Just added Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by the great Otis Redding to the playlist. Man, that brings back memories! I was in high school when the song came out, attending boarding school in Beaumont, TX. There were about 5 or 6 girls in the house that was our dormitory. We would often go downtown with one of our dorm mothers to get a soda or just walk around and window shop. Of course, we listened to the radio whenever we could. I had a small portable one that was red and ran on batteries. I had gotten it with S&H Green stamps. But the best radio was the one in our dorm mother's car. She loved to take us driving.
This was way back in the 60's and some of the places we shopped had music playing over loud speakers. Such was the case with our favorite soda shop. We were sitting inside on a warm spring day when we noticed that Dock of the Bay was playing. It was in the Top 40 at the time. When it ended the DJ said "let's hear that one again" and the song played a second time. This was probably uncommon in radio land, where playing a large variety of popular songs is your bread and butter. Then, without saying anything, he played it again. And again, and again, and AGAIN. In fact, he kept on playing it until it had played 57 times in a row!
That was probably a history making event. Being teenaged girls of course we commented on it to all our friends. Even at the age of 16 we knew it was a very unusual happening. I wonder if anyone else remembers that and if it went down in some long forgotten journal. Otis is great no matter how many times you hear him.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Yesterday's Radio Plays
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10 comments:
Great story about the 57 repetitions. Nice to hear about S&H green stamps again, too.
Thanks Paschal! Glad you liked it. Green stamps were a great loyalty program. Wish we had them back.
Peace!
Did you know that the famous whistled verse actualy covered up the fact that there were no words for the verse!!
Hi David! No, I didn't. But it makes sense. Someone once told me that commercially publishable songs fit a pattern of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. So I guess that whistled pert was the bridge where the 3rd verse might have been sung. :)
Cheers!
Neat. I like that story. To juxtapose that I heard a story yesterday about how businesses are employing a new device called the Mosquito. It plays a high pitch that only teenagers can hear. It is really annoying and drives them away. Huh, times have changed, haven't they?
Thanks for coming by my place.
Yeah, I'm not surprised that malls are trying to drive the teens away. Our group was always supervised. Most kids now are just dropped off with their pals.
You're welcome for the visit. Glad to see you here too.
Peace!
great story...i've always loved that song.
Thanks Sarah! Looks like we've got similar taste in music. Welcome to my place. Thanks for dropping in and please come back soon.
Peace!
A great song, with great memories. It's funny but it's the songs of when I was at school that make me the most wistful...
Over from David's.
Hey Cath! Welcome back! :) That's not surprising. Some of the ones I learned in school affect me the same way. I think it was that "on the cusp" feel that made everything mean so much back then. :)
Joy!
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