Mellow Mellow FM: The Power Of Late Sixties & Early Seventies Radio
 |
| Pixabay |
In short, this was the kind of music that was mostly played on the radio in the late sixties and early seventies. In the mid-sxities rock ‘n’ roll was already history and new exciting music was breaking through on AM radio, catapulted by The Beatles. Adventurous dj’s on offshore radio stations knew what was going on musically and so-called "pirate radio" was immensely popular. Ten years later the musical landscape had changed in many ways. Disco music that could be heard in clubs became leading, and radio was no longer dominant in discovering fresh sounds. In the meantime FM radio had replaced AM radio as the most popular dial and offshore stations disappeared, but at the end of this era (1965-1974), pop music was shaped as we know it today.
In Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story Of Modern Pop, Bob Stanley wrote about God Only Knows by the Beach Boys: “It’s impossible to exaggerate how beautiful this song is.”
In the same book Stanley sums up the history of the Mamas & the Papas (John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot):
“For eighteen months the Mamas and Papas were golden. One night, though, Michelle and Denny slept together, John found out, and that was pretty much the end of the group.”
The song by John Burnham can be heard in the teaser of Stranger Things 4 on Netflix. It makes you think of the Beach Boys surf sound. And althought the track has undoubtedly the Californian atmosphere of the 1960s, it is difficult to find out exactly when it was made.The drums seem to be recorded in the 1980s. The number appears to have become part of APM Music's catalog in the early to mid-1990s. It is also included on Burnham's 2014 retrospective album, Burnham Would, which collects songs from his 50-year music career.
In his book The Heart Of Rock And Soul Dave Marsh analysed Bernadette by The Four Tops:
“As the final leg of Holland-Dozier-Holland's great Four Tops trilogy . "Bernadette" is wreathed in the same dark, foreboding atmosphere as "Reach Out I'll Be There" and "Standing in the Shadows of Love." Levi Stubbs struggles his way out of a similar sea of contrasting melodies, pushed and prodded by the bass, provoked into near panic by sharp, keening flute and organ."
I was inspired by Edgar Wright’s new movie Last Night In Soho, which contains many hit songs from the late sixties and early seventies. Enjoy!
Next up is a new Mixcloud Exclusive.
Tracklist:
The Dells – It’s All Up To You (1972)
Gordon Staples – Strung Out (1970)
Creative Source – Let Me Be The One (1974)
The Mamas & The Papas – Dedicated To The One I Love (1967)
Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces – Searching For My Love (1966)
The Turtles – You Showed Me (1968)
Blue Magic – Sideshow (1974)
Botticelli & His Orchestra – Rikki Don't Lose That Number (1974)
Tim Hardin – If I Were A Carpenter (1967)
Sandie Shaw – Today (1968)
The Four Tops – Bernadette (1967)
Neil Diamond – Cracklin' Rosie (1970)
The Walker Brothers – (Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me (1966)
Keith – 98.6 (1966)
Gene Pitney – I Must Be Seeing Things (1965)
The Beach Boys – God Only Knows (1966)
Eddie Kendricks – Darling Come Back Home (1973)
R. Dean Taylor – There's A Ghost In My House (1967)
Carol Woods – I Wonder What Will Happen (1972)
The Mighty Sparrow With Byron Lee & The Dragonaires – Only A Fool (1969)
Jeremiah Burnham – A Place In California (1990s)
Sonny & Cher – All I Ever Need Is You (1971)
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – Last Night In Soho (1968)
Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair (1971)
Hazel English – California Dreamin’ (2021)
The Montanas – Ciao Baby (1967)
Comments