Magic of Music

Magic of Music

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard people of my generation compare modern music to the music treasures of our times. That the comparison is not favorable to present time music.

I’ve always believed that the arts and especially music, is in the eye of the beholder (in this instance ears of the beholder).  I further believe that there is a difference between love of music and appreciation.  I have the music I love but because of my exposure to the music industry, I have an appreciation for all music up to and including the Australian Didgeridoo, and the Sitar.

Many of us appreciate the Oldies of our time for the musical style, others for the lyrics.  I on the other hand, enjoy the lyrics and style, but because I lived the time when the music was being released , more than anything else I remember what I was doing or in whose company I was when I listened to a particular song, for instance I refer you to the time I first heard the Beatles: http://www.being50.com/2013/02/first-time-i-heard-beatles.html

I also enjoyed many of the original performers at concerts when the new music was being promoted:  The last of the Oldies group that I took my children to see at a concert was the Monkees (80 something).  One of my sons looked over my shoulder as I am writing this post and we started a conversation about how he remembers a helicopter landing some 20 yards away from an open field stage and how the crowd went wild. 

I’m grateful to see that my recollections are supported by other family members.  Another instance of music triggering fond memories. My wife and I went on a double date with my sister and her husband to see the Ventures perform at the Capitol Theater in Yakima WA. Also, in the early 80’s.  After the concert we went to dinner and ran into the band members eating dinner at the same restaurant.  Of course, we took the opportunity to greet them and take pictures with them.

I remember the time I purchased a brand-new Plymouth Fury Sport from the showroom floor, and the first song I heard on the beautiful stereo system was The Beat Goes On, by Sonny and Cher.  I’m telling you, every song comes wrapped in wonderful memories!!  Spend some time thinking about the memories that the oldies bring to your heart and mind.  The best is yet to come…….

Tear-Jerker

Tear-Jerker

Everyone knows that some of the best tearjerker movies are also known as “Chick Flicks,” a great example that I can think of is “Love Story.”

This morning I woke up to some of the best company possible, my three youngest granddaughters and newest addition to the family (two-year-old grandson) spent the night in order to give their parents a well-deserved break.  My grandson is so energetic and bordering on over-active that he woke up a couple times during the night ready to start his day.  Grandma managed to get him back to sleep, after all 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning is a bit early even for grandpa and grandma.

Finally, at around five am we gave in and walked him to the family room to watch his latest favorite movie “Toy Story 3.” 

• With their beloved Andy preparing to leave for college, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the toys find themselves headed for the attic but mistakenly wind up on the curb with the trash.

While not a recent release in general, it is to my grandson.  He totally loves it. The idea was to have the movie playing in the background so that he might fall asleep for a couple more hours, after all it is Sunday morning.

Well, the plan backfired.  We have had that movie around since it was first released in 2010, but I’ve never taken the time to view it.  My grandson got energized by it and all the action that makes up the storyline.  I slowly got into the plot and it got me into comparing my growing up years, and even wondering where all my toys and comic books might have ended up.

I got into the movie so much that I actually might have shed a tear or two towards the end.  To be clear, there were no witnesses, so I am not owning up to it.  The question is something like: if a tear falls and no one sees it, did it actually happen?

Since my grandchildren are the center of my Universe, I’ve decided that I will spend some more time enjoying some of their movie entertainment (besides Star Wars and the like).  The quality entertainment available to our little ones is unbelievable, and definitely enjoyable. 

I would encourage anyone that isn’t already sharing their children’s and grandchildren’s entertainment to test it out, you just might get hooked.  The best is yet to come…….

Disappearing Acts

Disappearing Acts

Once upon a time not that long ago there was the wonderful developing technology where you could throw your voice to anywhere in the world (the telephone).  Not every household in the USA had one because of cost or even accessibility.  Telephones were connected by wires that had to stretch over “telephone/electrical” poles all over the land.  If you lived out in the country, you would be required to pay a high cost (somewhere in the thousands depending on distance) to run the lines to your property from the nearest phone pole.

For the multitudes that couldn’t afford a telephone at home, there came the payphone.  So interwoven was the payphone booth into our society that even Superman used the phone booth in the storyline every time that he had to change from Clark Kent to Superman.

About the same time the television technology was emerging (black and white at first).  Horrible reception in the beginning, more snow than content.  Transmission capability (towers) were limited at first and most prevalent in areas of dense population (cities) where you could reach the most people with the least number of transmitting towers.  Initially there was only 3 major television networks competing for viewership.  Programing was also minimal for the number of hours of broadcast.

While there was progress being made on all fronts of technology, new emerging technologies were coming to the forefront.  Imagine being able to send documents across the country within minutes to complete transactions that required your signature.  The fax and fax machine slowly worked into every one’s life and eventually would become indispensable.  At the start of this phenomenon you would go to a central location to send and receive faxes.  Eventually the more affluent (businesses to be sure) would acquire their own fax transmitting machines.

Audio recording media has gone from vinyl to 4, and 8 track cartridges, cassettes, CD’s. and now digital with the leap to the latest (streaming).  Video rentals have pretty much disappeared because you can now rent DVD’s out of a red box or better yet stream from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video or iTunes.

But wait! There’s more; the latest rumor is that televisions sets will be the next to disappear from your retail shopping.  The best way to catch your favorite movies at present and on the run is iPad, Tablet, your PC or your cellphone.  It wasn’t that long ago that everyone was striving to outdo the Joneses to the largest television screen possible.  I presently have a Home Theater projector for up to 100 inches and more.  The best is yet to come……….

Muhammad Ali, The Greatest

Muhammad Ali, The Greatest

Growing up during the 60’s, one of the favorite activities was the Friday Gillett Fights on television.  Our family was still one of the lucky ones in the neighborhood to have a television set.  Relatives gathered at our house on Friday evening all pumped for the wonderful meal that preceded the Friday Night Fights.  I never actually saw anyone get drunk but I do remember that the adult men in the family (my step-father, uncles and cousins) all drank beer with their meal and during the fight.

I recall that the more exciting the boxing match was the less beer the men drank because they were so into the fight.  It was obvious to me that the beer drinking was not the object of the night.  As was customary for the ladies of the house to be found working in the kitchen preparing the extravagant meal of the evening (a feast to be sure).

The children (anyone under the drinking age) downed their meal with a couple of cold glasses of Kool-Aid.  It was during this family gatherings that I became aware and a fan of Cassius Clay (Muhammad’s name before he changed it soon after the Liston fight).

I remember with great clarity my introduction to the big time 1965.  I was still a teenager, and was happily surprised to be invited to a close circuit television presentation some 40 miles away from my home.  My biggest disappointment came when we arrived inside the venue three minutes into the fight, and fight had only lasted two minutes.  We sat there and saw the replays over and over on the large screen.  The excitement in the room was unbelievable.

• Soon after the Liston fight, Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali upon converting to Islam and affiliating with the Nation of Islam. Ali then faced a rematch with Liston scheduled for May 1965 in Lewiston, Maine. It had been scheduled for Boston the previous November, but was postponed for six months due to Ali's emergency surgery for a hernia three days before. The fight was controversial. Midway through the first round, Liston was knocked down by a difficult-to-see blow the press dubbed a "phantom punch". Ali refused to retreat to a neutral corner, and referee Jersey Joe Walcott did not begin the count. Liston rose after he had been down about 20 seconds, and the fight momentarily continued. But a few seconds later Walcott stopped the match, declaring Ali the winner by knockout. The entire fight lasted less than two minutes. ^~Wikipedia

The loss of Ali is every bit as impacting to me as the day I heard on the radio of the other major icon of my youth’s passing, the King of Rock and Roll.  R.I.P Muhammad Ali.  For the rest of us life goes on and the best is yet to come……..

Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Fool Me Twice…

Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Fool Me Twice…

On my previous post: http://www.being50.com/2015/05/the-fight-of-century-as-usual-this-is.html I ended that post by saying that we were being scammed.  My second post on the subject: http://www.being50.com/2015/05/the-scam-fight-of-century.html I addressed factually about being scammed, but wait; there is more!

·        HBO analyst Max Kellerman thinks Mayweather-Pacquiao's failure to live up to the hype did more to hurt than help the sport in the eyes of the masses.

·        Jim Lampley  "Was it a plus because of all the mainstream media attention, a minus because it was a clinic rather than a war, or a mixed bag?"

·        Max Kellerman “A minus, obviously, because just when all of the attention of the world is focused on boxing -- 'look, this is the best we have to offer!' When that works out well, like Ali-Frazier or Hearns and Hagler, or some fight like that, it's amazing. Because casual fans and even non-sports fans, if it transcends sports, are drawn then to boxing.

·        "But when it works out this way, just when all the focus is on the fight, and you get the most predictable and boring outcome -- like, heading into this fight, what were we thinking?  Just don't let Floyd win 9-3, 8-4, minimize exchanges, and afterwards have Pacquiao say I thought I won the fight, all he did was run. As long as that doesn't happen, we'll be OK!' And that's what happened." ~ The Fight Game with Jim Lampley: Max Kellerman (HBO Boxing)

I grew up with Gillette Cavalcade of sports (Friday Night Boxing), all the men in the family gathered in the living room to catch the fights (I only speak for my family), and we are talking about the boxing that would someday be considered the best of boxing.  Such names as: Cassius Clay, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, and Archie Moore to name a few.  Among significant boxers in lower weights, were middleweights Emile Griffith, Nino Benvenuti and Dick Tiger,

Here is an example of just one year of the exciting sport of boxing:

1962

• February 10- Young Cassius Clay, fighting in his tenth professional bout, recovers from his first knockdown, a first round fall, to beat Sonny Banks by knockout in round four, Madison Square Garden, New York.
• March 24- One of boxing's most famous tragedies happens when Emile Griffith knocks out Benny Kid Paret in round twelve, to claim the world's Welterweight title. Paret is taken to the hospital, where he subsequently dies.
• April 3- Benny Paret dies.
• April 21- Carlos Ortiz becomes world Lightweight champion with a fifteen round unanimous decision win over Joe Brown in Las Vegas.
• July 13- In his first fight since the Benny Paret tragedy, Emile Griffith retains the world Welterweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision of future world Jr. Middleweight champion Ralph Dupas in Las Vegas.
• September 25- Sonny Liston becomes world Heavyweight champion, knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, at Chicago.
• October 10- Fighting Harada becomes world Flyweight champion, knocking out Pone Kingpetch in eleven rounds, Tokyo, Japan.
• October 23- Dick Tiger becomes world Middleweight champion, defeating Gene Fullmer by a fifteen round unanimous decision in San Francisco.
• November 15- Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) knocks out former world Light Heavyweight champion Archie Moore in five rounds at Los Angeles.
• December 20- Denny Moyer becomes the first world champion in history in the brand new Jr. Middleweight division, defeating Joey Giambra by a fifteen round decision for the vacant title, Portland. ~ Wikipedia

Fights were seen on color television for the first time, and one of the most famous tragedies, Benny Kid Paret's, was also shown live on TV.  I seriously could go on forever.

There is talk about Pacquiao’s undisclosed injury prior to the fight, and the possibility of a rematch next May (2016).  I say bring it on, but you better offer me a free pay per view, if you expect to reel me in, after all; Fool Me Twice Shame On Me!

The best is yet to come…..

American Bandstand to Radio 2

American Bandstand to Radio 2

Imagine having your favorite television series like you do today except that it would only be on radio.  Imagine American Idol, Scandal, Dancing with the Stars, The Blacklist, and CSI, only on radio and without the visuals.

Here are some of the popular radio play presentations on radio during the infancy years of television: 

·       Dragnet (1949 - 1957): Dragnet enjoyed an unprecedented popularity among ordinary citizens and law enforcement personnel alike. The show was lauded for its positive portrayal of police officers, so much so that upon the death of Jack Webb, Sergeant Joe Friday’s badge number 714 was retired. 

·       Minus One (1955-1958) Initially a revival of NBC’s short-lived Dimension X (1950-1951), X Minus One is a sci-fi lover’s dream and is ranked among the finest science fiction dramas ever produced for radio.

·       Tales of the Texas Rangers (1950 - 1952) Tales of the Texas Rangers aired from July 8, 1950 to September 14, 1952. As were most of the Westerns made in the 1940s and 1950s, Tales of the Texas Rangers was idealistically patriotic, focusing on upholding American laws and values. However, unlike most Westerns of the day, the show had a contemporary setting, and based its realism in the procedures of the modern Texas Rangers.

·       The 1940s had many more popular programs: the Shadow, and a handful of variety shows.

American Bandstand for those of us growing up in the time of our youth was the equivalent to MTV. I can actually say that sometimes after a while of listening to a hit song in the 60’s, I was surprised when I finally got to see the singer or group on Bandstand.

 

·       It premiered locally in late September 1952 as Bandstand on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6 (now WPVI-TV), as a replacement for a weekday movie that had shown predominantly British movies. Hosted by Bob Horn as a television adjunct to his radio show of the same name on WFIL radio, Bandstand mainly featured short musical films produced by Snader Telescriptions and Official Films, with occasional studio guests. This incarnation was an early predecessor of sorts of the music video shows that became popular in the 1980s, featuring films that are themselves the ancestors of music videos.

·       Horn, however, was disenchanted with the program, so he wanted to have the show changed to a dance program, with teenagers dancing along on camera as the records played, based on an idea that came from a radio show on WPEN, The 950 Club, hosted by Joe Grady and Ed Hurst. This more-familiar version of Bandstand debuted on October 7, 1952 in "Studio 'B'," which was located in their just-completed addition to the original 1947 building in West Philadelphia (4548 Market Street), and was hosted by Horn, with Lee Stewart as co-host until 1955. Stewart was the owner of a TV/Radio business in Philadelphia and even though he was an older gentleman, his advertising account was a large one for WFIL-TV at the time and was put on the program to appease the account. As WFIL grew financially and the account became less important, Stewart wasn't needed and was eventually dropped from the program. Tony Mammarella was the original producer with Ed Yates as director. The short Snader and Official music films continued in the short term, mainly to fill gaps as they changed dancers during the show—a necessity, as the studio could not fit more than 200 teenagers.

• On July 9, 1956, Horn was fired after a drunk-driving arrest, as WFIL and dual owner Walter Annenberg's The Philadelphia Inquirer at the time were doing a series on drunken driving. He was also involved in a prostitution ring and brought up on morals charges. Horn was temporarily replaced by producer Tony Mammarella before the job went to Dick Clark permanently. ~ From Wikipedia

In late spring of 1957, the ABC television network asked their affiliates for programming suggestions to fill their 3:30 p.m. (ET) time slot (WFIL had been pre-empting the ABC programming with Bandstand). Clark decided to pitch the show to ABC president Thomas W. Moore, and after some badgering the show was picked up nationally, becoming American Bandstand on August 5, 1957.  The rest is very successful history.  The best is yet to come…..

The Road Most Traveled

Weekend Get Away

In the first couple of years of our marriage, my wife and I enjoyed going to Reno Nevada a couple of times a year.  It wasn’t for the gambling because we have never been into the game of chance, but more for the live entertainment and some nickel and penny slots.  We enjoyed the road trip and we always spent one night halfway through the trip to relax and simply chill.  Chill is not a word I normally use but it describes perfectly the reason for the pit stop.

We had so much time together to talk and listen to our favorite music along the way.  As an example of our memories in 1978 during one of our fun trips to Reno we started listening to a very new and fun song “Copacabana.”  It was festive and not the kind of song that you would grow tired of from repetition.  We decided to scan other radio stations and found that almost every station on the air was playing the song over and over by request.  Unlike much later popular songs like Macarena which you can grow tired of fairly quick, Copacabana was not in that category.

Most usually our trips were planned for spring and fall to avoid the cold and snow as well as the summer heat.  Our typical trip from the Pacific Northwest was to travel south to Sacramento on I-5 and then east to Reno on Interstate 80.  I realize it was a little longer way around but the area and freeway was a treat to experience.  We always made it a habit to stay at a Holiday Inn in Sacramento.  We were young enough that the long drive didn’t take a toll on our lean and mean bodies (no joke we were in great shape).  Today we prefer to fly everywhere we travel, and rent a car once at our destination.

Well the title of “The Road Most Traveled,” is about the one time late in the fall that we decided to be adventurous.  As we were driving South on I-5 in Northern California we saw small sign that read Reno x number of miles this way.  My thought was that the weather was a perfect fall day about 80 degrees, the highway if you could call it that was a two lane road, and it seems that it would save us at least a half day by taking the shortcut.  Once again, my thought process was that by saving a half day of travel we could drive direct and skip the hotel stay in Sacramento.

We are very fortunate that our experience was as minimal as it turned out to be.  I was almost immediately surprised so see how quickly the road started climbing ever higher in mountainous altitude.  Next thing you know the skies darkened and temperature began to drop.  Within a couple of hours the temperature dropped to the 30s, and then it began to snow.  I had a gut feeling that if we just kept pushing forward we would leave the cold weather and snow behind us.  Before too long I could no longer see the roadway except for the plastic or fiberglass markers on the shoulders of the road that indicated where the roadway was.  We had not passed a car in either direction for over two hours and I began to worry.

Before long I noticed steam coming out from under the hood, so I stopped on my tracks, since there was no traffic, and I was afraid to pull off the road.  As I tried to check under the hood, I discovered that I couldn’t even open my door because of about two and a half feet of snow.  I backed up the car so I could have some space in front of the car.  The problem turned out to be simple, without knowing it I was using my car like a snow plow because the snow was up to my headlights.  The snow compacted into the engine compartment keeping my cooling fan from working.  I used a tire iron to remove the ice around the fan, and let the engine cool for about an hour, before restarting the engine for badly needed heat.  For safety I kept clearing my taillights, exhaust area and headlights so we could be seen. 

Within about two hours a County snowplow came along and he stopped to see if our car was in working order, and he instructed me to follow close behind him.  The bottom line is that we survived, unscathed mostly because of our innocence and faith that all would work out, we didn’t panic, and enjoyed our mini vacation.  I hate to think of how many things could have gone wrong.  Lesson learned, and from that experience forward we’ve always stayed on “The Road Most Traveled.”  The best is yet to come…..

Right Place Wrong Time

Digital Technology

Speaking in Poker Terms, at some point in time we have to get comfortable with the hand that we have been dealt.  In this instance I am referring to the many advances in digital technology that keeps progressing by leaps and bounds especially in the area of audio and video.  I still remember the time when we had no choice but to listen to the car radio at whatever reception we could get and be happy with it.

Can you imagine life without recorded music? Probably not.  By the time I got to where I had a real interest in music and the recorded medium, the 45 rpm vinyl records were in.  I still got to play the 33 1/3 rpm, and 78 rpm vinyl records, but not with my father’s permission.  I used to own and operate 3 music stores in Washington State in the early to mid-70’s, a very inconvenient time for music store owners.

 

Some very popular music would hit the charts, and I would have to maintain inventory in 45 rpm, and long play vinyl, 8 track, and cassette.  All product would eventually sell but it seems that customers were always asking for the one medium that had just sold out. I swear I had the supplier on speed dial, I was constantly placing special orders.

The arrival of the 8-track and Cassettes were a special joy, because now you could take your music along for a road trip.  No more being stuck with radio stations that you kept losing the frequency to.  You could take them to the beach, and you didn’t have to be overly careful with it, and that is why you didn’t always carry them in organizers.

The arrival of the CD was supposed to be the “Perfect Sound Forever,” wrong on two counts: early CDs sounded horrible (though noise free, an audio first); and if you didn't handle them reasonably well, they would (and still do) degrade. Many first generation CDs degraded all by themselves. They were more than difficult to play in any moving environment: portables and car players were for a long time expensive and less than successful, unlike the 8-tracks and cassettes they were replacing. The price of the CD’s when they first came out were cost prohibitive, and not all artists were releasing music on the CD at first.  An interesting note: there are no continued releases of recordings for 8-tracks or cassettes, but the LP has never gone out of production, with many new releases for the increasingly small audiophile market and lunatic fringe.

Between 1990's and today CDs reached their maximum saturation and became the easy to use medium they are known as today, they began to look clunky compared to the MP3 players.  Further progress has now brought the “Cloud” into play where I can access my music collection from anywhere with the use of a Smart Phone, computer or the magic of Blue Tooth technology.

So once again we need to accept the hand that we have been dealt, and enjoy the technology that we have all around us while we are here.  With the advent of “Google Glass,” and wrist watch computers, sooner or later we are going to miss out on the future of digital technology.  I must say that I am glad I won’t be here for the Blue Tooth Technology being imbedded into our heads and using the eardrum for a speaker (for internal use of course).  The best is yet to come….

Getting Pushed Around

Getting Pushed Around

The ultimate slap in the face by a corporate giant.  “I am mad as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore!”  That is a quote from the Movie “Network” (1976),

I realize that everyone is always attempting to improve on a good thing.  However, the old saying about “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” comes to mind, Present day corporations have been known for some time to be not just greedy but beyond stupid greedy.  First off all I am part of a group of people within the boomer generation, secondly bordering on being passive.

There are many things worth fighting for, but we need to take a stand somewhere and begin to push back.  Here is my dilemma:  The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has been in the First Place ranking amongst late night entertainment since Jay Leno has been the host and since before that with Johnny Carson.  The reason for the success can be directly attributed to the fact that Leno grew old alongside of my generation.  Beyond that he understands our sense of humor and our lifestyles.  All of sudden some braniac (not) at the top of NBC has decided to protect their future investment by bringing in a younger host, that a younger audience can identify with, and protect their future ratings and investment.  All this reasoning as if they will keep the audience they have and add their new found younger audience to the numbers.

It might not be a half bad plan if it had been negotiated properly, and at least gave the appearance that somehow they were working in our (the present audience) best interest.  Many viewers such as myself showed our displeasure, and yet, we were totally ignored due to the lure of future ratings and dollar signs.  Because I believe in Karma, I don’t have ill will for them in their future endeavor, and by no means am I calling for a boycott of the new show or their sponsors, but I can personally not tune into their show, and also not buy the products that sponsor the new Tonight Show.

I grew up from a very young age knowing certain truisms like: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and finally if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.

This isn’t the ultimate or only, possible solution, but one I might have implemented:  Renew Leno’s contract for two more years, have Leno working 3 day workweek with Fallon filling in the other two day for two years, while similarly training and sharing the workweek with Fallon and a possible replacement on Fallon’s show following the Tonight Show.  In this way it would allow us the audience to get used to Fallon and maybe show that we liked him or didn’t.  At the same time they would be training Fallon’s replacement.

When NBC acted like a bully sending Leno to pasture while being very productive and a cash cow to the corporate higher ups, they caused me to be unhappy and turn off the Tonight Show, and worst yet I won’t even catch the 11 pm news on their network, I will now go to their competition.  If you feel as I do, I hope you will follow my peaceful demonstration, and feel a tinge of satisfaction as you repeat the following mantra:  “I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!”  My best wishes for a very successful retirement go with Jay Leno.  I happen to know that he is very wealthy, and to a very large degree very happy (with his wife and car collection).  At this point in my life I can’t even aspire to those heights of success, but you never know, stranger things have happened.  I just feel that we all should have enough control to decide when we want to walk away especially if we are discharging out duties in a very successful way.  On a personal note, I retired early, and I am very happy and healthy because of it.  When I first retired, my friends and co-workers told me that I was a pretty smart man.  Since then, I have run into some of those friends and co-workers who no call me a genius.  The best is yet to come…..

Early Influence (50th Anniversary)

Early Influence (50^th Anniversary)

Is it possible this was the first exposure to what would later become known as global community influence?  Up until now everything about our music culture was pretty much home grown, hillbilly, bluegrass, Rock-A-Billy, country, folk jazz, you name it, pretty much all had its roots here in America.

Up until now most recording artists were getting one or two hits on the charts per year, and all of a sudden with the arrival of the Beatles, you could turn on the radio and listen to two or three even four of their new hits at the same time.  On their first full year of exposure to the USA audience (1964) they had 8 songs in the top 55 songs of the year on the Billboard Chart. 

The eight songs were:

• # 1. I want to hold your hand
• # 2. She loves you 
• # 13. A hard day’s night 
• # 14. Love me do
•  # 16. Please, please me 
• # 40. Twist and Shout
• # 52. Can’t buy me love 
• # 55. Do you want to know a secret

During their career they went on to release 13 Albums, more than 200 songs, and they charted 21 # One Singles, and they became the most influential music group ever.

A special factory had to be built in order to keep up with the millions of records being sold by the Beatles.  Soon after their arrival in US Market a radio station in Los Angeles California started playing nothing but Beatles music.

The Beatles led the British Invasion, some of the groups that followed were:  The Dave Clark Five, the Animals, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman’s Hermits, the Hollies, Tom Jones and many others.  The best is yet to come…..

1st Time I Heard the Beatles 2

Ed Sullivan with the Beatles Feb. 9, 1964

February 9th marks the First Anniversary of this blog (www.being50.com) and this post is number 301.  A great big heartfelt thank you for all of you that have made this effort worthwhile.  The Blog enjoys readership from around the world.  The following based on numbers alone is as follows: the top 6 countries are; USA (by far the largest), China, Ukraine, France, Canada, and United Kingdom.  Another handful of countries round up the readership.  The page views are in the 10’s of thousands.  Looking forward to the second year!

 One of my sons originally convinced me to write a book about my life and family, a book which is still in progress.  I shared my book’s rough draft with my son (around a hundred pages), and he suggested that I start a blog.  My son and I share many similar traits, one in particular is decisiveness.  Once we agree on a course of action, we start immediately.  I still have that February 9^th a year ago fresh on my mind; I was sitting across from him at his dining table, as he began initiating the blog.  As quickly as he was done (in minutes), he said, write your first blog.  I told him I didn’t know what to say.  He said write about your favorite music group.  That became my first post: The First Time I heard the Beatles, http://www.being50.com/2013/02/first-time-i-heard-beatles.html.  That post was not much more than a sentence or two, and yet it got an unbelievable response. 

 Today I would like to expand a little on that first post.  Hearing about the Beatles for the first time created a little more than your normal exposure to a new song.  Up until that very day all my music heroes were American Made (the following list is the top 7 Hits of 1963); Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs - Sugar Shack, Beach Boys - Surfin' U.S.A., Skeeter Davis - The End Of The World, Cascades - Rhythm Of The Rain, Chiffons - He's So Fine, Bobby Vinton - Blue Velvet, Paul and Paula - Hey Paula.

·       Released: 29 November 1963 (UK), 26 December 1963 (US)

·       John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, handclaps
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass guitar, handclaps
George Harrison: lead guitar, handclaps
Ringo Starr: drums, handclaps

·       Released on 29 November 1963, I Want To Hold Your Hand sold more than a million copies on advanced orders alone. It became the group's first US number one, and kick-started the British Invasion of America.

·       The song was written by Lennon and McCartney

The very next year (1964) The Beatles had 8 songs in the Top Hit Songs of the US Music Charts.

It’s been 50 years since 73 million people tuned in to The Ed Sullivan Show to watch the Beatles perform live on American TV for the first time.

 

• That Feb. 9, 1964 performance helped set Beatlemania in motion, and also resulted in Capitol Records opening up a factory in Jacksonville, Ill. to meet the demands of pressing the millions of Beatles albums that were being sold. That factory was nicknamed “The House the Beatles Built.”
• How much did the Beatles get paid for their Ed Sullivan performance? The deal called for them to make three appearances in 1964 for $10,000 — which is $75,147 adjusted for inflation in 2013.
• Their performance was so highly-anticipated that the show’s organizers received more than 50,000 ticket requests for the 700 seats in the theater. And it appeared all 700 present squealed in delight at the sight of the Beatles. By Chad Merda

How appropriate that my Blog’s 1^st Anniversary coincides with the Beatles 50 Year Anniversary of their arrival in the US of A, and performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.  The best is yet to come…..

A Gaggle of Girls

A favorite Hangout

• A gaggle is a term for a flock of geese that is not in flight.
• In terms of geese, a gaggle is equal to at least five geese.
• In certain regions of The Netherlands, a gaggle can also refer to a group of adolescent females.

I was working in my office (home office), while keeping an eye on three of my granddaughters for a couple of hours.  As usual I have part of my mind concentration on the work I am doing and the other half tracking my granddaughters. The only time I worry is if they are not in the line of sight or when the house gets too quiet. 

On this occasion I was working and blocking out sounds until I couldn’t help but listen to the noise coming from the family room.  The sounds reminded me of a few times in spring and summer when I am out at the golf course chipping or putting on to or on the green and a bunch of geese grazing nearby interrupt my concentration. Each one of my three youngest granddaughters are very assertive, and each one will raise her voice to be heard over the others. You honestly can’t tell what the discussion is about or who is making the most sense.  Their ages are three, five, and seven.  Two are sisters, and the oldest one is their cousin.

They are a joy to look after, and I love each one equally.  Never a dull moment when I have them in my care.  Through the years I have re-acquainted myself with cartoons and children’s programing in general.  From Disney Jr., to Nickelodeon, and from Lazy Town to Sheriff Callie and everything else in-between, including the Mutant Ninja Turtles.  We spend time at the park playing foot races, and play equipment (swings, teeter totter, monkey bars, and slides), and can’t forget riding bicycles.  Sometimes the highlights of a day are the trips to Children’s Hands On Museum, Chuck E. Cheese, Charlie Safari, or Jumping Jacks.

I also transport them around, I am their care provider (not full time), chauffer, nutritionist, cook, activity director, homework helper, first aid attendant (EMT – Band-Aids only), and favorite grandpa; in no particular order.  I suppose that the one outstanding qualification for my present position is that I am retired, the second is that I love them more than life itself.

When I get a time for reflection, I think of how great it would be to see them off to college, and perhaps to be at their weddings.  Either way it is very reassuring to know that my DNA will go forth even long after I am gone, and the best part is that it will be in very capable hands.  The best is yet to come……