Rock ‘n’ Roll Trivia
What war is the song ‘Sky Pilot’ about?
by John Robinson
Q: Was The Animals’ song “Sky Pilot” about the Vietnam War?
A: I suppose it could be taken that way; but whenever I heard it, I thought of World War II. So maybe it’s just supposed to be about war in general. Because the entire song was more than seven minutes long, MGM Records split that 1968 single into “Sky Pilot Part 1” on the A-side and “Sky Pilot Part 2” on the flip. The song tells the story of a military chaplain who blesses the troops before they set out to battle and then waits for their return.
Q: I know “Twilight Zone” was a song by Golden Earring, but I think there was another record with that title. If so, please tell me what it was.
A: Golden Earring’s song was a Top 10 hit in 1983. Before that, in 1980, The Manhattan Transfer made the Top 40 with “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone.” Then, in 1992, another record called “Twilight Zone” made the singles charts for 2 Unlimited. Earlier, in 1964, The Marketts reached No. 3 with “Out Of Limits,” based on the theme for the TV series “The Twilight Zone.” Even though the tune was mostly based on the “Twilight Zone” theme, the title itself was based on “The Outer Limits” TV program.
Q: Do you remember a girl group called the GTOs?
A: Yup. The GTOs (which stood for Girls Together Outrageously) formed in the late ’60s and consisted of seven rock groupies including the infamous Pamela Des Barres. They originally called themselves The Laurel Canyon Ballet Company but changed to The GTOs on the advice of Frank Zappa, who produced and financed their recording sessions. They recorded an album’s worth of material but never had any chart hits.
Q: I’d like to know please about the Ricky Nelson song “Fools Rush In.” I know it was a remake and I’d like to know who did it first.
A: “Fools Rush In” was a No. 12 hit for Ricky Nelson in the fall of 1963. It was originally a No. 1 hit for Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in 1940. It also hit the pop charts for Brook Benton in 1960 and Etta James in 1962.
Q: I’ve been a longtime fan of Sweet’s music and wanted to know if you could just give me a little info on how they started!
A: The British band Sweet left us with a total of nine chart singles from 1971-1978, the most popular being “Little Willy” (1973), “Ballroom Blitz” (1975), “Fox On The Run” (1975), and “Love Is Like Oxygen” (1978). They originated in 1965, with members Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker from the band Wainwright’s Gentlemen. In 1968, the two left to form a new band, which they named Sweetshop but soon shortened it to Sweet, so they wouldn’t be confused with an already-established band called Sweetshop. Their music style was an attempt to combine bubblegum music with a harder edge, like The Who or The Rolling Stones, along with harmonies like The Hollies. They also dabbled in Glam Rock (dressing like Queen) but soon dropped it. They were dry on the charts for a two-year period between 1973-1975. Connolly was attacked in 1974 before going onstage, resulting in a bruised throat so he couldn’t sing. The band stayed low until they came back big with “Ballroom Blitz” in the summer of ’75.
John Robinson grew up in Stockbridge and graduated from Stockbridge High School in 1969. He’s been an author, TV host, columnist, actor, producer, emcee and radio broadcaster. Robinson’s favorite music of all time includes surf, psychedelia, garage bands, Motown and just plain ol’ good-time rock ‘n’ roll. To read more rock ‘n’ roll trivia, “Paranormal Michigan” stories, and lots more, check out Robinson’s books on his author page at facebook.com/johnrobinsonauthor.
