Rock Radio APRIL 1972 Out of the Cave

We’re Goin’ Back ... Way Back ... Back in Time ...  

Feel like you’ve been living in a cave, only venturing out to forage for food? There’s a word for that and it resides in April 1972’s Rock & Roll ... 

Then & Now  Rockin’ News & Views 
Polish up your riffs, it’s International Guitar Month! The sponsoring site’s official link is a few years old. So here’s a link to their informative History of the Guitar instead, while we slap on some iconic guitar-centric songs ...  

♪ APRIL 1972 Rockin’ News Then …  
Bill’s Radio Reflections ~ BFYP DJ, Bill Gardner, took all the hits for a merry ride around the turntable APRIL 1972 at KING “The Big Eleven” in Seattle. “I thought about all the great songs you've mentioned,” says Bill, “like Roberta Flack ‘First Time Ever,’ and America's ‘Horse With No Name.’ ... but also thought about many wacky songs that were so right for their time fifty years ago, rarely heard today.” For a couple, there is apt reason for that.
       “Remember ‘Sylvia's Mother’ by Dr. Hook, ‘I Gotcha’ by Joe Tex, ‘Jungle Fever’ the Chakacha's, or ‘Troglodytes’* by The Jimmy Castor Bunch’?”
      McCartney and Wings wanted to “Give Ireland Back To The Irish’ and even Sonny & Cher had a weird one, never to be heard again. Remember ‘A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done’? I don't think I've heard THAT one since I plopped the 45 on the turntable at KING-AM Seattle.”     
       Bill recalled the heavy station competition in the ‘70s. “Back then, we were head-to-head competitors with TWO other iconic Top 40 Seattle stations, KOL and KJR.” He shared a great BILLboard pic of KING Broadcasting, KING-TV-FM- & AM building on Aurora Avenue North, no longer there. “KING AM-FM and TV were split in the early '90's, and all have different owners and new headquarters elsewhere.” Fun memories and great update, Bill!
      *Don’t know what a “troglodyte” is? This is the first time ever, BFYP has shared the Monthly Song of Note with its big sis site, Penchant for Penning's, monthly Wordplay Wednesday word! It was just too much fun to pass up. See below for a taste, and beginning Wednesday, April 6^th the PFP site for the full course definition. Warning ... nothing about this song is politically correct ...

With Guitar Month on the mind, a couple guitar-centric songs stood out on this month’s Featured Radio Survey for KAFY/Bakersfield, California, and another station down the road a piece, KHJ/Los Angeles.
      The pure guitar and poetry of Don McLean’s “Vincent” (Starry, Starry Night) boosted it up from #9 to #5 on KAFY’s “Big 55” April 18^th. McLean’s original handwritten lyrics, in tribute to famed artist, Vincent Van Gogh, hit the auction in July 2020 and reputedly sold for $1.5 million.

      For KHJ, Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band picked its way up to #8 with “Taurus” which features Coffey’s considerable guitar skills, for sure; but I personally prefer their 1971 hit, “Scorpio,” probably ‘cause “I are one” 😊. Both tunes are heavy in drumbeats and very danceable in a hippie, freeform sort of way.
      But beating it out one notch up at #7 is the inimitable Sonny & Cher song with a dynamite guitar intro—“A Cowboy’s Work is Never Done.” It made a rather incongruous impression though, when the duo sang it on their TV show stage in glamorous evening attire. So where’s the horse? No matter. It was reportedly their final top ten hit together.
      Meanwhile, it’s worth a mention that across the country, WABC/New York City hit us in the heartland with a catchy guitar sound strumming throughout America’s #1 hit, “Horse with No Name.” The air was full of sound ... ♪ 

April 16^th: Electric Light Orchestra which, with our affinity for acronyms even fifty years ago, quickly became “ELO”, made their maiden concert debut in England on this date. For nearly fifteen years, they brought an ever-changing and enlightening presence to pop, boasting classical influence and mod-Rock melodies. Founding member, Jeff Lynne went solo, and is still making music.

♪  APRIL 2022 Rockin’ News Now …
We’re never without reason to celebrate Rock & Roll history ...

April 11^th: It’s party time! And the quintessential party song flows through BFYP this time every year as we celebrate International "Louie Louie" Day. Fifty-nine years ago this month, BFYP DJ, Ken Chase (aka Mike Korgan) of KISN/Portland, Oregon, fame, produced “Louie Louie” for The Kingsmen, and the rest is party history! We tell ya all about it here.

April 23^rd: It’s Record Store Day! It’s gratifying to see that vinyl records are still charting hit retail sales. Today is the day to show your love. Many stores across the country debut new and re-issued albums from a multitude of artists, new and old, in all their listening formats, for your pleasure and collecting. Though it is most often celebrated on the second Saturday of April, Easter has claimed that weekend this year and of course, it takes priority. Look for a record party at a new, used or vintage store near you! (Click on your state in the map.)

April 29-May 1^st: More Guitar Month madness! If you have a hankerin’ to scoot your boots down to Dallas, Texas, this month, check out their Dallas International Guitar Festival           at the Dallas Market Hall! In its 44^th year, you never know what guitar greats from around the world in every musical genre imaginable, might be in attendance. Get pickin’!

♪ On Your Tinny Transistor Radio    
APRIL 1972 ~ With two dynamic radio station surveys to draw from this month, only one can be the Featured Radio Survey. How did I choose? No contest ... KAFY’s flaunting Wolfman Jack’s image on the cover!      
       To be honest, it was still a tough choice. After all, it is the era of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll—and the Real Don Steele is half-naked on the KHJ cover ... can’t you just hear him and Todd Rundgren singing, I was feeling something wasn't right ... ¯!? (For the fun of it, you’ll also see the KHJ cover on the Featured Radio Survey page.)

♪ Monthly Song of Note 
“Troglodyte” (Cave Man) flew up the KAFY/Bakersfield music chart from #17 to #6 week of April 18, 1972. You might never have seen it, heard it or recalled this word/song since the 1970s, but even then, did you just like the way its title word rolled off your tongue to the tune, never caring what it meant?

     Dictionary meaning: “TROGLODYTE (ʹträ-glɘ-,dīt; 1555) n. ~ 1) a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves; 2) a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded reactionary attitudes.”
      The 1960s and ‘70s were musically macho-man decades, so we kicked the novelty song up to #1 in some areas of North America. Enough to award it a gold certification from RIAA. Unfortunately for today’s liberals, it didn’t stop with just a cave man reference. Get more of the story when it’s available April 6^th on Wordplay Wednesday, PenchantForPenning.com.
      What we're gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time | When the only people that existed were troglodytes... Cave men... | Cave women... Neanderthal... Troglodytes ¯

♪ Quirky Band Names 
Some band names of the era were more expressive than odd. Such is the case with Rare Earth, whose single “What’d I Say,” hit the bottom of KHJ’s Top Thirty on April 4, 1972. Beginning in 1960 as The Sunliners, by the late ‘60s they felt Rare Earth gave ‘em a groovier feel.
       Meanwhile, at the bottom of KAFY’s Top Thirty chart, The Chi-Lites were still going strong after thirteen years, with “Oh Girl.” They originally wanted the Hi-Lights name, but it was in use, so by 1969 settled on Chi-Lites with the “Chi” honoring their Chicago hometown.         Oh, girl | I guess I better go ...

♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey  
APRIL 18, 1972 ~ KAFY/Bakersfield, California ~ “Hey Baby, you got a favorite Oldie?” It’s Wolfman Jack! And yep, we were playin’ Oldies even back then. Wolfman Jack was spinning his magic in the heart of California’s farmlands … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate APRIL 1972 and … Rock On!  ♪  

Blast from Your Past Gifts
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk              

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three) 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 … 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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Rock Radio MARCH 1972 Rainbows & Gold

♪ Reachin' Out for the Rainbow's End ... ♪ 

Life is a work in progress ... and so is this fun site about music and radio, 50 Years Ago this Month. Satisfy your nostalgic appetite ... and c’mon back every month for more pioneering Rock & Roll and the dynamic DJs who brought it to us ... 

♪ Then & Now  Rockin’ News & Views 
We’re Marchin’ on to the Rock & Roll beat! While last month we chatted about the many outstanding albums of 1972, with everything coming up hearts and flowers, it was much easier to choose a February Monthly Song of Note. This month proved a little tougher to choose just one, in the list of classic Top 40 tunes. So much to choose from! So let’s get Rockin’ ...

🎵 Rockin’ News Then MARCH 1972 …
We fell in love with Roberta Flack on the radio, driving “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” up the charts in leaps and bounds from #40 to #32. It finally hit #1 for WCFL April 13^th. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Clint Eastwood primed it in his 1971 directorial debut film, Play Misty for Me. The song cruised through 1972 to land on top again in December, as it woke up Apollo 17 astronauts circling the earth on their last morning orbit before heading home. Some think the reference was for the “face” of the moon. 
       This is a good place to introduce a new BFYP blog feature! Our best DJ bud, Bill Gardner, has graciously agreed to share memories when they apply to our current 50 Years Ago month. Bill is a wealth of radio DJ information and connections. He has the best stories from back in the day! This is why when I asked, he said:
       “Best story from that era was [from] my longtime friend and co-creator of America's first rock and

roll FM station, KLZ-FM/Denver. Max Floyd told me this great memory recently that I'd never heard. He and other professionals from music and radio were in a dark but trendy Denver bar in early '72.  Max told me while walking through, he tripped over a long-legged guy who had his legs extended from his seat at a table. Max vigorously apologized, and a short, pleasant conversation then ensued, including their work. Turned out that the long-legged guy that Max didn't recognize was Clint Eastwood, who told Max about his new movie he was directing, and passionately told of his choice for the soundtrack of Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." SO passionate was Eastwood, that Max then immediately added this "nowhere song" to the airplay list at Denver's KLZ-FM. As you said, it soon defied all odds streaking up the charts, and Max Floyd and KLZ-FM got the gold record from Atlantic Records for "breaking" the song for radio stations all across America!” Thank you, Bill! Awesome nostalgia.

Another Song of Note top tune contender, “A Horse With No Name” (America) hit #15, poised to quickly make the top ten before St. Patrick’s Day. It finally made #1 on WCFL’s April 6^th chart.

But I chose an upbeat, bouncy tune for this month’s musical march into March 50 Years Ago this Month. You’ll find it bound in all its glory below, in March’s Top Tunes …

First though, what was Bill Gardner doing this month 50 Years Ago?  “I was about halfway through a late '71 to early '73 run in March '72 as afternoon DJ on "The Big 11," KING-AM/Seattle with our great Drake jingles. I remember my beautiful and cute little, just-turned-four-years-old, daughter Crystal, trying to sing along with Cher's ‘The Way of Love’ in the top 10.  ...But what will you do | when he's touching your feet! ...* she sang :-)  And I was playing Nilsson's terrific ‘Without You,’ ... among others.” Thanks Bill ... I kinda liked Crystal’s version! A good foot massage is oh-so-good ...
[*#5 on our Featured Radio Survey, Cher sung... Then what will ya do | when he sets you free ... while Nilsson’s tune was heading down at #11.] 

DJ Ted Anthony gave bombshell blonde, Carol Channing, a big hug on the cover of WCFL/Chicago’s March 9, 1972, music chart. But my attention is grabbed by the ad on the back—“Wear a Happy Shirt ... BUNwarmer”! OK, minds out of the gutter—it was a candy bar!
       Any information to fill in the gaps of Ted’s DJ life before and after, was convoluted, incomplete, or simply wrong. Bill came through again with a little more history. He found that Ted had worked at CKLW/Canada somewhere between 1967 and 1984 (as Jack Anthony). But the truly interesting tidbit he found was Ted’s 1976 gig in Tehran! L.A.Radio.com at one time, had posted a comment by Ted about his Tehran adventure, "My last radio shows were done with a helicopter pilot ready to fly me out in case of a siege upon the Government's Main National Broadcast facility by Iranian rebels.” Wow.
       This tribute tells the story with some interesting viewer comments posted. Set to Tom Petty’s “The Last DJ” (2002), the video begins, “In 1976, Tehran got its first American DJ. Ted Anthony.” His overall history is still mostly a mystery, but there’s never a dull moment in a DJ’s life! (Thanks to YouTube member, bozkuhi. Without his tribute, we wouldn’t have known anything substantive about Ted!) 

👉March 15^th: While Ted got cozy with Carol, infamous Los Angeles DJ, Robert W. Morgan, didn’t want to let February go, so he reportedly felt the need for “Puppy Love” (Donny Osmond’s popular tune), and kept it on the air at KHJ, without interruption, for 90 minutes. He narrowly escaped arrest when the cops showed up, suspecting foul play, and found it was just publicity air-play.

🎵 Rockin’ News Now MARCH 2022 …
It’s March, so it must be Music in Our Schools Month! Sponsored by the National Association for Music Education, teachers, students, and music supporters come together for creative music activities and advocacy. If you sing it, play it, teach it, or simply love it, join the celebration!

👉March 17^th: Sure ‘n’ begorrah, of course, it’s St. Patrick’s Day! Nah, doesn’t have anything to do with 1972’s Rock & Roll ... it’s just part of my heritage. So play your fave Irish ditty or opt for a sing-along of “The Unicorn Song”* and dance a little jig. Everyone’s a wee bit o’ Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! The loveliest of all was the Un-i-corn ... Sláinte! (*It was 1968 when The Irish Rovers took the world by Gaelic storm with this toe-tapping tune, originally written, recorded and released in 1962 by Shel Silverstein.)

♪ ♪ Top Tunes on Your Tinny Transistor Radio    
MARCH 1972 ~ We pretty much talked the Top Tunes for this month, above. For more evidence of the year’s incredible music, Carly Simon’s iconic “Anticipation” is in the Top Ten, along with Paul Simon’s (no relation) equally stunning, “Mother and Child Reunion.”

♪ Monthly Song of Note 
“Glory Bound” The Grass Roots – Rockin’ out at #18 in March’s Featured Radio Survey, it peaked at #7 by end of month before sliding down in April. We can read any number of meanings into this toe-tapping song ... in light of recent world events, this one helped buoy my psyche to get on with my day. After all, who can resist sunny days and rainbows ... ♪ Glory bound, Lord, I'm never never comin' down ... ♪  

♪ Quirky Band Names 
Looking to see what unique band names crowded onto the music charts this month? Standouts include the New Colony Six (“Someone, Sometime”), Chicory [Tip] (“Son of My Father”), and the Sugar Bears crooning, “You are the One.” Warning! Listening to this song may leave you craving a sugary cereal breakfast! Why? Because the Sugar Bears pop studio band emerged from the 1940s brainchild commercial for Sugar Crisp the precursor to Golden Crisp cereal produced by the General Foods Corporation (now defunct). Cute.

♪♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey 
MARCH 9, 1972 ~ WCFL/Chicago* – Despite its staid name, WCFL made music fun for its listeners. Every week with their top 40 “All Hits Music” charts, they published a list of “Big 10” from another city’s top songs. One week it was Philly’s Big 10, another, Australia’s turn, but my faves were the “Big 10 GOLD” lists. Most especially for Holidays like St. Patrick’s Day: “Big 10 GREEN GOLD”, with the wandering tune, “Green, Green” from 1963 at the top (New Christy Minstrels). A week earlier, WCFL’s “Collector’s Issue No. 53” is our showcased survey … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played …

Let’s Celebrate MARCH 1972 and … Rock On!  ♪  

Blast from Your Past Gifts  
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk            

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three) 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 … 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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