The old pops thread!

[peteshimmon]

This will sort out us oldies. I hear nothing
I like coming from the radio these days. In
fact nothing since Dec 1975! (well perhaps
two or three). Let me say a few words about
five singles I really enjoyed when younger
and hopefully others contribute but NOTHING
after '75! 1) I want you, Dylan. First
single I ever bought. Strange words with a
great tune. 2) Eve of Destruction, McGuire.
Full of feeling, in your face political
message. 3) Morning has broken, Stevens.
Inspiring when I was between jobs. 4) Sugar
Sugar, Archies. So Joyful. 5) River Deep
Mountain High, Turner. Its the great backing
that supports the emotion. And this leads
to an idea that may happen. A box you walk in
and sing for yourself Kareoke style. Only
cameras matt your image onto a scene of a vast
audience. You walk away with your dvd of it.
Might be good for emptying the house of late
guests!

[antoniseb]

Might be good for emptying the house of late
guests!

We used the long version of Eight Miles High from the Byrds double live album to clear out the casual guests.

[Gruesome]

We used the long version of Eight Miles High from the Byrds double live album to clear out the casual guests.

That's nothing compared the the Max Bygraves records my grandfather used to spin. When you hear "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey?" you know it's time to go...

[Clive Tester]

Well for me, 1972 was a defining year, with a UK hit single from a band whose roots are firmly within the 20th century’s sci fi tradition. Eternal flies the Silver Machine.

[Nicolas]

In no particular order:

1) on Horseback - Mike Oldfield. Simply because back then people were allowed to make a simple, nice, happy, pretentionless song that still makes me happy whenever I hear it. I also nominate the pre 1975 Christmas Singles and all albums by the man :).

2) Albatros - Fleetwood Mac. While many like the older Mac, I like the newer (Rumours, tango in the Night...) To me, Albatros is an oldie that would fit in the newer Fleetwood Mac music.

3) Jethro Tull - Cross Eyed Mary. Well, anything from the Aqualung album or the group for that matters, but I pick a song to keep with the spirit of the first post :). Cross Eyed Mary is a classic to me, from the typical flute intro to the raw JT lyrics, a perfect fit into the whole of the album. Which is NOT a concept album, even though it has many links and fits between songs.
I also want to nominate the Thick as a Brick album here, for the music and marvellous "British" lyrics.

4) Oxygène part IV does not count, as I just see it is from 1976 :)
so again:
4) Deep Purple - Child in Time. A classic. Raw and special. The only thing I don't really like about it is that the second half is nothing much different from the first half.

5)Popcorn - Hot Butter. It made the Minimoog a true instrument and was in its own way a piece of art. It survived through the 80's on French tourist beaches in one of the countless covers :). Oh that reminds me to nominate all those classics written by the Shadows.

And there are many more, but I'll stop here :)


btw I don't think I'm allowed to post here as I'm from 1984 myself :D.

[peteshimmon]

Thats the responce I wanted thanks Nicholas!
I mentioned Dec 1975 as there was a great
bunch of hits then...No regrets,
Beautiful Noise, Wide Eyed and Legless,
Mama Mia, Bohemian Rhapsody and Horseback!
It is at the end of Ommadawn. Youngsters are
allowed to post but only about stuff from
before !976.

[Nicolas]

I and my S.O. have got both the single, album version (Ommadan) and quadro version (I think at least, on Boxed) of On Horseback on vinyl :).
Except for perhaps Popcorn, I've got all music mentioned in my post on vinyl as well.

D'oh I forgot Bohemian Rhapsody :D

I must say that there was quite some 1976 music that I wanted to include. Jarre's Oxygene, Stewart's Year of the Cat...but rules are rules :)

Is it strange for a 21 year old to participate in this thread? :D

btw Nicolas is without the h :).

[TheBlackCat]

I would definitely say "Eve of Destruction" is excellent, it still has meaning today. The Byrds 1966 cover of Dylan's "My Back Pages" is another great one. Also Dion's "Abraham, Martin, and John" (1968).

Two Billy Joel songs I like a lot are "Piano Man" (1973) (of course), and "The Entertainer" (1974) which is just hilarious.

From Chicago, I really like "Feeling Stronger Every Day" (1973) and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (1969).

"Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" (1972) by Looking Glass is definitely one of the best songs ever.

"Midnight Confessions" (1968) by The Grass Roots is another good.

"Summer in the City" (1966) by The Lovin' Spoonful. My parents' first date was actually to one of their concerts.

Jimmy Buffett is known for his lighthearted songs, but I tend to prefer his more serious ones (not that I don't like his more humorous ones too). Serious ones from that time frame that I like include "The Captain and the Kid" (1970), although it I have trouble listening to it (it is pretty sad) and "He Went to Paris" (1973) (my second favorite song by him, although it is sad too it is not quite as unbearable). "Come Monday" (1974) is a great serious romantic song. More humorous ones are "Pencil Thing Mustache" (1974), "A Pirate Looks at Forty" (1974), "Migration" (1974) is a hilarious rant song, not quite as much of one as "Fruitcakes" but it is still great to listen to him insulting random things and people he doesn't like.

"The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974) by Lulu is good, really only the first pre-Pierce Brosnan Bond song I listen to. While I'm at it, the James Bond theme by Monty Norman (1962) is one of my favorite movie themes.

"Angel of the Morning" (1968) by Merrilee Rush and the Turnabouts

Kingston Trio has some good pieces. "M.T.A"/"The Man Who Neven Returned" (1959) is great and is probably their most popular, but my favorite of theirs is actually "Desert Pete" (1963). I also like "Everglades" (1960).

From James Taylor, "Carolina in my Mind" (1968), "Fire and Rain" (1970), and "Mexico" (1975)

"Precious and Few" (1972) by Climax

"Sloop John B" (1966) is my favorite Beach Boys song.

"A Horse With No Name" (1972) by America is just a fun song.

[teri tait]

Jackie Blue from the Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Time In a Bottle from Gordon Lightfoot, also The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald
Roudabout by Yes, actually anything by Yes.
Same with Jethro Tull, but someone else already covered this great band.
Led Zepplin's Houses of the Holy album is great.
Knights in White Satin from the Moody Blues. I also like the songs they did for the album War of the Worlds but I think that was past 1975 (?)
Mr Blue Sky from Electric Light Orchestra
Breathe from Pink Floyd
Those are some of my all time favorites :)

[Nicolas]

on a sidenote, I'm currently listening to Jethro Tull's "Broadsword and the Beast", on a genuine MC. I don't think Jethro Tull MC's (the music compact cassette you could buy prerecorded) are easily found these days, let alone in use :).

However, as this is a 1982 recording, it is merely a sidenote :).

[teri tait]

on a sidenote, I'm currently listening to Jethro Tull's "Broadsword and the Beast", on a genuine MC. I don't think Jethro Tull MC's (the music compact cassette you could buy prerecorded) are easily found these days, let alone in use :).

However, as this is a 1982 recording, it is merely a sidenote :).

After reading this I just had to put on Jethro Tull, The Very Best of

:) so now I'm listening to The Whistler

[peteshimmon]

Its like I thought, there is something in
each list I like. I was playing my Byrds cd
Wednesday and Back Pages is one of the best.
All together..Ah but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now:) I have found a list
typed out on 17 May 1970 (ouch). Up to 126
titles. So here is another five. 1) Rag Doll,
Four Seasons. 2)Summer is over, Frank Ifield.
3) Temma Harbour, Mary Hopkins. 4)Elusive
Butterfly, Bob Lind. (great b side Cheryls
goin home). 5)Peggy Sue, Buddy Holly. This was
obtained years after being a hit and you
could order old singles back then. I like to
think they can be downloaded these days but
thats a new world to me. BTW ELO made XANADU
the film work. That bit with Olivia and the
girls in 30's stockings and costumes should
have been a two minute routine!

[HenrikOlsen]

Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - Temptations, '72
Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf, '68
In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) - Zager and Evans, Billboard #1 in '69
Leader Of The Pack- Shangri La's '64
Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues '67
Mr. Bojangles - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band '70 (also done by lots of others, I just happen to like this one)

Plus a series with a common theme, though I doubt many will catch it:)
Tales of Brave Ulysses - Cream '67
Memory Of A Free Festival - David Bowie '69
Behind Blue Eyes - The Who '71
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd '73
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe - Barry White '74

[antoniseb]

Meddle - Pink Floyd
Achilles Last Stand - Led Zep

[peteshimmon]

Going even further back, some old 78's that
never got broken. Cool Water, Sons of the
Pioneers. Memories are made of this, Dean
Martin. Whiffenpoof Song, Bing Crosby.
Wondered for years what the dickens the last
one was about! Thanks to the Net and search
engines I found out.

[turbo-1]

Younger Girl - Lovin' Spoonful
Mississippi Queen - Mountain
Out on the Tiles - Led Zeppelin
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Black Mountain Side - Led Zeppelin
I Wasn't Born to Follow - Byrds
Set you Free this Time - Byrds
East St. Louis Toodle-O - Steely Dan
Castles Made of Sand - Hendrix
Little Wing - Hendrix
Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac
Like it this Way - Fleetwood Mac
Jigsaw Puzzle Blues - Fleetwood Mac
Nowadays Clancey Can't Even Sing - Buffalo Springfield
Mr. Soul - Buffalo Springfield
Kind Woman - Buffalo Springfield
White Room - Cream

[George]

Many favorites may be due to their association with one's life experiences, as well as, the calibre of the artist. [I have no favorite single song.]
"Good Vibrations" - Beach Boys
"I can see for Miles" [time of my first girl friend]
"White Room" & "Crossroads" - Clapton [music quality and composition exceptional]
"Pipeline" & "Walk Don't Run" - Ventures (though I don't think they originated "Pipeline").
I'll agree with the vote for "Magic Carpet Ride".
"Kicks" - Paul Reveere and the Raiders

I do have a favorite album/CD - Top Gun.

[Graybeard6]

[QUOTE="Pipeline" & "Walk Don't Run" - Ventures (though I don't think they originated "Pipeline").[/QUOTE]
They not only didn't originate "Pipeline", "Walk Don't Run" was composed and recorded by the great jazz guitarist Johnny Smith. He had a technique where he played chords with his right hand and the melody by touching the frets with his left; the only person I've seen do that. Nothing wrong with recording someone else's stuff, and I always liked the Ventures.

[George]

Thanks. I think it was "Walk Don't Run" that put them on the map, though I am not too surprised they didn't compose it.

It would be cool to see Smith do what you say.

[Argos]

Tin Tin´s "Toast and Marmalade for Tea" has the perfect early 70´s feeling [ all those The Hollies songs have it too...]

[Argos]

Bread´s "Guitar Man" is also a must.

[gwiz]

Am I the only one old enough to remember Beatlemania - now they had some great songs...

[Nicolas]

That answer is too straightforward. You should have taken something obscure, like Elvis or Roy Orbison ;) :D

[peteshimmon]

My brother had a Ventures album, it had a
couple in a vintage car atop some hill over
a city. Anyway it had the theme from One Step
Beyond. Ooohh..creepy. They were the American
Shadows were they not? And one of theirs not
heard of much, Its been a blue day. Groovin by
The Young Rascals in 1967 as well as 59th
Street Bridge Song by Harpers Bizarre. (I know
who wrote it but this is the best cover). These
inspired. Jagger and Richards wrote a few
very tuneful pops like Sitting on a Fence by
Twice as Much. Lastly I was trying out a
homemade radio when I first heard It ain't me
Babe by Johnny Cash. That husky voice with
those wierd Dylan lyrics, I knew it was a hit.
These tunes were a main part of our experiences
growing up!

[peteshimmon]

Lets mention something I heard as a kid long
ago.It went "Get out of here with that
boom boom-boom". Thanks to the net I now know
it was The Thing by Phil Harris and it was
number one in 1950. It told how a chaps life
was spoiled by something found floating in the
bay. I wondered what it could be. A lost atom
bomb? A copy of Das Kapital? Later I thought
a copy of Free to Choose but that was not yet
written. Now all these years later its
obvious! A damm great drum! These days too
many pops have a moronic beat going all the
time. I have thought some of the stuff I
liked also had steady beats but listening to
them there is more to the percussion, more
work from the drummer. Well technology has
helped with personal stereo so if you want
your artificial heartbeat you can keep it
too yourself!

[EvilBob]

"All Right Now" by Free - the best riff ever. Copied by many.
"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin - the heaviest drum sound you ever heard. The kind of blues I love...
"Long Cool Woman" by the Hollies - What an intro! And a cool song all the way through.
"Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. I stayed up late the night before my final Year 12 exam to record this on the radio. A friend of mine at Uni and I recited the whole 20 minutes together to a group of friends who had no idea what we were talking about.

[The skeptic]

Mean Woman Blues - Roy Orbison;
Tiger Feet - Mud;
Get it On! - T Tex;
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On - Jerry Lee Lewis;
Matchbox - Carl Perkins;
Here Comes the Sun - Beatles;
That'll be The Day - Buddy Holly;
Surfin' USA - Beachboys;
Fulsom Prison Blues, Get Rythm - Johnny Cash;
Come Up and See Me, Make Me Smile - Cockney Rebel????

PS: I had my Mike Oldfield 'Boxed' set out only last week!

[farmerjumperdon]

I've got about 1200 albums in my stacks of wax, with at least 80% of it from early 60's thru mid-80's. So much good stuff, wonderful seeing so many people tick them off as favorites.

The Jerry Lee Lewis mention above really caught my eye and has got me toe-tapping. I've got a very nicely preserved copy of the live London Sessions double album. The ending medley is one awesome piece of piano-banging mania.

[HenrikOlsen]

Another list with a theme, or rather two, one overall and another if you exclude the first one:
Running, Jumping, Standing Still - Spider John Koerner & Willie Murphy
High Flying Bird & Till the Real Thing Comes Along - Judy Henske
I Put a Spell on You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Pussycat Moan - Katie Webster
What Have I Done Wrong?- Magic Sam

[Fram]

The Kinks, well almost anything, let's say "You really got me"
The Andrews Sisters, "Bei mir bist du schon"
"Apache" by the Shadows
T Rex, "Twentieth century boy"
Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues"
Kevin Ayers, "Everybody's sometime and some people's all the time blues"

[George]

"Apache" by the Shadows
Would you believe I am pickin' this tune in front of hundreds this weekend? :) It's really easy and fun.

[ranugad]

Wow... it took till the 13th reply before the Moody Blues were mentioned!?
And I'm sorry, but I just knew Nights would be the song mentioned.
What about:
Days of Future Past - Dawn is a feeling - 1967
In search of the lost chord - Legend of a mind - 1968
On the threshhold of a dream - Never comes the day - 1969
To Our Children's, Children's, Children - Watching and waiting - 1969
A Question Of Balance - Melancholy Man - 1970
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour - The story in your eyes- 1971
Seventh Sojourn - New Horizons - 1972

Truly an awesome band!!!!


and by no means am I saying these are the only songs... every song on all the albums listed are just awesome. From ballads to rockers to acid, the blues covered the bases.

If you've never explored these guys beyond the typical radio played songs, you have no idea what you've been missing.

and from other entioned bands... Pigs - on the wing
Cross eyed mary

[peteshimmon]

No need to tell me, I got Days of Future Passed
in '71 after it had been recommended to me
by many. And I had been given Chord some
years previous. I keep wondering if a new
market will develop where people try to put
these classics to film and images. (I am not
thinking of pop videos!) It may seem twee but
Days might go with a story of a suburban guy
getting through his day. Was it the first
concept album? It was out the same time as
Pepper! I've just remembered how I put this and
some singles on a cassette player strapped to
by bicycle 30 years ago. Long country roads
with my music selection going. Happy days:)

[Nicolas]

I just bought myself Mike Oldfield's On Horseback/In Dulci Jubilo single (1975) on vinyl :cool:

[Metricyard]

Not one mention of the Beatles? Sad.

You Never Give Me Your Money - Beatles
Little wing - Derek & the Dominos
Revealing science of God - Yes (Tales from Topographic Oceans) Best band ever!
Carpet Crawler - Genesis
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd Great album, great songs
Ballad Of dwight Frye - Alice Cooper Great concerts, many drugs
Atlantis - Donovan

What I find amazing is how many kids still listen to the oldies. Maybe the (old) generation of music really was a golden age of rock?

Had to add Cat Stevens Father to Son.:cry: What a nice song.

[turbo-1]

Would you believe I am pickin' this tune in front of hundreds this weekend? :) It's really easy and fun.Yep! I had to give up performing in public due to an acute sensitivity to perfumes (I get asthma, migraines, super-high blood pressure) but there are some songs that will get ANY crowd going if you perform them with spirit. Brown-Eyed Girl, Long Train Running, Black Magic Woman are just a few that seem to light 'em up. When I was running blues jams at the local tavern a few years back, there was a guitarist who showed up every month or two who did a killer version of Sleepwalk, among others.

I have since sold almost all my guitars and amps, since I don't need such a menagerie of equipment if I can't play out, but I've kept a few that really speak to me when I feel the need. I've still got my mics, and lots of other accessories - it's hard to let go, but I should eBay the stuff - I don't need it in our little log house. I have a Taylor 712 and a 30-year-old hand-made dreadnaught, but I still feel the need to run a Strat or ES335-type through my ramaining tube amps from time to time.

[George]

Yep! I had to give up performing in public due to an acute sensitivity to perfumes (I get asthma, migraines, super-high blood pressure) but there are some songs that will get ANY crowd going if you perform them with spirit.
Ouch. That's got to be disappointing. I ain't that good, but the guys I play with are naturals. Arthritis, however, is making the effort a little more challenging.

Brown-Eyed Girl, Long Train Running, Black Magic Woman are just a few that seem to light 'em up. When I was running blues jams at the local tavern a few years back, there was a guitarist who showed up every month or two who did a killer version of Sleepwalk, among others. Great stuff, even today for many, no doubt.

I am limited to Pipeline and Secret Agent Man type playing. It is tough when you don't start learning guitar until your'e 42. :)

I since sold almost all my guitars and amps, since I don't need such a menagerie of equipment if I can't play out, but I've kept a few that really speak to me when I feel the need. I've still got my mics, and lots of other accessories - it's hard to let go, but I should eBay the stuff - I don't need it in our little log house. I have a Taylor 712 and a 30-year-old hand-made dreadnaught, but I still feel the need to run a Strat or ES335-type through my ramaining tube amps from time to time. Nice. I can appreciate the goodbye blues when you let them go. I have a Les Paul Gibson that I ought to sale but it was my first guitar.

I did get a tube Fender amp (Hot Rod). I like it. I use an old Zoom 40/40 cheese box that has been surprisingly reliable.

We are going to insert some "Ghost Riders" in the middle of "Apache" for greater effect. :)

[turbo-1]

If you can find a copy of Elmore James' "I can't hold out" tune your guitar to open E, grab a slide and sing your guts out. That one will fill a dance floor, and you don't have to contend with the arthritis as much (I know, because I used to switch to slide when my left hand was giving me trouble!). Regardless, warm up your hands, flex the joints (cracking knuckles works for me) and stretch before playing anything too demanding. Remember that you can drop your high E string to a D and play slide on the 4 smaller strings in an open-G tuning. You don't always have to re-tune several strings to jump to a slide song. Have fun!

[snabald]

I love anything and everything from Credence Clearwater Revival (they broke up in '72)

Judy In Disguise - John Fred & His Playboy Band. -Just love this song for some reason, it makes no since but has great rhythm and horns.

Locomotive Breath - Jethro Tull -Man, this song is DARK, I love the piano in it.

[Nicolas]

Your covers shows how you like CCR :).

The whole Aqualung album is dark. My favourite is Cross Eyed Mary. Because I remember that intro (don't ask me where I heard it, I'm way too young for hearing it on the radio :)), and the song itself. The way he sings it, it is so haunting :). Locomotive breath indeed is a dark song, the tempo in it is perfect for the intended effect of the song.

[farmerjumperdon]

Love Locomotive Breath. Which reminds me (just cause of the train reference) of Hellbound Train. Savoy Brown is on the bill for a big RockFest in Cadot WI this summer. They've got a dozen or more great older acts lined up. That SB album is one of my favorite old album covers.

[George]

If you can find a copy of Elmore James' "I can't hold out" tune your guitar to open E, grab a slide and sing your guts out. That one will fill a dance floor, and you don't have to contend with the arthritis as much (I know, because I used to switch to slide when my left hand was giving me trouble!). Regardless, warm up your hands, flex the joints (cracking knuckles works for me) and stretch before playing anything too demanding. Remember that you can drop your high E string to a D and play slide on the 4 smaller strings in an open-G tuning. You don't always have to re-tune several strings to jump to a slide song. Have fun!
Thanks. That is a cool idea. My hands don't suffer that much compared to our lead player. I'm sorta amateur everything 'cause I like it all. :) I only play a little rhythm but did play lead for "Apache/Ghost Riders". That, "Pipeline", and "Secret Agent Man" are about it for me. [I'm playing with "Who do you love" a little. :) ]

[farmerjumperdon]

How about remakes of old classics? Yeah, most are bad or mediocre, but some are truly classics themselves.

Secret Agent Man - redone by the White Animals.
I Walk the Line - redone by SVT (?) I found this on a compilation of California garage bands titled 415 music. I think that is the police code for Disturbing The Peace - or something like that.
All Shook Up - by Orbit
Ring of Fire - by Social Distortion
Gloria - by Patti Smith

I really enjoyed the remakes done by some of the 80's punk and new wave bands.

Anybody ever heard of a group called Me First & the Gimme Gimme's? I think that is their name. Basically they punked out a whole bunch of old classics. Gets a little repetitious, not something you'd listen to all day, but good fun.

[George]

How about remakes of old classics? Yeah, most are bad or mediocre, but some are truly classics themselves.

Secret Agent Man - redone by the White Animals.
I Walk the Line - redone by SVT (?) I found this on a compilation of California garage bands titled 415 music. I think that is the police code for Disturbing The Peace - or something like that.
All Shook Up - by Orbit
Ring of Fire - by Social Distortion
Gloria - by Patti Smith

I really enjoyed the remakes done by some of the 80's punk and new wave bands.

I am bad with names, but I don't recognize those bands.

This does lead into something I am curious about, speaking of contemporary bands....

What do you old farts (I mean "pops" ;) ) think is cool contemporary music today?

Rarely do I listen to any of the latest stuff, so, no doubt, I am missing-out on some good music. I'd like to not miss anything fresh and with enjoyable kick.

A few years back, my son introduced me to "Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down, I think. I liked it!

[The skeptic]

I've played my CD version of Apache...Still good after all these years!

[George]

I've played my CD version of Apache...Still good after all these years!
:confused: Did you mean 8 track? :) [Oops, ya'll probably didn't have them; cassette instead, right?]

[peteshimmon]

Its surprising to me there are a few real
performers here while I was a mere consumer!
Hope this is useful feedback! Anyway. Judy in
Disguise is in my pile. I remember a telly
comedian used it. He jived and screeched in a
parody then calmly read the lyrics while the
audience tittered. A prize of two smilies to
anyone who knows the name of this fellow. The
last single I purchased was a brilliant cover
of Happy Talk (Captain Sensible, 1982). This
is outside my before 1975 rule but is one of the
2 or 3 I mentioned from afterwards. He sang the
climax with gusto that made hairs on the neck
stiffen. Was it shock that this whippersnapper
was doing better than the film version? But
then he had the best material. (something is
similar to The Simpsons theme). A few more
greats are 1) Take me for what I'm worth. The
Searchers. (with great b side Too many miles).
2) If you gotta go, go now. Manfred Mann.
great, breathless version of another Dylan
number. 3) Soley Soley. Middle of the Road.
4) Softly Whispering I Love You.
The Congregation. Really powerful delivery and
sincere. (ie Love not Lurve). 5) Judy Teen.
Cockney Rebel. Funny, captivating vocal. And
many others. Perhaps we can see why our Prime
Minister wanted to be a Pop Star before he
settled on his second preference:)

[George]

Its surprising to me there are a few real
performers here while I was a mere consumer!
Hope this is useful feedback! Anyway. Judy in
Disguise is in my pile.
Funny how I am still learning the names and lyrics of songs I heard as a kid - I used to think it was "Judy in the Sky". :(

[SeanF]

Funny how I am still learning the names and lyrics of songs I heard as a kid - I used to think it was "Judy in the Sky". :(
You're not thinking of "Lucy in the Sky (with Diamonds)," are you?

[George]

You're not thinking of "Lucy in the Sky (with Diamonds)," are you?
No, surprisngly. :) Besides, ain't that "Lucy in Disguise"? ;)

[farmerjumperdon]

I am bad with names, but I don't recognize those bands.

This does lead into something I am curious about, speaking of contemporary bands....

What do you old farts (I mean "pops" ;) ) think is cool contemporary music today?

Rarely do I listen to any of the latest stuff, so, no doubt, I am missing-out on some good music. I'd like to not miss anything fresh and with enjoyable kick.

A few years back, my son introduced me to "Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down, I think. I liked it!

I'm probably not a very typical 50 year old in musical tastes. No doubt the result of spending a couple years spinning discs as a college radio DJ back in the mid-80's; opened my mind quite a bit. Up until then I was your basic AOR guy. Recent and current stuff I like includes 3 doors down, Puddle of Mudd, Louis the 14th, Barenaked Ladies; I could kind of go for quite a while.

Easier to describe the music I do not like - overly synthesized stuff (like disco, rap, new age, some industrial) or the cry in your beer style of country. Everything else is good. Most of my younger friends are surprised that I like Kid Rock or L7 as much as I like Johny Cash and John Prine.

BTW, I read in one of the trade rags a few years back that the average person's musical preferences stagnate in their early to mid 20's. I don't think they meant a person locks into specific songs or artists, but that they do lock into specific styles or genres.

Those bands:

Patti Smith was a knockaround with The Ramones, Jim Carroll, The Pretenders and others in the heady days of the NYC punk/new wave scene. Land (by Smith) was one of the most critically acclaimed releases of that genre. SVT and White Animals were never well known. They are hard to find even in the old record warehouses. Orbit did mostly syntho-pop stuff in the early 80's (I also have exceptions to all my rules). Social Distortion is fairly well known, and I believe still making music. Several of their songs have gotten airplay.

[George]

I'm probably not a very typical 50 year old in musical tastes. No doubt the result of spending a couple years spinning discs as a college radio DJ back in the mid-80's; opened my mind quite a bit. Up until then I was your basic AOR guy. Recent and current stuff I like includes 3 doors down, Puddle of Mudd, Louis the 14th, Barenaked Ladies; I could kind of go for quite a while.
No wonder you know your bands. My uncle was a DJ in his early days.

I like 3 Door Down, so I'll check out these others, eventually.

BTW, I read in one of the trade rags a few years back that the average person's musical preferences stagnate in their early to mid 20's. I don't think they meant a person locks into specific songs or artists, but that they do lock into specific styles or genres.
I would have guessed whatever got 'em through high school would be what stuck.

[farmerjumperdon]

My first 4 albums:

Bread - can't remember which
Moody Blues - can't remember which
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Elton John - Don't Shoot Me . . .

I of course still have them.

don the packrat.

[The skeptic]

:confused: Did you mean 8 track? :) [Oops, ya'll probably didn't have them; cassette instead, right?]

Never had one of those, George...They seemed to come and go even faster than Betamax videos did??;)

[peteshimmon]

Lets wrap up with a great old hit found on a CD
recently. Shrimp Boats, Jo Stafford. Found
some kind words about her on Google. I always
thought it was an old British folk tune!
Louisiana Moon indeed.