by Kevin Burton This is the story of two songs, one title; two sources, one promise, namely, “the best.” And, within the setting of popular music, it’s also a mini grammar lesson about comparative and superlative adjectives. Chances are you have heard the one song, but not the other. The title of …
Category Archives: 1970s
Bills-Vikings Super Bowl Just Has To Happen
by Kevin Burton Right this minute, even the Seahawks fans have hope, or should I say Super Hope. The NFL playoffs start Saturday. With seven teams in each conference there are 49 possible combinations of pairings for the big game. In that strictly mathematical sense, all teams are equal. But to paraphrase …
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Here’s One Rockin’ And Rollin’ Birthday Party
by Kevin Burton The idea of a birthday party – you know, with the cake and the funny hats – has always seemed lame to me. Today I’m changing my tune. There is one such party I would put together and attend if I could. Wait till you hear the musicians who share …
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Younger McCartney Travels His Own Path
by Kevin Burton The English singer known professionally as Mike McGear has a birthday today. He turns 79. Among the greetings and well wishes, he may get a birthday call, or maybe a musical card that plays the Beatles song “Birthday,” from his brother – Paul McCartney. Peter Michael McCartney created the …
Honoring The Musicians We Lost In 2022
by Kevin Burton Toward the end of his life my father said it was strange getting old because many of his friends and relatives had died and he was left behind. I understand where he was coming from. But I extend that to teachers and public figures. Even though I don’t interact …
Musical Genius Thom Bell Dead At 79
by Kevin Burton Just as Philly Soul is unfairly overshadowed by Motown and Stax, Thom Bell didn’t always get the credit he deserved. The producer, arranger and songwriter died Dec. 22 at the age of 79. I never heard his name mentioned in the 70s when I was soaking in his Sound of …
For Comfort Or Style, Jeans Are Ubiquitous
by Kevin Burton If your workplace observes casual Friday, one thing you might be reaching for today is your favorite pair of jeans. They are commonly called blue jeans, though some of them are not blue. I own one black pair that I rarely wear. Approximately 450 million pairs of jeans are …
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Disaster At Who Concert Still Haunts Band
I’ve written a lot about the Beatles and Beatlemania, but there is another side to the craziness of rock and roll. Yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the tragedy at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati when eleven people were killed in a stampede to get into a concert by The Who. There was no …
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Christmas Top 40: Up On The Housetop
by Kevin Burton We don’t have Santa images at my house. For us, Christmas is about Jesus. But there is one Christmas song I have always loved that doesn’t fit that mode. Hundreds of artists have recorded it. Possibly the most famous version was made by Gene Autry in 1953. It was …
Lennon’s Thanksgiving Concert Appearance
by Kevin Burton On Thanksgiving night 1974, two of England’s best musical exports, John Lennon and Elton John appeared together in concert. The appearance was Lennon paying off a bet of sorts. His song “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night,” had just reached the top of the US Hot 100, something Lennon was …
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