Stories from my past...

I was driving to my parents house yesterday with my kids in the car and listening to some of the LAMEST music on my iPod. I admit it, I am a junkie for bad 70's pop. Luckily for my kids, they had headphones tuned in to whatever DVD they were watching so they didn't have to listen to the sappy, syrupy music from my child/teen years.

As I listened to song after song, I marveled at the way that so many 70's pop songs told stories. Not just I-wanna-funk-ya-baby, but real stories with a begininng, a middle and an end. Here are some examples (apologies to some of my younger friends who won't recognize these ditties, those of you born around the early to mid 6o's will know what I'm talking about:

The Night Chicago Died - Kid and mom freak out when Pop the Cop gets caught up in Al Capone's Chicago showdown. All ends well.

Billy Don't Be A Hero - If you're foolish enough to go to war, don't VOLUNTEER to go on a dangerous mission! Doesn't end well for Billy and the fiancee is pissed that he didn't listen to her (she throws the letter away...)

Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree - Guy gets out of prison, wants to know if his girlfriend still loves him (she does, goes to A.C. Moore with her 40% off coupon and buys out the yellow ribbon department!) Interesting how this was adapted for returning soldiers, not PRISONERS. How did that happen?

Harper Valley PTA - Don't remember the song, just the bad movie with Barbara Eden.

Ode to Billy Joe - Billy Joe McCallister jumps off the Tallahassee bridge because he developed a taste for dick (cut to Glynnis O'Connor weeping over Robby Benson's body.)

The Night The Lights Went out In Georgia - Somehow an innocent man was hung and there are bloodstains on the hands of the Georgia patrol. I think Kristy McNicol was in this movie...

Shannon - Someone's dog gets sucked out to sea, (hey, she always LOVED to swim away!)

Lonely Boy - Spoiled boy gets in a snit when his little sister is born, BOO HOO! Life sucks, get a helmet!

Run Joey Run - Girl gets knocked up, Dad goes on a murderous rampage against the boyfriend (uh, that would be JOEY), girl jumps in front of Joey to protect him, father guns down his own daughter (LOVELY!)

At Seventeen - Ugly, lonely pimpled girl bemoans her life because she SUDDENLY DISCOVERS THAT LIFE SUCKS FOR UGLY GIRLS? AGAIN, GET A HELMET! (actually, I kind of identified with this one...)

Go Away Little Girl - 7 Year old Donny Osmond is trying to fend off the attentions of some little girl because he ALREADY HAS A GIRLFRIEND!!! WTF???

My personal favorite:

Seasons in the Sun - Sorry Dad, Sory Michelle, time to die, but at least we'll have all those memories of our time in the sun. Maybe if he had used SPF 30 he wouldn't be dying.

There are many more out there, feel free to post your favorite on our comments page.
The 70's LIVE! (in my iPod that is!)