Wednesday Forgotten Oldie....

The Rolling Stones are true rock and roll icons, often referred to as "the greatest rock band of all time". But do you remember the first song you ever heard by the Stones on the radio? "Tell Me" is the song by The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1964 self-titled album (US title: England's Newest Hit Makers), that I remember as the first. It was released as a single A-side in the US only, and was the first Jagger/Richards song released as a single A-side, and their first record to enter the US Top 40. The single reached #24 in the US and #1 in Sweden. It was never released as a single in the UK. They had released "Not Fade Away" earlier in 1964, the Buddy Holly cover reached #48 on the hot 100, but I don't remember hearing it on the radio. Then came "Tell Me", which got my attention big time. After that, "It's All Over Now" was released. Many people believe "It's All Over Now" was the Stones first monster hit, and I agree to a point... but even though it was #1 in the UK, it was only #26 in the USA, supporting my contention that "Tell Me" should not be a Forgotten Oldie!

Survivor Finale...

Last night's wrap-up of the Survivor One World series turned out exactly as I predicted last week... Kim won. Again the producers went out of their way to convince us that Kim would betray her original alliance of Chelsea and Sabrina, but nope... didn't happen. It was the first time the last five were all women, and front-runner Kim (picture) received seven of the nine jury votes. The only surprise last night was Kat's maturity at the last tribal council and the reunion show... everyone expected her to be childish and bitter, but instead she was gracious and understanding. Anyhow, I predicted Kim... but so did everybody else.

Survivor Update - 5/9/12 episode

TOO PREDICTABLE!!!! Yeah, I haven't done a Survivor update for a couple weeks because it's been so frustratingly predictable! I know, I've been saying this a while, but two weeks ago my prediction came true when Troyzan lost the immunity challenge and got voted off... see what I mean? Last week the producers tried so hard to convince us that Tarzan (the last male) was going, but that's always a dead giveaway that something else will happen. Bingo! Kat got voted off. Now if you've been watching, you knew she wouldn't last to the end anyway, heck, she was so dumb that she thought appendicitis was contagious! Sheesh! So last night, the producers showed clips designed to convince us that Chelsea was getting the boot. No, no, no... too obvious. Since they never focused on another woman, I knew by the halfway point that Tarzan was going. It became even more obvious when he started talking about making the final three. Obvious writing on the wall folks! And now we have Sabrina, Alicia, Kim, Chelsea and Christina... all ladies. And since Kim has the best chance to win a physical immunity challenge AND an immunity idol, I think she'll be almost automatic for the final three. Christina has been under the radar so long that I think her time is about up, and Sabrina is too big a threat for jury votes, so I think Alicia and Chelsea will be the other two finalists. Predicting again. Anyhow, I should put Kim's picture here but since she seems to be controlling the game I'll probably post her picture on Monday as the winner. So, I'll put Chelsea's picture... because she's the best looking one left. (See, I'm predictable too)

Today's Forgotten Oldie...

"Nashville Cats" by the Lovin Spoonful climbed to number 8 on the Billboard hot 100 in late 1966, and was the seventh consecutive hit by the Spoonful to reach the top 10. Only one other group of the 60's accomplished that feat; Gary Lewis and the Playboys. The Lovin Spoonful was riding a wave of popularity when the song was on the radio, with a unique formula of turning blues and jug band songs into monster pop/rock hits. Their influence was amazing, the original Grateful Dead members saw the Spoonful in concert and traded their acoustic guitars for electric guitars and revamped their entire sound. Nashville Cats was influential that way, rerouting thousands of college students from Florida beaches to the hills of

Tennessee when spring break 1967 rolled around. How does a #8 song by a major U.S. band become a forgotten oldie? That's a good question!

Probably camping!

I think that's my message for the summer, "probably camping". It'll be the answer to many questions this summer... questions like "what are you doing this weekend?" Or "where are you going on vacation?" Or "what's the most fun you had so far this year?" Or "where were you when we had the big thunderstorm two weeks ago?" Or "where's you favorite fishin' hole?" Yup, we have a permanent site at Goose Island this year... so I'm "probably camping!"

WEDNESDAY FORGOTTEN OLDIE...

Today a song by a performer who hung out with the Beatles and the Stones, and was considered a leader of the 60's hippie movement. "Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan was actually considered an anthem for free-spirited hippies at the time due to its psychedelic sound. It was written and recorded in early 1968 and released in May as a single. It gave its name to the album The Hurdy Gurdy Man, which was released in October of that year. It reached #5 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK pop charts. The song was written for the band Hurdy Gurdy (which included Donovan's old friend and guitar mentor Mac MacLeod) with Donovan intending to be the producer, but due to creative disagreements this collaboration was cancelled, and Donovan recorded the song himself. The song features a harder rock sound than Donovan's usual material, supplying a range of distorted guitars. Donovan had originally hoped Jimi Hendrix would play on the song, but he was unavailable. The song

also features an Indian influence with the use of a tambura. Hurdy Gurdy Man is a great song, perhaps a bit dated in sound, but heck, aren't most songs from the 60's that way?

IT'S MAY - TIME FOR A WEIRD PHOTO! Just imagine... a bridge over a river carrying boats on another river. Huh?? Anyhow, this is an actual bridge with a river above a river, Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany. Look it up, it's very cool!