Hope Springs Eternal with a Song
LR Note: It’s late on April 3rd—a tad later than I’d hoped. It still needs some cleanup and images, but hope you enjoy!
So after February’s love-month and March’s breakup month, welcome to April when hope Springs eternal!
Love songs never leave radio’s Top 40 and this month, our April 1973 Song of Note ♪ ran a tight race for the honor on WFIL/Philadelphia’s song chart. #8 was a contender, scurrying up nine rungs on their Top 30, for an impressive showing. Both are tearjerkers worthy of heart-tugging hope. #10, though starting its downward slip on the chart, made the final cut. Check it out below!
What else will you see this month? Quirky Band Names gives you the “Choice” between a “Bear” and a “King”! That and more … 50 Years Ago this Month …
Then APRIL 1973 ♪
Writing
these blogs is even more fun when I can spotlight a Blast from Your Past
DJ. WFIL/Philly’s April 2, 1973 music chart features Dr.
Don Rose just a few months before he skips to the other side of the
country to joke his way into our hearts in NorCal.
The popular DJ—in both BFYP
1950s and 1960s books—was infamous for his quick and corny one-liners that were
uttered without malice or meanness, punctuated by a cowbell. We’ll delve more
into the crazy antics of Dr. Don later this year, when he hits the West Coast.
After a long history of roaming
the Midwest and South, Dr. Don made his way to WFIL in the summer
of ‘68, where he remained until at least August of 1973. By November, however,
he heard “go West young man,” and away he flew. ♪ Let's
get down on all fours and look at it from the boss's point of view ... ♪
On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪
Small transistor radios competed with the burgeoning popularity of boomboxes
this year 50 Years Ago, so our little, tinny transistor radios became
fun and fashionable with cute and creative designs.
Were you the “apple of your teacher’s
eye,” or into “Love” and “Peace” out? There were radios for that …
Monthly Song of Note ♪
Hope springs eternal in Springtime! It was a super-tough choice this month as
two very different songs helped our love and hope Spring eternal 50 Years
Ago this Month.
My first thought was to “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round
the Ole Oak Tree.” The catchy tune by Dawn, jammed up nine rungs
from #17 of WFIL’s survey ladder to reach #8. No wonder, as it struck a
nerve with nearly everyone who suffered separation of love, either from
incarceration or military service, and gave hope a resounding voice.
However, I chose for our April 1973
Song of Note, a quieter but no less heart-wrenching song in the #10 spot. It
bears recognition for its heartfelt showing before slipping off the chart. “Last Song” by the
group, Edward Bear (strong contender for Quirky Band Names,
too!), gave listeners hope for love against all odds … and won.
As the story goes, lead singer,
Larry Evoy, had waited a couple years for his wayward girlfriend to return to
him. Finally fed up, he penned the song in final resolution. ♪… It’s the last song I’ll ever write for
you … ♪ Bereft, he left his light
on every night according to song history, “… hoping that she’d think I was
still awake and would drop by … and she did.” I love a story with a happy
ending!
Quirky Band Names ♪
I love the origin of Edward Bear’s band name. Noted above with their “Last Song” as our Song of Note, they
honored their youth with a nod to A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh—whose real
name of course, was Edward Bear! … But the most important thing is,
says Pooh, even if we’re apart, I’ll always be with you … Unfortunately,
even when together, sometimes you’re not. Forming in 1966, the short-lived band
rebuilt itself twice, but finally disbanded in 1974.
And though EB’s a treasure, King
Harvest, the French-American band who grabbed their moniker from a ’69 song
that united farm workers "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" by The
Band, is a band with heart. Their poignant breakout song, “Dancing in the Moonlight,”
tells a compelling story, but …
My first choice for Quirky Band Names is … drum
roll, please … First Choice! What’s not to love about this all-American girl group from Philly!
Forming as schoolyard singers the Debonettes, they became everyone’s First
Choice when they hit hometown radio’s WFIL/#6 this month with “Armed
and Extremely Dangerous.” A little bit pop-rock, a little R&B and listen
closely for the budding promise of (gasp!) disco …
With a
few stops and starts and member changes along the way, the tantalizing trio is
still performing! They just finished up a gig on the … wait for it … Ultimate
Disco Cruise line. Point those fingers baby, swivel those hips, and lunge!
Now APRIL 2023 ♪
Rockin’ Today … and every day! We’re celebrating whatever we
can find that links today’s Rock & Roll Radio with April 1973.
Sometimes I feel we’re slippin’ away … then I find a great link … but … it’s abandoned
and obsolete. Ah well, who needs ‘em?!
I know in essence, the world stopped “cohabitating” in 2020, but that’s no excuse for websites … the Internet exploded during those years of “don’t touch me” petulance. So, we’ll just leave it up to you to celebrate this month with your fave guitar, strumming it in hand, listening to it in vinyl, listening and watching, online, or joy-of-joys, in-concert-person. Enjoy!
Although not so-designated on most daily calendars, it’s also Jazz Appreciation Month. Check out the festivities on April 30th’s International Jazz Day.
April 11th: … Louie Louie, oh no | We gotta go … it’s International "Louie Louie" Day and nobody cares but me!! Why? Because it was one of our BFYP Rockin’ Radio DJs who produced the Kingsmen’s iconic version in April 1963. Want to know more about Mike Korgan aka “Ken Chase” and this historic ultimate party song? Enjoy …
April 30th: Into jazz rather than Rock or enjoy the fusion? Celebrate! Today is International Jazz Day! A UNESCO designated special day, they have all kinds of fun planned for the day—check it out and join in. Already know about it and have an event all planned? Register it for free on their site.
Yup. That’s about all that was worth noting for this month.
BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪
WFIL/Philadelphia, APRIL
2, 1973 ~ Did you know that vying for ladies’ attention with L'eggs,
was Today’s Girl “Sheer-Toe-To-Waist Panty Hose”?! Their survey ad proves it. I’m
sure Dr.
Don Rose loved sharing the space with them … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were
you that groovy day when your radio played …
Let’s Celebrate APRIL 1973 and … Rock On! ♪
BFYP Book 1 (1954-1959) on Amazon
BFYP Book 2 (Swinging ‘60s) on Amazon
Blast from Your Past Gifts
Share your Golden Oldies R&R fun on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk
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LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three planned) are published in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … Book 3 – The Psychedelic Seventies!
Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. Occasionally, since I often feature real people and/or singular sources there may be an unsecured link. As with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion and risk. No compensation is received for any mentions of businesses, products, or other commercial interests. *All holiday and special event days are found at Brownielocks.com’s calendar site. Enjoy!
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