70s E - Compare Donnys

I was never a fan of Donny Osmond; I left that to my cousin Jane. Not really sure who or what I really liked at 12 years old...except I was sadly crushing on Rock Hudson. We all know how that turned out.

But, a week or so ago, again with the facebook, some friends and I were chatting about who and what we liked in the 1970s. Thought it might be fun to compare Donnys. 1972 Donny to 1998 Donny. His 1998 voice -- better. Doesn't hurt that Mulan is one of my favorite Disney cartoons ever. But the 1972 Elvis Whites Osmond Tribal Gear? That hurts.

Seventies E

You old enough to remember this?

Heartbeat (Its A Lovebeat) - The DeFranco Family


Yeah. Then you'll remember Tiger Beat too. The lyrics sound like something I'd go to the doctor for:

Pictures pass before my eyes
Like a vision in disguise
Tryin' to explain the way I feel
And there's a movement in my mind
Like a rhythm counting time
Breakin' down all my defenses
Overcomin' all of my senses

But boy, sure takes me back. And still makes me tap my toes.

You Should Be Dancing

Listening to my Sirius satellite radio on the way in to work this morning, I parked on the 70s station. It had an unusual run of exceptional music this morning and I fully enjoyed the ride in.

“You Should be Dancing” – Bee Gees – 1976. I still occasionally remember to include Maurice on my rosary. I was devastated when he passed. I think I prayed for him for a year straight. This song does NOT hail from “Saturday Night Fever”. It comes from the “Children of the World” album who’s (almost fully) a capella title song is pure Bee Gees. I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit trying to learn all the harmonies on that song. “We are searchers of the truth. Every man’s a boy deep down.”

“Joy To The World” – Three Dog Night. It used to make me think of hippy dudes sitting in multi-hued squalor with a jug of port nearby. Now I think only of The XFiles when Scully sings the song to a wounded Mulder in “Detour”. She also sings it to her son William later in the series. My xphile friends will appreciate this link: XFiles

“Everlasting Love” – Andy Gibb. I like all of Andy’s releases, probably because it harkens back to a simpler time, but maybe more so because his life cut short somehow makes the songs more precious. I always wait for the little falsetto giggle in the background vocals at the end of the song. Oh, and Kathryn.

“Tie A Yellow Ribbon” – Tony Orlando and Dawn, 1973. I’m old enough to remember when this song was released and even the animated spot they did on the “Tony Orlando and Dawn Show” showing all those ribbons on the tree after our little convict got sprung. Younger readers may not realize it's the starting point for all those ribbons for our troops that you see.

“Fox on the Run” – Sweet 1976. I don’t care what you say, I think some of Sweet’s music still stands up over time. “Ballroom Blitz” for example and “Wig Wam Bam” is one of my favorites.

“Big Yellow Taxi” – Joni Mitchell, 1970. Who knew the Counting Crows song was a remake? Not me. "Paved paradise, put up a parking lot."

It all came crashing down though when I heard “Run Joey Run” by David Geddes 1975. I remember identifying, when I was all of 11 years old, with how these two young lovers just wanted to get married. At 11, the whole fornication and knocking the little girl up thing was WAAAY over my head. But I got that they loved each other and her father was an abusive SOB who shot his daughter dead. Huh. Bet NOW he was sorry!!

Ah, but perhaps PERHAPS it is really a social commentary on the age old struggle against antiquated strictures imposed upon society by THE MAN in his misogynistic power hungry white world.

Nahhhhhh. It’s just a really bad song.