Aww Monday – Lucy, American Cocker Spaniel Fetching Machine
Friday Night Lights
This time last year I was seeing doctors, having tests run and preparing for a major surgery. The result was that I did not get to photograph a single high school football game and I LOVE photographing high school sports. Well football is back, in spite of Covid-19 and I went to my first game of the season, even thought it is week three. I’m a little rusty when it comes to panning and getting the focus as crisp as I want, but it was a start and I will be attending more games and capturing more images, so you might as well brace yourself for more gridiron chaos.
Monday’s Music Moves Me
The theme this week at 4M is to pick our favorite decade of music and feature songs from that decade. I was in my teens and early twenties during the 60’s and I believe that happens to be the best music ever. We had The Supremes, The Four Tops, Sam Cook, B. B. King, , The Beatles, Beach Boys, Alman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Simon & Garfunkle, James Taylor, Carole King, Gordon Lightfoot, Leon Russell, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zepplin, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Linda Ronstadt…and the list goes on. I could make a play list that would last for weeks. So where do I start.
The first album I ever bought was Ray Charles, What’d I Say, but that was released in 1959 so it doesn’t count. I also owned Modern Sounds in Country/Western Music where Ray put covered songs by Hank Williams and other greats. Country would never sound the same again.
As the decade of the sixties began the pop charts were filled with country songs, instrumentals, big band vocals, soul sounds. One song that got everyone on the dance floor was this number by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. You can hear the influence of Chubby Checker and The Twist all over this song.
1964 was a watershed year as the “British Invasion” swept the country and the Beatles became a household word. They charted no less than five of the top 20 songs for the whole year. It all started with a little hand holding.
My senior year in high school was 1965 and the number one song of the year came from another British band. They just never seemed satisfied.
I came home from Vietnam in 1968 and the music world was filled with hard rock and protest. On the hard rock side I found that a little Cream in my coffee was just what I needed. Cream was made up of three future rock hall of famers, Jack Bruce on Guitar and vocals, Ginger Baker on drums and Eric Clapton on Guitar and vocals. They were simply on another level. Eric Clapton is still making great music. The number 6 song of 1968 was all about love and sunshine.
The decade came to an end with one of my favorite groups, Creedence Clearwater Revival releasing one of their early chart toppers. While John Fogerty wrote this song and the group had a hit with it in 1969, the tune became the anthem song for Tina Turner in 1971. Tina became Proud Mary. Have a blessed week.
Driller's Place 
Miss Lucy is most adorable. Lots of energy too. She’s so cute.
Love your playlist. Some great tunes there.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week. 🙂
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Lucy gets plenty of nap time in between fetch sessions which helps keep her energy level up..
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Bring football on! You are photographing high school football but my husband is so thrilled the NFL is back. (Also, no high school football in New York State at this time.) Hurray for the 60’s! The 60’s music spans such an incredible decade. “Finger Popping Time” is so much like “Let’s Twist Again” (as you pointed out). I was one of the screaming fans of the Beatles and the British invasion (one of my cousins actually got to go to one of the Beatles’ New York City concerts – not me, sigh….) Cream was such a great group, too. Let me also salute you and other Vietnam War veterans. Very well done.
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I think most guys are happy that sports are back on TV. You can only watch so many Jeapordy reruns.
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Lucy does love to fetch. None of us play fetch. We chase what is thrown and then leave it where it lands and do something else. Mom can fetch it if she wants it back. Glad you are back out at football games. We are happy lots of the sports are starting up here too.
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When Lucy gets tired of fetch she will either leave her toy in the yard for me to retrieve or she will head straight for the house with her toy and wait at the back door.
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…when I attended the University Georgia in ’66 Ray Charles came top campus, what a showman he was! Thanks for the reminder of Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, I haven’t heard them in years. Keep the music playing.
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One artists that I really would have loved to see in concert was Ray Charles.
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Driller,
I’m glad you’re back doing what you enjoy. Reflecting on how things were a year ago probably makes you feel doubly blessed. You did a great job capturing the action on the field. I would like to try photographing sports someday. I will wait for things to settle down with Covid, though. The 60s had some great mewsic. I was born at the start of the decade. CCR was popular in the 70s. I love their sound. The Beatles I liked but never was super crazy over them. Tina Turner is another. She had some good songs but still I wasn’t nuts over her mewsic. Thanks for hitting the 4M dance floor today. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!
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I was more of a Rolling Stones fan than the Beatles. I loved the country/southern rock era with CCR and Eagles, Alabama, Pure Prairie League. Hmm…I think I feel another post coming on.
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No high school sports here on Long Island for the time being. I’m not much of a football fan anyway, but I feel bad for the kids.
Great playlist today!
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So far football season is going well. We will have to see how basketball season works out. I just like getting behind the camera and snapping a few images.
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Precious Lucy! 2 versions of Proud Mary, I love them both!
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Lucy is special indeed.
I just found it interesting that a John Fogerty song became the anthem song for Tina.
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You definitely have some greats here my friend. Tina Turner sure made enough to retire quite comfortably for sure, but after all that glitter and glamor I wonder how’s she doin’ with the quiet life? ~hehehe~ Plus those million dollar legs of hers I’m sure if she doesn’t keep those babies toned she could quite possibly have some heavy duty cramps in those. Such great songs you have here my friend and some great top bands! My friend you most certainly ROCK! Have a great day!
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Some of my earliest music interest was in R&B and MoTown. Songs like Shop Around, My Girl, Mama Said, and groups like the Four Tops, Temptations, and Supremes were so much fun to dance to. Rock on!!!
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Nice choices, especially Credence. My hubby and I have seen John Fogerty in concert 3 times.
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Forgerty is still making great music and I would pay to see him any time.
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very wonderful photos of Lucy! Such a great pup! and fabulous football shots!
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Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos.
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Miss Lucy is just adorable!!!! gtreat tunes.my offering is meager at best.
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Miss Lucy thinks she’s the hottest thing on four paws.
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well all of our furbabies think that as well.
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Your photos are astounding, and the music some of the best ever.
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Thank you for the kind words and glad you enjoyed the music today.
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Great game photos. Who knows when high school football will start here. Also, some great tunes. Thanks for sharing them.
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High school football is going pretty well this year. There are just soooo many good songs to pick from the 60’s.
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