From Makin’ Love to Making Up ...
Then MARCH 1973 Rockin’ News
♪ …
Nothing
of note could be found in radio news and when that happens, I revert to general
music news, of which there is nearly always something notable. Like …
March 1st: Pink Floyd’s new album,
“Dark Side of
the Moon”
is released on this day, and took barely a month for it to register on WFIL/Philly’s
radar, hitting its “Top Ten LP’s” list on their April 2nd survey. What’s
your fave tune from this celebrated album? “Money”? “Us and Them”? “Time”? Difficult
task to choose … ten dynamic
songs
that will never leave our consciousness …
…
♪ The time is gone | The song is over | Thought
I'd something more to say … ♪
March 27th: I’m sure you recall many great
moments in music history involving the inimitable Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead fame. This
was one of his less-than-stellar, but totally Jerry days … if he just hadn’t
been stopped for
speeding
by a New Jersey state trooper, he may have made it all the way to Massachusetts
for his next gig, with his suitcase full of LSD, Marijuana and cocaine in the
back of the car … ♪ What
a long, strange trip it's been … ♪
(From
“Truckin’” released
November 1970.)
Three cool, vastly different, vintage Radio surveys are in the running this month for BFYP’s Featured Radio Survey.
If you were roaming the Midwest around Cincinnati, Ohio, you likely bopped to the pop sounds of WKRQ (later parodied in the tv show, WKRP in Cincinnati). The survey I collected doesn’t have a printed date—not even the month—but my best guesstimation is it’s bringing you the “Super Q’s Top 15” for the first week of March. The fun and funky ‘70s art included a photo of “The Q’s All American Boy,” your mid-day DJ, Dan Lundy. Unfortunately, for all my research, I couldn’t find any historical tidbits on Dan.
Were you more of a West Coaster back in the day? We head toward the Pacific Ocean to cruise the length of California from KSTN/Stockton, with a March 9, 1973, survey. Typical ‘70s style, there’s a comical, hand drawn cartoon of DJ Chuck Cannon on the cover. Chuck, your lively evening DJ, is the only redeeming factor for KSTN’s
Speaking of San Diego, our last stop on the Featured Radio Survey train is SoCal’s KCBQ/San Diego. Sadly, there are no jocks in the March 30th chart, but lots of 1170 cuteness in its psychedelic borders. There’s a surplus of curly-cues and squiggles, and squeezed between in artsy fashion are ankhs, music notes, celestial bodies, a funky peace symbol … almost hidden in the bottom ink is … “Do it, KCBQ it!” Cool.
*And it’s a good bet, you were listening to the dulcet tones of KCBQ’s Shotgun Tom Kelly or Rich “Brother” Robbin’s on-air antics!
Monthly Song of Note ♪ …
Interesting faux pas like misspellings and other anomalies happened often on the surveys, which can make them more interesting and valuable for collectors. Like “Little Willie” by The Sweet at #1 on WKRQ, should be “Little Willy.” It too, proved interesting … ♪ Willy drives them silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle down … ♪ but …
After last month’s love-fest, I had to go with “Break Up to Make Up” by stylish The Stylistics, for the March Song of Note. It’s just one of their several hits to make the top ten of both R&B and pop radio charts. Up five rungs on WKRQ/Cincinnati it landed at #10 for the first week of March and just starting its climb at the bottom slot of KSTN’s Top 40 … First you love me, then you hate me | That’s a game for fools
Did you notice the band name of the “Little Willy” tune? If you’re wondering The Sweet “what,” they were originally, The Sweetshop, a British glam Rock band making their way through the ‘70s. Aha. Though they’re at #1 on WKRQ’s chart, I think you’ll remember them best for a later ’73 song, “The Ballroom Blitz.” Need an energizing pick-me-up? This song’ll do it!
Faces, with “Cindy, Incidentally,” clinging to #25 on KSTN’s survey, caught my eye. Who are they really? When original band members of Small Faces parted ways—Ian McLagan, Ronnie Lane, and Kenney Jones—were left, and they teamed up with Rockin’ dynamos, Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart, to become simply, Faces.
Now MARCH 2023 Rockin’ Today ♪ ...
March
is Music in our
Schools Month! As always, BFYP celebrates this special
designation, for its close relation to radio and all the music that flows
through it to the communities it serves. (Remember when we got into trouble for
bringing our transistor radios to school?) Many iconic musicians credit their
school music programs for nurturing their budding melodic creativity. What can you do to
support
your local school music programs? Click the link and learn. Not much else in
music/radio related items on the list. That’s not to say there isn’t more fun
…
March 14th: Another day close to my heart of course, is Write Your Story Day. There is no official link, but check out the hints on my Penchant for Penning “Legacy” page link. It may not seem like this day is a fit for BFYP, but are you a pioneering Rock Radio DJ? Have you written your autobiography to include your years as a wild-and-crazy Disk Jockey? You don’t need to be a “Wolfman Jack” to have a fascinatingly unique story. And it doesn’t need to be published anywhere except for your close family and friends, but I guarantee you’ll have fun just in the writing and reliving the memories. Do it today!
While this day leans toward the formal side of piano, perhaps someone reading this would feel the need to create Rock & Roll Piano Day! It’s a whole different animal …
With history in vaudeville, honky tonk and R&B, Rock & Roll took the piano off its staid rails and into mainstream music …
Think, The Eagles’ “Desperado” for a prime example, to be seen on radio charts late next month, and Billy Joel’s infamous “Piano Man” debuts in the latter half of 1973. In the meantime, after an awesome February run, ”Crocodile Rock,” with its catchy piano riff by fantastic piano man, Elton John, clings tenuously to KCBQ’s top ten list, still visible at #8, and is slipping off the chart fast at #32 for KSTN.
MARCH 09, 1973 ~ KSTN/Stockton, California ~ of course, we’re featuring the Chuck Cannon survey! Too cute. Not only a great Top 40 lineup, but a fun, exaggerated (?) peek at life behind the mic … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played …
Sláinte! MARCH 1973 and … Rock On! ♪
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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