1970 On the Willow Creek

May 8, 2024 10:35 AM CDT

In the spring of 1970, things were green and growing on the old Willow Valley farm. Dad was busy planting corn with the Farmall Super C and its two-row mounted corn planter. Baby chickens and ducks, calves, and piglets were all coming into the world. It was a great place to grow up. Our dad was busy non-stop, but he still found time to take us fishing after chores or on days that were too wet to work the fields. The Willow Creek ran a short distance from the barn through the cow pasture and we could get to the water quickly. Dad tried his best to teach me to fish and the best way to go about it. I have never been able to just sit and wait because I always need to be doing something. Usually within 5 minutes of my first cast with my Zebco 202 fishing pole, I was bored. There were no fish nibbles on my line. At that moment I would start flicking pieces of dirt in the water up stream to make my sister think that there was big fish she should cast for. My restlessness would usually take me closer to the water and often I would fall in. That is when Dad would get mad and tell me to go back to the house. Mother would see her wet and muddy little boy and make him strip on the porch and go take a bath. When I started taking my transistor radio with me, that helped me get over my boredom while fishing. Songs from May of 1970 that kept me out of the muddy water included: American Woman-Guess Who, Vehicle-Ides of March, Cecilia-Simon and Garfunkel, Let It Be-The Beatles, Make Me Smile-Chicago, Little Green Bag-George Baker Selection, Up Around the Bend-CCR, ABC-Jackson Five, and Band of Gold-Freda Payne.

During this Saturday nights Those Were the Days radio show, I will fish through the Billboard survey from May of 1970 to find some hits. Join me for trivia and request a song from the vinyl years (1954-1994). A big shout out to new friends that have checked in across the land recently. Lyndsay in Allenton Wisconsin, Jerry who got his first turkey at age 77 (his age not the turkey), and the gang at local Richland County destination Eagle Cave who include our goofy radio show in their Saturday night fun. Hear Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9, WRCO.com, and on the Civic Media app.

Phil