Driving them crazy at school?

[johnbasalla]

Did you ever have the question asked in, probably a social studies class, to bring in the one record you'd want to have if you were stuck on a desert island, or something like that? ... or a record or two were part of a show and tell exercise?... and the one you brought in was something guaranteed to drive the teacher batty?

I had that question asked in 9th grade. I gave the teacher my record. As she placed it on the school record player turntable, she asked why I chose this one. I said because it's upbeat and fun. Ok, that doesn't sound so bad. The record was the gloriously noisy (How Bout A Little Hand For) THE BOYS IN THE BAND by The Boys In The Band. Cheers and handclaps throughout most of the record, almost drowning out the actual music. The song builds up to screams a couple of times. Right up there with "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen in Rock and Roll wackiness. I love listening to this noise maker and laugh almost everytime as I can't get the image out of my head of sitting there in class, watching the teacher and all the students being subjected to this. Of course, back then, I was blissfully unaware of what philisteen trash this was. But I don't care! I loved it then, and I love it now! Oh, by the way... It's a Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller (de?)composition. It first appeared in a much milder version as part of a wretched movie called "The Phynx".

 

[hm insulators]

Not a record, but you brought back some fond memories of being in intermediate school in music class, and we used to drive the music teacher bats with our snare drums.

A quick lesson on snare drum anatomy for the non-drummer may be needed here: Turn the drum upside down and you'll see the snares (they look like stretched-out springs) up tightly against the bottom head (the top drum head is the part you hit). A toggle lever on the side of the drum can be flipped to "turn off" the snares, at which point, the drum now sounds like a tom-tom.

It's a peculiarity of drums in general in that they resonate when somebody is playing a wind or string instrument. A snare drum with the snares "on" will actually buzz or hum in response as the heads resonate, surprisingly loud!

So let's say the music teacher wanted to work with the flutes on a certain passage. We drummers were supposed to turn off the snares on our drums so they would remain silent. One of us would always "forget" to do so, and when the flutes began playing, that snare drum would hum and buzz in response! Teacher would stop the music and yell at us. "WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER TO TURN THE SNARES OFF?! IT'S SO SIMPLE! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU TO DO THAT?!" and so on.

So she finishes with the flutes, now it's time for the whole orchestra to play the passage. At this point, it was time for us drummers to turn the snares back on and once again, one of us would "forget." The result: Three snare drums going "rumpty-tumpty-tumpt," one going "doonka-doonka-doonk." The teacher would slam down her baton and blow up like Mt. St. Helens! This we called "FUN!"

 

[MickeyD]

Not a record, but you brought back some fond memories of being in intermediate school in music class, and we used to drive the music teacher bats with our snare drums.

A quick lesson on snare drum anatomy for the non-drummer may be needed here: Turn the drum upside down and you'll see the snares (they look like stretched-out springs) up tightly against the bottom head (the top drum head is the part you hit). A toggle lever on the side of the drum can be flipped to "turn off" the snares, at which point, the drum now sounds like a tom-tom.

It's a peculiarity of drums in general in that they resonate when somebody is playing a wind or string instrument. A snare drum with the snares "on" will actually buzz or hum in response as the heads resonate, surprisingly loud!

So let's say the music teacher wanted to work with the flutes on a certain passage. We drummers were supposed to turn off the snares on our drums so they would remain silent. One of us would always "forget" to do so, and when the flutes began playing, that snare drum would hum and buzz in response! Teacher would stop the music and yell at us. "WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER TO TURN THE SNARES OFF?! IT'S SO SIMPLE! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU TO DO THAT?!" and so on.

So she finishes with the flutes, now it's time for the whole orchestra to play the passage. At this point, it was time for us drummers to turn the snares back on and once again, one of us would "forget." The result: Three snare drums going "rumpty-tumpty-tumpt," one going "doonka-doonka-doonk." The teacher would slam down her baton and blow up like Mt. St. Helens! This we called "FUN!"

My music teacher told us that the Beatles would be gone in a year. They outlasted her.

 

[CTListener]

Not a record, but you brought back some fond memories of being in intermediate school in music class, and we used to drive the music teacher bats with our snare drums.

A quick lesson on snare drum anatomy for the non-drummer may be needed here: Turn the drum upside down and you'll see the snares (they look like stretched-out springs) up tightly against the bottom head (the top drum head is the part you hit). A toggle lever on the side of the drum can be flipped to "turn off" the snares, at which point, the drum now sounds like a tom-tom.

It's a peculiarity of drums in general in that they resonate when somebody is playing a wind or string instrument. A snare drum with the snares "on" will actually buzz or hum in response as the heads resonate, surprisingly loud!

So let's say the music teacher wanted to work with the flutes on a certain passage. We drummers were supposed to turn off the snares on our drums so they would remain silent. One of us would always "forget" to do so, and when the flutes began playing, that snare drum would hum and buzz in response! Teacher would stop the music and yell at us. "WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER TO TURN THE SNARES OFF?! IT'S SO SIMPLE! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU TO DO THAT?!" and so on.

So she finishes with the flutes, now it's time for the whole orchestra to play the passage. At this point, it was time for us drummers to turn the snares back on and once again, one of us would "forget." The result: Three snare drums going "rumpty-tumpty-tumpt," one going "doonka-doonka-doonk." The teacher would slam down her baton and blow up like Mt. St. Helens! This we called "FUN!"

My music teacher told us that the Beatles would be gone in a year. They outlasted her.

My music teacher told us that the music we liked (in the late '60s) was largely unimportant and destined to be quickly forgotten. But he would play and discuss Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" and Janis Ian's "Society's Child" as examples of relevant pop. Really, though, who among us -- teens or adults -- thought that there'd be radio stations playing popular music from those years 40 or more years later?

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

...who among us -- teens or adults -- thought that there'd be radio stations playing popular music from those years 40 or more years later?

I'm surprised I'm still around 40-or more years later.

 

[Oldbones]

My music teacher told us that the music we liked (in the late '60s) was largely unimportant and destined to be quickly forgotten. But he would play and discuss Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" and Janis Ian's "Society's Child" as examples of relevant pop. Really, though, who among us -- teens or adults -- thought that there'd be radio stations playing popular music from those years 40 or more years later?

S&G have stood the test of time pretty well, "Society's Child" not so much. Generally, topical songs don't age well, though that doesn't explain why classic rock still plays "Ohio" (IMHO a song every bit as dated as "Society's Child").

All in all, I've never understood some of the most unlikely songs, ones that weren't particularly significant in their day, go on to be classics (a couple that immediately come to mind are "Rock On"-David Essex and War's "Low Rider), while others that you would think would stand up, don't.

 

[CTListener]

My music teacher told us that the music we liked (in the late '60s) was largely unimportant and destined to be quickly forgotten. But he would play and discuss Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" and Janis Ian's "Society's Child" as examples of relevant pop. Really, though, who among us -- teens or adults -- thought that there'd be radio stations playing popular music from those years 40 or more years later?

S&G have stood the test of time pretty well, "Society's Child" not so much. Generally, topical songs don't age well, though that doesn't explain why classic rock still plays "Ohio" (IMHO a song every bit as dated as "Society's Child").

All in all, I've never understood some of the most unlikely songs, ones that weren't particularly significant in their day, go on to be classics (a couple that immediately come to mind are "Rock On"-David Essex and War's "Low Rider), while others that you would think would stand up, don't.

Stories revisited the "Society's Child" theme, taking it to an adult level, in "Brother Louie." That song is still a classic hits format staple. Edwin Starr's "War" remains a classic, but then even though it was written as a Vietnam protest, it stands up as a general condemnation of war. Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco" and Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Incense and Peppermints," two Summer of Love period pieces, were oldies format standards until the transition to classic hits began.

Songs I never expected to last? "Brown Eyed Girl," "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," "YMCA," anything by the Monkees.

 

[PirateJohnny]

...The record was the gloriously noisy (How Bout A Little Hand For) THE BOYS IN THE BAND by The Boys In The Band. Cheers and handclaps throughout most of the record, almost drowning out the actual music. The song builds up to screams a couple of times...

Actually I need to add this to my collection. Thanks for the lead.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Generally, topical songs don't age well...

I agree. But, in addition to the exceptions cited above, another '60s topical hit comes to mind, Dion's Abraham, Martin and John. AMJ scored frequent "oldies" airplay until oldies formats began phasing out '60s songs.

 

[CTListener]

Just heard Mary Hopkin's "Those Were the Days" on Sirius XM. Now there's a song I fully expected to be hearing for decades, if not on oldies stations then on MOR (or soft AC). But no, it disappeared after its chart run and never became part of the mix at oldies radio. A monster hit in 1968, it became worse than an "oh wow" title; it became more like "Love Is Blue," a "don't play this, ever" title.

 

[firepoint525]

Songs I never expected to last? "Brown Eyed Girl," "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," "YMCA," anything by the Monkees.

"YMCA" has indeed stood the test of time, but it was banished from radio for about 15 years, from shortly after it was a hit, until about the mid '90s. (Also true for most other disco songs as well.) Most of the others that you mentioned here were never blacklisted from radio.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

As often happens, we've veered off topic. Not an indictment; I'm guiltier than most. So, I'll right the ship by offering the following episode from my own "school" days...

My junior year history teacher captivated us, a clueless bunch not too unlike Kotter's "sweathogs", with a short course on pop music's effect on contemporary culture. Wow! For 2-weeks, not one of us dozed off, not even a clown we came to call "Sleepy Sam" Goddard for his in-class snoozing habits, and that's because, like the fictional Mr Kotter, Mr W had a rare skill for reaching ne'er do wells like us.

Most memorable for me was his playing of The Satin's In The Still of the Night, a classic do-whopper whose authorship is alternately credited to Fred Paris and Cole Porter. In a manner of speaking, Mr W effectively lifted the 'cover' off some of its lyrics, like "...I had you (I remember, I remember)...", exposing what those words likely meant, given the constraints of '50s culture. What an ah-ha! moment for a bunch of naive, hormone-humming teens who'd likely been nursing some dillusional fantasy that sexuality began with us! Got my attention!

 

[oldies76]

A monster hit in 1968, it became worse than an "oh wow" title; it became more like "Love Is Blue," a "don't play this, ever" title.

"Love is Blue" is one of the best songs from 1968....I'd gladly play that one weekly!

 

[radioman148]

A monster hit in 1968, it became worse than an "oh wow" title; it became more like "Love Is Blue," a "don't play this, ever" title.

"Love is Blue" is one of the best songs from 1968....I'd gladly play that one weekly!

I'll listen to "Love Is Blue" anytime it's played--great record!

 

[John-Summers]

There's an episode of the great Fox mystery/sci-fi series of the 90s "Millennium," in which a she-devil kidnaps people and keeps them chained to the walls in her house, and tortures them by playing "Love Is Blue" over and over again on a very loud sound system. Of course the song plays incessantly, all the way through the episode. Torture by remote control, perhaps?

Why they chose that song to torture people with, I don't know, but that TV episode aside, I don't mind hearing "Love Is Blue."

We all have our songs that for whatever reason, we simply can't stand.

"To Sir With Love" by Lulu...that would drive me up a wall in about 3 plays.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

There's an episode of the great Fox mystery/sci-fi series of the 90s "Millennium," in which a she-devil kidnaps people and keeps them chained to the walls in her house, and tortures them by playing "Love Is Blue" over and over...

She showed mercy. She could have played Barry Manilow.

 

[wrsg915fm]

"Loving You" by Minnie Riperton could send the Pope looking for something stronger than communion wine, and could be used to force political prisoners to talk. This song could empty Gitmo in a month.

 

[radioman148]

"Loving You" by Minnie Riperton could send the Pope looking for something stronger than communion wine, and could be used to force political prisoners to talk. This song could empty Gitmo in a month.

What about "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro? Whenever that song came on the radio I IMMEDIATELY hit the button for any other song on another station.

 

[FRR]

My Mother had a fit when I bought my first Elvis Presley record since she believed Elvis would ruin the youth of America. Bless her heart, she would have had a stroke if she had lived long enough to hear the Beatles sing Let's Do It In The Road.

The song that I could listen to on a desert island, cause I listen to it every day is The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore by the Walker Bros.

 

[rnigma1]

On a slightly related subject: since jukeboxes seem to have gone the way of pay phones and typewriters, one can no longer troll a restaurant or bar by selecting about a dozen of the worst songs before leaving.