ABBA: Greatest Hits

ABBA - Greatest Hits.  With the leaves on the ground and what they are wearing - this album photo looks to me like fall.  It was released back in 1976.  From left to right we have: Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus.

The Temptations and The Miracles: Motown Mood

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles plus The Temptations.   Last Friday night we caught a Motown cover act at a big party in the city, called The Voices (of Motown).  They performed a late night set called a  "Tribute to Motown."   An impressive collection of R&B hits, with a stellar backup band, the group captured the vibe and artistry of legendary Motown acts such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, the Stylistics, and of course Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.  On the back of The Temptations record, called In a Mellow Mood, we see the back cover liner notes written by none other than Soupy Sales!  Soupy writes that Mel Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, David Ruffin, and Paul Williams achieved a "new plateau" with this record - which contains a number of covers, plus I'm Ready for Love, penned by Holland, Dozier, and Holland.  The SMATR record has one of my favorites on it: The Tracks of My Tears.

College Football: Touchdown, U.S.A. - The "Big Ten" The University of Michigan Band

I grew up listening to this record every autumn.  It is Touchdown, U.S.A. - The "Big Ten."  Not only are the songs invigorating and goose bump-inducing, what makes them great are two things: the University of Michigan Band may have been the best college marching band during the span of cconductor, the esteemed Wm. D. Revelli.  The Revelli band era at Michigan lasted 36 years, from 1935-1971.  And second, quoting liner notes, "the highly creative arrangements of the marches are largely the work of Jerry H. Bilik."   I did not attend a Big Ten school - but my family and some of my best friends are made up of alumnus: Dad: Minnesota.  Wife: Iowa.  My Uncle Art lettered in basketball in the '30's at Northwestern.  My brother: Illinois.  And good pals Greg: Indiana.  Dane: Purdue.  This record is of the University of Michigan Band, William D. Revelli, conductor - playing all of the big ten school fight songs/marches.  Side one is: Across the Field (OSU) [my favorite], Illinois Loyalty, Rouser (Minn.) Indiana, our Indiana, On Wisconsin, Go U Northwestern, and The Victors (Michigan).  Side two is a collection of miscellaneous college and military academy marches and fight songs:  Mr. Touchdown, USA.  On, Brave Old Army Team, Down the Field (Yale), Notre Dame Victory March, Anchors Aweigh (Navy), and Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever.