I Dig Rock and Roll Music

Last week, one of my favorite Bloggers wrote a piece titled “New NO PRIZE contest: Name the worst 70's song EVER”, it was concerning the worst songs of the 1970’s. He said that “the 70's were a Golden Era of horrible songs” and that there “were songs that make you queasy all over... .that make your flesh crawl.”

I must agree with him on some his selections. However I think that every decade has had it’s share of horrible but popular songs. Some were much more annoying than anything that came out of the 1970’s; with the possible exception of all 1970’s Disco Music. Many of those disco songs did make my flesh crawl.

One of favorite musicians and songwriters, Bruce Springsteen emerged in the 1970’s. He simultaneously made the covers of both Time and Newsweek Magazines in 1975. I first took note of him in 1972; I loved his lyrics because they reminded me of early Bob Dylan lyrics.

What about Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, the Doobie Brothers, Elton John, Grand Funk Railroad, Billy Joel and the Eagles. These people put out a lot of great music in the 1970.s. I was always a Rock and Roll and R&B fan. I also liked what we had called head (or stoner) music; Jethro Tull, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd.

The blogger must have been listening to the wrong radio stations. Probably Casey Kasem’s American Top 40. He mentions WLS in Chicago, which, as a teen, was my favorite radio station. Dick Biondi, “the Wild Itralian” was my favorite DJ in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. It was a station that played young people’s music. As times change, so does the music that is played on the radio, especially on a station that caters to youth. What was in fashion yesterday may not be in fashion today. But a lot of the 1970’s music has endured the test of time. Nearly two generation later, young people listen to and can recite the lyrics to these songs.

My parents could not understand why I listened and enjoyed the music on WLS. They had thought that they had taught me to have better musical taste. I attempted to explain to them that it was the music of my generation. I still liked Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Nat “King” Cole; but Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly excited me a little more.

One of the songs that were mentioned on the Blog was “Seasons in the Sun” performed by Terry Jacks. I like the song but not necessarily the Terry Jacks’ version. I first heard it in December of 1963. It was on The Kingston Trio’s Album “Time to Think”. The featured song on this album was “Song for a Friend” written by John Stewart and dedicated to the memory of JFK. In the liner notes “The Trio” (probably written by John Stewart) wrote – “Honest songs have always left a mark in their particular era. For songs springing from real emotion will forever ring true and therefore find meaning with each new generation.”

The Beach Bum