Golden Oldies and Classic Rock

Wow, I've made it into the age of dinosaurs when it comes to listening to music! I say that only because I sort of arrogantly thought that about music from my grandparents' and parents' era. My parents didn't actually listen to any one kind of music. They just loved anything that had a strong beat they could dance to. When I was much younger I remember the "oldies" stations were playing music from the '40s, lots of big band stuff. I actually liked it but would never admit that to my friends. The music now relegated to oldies and classic rock is now the music I listened to as a teenager and young adult!

In the '70s and through the early '80s, I loved to listen to Casey Kasem's Top 40 program. He would broadcast the forty hits of the country every week. I loved tracking the songs climbing up and down the charts. Recently, I discovered that one of my stations plays a recording of Kasem's show on Saturday mornings. On our very busy day yesterday, we got to listen to some of the hits from the week of October 20, 1979.

I remember three songs specifically because I hadn't heard them in ages: "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac, "Dirty White Boy" by Foreigner and "Lonesome Loser" by the Little River Band. I was really delighted to hear these songs again, particularly "Tusk" because I always thought it was cool they played with a marching band.

It did bring up a pet peeve about the stations I listen to though. They play the same songs over and over. I always hear "Dreams" or "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. I always hear "Urgent" or "Head Games" by Foreigner. I can't remember the last thing I ever heard by Little River Band.

Why is that? I think it's because the play lists are preprogrammed and are on a CD or something that the DJs use over and over. I remember when DJs used to play vinyl and they could choose what they wanted to play, including deep cuts off the album. It just isn't that way with the stations I listen to.

I miss it! I wish the DJs had DVDs of the various groups and would play different songs from the times. As it is now, I listen to one until I'm sick of the play list and then I switch to the other. When I'm sick of both of them, I drag out all my DVDs and listen to them.

Bring variety to oldies and classic rock stations!