Saturday, December 25, 1971

Merry Christmas!



Image result for retro nativity images

We have heard this story many times but it is still meaningful and beautiful:
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:8-20) 





Friday, December 10, 1971

1971: The Mets traded a young Nolan Ryan to the Angels

Maybe the Mets needed some hitting?    On this day in 1971, the Mets traded a very young Nolan Ryan to the Angels for Jim Fregosi, a former AL All Star.  

To be fair, Ryan had been a bit wild as a young pitcher plus the Mets were very deep with Seaver, Koosman and Gentry.    They felt that Fregosi could add some punch to their lineup.

The trade paid off because the Mets won the NL pennant in 1973.  On the other hand,  the Angels had to wait until 1979 for a championship.   

Ryan was a strikeout king for much of the 1970's before signing with the Astros and ending his career with the Rangers.

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December 10, 1967: We remember the day that Otis Redding was killed in Madison, Wisconsin



Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin on this day in 1967.


I remember this event quite well.  We had heard on the radio that Otis Redding would play in Madison.  His sudden death was quite a shock for many of us.

Otis Redding recorded "Dock of the Bay" a few days before his death.  It became a #1 song the following spring. 

What a talented performer!   You can get his music HERE.   

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Tuesday, December 07, 1971

Pearl Harbor 1941 and World War II with Barry Jacobsen

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Wednesday, November 24, 1971

Thanksgiving 2021 with Frank Burke author and businessman


Thanksgiving 2021 with Frank Burke author and businessman 11/23 by Silvio Canto Jr | Politics: 

Guest: Frank Burke, businessman and author.....We will look at Thanksgiving 2021.........and other stories.............click to listen:

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Wednesday, November 17, 1971

November 1971: Three Dog Night released “Old fashioned love song”

An Old Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night.jpg

Three Dog Night had many hits, from "One" to "Joy to the world" to "Black and white".   

My favorite was released in November 1971.    "An old fashioned love song" was a Paul Williams' composition.    It peaked at # 4 in the US and # 2 in Canada.


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Tuesday, November 09, 1971

November 1971: "Stairway to heaven" is a year older!


================================

Led Zepellin's "Stairway to heaven" is another year older this month. 

Led Zepellin was one of the greatest British bands ever.  They had a very unique sound and came along just as LP's were replacing 45's. 

It is probably the most interesting song of the 1970's but it suffered from massive saturation on FM or "album rock" radio. 

Yes, I got so tired of this song that I avoided it for years.  I guess that's what happens when you play something so often that it makes you sick.

However, I like it again, specially when I'm working out and need an 8-minute song to help me pass the time.

Overall, it was a great song and a real rock classic, one of the best songs of the rock era.  It came at # 31 in Rolling Stone's Top 500!

Last, but not least, I am still not sure what the lyrics mean!  Perhaps I'll figure them out in the next 40 years!

Click here for the song:............

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  "There's a lady who's sure All that glitters is gold
And shes buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall But she wants to be sure
cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook Theres a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder, Ooh, it makes me wonder.

Theres a feeling I get When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen 
Rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who standing looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder, 
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And its whispered that soon If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn 
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow 
Don't be alarmed now,
Its just a spring clean for the may queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run There's still time 
to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.

Your head is humming and it wont go
In case you don't know,
The pipers calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

And shes buying a stairway to heaven...."



Friday, November 05, 1971

Song of the day: Mary Hopkin's "The Honeymoon Song"

Image result for mary hopkin images

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Thursday, November 04, 1971

Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit" is a funny story and nice movie




What can you say about this story by Noel Coward?   


Here is the plot:   Charles and his second wife Ruth, are haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira.    

He is Rex Harrison, the second wife is Constance Cummings and the ghost is Kay Hammond.   

Let's me just say that it's very funny and entertaining.    Also, you won't believe the ending so watch it.


Friday, October 15, 1971

We remember Mario Puzzo (1920-99)





We remember Mario Puzzo who was born in New York City on this day in 1920.  He died in 1999.  

His book "The Godfather" was published in 1999 and the story turned into a movie in 1972.


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Wednesday, October 13, 1971

October 13, 1971: Pirates and Orioles played first night World Series game



The Pirates and Orioles played the first night World Series game on this day in 1971.   Pittsburgh won 4-3 after trailing 3-0.

The series went 7 and Steve Blass pitched a complete game to win it for Pittsburgh.



Friday, October 08, 1971

1967: Che was captured in Bolivia









By 1965, Che Guevara had faded from public life. His disappearance created all kinds of speculation about Che’s relationship with Fidel and Raúl Castro. After all, some close to Castro in 1959 had been killed in accidents, like Camilo Cienfuegos, or stuck in political prisons, like Huber Matos. Cienfuegos’s plane was never found, and Matos was eventually released in some prisoner exchange.  Matos spent the rest of his life in exile.

Che reappeared in 1966 in Bolivia, where he hoped to bring about a revolution.  How did he get there?  Who paid his bills? Why did he suddenly leave Cuba?  Many believe that Fidel and Raúl wanted him out, and starting a revolution in Bolivia was the exit.  I think it’s fair to say that Che had worn out his welcome with the Castro brothers, specially after they saw how popular he was with the international left.  As we learned, there is only one “popular” person in Cuba, and that’s Fidel.

Fifty-five years ago this week, Che was captured and executed by Bolivian troops operating with the CIA.  It happened very fast.  As we learned in his diary, Che and his men lacked food and medicine and were barely surviving in the jungle.  It’s possible that Che would have died of bad health and no medical care.  He was battling asthma attacks constantly.  Also, they were not getting a lot of help from Cuba, either by design or because the supplies could not reach them.  My guess is that Che was happy to get captured and hoped for some prison time and then a return to Cuba.  He did not get his wish.

Che subsequently became “the image” on all those t-shirts.  He became the ultimate anti-U.S. symbol, the image that every left-wing group goes to when its members have a gripe against the U.S.

Ironically, he was captured because the campaign in Bolivia failed miserably.  It failed for two reasons, as Humberto Fontova explained in Exposing the Real Che.  Read the book for more details, but it went down like this:

1) Bolivia was not Cuba.

2) The natives in Bolivia never bought into the idea that a band led by a guy from Argentina and Cubans was there to save them.  In the end, it was the villagers he was trying to “liberate” who turned him in.  Again, the Bolivian campaign was a total failure.  The locals never read the memo about Cuban health care, I guess.

Che was a murderer and a man who said awful things about blacks, for example.  This is from Guillermina Sutter Schneider:

In his diary, he referred to black people as “those magnificent examples of the African race who have maintained their racial purity thanks to their lack of an affinity with bathing.” He also thought white Europeans were superior to people of African descent, and described Mexicans as “a band of illiterate Indians.”

Today, we would call him a racist and a homophobe!  We’d cancel him from universities.  Twitter would delete his account.

So I still remember my father saying in Spanish that they got him.  Indeed they did, and many champagne bottles popped in the Cuban exile community this week in 1967.

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Monday, October 04, 1971

October 1966: "Good vibrations" was released by The Beach Boys

Today, we remember The Beach Boys, my favorite group after The Beatles, The Bee Gees and The Rolling Stones.

"Good vibrations" was so ahead of its time that it still sounds innovative today.   It was released in October 1966 and moved to # 1 by December!


It is rare for a "pop song" to get better with age.....this one does everyday!


It was the first single after the "Pet Sounds", or the greatest Beach Boys LP ever released in the early summer of 1966.   Over time, it became the 6th best song ever, according to Rolling Stone's Top 500 songs!  It also came in as # 24 in Songs of the Century.

"Good Vibrations" was followed by "Heroes and Villains", another one of my all time favorites.


Aren't those harmonies amazing?  Cheers for Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson and Al Jardine!   

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Thursday, September 30, 1971

September 30, 1927: Babe Ruth hit # 60!



Ruth was arguably the greatest professional athlete of the 20th century. He saved baseball in the 1920's after the White Sox World Series scandal. It was Ruth and his majestic home runs that put people back in the seats.

Ruth set the all time record home run record, a mark that stood until Aaron passed him in 1974.   We remember # 60 in 1927!

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Sunday, September 26, 1971

1971: Jim Palmer makes it four 20-game winners for Baltimore



Jim Palmer and the Orioles made a little history on this day in 1971.   He won his 20th and joined teammates Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally & Pat Dobson as 20-game winners.

A few days later, the O's swept the A's in the ALCS.  Then they lost to the Pirates in the World Series.


A great moment in O's history:   Four 20-game winners in one staff!

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Saturday, September 11, 1971

We remember Jackie Hernández (1940-2019)


Image result for jackie hernandez pirates images

We remember Jackie Hernández (Jacinto Hernández Zulueta) who was born in Central Tinguaro, Matanzas Cuba, on this day in 1940.

Jackie broke with the Angels in 1965. He played 9 seasons and hit .208 over 618 games. His best season was 1969 when he played 145 games with the expansion Royals. Jackie played for the Pirates in all 7 games of the 1971 World Series.

On September 1, 1971, Jackie made history as one of the 8 black position players who took the field for the Pirates.

After the majors, Jackie played in Mexico and died in Miami in 2019.

Saturday, August 14, 1971

1971: We remember Bob Gibson's no-hitter

1971: We remember Bob Gibson's no-hitter


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Tuesday, August 10, 1971

Friday, August 06, 1971

1971: "Melody" is a year older

Original Soundtrack Recording From Melody (1971, Vinyl) | Discogs
Like some of you, I caught the "rent a video" bug in the mid-1980's. 

I remember going to the store one weekend and finding a British movie called "Melody" from 1971.  I read that it featured the music of The Bee Gees so that was enough to rent and watch the movie.  I don't think that the movie was released in the US.


Frankly, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable movies that I've ever seen.  It did not win any awards or get inducted in some Hall of Fame but it was entertaining.

"Melody" was the story of a boy and girl living that "moment" when we all figure out that boys and girls are different. 

You can call it your "first crush" moment!   Remember that time when you kept looking at some girl across the room?  Remember how she looked back?  Remember the Friday night dance with all of the boys on one side and the girls on the other?

"Melody" was very nice and the music was fabulous, specially "First of May", one of the greatest songs from The Bee Gees' repertoire.

Rent "Melody" and you will enjoy it, specially if you were once a 12-year old boy with a crush on a cute girl in school.

1971: WABC New York Top 20 this week

Image result for chicago beginnings images

We remember this week in 1971.  It was a pretty good list in the very early 1970's.   

At # 16, Chicago and the "45" version of "Beginnings".  The LP version was actually released in 1968 in that great LP simply called "Chicago Transit Authority".  The original version was very long, as I recall.

So here is the Top 20 at WABC New York:

  1. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart                            
                               The Bee Gees (Atco) 
  2. Draggin' the Line - Tommy James (Roulette)                 
  3. You've Got a Friend - James Taylor (Warner Brothers)       
  4. Indian Reservation (The Lament of the                        
          Cherokee Reservation Indian) - The Raiders (Columbia)  
  5. Bring the Boys Home - Freda Payne (Invictus)                
  6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye (Tamla)         
  7. Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver (RCA)            
  8. It's Too Late - Carole King (Ode)                           
  9. Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight (Stax)                          
 10. Hot Pants (She Got to Use What She Got                       
            to Get What She Wants) Pt. 1 - James Brown (People)  
 11. Spanish Harlem - Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)                
 12. Don't Pull Your Love -                                       
                       Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (Dunhill)  
 13. What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin & John -    
                                              Tom Clay (Mowest) 
 14. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - The Dramatics (Volt)          
 15. K-Jee - The Nite-Liters (RCA)                              
 16. Beginnings - Chicago (Columbia)                            
 17. Signs - The Five Man Electrical Band (Lionel)              
 18. Sooner or Later - The Grass Roots (Dunhill)                
 19. Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers (Sussex)                  --
 20. Sweet Hitch-Hiker - Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fantasy)

Thursday, August 05, 1971

August 1971: Remembering "How can you mend a broken heart" by The Bee Gees!


Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb had the # 1 song in the US back in August 1971.  In fact, it was # 1 for several weeks and their first # 1 in the US.  Of course, they had more in the 1970's..........9 in total.

Today, we remember one of the Gibbs' most beautiful songsIt was written by Barry and Robin. Maurice played piano & background vocals.



Wednesday, August 04, 1971

We remember Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)


Image result for louis armstrong images
Louis Armstrong was one of the greatest performers ever. I've always enjoyed his unique style as a vocalist and instrumentalist.   He was born on August 4, 1901 and died July 6, 1971!

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Wednesday, July 21, 1971

1940: "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway


"For whom the bell tolls" by Ernest Hemingway tells one side of the story.   It is a partisan recount of the story.   Nevertheless, it is a look back at the bloody struggle known as The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939.

 
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Tuesday, July 13, 1971

1971 All Star Game: Reggie Jackson hit a mammoth shot at Tiger Stadium

On this day in 1971, Reggie Jackson hit a massive home run off the Pirates' Dock Ellis.   It hit the power generator on the right-field roof at Tiger Stadium.   

By the way, the 1971 game was an amazing collection of future Hall of Famers:   Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Willie Stargell, Willie McCovey, Johnny Bench, Ron Santo, Lou Brock, Roberto Clemente, Steve Carlton, Ferguson Jenkins, Juan Marichal, Tony Oliva and Tom Seaver.


Jackson's shot stole the headlines to say the least.

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Sunday, July 04, 1971

1942: The Pride of the Yankees, my favorite baseball movie


What a great movie.   

This is the story of Lou Gehrig and I have to watch it every year.   You can catch Babe Ruth playing himself.   

Gehrig died in 1939 at age 36, a couple of months short of his 37th birthday.

His numbers are legendary:  .340 career batting average, 494 HR & 1,995 RBI.   Add to this 2,721 hits in 2,164 games PLUS the 2,130 consecutive game streak.  Lou played in 7 World Series and was the clean up hitter of the 1927 Yankees!

This is a Hollywood version.   However, it depicts Lou correctly.   Lou was a gentleman and a team player.

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Saturday, July 03, 1971

July 3, 1971: Jim Morrison died

Jim Morrison died on this day in 1971.    It happened months after Jimi Hendrix and Janis Japlin also died.   And on the second anniversary of Brian Jones' death.    It was a sad two year period for rock.

According to news reports, he was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment.    He was 27.    


As I recall. "Riders on the storm" was on the radio at that time.


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