Wednesday, December 14, 1977

1977: Another anniversary of Saturday Night Fever


The movie "Saturday Night Fever" hit the theaters this week in 1977.  The rest is history.

Like many, I watched the movie and found the soundtrack fantastic.  I wasn't that crazy about the plot, i.e. good music, silly story!

There were four new songs from the movie.   They were:  "How deep is your love", "Stayin' Alive", "Night Fever" and "More than a woman".   

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

Sunday, November 06, 1977

We remember Walter Johnson (1887-1946)


We remember Walter Johnson who was born on this day in 1887.   He died in 1946.

Check out these awesome statistics:  417 wins, 2.17 career ER, 3509 Ks, 531 complete games and 110 shutouts.   


He also lost 279 games!


Johnson had a .599 winning pct.   In other words, he lost 40% of his games.  


How do you lose 40% of your games with a 2.17 career ERA?   He must have had a lot of 1-0 or 2-1 complete game losses.

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.



Saturday, November 05, 1977

1977: Happy anniversary to President & Mrs. Bush

 


We say happy anniversary to President and Mrs. Bush.  They were married on this day in 1977.  The couple lives in Dallas today.

Mr. Bush was governor of Texas, 1995-2001, and President of the US, 2001-2009.

 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.

Wednesday, November 02, 1977

We remember Keith Emerson (1941-2016)


We remember Keith Emerson who was born in the UK on this day in 1941 and passed away in 2016.   

Keith was the keyboardist of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, a great band from the 1970's.   

They released several best selling LPs and many good songs.    My favorite after all of these years is "Lucky man".

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

Tuesday, October 04, 1977

1977 and listening to "How deep is your love" by Bee Gees



Back in October '77, Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb released "How deep is your love".

Two months later, the whole world was watching "Saturday Night Fever" and the rest is history.

"How deep is your love" is one of the greatest songs composed and recorded by the Brothers Gibb.   It ranks high in every one's favorite compilation of romantic tunes!

Barry sang lead and Robin & Maurice did some fabulous harmony.

No wonder it stayed in the Top 10 for 17 weeks.  It was great!

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.


Wednesday, September 14, 1977

Where were you September 1977? "Star Wars" at the movies and a disco version on the radio

Image result for star wars 1977 movie images
Let me paraphrase Wolfman Jack:   Where were you in '77?

We remember this year another anniversary of "Star Wars".  

By the fall of 1977, people were dancing to a disco version of the theme song by Meco!  

By the way, Meco was Domenico Monardo, who once played in the Cadet Band at West Point.   

Who would have believed any of this in 1977?  I certainly didn't and most of you probably didn't either.



Tuesday, August 16, 1977

August 1977 and we remember another anniversary of Elvis' death!


The newspapers the day Elvis died - 3 | Elvis presley, History ...
It was August 16, 1977 and I was driving home from a night class.  Like everybody else, I was shocked to hear of Elvis' death.  He was only 42.

Elvis came to Baltimore in mid-1977.    I recall speaking to a lady who went to the concert.  She said that Elvis looked terrible and overweight.   Her words were "awful and fat".

She added  that this is not the Elvis that she remembered in Las Vegas a few years before.

We know now that Elvis was not taking care of himself and allegedly taking drugs.

There were many chapters in the Elvis story, from the young rocker to the big concerts of the 1970's.    Please give me his earlier material, such as "I want you, I need you, I love you".

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Friday, August 05, 1977

1977: "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb was # 1 this week

Image result for andy gibb I just want to be your everything images

Frankly, I thought that it was The Bee Gees when I heard "I just want to be your everything" on the radio.   Then the announcer said that it was Andy Gibb, the Bee Gees' little brother.    

Andy Gibb had incredible success for a couple of years.   He has huge hits and sold millions of records on his own.    Unfortunately, he couldn't handle success and died very young in 1988.



Monday, July 11, 1977

June 11, 1967: Tony Perez hit a 15th inning HR to win marathon All Star Game



On this day in 1967 millions watched on TV one of the greatest All Star Game pitching duels ever. The final score was National League 2, American League 1 in 15 innings.

In this game, all three runs came on solo homers by third basemen: Dick Allen, Brooks Robinson and Tony Perez. It was also the longest game in All-Star history, a mark tied in 2008.

The 1967 rosters included 21 future Hall of Famers: Tony Perez, Tom Seaver, Don Drysdale, Ferguson Jenkins, Bill Mazeroski, Jim Hunter, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Joe Torre, Ernie Banks, Hank Aaron, Lou Brock, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Rod Carew, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Tony Oliva, Al Kaline and Carl Yastrzemski.

It was a great night for Tony Perez of Ciego de Avila. Tony replaced Dick Allen in the 10th. He struck out against Catfish Hunter in the 12th, then hit the game-winner to deep left field with one out in the top of the 15th.

Along with Perez, there were two other Cubans: the aforementioned Tony Oliva and Mike Cuellar.


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July 11, 1968: We remember Earl Weaver today!


July 11, 1968: Earl Weaver wins his first game as Baltimore ...
We remember that Earl Weaver became the Orioles manager on this day in 1968.   He went on to win 4 AL pennants (1969, 1970, 1971 & 1979), 1 World Series in 1970 and 2 AL East titles in 1973-74.   Weaver won 1,480 games with an excellent .583 winning percentage.

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.


Monday, May 30, 1977

Where were you Memorial Day weekend 1977?

(My new American Thinker post.  See for links and references)


Let me paraphrase Wolfman Jack and ask you: where were you in '77?  More specifically, where were you Memorial Day weekend 1977?

We remember this weekend the 44th anniversary of Star Wars. In my mind, the movie was OK, but the return on the investment was really something else, as we see here:

Inspired by films like the Flash Gordon serials and the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa, as well as such critical works as Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces and Frank Herbert's Dune books, Lucas began work on Star Wars in 1974. 

Ground-breaking in its use of special effects, this is considered to be among the most successful—and most influential—films of all time. Produced with a budget of US$11,000,000 and released on May 25, 1977, the film became one of the most successful of all time, earning $215 million in the United States and $337 million overseas during its original theatrical release, as well as winning several film awards, including 10 Academy Award nominations. 

It was re-released several times, sometimes with significant changes; the most notable versions were the 1997 Special Edition and the 2004 DVD, which were modified with CGI effects and recreated scenes. It was re-released in the Blu-ray format in September of 2011. 

The film was selected to be preserved by the Library of Congress as part of its National Film Registry. The film was selected in 1989, the program's first year in existence.

It was also a marketing bonanza.  Every boy wanted to be Luke Skywalker and every girl for sure Princess Leia.  Nobody was talking about "gender roles" back then.  Maybe things were simpler or people had more common sense.

By fall, young people were dancing to a disco version of the theme song by Meco!  By the way, Meco was Domenico Monardo, who once played in the Cadet Band at West Point. It still sounds cool today.

Who would have believed any of this on that Memorial Day weekend of 1977, when the movie was being promoted?  I certainly didn't, and most of you probably didn't, either.  On second thought, this is the U.S. and wonderful and amazing things happen here.

May the force be with you!

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Wednesday, May 25, 1977

May 25, 1977: "Star Wars" was released

Image result for star wars 1977 images
“Star Wars” opened across the US in 1977.    The characters quickly became known from coast to coast:
Mark Hamill as “Luke Skywalker”, “Han Solo” (Harrison Ford) “Princess Leia” (Carrie Fisher) and “Darth Vader” (James Earl Jones).      
Stars mania began years ago!     Soon, “Star Wars” hit the music charts too. 

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Saturday, May 07, 1977

Gary Cooper and so many great movies

Gary Cooper was born on this day in 1901

He made some great movies.   My favorite are "Pride of the Yankees" from  1942 and "High Noon" from  1952.

A great actor, an American original.

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.




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Friday, February 25, 1977

1964: Clay beat Liston for his first heavyweight crown





By February 1964, Cassius Clay was a 22-year old Olympic gold medalist (1960) and looking for first title.   

On this day in 1964, he got it with a technical knockout of Sonny Liston.   

It was the beginning of the legend of Ali.

Saturday, February 05, 1977

February 1977: Fleetwood Mac released "Rumours"


Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" was released in early February 1977.     It became one of the top LP's of the 1970's.      My guess is that most fans did not know that the group was going through some serious conflicts during the recording of this album.

It sounds good 40-something years later.   There were great songs like "Go your own way"!

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.




Thursday, February 03, 1977

February 1977: Martin Dihigo, Hall of Fame

Image result for martin dihigo images
We remember today the life and times of Martin Dihigo, the great Cuban player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.   He was inducted in Cooperstown this week in 1977.
Dihigo was born in 1905 and played in the Negro Leagues from 1923-47.
Dihigo was 42 by the time that Jackie Robinson broke “the color line” in 1947. 
We do know that Buck Leonard, the legendary player and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs said this: 
“He was the greatest all-around player I know. I say he was the best player of all time, black or white. He could do it all.”
We recorded a show in 2013 about Martin Dihigo.   Click below.
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.



Wednesday, January 19, 1977

1977: Ernie Banks selected to the Hall of Fame

Ernie Banks was selected to the Hall of Fame on this day in 1977.   

Banks was a three-time .300 hitter and retired with a .274 average,  2,583 hits, 1,305 runs scored, and 1, 636 RBI.    He won the NL MVP in 1958 and 1959 despite playing for some bad Cubs' teams.

On May 12, 1970, Banks hit # 500 and finished with 512.   He died in 2015.

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Tuesday, January 18, 1977

A 1951 film with Ronald Reagan & Rhonda Fleming

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Late last night, I flipped TV channels and found Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming in "The Last Outpost".     It was reissued later as "Cavalry Charge".    

What's the plot?   It is the story of two brothers who survive an Indian attack in the Old West.

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.




Saturday, January 08, 1977

Flipping channels and I found Elvis and "Wild in the country"


Flipping channels and then I find Elvis and "Wild in the country".

It's another of those serious movies that Elvis made, like "Flaming Star", the one I that I mentioned a few days ago.

Elvis is a troubled young man who needs a bit of "tough love".   He wants to be a writer and Hope Lange plays his counselor.    Tuesday Weld and Millie Perkins are the two ladies in the movie.

It's a good movie.  There were no hit songs from this movie.   Two tunes did end up as B-sides for other big Elvis hits.   

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

Dolores Hart and Elvis: A neat story

Image result for dolores hart imagesElvis was born on this day in 1935 and we remember the story of Dolores Hart.

She gave Elvis his first "screen kiss" in "Loving you", the 1956 movie.  Dolores was also one of the four girls in "Where the boys are", another huge film from that time.

Dolores gave up all of that fame and fortune and became a nun.  She decided that there were more important things in this world than being rich and famous.

What a story and she always spoke very fondly of Elvis.

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




Elvis is still selling after all these years



Elvis was born on this day in 1935.    He died in 1977 at the age of 42.

Incredibly, his music still sells and "everything Elvis" turns on the cash register, as we see in this article from Charles Passy:

"The fact that Mr. Presley, who died in 1977 at the age of 42, is continually rediscovered by new generations seems to only fuel Elvis tourism. Graceland, operated by a business partnership in conjunction with Mr. Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie, saw almost 600,000 visitors in 2014—a 5% increase from 2013 and the highest total in seven years.The partnership has its eyes on expansion: Ground has already been broken on a 450-room hotel/entertainment complex as part of Graceland, expected to open in 2016. A Graceland-organized temporary exhibition of Elvis artifacts, from cars to jumpsuits, is now running in London. And Graceland has plans to host a permanent exhibition in Las Vegas."
Elvis's success is probably due to a couple of reasons:

1) Elvis died young, a sure way to become a legend.     See James Dean and Marilyn Monroe; and,


2) Elvis was a fantastic entertainer.   His music still sounds great.


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




We remember Elvis Presley (1935-77)





Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on this day in 1935.  Not surprisingly, his songs are still selling. 

As an artist, Elvis sold over
1 billion records. Yes, I did say 1 billion!
He had:
"...no less than 149 songs to appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America.
Of these, 114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one.
His number one singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one.
He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten of them reaching number one.
These figures are only for the pop charts, and only in America.
He was also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and his chart success in other countries was substantial."
In the US, Elvis had 150 different albums and singles certified gold.

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.









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