Baseball Quiz: 1) What Minnesota Twins player led the A.L. in
RBI in 1977? 2) Who holds the A.L. record for most times
striking out in a single season? Answers below.
#4…4…4…
Herewith are more songs that peaked at #4 on the Billboard
Charts and thus will never make the StocksandNews Top 3 lists.
Curtis Mayfield – “Freddy”s Dead” (Theme from ”Superfly”)
(9/72)
Scott McKenzie – “San Francisco” (6/67)
Sergio Mendes & Brasil ”66 – “The Look Of Love” (From the
Movie “Casino Royale”…my favorite scene, the baccarat table.
“Card?” “No, card.”) (6/68)
Roger Miller – “King Of The Road” (2/65…one of the most
underrated songwriters of any era.)
Wayne Newton – “Daddy Don”t You Walk So Fast” (6/72)
1910 Fruitgum Co. – “Simon Says” (2/68)
Ohio Express – “Yummy Yummy Yummy” (5/68…same
producer as ”Simon Says.” Should have been thrown in jail).
The Osmonds – “Down By The Lazy River” (1/72)
Gene Pitney – “Liberty Valance” (5/62)
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap – “Woman, Woman” (12/67)
Rare Earth – “Get Ready” (4/70)
The Rascals – “How Can I Be Sure” (9/67)
Paul Revere & The Raiders – “Kicks” (3/66)
Paul Revere & The Raiders – “Good Thing” (12/66)
Righteous Brothers – “Unchained Melody” (7/65)
Kent State – May 4, 1970
On April 30, 1970 President Nixon went before the American
people in a televised address to discuss his invasion (“incursion”)
into Cambodia in order to root out the Vietcong”s sanctuaries.
“We will not be defeated…If, when the chips are down, the
world”s most powerful nation…acts like a pitiful, helpless giant,
the forces of totalitarianism and anarchy will threaten free
nations and free institutions throughout the world.”
The action proved to be another excuse for college students
across the country to protest the Vietnam War. At Kent State
University, located in the small town of Kent, Ohio, hundreds of
students rioted through the downtown shopping area on Friday
evening, May 1. Mostly, it was simply a drunken, unruly crowd.
Mayor Satorum of Kent would have none of it and, when the
unrest continued on Saturday, he instituted a dusk-to-dawn
curfew and called on Ohio Governor James Rhodes to send in the
National Guard.
That Saturday night, students set fire to the ROTC building.
When the firemen arrived they were attacked and the hoses
slashed. The building burned to the ground, much to the delight
of the protesters.
Rhodes vowed to “use every weapon possible to eradicate the
problem.” The Guardsmen believed a state of martial law had
been declared (it hadn”t).
After a fairly quiet Sunday, a protest had been called for Monday
afternoon on the Commons area. A crowd of 2,000 assembled
and taunted the Guardsmen who were lined up with their gas
masks on. The Guard first tried to disperse them with the tear
gas but when the Guardsmen realized they were actually fencing
themselves in, they began to backtrack up Bunker Hill. It was then
that the firing started.
It took just 13 seconds, but when it was over 4 students were
killed and 9 wounded (one paralyzed for life). Two of the
victims were women walking to class as were two nonradical
students, including an ROTC cadet. (Incidentally, the dramatic
photo of the girl screaming over the body of one of the boys was
of Mary Vecchio, a 14-year-old runaway).
Campuses exploded across the country in what was called by the
president of Columbia University, “The most disastrous month of
May in the history of American higher education.” 400 schools
were shut down.
A Gallup Poll taken immediately after the disaster showed 58%
blamed the students, only 11% the Guardsmen. It was the
emergence of the “Silent Majority” that Nixon was to talk about
so often.
A huge antiwar demonstration took place in Washington between
May 6 and 9. Nixon, in the middle of the night, visited the
Lincoln Memorial to talk with some of the protesters about
college football, campus life and other trivialities. It was an
incredible, surrealistic appearance. Some thought it humanized
him, others thought it was just plain weird.
On May 15, another conflict erupted at Jackson State where
Mississippi highway patrolmen riddled a dormitory with bullets,
killing two. But this episode was largely ignored.
*A special Grand Jury placed the ultimate blame for the Kent
State Massacre on Kent State”s administration for not being able
to rid the campus of protesters. 25 students were indicted. None
of the Guardsmen were.
**Neil Young wrote the song “Ohio” for Crosby, Stills, Nash &
Young just about two weeks after Kent State. By August 8, it
had peaked at #14.
Tommy James & The Shondells
I saw where Tommy James turned just 53 the other day (April
29) and so I thought I”d write a little blurb on him. Born Thomas
Gregory Jackson in Dayton, Ohio, Tommy taught himself to play
the guitar at age 9 and by the time he was 12, he formed his
group in Niles, Michigan.
While just 16 (1963), James cut a single, “Hanky Panky,” for a
local DJ (one account says it was 1960, I don”t believe it). Then
in 1965, out of work following high school graduation, he
received a call from a Pittsburgh DJ who had found “Hanky
Panky” amongst a pile of discs, played it, and the song soon
became the favorite of his audience. 80,000 copies were sold
within a few weeks in Pittsburgh alone. After signing a contract,
the group”s new hit quickly rocketed to #1 nationally by June,
1966. The next year saw a slew of successes, led by “I Think
We”re Alone Now,” and then in 1968 James co-wrote the song
“Mony Mony” (named after a Mutual Of New York sign outside
James” apartment in New York). Hitting #3 in the U.S., “Mony
Mony” became the #1 dancefloor hit in the UK as well.
In 1968, the group played at campaign rallies for Bobby Kennedy
and Hubert Humphrey, increasing their exposure. Then in late
”68 they introduced their new psychedelic sound with the song
“Crimson And Clover” which hit #1 the following February. A
few months later “Sweet Cherry Wine” was a huge winner and
then in July, 1969 “Crystal Blue Persuasion” peaked at #2. [This
is your editor”s #3 all-time single…behind “Fooled Around And
Fell In Love” and “Hello, It”s Me.”]
The Shondells turned down an opportunity to play at Woodstock
because of commitments in Hawaii. [Smart choice.didn”t have
to deal with the mud.] In June 1970, the Shondells left Tommy
James to form a group ”Hog Heaven”. James had collapsed on
stage in Alabama and retired to his farm in upstate New York.
The reason for the collapse was probably fatigue, but he had a
major drug problem to deal with as well. Said James, “After
awhile we were playing five nights a week without a break, not
even making that much money, what with the expenses of
touring, just going all the time. Sooner or later – something had
to give – me.”
By 1971, however, James had resumed a solo career and
“Draggin The Line” reached #4. That was to be his last big solo
hit, though he had a number of hits as a producer.
Top 3 songs for the week of 5/4/63: #1 “I Will Follow Him”
(Little Peggy March) #2 “Can”t Get Used To Losing You”
(Andy Williams) #3 “Puff The Magic Dragon” (Peter, Paul &
Mary…ughh!!!) Bring on the British Invasion…quick!
Quiz Answers: 1) Larry Hisle, 119. 2) Rob Deer, Milwaukee,
186 in 1987. He hit .238 with 28 HR and 80 RBI.
Next Bar Chat, Friday…praising Canada.
