Thought for the Day Repentance
Robert E. Chatfield
Don't think I've ever done that before. Sent the same item out two days in a row.
Been a busy week. Doctor and dentist appointments and trying to keep up on my exercise. I think I need a break. How about you?
Let's have a little fun and for some of us, reminisce. The rest of you youngsters can eat your heart out. You were just born too late.
I
am so sorry! Usually we send out these mailings with the idea of
uplifting everyone. This mailing is meant to depress some.
“What is he talking about?” You might be asking.
Simply put, the purpose of this letter is to convince many of you that you were born too late. It’s not your fault of course, just nature’s way of showing that life is not fair. Because you were born too late, you missed the opportunity to live through some of the most exciting years since the earth was created. My intent is to help you young whippersnappers understand what you have missed, help you discover that not all is lost and that some of the past can be recaptured, thanks to modern technology. True you will never be able to say you lived though those most exciting years, but you can visit and enjoy them.
In this letter I want to concentrate on the music of those past years.
I was blessed to live through two spectacular music era’s: The 30’s and the 50’s. I was born at the end of the 30’s, and it was only by virtue of a fluke that I was introduced to the music of that era later on. But even then it was popular. There were radio shows that specialized in 30’s/40’s music only. At the time of that introduction Rock N’ Roll was in its infant stages. Actually, the world was just getting introduced to R & R as well. So, I spent the 50’s and some of the 60’s listening to and collecting lots of music from two generations. My radio, record store and eventually tape recorder, were my best friends.
In retrospect, perhaps my time could have been better spent in more worthwhile pursuits like homework, organized sports, or other worthwhile activities, but I just loved the music.
Following are some examples of what I am talking about, with but a little dialogue.
Maybe you will decide you have no interest in this. Well, do not fret or feel you are hurting me in any way, for I had a lot of fun putting this together.
This may not be all that articulate, but it does take me, and I hope a number of other ol………ah……….mature adults, back to those marvelous days gone by. Some farther than others.
To discuss Rock N’ Roll you’ve got to start with Bill Haley and the Comets Rock Around The Clock. I fell for this at least a year before it became a nation-wide hit.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/rock-around-the-clock/
Had it not become the theme song for the movie Blackboard Jungle we might still be dancing the minuet.
Anyhow, issued in 1954 and finally a hit in 1955, the floodgates were opened for many a rock N’ roll song and star.
Rock around the clock
Bill Haley and the Comets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fsqYctXgM
Blue Suade Shoes
Carl Perkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wgc07esXlY
Jerry Lee Lewis may have been the first R & R bad boy, creating a huge clamor when he married his 13 year old cousin. He is still performing today, more in the Country and Western arena. Then again, much of today’s Country and Western is 50’s R & R.
Whole lot of Shaken Goin On
Jerry Lee Lewis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yRdDnrB5kM
Great Balls of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IjgZGhHrYY
Roy Orbison reached great musical heights in the music field. This was his first hit. Lyrics may not have been that great but the guitar was.
Ooby-Dooby
Roy Orbison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ijEWj2xmg&feature=related
We had our extreme screeching artists too.
Lucille
Little Richard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3-OaNevkfg
The Father of R & R has got to be Chuck Berry. He has 5 of the top 30 hits in the 50’s. (7 ou tof 100, 11 out of 200 http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_songs50s.html) He is still performing at age 83.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry#Current_activities
Johnny B. Goode (Number 1 on the top 200 list)
Chuck Berry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8JULmUlGDA&feature=related
Best quality I could find.
Maybellene
Chuck Berry
Maybellene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvKDr8AgvK8
Famous for the Duck walk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3rG73VOqyo
Roll over Beetoven
Chuck Berry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD80CostTV0
Following may be the first instance I recall The Church taking a stand against modern music. Actually not released until the 60’s, this song caused a great stir. How many dances did we attend where this was forbidden to be played? It became apparent we needed watching the moves and listening more closely to the song lyrics as well. Nowadays it is mandatory.
The Twist
Chubby Checker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im9XuJJXylw
Summer Time Blues
Eddie Cochrane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZZD8ckwLJA
Fats Domino has been one great talent whose last performance was in May 2007.
The Fat Man
Fats Domino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICq9lEqj4cI
Blueberry Hill
Fats Domino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQCPrwKzdo
Ain’t That a Shame
Fats Domino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8KJe8Ugtd8
That’ll be the Day
Buddy Holly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq9FCBatl3A
Chantilly Lace
The Big Bopper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-by5e4saI
In 1959 Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were killed in an airplane crash.
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/h/Buddy%20Holly/buddy_holly.htm
R & R lost a huge talent when it lost Buddy Holly. Not just a performer but a prolific writer as well.
http://www.answers.com/topic/buddy-holly
Of course, I was there for the birth of the king, and yes, my parents were aghast. No one had any idea what a talent he was.
Hound Dog
Elvis Presley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZdC6oQKU-w
R & R had it’s fun groups as well.
Charlie Brown
The Coasters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UnPzp2lmNk
Searchin’
The Coasters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR2FvrU-NIM
Country and Western stars were born in R & R
I Walk the Line
Johnny Cash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEV58ztuihs
Family talents emerged.
Bye, Bye Love
Everly Brothers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUoN50lkRi4&feature=related
Great groups were formed,
Only You
Platters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r2pEdc1_lI
The 50’s spilled over to the 60’s and for a while good music seemed to come out. The stars of the 50’s continued to record and new groups like the Beach Boys
Surfin’ Safari
Beach Boys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOg1MxozVPc
409
Beach Boys
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14rr57_the-beach-boys-409-1962_music
and of course near the end came the Beatles.
All You Need is Love
Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsxtImDVMig
But it was becoming obvious the real good offerings were coming to an end.
There was a song issued in 1978 that expresses my thoughts and puts them to music. Joan and I still love to dance to this one.
Unfortunately, some of the songs found on YouTube do not come with video of the group performing, just the music. This is especially true of the Swing items to follow. A number of the swing items come from movies in which the bands were featured. Whatever, for the next number it may be good, for it is important we understand the words.
Old Time Rock N’ Roll
Bob Seger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei4a4MJQ0rw&feature=related
Or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQswfILThsY
and another version performed by an individual some of you will recognize.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjWkT7ty2r0
So while I was getting engrossed in R & R, I became torn. The music of the 30’s and 40’s had/has a great attraction to me, especially the Swing Big Bands.
SEE 100 Big Band Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aay8s1o5Fg8&list=PLDC827E741DA933F0
One song I loved even as a small child and even more in later years.
Boogie Woogie
Tommy Dorsey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxlL8l48qcM
also Glen Gray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD6yzW65m4E
Actually, Boogie Woogie is one of my favorite music forms to this day.
Beat me Daddy, Eight to the Bar
Will Bradley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWMMdK51FWQ
I fell in love with Benny Goodman and especially his signature closer.
Sing Sing Sing (Number 1 Swing number)
Benny Goodman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NigiwMtWE0
One note on the above: The piano solo by Jess Stacy has been labeled by some as the greatest piano solo ever.
Benny Goodman was named the King of Swing for good reason.
Roll Em
Benny Goodman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX8bca6pIaA
But, once again, I am sorry, Artie Shaw was my favorite clarinet player. Even if he did have a rather rotten personality, there was no denying his talent, and his bands could swing.
Concerto for a Clarinet
Artie Shaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOi5vtxCbA
Everything is Jumping
Artie Shaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RasuPL86_9g
My favorite drummer was/is Gene Krupa. He was Benny Goodman’s drummer before he had his own band. He was featured in Sing, Sing, Sing.
Drum Boogie
Gene Krupa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN_QmwiwgYE
Here he teams up with another great drummer, Buddy Rich, for a little
Drum Battle
Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ5B7yqDYbA
Another Clarinet player whose band wasn’t shabby, but went off into the “progressive” side of jazz much too fast for my liking.
Wood Choppers Ball
Woody Herman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWIhSU1mXDs
One of the great band leaders of the 30’s and 40’s was Glenn Miller. He was tragically killed during WWII when, it is supposed, his plane was flying under a bomber returning from its mission and needed to unload its unused bombs before landing.
In The Mood
Glenn Miller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPXwkWVEIIw&feature=related
Just a nice jazz number.
No Name Jive
Glen Gray
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAJ8RAWyzyI&feature=related
Swing jazz created some great personalities.
When The Saints Go Marching In
Louis Armstrong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyLjbMBpGDA&feature=related
And many talents
Don’t Be That Way
Harry James
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Lrgg_tXsw&feature=related
White Heat
Jimmy Lunceford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4jdhS8n_rY
Song of India
Tommy Dorsey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hDWIg4FGJs
T.D. Top 100 Tracts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZggjx3GxCo&list=AL94UKMTqg-9AS7QGL4Ppuk8W533uSJUIO
Swing was brought forth to our day in the form of Dixieland and other small group bands.
If you want to get into Dixieland that would be a whole other letter,
but just to tempt you here are a couple numbers by one of my favorite groups.
Mandy Lee Blues
South Frisco Jazz Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuJYtWtn8j8
See See Rider
South Frisco JB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSOC8bavCT4
Boy do I still love this music.
I hope today we may have instilled in you a certain yearning for it.
Just in case you are wondering, I have no regrets for being so late in life. Growing up in those years was a real “gas,” as Louis Armstrong would say.
Actually, I hope you feel the same about your era, but if you agree with me, virtually anything you would like to experience from those days gone by can be found on YouTube.
OK, that’s enough work for me. I’d better get back to more productive things. However, if you want to do a little “searchin,” I have a site for you, http://www.tropicalglen.com/. On this site you can check out the top hits from 1950 – 1989, and listen to them as well. In addition you can check out many different types of music. Kind of a fun site.