This old fart was a cherubic, pimply 11 years old and rocking the walls of Johnson Street PS in Barrie's east end with longish flowing blond locks parted down the center, playing a ton of Shinny at the end of Varden Crescent, riding bikes in Farmer Brown's field just north of Steele Street because that's where Barrie stopped ... you could see the relatively new ESS in the distance standing alone at the end of Grove Street ... and my best buds were Stewart, Warren, Steve, Eric, Mike, and Cam.
I rushed home each day after school for a snack of Kraft's Squeeze-A-Snack cheese on crackers. Don't remember the ol' Squeeze-A-Snack? You're truthfully not missing out! I've heard people say that Kraft cheese slices are one chemical away from being plastic, and my recall of S-A-S would support that theory!
The headlines for 1974 were dominated by:
Nixon's impeachment for the Watergate scandal and he was replaced by Gerald Ford as POTUS.
The Vietnam conflict was still raging, yet increasingly controversial.
The "Rumble in the Jungle" between Ali and Fraser astounded the world.
A tomb filled with hundreds of terra-cotta warriors was discovered in Xian, China.
Pierre Elliot Trudeau wins a third term in Ottawa as PM.
Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's HR record.
Happy Days premiered on ABC.
All in the Family and Sanford and Son were the number one watched TV shows.
The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand topped the Billboard 100 as the most popular song.
The Sting starring Paul Newman + Robert Redford won the Oscar for best movie.
Blazing Saddles directed by Mel Brooks was the highest grossing movie.
Killing Me Softly with His Song by Roberta Flack won the Grammy for record and song of the year.
Stevie Wonder won 5 Grammys including Album of the Year called Innervisions after 7 nominations.
1974 brought us Rubik's Cube, Skittles, Steven King's 'Carrie', Dungeons & Dragons, Post-it Notes and People Magazine (Mia Farrow on the cover).
The world's population was 4.378 Billion, A gallon of milk cost $1.39, eggs were $0.58 a dozen, a loaf of bread cost $0.24, and a new house went for 35 K!
Keep in mind though that the median yearly income was $11,100 with only 10% topping $25,000!
Being the astute mind that she is, my mother has long maintained that we are who we are based on what we understood about the world around us when we were 10 years old so 1973-74 was Numero Uno on the impressionability scale for me. Being a dude who likes to have music playing, it's hard to fathom that 1974 was 50 years ago! Some of these songs are taking up space in my Hippocampus, the choruses still swirling around my brain like ear-worms!
Topping the Pop charts and turning 50 years old in 2024:
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn
You’re So Vain by Carly Simon
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Vicki Lawrence
Playground in My Mind by Clint Holmes
Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Suede
Let me be There Olivia Newton John
Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot
My Love and Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings
We’re an American Band and Loco-Motion by Grand Funk Railroad
Long Train Runnin' by the Doobie Brothers
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
The Joker by the Steve Miller Band
Takin' Care of Business by Bachman Turner Overdrive
Clap for the Wolfman The Guess Who
Wild Thing by Fancy
Radar Love by Golden Earring
Topping the RNB charts:
Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye
Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul
Love Train by O’Jays
Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang
One of my wife's fav's, Elton John, had a HUGE year releasing Don't Let the Sun go Down on Me, Bennie and the Jets, Crocodile Rock, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
John Denver, one of my dad's all time fav's, topped the Folk charts with smash hits Rocky Mountain High, Sunshine on my Shoulders, and Annie's Song.
Can you sing the chorus of these? How about the whole song?
Monster Mash by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett
The Streak Ray Stevens
Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas
As with any year, some prominent names met their makers in 1974, leaving behind a host of memories, fans, and accomplishments:
Mama Cass Elliot of The Mamas and The Papas
William 'Bud' Abbott of Abbott and Costello
Duke Ellington, pianist and composer
Ed Sullivan, television host and impresario
Samuel Goldwyn, film producer and movie magnate
Jack Benny, TV star and comedian
Tim Horton, NHL hockey player and co-founder of namesake coffee chain
Fifty years seems like such a long time ago, but considering those important in my life are in or around 60 years old, it's actually not ancient history!
"Ooga Chaka, Ooga Chaka, Ooga, Ooga, Ooga Chaka ... I can't stop this feeling, deep inside of me ... girl you just don't realize, what you do to me ..."
Resources used, but not limited to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1974
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_in_music
https://hobbylark.com/party-games/1974-Fun-Facts-and-Trivia
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