we got was don't accept rides or candy from strangers. In the meantime we were like feral kids on the streets at all hours with our parents having no clue where we were. I don't remember any kids being approached or a single kid going missing, but we were in a fairly sleepy suburb.
From all reports, the authorities now look the other way and don't want to know about child sex abuse -- teachers, medical personnel, police, you name it. They put the onus on the kids and the parents, but, as you say, if it's in the home or church...
I really enjoyed your text. I have a similar way of relating to music: my memories are soundtracked. I think of whole chapters of my life based on what I was listening to at the time. Sometimes it was the music of that era, sometimes something decades older that just happened to hit me at the right moment.
I can only imagine what it must have felt like to hear the Beatles, the Supremes, the Doors (and so many others) as they were actually coming out. You Boomers were lucky in a lot of ways, but I think your greatest stroke of luck was having such an outstanding cohort of musicians. I’m pretty convinced your generation got the best the 20th century had to offer. (Honestly, I’d love to read your take on that in a future Substack post. Please?)
And I have to say, I loved that you brought up Herb Alpert! Whipped Cream & Other Delights is one of the more ridiculous and beloved conversation pieces in my record collection.
Also: I had no idea that Carly Simon was singing about Warren Beatty. I always assumed the vain guy was James Taylor. Clearly I’ve been living a lie.
PS: Your descriptions of your parents cracked me up. Such vivid characters.
Yes, my parents were major characters, and my mom had Whipped Cream & Other Delights. You can imagine how I puzzled over that record cover! Was she getting married in whipped cream and eating her dress?
We boomers were very lucky in terms of music, and the more I read the history of rock 'n' roll, the more theories I have about why that was. It may come out as I cover some of the women rockers, but I'll put it on my list of something to write about. I've been trying to figure out why it was such an extraordinary era, so you've spurred me to give it even more attention!
Great trip down memory lane! Similar artists for the boy growing up, different songs in many cases. “She Loves You” was the Beatles kicker for me and George was always my fave. “Blue Velvet” at Friday night Teen Town was a song to fall in love with. A ton of Motown, as we could tune in Detroit radio stations easily in Southern Ontario … “Respect”! Wore out that first CTA album with “Introductions” and of course “I’m A Man”.
Listening to Joe, loved watching Mad Dogs and Woodstock though it was “With A Little Help From My Friends.
A long response and thank you!
All incredible tunes too. How could we go wrong in that era? Fab songs and often dicey advice coming at us from all sides in the rock 'n' roll universe.
Friday Night Tune Town sounds like fun. But of course, what happens at Friday Night Tune Town stays in Friday Night Tune Town (not).
Loved this but especially:
"Justice is not blind. It’s more like your mom, choosing to believe your brother over you just because he’s the ‘baby,’ her current favorite, and a better in-the-moment fabricator."
Really had me cracking up between that and some of your other stories.Sounds like you were a bit of a scamp in your younger years Ellen 😂
I also didn't know Joe Cocker did a version of The Letter or that Jose Feliciano was blind.
Thanks, AJ, so glad to hear that it cracked you up.
A scamp is one word to describe me. My brother has quite a few choice others.
We do aim to educate here about artists, songs, and big issues like family injustice, as well as make your hair more lustrous.
Love it, beautifully written. I followed a similar trajectory in the same era, and it's really interesting to hear a female perspective on it. Being male and born in the '50s of course I worshipped Jim Morrison and thought Jose's version inferior. So fun to read your take!
Thanks, Hugh! It's quite interesting that we were having similar experiences during that era and being influenced so powerfully by the music of the time.
Of course now I'm quite intrigued by Jim Morrison and a fan of The Doors. Watching the Jim Morrison documentary recently, he was struggling with drugs and other issues back then and just his voice seemed dangerous to me, so it seems I might have been picking up on those things subliminally. I suspect I saw him on Ed Sullivan as well, but don't remember it like I do the Beatles. They always seemed younger and more boy next door, whereas Jim was more like the guy kicked out of school and trying to entice you into the deep dark forest.
Oh yeah, Jim Morrison seemed dangerous to me too, which is exactly what attracted me!
You are a true rock 'n' roller!
That’s a great story Ellen. Quite a soundtrack to be sure. My soundtrack would be a bit different, although it would include The Doors for sure. I’d have to slip Ronny and The Ronnettes in there though.
You’re the first person I’ve ever heard who felt that strongly about Terry Kath’s voice. I also admired his guitar playing. Seeing Chicago play live was a highlight of earlier years 25 or 6 to 4 was fantastic in their live set.
Thanks, Daniel! Ronnie and the Ronettes are a great choice, and I plan to do a post on Ronnie so we'll get to see what influenced her (besides Phil).
I'm so envious you got to see earlier Chicago. There's somewhat of a theme in my choices, in that many of them are rock/soul in terms of the song and artist's voice (Kath, Cocker, Joplin). Some would call it blue-eyed soul, but it's really just rock with a soul edge or soul with a rock edge. But, really, this post could've been miles long with many more songs if I had the stamina and my readers the interest.
I enjoyed early Chicago. Very early in my career I worked for Barry Fey (RIP) in Denver. The Caribou Ranch outside Boulder was a big recording venue at that time. I had the chance to see Chicago, Joe Walsh (pre Eagles), and a few other artists there in a very informal setting. I ran into Phil Spector once at a Hollywood party. I wanted to talk about his recording process but never got the chance. He was just weird, even for that crowd. The longer one lives, the longer the soundtrack. I realize that when I let Apple Music play a radio station based on my listening. The songs come from many years. It drives my daughter crazy if we’re working out. 🙂
You've certainly had an amazing career, Daniel. Can understand why your playlist drives your daughter crazy with so many artists and eras.
I read about Caribou Ranch in Danny Seraphine's autobiography, and then Terry's widow Camelia (who later married Jeff Lynne) visited the ranch in a documentary made by their daughter Michelle Sinclair called The Terry Kath Experience. It looked really cool, beautiful location. Really interesting doc if you ever want to walk down that memory lane.
Phil Spector's name just pops up everywhere, kind of like Leon Russell. Highly influential and intriguing but also you're not sure you want to go there. There are a lot of 'realities' in these biographies that are the opposite of sweetness and light.
Caribou was the standing its day. I didn’t know Terry’s widow married Jeff Lynne. That’s probably a good story. That Hollywood/LA time is one I would rather forget.
Love your story!
Thanks, Dan!
You did every year of your life and I see now how fun that could be. Not likely to do it myself. It would reveal too much!
Right?! Although there are a lot of significant details I left out to protect myself and the innocent...!
Exactly!
Well, who woulda thunk it? Ellen liked the bad boys!!! (If you don't know Gary Puckett's back story, it will give you the heebie jeebies...) George was of course the Bad Beatle. Morrison, well 'nuff said. Seriously, great piece, and not exactly symptomatic of writers' block--that looks like writing to me! And, yes, we've talked about this before, but I'm totally with you on the Supremes. Fully clothed and fully HOT.
It's like playing with fire. I wasn't into getting burned, so I watched the bad boys but kept my distance. That said, fire sure is mesmerizing!
I don't know Gary Puckett's backstory. Sometimes I post videos and then find out things that give me pause. If you have a source, let me know as wikipedia is not forthcoming.
This kind of writing is so much fun, but sometimes posts seem like work and then I know I've got some resistance to what I'm writing. There's a lot to say about Sister Rosetta, as you know all too well.
Those Supremes - making me rethink my wardrobe choices!
Re. Puckett, the song you picked is already bordering on creepy, but his biggest hits didn't just border. "Young Girl" is probably the most notorious, but "Lady Willpower" is also pretty directly about pedophilia. Puckett didn't actually write these songs, but as one commentator said, he sure sold them! Funny thing is back then, when the censors were still very active, they left the Union Gap alone. They probably didn't "get" what the songs were about. The censors were generally dumb that way.
I suspect it went over lots of heads as they were both hits, but I do remember at the time having a reaction to it myself. But then it makes me remember that we had some creepy teachers and incidents at school, one teacher later ending up in prison. Also a drivers' ed instructor who was an alcoholic. We kind of took that creepiness as part of life in a way we don't now. (Remember the whole flasher phenomenon?!)
Not to mention all the rock stars hanging out with and even marrying underage girls (thinking of Bill Wyman, with a 14 year old when he was 48, Anthony Kiedis with a 14 year-old when he was 23). It's a topic I'll have to contend with when I get to some of the groupie autobiographies.
My elementary school used to have assemblies twice a year in which a local cop would come and warn us not to talk to or accept rides from strangers. His tag line: "A stranger is a person you do not know." It was all vague and mysterious--no one ever explained what is was these terrible strangers might do. Of course, now we know that most perpetrators of child sex abuse are family members, close family friends, and clergy. 🙄🙄🙄
That cop showed dazzling definitional skills!
The warning we got was don't accept rides or candy from strangers. In the meantime we were like feral kids on the streets at all hours with our parents having no clue where we were. I don't remember any kids being approached or a single kid going missing, but we were in a fairly sleepy suburb.
From all reports, the authorities now look the other way and don't want to know about child sex abuse -- teachers, medical personnel, police, you name it. They put the onus on the kids and the parents, but, as you say, if it's in the home or church...
Love it!!😍
Thanks, John!
Hello Ellen,
I really enjoyed your text. I have a similar way of relating to music: my memories are soundtracked. I think of whole chapters of my life based on what I was listening to at the time. Sometimes it was the music of that era, sometimes something decades older that just happened to hit me at the right moment.
I can only imagine what it must have felt like to hear the Beatles, the Supremes, the Doors (and so many others) as they were actually coming out. You Boomers were lucky in a lot of ways, but I think your greatest stroke of luck was having such an outstanding cohort of musicians. I’m pretty convinced your generation got the best the 20th century had to offer. (Honestly, I’d love to read your take on that in a future Substack post. Please?)
And I have to say, I loved that you brought up Herb Alpert! Whipped Cream & Other Delights is one of the more ridiculous and beloved conversation pieces in my record collection.
Also: I had no idea that Carly Simon was singing about Warren Beatty. I always assumed the vain guy was James Taylor. Clearly I’ve been living a lie.
PS: Your descriptions of your parents cracked me up. Such vivid characters.
Thanks for the great read.
Thanks so much, Man in Plaid!
Yes, my parents were major characters, and my mom had Whipped Cream & Other Delights. You can imagine how I puzzled over that record cover! Was she getting married in whipped cream and eating her dress?
I actually know the Carly Simon story behind You're So Vain because I wrote a post on it. It involves Warren, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, a David (Bowie?), and an unknown mystery man -- https://rocknrollwithme.substack.com/p/youre-so-vain-by-carly-simon-1972?utm_source=publication-search
We boomers were very lucky in terms of music, and the more I read the history of rock 'n' roll, the more theories I have about why that was. It may come out as I cover some of the women rockers, but I'll put it on my list of something to write about. I've been trying to figure out why it was such an extraordinary era, so you've spurred me to give it even more attention!
“You’re So Vain” was on the soundtrack of my pre-teen life. I thought she was a badass.
Yes! She didn't take the bad behavior sitting down. Just the title of this song has done so much to name the issue and elevate it to prominence.
Indeed! Words are so powerful.