A View from the Front Porch

"A View from the Front Porch" is a memoir of my life growing up in rural South Carolina in the groovy 1970's. Or at least the way my 2020's brain remembers it! From the old, green, creaky wooden swing on my Grandaddy's front porch to the barnyard of un-rideable pigs, unfriendly wasps, and perilous cow-poop, this is the hilarious tale of a pre-teen farm boy with way too much time on his hands and too little common sense to know any better. All at once heartwarming, hysterical, and embarrassingly true, "A View from the Front Porch" will remind you of a simpler time, when sittin', swingin' and growin' up were just a part of everyday life!

A true labor of love to write, "A View from the Front Porch" is available now.

While "A View from the Front Porch" is all about the 1970s, I am a humongous fan of the 1980s! And there's nothing I like more than 80s music and pretty much everything about it. So let's have some fun. Every two weeks, we will add some fun fact or trivia question centered around the best era of music EVER. If it's a question, we'll post the answer on Sunday. If it's just a fun fact, you'll have a chance to respond with your thoughts. So, have at it, get excited, and, by order of the Dean, HAVE FUN!

Previous FUN-filled question (weeks of March 1 & 8):         

Instrumentals (i.e., songs with no vocals) have been a staple of the Billboard Top 40 Pop Chart since the inception of the chart in 1955, with a total of 25 hitting #1 in the rock era. While extremely popular during the first three decades of the chart, only two instrumentals hit the top of the chart in the 1980s; name them. An extra point if you can tell which one was the bigger hit!

A. “Axel F,” Harold Faltermeyer

B. “Hooked on Classics,” the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

C. “Chariots of Fire,” Vangelis

D. “Theme from Hill Street Blues,” Mike Post

E. “Songbird,” Kenny G

F. “Theme from Miami Vice,” Jan Hammer

ANSWER: (C) and (F) Both Vangelis and Jan Hammer spent one single week at #1 in 1982 and 1985, respectively; however, Miami Vice spent a whopping 18 weeks inside the Top 40, with Chariots of Fire spending only 15 weeks, making Crockett and Tubbs the winner by a nose! Among the others, “Axel F” peaked at #3 in 1985, “Songbird” made it to #4 in 1987, and both the RPO and Mike Post ceilinged out at #10. Interestingly enough, only one more instrumental…”Harlem Shake” by Baauer…would make it to #1 since!

New fun-filled question (weeks of March 15 & 23):         

Indulge me here: in my most humble opinion, 1982 was the greatest year for music in history, hands down. The other years were REALLY good, but ‘82 was simply spectacular. What was the biggest hit on the Billboard Pop Chart that year?

A. “I Love Rock ‘N Roll,” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

B. “Ebony and Ivory,” Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder

C. “Centerfold” J. Geils Band

D. “Eye of the Tiger,” Survivor

Without searching the internet, see if your 80s music knowledge is as good as you think it Is, and we will celebrate those who got it right next time! And like I said...have fun!