Some Thoughts on Music Radio Countdowns

Back in the 1960s I used to love to listen to radio station countdowns.  Back then Dan Daniel on WMCA would count down the top 25 hits from 4 PM - 7 PM with Wednesday as the new survey day.  Likewise Tuesday was new survey day on WABC as it was introduced by Dan Ingram at 2 PM and counted down in order later that night by Cousin Bruce Morrow.  It was always fun comparing the surveys of the two radio stations.  At the end of the year the stations would compile the top hits of the year.

Let's turn the clock ahead 30 or so years ago as oldies stations would ask their listeners to vote for their favorite songs.  For many years In the Still of the Night by the Five Satins was the number one song voted by the listeners.  We never knew for sure is this was a truc countdown as we suspected that radio station would not include songs voted that were out of format.  When WCBS-FM returned from the dreaded Jack format in 2007 it was described as classic hits, not oldies and covered 1964-89.  Some how In the Still of the Night didn't make the survey.

For the past 18 years oldies enthusiast Mike Riccio and Tom Natoli have compiled a list of the Top 77 songs voted by  listeners.  Yesterday they appeared on Rewound Radio and played the top 77 with extras and gave a history of the songs that charted.  I certainly applaud their efforts and appreciate their enthusiasm.

In 2015 I just can't get excited over countdowns as I did when I was a teenager growing up.  Like A Rolling Stone was #20 this year, but I still like it no matter what number it reached.  There are plenty of other Dylan songs that I like better that are obscure and unknown to the casual listener.

My Son The Willie Nelson Fan at the Paley Center for Media

For the same reason Lee became a Johnny Cash fan some years ago, he has become a Willie Nelson fan.  We have a few of his CDs but no videos about him  For that reason we went to the Paley Center for Media today to see what they had.  We were there for over two hours and viewed the following:

• Barbara Walters interviewing him in June 1982
• His appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman in January 1994 and March 2006
• Saturday Night Live December 1977
• His July 4th Concert on the Midnight Special with Wolfman Jack (date unknown)

Christmas Day at the College Point Multiplex

I have mentioned the College Point Multiplex many times in this journal.  Now you can see a picture of it.  Anyway we wanted to avoid seeing the Star Wars movie the first weekend of its release.  We thought that on Christmas Day families observing the holiday would stay home all day.  We got to the theater at 11:30 to get tickets for the 11:50 show but found out it was sold out.  This was the first in years that we had been shut out of a movie at this complex.  We were able to get tickets for the 1:15 show and were able to walk back home instead of hanging around the theater.  I guess on Christmas Day everything else is closed so to get out of Mom's way while she is cooking dinner, the kids go to the movies.

I have seen every Star Wars movie since the first one in 1977 which I saw on my vacation that summer in Cape Cod.   I enjoyed the movie, but of course it is aimed at kids.

Comments on Off Season Moves by the Mets

I really think that in the off season so far the Mets have weakened themselves.  They traded Jon Neise for Neil Walker.  Since Steven Matz will be the left hander in the Mets rotation, Neise was expendable.  It remains to be seen if Walker will be a better second baseman than Daniel Murphy whose value on the open market likely increased with his performance in Division Series and League Championship series.  The Mets signed free agent Asdrubal Cabrera as their shortstop leaving Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores as backups.

They signed Alejandro De Aza to a one-year contract to play in the outfield.  I am not thrilled with his career statistics and if he will just platoon with Juan Lagares then this is a significant downgrade from Yoenis Cespedes who is obviously gone.

I think it was a good move to sign Bartolo Colon to a one year contract , but a think $7.25 million is excessive for him.  He will be the 5^th starter until Zach Wheeler returns.

Baseball salaries are excessive these days and the Mets among other teams have been burned by overpaying free agents.  Jason Bay who was given a large 4 year contract a few years ago did not work out.  Any team needs to take a risk.  I wish the Mets would have signed Daniel Murphy as he was with the team for several years.  We become attached to a player and before you know it they are gone.

The Mets lucked out by getting into the World Series in 2015 as they had the 5^th best record in the National League.  Had the Washington Nationals played as expected, the Mets would not have made the playoffs.

Before you know it pitchers and catchers will report for spring training and the 2016 season will be here.  We shall see what we shall see.

Steve Harvey Really Goofed

I didn't watch the Miss Universe Pageant but I heard that Steve Harvey really goofed as he announced the wrong winner.  For some reason I just never cared for his comedic style.  For that reason I don't watch his version of Family Feud.  Oh well.

NJIT 83 St. Johns 74 at the Carnesecca Arena and I was there

St. John's coach Chris Mullin congratulates NJIT

coach Jim Engles after the game

Hearty congratulations to the NJIT Highlander basketball team who defeated the Red Storm of St. John's University 83-74 at Carnesecca Arena. Yours truly, Karen and Lee were in the stands rooting the team representing my employer. Congratulations are in order for all the players, coaches, and Athletic Director Lenny Kaplan as for the first time NJIT has beaten a school from the Big East Conference.

It seems strange that I never seen the men's basketball team at Newark, but I saw them twice at St. Johns and once at Hofstra as they lost all three games. As I mentioned before I got the tickets about a week ago at a bargain from Stub Hub. We drove over to the campus and we ran into Lenny in the lobby as we entered.

The Highlanders lead for most of the game as Damon Lynn led with 32 points. Chris Jenkins, Ky Howard, and Tim Coleman also scored in double figures. The Highlanders now have a 7-5 in games outside the Atlantic Sun Conference which they joined this past year.

When NJIT scored a basket I looked to my left and saw a handful of people cheering. I went over during halftime and found out they were from the Athletics Department. One of the gentlemen I spoke to was the tennis coach. I did find any students in the stands.

I must say that this victory was a pleasant surprise for me. I must admit that when NJIT first moved to Division I sports from Division II I was skeptical that the teams could be competitive at that level. It took a few years and recruiting the right student athletes for the team to succeed.

Game Recap

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour - Good News, Bad News

Here is the good news Isis Magazine reports that the Never Ending Tour will resume in 2016.  The baad news is that several dates were set in Japan in April.  The tour did not come to NYC at all in 2015.  Since the tour will restart in Japan, it will likely not come to the east coast until the summer at the earliest.  I'll just have to wait.