Redartz: Climb aboard, folks! Welcome to our first tour bus back, back, back to the Bronze Age. There's no fare, no tickets needed. All you need are a few memories, or a bit of imagination. Our first destination: November 9, 1975. Right there in the heart of the Bronze Age, dead center in the middle of the 70's. Gerald Ford is in the White House, Discos are getting popular and the X-Men are All-New. So what else is new? Let's find out...
On the radio, we're hearing the current number one on Billboard's American Hot 100: Elton John's "Island Girl"...
'75 has been a pretty good year for Elton. He's already been involved in three number one hits this year, including the immediately previous top hit: "Bad Blood". Rounding out the top hits for the day:
Billboard Top 5 Hits for week of Nov. 8, 1975 (U.S. Pop Chart)
1. Elton John- "Island Girl"
2. Eagles- "Lyin Eyes"
3. John Denver- "I'm Sorry"
4. The 4 Seasons- "Who Loves You"
5. Jefferson Starship- "Miracles"
Of course, my favorite current song is a bit further down the chart this week-"S.O.S" by ABBA. I'm playing the 45rpm to death, and to the distraction of my brother in the next room.
Say, what's on tv tonight? This being a Sunday, we check our newspaper tv schedule which tells us:ABC: "The Sonny Comedy Revue" followed by the ABC Sunday Night Movie
CBS: "Apple's Way", "Kojak" and "Mannix"
NBC: "Wonderful World of Disney", followed by the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie (which consisted of "Columbo", "McCloud" or "McMillan and Wife")Seems like many go for the Mystery Movie, especially detective Columbo. Peter Falk is incredible. My dad likes "Mannix" though, so guess where the family set is tuned?
But hey, leave us not forget our comics! New comic day is still a few days off, but a few books on the stands include:
That Avengers issue is very cool. Patsy Walker in action, by Perez no less! Then there is that fine cover on Green Lantern's DC Special. Word is his book will be revived soon...
Well, it is a school night, so staying up too late is out. But Sunday night means the "Dr. Demento Show" on local station Q-Rock 95. So I'll be listening in bed. Maybe the good Doctor will play the great Dickie Goodman parody "Mr. Jaws"...
As our day comes to an end, the haze of nostalgia fades and we are back in the present (although some might say I'm still lost out there somewhere). Hope you enjoyed this little taste of 'back then'. So what were you doing 'today'? Bet you have a thought or two. Love to hear them!
18 comments:
Extremely well put-together and enjoyable post and topic.
An apology, though-- deeply crushed this morning, not at all in a frame of mind conducive to contribution.
HB
The UK Top 5 that week:
1. Space Oddity - David Bowie.
2. D.I.V.O.R.C.E. - Billy Connolly.
3. Love is the Drug - Roxy Music.
4. Rhinestone Cowboy - Glenn Campbell.
5. Love Hurts - Jim Capaldi.
John Lennon was at Number 6 with Imagine.
Queen were at Number 17 with Bohemian Rhapsody.
ABBA were at Number 21 with SOS.
On TV:
Among other things, BBC1 was showing Trade Union Studies at 9:45 AM and a documentary about the Dalai Lama at 6:15 PM. Somehow, you just couldn't see it doing that these days.
Among other things, BBC2 was showing Wagner's The Flying Dutchman at 8:15 PM.
Sadly, I can't find any records of what ITV was showing on that day. I suspect they weren't showing anything that even vaguely resembled the above shows.
All hail Der Fuhrer President Trump. In Europe we love him...NOT. Steve got in before me - BBC Genome for November 9th 1975 reveals that BBC 1 was showing such gems as Trade Union Studies (sounds like fun), Making Toys, the film Samson & Delilah and The Wonderful World Of Disney. On Nov 9th 1975 I was reading the Marvel UK comics Spider-Man Comics Weekly, Dracula Lives and Planet Of The Apes which was featuring the adaptation of "Escape" drawn by Rico Rival.
Steve and Colin- thanks for the UK take on things; exactly the kind of input and response I hoped for. "Trade Union Studies"? Sounds like 'edge of your seat' viewing.
HB- thanks for the kind words. As for last night's events I will only say I will always remain an optimist, that there are more things that unite people than divide them. I hope our communities, our nation, and our world can heal and work together for a better day for all. Soapbox over...
Nice overall look at a day in the past Redartz! I was a fan of the Green Lantern revival with Grell doing art. Grell's First Issue Special introducing the Warlord came out in Nov 1975. That was the cover date-- Warlord #1 is dated Feb 1976, so that was probably the one on the rack at the time.
I was in grade 2 at the time. Elton John and ABBA were played at my house, so that's some of the first pop music I remember hearing. I was aware of Kojak and Columbo, but only watched an entire season of their shows in recent years-- enjoyed them, especially Columbo. Rockford Files is my favorite of that era for police/detective shows though.
I see Roxy Music is in Steve's top 5 in the UK. Nile Rodgers in his book Le Freak mentions how Roxy Music was a big inspiration for the creation of his band Chic. I finished the book yesterday-- great one, which covers his adventures in music from the hippie '60s to the disco '70s to the pop/new wave '80s, working with Chic, Madonna, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, etc.
Great idea Redartz! Fun topic. Steve Does Comics - thanks for the U.K. lists. I too really like Roxy Music and they never got as much recognition in the states. Interesting notes on the band's influence Garrett
Regarding detective shows of this era. There sure were plenty. The Rockford Foles was great and around this time I was 8 years old and wanted to run a detective agency. Between Encyclopedia Brown, Rockford, and Starsky and Hutch I was hooked. I always watched Columbo and McCloud And McMillan and wife at my grandparent's house Sunday nights. I've been rewatching Columbo lately and some are very well written and very clever in the solution. I may have to review some sometime as it is a fun series and Falk is excellent.
Some of those comics I got as back issues as it fell earlier than my purchasing started.
Trade Union Stories and Making Toys sound strangely exotic. Music was really good though in 75 as it was kind of transitioning.
And just ONE MONTH into the brand new series from the UK...
Space:1999.
It sure took me out of the comics realm for a while.
And of course, Starsky and Hutch.
As for this morning..? Eh, America is great and I'll clobber da' bum who says anything different. LOL. Let Freedom Ring.
Fantastic and well-researched post. Great idea, moving on from The Spinner Rack. Lots of goodness on which to reflect.
I played my Mr. Jaws LP to death! And, yesterday on my way home from school I was listening to Sirius/XM's 70s channel. They played a similar recording, but it was not by Dickie Goodman. Same sort of format, though. Funny stuff!
Doug
Hmmm, what was I doing in Nov 1975? I guess I was doing whatever three-and-a-half-year olds do ... probably smashing my toys.
Mike Wilson
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
Garrett- that Nile Rogers book sounds intriguing. Love his work, and he's done it all.
'Marti"- yes, 1975 was a banner year musically! That was one reason it was selected for our initial 'trip back '...
Oh, and Encyclopedia Brown was great.
David_b- "Space 1999"; loved it! Another great importance from the UK (about that time I discovered Monty Python).
Doug- thanks, your "Spinner Rack" was indeed the inspiration...
I was eleven and a month, roughly. As I look back on those years, I once again realize how important it would have been to WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. I have disjointed unconnected memories. I can look at Mike's Amazing and remember the comics I bought. Some I still own to this day. In the Spider-Man comic, didn't he hurt his arm and have to web it up? I also started buying more Fantastic Four and less Thor!?! What happened!?! I don't know!!! I didn't write things down......dammit.
I think it was also around this time that I figured out how to remove the top of my close and play, tape the button down and play my sister's albums. Grand Funk Railroad, Brownsville Station and Tony Orlando and Dawn.
If I had to offer an opinion on the Election, I would say (or type) that the electorate saw an entrenchment of the Status Quo and a deeply flawed and corrupt system, picked up a yuge orange rock and heaved it into the middle of the political pond. And that's why our cousins voted to leave the European Union!!! (Hey Colin, see what I did there?)
As for our Election, ditto. And on that note, I take this moment to pause and reflect on the world at it was 78 years ago and the world we live in today. We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
(Baby I heard thunder
I woke up 'middle of the night
Baby I saw fire
I went left, I went right
So you tell me what you want me to do
This might be over honey, it ain't through
Let me know when you're finished with me
What you want me to be
Baby you tell me
Honey you tell me
Baby I don't understand this
But that's alright, I can take a little pain
I've been winnin' and losin'
Baby I've been in and out of the rain
So you tell me what you want me to do
This might be over honey, it ain't through
Let me know when you're finished with me
What you want me to be
Baby you tell me
Honey you tell me
Well you put me through your paces and your twists
Until I felt like dying
Yeah the last thing that I needed
Was to finally realize that you were lying
So you tell me what you want me to do
This might be over honey it ain't through
Let me know when you're finished with me
What you want me to be
Baby you tell me
Honey you tell me
Baby you tell me
Will you tell me?).
PS: Now that the Election is over, no more robo calls......
Has anybody else noticed that Trump looks a lot like the Heat-Miser from Year Without a Santa Clause and has basically the same temperament?
Separated at birth?
M.P.
Found Coldmiser Hallmark ornament on sale-he looks like Bill. Never seen so many sad faces here in Montreal.
Prowl- have to give you kudos for your youthful ingenuity! Rigging the Close-and-Play, brilliant.
This is a great idea for a post, Redartz. Sorry I didn't really participate, most of yesterday (it's Thursday a.m. where I am) I was/am pretty much in HB's state of mind.
Anyway, in Nov. '75 I was seven, and, like Garett, just starting grade 2. I share many of the music and TV memories others have noted, and one thing I specifically recall is that the excitement over the coming year's Bicentennial celebrations was already starting to mount. I specifically recall that in my class photographs for that year (which were always taken in autumn in my school) I was wearing a (yellow) shirt that had one of those puffy, plastic decals of Mickey, Donald and Goofy in the Spirit of '76 pose (i.e., playing drums and flute, with an American flag in the background - in fact, I think the words "Spirit of '76" were written under the image).
November '75 belongs in my personal pre-history, just a little out of reach. (I was 5) But the shows mentioned were into reruns later in the 70s. Except, oddly, 'Trade Union Studies' In many ways, 1975 and 1976 are my favorite Bronze Age years, somehow in my dreams but only marginally as memories.
Crushed here too, working through the wreckage of my idealism.
I was out of town on a cruise this past week, but I love this segment. Hope it's a regular thing.
William- glad you enjoyed it! And yes, this will be a regular feature here; indeed the next 'ride' is in the works...
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