Gallery of Famous Cartoon Cat Characters Over The Years

Alright CAT lovers everywhere, here’s the long awaited counterpart to the dog list I presented several years back….. about 7 years ago to be exact. The canine post became one of the all-time most popular posts on this site (according to the overall visitor count)

Once again – a little intro… Nostalgia tends to take center stage when it comes to collective thoughts of your favorite childhood felines over the years.  Over the years you’ve encountered cats of various shapes, sizes, colors, spieces as well as dispositions in all sorts of media…..TV, movies, childrens books, comic books, billboards, commercials, advertisements, video games, brand name mascots, products, toys, etc. We’ve been exposed to a sensory overload of images – which kept us entertained. A lot of those memories were embedded in our minds on those Saturday morning cartoons. It’s kinda funny how you’ll remember many of these characters that you haven’t thought about in ages once you come across some of the images below.

So with that being said, there should be quite a number of familiar pictures below that all generations will recognize, or I should say, American TV audiences primarily, from the pre-1940’s through the present. I’m sure there are some of these that you may still enjoy. The following gallery captures the majority of those felines that really stood out over the years. Many of these can be traced back to the early days of television (1940’s), (a few are even currently on the air). Some evolved from movies, others from the comic strips and funny pages (with many of these dating back to the 1920’s-1930’s). Many classic Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers, MGM, Terrytunes, Nicktoons, Looney Tunes, etc.

Keep in mind that these not only cover house cats but also include the big kitty cats too….. lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, cheetahs, wildcats, cougars, lynx, puma, etc.

Quite a few of these famous feline critters make us laugh with their quirky, irreverent, unique, carefree, styles which we never seem to tire of over the years. Hopefully your favorite is included below. If not, let me know and I’ll see what I can do to find them.

…Pictures are displayed below in alphabetical order to make it easier to use as for reference. This pictorial list be be updated periodically as time & reasearch allows. Your suggestions will also be taken into consideration when possible. Enjoy!!!!!

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Gallery of Famous Cartoon Cat Characters

Alex (Alakay)

(from Madagascar)

Arlene

(from Garfield)

Aristocats

(Toulouse, Berlioz, Marie, Duchess, Thomas O’Malley)

Azrael

(from The Smurfs)

Babbitt & Catstello

Bagheera

(from Jungle Book)

Bill The Cat (aka Bill D. Cat)

(from Bloom County)

Bonkers T. Bobcat

Bucky Katt

(from Get Fuzzy comic strip)

Butch Cat

(from Tom & Jerry)

Cat In The Hat

(the Dr. Seuss classic)

Cheshire Cat

(from Alice in Wonderland)

Chester Cheetah

(the Cheetos mascot)

Claude Cat

(from Looney Tunes)

Cool Cat

(from Looney Tunes)

Courageous Cat

(from Courageous Cat & Minute Mouse)

Cringer [aka Battlecat]

(from He-Man / Masters of the Universe)

Crusty The Cat

(from Chuck E Cheese)

Duchess

(from The Aristocats)

Eek The Cat

Exxon Tiger

(mascot from the Exxon Oil Company)

Fat Cat

(from Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers)

Felix The Cat

Figaro

(from Pinocchio)

Fluff, Muff & Puff

(from Tom & Jerry)

Fluffy

(from Rugrats)

Fraidy Cat

Fritz The Cat

(from the first adult (x-rated) animated movie from the 70’s)

Garfield

Gideon

(from Pinocchio)

Heathcliff

Hello Kitty

Hobbes

(from Calvin & Hobbes)

Itchy Brother

(from The King & Odie)

King Leonardo

(from The King & Odie / Tennessee Tuxedo)

King Leonidas

(from Bedknobs & Broomsticks)

Klondike Kat

Korky The Cat

(from Dandy comics in the UK)

Lightning & Meathead

(from Tom & Jerry)

Linus the Lionhearted

(the Crispy Critters Cereal lion mascot)

Lippy The Lion

(from Lippy The Lion & Hardy Har Har)

Lucifer

(from Cinderella)

Luna

(from Sailor Moon)

M.A.D. Cat (aka Furball)

(antagonist of Inspector Gadget)

Marie

(from The Aristocats)

Meowth

(from Pokemon)

Mittens

(from Bolt The Movie)

Mr. Jinks

(from Pixie & Dixie)

Mr. Kitty

(from South Park)

Mufasa & Nala

(from Lion King)

Nermal

(from Garfield)

Oliver

(from Oliver & Company)

Overcat

(from Underdog)

Peg-Leg Pete

(from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)

Penelope Pussycat

(from Pepe Le Pew)

Pink Panther

Punkin Puss

Puss in Boots

Pussyfoot

(from Marc Antony & Pussyfoot)

Rags The Tiger

(from Crusader Rabbit)

Rajah

(from Aladdin)

Ruff

(from Ruff & Reddy)

Sagwa The Chinese Siamese Cat

Scat Cat

(from The Aristocats)

Scratchy

(Itchy & Scratchy from The Simpsons)

Sebastian

(from Josie & The Pussy Cats)

Shere Khan

(from Jungle Book)

Si & Am (The Twin Siamese Cats)

(from Lady & The Tramp)

Simba

(from Lion King)

Simon’s Cat

(from the British comic & book series)

Snagglepuss

Snooper

(from Snooper & Blabber)

Snowball

(from The Simpsons)

Sour-Puss

(from Pac Man the cartoon)

Stimpy

(from Ren & Stimpy)

Sylvester The Cat

Thomas O’Malley

(full name: Abraham de Lacy Giuseppe Casey Thomas O’Malley, the Alley Cat)

(from The Aristocats)

Thundercats

(Lion-O, Jaga, Tygra, Cheetara & Panthro)

Tibbs (Sgt. Tibbs)

(from 101 Dalmations)

Tigger

(from Winnie The Pooh)

Tigress

(from Kung Fu Panda)

Tom  (aka Thomas “Tom” Cat)

(from Tom & Jerry)

Tony The Tiger

(the iconic mascot from Kelloggs Frosted Flakes cereal)

Top Cat

Top Cat (with friends)

(TC, Benny The Ball, Choo-Choo, Brain, Fancy-Fancy, Spook, Officer Dibble)

Topsy

(from Tom & Jerry)

Waffles & Chainsaw

(from Goof Troop)

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Gone But Not Forgotten… Lost Roadside Attractions

     As time marches on and progress continues to physically change the shape of ourlandscape around us, we’re losing so many of the places that are embedded in our memory of years past. Places we so vividly recall visiting or spending time at… happy places of our youth or our children’s younger years. Some were a wonderful escape from day-to-day life, like a fantasy world, when things were much more ‘carefree’. Others were places we passed or stopped at on those long family road trips when life was moved at a much slower pace than today. Take a journey back with me into time and let’s revisit some of those places.

I started this list about 10 years ago with maybe a few dozen listings of attractions that have since closed down, due to whatever reasons, or have been abandoned, some have suffered from fires, floods, earthquakes, recession, finances, lack of funding to keep open or lack of interest from the ever-changing demographics of visitors causing loss of interest. The places listed here cover several generations, time-wise, from our parents, grandparents or great grandparents era of the late 1800’s all the way up to those that have gone out of business since the millenium. Lots and lots of pictures and links for you to enjoy & learn more about on your own.

Roadside attractions, amusement parks, theme parks, water parks, unusual city parks,
family fun parks, aquariums, zoos, petting zoos, aviaries, museums, military bases with special features, themed restaurants, exotic floral gardens, strange oddities, bizarre structures & statues, and the like are all included. Some of the most difficult to keep up were all of the miniature golf courses, larger video arcades, bowling alleys, dance halls, concert venues, luxurious theaters, large recreation centers, themed campgrounds, public pools, etc. I’ve tried to include those that stood out among the rest for one reason or another. But I’m well aware there are tons more out there that you remember from growing up at.

There are now over 400 listings focussing predominantly in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington & British Columbia, Canada. As one would imagine, the list will never be complete as that would be virtually impossible to keep up with, but I’m constantly finding more places through research that I had either forgotten about, never knew existed, discovered recently or have been referred by readers like you.  Updates, accidental omissions and additional closures will continue being added on this list on and ongoing basis as time permits for me. Please feel free to give me your input and alert me of places you know about that I have not included.

With all that said, please sit back and revisit, learn about and enjoy the following post.Please bookmark it or ‘follow’ so you can come back here from time to time to see what’s new. Once again los and lots of pictures and links for you to check out more in-depth are included within.

Remembering Lost and Forgotten Roadside Tourist Attractions and Amusement Parks on the West Coast

 

 

 

Remembering Music Artists Who Passed in 2012

As sure as each day fades into night and each night reveals a new day, sooner or later, we will all be faced with our own mortality. As we grow older and move from one stage of our life to the next, majority of us  have fond memories of people that made an impact on our day-to-day lives, parents, relatives, friends, teachers, counselors, coaches, role models, etc. on a personal level. Then we have those memorable icons who kept us  entertained through the media that we looked forward to seeing on our favorite TV shows, at the movies, on the radio, in the funny pages (comic books), in concert or on stage. As time passes and we all age, we begin loosing many of our childhood heroes and people we cared about or made us feel secure in our own special place.

The focus on this particular post will be on MUSIC ARTISTS of all genres. I will attempt to present to you many of my personal favorites that the world has lost during this calendar year. As you might expect, this post will be ongoing and updated as we unfortunately will lose more wonderful music artists through the end of 2012. I know there will be some that I leave out, maybe because I’m unaware of their passing, or because they were not known in America, or, in the case of a few, I personally did not like them or care for their music.

* There may also be a couple of other “non-artists” that were involved in some capacity with music that I have included here also such as band members, producers, writers, hosts (Don Cornelius), etc.

Enjoy the trip down memory lane and hopefully some of the artists listed will leave a soft spot in your heart or a tear in your eye.  

I’ll include one of their classics that they are best remembered for (as well as a personal favorite).

Deaths are listed in reverse chronological order from most recent (December) backward to the beginning of the year, January, 2012.

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Updated once again as the curtain closes on 2012, with several more entries of those who passed during the past twelve months, those who entertained us through music and song…. that left us with memories of our youth, our past, the good times, the bad times, the happy, the sad

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DECEMBER DEATHS

Fontella Bass – Age 72

July 3, 1940 – December 26, 2012 (from St. Louis, Missouri)

Ray Collins – Age 76

(Mothers of Invention)

November 19, 1936 – December 24, 2012 (from Pomona, California)

Mike Scaccia – Age 47

(Lead Guitar – Ministry)

June 14, 1965 – December 23, 2012 (from Babylon, New York)

Lee Dorman – Age 70

(Bass Guitar – Iron Butterfly, Captain Beyond)

September 15, 1942 – December 21, 2012 (from St. Louis, Missouri)

Jimmy McCracklin – Age 91

August 13, 1921 – December 20, 2012 (from St. Louis, Missouri)

Inez Andrews – Age 83

(Gospel Soloist / The Caravans)

April 14, 1929 – December 19, 2012 (from Birmingham, Alabama)

Pecker Dunne – Age 79

April 1, 1933 – December 19, 2012 (from Castlebar, Ireland)

Ravi Shankar – Age 92

April 7, 1920 – December 11, 2012 (from India)

Jenni Rivera – Age 43

July 2, 1969 – December 9, 2012 (from Long Beach, California)

Ed Cassidy – Age 89

(Drummer/Founder – Rising Sons, Spirit)

May 4, 1923 – December 6, 2012 (from Bakersfield, California)

Huw Lloyd-Langton – Age 61

(Guitarist – Hawkwind, Widowmaker)

February 6, 1951 – December 6, 2012  (from London, England)

Dave Brubeck – Age 91

December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012  (from Concord, California)

Dee Harvey – Age 47

1965 – December 1, 2012  (from Memphis, Tennessee)

NOVEMBER DEATHS

Frank Barsalona – Age 74

(Legendary Talent Agent/Pioneering Rock Promoter)

March 31, 1938 – November 22, 2012  (from Staten Island, New York)

Peter Bennett – Age 77

(Legendary Music Promoter)

May 10, 1935 – November 22, 2012  (from The Bronx, New York)

Michael Dunford – Age 68

(Guitarist – Renaissance)

July 8, 1944 – November 20, 2012  (from Surrey, England)

Billy Scott – Age 70

(Billy Scott & the Prophets)

October 5, 1942 – November 17, 2012  (from Huntington, West Virginia)

Major Harris – Age 65

(The Delfonics, solo career)

 February 9, 1947 – November 9, 2012  (from Richmond, Virginia)

OCTOBER DEATHS

Terry Callier – Age 67

(Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter)

May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012 (from Chicago, Illinois)

Pundits referred to his music as “jazz-folk” in the 1970’s. Callier was an unusual and singularly inspired singer-songwriter whose music defied such easy categorization. He was largely ignored by the U.S. record buying public, despite being well-respected among musicians and critics.

SEPTEMBER DEATHS

Hal David – Age 91

(Lyricist)

May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012  (from Brooklyn, New York)

Hal David wrote words for, most notably, Burt Bacharach. Together, the two provided hits to Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, The Carpenters and others. Songs include, “The Look of Love,” “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” “(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me” and “Do You Know The Way To San Jose.”

Joe South – Age 72

February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012 (from Atlanta, Georgia)

An American songwriter, singer, guitarist and record producer. Best known for his songwriting, South won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1970 for “Games People Play” and was again nominated for the award in 1972 for “Rose Garden”.

Dorothy McGuire – Age 84

(McGuire Sisters)

February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012 (from Middletown, Ohio)

The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular music. The group was composed of three sisters: Christine McGuire (born July 30, 1926); Dorothy McGuire (February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012); and Phyllis McGuire (born February 14, 1931). Among their most popular songs are “Sincerely” and “Sugartime”, both number one hits.

Rollin “Oscar” Sullivan – Age 93

(Lonzo and Oscar)

January 9, 1919 – September 7, 2012 (from Edmonton, Kentucky)

Andy Williams – Age 84

(December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012 (from Wall Lake, Iowa)

A legendary American popular music singer. He recorded 44 albums in his career, 15 of which have been gold-certified and three of which have been platinum-certified.He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a television variety show, from 1962 to 1971, and numerous TV specials. The Andy Williams Show garnered three Emmy awards. The Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri, is named after the song he is most known for singing—Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini’s “Moon River”. He sold over 100 million records worldwide including 10.5 million certified units in the United States.

AUGUST DEATHS

Jimmy Jones – Age 75

June 2, 1937 – August 2, 2012 (from Birmingham, Alabama)

Marvin Hamlisch – Age 68

June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012 (from New York City, New York)

An American composer and conductor. Hamlisch was one of only twelve people to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. He is also one of only two people (along with Richard Rodgers) to have won those four prizes and a Pulitzer Prize.

Carl Davis – Age 77

(record producer)

September 19, 1934 – August 9, 2012 (from Chicago, Illinois)

An American record producer and music executive, who was particularly active in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s. He was responsible for hit R&B records by Gene Chandler, Major Lance, Jackie Wilson, The Chi-Lites, Barbara Acklin, Tyrone Davis and others.

Scott McKenzie – Age 73

January 10, 1939 – August 18, 2012 (from Jacksonville, Florida)

An American singer and songwriter. He was best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem, “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”.

Max Bygraves – Age 89

October 16, 1922 – August 31, 2012 (from London, England)

An English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs. He made twenty Royal Variety Performance appearances and presented numerous programmes, including Family Fortunes.

 

JULY DEATHS

Bob Babbitt – Age 74

(Bass Guitar/ The Funk Brothers, MFSB)

November 26, 1937 – July 16, 2012  (from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

He was a bassist in Motown Records’ studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966 through 1972, and also a member of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records. He played on hundreds of hits, including Steve Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” Edwin Starr’s “War” and Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia.”

Jon Lord – Age 71

(Deep Purple)

June 9, 1941 – July 16, 2012  (from Leicester, England)

An English composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with Deep Purple, as well as Whitesnake, Paice, Ashton & Lord, The Artwoods, and The Flower Pot Men. In 1968 Lord co-founded Deep Purple, a hard rock band of which he was regarded as the leader until 1970.

Kitty Wells – Age 92

“Queen of Country Music”

August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012  (from Nashville, Tennessee)

Her 1952 hit recording, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”, made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star. Her Top 10 hits continued until the mid-1960s, inspiring a long list of female country singers who came to prominence in the 1960s. Wells ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of Billboard’s country charts. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 1991, she became the third country music artist and the eighth woman to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Wells’ accomplishments earned her the nickname Queen of Country Music.

JUNE DEATHS

Herb Reed – Age 83

August 7, 1928 – June 4, 2012 (from Kansas City, Missouri)

An American musician, vocalist and founding member of The Platters, who were known for their hits during the 1950s and 1960s. Reed, who was the last surviving original member of the group, which he co-founded with four other musicians in 1953, is credited with creating The Platters’ name.

Bob Welch – Age 66

August 31, 1945 – June 7, 2012 (from Los Angeles, CA)

An American musician, who was member of Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974. He had a successful solo career in the late 1970s. His singles included “Hot Love, Cold World,” “Ebony Eyes,” “Precious Love,” and his signature song, “Sentimental Lady

Graeme Bell – Age 97

September 7, 1914 – June 13, 2012 (from Victoria, Australia)

An Australian Dixieland and classical jazz pianist, composer and band leader

 

Marjorie “Marjie” Hymans – Age 91

August 9, 1920 – June 14, 2012 (from New York City, New York)

An American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, and arranger. She began her career as a vibraphonist in the 1940s, playing with Woody Herman (from 1944 to 1945), the Hip Chicks (1945), Mary Lou Williams (1946), Charlie Ventura (1946), George Shearing (from 1949 to 1950), and led her own groups, including a trio, which stayed together from 1945 to 1948, performing on 52nd Street in Manhattan

MAY DEATHS

Doc Watson – Age 89

(Guitarist / ‘Roots Music’ Legend)

March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012  (from Deep Gap, North Carolina)

Blind from nearly birth, Watson went on to become a legendary guitar picker, both fingerstyle and flatpicking. He won seven Grammy awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. When you think of traditional American music — folk, bluegrass, blues, country and gospel — think Doc.

Robin Gibb – Age 62

The Bee Gees

December 22, 1949 – May 20, 2012  (from Douglas, Isle of Man)

Of Brothers Gibb fame, Robin sang lead on many of the early Bee Gees hits, including “Massachusetts,” “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” and “I Started a Joke.” He has writing credits on “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever” and “Tragedy.”

Donna Summer – Age 63

(“Disco Queen”)

December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012  (from Boston, Massachusetts)

She became a disco queen, with racy hits such as “Love To Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls,” eventually became a born-again Christian. But while her music was often controversial for its lyrical content, it was just as groundbreaking in the musical sphere, bringing electronic-based music to the people.

Donald “Duck” Dunn – Age 70

(Booker T & The MGs)

(Bass guitarist / session musician / record producer / songwriter)

November 24, 1941 – May 13, 2012  (from Memphis, Tennessee)

Teaming up with guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist “Duck” Dunn joined the house band at Stax Records, which became Booker T. and the MGs. Session work was extensive, including Otis Redding’s “Sitting On the Dock of the Bay” and Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.”

Adam “MCA” Yauch – Age 47

(Beastie Boys)

August 5, 1964 – May 4, 2012  (from Brooklyn, New York)

APRIL DEATHS

Levon Helm – Age 71

(The Band)

May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012  (from Elaine, Arkansas)

Helm was a multi-instrumentalist known for singing and drumming with the Band on such hits as “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down” and “Up On Cripple Creek.” He was a benevolent musician who won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Americana Album with Electric Dirt.

Dick Clark “America’s Oldest Teenager” – Age 82

(Legendary Producer, TV/Radio Personality, American Bandstand, American Music Awards, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, as well as other TV series & game shows)

November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012  (from Mount Vernon, New York)

Dick Clark became a cultural icon as he switched from radio to TV and hosted American Bandstand, which ran from 1957 to 1987. Started his own production company while hosting Often referred to as “America’s Oldest Teenager,” Clark also counted down New Year’s Eve every year on New Year’s Eve!

MARCH DEATHS

Earl Scruggs – Age 88

(Bluegrass Music Legend, Banjo)

January 6, 1924 – March 28, 2012  (from Flint Hill, North Carolina)

Banjo players the world over mourned the passing of this bluegrass music giant. He joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in 1945 and popularized his three-finger picking style.

Ronnie Montrose – Age 64

(Montrose, Gamma)

November 29, 1947 – March 3, 2012 (from San Francisco, California)

An American rock guitarist, who led the bands Montrose (1973-77 & 1987) and Gamma (1979-83 & 2000) and also performed and did session work with a variety of musicians, including Van Morrison (1971–72), Herbie Hancock (1971), Beaver & Krause (1971), Boz Scaggs (1971), Edgar Winter (1972 & 1996), Gary Wright (1975), The Beau Brummels (1975), Dan Hartman (1976), Tony Williams (1978), The Neville Brothers (1987), Marc Bonilla (1991 & 1993), Sammy Hagar (1997), and Johnny Winter. The first Montrose album was often cited as “America’s answer to Led Zeppelin” and Ronnie Montrose was often referred to as one of the most influential guitarists in American hard rock.

FEBRUARY DEATHS

Davy Jones – Age 66

(The Monkees)

December 20, 1945 – February 29, 2012 (from Manchester, Lancashire, England)

An English singer-songwriter, musician, actor and businessman best known as a member of the band The Monkees, and for starring in the TV series of the same name. Jones is considered one of the great teen idols of his era.

Whitney Houston – Age 48

(solo artist)

August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012 (from Newark, New Jersey)

The only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, Whitney Houston was a force of nature who lost her battle with her inner demons. She starred in the hugely popular film The Bodyguard in 1992, which also featured the best-selling single by a female artist, “I Will Always Love You.”

Don Cornelius – Age 75

(Soul Train creator, producer & host)

September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012 (from Chicago, Illinois)

Don Cornelius brought “Love, Peace and Soul” into the homes of average teenagers who watched his music program Soul Train religiously for its promotion of R&B and soul music performers such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, among the many.

JANUARY DEATHS

Etta James – Age 73

(Soul Singer)

January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012 (from Los Angeles, California)

Discovered by Johnny Otis when just a teenager, James was inducted into several Hall of Fames — Rock and Roll, Blues, Grammy — and was known for such hits as “Roll With Me, Henry,” “At Last” and “Tell Mama.”

Johnny Otis – Age 90

“The Godfather of Rhythm & Blues”

December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012 (from Vallejo, California)

Commonly referred to as “The Godfather of Rhythm & Blues,” Otis was a singer, drummer, pianist, producer, songwriter whose credits included playing the memorable vibraphone part on Johnny Ace’s “Pledging My Love.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Jimmy Castor – Age 71

(Jimmy Castor Bunch)

June 23, 1940 – January 16, 2012 (from Manhattan, New York)

Larry Reinhardt – Age 63

(Guitarist / Iron Butterfly & Captain Beyond)

July 7, 1948 – January 2, 2012 (from Florida)

An American rock guitarist who played with Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond. At one time Reinhardt was known by the nicknames “El Rhino” and “Ryno”.

Fred Milano – Age 72

(The Belmonts)

August 26, 1939 – January 1, 2012 (from the Bronx, New York)

Songs About Nostalgia That Reference Specific People Places Things or Events of the Past

Over the years we can all relate to good times and bad times in our lives. Some are rewarding  experiences that seem to make that moment in time stand still while others are unpleasant or emotional events that leave a lasting impression or hurt in our heads, hearts and souls. There are a few songs  out there that specifically mention these events or people or objects that bring back these times to those of us who have lived through them. These particular songs can attest to a particular time in our past that evoke memories of that particular era.

So here I present to you a few songs with videos that reference, reflect, mention or list specific people, places, things, events and dates of the past. Some of the videos presented here also include song lyrics of vivid childhood images and  memories of what it was like growing up with favorite past times, celebrities, heroes, fads, games, toys, pop culture (music, movies and TV), etc. Some of the recollections also include unpleasant or sad events such as deaths of famous people, destruction, tragedies, war and so forth.

So sit back and enjoy the following videos of songs that evoke memories and/or pay homage to specific and/or real people, places or things of our past. If you can think of others please feel free to let me know in the comment section at the bottom of this post.

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2017 UPDATE – Just did a major update & overhaul of this post – lots of new additions, a few corrections & a few changes. Please let me know in the comments below what I may have missed……….thanks

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SONGS ABOUT NOSTALGIA

THAT MENTION SPECIFIC

PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS OR EVENTS OF THE PAST

1. 1985 – Bowling For Soup

2. 19 Something – Mark Wills

3. A Different World – Bucky Covington

4. A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamara’d into Submission) – Paul Simon

5. Abraham, Martin & John – Dion

6. AM Radio – Everclear

7. Back To The 80’s – Aqua

8. Big Bang Theory Theme Song (History of Everything) – Barenaked Ladies

9. Buddy Holly – Weezer

10. Class of ’57 – The Statler Brothers

11. Class Reunion (That Used to Be Us) – Lonestar

12. Cleaning Windows – Van Morrison

13. Club At The End Of The Street – Elton John

14. Creeque Alley – The Mamas & The Papas

15. Do You Remember Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio – The Ramones

16. Do You Remember These – The Statler Brothers

17. Done Too Soon – Neil Diamond

18. Extra Ordinary – Better Than Ezra

19. Garden Party – Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band

20. Heart Songs – Weezer

21. I Do The Rock – Tim Curry

22. I Feel Like Buddy Holly – Alvin Stardust

23. I Watched It (All On My Radio) – Lionel Cartwright

24. In The Days Before Rock ‘n’ Roll – Van Morrison

25. John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 – Keith Urban

26. Kids of The Baby Boom – The Bellamy Brothers

27. Land Of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett

28. Life in a Northern Town – The Dream Academy

29. Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) – Reunion

30. Liquid Dreams – O-Town

31. Man On The Moon – REM

32. Nightshift – The Commodores

33. No News – Lonestar

34. Old Days – Chicago

35. Old Hippie – The Bellamy Brothers

36. Old Hippie (The Sequel) – The Bellamy Brothers

37. One Week – Barenaked Ladies

38. Post World War II Blues – Al Stewart

39. Put That Record On – Hinder

40. Raised On Radio – Journey

41. Rock & Roll Heaven – The Righteous Brothers

“Rock & Roll Heaven” – A music video tribute to the rock music heroes who have passed away. The soundtrack is “Rock and Roll Heaven” (Stevenson/O’day) is a new demo recording, sung by Ronnie Kimball, with reworked lyrics from the 1970’s Righteous Brothers hit. Artists featured in this video include John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison, Don McLean, Otis Redding, Freddie Mercury, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Marc Bolan, George Harrison, Bon Scott, Buddy Holly, Sonny & Cher, Johnny Cash, Denny Martin, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, Wendy O Williams, Robert Palmer, Kurt Cobain

42. Rocket – Def Leppard

43. Short Fat Fannie – Larry Williams

44. Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder

45. Sweet Soul Music – Arthur Conley

46. The Intro & The Outro – The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

47. The Miracle – Queen

48. The Movies – The Statler Brothers

49. The Village Green Preservation Society – The Kinks

50. Three Stars – Tommy Dee

This song is a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. The three entertainers died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, in what became known as the “Day the music died” thanks to the Don McLean song “American Pie.” Tommy Dee (Tommy Donaldson) was a disc jockey at KFXM in San Bernadino. After the plane crash, he got the idea for this song and took it to Crest Records, where he recorded it with Carol Kay And The Teen-Aires. Tommy performed the narration on the song. This was the only hit for Tommy Dee, who died in 2007 after a long career producing and promoting Country music. Eddie Cochran, who was good friends with Ritchie Valens, was the first to record this song, but his version was not released until 1966. Cochran died the year after he recorded this, when on April 17, 1960 he was killed in a car accident.

51. Titles – Barclay James Harvest

52. Tribute (Right On) – The Pasadenas

53. Twenty Years Ago – Kenny Rogers

54. Vogue – Madonna

55. We Didn’t Start The Fire – Billy Joel

56. When Smokey Sings – ABC

57. Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes? – George Jones

58. You’re My Song – A Rocket To The Moon

59. You’re The Top – Cole Porter

And last, but definitely not least, here’s probably the ultimate nostalgic reminiscing song of our lifetime…….at least for those of us between 40 and 70 ………. 🙂

60. American Pie – Don McLean

This song has various interpretations, no doubt, over the years and has been the source of many arguments, opinions and disagreements but the writer, as well as singer, Don McLean has kept pretty silent about the whole “meaning” of his song….therefore leaving it to any and all who want to try to interpret it’s meaning and or significance. For those under 40 and to the rest of us that might want a few questions answered, you gotta check out this LINK HERE

Here’s the original song again with a video interpretation of it by another person…. with some ‘food for thought’…..

and one more…

and here’s yet another explanation with quite a few facts thrown in to bolster what the song means….

HONORABLE MENTION

As an update I should give an honorable mention to the following songs for their ‘nostalgia’ theme, even though specific names have not necessarily been mentioned within the lyrics, but none-the-less are reflections of how much simpler, carefree, or better life once was, many years ago…..

These are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ when it comes to ‘nostalgic’ or ‘throw-back’ songs – as I’m sure this list can grow much larger with your input… what do YOU think?

Can you name others that reflect the past? 

• All Summer Long – Kid Rock
• All Those Years Ago – George Harrison
• Autumn of My Life – Bobby Goldsboro
• Back When My Hair Was Short – Gunhill Road
• Beach Baby – First Class
• Boys of Summer – Don Henley
• Crocodile Rock – Elton John
• Goin’ Back – Byrds
• Dog-End of A Day Gone By – Love & Rockets
• Coat Of Many Colors – Dolly Powers
• Coal Miners Daughter – Loretta Lynn
• December 63 (Oh What A Night) – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
• Gentle On My Mind – Glen Campbell
• Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
• Grandpa (Tell Me About the Good Old Days) – The Judds
• In My Life – Beatles
• Keeping the Faith – Billy Joel
• Key Largo – Bertie Higgins
• Looking Back – Nat “King” Cole
• Make Me Lose Control – Eric Carmen
• Moments to Remember – The Four Lads
• My Back Pages – The Byrds
• My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli
• My Hometown – Bruce Springsteen
• My Way – Frank Sinatra
• My Old School – Steely Dan
• Nostalgia – David Sylvian
• Old Time Rock & Roll – Bob Seger
• Photograph – Nickelback
• (Remember The Days Of The) Old Schoolyard – Cat Stevens
• Remember Then – The Earls
• Remember When – Alan Jackson
• Reminiscing – Little River Band
• Same Old Lang Syne – Dan Fogelberg
• Saturday In The Park – Chicago
• Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
• Summer Sand – Tony Orlando & Dawn
• Take Me Back To Chicago – Chicago
• The Days of Sand & Shovels – Bobby Vinton
• The Old Songs – Barry Manilow
• The River – Bruce Springsteen
• There Used To Be A Ballpark – Frank Sinatra
• This Used to Be My Playground – Madonna
• Those Oldies But Goodies – Little Caesar & The Romans
• Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkin
• Through the Years – Kenny Rogers
• Times of Your Life – Paul Anka
• Try To Remember/The Way We Were – Gladys Knight & The Pips
• Turn Around – Dick & DeeDee
• When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) – Beach Boys
• When I Was Young – Eric Burdon & the Animals
• Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? – Paula Cole
• Yesterday – Beatles
• Yesterday Once More – Carpenters
• Yesterday’s Gone – Chad & Jeremy
• You Can’t Put Your Arm Around A Memory – Johnny Thunder

Famous Movie Quotes We’ve Often Repeated

It’s interesting to think about how much of an affect or influence the “big screen” has been in our lives from childhood well into our adult years — and not just on action scenes — but we’ve listened intently to conversations between characters in movies and find ourselves consciously or subconsciously picking up on quotes, sometimes serious, often amusing, but the lines stick in our heads long after we leave the theater or turn off the television. They’ve basically become part of our “pop culture” terminology that we often use, when the situation is just right. Scan the list and see just how many of these you remember — and then how many of them you’ve repeated to your family, friends, work associates, or people you come across in your day-to-day activities.

So — with all that said —behold the list of the most endearing of those quotes:

• “May the Force be with you.” — Star Wars (1977)
• “There’s no place like home.” — The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” — Network (1976)
• “Houston, we have a problem.” — Apollo 13 (1995)
• “To Infinity and beyond!” — Toy Story (1995)
• “Elementary, my dear Watson.” — The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
• “You had me at ‘hello'” — Jerry Maguire (1996)
• “I’m the king of the world.” — Titanic (1997)
• “I’ll be back.” — The Terminator (1984)
• “E.T. phone home.” — E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982)
• “Bond. James Bond.” — Dr. No (1962)
• “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” — Gone With The Wind (1939)
• “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” — The Godfather (1972)
• “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” — The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” — Dirty Harry (1971)
• “Hasta la vista, baby.” — Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• “Here’s looking at you, kid.” — Casablanca (1942)
• “Go ahead, make my day” — Sudden Impact (1983)
• “You talkin’ to me?” — Taxi Driver (1976)
• “Show me the money!” — Jerry Maguire (1996)
• “If you build it, he will come.” — Field of Dreams (1989)
• “Here’s Johnny!” — The Shining (1980)
• “They’re here!” — Poltergeist (1982)
• “Is it safe?” — Marathon Man (1976)
• “Game over, man! Game Over!” — Aliens (1986)
• “It’s not the years, honey. It’s the mileage.” — Raiders of The Lost Ark (1981)
• “I’ll have what she’s having.” — When Harry Met Sally (1989)
• “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” — The Godfather – Part II (1974)
• “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” — Forrest Gump (1994)
• “Badges? We ain’t got no badges! We don’t need no badges! I don’t have to show you any stinking badges!” — The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
• “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!” — Sons of The Desert (1933)
• “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” — All About Eve (1950)
• “It’s alive! It’s alive!” — Frankenstein (1931)
• “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate. — Cool Hand Luke (1967)
• “Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” — Planet of The Apes (1968)
• “I love the smell of napalm in the morning!” — Apocalypse Now (1979)
• “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” — Love Story (1970)
• “We all go a little mad sometimes” — Psycho (1960)
• “The stuff that dreams are made of. — The Maltese Falcon (1941)
• “Say ‘hello’ to my little friend!” — Scarface (1983)
• “What a dump.” — Beyond The Forest (1949)
• “Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?” — She Done Him Wrong (1933)
• “I’m walking here! I’m walking here!” — Midnight Cowboy (1969)
• “You can’t handle the truth!” — A Few Good Men (1992)
• “I see dead people.” — The Sixth Sense (1999)
• “Well, nobody’s perfect.” — Some Like It Hot (1959)
• “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” — The Shining (1980)
• “Hello gorgeous.” — Funny Girl (1968)
• “Toga! Toga!” — National Lampoon’s Animal House (1968)
• “After all, tomorrow is another day!” — Gone With The Wind (1939)
• “Round up the usual suspects.” — Casablanca (1942)
• “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” — The Pride of The Yankees (1942)
• “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know.” — Animal Crackers (1930)
• “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” — Wall Street (1987)
• “Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” — The Jazz Singer (1927)
• Striker: “Surely you can’t be serious!” Rumack: “I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley.” — Airplane (1980)
• “My precious.” — Lord of The Rings:  Two Towers (2002)
• “A martini. Shaken, not stirred.” — Goldfinger (1964)
• “Nobody puts ‘Baby’ in a corner.” — Dirty Dancing (1987)
• “Who’s on First?” — The Naughty Nineties (1945)
• “I feel the need—the need for speed!” — Top Gun (1986)
• “Snap out of it!” — Moonstruck (1987)
• “My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you.” — Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)