I Read The News Today- Oh Boy- Friday February 7, 1969- 50 years ago today- a few news stories from the world of music.
- Mr. Mojo Risin- Jim Morrison singer and front man of The Doors- was arrested- this time for drunk driving and driving without a license in Los Angeles. This wouldn’t be the last of Morrison’s legal woes in 1969. My favorite Jim Morrison story- when my sister was in high school in the mid 80’s- The Doors were popular- [thanks in large part to The End being in Apocalypse Now} and someone was writing on desks throughout the school- Jim Morrison Lives. The principal- a good guy but a kind of clueless type- said to one of the school secretaries- “Send for this Jim Morrison- we need to get him to stop writing on the desks.” The same fella a few years earlier- pulled me aside at the Prom [only those from the school could go} and asked me what school I went to- he thought I was someone from another school who had snuck in or something. I told him I go here. He didn’t believe me. I saw one of my teachers walking by and he vouged for me. I had been in the school for two years. Who do I see first the next school day? The principal- who remembered me this time and started to apologize to me again. It was OK- I liked being under the radar.
- In Morgan’s Studio in London- The Who recorded one of their most famous songs- “Pinball Wizard” it would be the featured track on their upcoming Tommy album and would become a Who concert staple. They would play the song in concert for the first time on May 2, 1969.
- Tom Jones premiered with his variety show ‘This Is Tom Jones” on this day. It was a British show but was exported to the US and shown on ABC-TV in the states. It would last three seasons and 65 episodes. In the first episode- a lot of stars were on the show- Peter Sellers, Richard Pryor, The Moody Blues, Mary Hopkins and Joey Heatherton. In the late 60’s -early 70’s Tom Jones was a big star. I am sure I never saw the show- back then we got only CBS and NBC stations-the show was off the air by the time we got ABC.
Missed this news the other day-
- On Monday February 3, 1969 Eric Burdon &The Animals broke up. Remembered today for their mid-60’s classics like “House Of The Rising Sun”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, ” I’m Crying” “It’s My Life” and “Don’t Bring Me Down” among others.Eric Burdon would join forces with War in 1969 and go on to further success there. The Animals were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
slicethelife 
““Send for this Jim Morrison” that is classic.
The big rumour about the principal is that he had a wooden leg- because of the way he walked.. he didn’t but it was a great urban legends passed down from generations of students- many believed it as fact.
You gotta love the urban legends that went around…it made things interesting in school.
Love the high school teacher stories!
Heh. Great high school story.
Jim Morrison was just messed up.
Lots of interesting musical history today. So difficult to believe it was 50 years ago at times.
I don’t recall the events of this particular day 50 years ago but do recall some of these events from that year- and that makes me just feel old!!
I guess high school is always the same, lol. Excellent story. You can’t remember Eric Burdon and the Animals singing Little Red Riding Hood from the 1965 show Oh Wolf, Poor Wolf. It was on ABC and probably a little late for you. I know what you mean about feeling old.
When the 40th anniversary’s of events came along it was no big deal but a few years ago when it would be 50- it started to make me feel a little peculiar. I think this summer with the 50th of the Moon landing.. I recall that like it was yesterday– 50 years? That can’t be.
Hilarious. Wish I’d gone to your high school!
Tom Jones….one of my favorites of all time. You gotta admire someone who even gives his all for the theme song of a cartoon!
LOL!
: )