Title: Joy To The World (Three-Dog Night Vid) Source:
YouTube URL Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp7KfG9AjaY Published:Oct 14, 2017 Author:Thee Dog Night Post Date:2017-10-14 11:21:00 by Liberator Keywords:Music, Nostalgia, Light Views:642 Comments:5
Ok, just a light subject for a change (away from the HEAVY dose of daily politics and sword-fighting...)
Three-Dog Night in this performance look absolutely BAKED. But...having fun. Loved Three Dog Night.
Going into the personal Wayback Machine here:
My first memory of hearing this tune was 1971. It was one glorious summer day, frozen in time; In a baseball field directly behind my house 'Joy To The World' played as a few of us played "Hit 'em out" and Home-Run Derby (There was also something spectacular about hearing the crack and echo of a hard-hit baseball off a wooden bat.)
The field was a trade-school baseball and soccer field, and the guys in the neighborhood took complete advantage, whether for baseball or football. It was OUR field.
The dimensions were coincidentally shaped like a mini-Yankee Stadium. Left Field Line, '270, Left Field '325, Left Center '350, Center '270, Right-Center, '250, Right Field line, '230. BUT...in Center through the Right Field foul pole, the screen on top of the fence was good '40 high. Back then I could hit both Left-Handed and Right.
In those days, someone always seemed to be playing a portable radio somewhere, everywhere. The beach, the lake, the park, the front porch, the back yard. Here on the baseball field.
Unlike some here who may be older or younger, I was a mid-teen, so '71 was still an Age of Innocence, of hope, of promise. Pop music that year reflected it. 1971 was a very mellow year. So mellow and open to all things, out of the Hippie/Peace/Love Movement, 1971 bore the fruit of a tolerance and actual promotion of a mini-"Jesus" movement of sorts.
Another distinct memory of THAT particular year was that there was little judgment of ANYONE, minimal hostility, AND people were reasonable and truly open to all ideas. To cherry-pick ONE particular year out of so many may sound a bit odd to feel a definitive vibe, but it was there in this one year, 1971 (If you remember, anyone agree/disagree?)
Some local Protestant Churches began holding "canteen" on Friday Nights, offering free munchies and soda, hoping they would be a stop for partying teens, who might be open to talks and discussions. It worked.
In 1971 my Catholic Church even began having a folk guitar group play its music instead of organ; Radio began playing songs like, like 'One Toke Over The Line,' 'Put Your Hand In The Hand,' and....a song titled, 'Joy To The World'. ('Spirit In The Sky' hit the radio just the year before.)
If you've got a singular LIGHT memory of this song, post it; Of the year, 1971, POST IT.
If you've got a great LIGHT memory of any specific tune, post it. If you're in the mood. Please, NO HEAVY STUFF.
There are two senses that are most evocative: Music and scents.
Poster Comment:
This was the radio/45 version of 'Joy To The World.' Often, the mono 45 was the better version of a song. JMO.
For a young teen or person, the horizon was endless back then. Who couldn't have embraced the simple lyrics of you and your GF (and dog) riding shotgun on a cross-country trip across America?
NO sex. NO love woes. NO politics. NO angst. NO blues. NO "Dark-Lord" crap.
Just light, simple fare -- a simple ditty of enjoying what used to be a simple goal or desire of life: Just getting in a car and taking off for points unknown, unfettered by the notion of lunatics looming at every stop (like the Doors' dark 'Riders On The Storm'.)
There used to be plenty of room for this genre back those days.
Even the commercials ditties were light, positive and fun:
Below is a Coca Cola commercial from about 1970. The 'Fortunes' sang it as well as different bouncy Coke themes for several years (if any of you recall.)
What's the subliminal message? Oh wait; there is none. The entire 30 second spot is of photos of happy, clean, wholesome smiling women. WHO MAY DRINK COKE.
Compare and contrast with the sleazy crap from the last 20 years or so. This simple commercial reflected the American culture and ideals in 1971.
