The Man On The Moon: 45 Years Ago This Week

 

It was a much different world 45 years ago. We have Afghanistan now; we had Vietnam then. Now it's Google; back then it was anyone over 30. Hilarious mismatches of new songs and old artists ensued in lame attempts to bridge the Generation Gap. Today, kids ask their grandparents about Woodstock and listen reverently to their old Beatles albums. The Smothers Brothers pushed the envelope every week - well, every week they weren't busy arguing with CBS and withholding tapes of their show from them because of what (or who) was censored from their variety show. NBC wasn't owned by a big cable company that's currently trying to buy another big cable company. They were too busy with a little distraction called Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, which, while definitely risque by '60s standards, was nowhere near what you might see today. Yet half the jokes from that show would make a modern day standards & practices person blush, what with their political incorrectness. Political incorrectness wasn't even a thing then. Unless maybe you voted for McGovern and he lost. Yep. Totally different time.

One of America's finest moments came during that time. On Sunday, July 20th, 1969, John F. Kennedy's dream was realized: we sent a man to the moon. Really, we sent three: Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins. We take for granted what a monumental feat it was in light of what we can do today. But this was truly America at its postwar best. The Russians beat us to space, but we showed them by getting to the moon before they did. All the world was watching a true moment in history. And while they were, back here at home Walter Cronkite, the dean of TV newsmen, laid it all out for us on CBS.

You're about to hear a 7" 33 with Cronkite recalling the day Apollo 11 touched down on the surface of the moon. From countdown to touchdown, there are a lot of interesting moments. Relive them...or if you weren't around back then, listen and learn.

Side 1

Side 2

This record is presented for historical purposes only and is not intended for purposes of public performance or profit.

Go Fourth!

Well, holy crap. It's the Fourth Of July. Flags and fireworks, patriotism and parades...and of course, what would any parade be without a marching band? I used to have a few marching band albums. It was always amazing to hear what songs they could adapt into band arrangements. Those albums are gone, but a select few songs from them remain. And an even more select fewer have come to grace the blog today.  See how many you recognize. And be safe this weekend!

You don't hear (or see) much of this TV show anymore...unless you've got the DVDs:


Here's another forgotten TV classic. Why they did a band rendition of this, I have NO clue:


Here's a late-'70s TV medley!


If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just the high school marching band playing Led Zep:


Lay your ears on this one:


What I like about this...it really gets me to dance!:


And who's leading the band? It's-a me, Mario!