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One can't describe the feeling of catching a wild West Virginia Trout with a rod you built and a fly you tied.
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
KLUV Radio and the Pirate DJ is on the air...
9:19 PM | Posted by
David |
Hey, fellow readers. How about we take a walk. Just take my hand and the hand of others, and let's go for a stroll. ( Remember that dance). Lets take a walk to Raleigh County on a mid 60's Saturday night. Now...I want everyone to gather in close and close your eyes really tight. Drift back with me to AM radio and those sounds that have never left our hearts. I know it might give away our age, but so be it. For tonight we are going to walk down memory lane. Music wise. The Capris are setting the mood by telling us "There's A Moon Out Tonight". One of my favorites of all time.
There's a moon out tonight, whoa-oh-oh ooh Let's go strollin' through the park...
There's a girl by my side ,who's heart I have stolen...
The 50's set the stage with Elvis and Buddy Holly. The Platters were telling us about a "Twilight Time and a Great Pretender." Little Richard was screaming out the words to "Good Golly Miss Molly". Pat Boone was crooning about "Love Letters in the Sand " and the Big Bopper was talking to his lady on the phone. All of this came to us in the "Still of The Night" with help of the Five Satins. From them, it came to us, through WWNR, Beckley's finest .
The 60's introduced us to MOTOWN and what a sound it was. It was so easy to find some fitting message from these sounds to dedicate to a special someone. I wonder how many ladies were told "you're my sunshine on a cloudy day, and when it's cold outside, you're my month of May". So many of these tunes were listened to with "Tears On my Pillow" while you dreamed about your "Earth Angel". The Temptations, and that never forgotten voice of David Ruffin on "My Girl", could melt even the coldest heart.
Everyone was doing the "Mash Potato" or the "Swim" and then that magical invention that made us all a Fred Astaire - "The Twist" by Chubby Checker. We could slow dance to "Unchained Melody" and wonder how in the world Frankie Valli ever was able to sing that high without hurting himself. Local groups imitated the sounds and the Little Beaver Lake sock hops were crowded each and every night. Summer time meant tuning in late at night to WLS in Chicago and listening to the neat drag race advertisements: SUNDAY!!...SUNDAY!!...SUNDAY!! FIRE BREATHING FUEL DRAGSTERS IN HEAD TO HEAD GRUDGE MATCH...
How could you not love it.
The beach boys came on the scene and turned so many into surfers that had never seen the ocean yet. With sun tanned "California Girls "who wouldn't. England invaded America's jukeboxes with the Beatles and the hair cut so many wanted. Guru jackets replaced Car coats and penny loafers with no sox were the rage. Not to mention brand new blue jeans pegged so tight you couldn't get them over your foot most of the time.
The music began an extension of troubled times and the turmoil going on in the world. Artists used the media as a means of protest and soon came a gathering of thousands on a farm in Woodstock, NY. WAR ! Good God Y'all what is it good for "...sent the sentiments of so many. Songs of free love , mistrust,and anti-establishment could be found across the dial. The girl groups dressed in clothes that had to be painted on had us all memorizing the lyrics. The Supremes reminded us there "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and Marvin Gaye wanted us to "Get it On".
Dick Clark was in the living rooms of thousands each afternoon and even in Charleston at the Civic Center. That was my first concert, and one I'll never forget. Can you imagine driving the turnpike back to Beckley after it had just been paved and in a fog? It was opened by a group from Huntington called The Collegiates, singing about rain and all that goes with it when a heart is broken. The Shirelles and the Dixie Cups singing about their "Soldier Boy" were there along with The Rip Cords telling us about a hot rod called "Little Cobra". Little did I know then how much that rare package of pure horsepower would be an important part of my life. But that's for another post .
Viet Nam found soldiers getting homesick to songs they had danced to only a few weeks before. At the same time telling them about the unrest going on back home. Weekend nights at Town and Country or King Tuts Drive-Ins were full of tunes like these coming from car radios. They have never left me. I still listen to them and own a very good collection of Doo Wop and 60's tunes. I can connect with them far easier than the music of today. So many of these original artists are gone. But their music will live for ever.
If you happen to remember a pirate radio station broadcasting on Friday and Saturday nights from Beaver,warning others when the constable was heading out airport road,to the parking spots, it was me... KLUV Radio and the Pirate DJ is on the air...Sending out this dedication to Cool Ridge from someone who is sorry they broke your heart. You know who I'm talking about. To that Cheerleader from Shady who has been crying her eyes out, this is for you. It's Gene Pitney and "Only Love Can Break A Heart".
I hope you have enjoyed our walk tonight. I know I have.
There's a moon out tonight, whoa-oh-oh ooh Let's go strollin' through the park...
There's a girl by my side ,who's heart I have stolen...
The 50's set the stage with Elvis and Buddy Holly. The Platters were telling us about a "Twilight Time and a Great Pretender." Little Richard was screaming out the words to "Good Golly Miss Molly". Pat Boone was crooning about "Love Letters in the Sand " and the Big Bopper was talking to his lady on the phone. All of this came to us in the "Still of The Night" with help of the Five Satins. From them, it came to us, through WWNR, Beckley's finest .
The 60's introduced us to MOTOWN and what a sound it was. It was so easy to find some fitting message from these sounds to dedicate to a special someone. I wonder how many ladies were told "you're my sunshine on a cloudy day, and when it's cold outside, you're my month of May". So many of these tunes were listened to with "Tears On my Pillow" while you dreamed about your "Earth Angel". The Temptations, and that never forgotten voice of David Ruffin on "My Girl", could melt even the coldest heart.
Everyone was doing the "Mash Potato" or the "Swim" and then that magical invention that made us all a Fred Astaire - "The Twist" by Chubby Checker. We could slow dance to "Unchained Melody" and wonder how in the world Frankie Valli ever was able to sing that high without hurting himself. Local groups imitated the sounds and the Little Beaver Lake sock hops were crowded each and every night. Summer time meant tuning in late at night to WLS in Chicago and listening to the neat drag race advertisements: SUNDAY!!...SUNDAY!!...SUNDAY!! FIRE BREATHING FUEL DRAGSTERS IN HEAD TO HEAD GRUDGE MATCH...
How could you not love it.
The beach boys came on the scene and turned so many into surfers that had never seen the ocean yet. With sun tanned "California Girls "who wouldn't. England invaded America's jukeboxes with the Beatles and the hair cut so many wanted. Guru jackets replaced Car coats and penny loafers with no sox were the rage. Not to mention brand new blue jeans pegged so tight you couldn't get them over your foot most of the time.
The music began an extension of troubled times and the turmoil going on in the world. Artists used the media as a means of protest and soon came a gathering of thousands on a farm in Woodstock, NY. WAR ! Good God Y'all what is it good for "...sent the sentiments of so many. Songs of free love , mistrust,and anti-establishment could be found across the dial. The girl groups dressed in clothes that had to be painted on had us all memorizing the lyrics. The Supremes reminded us there "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and Marvin Gaye wanted us to "Get it On".
Dick Clark was in the living rooms of thousands each afternoon and even in Charleston at the Civic Center. That was my first concert, and one I'll never forget. Can you imagine driving the turnpike back to Beckley after it had just been paved and in a fog? It was opened by a group from Huntington called The Collegiates, singing about rain and all that goes with it when a heart is broken. The Shirelles and the Dixie Cups singing about their "Soldier Boy" were there along with The Rip Cords telling us about a hot rod called "Little Cobra". Little did I know then how much that rare package of pure horsepower would be an important part of my life. But that's for another post .
Viet Nam found soldiers getting homesick to songs they had danced to only a few weeks before. At the same time telling them about the unrest going on back home. Weekend nights at Town and Country or King Tuts Drive-Ins were full of tunes like these coming from car radios. They have never left me. I still listen to them and own a very good collection of Doo Wop and 60's tunes. I can connect with them far easier than the music of today. So many of these original artists are gone. But their music will live for ever.
If you happen to remember a pirate radio station broadcasting on Friday and Saturday nights from Beaver,warning others when the constable was heading out airport road,to the parking spots, it was me... KLUV Radio and the Pirate DJ is on the air...Sending out this dedication to Cool Ridge from someone who is sorry they broke your heart. You know who I'm talking about. To that Cheerleader from Shady who has been crying her eyes out, this is for you. It's Gene Pitney and "Only Love Can Break A Heart".
I hope you have enjoyed our walk tonight. I know I have.
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1 comments:
I felt like I have just gone back in time...at least for a few minutes while reading this post. So much of this I thought was forgotten but realize it has always been in my mind just tucked away as a beautiful memory...thanks for bringing such a wonderful time to life again....Yes I did so enjoy our walk tonight and guess what "There's a Moon out Tonight".
Keep writing...it just keeps getting better.
Ilene