Musical Memory Lane -- Freshman Favorites

Our reunion committee is accepting entertainment ideas for our July 2 party.

An unofficial Facebook survey revealed the following:

--4% like karaoke contests

--9% like 1972 videos of Holy Family cheerleaders modeling their knee-length white boots

--16% like sharing photos of our kids and grandkids

--22% like movie clips of Monty Python, Wayne’s World, Airplane, Ferris Buelller

--43% like the idea of showing off our tattoos

--68% like sponsoring a reunion concert of the band “Nattyscratch’

--97% like celebrating the music of the 1970s and announce our picks for the Best, Worst and Most Memorable songs of our school years.

“Best” would consist of top bands, hit songs, great lyrics… “Memorable” often were one-hit wonders or catchy songs that received a lot of radio play and generally bring back good memories of that era… “Worst” would be annoying, depressing, overplayed, or in some cases just dumb songs.

A quick tour of Google and YouTube uncovered some of the good, the bad, and the ugly for 70s music.

Here are my nominations – feel free to send in your own using the comments section below or via email (ejmcgivern@stthomas.edu):

1972-73, Freshmen Favorites

Best

Summer Breeze (Seals & Crofts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsHuV3Aj1os

Love Train (O’Jays) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIbSDOloBXQ

Reelin’ in the Years (Steely Dan):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bwHK1xkgJA

Ramblin Man (Allman Brothers Band): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x28jaeyX2s

Memorable:

Tears of a Clown (Smoky Robinson): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2E_RSJAhYU

Everybody Plays the Fool (Main ingredient): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGa__ECvnM

Ain’t No Woman (Four Tops): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK3CGdyJBrI

Crocodile Rock (Elton John): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Ta0qCG8No

Revolution (Beatles): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEqi0cs-Crw

Worst:

Sylvia’s Mother (Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvRVekhMf88

Alone Again, Naturally (Gilbert O’Sullivan): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eki_PRzNk-Y

Brother Louie, (Stories): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exl0oSfTSoY

Tie a Yellow Ribbon (Tony Orlando and Dawn): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TSq-XvpVaE

Dueling Banjos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8

There are some of my quick nominations. But then I used to wear bell-bottomed pants and platform heels, had nerdish black glasses, and used to watch "The Love Boat": on Saturday nights in college... so what do I know about good taste?

Pass along some of your own favorites and unfavorites -- click on the comment button or email me at ejmcgivern@stthomas.edu

Coming soon in the next post: Best, memorable and worst Tenth-Grade Tunes (1973-74)..