Man, those colors

We deal with heavy stuff at times, but if you can still laugh and try not to take yourself too seriously, groovy. Skimming through videos from past eras that give me a chuckle helps to do that. While watching, I'll often think about how old the people in my life were at that time. For instance, this clip is from 1947. My mom was in nursing school and my parents were dating. Was this how it was when my parents got a malted? Bummer about the music but the colors are blowing me away.

I've never seen a color photo of my parents
before the 1960s. My mom would show me a
photo and tell me what color her clothing was
in the picture but I just saw black and white.
After my mom graduated from nursing school in
1948, she and her school friends rented cottages
at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire. My dad
and his buddies went up to visit. My parents loved
to dance and were good at it. I'm sure they did
a lot of jitterbuggin' at the ballroom there.

My mom told me that her bathing suit in this picture was bright red.

My parents are front and center in July 1949 on their honeymoon drive to Canada. Click to make big. It was taken at The Allen "A" Camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire while watching fireworks. They stayed in a little cottage. Where's the snuggling?

Super Bowl Sunday dose of pop culture

Here's a cool clip of teenagers in the 1950s and 60s.

My parents, above, were teenagers in the 1940s. They both graduated from high school in 1945. In the 1940s, most girls wore their hair parted on the side. My mom, however, preferred her hair parted in the middle like Hedy Lamarr. Underneath my mom's photo in her yearbook it reads Pretty as a picture and nice to know. She became a nurse. My dad was voted Most Athletic, Noisiest and Teacher's Pest.

In the photo above, he poses before a game sans face guard.

This is Hedy Lamarr. My mom copied her hairstyle as a teenager.
Check out THIS about Lamarr. Right on Hedy.

Typical teenagers during the 1940s. Swing was the thing. When my mom was a senior in high school, she was allowed to skip school to see a matinee performance by Frank Sinatra in Boston.

Above are common hairstyles from the 1940s. Va va va voom!

The Beat

Every Christmas as a teenager, my mom would ask me for a list of 6 albums that I wanted. I would giggle at the thought of her in line with my selections. One of the Christmas commercials that aired in 1982 was for K-tel's "The Beat." I wanted it. I gave my mom the address to send for it and she came through. I still have it. I'm too lazy to make a new Christmas mix so here are some old ones. Enjoy the season!

Click on the album to make it big. Some of the groups on the record:
Go-Gos • Split Enz • Waitresses • Depeche Mode • Duran Duran
Kim Wilde • Bow Wow Wow • Haircut 100 • A Flock of Seagulls

3(a+b)–2(c+d)=

As a teenager, my mom would ask me "why don't you know your math like you know your music?" I recently met Bob and Gary on vacation and we blabbed nonstop Beatles and 60s music and the fun lasted hours. Gee mom, I don't ever recall talking algebra with vacationers during my travels. But then again, I don't need calculus to paint pictures. Nevermind. Keep up with your math, kids. 😀

mom + dad approved

I walked and whistled all the way to Tucumcari and this is what I get? It all works out though, unless you're evil, then you're cooked.

Jimmie Rodgers had his own summer replacement show in 1959 and appeared as a guest on the programs of others many moons ago.

regrets, I've had a few

When my mom finished nursing school in 1948, flight attendants were required to be RNs (registered nurses). She was 21 and living with her parents outside Boston, so why not travel and see the world even though many cities were still in ruins from the war? Jet travel was an extreme luxury then and it would be part of her job. She applied, was hired, but eventually turned it down. She told me it was her only major regret in her life. Here's the schmaltz. Now go do something, damn it.

• 1940s stewardess training film
• A 1960s British Air Hostess
• Austrian stewardess training film, 1964
• American Airlines Stewardess College, 1968
• American Airlines commercial, 1968
• white go-go boots
• The Naughty Stewardesses, 1973

Devo

While decluttering recently, I came upon my Devo ticket stub (click to enlarge). Apparently, my mom let me see them on a school night.
Things became a little weird in the early 1980s and I loved it.

If something was quirky and made me laugh from its absurdity and wackiness, the better. Enter: Devo. If you like to dance or want a giggle, these will make you, at least, bob your head:

• Whip It
• Girl U Want
• That's Good
• Through Being Cool
• Beautiful World
• (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
• Peek-a-boo
• Freedom of Choice 

At the concert I bought a red flowerpot hat. I also bought a concert t-shirt. The concert was during their strange, plastic-shoulder, potato-body phase. When the t-shirt became too small to wear, I gave it to a friend with the stipulation to give it back when she no longer wore it.

A very Devo Christmas in 1982. The above photo is THIS.

I still have the 3 Christmas gifts I'm holding in the photo above. I used to enjoy wearing "loud" shirts and would often get flak for it – especially in the hallways at school. Gotta let your freak flag fly.

Devo appeared on the totally tubular Square Pegs tv show.

beautiful Janis

Broadway came to the Cabot last night with A Night with Janis Joplin and it was better than great. Janis' spirit and voice took over the body of Mary Bridget Davies. Incredible. The show centers around Joplin telling stories of the singers who inspired her – from Bessie Smith, Odetta, The Chantels, Etta James and Aretha Franklin to Nina Simone. The four women who played these roles received many standing Os but what blew everyone away was the voice of Davies. My favorite scene was the character of Janis talking about cleaning the house with her siblings every Saturday while her mom blasted Broadway albums. These tunes influenced Janis deeply – Summertime from Porgy and Bess being one of them. She would then channel Joplin, belting out her renditions. If you're a Janis Joplin fan, you will loooooooove this show. Everything about it is fantastic: the performances, the band and the set with a balcony from where the "inspirations" sang. Prepare to be awed.

February 9, 1964

While listening to 88 Rewound count down the hits of January 13, 1964 from Philly's WIBG in honor of The Beatles, I thought about people I know who were around then. My mom was home cleaning and ironing to the kitchen radio while her oldest 3 kids left for school – then errands with my 2-year-old sister while listening to the car radio. I was unfamiliar with many of the songs and skipped through some slow ones. A few weeks later, the Beatles would be known worldwide. Yippeee!
Below are a few pop songs from the January 1964 survey:


He Ain't No Angel, The Lovejoys, 1963
Ellie Greenwich, who wrote the song is really singing.


Move It Baby, Simon Scott with The LeRoys, 1964


Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys, The Cookies, 1963

What do you remember about this historic happening? Discuss.

Thelma Houston on my clock radio

In February of 1977, I was home on vacation from the 6th grade when my mom returned from grocery shopping. While helping her put away the groceries, I took out a clock radio from one of the bags. "Who is this for?" I asked. "You," she responded. From that day on, turning on the radio was the first thing I did when I entered my room. If I hear a song that was once played on the radio, I still remember what was going on in my life when that particular song was popular. This song reminds me of that day in 1977. Right on.

The song was originally recorded by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (featuring Teddy Pendergrass) in 1975. Have a listen...

Hot Bulb

Years ago, my family and I made up a game called Hot Bulb
(based on Hot Potato) for my mom's last Christmas. Play this and
I guarantee it'll make your Christmas more memorable and fun.

Here's how to play:
1. The dj plays music with his/her back to everyone.
2. The "hot bulb" (a ball or crinkled-up wrapping paper)
is tossed around randomly. Giggling ensues.
3. The dj (with back to everyone) stops the music.
4. Whoever is holding the "hot bulb" when the music stops,
tells a Christmas memory. Try it, you'll like it.

rock stars with their parents

Check out this 1971 Life Magazine exposé about rock stars at home with their parents. Rock those boots Elton John's mom!

Fly Like an Eagle

I was saddened by the recent passing of musician/artist Ric Ocasek of the band The Cars. Shortly after turning 13 during the summer of 1978, I bought The Cars' debut album – my second 33 rpm record. The album sat in the back seat of the car while shopping with my mom and warped from the hot sun. When I played it, the needle would bop over the bumps but it never skipped. The first 33 rpm record I bought was Book of Dreams by The Steve Miller Band. It didn't contain the tune Fly Like an Eagle, but that song was one of my favorites at that time. Sometimes in life, we think bad things are happening to us, but in reality, the Universe/God/Source is nudging us in another direction towards our true purpose and path, which will bring us more joy, fulfillment, and happiness. When we have the courage to look inward, dive deep, heal past wounds, follow our dreams and move on with gratitude, we are rewarded. We are then truly able to fly like an eagle and soar.


Fly Like an Eagle, The Steve Miller Band, 1976

Here are some Cars videos that will forever make my heart smile:

• Just What I Needed
• My Best Friend's Girl
• Danerous Type 
• Let's Go
• Candy-O
• Cruiser 
• All Mixed Up
• Bye Bye Love 
• Drive 
• Since You're Gone
• Touch and Go

Above are the first two albums I bought as a 7th grader.

Marvelous Maya

88 Rewound reminded me of Maya's mom having a huge hit with this song that I still love. How talented and hilarious is Maya?