Born to be wild...
"Get your motor runnin', head out on the highway, lookin' for adventure...."
The final year of any decade is a transition into the unknown. The expectations of things to come in the new decade are filled with optimism but in reality, a crap-shoot at best. 1969 was no different. In January, Richard Milhous Nixon was sworn in as our new president, in March we saw 2 Beatles (Paul McCartney & John Lennon) walk down the aisle, June saw an original Rolling Stone (Brian Jones) laid to rest and the world lost Judy Garland. While July (18) was about to bring more tragedy at Chappaquiddick, there was also abounding optimism as we would realize JFK's dream of putting a man on the moon, on the 20th. Tragedy and optimism stepped aside for freedom on this date, July 14, 1969, the day that "Easy Rider" premiered...
"Easy Rider" was a road movie that embodied the hippie lifestyle of the 60s but was so much more. The actors was perfectly typecast with Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, even Phil Spector had a bit part. You didn't have to be a hippie to enjoy this movie, a film of freedom personified by its soundtrack and theme song.
"Like a true nature's child, we were born, born to be wild...we can climb so high, I never wanna die...."
Read about the lead singer of "Born To Be Wild", John Kay of Steppenwolf in my commentary...
More July 14 Memories...
1950) Nat King Cole and "Mona Lisa" top the charts...
1960) #1: "I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee...
1966) 8 student nurses victimized by serial killer, Richard Speck...
1967) The Who make their U.S. debut opening for Herman's Hermits...
1970) Pete Rose bowls over catcher Ray Fosse in the All-Star game...
1972) 1st brother umpire and pitcher (umpire Bill, pitcher Tom Haller) combination in same game...
1973) The Everly Brothers break up on stage...
1976) Georgia peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter wins Democratic presidential nomination...
1987) Greyhound buys Trailways ($80 million)...
1992) 1st time a father (Ken Griffey) and son (Ken Griffey, Jr.) hit homeruns in the same game...
1992) A very pregnant Demi Moore appears nude on the cover of "Vanity Fair"...
1999) Race-based school busing in Boston ends after 25 years
Happy Birthday to...
1913) President Gerald R. Ford...
1918) Movie director, Ingmar Bergman...
1923) Dale Robertson...
1926) Harry Dean Stanton...
1930) Polly Bergen...
1932) Rosey Grier...
1941) Spencer Davis...
Commentary...
I had the pleasure of working with John Kay, lead singer of Steppenwolf. Not only is he likeable but he also possesses an unpretentious air about him. He does not consider himself a star by any means...
John was born Joachim Fritz Krauledat in the section of Germany then known as East Prussia. John Kay of "Born To Be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride", a wild guy who owns a dozen motorcycles and perhaps several racing cars, right ? Wrong. John's eyesight is so poor, he's considered legally blind. He's never had a driver's license...
In the words of the legendary, Paul Harvey: "And now you know....the rest of the story"...
