Most uncomfortable ad ever

It's got to be a challenge to come up with an advertising campaign for Summer's Eve that doesn't make people uncomfortable, but boy does this one fail that test.

Marilyn Monroe

From this morning's Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac, this little tidbit from 65 years ago today...

July 19, 1946…Marilyn Monroe acted in her first Hollywood screen test (on the set of the movie Mother Wore Tights) and signed her first contract with 20th Century Fox.

I couldn't find that screen test, but here's one from just a few years later. I'm not sure how good of an actress she was, but there's very little doubt she was absolutely stunning.

Chuck Berry

He may be a bit of a creep in real life, but there's no denying the impact Chuck Berry had on music. This morning's RAMP newsletter reports that his hometown of St. Louis is going to do something to recognize that...

Chuck Berry was the first person to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the inscription on his exhibit reads, "While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest...." It is in that spirit that Berry's hometown of St. Louis is preparing to honor one of its most famous native sons with a beautiful eight-foot bronze statue, designed by renowned sculptor Harry Weber. Apparently, bronze is very expensive, so KMOX/St. Louis personality Charlie Brennan has graciously spearheaded a fundraising campaign to help raise $100,000 to defray some of the statue's costs. The statue sits across the street from Blueberry Hill, a club where Berry, now in his 80s, has performed every month for the past 14 years, and Berry himself is slated to attend the statue's dedication on Friday, July 29 at 10am.

One of his first big hits was recorded right here in Chicago. It's still a great song 56 years after it was released...

Happy Birthday Ringo

Ringo is 71 years old today. I love this video of Ringo performing Nilsson's "Only You." His sidekick in the video is Harry Nilsson himself, looking like he just got out of bed. John Lennon played guitar on this song too. I think it's actually quite a good version of the song, maybe Ringo's best singing ever.

Michael Landon

Michael Landon passed away twenty years ago today. I found this little gem on YouTube: the Michael Landon roast from 1975...

Beatles in Tokyo

45 years ago today the Beatles performed in Tokyo. Here's the video of one of their songs in concert that night...

Daily Show skewers Blago

Thank you, Rod. You made Illinois so proud...

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Amos & Andy

Sixty years ago today America got their first look at Amos & Andy when the long time radio hit debuted on television.

Amos & Andy was a Chicago institution. (I've previously written about the show for Just One Bad Century, if you're interested)

Check out this video. It's the original (white) radio Amos & Andy introducing the new (black) television cast. It might make you a little uncomfortable. Let's just say it certainly isn't 1951 anymore.

Gonna Use My Sidestep

When I read Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac this morning and saw that James Honeyman Scott from the Pretenders died on this day in 1982 (heart attack caused by cocaine), it made me think of the song "Brass in Pocket" because he is featured in that video.

In the early days of MTV it was one of their most played videos, and there was one line in that song that always drove me crazy. I could never understand what in the world Chrissie Hynde was singing after "Gonna use my arms, gonna use my legs, gonna use my style, gonna use my..."

I heard it many many times over the next 29 years, and every time I heard it I listened closely to try to figure out that next word. Today, I finally quenched my thirst for an answer by looking up the darn lyrics on the internet. The answer is: "Gonna use my sidestep."

Who says that? Anyway, now I can actually enjoy the song and the video again...

Here, There & Everywhere

From Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac today...

"June 14, 1966…The Beatles recorded "Here, There And Everywhere." Paul McCartney, John Lennon and producer George Martin all said it was one of their favorite Beatles songs. In 2000, it was ranked the 4th greatest song of all time by Mojo magazine."

It's also been used as the first dance at countless weddings, including the wedding of my buddy Stu and his wife Pam. (Bridget and I used "And I Love Her" because our band didn't know how to play this one.) The Beatles were never filmed performing the song, but Paul was...

Silly Love Songs

#1 in the country 35 years ago today...

Rain

Released exactly 45 years ago...it's appropriate in the Chicago area today.

Bruce & Patti

The Springsteens are celebrating their 20th anniversary today. This is a nice video of just the two of them performing a song together...

(UPDATE: Whoops. Bob Dearborn e-mailed me to let me know that their anniversary was actually yesterday. Note to self: Always double check dates on Bob's almanac.)

Bruce Springsteen lyrics

Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise (with Intro Video - Bruce Springsteen Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

Good Day Sunshine

What were you doing exactly 45 years ago today? The Beatles were in the studio recording the song "Good Day Sunshine."

I believe this is the documentary from that day...

Want Ads

40 years ago today it was the #1 song in the country. Here are the Honey Cone performing it on Soul Train...

Eleanor Rigby

According to Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey Almanac, on this day in 1966 the Beatles completed work on "Eleanor Rigby." That's really a Paul song, and he later included it in his (incredibly awful) film "Give my Regards to Broadstreet."

Ed Sullivan

His final show was on this day in 1971, exactly 40 years ago. It was canceled after 23 years on the air. During that time Ed became one of the most unlikely showcases for rock and roll. There were some truly incredible performances on his show, including performances from the biggest stars of all...

The Beatles

AND

Elvis Presley

Paint it Black

#1 45 years ago today...

Charlie Watts

He's 70 years old today. That's right, 70! Here's an interview of Charlie from 1973. He talks about Chicago Blues, among other things...

Greg Jarrett

Some pretty cool behind the scenes stuff with WGN morning man Greg Jarrett as he sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley yesterday.

(If you'd like to read my Chicago Radio Spotlight interview with Jarrett from last year, click here.)