A song about drugs ???
In the sixties McCarthyism swept into radio as we all started second-guessing lyrics, hoping to find sexual and/or drug content even if there wasn't any so that we could say "a-ha, did you get that line ? You know what they meant by that, don't you ?" and usually the answer was, "uh-yes, no, I'm not sure". I mean half of the lyrics were unintelligible anyway. Anyone understanding the lyrics to "Louie, Louie" should be institutionalized. The lyrics to the song released on this date in 1963 were clear as a bell yet termed by many to be related to drugs, specifically marijuana...
The lyrics were based on a 1959 poem by a 19-year old Cornell student who was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem. The author shared his poem with a fellow Cornell student who added a tune and additional lyrics to transform a poem into what would become a #1 hit. You be the judge:
"Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honnah Lee, Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. Oh Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honnah Lee. Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail, Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail, noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came, pirate ships would lower their flag when Puff roared out his name. (repeat chorus). A dragon lives forever but not so little boys, painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys. One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more and Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar. His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain, Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane. Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave, so Puff that mighty dragon slipped sadly in his cave (repeat chrous)".
The 19-year Cornell student was Leonard Lipton and the fellow Cornell student writing the song ? Of course, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. When doing the song on stage they insist there wasn't any drug connotation in the tune and that "any song could be construed as a drug song if the listeners had a mind to make it that way, even The Star Spangled Banner". Hmmmm, I never thought about that before. Maybe "the dawn's early light" is a reference to....oh what am I saying ???
More March 16 Memories...
1802) Congress authorizes the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY...
1881) The Barnum and Bailey Circus debuts...
1912) Mrs. William Howard Taft plants the 1st cherry tree in Washington, D.C...
1915) The Federal Trade Commission begins operation...
1938) Promoter Ned Irish of Madison Square Garden organizes the 1st NIT tournament with Temple beating Colorado in the championship game (The NCAA tournament was organized in 1939 and has been recognized as "the" best college tournament for what seems like forever. Teams not qualifying for their tournament wind up in the NIT)...
1963) Although recorded in 1962 as an album cut, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" is released on this date in 1963 (see feature story)...
1964) The Beatles release "Can't Buy Me Love"...
1968) U.S. troops under the direction of Lt. William L. Calley Jr. destroy a Vietnam village consisting mostly of women and children, killing hundreds. The event is known as the "My-Lai Massacre"...
1970) Tammi Terrell dies of a brain tumor while performing on stage with Marvin Gaye. Tammi was just 23 (the pair had 10 hits together on the charts)...
1970) The NBA adds teams in Cleveland (Cavaliers), Buffalo (The Braves that will move to San Diego and then to LA as the Clippers), and Portland (Trail Blazers). The league also realigns into the Atlantic, Central, South and Pacific divisions...
1971) Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" LP and single wins 6 Grammy's...
1974) The new Opryland auditorium is dedicated and the Grand Ole Opry moves there from the Ryman Auditorium...
1978) Italian politician Aldo Moro is kidnapped by left-wing guerrillas (Moro is later found murdered by the group)...
1984) CIA station chief in Beirut, William Buckley is kidnapped by gunmen and will die in captivity..
1985) AP newsman Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut but is finally released on December 4, 1991...
1988) Former National Security Adviser John M. Poindexter, former White House aide Oliver L. North and 2 others are indicted on charges relating to the Iran-Contra affair (the convictions of Poindexter and North were thrown out)...
1991) 7 members of Reba McEntire's band and her road manager are killed when their private plane goes down near the California border with Mexico (Reba was on another plane)...
1994) Tonya Harding pleads quilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution for covering up the attack on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan and is fined $100,000...
2000) Independent counsel Robert Ray can find no credible evidence that first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is involved in seeking FBI background files of Republicans...
2002) Liza Minelli makes her 4th trip down the aisle when she marries her producer boyfriend David Gest (and then the fun begins)...
2002) 13-year old hockey fan Brittanie Cecil is hit by a puck during an NHL game between her hometown Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames (2 days later she is dead from the injuries)...
(To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline)...
Happy Birthday To...
1926) Jerry Lewis (the country of France started celebrating at midnight but the rest of us go, huh ?)...
1941) Chuck Woolery (game show host)...
1949) Erik Estrada ("CHIPS")...
1954) Heart's Nancy Wilson...
1967) Lauren Graham...
(Today is the 75th day of 2006 with 290 days remaining in the year, 1 day until St. Patrick's Day, only 4 days until spring and 16 till opening day)...
