Sunday, December 31, 2017

December 31st

Motorcycle Daredevil Evel Knievel fails in his attempt to jump over the Caesar's Palace Fountain in Las Vegas.  The 141 foot jump (and his subsequent crash landing) is all captured on film. 


The Green Bay Packers become the first team in the modern era to win their third consecutive NFL Championship  when they beat The Dallas Cowboys by a score of 21 - 17 in a game that has since become known as "The Ice Bowl". 

The Ed Sullivan Show celebrates New Year's Eve with Miriam Makeba ("Pata Pata"), Jay and the Techniques ("Keep The Ball Rollin'") and drumming whiz Buddy Rich, who performs an instrumental version of The Beatles' hit "Norwegian Wood". 





"The Graduate" holds on to its top spot at the box office this week, adding another $4 million to its kitty.  What a GREAT way to end the year.  It will log four more weeks in the #1 position before it's finished. 





Judy Collins and The Irish Rovers are musical guests on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour this week. 

It's New Year's Eve and Davy Jones and Peter Tork are in England celebrating at London's Speakeasy Club.  Also in attendance that night are Jimi Hendrix, Eric Burdon, Jeff Beck, Tommy Steel, "Oliver" creator Lionel Bart and actress Adrienne Posta. 

Elvis' accountants report that in 1967 Elvis earned $2,700,000 in personal income from motion pictures and $817,000 in personal income from recordings.  His taxes for the year are $1,400,000.

THE TOP 20 ALBUMS of 1967
(Based on our research of the LP Charts dated January 1, 1967 thru December 31, 1967)
 
 1. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND -  The Beatles
 2. MORE OF THE MONKEES - The Monkees
 3. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO - Soundtrack
 4. THE MONKEES- The Monkees
 5. HEADQUARTERS - The Monkees
 6. SRO - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
 7. THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Soundtrack
 8. THE DOORS - The Doors
 9. GREATEST HITS - Diana Ross and the Supremes
10. I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU - Aretha Franklin
11. SURREALISTIC PILLOW - The Jefferson Airplane
12. THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS DELIVER - The Mamas and The Papas
13. SOUNDS LIKE - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
14. GREATEST HITS - The Temptations
15. FLOWERS - The Rolling Stones
16. REVENGE - Bill Cosby
17. ODE TO BILLIE JOE - Bobbie Gentry
18. BETWEEN THE BUTTONS - The Rolling Stones
19. STRANGE DAYS - The Doors
20. PISCES, AQUARIUS, CAPRICORN AND JONES, LTD. - The Monkees

The Monkees had THREE of the Top Five LP's of the year ... and a fourth LP, "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd." came in at #20.  (It would be the #1 Album in the Country as the year ended.)

But The Beatles still reigned supreme with an album many still consider to be the finest recording ever made fifty years later ... "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". 

Honorable Mention:   
       
Whipped Cream and Other Delights - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass  (have you ever seen the cover for this one?)


Vanilla Fudge - Vanilla Fudge
Wonderfulness - Bill Cosby
Farewell To The First Golden Era - The Mamas and The Papas
Got Live If You Want It - The Rolling Stones
Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Spirit of '67 - Paul Revere and the Raiders
Insight Out - The Association
Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
Their Satanic Majesties Request - The Rolling Stones
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme - Simon and Garfunkel
If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears - The Mamas and The Papas
Greatest Hits - Bob Dylan