I've been around for awhile. I am one of the few people who do not immediately associate Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts but rather to a stately woman driving a red 1965 mustang convertible.
It seems that more and more soundtracks to new movies are comprised of music from the sixties. When my son came home with the soundtrack to "Forest Gump" a couple of years ago, he was amazed that I knew all the words (okay, okay, a lot of the words) to the songs. Sometimes, listening to MTV, I come to the conclusion that most of the songs of today are rehashes of old sixties tunes.
Remembering quite clearly the reaction of the world's teens to John, Paul, Ringo and George... I also remember quite distinctly the advertisements placed in the trade magazines by the television programmers who were looking for some young boys to portray rock stars in an upcoming TV series.
"...Wanted... young boys with long hair to play in musical group. No musical talent needed."
Believe me... They got what they asked for.
These youngsters were to form the musical group THE MONKEES. Somehow they managed to learn to play some music. Not too well at first, but well enough to act like they knew how to play. It was more important to have their hair shoulder-length and be able to run around and do silly things rather than to actually be able to play the guitar (or drums). But in the end -- after several years of practicing -- some music did come forth.
More amazing than their musical ability is the stamina displayed by the
members in performing the same repertoire for the past 30 years. Actually,
I find it amazing when anyone consistently does any one thing for 30 years.
I often recall a local rock group in the area where I grew up. They played a lot of Jefferson Airplane tunes. They of course had a young female vocalist who sounded exactly like Gracie Slick. And, of course the crowd constantly yelled requests for them to perform "White Rabbit". After sucumbing to these requests for some 2-3 years, I heard them announced to the surprise of the entire audience that they would perform "White Rabbit" for the final time that evening. They were adamant about this stand and never played it again. I felt an era pass. I didn't want to have them renege on their pledge. I thought like they did... Enough is enough.
Enter Hot Rod. Rod Stewart is still "Facing" his fans and belting out "Maggie Mae" (or at least trying) with the same enthusiasm as he did in the late sixties. There was a bartender at one of the local bars in my hometown who would reject "Maggie May" as soon as he heard to first chord. I managed to sympathize with him upon realizing that he would hear certain songs over and over every night. "Maggie Mae" would top the jukebox's play-list every night at about 20-30 times.
Mick Jagger and his cronies are "Dancing in the Street". Fleetwood Mac is electing presidents and Tina Turner should become a president (of France if she stays there). Joe Cocker's voice finally suits his looks and Paul McCartney was recently knighted and their are youngsters who think that Diana Ross is simply supreme.
This emphasizes the fact that these icons are here to stay and that they are exactly that... icons.
Just don't try to sell me any tickets to see Pat Boone lullaby-ing any heavy metal. That is carrying things a little too far. He should stay with "Speedy Gonzalez" and keep on writing his "Love Letters in the Sand".
By definition, sixties music is music that was played in the sixties -- not by people that have reached their sixties
And as far as THE MONKEES... Hey, hey, we're THE...
But what would Darwin say about the evolution of 60's music?