We remember Cynthia Lennon (1939-2015)

We remember Cynthia Powell who was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, on this day in 1939.  She eventually met John Lennon and became his wife in 1962.  They were divorced in 1969.

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Pres. Ford and those current historians

Pres. Ford's funeral was a big history lesson: Don't bet your farm on current historians because they usually get it wrong.

Pres. Ford is now the great leader who inherited a constitutional crisis, made the difficult but correct decision to pardon Pres. Nixon and had to deal with a tough recession in 1975-76.

Back in '76, cynical Democrats accused Pres. Ford of making a deal with Pres. Nixon on the pardon. In fact, the pardon was not about Pres. Nixon. It was about the US and putting the Watergate scandal behind us.

Maybe he wasn't a Lincoln but he was a very good Ford!

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1968 was a great year for The Bee Gees

The Bee Gees recorded music from the mid-1960's until Maurice died in 2003.  They recorded a bunch of 45's and albums and sold millions of them.

According to Billboard, The Bee Gees rank 3rd among groups for Most "Hot 100" number ones in history!

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb's songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Englebert Humperdink, Dionne Warwick, and many others.

In 1967, they hit the US market.   At the end of '67, they recorded "Massachusetts", their biggest hit up to that moment.   

The album "Idea" was released in the summer of '68 and it featured "I've gotta get a message to you" & "I started a joke", a couple of Top 10 hits in the US and million sellers around the world.

P.S.  You can listen to my show.  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

 

Remembering President Ford who was born on this day in 1913

President Ford was born on this day in 1913.  He died in 2006.

The 38th president spent much of his post presidency enjoying a well deserved retirement.  He made a few appearances but generally stayed home and enjoyed his wonderful wife and family. 

President Ford often smoked a pipe in public. He may have been the last president to smoke in public.   

Who remembers this from the day he became president:

"I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your President by your ballots.   So I ask you to confirm me as your President with your prayers."    

I remember Pres. Ford making that statement. I think that it went over very well with much of the country.

 P.S.  You can listen to my show.  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

May 1970: The Beatles' last single produced by Phil Spector

It was May 1970 and The Beatles released their last LP called "Let it be".     It included several studio and live tracks recorded the year before.

"The Long and Winding Road" turned out to be the last single released by the group.

There were other singles in the 1970's, such "Got to get you into my life" and "A day in the life".   However, those were old songs reissued for one reason or another.

It was "The long and winding road", with "For you blue" on the B-side, that was the last hit by the legendary band.      It reached # 1 on Billboard in June.

Later, a "Naked version" without Phil Spector's strings and choir, was also released.     Frankly, it was a lot better but we did not hear it until almost 30 years later.

You can get the LP HERE.    The so called "Naked version" HERE.    You can read more about Phil Spector.

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We remember Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

We remember Duke Ellington who was born in Washington DC on this day in 1899.    He died in 1974.

Duke was a jazz giant.   However, I first heard of him many years ago when my father used to listen to The Voice of America in Cuba.

Duke’s “Take the A train” was the intro-music for Willis Conover’s jazz show broadcast to the world on short wave.     

Conover broke the Iron Curtain, The Berlin Wall and came into Communist Cuba, too. 

It was a very catchy tune and millions around the world came to know Duke that way.

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April 8, 1974: Henry Aaron hits # 715

Henry Aaron passed Babe Ruth on this day in 1974.  He did it on national TV, at home and against the Dodgers.

I remember watching this moment on TV.  It was great.  Aaron is still #1 in my book.  He was one of the greatest players ever and a real gentleman!

 

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ABBA's "Waterloo" wins top song at Eurovision 1974

We've posted about ABBA a couple of times before.  

Back in 1974, ABBA won a European prize and it launched the group.

It took a couple of years for ABBA to click in the US.  However, they did in 1976 and the rest is history.

My first exposure to ABBA was listening to the radio in 1976 and hearing a song called "I do, I do, I do".  Again, I was convinced that they were the best two looking girls in Sweden.  

Click here for ABBA's "Waterloo".  It wasn't really about Napoleon & Waterloo but no one was angry with the girls for their view of history: 

April 4, 1974: Aaron hit # 714 on opening day

It was a big week for Aaron.

On opening day 1974, Hank Aaron hit # 714 off of Jack Billingham.   He tied Babe Ruth with a 3-run HR.   

A few days later, he hit # 715 in Atlanta in front of a national TV audience.

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1974: "Eres tu" by Mocedades became a favorite for people learning Spanish

"Eres tu" was the best thing that ever happened to Spanish class teachers.  

In other words, what could be better than a pop song in Spanish that every student wanted to learn?

Mocedades from Spain hit US radio this month and the results were a Top 10 hit called "Eres tu".    It was a great pop song.

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1974: Barbra Streisand's "The way we were" was # 1 this week

"The way we were" was released in 1973.    It quickly became a very popular romantic film starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.   The movie's title theme was # 1 this week in 1974.   

As far as I'm concerned, this is Streisand's finest song.    Alan Bergman and his wife Marilyn wrote the lyrics to this song, and Marvin Hamlisch wrote the music.

Her voice is incredible.

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Paul Newman and "The Sting"........

We remember Paul Newman, who was born on this day in 1925.    My favorite Newman movie was "The sting":

"The Sting".......Paul Newman (1925-2008)..... https://t.co/kZeZwWp9yh via @amazon

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) January 27, 2018

1974: Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford selected to the Hall of Fame

Two great Yankees were selected to the Hall of Fame on this day in 1974.

Mickey Mantle was one of the great power hitters in history:   .298 career batting average, 536 HR and 1,509 RBI.   He was also a 3-time MVP and played in 12 World Series.   He had a career .421 On Base Average.

Whitey Ford was one of the best lefthanders in major league history:  236 wins, 156 complete games and a 2.75 career ERA.   He played in 11 World Series and won 10 games.

Mantle and Ford were part of the great Yankee teams that dominated baseball from 1949-64.   They were great teammates and it was great to see them go into the Hall of Fame together.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column.