Dave Schwensen's Blog, page 4

#140 and 141 – California Sun

#140 & 141 – California Sun by The Rivieras

Surfin’ all the way from Indiana!

People my age can be really annoying bragging how things were in “the good old days.” Especially when it’s aimed at generations currently living in the time they’ll look back on as their “good old days.” Based on my memories, a lot of it wasn’t all that much better and I’m happy to be dealing with things in the “current days.” If you need examples, my list includes better meds (health care), seat belts (better sa...

#142 and 143 – Walk On The Wild Side

#142 & 143 – Walk On The Wild Side by Lou Reed

I had a college roommate I didn’t like very much. That’s okay, because I’m sure he didn’t like me at all. We only shared a room for one quarter of a school year, which was enough. The guy moved out and I never saw him again. But that doesn’t mean my adventures with his “family” were over.

I can’t remember why we antagonized each other. It was never to the point where we had heated arguments or even close. It’s just that he was as annoying as I w...

#144 – Ding Dong, Ding Dong

#144 – Ding Dong, Ding Dong by George Harrison

George Harrison

For a Classic Rocker like myself, this song has become more of a New Year’s tradition than the previous chart-topper of New Year’s tradition songs, Auld Lang Syne. That one was geared for our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. Then again, this George Harrison singalong probably already has that same reputation with generations younger than the boomers.

It’s funny how age will do that. And it’s a guarantee – like turning the page...

#145 – Footloose

#145 Footloose by Kenny Loggins

  I couldnt even imagine what my favorite memory about this song would be when it came out in 1984. Lets just start by saying I was pleasantly blindsided by Footloose, and it only took a little over three decades for it to happen.

But Im getting ahead of myself

Movie fans will know Footloose was the title song for the 1984 Kevin Bacon star-maker movie of the same name. Okay, I know he earned a lot of notice for supporting roles in Animal House and Diner, but...

What Happened? New Book – That’s What!

Something To Laugh About

[image error]If you havent noticed (I was hoping you would), The Classic Rocker has been unusually quiet for the past five months. Dont worry, there are plenty of songs and stories yet to come on our countdown to number one on the Dream Song List. And yeah, I know what that song is its just taking a bit longer than expected to get there.

Why? Thanks for asking

During the shut-down of 2020 I finally got around to finishing my latest book. Its not about The Beatles (even though the...

#146 – My Way

#146 – My Way by Frank Sinatra

Frankie

– This edition of The Classic Rocker is not going to go the way you think it’s supposed to. In fact, this will be nowhere near what you might be expecting…

First of all, My Way is Frank Sinatra’s signature song. Yes, I know there are many others to choose from over a career in which he was as popular in the 1940s as Elvis was in the 50’s and The Beatles were in the 60’s. But unless you’re leaving Yankee Stadium at the end of a baseball game where Frank’s ve...

#147 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

#147 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles

The Band

– It was late spring 1967 and we really didn’t know what was going down. At least not where I was living in small town northern Ohio. It had been less than a year since we saw the Beatles at Cleveland Stadium during their (what we thought at the time) annual summer tour. And while we waited for the next Beatles moment, we were being entertained by a new show on NBC called The Monkees.

Yeah, I won’t deny they were the cool thing...

#148 – Bitch

#148 Bitch by The Rolling Stones

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The Stones!

Ive just deleted about a months worth of Classic Rocker ramblings about this song because Well, frankly I didnt have much to say about it. Bitch is a great song by The Rolling Stones and opened side two the classic LP Sticky Fingers. But it doesnt achieve the classic greatness as the albums side one, opening track, Brown Sugar.

Its not a throw-away either, when considering the Stones earlier albums included a lot of filler tracks. But in all my...

#149 – Bonanza

#149 – Bonanza Television Series Theme Song

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The Cartrights

– Hearing this song during the early to mid-1960s was the signal for battle lines to be drawn on the home front. At least that’s how I feel some of us belonging to the younger edge of the baby boomer demographic would remember it. Then again, it all depended on the opponents you were battling against.

For the preteens, a good guess would be our parents.

First of all, Bonanza is one of the most recognizable and catchy television theme...

#150 – Bus Stop

#150 – Bus Stop by The Hollies

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Waiting for a bus?

– After almost five decades of listening, this classic pop song suddenly took on an entirely new meaning for me. There was nothing about the recording that had changed. It was still the original by The Hollies, who have always been one of my favorite British Invasion bands. And I’m pretty sure most of their first generation fans still pull up images of young love at bus stops every time they hear it.

And most likely, they’re thinking of the...