Bear with me on this one folks, it may make some sense before we’re done

If I haven’t conveyed enough already over the past blogging year about just how much I dig the good, old radio, today’s post is yet another example.

During a May 5 fishing trip with my boy, Jayce, the whole Top 10 Trip Tunes thing flew by the wayside with a drive dominated by conversation and a Cubs game. And that was just perfect as we hung out shooting the breeze until the occasional rise in tone from the great Pat Hughes on the radio alerted us to something significant going down in the ballgame. One of those highlights this time around was the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber losing a shoe during a fly ball adventure that wound up with him recovering to make the catch.

And here’s what was extra cool about the play.

Jayce said, “Dad, did you hear that, he lost his shoe?” Very rewarding when your 8-year old is tuned into a ballgame on the radio instead of some YouTuber on a device. Jayce also noted, “We’ve got to ask Papa if he saw that next time we see him.” The Cubs, and baseball fandom in general, run deep in our family so it was also cool to hear Jayce excited about sharing a baseball story.

While returning home, with the Cubs game over and truly anticipating my young angler taking a nap, it was on to a 70s weekend radio program to mix in with our discussion of the trip. The program host previewed an upcoming track as a one-hit wonder by an artist whose stage name was borrowed from an American pioneer and folk hero. Well, that old useless knowledge thing kicked into gear upstairs and I was quite certain that “Beautiful Sunday” was on the way from Daniel Boone (peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972).

The singing Daniel Boone

Turns out I was right on target and Jayce was pretty excited when he heard Daniel Boone’s name come over the airwaves. Now you see, while hanging with Papa, Jayce gets a dose of some History Channel type stuff which is really cool considering he also ingests a fair amount of SpongeBob, Uncle Grandpa, Teen Titans and so on.

Anyhow, Jayce gets rolling on the Daniel Boone tales with “he got captured”, “he ran a hundred miles through the woods”, “he had to rescue his daughter” and “he survived getting beat up.” Each anecdote was an accurate snippet from the Boone biography but it was Jayce’s final assessment which proved to be the best quote for me.

Jayce summed up the American legend by saying, “Daniel Boone was a beast.”

Ah yes, a “beast” indeed. Gotta dig the lingo of a new generation.

And as far as the tune by the fellow who adopted the hero’s name as a pseudonym, it’s a classic, happy, sing along tune perfect for any day. For it was certainly a beautiful Saturday with my boy and I getting to share some quality father-son time on the water and in a truck. Don’t get much better than that and extra valuable in a one on one setting that is a rarity in a family with four kids.

Many thanks, to my man, Jayce, for reinforcing that fishing trips are about a whole lot more than fish. Talk to you later. Troy

Time to kick out some jams from the trip to the fishing hole. Actually from surfing the radio dial during a pair of trips combined into one Top 10 countdown. Gotta reign this concept in a bit although I dig talking tunes, don’t want to wear it out. You know, kind of like after you hear a tune too many times it loses some of its luster?

Yeah right, been jamming to most of these cuts for over 40 years, good tunes never get old.

10. Disco Inferno – The Trammps (1978) – Told you this tune would make a second appearance on the blog within a week. Where else on the web are you gonna get that kind of content? Oh man, eleven years old, not hip, still ain’t, but lyrics like “people gettin’ loose y’all”, “the funk was flamin’”, “the boogie started to explode” and “burn the mother down” were a hit and remain so to this day. Singing along as I type y’all.

9. California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & The Papas (1966) – Although this one predates me by a year, just cool. I ‘m a sucker for the whole call and response format in a song and this one definitely hits the spot. And while I left the 60s as a two-year old and I’ll never get “California”, kind of cool that a song older than me still stops me on the radio dial.

8. Breakfast in America – Supertramp (1979) – Title cut to one of the few vinyls I could afford after investing most of my money on baseball cards and a couple bicycles. “Not much of a girlfriend, never seem to get a lot.” Some lyrics just stick with you and while I will not touch Roger Hodgson’s lament from the lead verse (and repeated later), they would comprise a portion of my list of all-time best opening verses.

7. Ebony Eyes – Bob Welch (1978) – Best “Ebony” song ever, sorry Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Interesting video from back in the day with an intriguing collection of hats including beret, top hat, fez and gaucho, perhaps? From the album “French Kiss” which was an eye catcher to an eleven year old boy perusing the albums at the local record shops.

6. Walk Away – James Gang (1971) – But seriously, folks…does it get any better than some Joe Walsh guitar, lyrics, vocals and just flat out crazy rock and roll fun? No way, Jose.

I can only hope that music means as much to some out there as it does to this guy and you will continue to cut me some slack on this here “outdoor” website. Top 5 tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Got my baseball fix in earlier this week with a fishing related project so now it’s time to work in some favorite jams. If you stopped by last year perhaps you are familiar with my Top 10 Tunes series. If not, the concept is to present the Top 10 tunes heard while surfing the radio dial on a trip to my longtime stomping grounds. With roughly an hour drive each way, the two-hour round trip provides ample time to cross paths with some blasts from the past (and the occasional, rare “new” tune that has caught my ear).

I had fun with this tangent in 2017, so here we go again.  Back by popular demand, or not. Apologies in advance for a couple of these but honesty is the best policy.

10. Bad Blood – Neil Sedaka (1975) – My teenage daughter, Helena, uses the word “cringey” fairly frequently and it could certainly describe this #1 cut from Sedaka’s mid-70s resurgence. “Cringey” signifies something that is awkward or makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, literally cringing. Despite, or maybe because of, that cringey feeling, I feel I must include this tune. Just a weird fit for the 60s pop star, made even stranger via an appearance on the classic Midnight Special television program (click here if you dare). The performance features “Bad Blood” along with bad hair, bad attire and bad dance moves. Cringey indeed, but in a way that has always made me smile and resist the urge to change the radio dial.

9. Is She Really Going Out with Him – Joe Jackson (1979) – I’ve got a thing for catchy first lines in songs and this one has always been an attention getter. “Pretty women out walking with gorillas down my street.” Pretty sure we’ve all been there, not the gorilla, of course, but the person scratching his head. And when it comes to rock stars and their mates, I guess charisma rules. As Jackson also adds, “They say that looks don’t count for much, if so, there goes your proof.”

8. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Leo Sayer (1976) – For my money, a good tune should make you feel like something; dancing, singing, smiling, crying or well, you know. This one fits the bill and is just as fun and catchy as when I was a nine year old kid. The falsetto is a winner and I always dig hearing the version with a third verse that uses the term “perpetual motion” in the lyrics. Quick, name two other songs with that phrase in the lyrics (answer in tomorrow’s post).

7. With A Little Luck – Wings (1978) – I’m always on the lookout for unique words in song lyrics and this one has long been on my list with “inclement.” A timeless cut with yet another Sir Paul McCartney hook. And definitely a timely term as my 2018 fishing has certainly been met with some “inclement weather” of which it seems “there is no end.”

6. Flirtin’ With Disaster – Molly Hatchet (1979) – Killer Southern Rock jam and I still can’t quite get all the lyrics right after singing it with occasional bouts of gibberish thrown in all of these years. And how about those Frank Frazetta album covers on the early releases? Digital downloads from app stores and websites will never equal the days of flipping through albums at the old local haunts like Co-Op, Musicland, Lindstrom’s or The Platter.

Okay, kind of all over the place but that’s yet another aspect of how cool the music was for this kid of the 70s. More classics headed your way tomorrow with the Top 5 as I’m still looking for another Top 5 fish update. Talk to you later. Troy

I’ve had a good time finding an excuse to delve into some music via my Top 10 Trip Tunes series that debuted back on September 5 and has reappeared several more times. Well, as we near the end of 2017, as a rockstar might holler from the stage, “One more time!”

As always, first half today, second half tomorrow.

10. “Shut Up and Dance” – Walk the Moon (2014) – Every once in a great while, something my kids are listening to strikes a chord with me and this one fits the bill. The 80s feel is a winner for a guy who became a teenager in 1980, rode the MTV wave and finds it fun when a new song reminds him of an old song.

9. “Stand” – REM (1989) – Never much of an R.E.M. fan, too college or something, but this goofy, orienteering ditty hit the spot. Sometimes it’s the time period as much as the cut and I will always associate this one as part of the soundtrack of several “wasted” days watching NCAA March Madness with a group of friends. Time well spent though as the “wasted” reference pertains to a bit of imbibing.

8. “Cherry Pie” – Warrant (1990) –You just can’t help what catches your ear and although some may be loath to admit it, I’m not. While this rock n’ roll love songs lyrics seem rather inane on the surface, there’s actually some solid advice such as “think about baseball” and “lock the door.” Say what you will, but gotta give some props to a hair hit that still shows up on the airwaves nearly 30 years later and finds me cranking it up, belting it out and thinking about “dessert.”

7. “Learn to Fly” – Foo Fighters (1999) – Bought the Nirvana stuff when they hit it big but just didn’t last for me, nor did the band in the end. In contrast, the fellow who stepped out from behind their drum kit has made quite an impact with his band and beyond. Personally, I’d take Dave Grohl’s rock contributions, such as this one, over his former front man any day.

6. “Word Up!” – Cameo (1986) – An 80s classic and if it doesn’t brighten your day, well, I don’t know what to tell you. I was a bit beat from the weekday grind but the first cut I heard on this drive immediately turned my surly frown upside down and made for a better day no matter what the fishing results were going to be. And, you know, the mental picture of Larry Blackmon in that darn codpiece brings a grin as well, kinda weird but I know I’m not alone.

Ah yes, memories as much as music, 30 years of Memory Lane in this eclectic first half of the final Top 10 Trip Tunes of 2017. Top 5 headed your way tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

A little behind on this one but here’s a Top 10 Trip Tunes from an October 21 outing. I thought about just skipping it, but what fun is that? Besides, none of the tunes are current, so who cares if this post is either?

10. “Lady (You Bring Me Up)” – Commodores (1981) – One of two final smash hits with Lionel Richie aboard (also see “Oh No”) and right on the verge of a whole new direction in music. Takes me back to the late 70s/early 80s prior to the impact of MTV and gets me lost on the internet with some Spinners, Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire and Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall.” Oh yeah.

9. “D’yer Mak’er” – Led Zeppelin (1973) – Never knew how to pronounce it and never really got it before search engines but just a different tune from kind of a different album from a one of a kind band.

8. “I’m Not in Love” – 10CC (1975) – A childhood favorite, no concept of the subject matter, just sounded good. Takes me back to a specific place as well, a classic summer cut on heavy rotation while tagging along with my cousin to Galesburg’s Lakelawn pool, those were the days.  And the line “Big boys don’t cry” was featured in the novelty hit “Mr. Jaws” cashing in on the latest blockbuster. Did I mention, those were the days?

7. “Love Is Like a Rock” – Donnie Iris (1981) – Once MTV hit, there was a wild landscape of tunes to enjoy, kind of all over the place in terms of genre, which was pretty cool. If memory serves me right, this one was a frequent flyer in those first several eye opening months of an unforgettable music revolution and yet another love song left a lasting impression.

6. “Somebody’s Baby” – Jackson Browne (1982) – From the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” soundtrack, a classic (and Phoebe Cates). Long been a fan of this fellow’s tunes (not so much his crusades or habits) and got to see him in concert a few years ago. I was fired up about the opportunity upon winning tickets on the radio but after he forgot the words to a couple songs, I just felt old.

Stop by tomorrow for the Top of this Top 10. Talk to you later. Troy