Tales From the MoJo Road –
By Glynn Wilson –
COULTERVILLE, Calif. – One of the main reasons I fled Washington, D.C. last year and traveled to California in the first place was a determination to stop spending so much time paying attention to partisan politics and issues that never seemed to change for the better even in the face of overwhelming facts, and to spend more time enjoying my first real love in life after sports, rock and roll music.
So I ask for your forbearance in this endeaver even though I know all the political news junkies can’t stop watching the talking heads and new podcasters spending massive amounts of bandwidth and money to keep your attention focused on “the battle” on not just a daily basis but a minute by minute hack of your attention.
The Damaging Trillion-Dollar Battle to Hack Your Attention and Your Money
We here at the New American Journal and Yosemite Radio recommend that you take a break from this battle and spend at least some of your time enjoying the arts, including music.
So it is on this Wednesday, Feb. 18, that as I watch it snow on and off outside my window, I am listening to a band I found out about in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, maybe from the band’s appearance then on the David Frost Show, Three Dog Night.
Before there were any real record stores in Birmingham, at least that I knew about as a teenager, there was a long defunct store called TG&Y which sold record albums. I recall being distinctly drawn to this photo on the back of the first Three Dog Night album cover. It inspired my own setup for my first rock band practicing in my underground basement, with my 1972 blue sparkle set of Ludwigs in the corner with the bass guitar amp on my left and the rhythm and lead guitar amps on the right. We also had an upright piano out front and later a B3 organ and Leslie speaker.
The concrete block walls were covered in black light posters, and at one point we built a wall dividing the basement in half to block some of the loud music from the Marshall and Fender amps from disturbing the neighbors.
Remember the lyrics to Mama Told Me (Not to Come)? I distinctly remember it sounded like fun to me.
Want some whiskey in your water?
Sugar in your tea?
What’s all these crazy questions they’re askin’ me?
This is the craziest party that could ever be
Don’t turn on the lights ’cause I don’t wanna see
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
That ain’t the way to have fun, no (uh-uh)
Open up the window, let some air into this room
I think I’m almost chokin’ from the smell of stale perfume
And that cigarette you’re smokin’ ’bout scare me half to death
Open up the window, sucker, let me catch my breath
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
That ain’t the way to have fun, son
That ain’t the way to have fun, son (oh, yeah!)
The radio is blastin’, someone’s knockin’ at the door
I’m lookin’ at my girlfriend, she’s passed out on the floor
I seen so many things I ain’t never seen before
Don’t know what it is, I don’t wanna see no more
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said, (“That ain’t the way to have fun, son”)
(“That ain’t the way to have fun, no”)
Now I have friends who still own turn tables and play records for their own enjoyment. But with an internet connection, anyone can be nostalgic by listening to this music on YouTube. I’ve been creating Playlists lately for YosemiteRadio.Org. You can now listen to those great Three Dog Night hits on this one. We will add more as we go along.
Just so you will know a little of the history, Three Dog Night is the debut studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album, also called “One” after the title track song, was originally released by Dunhill Records on October 16, 1968. The album is known for featuring the band’s Top 5 hit single, their cover of Harry Nilsson’s song “One.”
The album made the Top 20 on the albums charts in the United States and Canada. It has been reissued multiple times by Dunhill, MCA, and Geffen record labels, and of course the band has undergone personnel changes over the years. Some original members have died.
The following people contributed to Three Dog Night.
Cory Wells – lead vocals on all tracks except where noted, background vocals.
Chuck Negron – lead vocals on “One” and “Don’t Make Promises,” background vocals.
Danny Hutton – lead vocals on “The Loner,” background vocals.
Michael Allsup – guitars
Joe Schermie – bass
Floyd Sneed – drums, percussion
Jimmy Greenspoon – keyboards
Gabriel Mekler – producer
Richard Podolor – engineer
Bill Cooper – engineer
See more on Wikipedia.
Hope you enjoy taking a break and listening to this great music from the past. We hope to bring you some original new music soon.
Just like yesterday…