Rock Radio 50 Years Ago ~ SEPTEMBER 1974

It’s Only Rock & Roll … Roll … Rollin’ into Fall 1974!  

We’re swinging into September with so many creative artists and spectacular songs, it’s like watching a musical tennis match. Your head will be bobbing back ‘n’ forth, trying to keep up with the action as more iconic tunes score in the Top Ten.

Eric Clapton strode to the top of radio station charts with a Rock version of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff,” while talented Australian, Olivia Newton-John’s first American hit, bared her soul in “I Honestly Love You.” They vied for top of the charts and scored big from Chicago to California.

Are you ready for more Oldies action?! Grab your tinny transistor radio and flip the dial to your fave Rock Radio DJ memories … 50 Years Ago this Month …   

September 1974 Radio News & Muse ♪ 

September 21^st: Do you recognize WNEW/New York City’s DJ Alison Steele in this classic photo with musical artist, Ron Wood (Faces/Rolling Stones)? While most pop radio stations focused on Top 40, WNEW became famous for the Progressive Rock / album-oriented format that many musicians appreciated. After the all-female DJ staff fell apart in September 1967, stand-out DJ, Alison Steele, stayed to dominate New York’s overnight radio and ushered in a different era of DJs. One that catered to the personalities who sat behind the mic, like Steele’s “Nitebyrd.”  
       As the darling of late-night airwaves, often, Alison began her shows with literary prose, “The flutter of wings, the shadow across the Moon, the sounds of the night, as the Nitebyrd spreads her wings and soars above the earth, into another level of comprehension, where we exist only to feel. Come … fly with me, Alison Steele, the Nitebyrd, at WNEW-FM, until dawn.” More on Alison in BFYP, Book 2: The Swinging Sixties. 

And, you may remember … or not … that trying times in the ‘70s, according to John Lennon, often called for extreme measures of Whatever Gets You Through the Night.

September 23^rd: How many of you agree with Lennon? Obviously ringing true for many and released on this date, “Whatever Gets You Through the Night,” is a snippet he purportedly heard while TV channel-surfing. It resonated with Lennon so much, he created a song with it (Elton John giving it additional vibe) and hit the top of charts by November. It became John’s only #1 single before his death in 1980. ♪ … Do it wrong, or do it right | It's all right, it's all right … ♪     

September 28^th: Which brings us back to WNEW. John Lennon also greeted WNEW-FM DJ, Dennis Elsas, on his show in September, for a memorable interview. As Dennis tells it, “What began as an opportunity to promote the new album [Walls and Bridges], turned into two hours of rare Beatle stories, insights into his immigration struggles, and John as the DJ, introducing and commenting on all the music, commercials and weather.” Were you listening? Ahhhh, the memories! 

On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪  

So, how did you welcome the Fall season in September 1974? Were you in Chicago or California? Here’s a sample of what and who you were listening to …

If you bounced your radio dial between WCFL and WLS in the Windy City, you couldn’t escape Larry Lujack (Larry Lee Blankenburg, 1940-2013), this month’s boyishly handsome Superjock cover model for WCFL. He made many a Chicago fan chuckle and growl, over his many years on the Chicago radio airwaves. Like most pioneering radio DJs, Larry took his training wheels coast-to-coast in his early career. After a short 1966 stint at WMEX/Boston, Larry settled in as an endearing grump at WCFL in Chicago and floated between CFL and WLS for the next twenty years. An afternoon staple in September 1974, Larry was at the height of his popularity that is still well-remembered today.

With Top 40 stations so popular, you’d also expect them to be on top of all the new music. But KYNO/Fresno, California’s, Top 30 seemed to be a tad ahead of the  music curve in September 1974. Their Top Ten was already shuffling up new tunes, sending many of WCFL’s top tunes down the chart to make room for fresh notes.

Seeing a great marketing op, KYNO advertised Wolfman Jack’s syndicated Sunday night show airing at the midnight hour, as the Guess Who’s tribute to him, “Clap for the Wolfman,” hit their chart’s Top Ten. Probably not a coinkydink. On the other side of popular tunes, stations that made “New Music” predictions, like KYNO, sometimes miss the mark. Only two of the four hopefuls, made it to the chart listings. 

Monthly Song of Note ♪  
This month’s contenders are all over the charts. For its pure irreverence, I was likin’ “The Bitch is Back,” a firm and unmistakable message from Elton John that was tripping us up at KYNO’s #6. Even though Elton (& songwriter, Bernie Taupin) were talking about themselves, we’re reminded of how provincial we could still be in 1974. Believe it or not, some radio stations balked at playing a song with “bitch” in the lyrics. Seriously? But their actions likely kept the tune from making its full potential.

Then there is the tongue-in-cheek, goofy novelty tune that I love just for the title. “Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)” by Reunion is in KYNO’s “New Music” list this month, but it never went any further, for good reason. It would have been great for MTV if it had a video with it … about seven years later. Fun, but kinda dumb.

And though I’d prefer to cull the Song of Note from the Top Ten of a survey, often the Top Ten tunes have stayed there for a while. So, to keep things fresh, skipping down is sometimes necessary. But we stopped just one rung below. September’s Song of Note shrugs its shoulders at #11 on WCFL with “It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll” by the eternally Rockin’ Rolling Stones. That is what we’re all about here.

Do you know though, the title and premise of the song was not necessarily complimentary to Rock. According to Stones’ Mick Jagger, he was just tired of the media comparing their music as trying to one-up their last song with yet another “hit.” “The single sleeve,” said Jagger, “had a picture of me with a pen digging into me as if it were a sword. It was a lighthearted, anti-journalistic sort of thing.” Even song co-writer, Keith Richards said, “The title alone is a classic …”  ♪ … I said I know it's only Rock 'n Roll but I like it … ♪    

Quirky Band Names ♪    
Of course, we all know America—the band—nearly as well as the country. But do you know they did not form in America? That put a tweak on their name that earned them September’s Quirky Band Name Award. 

Although the original trio were American citizens, founder, Dewey Bunnell was English-born. Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley rounded out the group as the military kids found themselves in London during their high school years. Sharing musical aspirations, their harmonies clicked and you may recall early 1970s hits, “A Horse with No Name,” and “Ventura Highway.” Well-established by 1974, September’s “Tin Man” charted at #30 to start its way up, landing in the top twenty by month’s end.

Want to boost your memories with the real thing? Two of the original trio are on tour this year in their nationwide “Ride On Tour 2024.”  ♪ … But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man | that he didn’t, didn’t already have … ♪  

September 2024 Music Events & More ♪    

Sunday ~ September 15^th: So, Rock & Roll collectors, do you have an 8-track tape player? This day’s for you! It’s National 8-Track Tape Day. Although the sponsor link takes us to a history created in 2010 by Jalopnik, a car-crazed site, it’s still a fun, tidy little story about the clunky precursor to CD players. “On this day in 1965, Ford first offered factory-installed 8-track tape players with tapes initially only available in auto parts stores. Now they're available in second-hand stores and pawn shops everywhere. Progress!” 

Wednesday ~ September 25^th: How can an iconic special day like this not have a sponsor?! It’s National One-Hit Wonder Day. But, you’re already ON the best site to celebrate it! Oh, all right … here ya go … a fun link to Classic Rock History’s “40 of Our Favorite One-Hit Wonders Songs of the 1970s.” It doesn’t disappoint … yep, even a couple from this month’s chart lineup! “The Night Chicago Died” (Paper Lace) made the list at #22, while First Class came in at #15 with “Beach Baby.”

BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪  

SEPTEMBER 18, 1974, Official Issue #384 ~ KYNO/Fresno, California. Well, we had to give the nod to KYNO, especially since Wolfman Jack graces the cover and WCFL gets the nod next month (who remembers “The Dick & Doug Show”?). You’ll also see Tower of Power’s self-titled album cover (1973) prepping NorCal fans for their upcoming concert with Cold Blood. And FYI, yep, they’re still touring!! … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate SEPTEMBER 1974 ~ 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 “X”/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^TM series, available on Amazon: Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959^TM (eBook only; coming soon in updated print edition) and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties^TM (eBook & print). Coming soon-ish … Book 3 – The Psychedelic Seventies!^TM 

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. This site is wholly owned by LinDee Rochelle & sponsored by PenchantForPenning.com^TM. 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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Rock Radio MAY 1973 Chart-topping Sunshine

Rockin’ Your World in the Sunshine of ’73   

I had to look twice at the WCFL/Chicago music chart for May 19, 1973—yep, it says MAY at the top and not October! You wouldn’t know it, seeing the top two spooky tunes on their Super CFL Survey. “Hocus Pocus” by Focus (I kid you not) moved up a notch to #2 from the previous week.
       Not a music expert, I’m so glad Wiki included this info definition of the Dutch band’s rondo role in “Hocus Pocus”: “… consisting of alternation between a powerful rock chord riff with short drum solos and then varied solo ‘verses’ … which include yodeling, eefing, organ playing, accordion, scat singing, flute riffs, and whistling.” Whew! They deserved their spot in the top five, just for such complicated musicianship—or is that magicianship?!
       But it took second place to … I swear, it’s true … “Frankenstein,” an instrumental by the Edgar Winter Group that staggered up to WCFL’s #1.
       It’s tough enough to grab music charts’ top spot, but doubly difficult for instrumentals. Why the title of “Frankenstein” you might ask? Apparently, it was too long for release at first; after scores of edits and parts and pieces were spliced and diced, Winter began referring to it as a “monster-like, lumbering beat,” and it stuck. *See below how it fits into today’s International Drum Month!

So after the doom and gloom of monsters and magic, let’s get into May 1973’s bright sunshine! Rockin’ you … 50 Years Ago this Month …

Then MAY 1973 ♪ 

May 4^th: Were you one of the lucky ones who rocked with Led Zeppelin in their heyday? Starting on this day they toured the U.S. for two months, setting concert records, most notably in Tampa, Florida. Playing to 56,800 of their most fanatic fans, they topped The Beatles’ previous record. 
       However, while their album, Houses of the Holy hit #4 on CFL’s LP list, the band were a no-show on the singles chart; but the tour yielded footage for their 1976 concert film of the same name as their popular, “The Song Remains the Same.” 

May 5^th: It didn’t take long for Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon album released this day, to picture stardom with its “Kodachrome” grabbing WCFL’s May 19, #39 spot on its way to the top. I bet you still remember the words … come on, sing it! ♪… When I look back | on all the crap I learned in high school …♪     

On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪ 
Larry Lujack … just mention his name in a roomful of people and everyone who ever grew up in, moved to, or simply passed through 1970s Chicago, will exclaim, “Oh yeah, he was the greatest DJ ever!”

As many DJs did back in the day, he figured the gig was easy money while in college and honed his early skills in the Midwest, where he was born Larry Lee Blankenburg. Somewhere along the road of life, he adopted “Lujack” to honor his Chicago Bears football hero, Johnny Lujack.
       But radio hooks ya …Larry soon shuffled to the Pacific Northwest for DJ jobs and as far south as San Bernardino, California, where he settled at KFXM in its 1963 heyday of Top 40 hits. Still not settled, he eventually headed east again in the mid-sixties, and bounced between WLS and WCFL for the best twenty years of his career.
       We didn’t have the politically correct restrictions then as now, so our DJs were funny without malice, naturally. It was assumed we all had a sense of humor and could laugh at ourselves, as well as others …
       Larry personified DJs of the ‘70s with a caustic wit and mordant demeanor, giving his radio listeners mental relief in a wayback, also tumultuous, era.  

Monthly Song of Note ♪  
"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" is a great Spring song leading into summer, as it climbs the chart at WCFL/Chicago to #10, soon to become one of Stevie Wonder’s best tunes …
       The simple song with a catchy, stick-in-your-head melody was nominated that year for both Record and Song of the Year. But did you notice, the first few lines of the song are not Stevie’s vibrant voice?
       Ever a promoter of other good people, Stevie gave great sessions musician, Jim Gilstrap, along with backup singers, Lani Groves and Gloria Barley, a vocal promo. ♪… yeah, that’s why I’ll always stay around …♪   

Quirky Band Names ♪
Rising up the chart a few notches, Gunhill Road took a stand at #24 on WCFL’s chart this month for “Back When My Hair was Short.” Still kickin’ it, their website proudly states how their name came to be, when formed in Mt. Vernon, New York, “…. and named for an iconic street in the Bronx.”

Dr. John’s moniker took a much longer and winding road, through the early years of Malcolm John Rebennack Jr.’s tuneful career. His name changes are as tough to pin down as his music was; the New Orleans native’s wiki bio even had a tough time categorizing him, with a “Soul, funk, New Orleans R&B, swamp rock,” description. With so many sounds to choose from, his charted “Right Place Wrong Time”—a dilemma we can all identify with—is at #35 this month. 

But the most quirky fun has to be Focus. After their magical “Hocus Pocus” song background above, their name is aptly as intriguing—okay, maybe just ‘cause I’m a writer and word etymology is a passion of mine, but profound reports tell us, “…Focus is a Latin word that is the same in many languages. It means concentration, which is the meaning of what Focus does." 

Now MAY 2023 ♪
Rockin’ Today … Join me in a drumfest for International Drum Month! Although no one claims the month’s honor, the PlayDrums site works for getting you in the beat.

For a long time in early Rock music, drummers were simply those who kept the beat steady and framed the background for guitarists and singers. Through the mid-sixties and seventies however, drummers found their voice and clamored to be recognized for their intricate, delicate, and resounding solos that often became the focal point of a popular song.
        Can you spot some iconic songs with memorable drum runs in the May 19, 1973, WCFL/Chicago Top 40 survey? A starting hint: Edgar Winter Group’s instrumental, Frankenstein, is a prime example, with Winter and their drummer, Chuck Ruff, wowing fans with a freaky-fine performance. There are more … take a look at the Featured Radio Survey …

BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪  
MAY 19, 1973 ~ WCFL/Chicago again, features the ever-popular DJ Larry Lujack on the cover, makin’ his DJ job look easy! Want to know what Canadians were listening to this month? Moody Blues, Donny Osmond, and Vicki Lawrence all made the top ten of “Montreal’s Super Hits” … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate MAY 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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ORIGINAL POST ~ LR / BFYP LATE NOTE ♪ 05/01/2023 @ 1:00a:  Yup, it’s-a-comin’! Just not ‘til later. Please bear with me as I finalize a fun month of Oldies Rock Radio History. Coming up is a quirky look at the top two tunes on WCFL/Chicago’s May 1973 survey, along with monthly happenings Quirky Band Names, Song of Note ♪, and iconic Rock Radio DJ, Larry Lujack! C’mon back … there’s MORE … 50 Years Ago this Month.

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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