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Every week, we present “ROCK REMEMBERED,” a deep dive into the hidden history of rock & roll, the stories behind the artists and songs that changed the world. Join host, “Boomtown Bill” Cross each Wednesday at 7 pm (Eastern) with an encore broadcast on Saturday at noon (Eastern).
Join us today as we explore "The Great Folk Music Scare of the 1960s!"
For as long as long as rock music’s been around (65+ years and counting), the #1 topic in its songs has been, far and away, love. When it’s going right, when it’s gone wrong, when it’s new, when it’s stood the test of time, when it never really was – love is all around, all you need and a 4-letter word.
We would be presumptuous if we said this is a list of “the” greatest rock love songs. Choices, especially in this category, are always intensely personal. It’s the song that always makes you think of that one man or woman, the one that reminds you of a specific time and place or simply one that helped you get through a tough time when you thought you’d never love again.
Here’s our list. What’s on yours?
Something – The Beatles
George Harrison’s exquisite ode to his then-wife Pattie Boyd. A song so beautiful even Frank Sinatra named it as one of the greatest compositions ever (and we know how Frank felt about rock in general).
- Walk Away Renée – Left Banke
Not all great love songs are written about happy love affairs or even about bad break-ups. This classic was written by Michael Brown about a love that never was. He was hopelessly in love with a young girl named Renée Fladen, but even writing this classic didn’t melt her heart. She never ever gave him a tumble.
- Faithfully – Journey
Written by Journey keyboard player Jonathan Cain in about a half hour, the composer claimed the melody came to him in a dream. He also said the lyrics were inspired by his Christian faith. That may give you something to think about the next time you hear it.
- Have I Told You Lately That I Love You – Van Morrison
Speaking of Christian faith, this deeply felt love song was composed by Van Morrison not about a woman. The song is actually about God. The song has been covered by dozens of artists (Rod Stewart took it into the Top 10), most of whom, we’ll bet, are unaware of this fact.
- She’s the One – Bruce Springsteen
At the opposite end of the spiritiual spectrum, if there’s a better song that expresses the sweet torture of pure carnal yearning for someone who may not be the wisest choice for you, we haven’t heard it. “With her soft French cream, standing in that doorway like a dream, I wish she’s just leave me alone.” And yet, you know that’s neither what he really wants, nor what’s going to happen.
- Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
Believe it or not, the inspiration for this song was the 1979 science-fiction film, Time After Time. Unsurprisingly, the song’s lyrics arose from the romantic problems the tune’s co-authors, Lauper & Rob Hyman, were having with their respective significant others.
- More Than a Feeling – Boston
The song that introduced the world to Boston remains their best and most recognizable song. Composer/guitarist, Tom Scholz credits another song on this list as his main inspiration – “Walk Away Renée.”
How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees
While disco eventually imploded, it’s worth remembering that not all of that music was bad. In fact, the Bee Gees created truly great pop songs before, during and after the dance craze. This song, coming at the height of the craze and the Bee Gees' career, has stood the test of time.
- Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Impossible as it may seem, this tender ballad was also written about Pattie Boyd when she was married to Harrison’s best friend, Eric Clapton (who also penned “Layla” in her honor). Written while Clapton was waiting for her to get ready for an evening on the town.
- Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
Billy Joel captured what every woman longs to hear from her significant other and makes the lyrics and melody flow so effortlessly, this remains one of the best expressions of a love that endures one day at time.
A Guide to Howdy Doody Books and Video
For a show that ran for 13 years and was one of the mainstays of Baby Boomer culture throughout the entire 1950’s, there are surprisingly few ways we can relive those memories today.
There have been books and DVDs about The Howdy Doody Show released over the years, but few remain in print as of this writing. Nevertheless, here’s a rundown on what’s been produced.
BOOKS
Say Kids! What Time Is It? Notes from the Peanut Gallery by Stephen Davis, published in 1987 by Little Brown and Company. This is the first and best book about the show and what really went on backstage. Davis was the son of one of the show’s early writers and producers. Consequently, he got to sit in the Peanut Gallery multiple times during his childhood. As an adult, he was also able to draw on his father’s contacts to provide a fascinating look at all facets of the show, both in front of and behind the cameras.
Howdy and Me by Buffalo Bob Smith and Donna McCrohan, published by Plume Books in 1990. While there is no better witness to the entire Howdy Doody phenomenon than Bob Smith, he can’t really be called an impartial observer. Much of the backstage tensions and bawdy rehearsal shenanigans are glossed over. Still, the book is a comprehensive look at the show and what happened to Buffalo Bob when production ended in 1960. It’s also filled with dozens of rare photographs from Bob’s private collection.
VIDEO
Really only a small percentage of the more than 2,000 episodes of The Howdy Doody Show have been released on video.
Howdy Doody’s Christmas – This is probably the most widely seen piece because it fell into public domain some time ago, and has appeared on dozens of old VHS tapes and cheap “dollar DVDs.” Yet, it doesn’t really come from the TV show at all.
Back in the early days of TV, the numbers of homes that had even one television set was still relatively small. So in 1951, they produced this short film featuring Howdy to show in theaters during the holidays. The release date for Howdy Doody’s Christmas is often wrongly said to be 1957. Yet it contains performances by Bob Keeshan as Clarabell and Dayton Allen as Ugly Sam. Both of those actors were gone from the show by the end of 1953. Also, the extremely crude production techniques rule out 1957 as a release date.
The Howdy Doody Show: In 2000, Image Entertainment released a series of 4 DVDs, each containing 4 episodes of the show during its run as a Saturday morning show on NBC. The volumes in this set are:
Andy Handy: Contains “Mr. Bluster Is Up to His Old Tricks” (April 1, 1953 – not a Saturday morning show), “Easter” (April 13, 1957), “Andy Handy” (May 4, 1957) and “Water Fountain” (July 13, 1957)
The Bird Club: Contains “10th Anniversary Show (December 28, 1957), “The Bird Club” (February 1, 1958), “Shrinking Machine” (February 8, 1958) and “Tammy Returns” (March 8, 1958)
Scuttlebutt: Contains “King Yodstick Part 1” (May 24, 1958), “King Yodstick Part 2” (May 31, 1958), “Scuttlebutt” (July 18, 1958) and “Val Carney” (August 2, 1958)
Clarabell Speaks: Contains “Halloween” (October 28, 1958), “Mambo” (November 16, 1958), “Cy Clone” (August 25, 1959) and “Clarabell Speaks” (September 24, 1960)
All the shows except the final show, “Clarabell Speaks,” are in black & white. Both “Clarabell Speaks” and “The 10th Anniversary Show” are hour-long shows. The rest are 30 minutes.
Howdy Doody: 40 Episodes – Released in 2008 by Mill Creek Entertainment, this 5-disc set comes with 32-page booklet of photos from the show’s run.
This set mainly focuses on the show’s early days when it ran Monday through Friday in the evenings, featuring episodes that range from February 1, 1949 to December 31, 1954.
In addition, the show also includes the show’s final telecast, “Clarabell Speaks” (September 24, 1960) as well as interviews with Bob Smith, Bob Keeshan, and the show’s main writer, Eddie Kean and producer/director E. Roger Muir.
There was a less expensive 2-disc version containing 20 episodes that was marketed at the same time as the 5-disc set.
With only two episodes duplicated between the Image and Mill Creek collections (“Mr. Bluster Is Up to His Old Tricks” & “Clarabell Speaks”), these sets together can give you a pretty comprehensive overview of what the show was like during its entire 13-year run.
Howdy Doody - There has also been one “dollar DVD" from Digiview that collects 3 additional episodes from the show (“Howdy for President,” “Doodyville Band Uniforms” and “New Clubhouse”) along with the Howdy Doody’s Christmas film. The exact dates for these show’s can’t be determined, but this DVD is usually pretty cheap and well worth picking up if you just want to sample what the show was like or if you must have everything that’s been released.
While these DVD sets have been out of print from a few years now, they can be found through eBay, Amazon.com or other second-hand dealers.
It’s Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year Celebration – A little harder to find, this 2-hour TV special was broadcast in 1987 and released only on VHS. It contains lots of vintage footage from the show’s original run as well as a new storyline that reunites Bob Smith and many of the original cast members along with celebrity guests.
BUYER BEWARE: There are a handful of DVDs that are sometimes advertised as Howdy Doody – “The Lost Episodes.” Beware! These are all from the short-lived Howdy Doody revival in 1976. These are not to be confused with the genuine article.
Indeed. But what's Mel Cooley doing in the picture?
If you’re taking a blood thinner, avoid fish oil supplements. Those supplements can also thin the blood. If you like eating fish, don’t worry. Fish that we eat contain very small amounts of fish oil, so they should be safe.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, consult your doctor.