The Beatles Said It Best.

Thank you for eight wonderful years, readers.
Love, Laura

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

A Touch Of Tuesday Weld
2007-2015

From 1993: Jeremy Jordan...All Right

Haters gonna hate.

I love this song.

It was the one saving grace from that horrid spring of 1993, when my entire worldview was shattered by Dylan McKay choosing slutty Kelly over soulful Brenda.

And no, I am still not over it.

For those of you who do not remember (perhaps because you are too young...yeesh!), Beverly Hills, 90210 had popular tunes and videos playing over the ending credits most of the time.  This song was one of them, and had a little Donna Martin cameo at the very beginning, standing at a jukebox at the Peach Pit.  She looks up and says, "Jeremy Jordan...all right!"

1982: I Think Old People Are Really Boring

Oh, Rik.  I will miss you so much.

I'll never forget watching The Young Ones on MTV in early 1988, after 120 Minutes.  No other show before or since knocked me on my ass more.  It changed my comedic sensibilities forever, and for the better, and Rik Mayall was a HUGE part of that.

The People's Poet Is Dead

Rik Mayall

1958 - 2014

Voodoo Child: Susan Cowsill

At the tender age of eight, Susan Cowsill appeared with "family band" The Cowsills on The Ed Sullivan Show.  You read that right: she was eight years old.

 She may have been a kid, but she works that tambourine and sings like she was born to be in the band with her brothers and mother.   You can't take your eyes off of her.  Whatever "it factor" was or is, little Susan had it, and in spades.  She was a groovy little chick, a real voodoo child.  And when that young lady started dancing?  Forget it.  The girl had moves.

CBS flubbed the audio on the first verse and chorus in this clip.  Stick with it; when the mikes get switched on properly, you get to hear the band's remarkable vocals.

All of the Cowsill children were the victims of their militant, domineering father, Bud.  The Cowsills were so liked by Ed Sullivan, he wanted them for an unheard-of TEN guest appearances for the show.  However, because of the audio flub by CBS at the beginning of the song, Bud had a huge argument with the Sullivan people.  

The Cowsills would only appear once more on the show.

UPDATE from October 2014: I found this clip, a medley of tunes showcasing each individual member.  Little Susan belts out "Sweet-talkin' Guy." 

Susan Cowsill today.  (She's still a groovy chick.)

From 1975: Kim, In The Fourth Grade

Beautiful.

I wonder if Kim's mother made that dress for her.

2014: The Reckoning

Brought to you by the most racist candy ever made...

Kitty-cat related advertising for now-defunct soft drinks...

The original cast of The Facts Of Life...

The Smylie Family...

My beloved Hee Haw lunchbox....

A scrumptious Swanson TV dinner...

And my favorite random 1975 photo of all time.

I'm back, bitches.

If It's Friday, That Means "Frampton"

What a living doll.

I haven't been around much lately.  I've been really busy with actual writing work, and while I always mean to update this blog, it always seems to fall by the proverbial wayside.

Do you ever read Peter Frampton's Facebook page?  If you don't, you should, as in, yesterday.  He is a very funny, very droll individual.  He writes about his music as well as other little tidbits from his life, such as going to the mall so he can browse at the Apple store. 

Here's my favorite of his, a 1975 recording of "Doobie Wah."

From 1977: Weekends Were Made For Cheryl Ladd

My beauty idol, that is.  And my favorite Angel.  And the star of that really great TV movie where Cheryl gets busted for drugs with her boyfriend, is put in prison, and becomes besties with a young Angela Bassett.

I can't approve of lovely Cheryl being subjected to the terror of a hideous clown to sell beer.  Memo to the 1977 Powers That Be At Michelob: Clowns are never a good idea, especially when you have a beauty like Cheryl Ladd in your commercial.

From 1975: The Stoned Rollers

Some pictures are like a gift from God.  

This picture is like if God gave me His million-dollar check from Publishers Clearing House, saying, "Here, I am The Lord Almighty.  I don't need it."

From Sesame Street: The Ape Escape

When I was a little girl, I loved this vignette.  I would dance around the living room and my mother would admonish me, "Laura Beth, watch out for the candy dish!  Watch out for the stereo cabinet!"  Even then, I was a notorious klutz. 

My favorite bit is the noise the ape makes when he lands on a bale...a bale of hay.

Some say that the vocal was Northern Calloway, aka "David."  NantoVision1, a YouTuber who I like a great deal and whose opinion I trust, says emphatically that it was not Calloway.  (I have wondered if it was Ben Vereen.  I had this epiphany one night while watching Vereen in 1979's All That Jazz.)

p.s. Please take the time to watch the clip from All That Jazz.  It's fabulous.  Roy Scheider, you were robbed of the Oscar...but you were up against Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer.  Yeah.  Kind of tough to beat.

Grocery Store Favorites: Bad Time, By Grand Funk Railroad

Dear Safeway Supermarket:

If you insist on playing songs like this over your sound system, you are going to have to deal with me singing along really loudly, as well as possibly doing some sort of strange dance step in time with the music, regardless of where I am in the store. This is one of the few joys of being a 42-year-old woman. And as the Young People Of Today say, haters gonna hate.

Love, Laura.

1975

For You Bunch Of Boozers, Users, And Losers

Booze Movies: The 100 Proof Film Guide

I have spent a chunk of this evening perusing this wonderful, hilarious site.  I had to share it with all of you.  Very well done, great writing.  I love it.

From 1987: When Pee Wee Herman Marries A Bowl Of Fruit Salad

November 21, 1987

I say with some sadness that I doubt a scene like this would air on television today, particularly in a children's program.  Adults are too uptight; hateful JesusFreaks would call it "a gay agenda."  This does a real disservice to kids everywhere, because kids have a natural sense of absurdist humor, like you saw on Herman's show.

From September 1967: Beatle Cartoons Theme, Season Three

A curious mix of the "old" Beatles look, 
with the "Sergeant Pepper" changes.

John Lennon did not like this song, "And Your Bird Can Sing," referring to it as a "throwaway."

The signature dual-harmony electric lead guitar parts were played live (without overdubbing) by Harrison and McCartney. Lennon played the rhythm in the "D major" position with the capo on the 2nd fret (to account for the song being in the key of E).

An excellent article about The Beatles cartoon series.

Both John Lennon and George Harrison were big fans of the show, and there is a persistent rumor that John and George provided their own voices to at least one episode of the cartoon series...uncredited, of course.

FACELIFT!

Isn't the new header cool?  I just have had a smile on my face ever since good friend and fellow blogger (and all-around mensch) Doug Prinzivalli of dougsploitation sent it to me.  He did it just because he is like that; surprising a girl on a Saturday afternoon with his handiwork and giving me and my blog a much-needed shot of vitality in the process.

Muchas gracias, mi amigo.  I love it.

From 1976: Mark, Age 11

Mark, I don't know you...but I think I love you.

From 1978: Kelly Emberg and My Favorite Summer Perfume

Next to Gia, Kelly Emberg is my favorite model.

From 1977: Drowning In Denim

People

August 22, 1977

Papa's Got A Brand-New Favorite Blog

Miss Vintage Pop Culture

I plan on stealing liberally from this beautiful, witty blog.

Anyone who worships Miss Debralee Scott is A-OK in my book.