Welcome

International visitors:
Italy Roma, Lazio
New Zealand Taupiri

Lyrics for "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago

Lyrics for "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago

Many thanks to
Keith King, who wrote to tell us:
"The artist who wrote and sung The Eggplant
That Ate Chicago was Norman Greenbaum
who in 1970 made enough money to retire for life with Spirit
in the Sky."



In addition to Norman
Greenbaum, Dr West's Medicine Show & Junk Band consisted of Jack
Carrington, gtr, vcls, percussion, Evan
Engber, percussion and Bonnie Walach,
gtr, vcls. The single reached #52 in the US Hot
Hundred and the band issued an album of the same name in 1969.
THE EGGPLANT THAT ATE CHICAGO
(Norman Greenbaum)
Dr. West's Medicine Show & Junk Band


You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
For he may eat your city soon.
You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
If he's still hungry, the whole country's doomed.

He came from outer space, lookin' for somethin' to eat.
He landed in Chicago. He thought Chicago was a treat.
(It was sweet, it was just like suger)

You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
For he may eat your city soon (wacka-do, wacka-do, wacka-do)
You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
If he's still hungry, the whole country's doomed.

kazoo solo

He came from outer space, lookin' for somethin' to eat.
He landed in Chicago. He thought Chicago was a treat.
(It was sweet, it was just like suger)

You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
For he may eat your city soon (wacka-do, wacka-do, wacka-do)
You'd better watch out for the eggplant that ate Chicago,
If he's still hungry, the whole country's doomed ("it's in trouble!")
If he's still hungry, the whole country's doomed

Promise Fullfilled

A while back I promised that future clips would take the form of a real podcast. So here is the first. A podcast discussing the constant quest for humor on and off the air at KAAY.

The newscast at the end is an actual aircheck.

http://kaay.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-08-29T16_58_47-07_00

More from you...

Barry writes:

It's my first indoctrination to the KAAY blog, and I've enjoyed going through it, although a lot of it predates my radio listening days. I'm the former program director who produced Radio Yesterday, the show that Vdog was referencing. The KAAY transmitter building has hundreds of old tapes of commercials, promos, news features and national public affairs programs. I made several trips out there the last few years I was at the station, and that served as the genesis of Radio Yesterday. Among my favorite pieces of audio would be the 1973 jingles package, a promo for the 1972 Arkansas-Texas game that included a bet between DJs from KAAY and WOAI in San Antonio, and a report on the flight of Apollo 13, as voiced by Willard Scott. Former Chief Engineer Felix McDonald and his wife Oleta still live out by the transmitter. I'd like to make a return trip, but I'm not sure management would agree to that, since I've not had a tie to the station for almost a year. I came home with probably more than 300 reels, but there are still at least that many more out there, and it hurts me to know that they'll probably never see the light of day again.

Hey Barry,
How about sharing those jingles and promo with the blog? -A.J.

Don't Go Near The Indians Lyrics

This song was different from the usual hot rod, surfing, teen love songs of the era.

Take a look at the lyrics and read the interesting story line:

Don't Go Near the Indians
Rex Allen   Mercury  71997
(Lorene Mann)   Buttercup Music  BMI


{Son, don't go near the Indians
Please stay away
Son, don't go near the Indians
Please do what I say}

Since I was just a little boy
I liked to roam the hills
And to hear wild stories about the Indians
Was my biggest thrill

I'd shout and yell and holler like heck
I wore moccasins on my feet
And I'd make believe I was under a teepee
Every time I went to sleep

My hair was jet black and I was twenty-one
Lots of pretty girls around
But the paleface maidens didn't thrill me none
Around my Cochise County hometown

{Son, don't go near the Indians
Please stay away
Son, don't go near the Indians
Please do what I say}

One day I went to the reservation
And there by a shallow creek
Was a beautiful Indian a-fetchin' water
And I just had to speak

She smiled at me then quickly left
But the next day she returned
And it wasn't very long till I told her how
The love in my heart burned

{Son, don't go near the Indians
Please stay away
Son, don't go near the Indians
Please do what I say}

I told my daddy I'd found a girl
Who meant the world to me
And tomorrow I'd ask the Indian chief
For the hand of NovaLee

Dad's trembling lips spoke softly
As he told me of my life
Twas then he said I could never take
This maiden for my wife

SPOKEN:
Son, the white man and Indianss were fighting when you were born
And a brave called Yellow Sun scalped my little boy
So I stole you to get even for what he'd done
Though you're a full-blooded Indian, son
I love you as much as my own little feller that's dead
And, son, NovaLee is your sister
And that's why I've always said

SINGING:
{Son, don't go near the Indians
Please stay away
FADE:
Son, don't go near the Indians
Please do what I say}


Transcribed by Little John
These lyrics were transcribed from the specific recording referenced



above, and are for personal use and research interest only.

If you can find a recording of this let me know..ajlinds@yahoo.com

More KAAY Silver Dollar Survey

Double click on the survey to read.
Thanks again to Harold Ott for this survey dated 7/29/63. The first thing I noticed is that Buddy Karr must have been changing since no picture was there for the name. I was obviously there playing all those songs but I can not remember "Fat Lady" by the Spidels. I'll have to do some more research to bring that one back. I am still looking for Rex Allen's "Son Don't Go Near The Indians". I have checked all the music services but have not found the song. These things become a real challenge to me. Anyone out there up to the challenge of finding this recording?

Wolfman Jack & KAAY

From David Montgomery

Shortly after we moved from the 7th Street studios into the new building on Cottondale Lane, we had a rip snortin' grand opening party to celebrate the opening of the new studios. All the local and regional politicians, advertising agency people, and anyone having anything to do with radio or TV in central Arkansas were invited. The building was packed with celebrities, local media people and a variety of VIP's and special guests, and it was really something!

To make the Grand Opening party memorable for the listeners, we arranged to have Wolfman Jack do a live show from the new studios, take listener calls and generally do the Wolman thing custom tailored for Little Rock and the nighttime sky-wave audience. This happened not long after the American Graffiti movie made the theater rounds, so Wolfman's name was well known at the time. The Wolfman flew into Little Rock, got a VIP limo ride to the studios and met with the staff and then got a 5 minute lesson on how to "run the board". (There were several helpers nearby to make sure things went smoothly.) Expectations were high, and he lived up to his reputation as being outrageous and fun! And so it happened - Wolfman Jack came to Little Rock to do his show live from the new KAAY studios.

(Cue Wolfman's voice: That's K-A-A-Y in Little Rock, baby - A-Wooooooo)
...

Another comment moved to the MAIN post

Vdog says:

I read your article and it was great. I would like one of the bumper stickers if it is the one with the sunshine, with KAAY written on top.It is a shame what KAAY has turned into now. I'm glad to have thisblog and the old audio to listen to.Between '04 & '06 KAAY aired a program called Radio Yesterday.It played the old songs as well asold commercials, news pieces, & jingles. When the former program director left, the program sadly no longer airs.

Hey Vdog....let's not be too hard on the current KAAY. They are just doing what the old KAAY was doing, trying to make a buck. After all the old KAAY had 3 religious and farm blocks a day. The only top 40 station that I know of, who could do both top 40 and some block programming and get away with it. I always remember Pat Walsh beating the night time jock over the h ead with the ratings book showing Gardner Ted Armstrong and The World Tomorrow, having as high or higher rating as the jock. Whatever happened to Garner Ted Armstrong? -A.J.

Comment on Follow Contest & Funmobile

Just in case you don't read the comments, here's one as a main post:

Dave, thank you so much for these memories. Going to A.J.'s KAAY blog site is like Christmas every day. You never know what he's going to post next. This is indeed keeping the memories and history of KAAY alive. It's a treasure for all of us. From my recollections, the "Follow" contest script read like this:"This is _______________, on East Main street, following a green Ford sedan, Arkansas license plate number XXX 345. If the driver is listening, and will pull over in a safe location, we'll award them ten dollars and ninety cents, or one hundred dollars, if they have a KAAY bumper strip on the exterior portion of their automobile!"I do remember the "Funmobile" as well. Thanks again, Dave (and A.J., as always).Richard Robinson

Hey Richard and Dave didn't the person doing the contest id himself as KAAY mobile unit or money cruiser #2 ?

KAAY Worldwide welcome to......................

Netherlands Zeewolde, Flevoland

KAAY Funmobile, Follow Contest and more

From Dave Montgomery:

Don't know if you might remember me [ Dave Montgomery ] - I was at KAAY from appx 1969 through 1980, with a stint out for Army duty. My tenure at KAAY spanned the end of the LIN era and into the Multimedia era, and across the Seventh Street studios as well as the Cottondale Lane studios. I worked for Felix McDonald, the C.E. and I also did some weekend fill-in work on air using the name David Ray (another LIN corporate officer).

At one point, Felix and I came to your studios in Pine Bluff to put in a ground system for your new transmitter site.

Anyway, I can offer some behind the scenes perspective if you are interested in this kind of thing. I have one of the KAAY bumper stickers I will scan and send to you - do you remember Pat Walsh's "Follow" contest? It went something like this -

" This is ______ _______ on East Main street following a green Ford sedan, Arkansas license plate XXX 345. If the driver is listening and can wave and pull over in a safe location, we will award them $25, and if they have a KAAY bumper sticker anywhere on the outside of the vehicle, they will win $100."

Also, remember the "Funmobile"? The big blue remote broadcast trailer? We did hundreds of remote broadcasts from all over central Arkansas, including the annual Toys for Tots broadcast from Toy Hill at War Memorial Stadium. Sonny Martin (Matt White) did this for years, and was taken over by Bob Robbins (Bob Spears) after Sonny moved on.

If you are interested in any of these stories, let me know, and I will pass them along. Best regards, and am enjoying seeing the stories and history lessons.

Dave Montgomery

Huntsville, Alabama

KAAY Music Survey ? Date

Thanks to Harold Ott for the above survey. Double click on it to enlarge.
I need some help on this one. Who is the Rob Robbins in the photograph?
Sorry the date is cut off the bottom, but Harold said he would try to find the original and do another scan in color and with the date I hope.

Garage Bands

Lately I've been commenting on performers and shows and KAAY. Thanks to Jack Hendrix and working on a class reunion featuring The Pine Bluff Play Boys, I was introduced to Harold Ott, whose passion is garage bands and music in the Central Arkansas area. He has promised some surveys and we are are exchanging some material. I would highly recommend his site for a great education in garage music. Be sure and scroll down to near the bottom of the photos for a very early "Beaker Street" poster.

Here's his site:

http://www.psychofthesouth.com/

..........another Beaver Production

Double click on the letter to read it.

As you can see from the letter ZZ Top frequently played Little Rock and KAAY was always a big part of the promotional effort.

More on KAAY concerts

I remember one show KAAY promoted was a Jerry Lee Lewis concert in the basement of the Robinson Auditorium. Seems like we had tables setup and it like a nightclub format. Like most performers of that day he gave it all to the audience. We had rented a piano from Reed Music Company. He promptly put it on coke cases so he could stand up and play. By the end of the performance he had destroyed the piano. Any money we made on the concert went to replace the piano. He gave it all, including the piano, to the audience." Goodness gracious, great pianos of fire."

The actual Louie, Louie Lyrics

Remember to read this blog from the bottom up.

As promised yesterday the lyrics to Louie, Louie as verfied by the Kingsmen at a live appearance at the North Little Rock Armory probably in 1963.

The REAL lyrics (transcribed) for Louie, Louie
Including interjections.
[These notes by A. Sattler, ahs@nevada.edu]
Louie, Louie
The Kingsmen
Released by Wand Records, 1963
Playing time 2:43
Written by Richard Berry
Climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
where it stayed for six weeks
Rereleased in 1966: reached #97.
LYRICS
Louie, Louie
Oh no, me gotta go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, said, ah
Louie, Louie
Oh, baby, me gotta go.
A fine little girl she waits for me
Me catch a ship for cross the sea.
Me sail that ship all alone
Me never think how I make it home.
Ah, Louie, Louie
No, no, no, no, me gotta go.
Oh, no.
Said, Louie, Louie
Oh, baby, said we gotta go.
(indistinct yell in the background)
Three nights and days I sail the sea
Think of girl, oh, constantly.
Ah, on that ship I dream she there
I smell the rose, ah, in her hair.
Ah, Louie, Louie
Oh, no, sayin' we gotta go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but, ah,
Louie, Louie
Oh, baby, said, we gotta go.
[Yelled] Okay, let's give it to 'em
right now! [instrumental]
Me see Jamaica, ah, moon above.
It won't be long, me see me love.
Take her in my arms again,
I got her; I'll never leave again.
Ah, Louie, Louie
Oh, no, sayin' me gotta go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
But, ah, Louie, Louie
Oh, baby, said, ah, we gotta go.
I said we gotta go now,
Let's get on outta here.

[Yelled] Let's go.
Transcribed by David Spector
Sept. 2000
Public Domain


Read the whole interesting story at:

http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/louie.asp

Louie, Louie, & KAAY

As I started discussing below, Louie Louie, and The Kingsmen were very significant to me at KAAY. I still remember the hand written dirty lyrics that circulated in the high schools. It became so bad that the then General Manager of KAAY Len Carl (Voth) read the actual lyrics in a very dignified editorial.

Keep the women and children away from this blog tomorrow!

I will post these scandalous lyrics tomorrow.

In the meanwhile, enjoy The Kingsmen website. Especially go to the home page and go down to the law suit tab. It's really long but gives you a great incite into what happens to many recording artists.

The Kingsmen still perform with two of the original members. Few bands can make this claim to longevity.

I think they figured out early, the money for performers is in personal appearances.

Here's the link: http://www.louielouie.org/

Rock Shows & Bands

At KAAY we had the opportunity to promote shows and work with show promoters. My greatest memory is Joe Dickey and I bringing The Kingsmen to Little Rock. Louie Louie was a hit the first time around. The Kingsmen were from Portland, Oregon. I don't remember if they had any shows between Portland and Little Rock, but I do remember having an armory full of fans and no Kingsmen in site. We got a call that their trailor was broken down in NW Arkansas and they would be late. We were worried enough because the rumors of dirty lyrics in the song Louie, Louie were rampant. The Kingsmen arrived. Great bunch of guys. They assured us the lyrics were clean and almost meaningless. The took the stage and played non-stop. No breaks.
The crowd ate it up. One of the best shows I've even seen.

The story of the Len Carl. station manager editorial about Louie, Louie another day.

Today I have a clip from my friend Jack Hendrix who supplied the KOTN music survey below.
His high school band The Play Boys made a record, that made the local music surveys. Even though we never played it at KAAY, and I didn't know Jack until later, I want to include it here for those of you who like to collect garage bands, this is a really early example from 1962. At KAAY we did play some local bands that had records. Today, the internet is about the only way a local band has a chance to be heard. Most radio stations today have such a tight playlist and record companies are really big and untouchable. The small hometown independent label is almost a thing of the past. Enjoy side A and B provided for educational purposes only:
http://kaay.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-08-16T14_15_28-07_00

I don't have a clue

.........but welcome to the KAAY Blog:


Cote D'Ivoire
Abidjan


Some changes in the works. Chapter 1 of my book is completed...not edited but completed.

I plan to make the audio cuts for this blog into real Podcasts. Currently all I do in dump the audio clip there to have a place to host the cut. I figured out I am getting a lot of hits on the podcasts and I'm sure people who are coming their expecting a real Podcast are wondering what I am doing. Some times I wonder what I am doing.

I have also got some more new things in the works.....stay tuned..

Oh, almost forgot. Does anyone have a copy of Rex Allen's Don't Go Near the Indians? I have checked Itunes. Walmart Music downloads, Rhapsody, with no luck. If you are new read the post below about the KOTN music survey. I think we played the Rex Allen song at KAAY and I haven't heard it since.

It is on the album Billboard Country hits 1962 if anyone has that.

Elvis & KAAY

We played him and that's about it. I have played Elvis records all my professional life. I've never been a fan until lately. I talked about that previously. Seeing all the TV exposure lately reminded me of my only brush with the king of rock and roll. I was in Pine Bluff, AR, at KCLA and my good friend Larry Graham was working in sales. Elvis came to town at the then new Pine Bluff Convention Center. This first show sold out and they added another. Larry knew someone in the band, I think the drummer. He got us some trinkets, like the drum sticks from the concert. My daughter Holly, was old enough to go to her first concert and it would be Elvis. (free tickets that Larry got) I was standing in the concourse talking with Ross Hall the first manager of the convention center. When the orchestra started the 2001 theme, I could feel the electricity in the air. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. This was near the end of Elvis and Col. Parker was pushing him for all he could. Elvis was obviously sick at the time, but you have never seen a performer give more to that Pine Bluff, AR crowd than Elvis.

Legend has it that in the early days of Elvis, as he was touring small venues like the Louisiana Hayride, came through Pine Bluff and did an interview in the old KCLA studios. He burned a small hole in the carpet from a cigarette, for which Ken Kesterson never forgave him.

ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING