Paul Simon on Sesame Street

Check out the cutie innocently upstaging Paul Simon in the 70s.


Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, 1972


El Condor Pasa (If I Could), 1970

riding the school bus in 1977

I love hearing people's stories about their musical memories whatever the circumstances. Here's one from me about beginning the 7th grade in the fall of 1977. The high school I attended was comprised of grades 7-12. I went from riding on a noisy, boisterous, grade-school bus to a silent bus with high school kids. The bus driver always had a radio playing and it was tuned to WRKO, an AM station in Boston. We heard the same songs every morning and these tunes are forever burned in my brain. The songs ran the gamut of musical styles from disco to rock to easy listening to movie theme songs. The song that gave me the biggest chuckle was Donna Summer's hit I Feel Love. It would be 7:30 in the morning on a crowded, silent school bus and a sexy disco song would be blaring. I'll never forget that strange scene. Below, are some of the tunes that I remember from that 70s bus ride. Hey, I didn't say they were all good.

• I Feel Love, Donna Summer
• On and On, Stephen Bishop
• Cold As Ice, Foreigner
• Short People, Randy Newman
• Nobody Does It Better, Carly Simon
• You Light Up My Life, Debbie Boone
• Slip Slidin' Away, Paul Simon

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.

Naturally 7

I saw the most unique, inspiring and entertaining show at the intimate TCAN last night. Naturally 7 is a 7-person vocal band where no instruments are used. All sounds come from their mouths and it is mind-boggling. Beatboxing x10. I never wooooohooooooed so much in my life. Originally from NYC and together for 20 years, they've been traveling the world performing their thang to much delight. Besides original work, they sang familiar tunes from Englishman in New York to While My Guitar Gently Weeps with an incredible vocalized guitar solo. How he did that, I'd like to know. Two members are brothers and they talked about having no non-religious music in their home growing up except for 3 albums: a Glen Campbell album, a John Denver album and a Simon and Garfunkel album – then breaking into a melodious S&G medley. If these guys come to your area and you want your mind blown, see them. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats. What a way to start a new chapter in life! Once again, wooooooohoooooooooooo!

Let's reflect, shall we?

Simon and Garfunkel perform I Am a Rock, The Sound of Silence and Homeward Bound live on the Canadian tv program Let's Sing Out in 1966. The show aired from 1963-68 broadcasting from college campuses across Canada. Now I want to watch The Graduate.