(1) We have a National Anthem fetish in this country. (2) Some foreigners really do want to stay here. (3) Rocker birthday alert.

John, June 26th, 1967. (Photo: Peter King/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
John, June 26th, 1967. (Photo: Peter King/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
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10/7/1968 (47 years ago today) - The crowd wasn't in a particularly inclusive mood: Jose Feliciano performed a "controversial" version of "The Star Spangled Banner" before the fifth game of the World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals. Frankly, it was a really awesome-slow-bluesy-delivery with a heartfelt vocal - he meant it, man! - but everybody had to pile on with the "don't-mess-with-the-U.S." attitude; consequently, radio stations refused to play any of Feliciano's material, and -- shockingly -- his career suffered. The masses, sometimes, are indeed asses.

10/7/1976 (39 years ago today) - On the other hand...: John Lennon is finally awarded his 'Green Card' giving him permanent residency status here in America. At a hearing in New York, previous efforts by the U.S. Government (Nixon and crew) to deport John were overturned: the three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that his 1968 marijuana possession charge in Britain was "contrary to U.S. ideas of due process and was therefore invalid as a means of banishing the former Beatle from America". They got this one right. It happens.

10/7/1945 - Another overlooked rocker celebrating a birthday today: Happy 70th to singer-drummer-songwriter-producer Kevin Godley, one of the founding members of the continually under-appreciated 10cc. You know, every member of 10cc was a multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer, producer and engineer: they recorded and mixed all their own stuff without any outside help whatsoever. Four guys that sounded like forty -- 10cc were fantastic, actually.

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"I keep your picture up on the wall/It hides a nasty stain that's lying there...", xoxo!

 

 

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