WTIT: The Blog

Saturday 9: Can’t Buy Me Love (1964)

50 years ago this week, The Beatles made history with this song (hear it here). They became the first and only act in history to hold all 5 of the top slots in the Billboard Hot 100.

To hear The Beatles sing “I don’t care too much for money” is a bit laughable. Or at the very least ironic.

1) In this song, Beatle Paul offers to buy his girl a diamond ring. Do you wear rings? Since I’m married, there’s one through my nose. OK, anyone who has read my shit in this space before would know that would be impossible. When Kathy and I first were dating she commented that I was not like “other men”. And in the context that it was said I replied, “Because I say ‘no’ to you a lot?” She nodded. I told here that while most men will do whatever it takes to hold on to a beautiful woman (which she is), I have always done what I wanted to and if the beautiful woman got annoyed and moved on to a dolt that did whatever she wanted, then so be it. As she found that there is always a man who is a dolt, in my experience there is always another beautiful woman. That’s probably why I was single for nearly a decade and a half before I married Kathy. Oh, and to the question, I hate jewelry. But I do where a wedding ring.

2) This song was written by boyhood friends John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who went on to become the most successful songwriters of the 20th century. Tell us about your best friend from “the old neighborhood.” Do you know where he or she is today?

Johnnie, Billy & I are still with WTIT. He came to our wedding in 2012. Joe is the one who is ill.

I’ll take this as “my guys from the old neighborhood.” I’m extremely lucky because of WTIT I am in touch with my buds from the old neighborhood. Of my four closest friends from high school and college, two still record at WTIT and the other two we talk by email or im’s often. Only one, Gypsy Joe, I have not seen in twenty years. He’s extremely ill with COPD, stage 4. Because of that I’m trying to arrange a day for the three of us that are still with WTIT to visit him. He was supposed to come to our 45th WTIT Anniversary Party, but phoned in instead.

3) The Ed Sullivan Theater, where the Beatles first performed to a mass American audience, is now the home of The Late Show with David Letterman. Do you have a favorite late night talk show? Yes, Johnny Carson. Everything else has been just poor “imitations”. And sorry Jay, even though we went to college together and you were good, you were not Johnny.

4) In 1964, when this song became #1, one of top TV shows was My Favorite Martian. Do you believe in life on other planets? Yes and I actually believe they’re all hot babes. Seriously? The math alone suggests there’s probably tons of life. Whether or not it is life as we know it or not is another story.

This is exactly what my landline looks like.

5) In those days, homes had rotary dial phones, often affixed to the wall, with the receiver always tethered by a curly cord. Does your home still have a landline phone? Yes. With a cable bundle and without having long distance it is practically free. Only my folks call me on it. But I think they are comfortable with that.

6) 1964 was the year GI Joe first appeared on toy shelves. Tell us about one of your favorite childhood toys. Naked Barbies.

7) Ringo was the first Beatle to become a grandfather. His granddaughter, Tatia, is now a rock musician. If you were to follow your grandfather into his chosen profession, what would you be doing now? One was a builder and the other a children’s clothes manufacturer. If were to be doing either, I would have shot myself in the forehead by now.

8) Paul McCartney admits he enjoys watching MasterChef. What show do you go out of your way to catch? Out of my way? In the land of Tivo me thinks that’s impossible. But I know I’m not like most people. When I say that I like a show, people always ask when it is on. I usually have no idea. To the question: In the reality world, I still love Idol and watch Bar Rescue and The Profit.

9) The paparazzi has often caught Paul pedaling a bike around Martha’s Vineyard. What’s your favorite form of exercise? Now that’s an oxymoron. Because of my back surgeries I do not do exercise. Although my job is rather physical, so I’m more than a couch potato.

Have you seen this dude’s wife? Yowzer. I am sure he thinks that she loves him for his looks and personality. My dad is leaving the psych unit today and moving into a terrific assistant living facility. I bet he’ll love the pub that they’ve got. I can’t wait to see it! I have a meeting in Boston at 1 PM for work, but I’ll stop by on my return visit. His problems will still be there, but he should be much happier in a nicer place. Hop that you and your loved ones are doing well. I hope to check back with Allison’s Sunday Stealing. Same time. Same blog.