These lyrics are incredible. "Long distance, directory assistance, area code 212". This was the New York City area code in the 1970s. Each line is the perfect commentary on the music business in the 1970s.
That number was president of CBS records unlisted number, and it would dial if you played the song into a phone. He had just fired them, then Green eyed lady hit number 3. Oops. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_Call_Us%2C_We'll_Call_You
@@brianbrandt25 Yep! The coolest trivia about this tune is that it's a real phone number and YES the DTMF tones from the record would be taken by the Bell telephone's network switching gear and PLACE the call! (Source: many family members worked for Ma Bell in the day!) 1970's electronic trolling at a very high level!
I am 57. I vividly remember living in Allentown, PA just three blocks away from Mack Trucks world headquarters back then. I would always listen to WLS at night and other "long distance" AM stations. "Don't Call Us" was a top favorite of my back then and still today. It also reminds of my childhood, Mack Trucks(most friends parents back then worked at Mack or Bethlehem Steel) Thomas Jefferson and Dodd schools, Trout Creek Park, Mountainville Bowling, Carvel, Grants, Acme, Hess's dept store, Good Humor still ice trucks still selling ice cream from a truck, my beloved Husky, my bird, my friends at that age Gary, Steve, Lynette, Dan.... ❤
I'm 63 years old and I listened to the great WLS back when I was a youngster living in Freeport, Illinois. What a great rock station that was. And their awesome dj's....Larry Lujack, John "records" Landecker and Fred Winston. Oh, the memories!
I'm 60 and can totally relate. WLS, WABC, WNBC. Many was the night I would listen before going to bed. My favorite memory of those days was coming back to our motel on the Ohio Turnpike (coming from Cedar Point amusement park) and pulling in those stations. I've lived in north-central West Virginia my whole life. Weren't those times just magical?!
I grew up in Michigan, just 100 miles from Chicago so WLS was the radio station on every kid's radio. The Driver's Ed teacher was even letting us play it in the car while we got our driving time in. That's what 'Don't Call Us' always reminds me of when I hear it. I remember getting WLS in from Maine a couple of times late at night in the early 80s. Gave me the warm & fuzzies.
Why AM Radio Signals Travel Farther at Night The magic behind this phenomenon lies in the ionosphere. The Ionosphere This layer of the Earth's atmosphere is ionized by the sun's radiation. It's like a giant mirror for radio waves. Daytime: The ionosphere is dense due to strong solar radiation. This density absorbs AM radio waves, preventing them from traveling far. Nighttime: With the sun gone, the ionosphere becomes less dense. AM radio waves can now bounce off this layer and travel much greater distances before returning to Earth. This is called skywave propagation. Imagine a ball bouncing between two walls. The walls are the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. At night, the walls are farther apart, allowing the ball (radio signal) to travel a longer distance before it falls back to the ground. This is why you can often pick up distant AM radio stations at night, but not during the day.
WLS. 50,000 watt clear channel. Transistor radio, 9 volt. Hidden under the pillow but my dad knew and was cool. Always could predict tomorrow’s weather by the clarity of the signal from Chicago. To be young again.
You remember the All Night Creature? On Stereo 92...YEAH! This song always makes me think of the Outlaw X...you know, ZZ Top wrote about it "cuttin through the air"...I lived in So. Cal. And the X was the first station I heard this on.. somebody get Mr Peabody to fire up the Wayback machine..
I remember walking into the break area in my high school when this was out and seeing 2 girls I knew dancing to this music....I joined in and we danced and hugged and laughed and the only thing in the world we had to worry about was the inevitable tests on Fridays.....what a simple yet amazing time!
This tune is so wonderfully hook-laden; even using an old push button phone for 'special' effects! Btw; thank you, Burt Sugarman, for producing The Midnight Special series, and of course the inimitable Wolfman Jack for his vocal 'contribution'!
1961 for me too and I'm still playing a lot of the songs in my bands I'm the drummer for I rocked with in the 1970s in 2024 and they still sound great and go over great!🥁🎶🥁
Worked with Jerry Corbetta a few times in the early 90s. He was nice and gracious and a fabulous keyboard player. After Sugarloaf he was, among other things, music director for Franky Valli. He was part of the '30 years of Rock 'n' Roll' tour that went through Florida for a few years before he joined the Classic Rock All-stars.
My first garage band, we played this song. 15&16 year old kids just having fun and sharing our happiness. The best gift I have ever experienced. What a rush it was for a 15 year old kid to play in front of family and friends. Your worse critic!
30+ years since my dad passed. Him, my mom and my brother and I would sit late every weekend watching the Midnight Special. My brother and I were in grade school then. Remember it like it was yesterday.
I wore that record out when I was 12 fast forward all these years and for the life of me I could not remember the name of the song or the band but I knew the tune in my head, I even called a radio station and asked a couple DJ's that had a morning show (Off the air) who where really big on the classics and hummed it for them they could not remember then last years we were listening to SXM 70's radio station and this song came up, I finally found it.. :)
As a young man in Minnesota we actually could get WLS from Chicago late night on Fridays. My Dad who was the announcer at a race track used to listen to this on the way home. Another favorite of mine was Long cool woman in a black dress by the Hollies!
@@razor6552 Remember the Pointer Sisters dubbed in "WLS" on their song over the lyric 'you turn on the radio' in 1979 so that everyone who heard it in Chicago would get a kick out of it. I don't know if there were any actual records (45rpm) pressed with that version but it would be neat to have one.
You'll like this video if you haven't seen it already. A tribute to the awesome 80s' music and movies, perhaps the greatest decade in American history... Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme ( Moreno J Remix ) th-cam.com/video/oRLJIQCwEvw/w-d-xo.html
I was a kid when this song came out but blown away & hooked immediately and couldn't wait to hear it again, I didnt know who Wolfman Jack was yet but what a Legend he was in radio & the Biz,.."Uh...UH!!,.Kids!,......."Dont Call US!!,..We've heard it all before"!!😅
This song brings back soooo many memories, i was just out of the service and looking for a job got turned down left and right, i remember listening to this song on the radio and laughing to myself thinking sounds like my life. But i got a break and started on my career.
We're the same age. This came out either late '74 or early '75. I would turn 12 on June 10, 1975. Well worth it to be of a certain age now, to have been young then!
My late oldsr brother loved this song during his teenage years in the 70s i thought the song was sung by another group when i first heard it as a young child but the funky melody is so hypnotic 😊
Yeah, The Best Two Hit Wonders Group Of The '70's! I Had This 45 As Well As, 'Green-Eyed Lady'. I Can't Remember If This Was On, 'In Concert' Or 'Midnight Special'. Thank You.
Love this song. There is another crazy video for this song made in the late 1960s which features parts of telephones moving an assembling themselves during the song.
Years back I met Jerry Corbetta along with Mike Pinera, Pete Rivera and Dennis Noda. at a classic rock All-Star show. He passed away in 2016, Jerry was a really terrific person
What a recommendation TH-cam, took me back to the radio as a 6 year old. What a different time for sure, I’d gladly go back, not possible but I can for a few minutes.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
There was an interesting book that was about this very idea. Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. It was about a guy who could revisit any part of his life (he couldn't change it). I wish I could do the same!
I thought this was quite an unusual song many yrs back. I really loved it when I heard the Beatles reference. It was about the time of the Beatles/Klaatu excitement. At age 12, I thought the Beatles were reuniting.
I was blessed to be a teen in the 70s. Great music.
That's right! 📻 🎼🎵🎶
You and me both.
Best decade EVER! Born 10-62
Same here. Born 2/1962. I love most of the music from at time.
me too. where did it go?
Real music about real life, using real voices, real instruments, no computers or auto tune.
Best era of music ever.
A-Freakin-men!
Mr. Davis; BULLSEYE, BUDDY!!!!!
Too bad they aren't really playing live
@@baird5776mullet yup. anytime it sounds just like the record, it's the record.
@@brianjacob8728 The actual video is a live recording on youtube in black and white with sound, they just dubbed over it here.
The 70s were the best
And the 80s!
Yes they were.....
For you, I guess..
Yes they were the best. Those who weren't a teenager back then have no idea what they missed.
Si los 70 fueron lo maximo
These lyrics are incredible. "Long distance, directory assistance, area code 212". This was the New York City area code in the 1970s. Each line is the perfect commentary on the music business in the 1970s.
That number was president of CBS records unlisted number, and it would dial if you played the song into a phone. He had just fired them, then Green eyed lady hit number 3. Oops. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_Call_Us%2C_We'll_Call_You
You’re right this is one of the lost gems of the 70 s
"You got my number?" "Yeah,I got it when you walked in. "
@@brucefranklin6295 Isn't that a great double-entendre? 🙂
@@brianbrandt25 Yep! The coolest trivia about this tune is that it's a real phone number and YES the DTMF tones from the record would be taken by the Bell telephone's network switching gear and PLACE the call! (Source: many family members worked for Ma Bell in the day!) 1970's electronic trolling at a very high level!
Yes indeed that was the "Wolfman" on stage with Sugarloaf.😊❤
ty i was wondering that!
Probably from The Midnight Special, Wolfman was the announcer - he also sat in with the Guess Who on Clap for the Wolfman
The Wolfman also made an appearance in the film American Grafitti 1973
It sucks getting old but I sure am glad to have been young during this time.
ok, ok...
Growing older beats the alternative.
Seems like yestrrday
@@mikegoff7506 Time fuken flies man! 😬
68 years young and still rockin 🤘
Turned this song on and closed my eyes. 1974 and the teen fun I had appeared before me like it was yesterday!
Gotta find a wo man… gotta find a wo man…
I graduated high school in 74, and you are quite right! Those were the best!
I love that expression, "teen fun". 1974 was the best year of my life. Cheers to you 🍻.
I think that was Wolfman Jack on the stage....I thought that sounded like him. Nothing like the music of the 70's. Thanks for the video!!
It was
No mistake there, if that wasn't Wolfman, then that dude is his clone! LoL 😂
Evidently they're performing on the Midnight Special. 😅
@@charlotteknutsen7262 yeah,wolfman jack sometimes hosted on midnight special
I met him in the mid 80s, very classy guy.
Saw Wolfman Jack and Sugarloaf in concert in the Matanuska Valley in Alaska on the July 4th weekend in 1975…classic😎👍
BTO was there too😎
I am 57. I vividly remember living in Allentown, PA just three blocks away from Mack Trucks world headquarters back then.
I would always listen to WLS at night and other "long distance" AM stations. "Don't Call Us" was a top favorite of my back then and still today. It also reminds of my childhood, Mack Trucks(most friends parents back then worked at Mack or Bethlehem Steel) Thomas Jefferson and Dodd schools, Trout Creek Park, Mountainville Bowling, Carvel, Grants, Acme, Hess's dept store, Good Humor still ice trucks still selling ice cream from a truck, my beloved Husky, my bird, my friends at that age Gary, Steve, Lynette, Dan....
❤
I'm 63 years old and I listened to the great WLS back when I was a youngster living in Freeport, Illinois. What a great rock station that was. And their awesome dj's....Larry Lujack, John "records" Landecker and Fred Winston. Oh, the memories!
I'm 60 and can totally relate. WLS, WABC, WNBC. Many was the night I would listen before going to bed. My favorite memory of those days was coming back to our motel on the Ohio Turnpike (coming from Cedar Point amusement park) and pulling in those stations. I've lived in north-central West Virginia my whole life. Weren't those times just magical?!
I grew up in Michigan, just 100 miles from Chicago so WLS was the radio station on every kid's radio. The Driver's Ed teacher was even letting us play it in the car while we got our driving time in. That's what 'Don't Call Us' always reminds me of when I hear it.
I remember getting WLS in from Maine a couple of times late at night in the early 80s. Gave me the warm & fuzzies.
Why AM Radio Signals Travel Farther at Night
The magic behind this phenomenon lies in the ionosphere.
The Ionosphere
This layer of the Earth's atmosphere is ionized by the sun's radiation. It's like a giant mirror for radio waves.
Daytime: The ionosphere is dense due to strong solar radiation. This density absorbs AM radio waves, preventing them from traveling far.
Nighttime: With the sun gone, the ionosphere becomes less dense. AM radio waves can now bounce off this layer and travel much greater distances before returning to Earth. This is called skywave propagation.
Imagine a ball bouncing between two walls. The walls are the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. At night, the walls are farther apart, allowing the ball (radio signal) to travel a longer distance before it falls back to the ground.
This is why you can often pick up distant AM radio stations at night, but not during the day.
WLS. 50,000 watt clear channel.
Transistor radio, 9 volt. Hidden under the pillow but my dad knew and was cool.
Always could predict tomorrow’s weather by the clarity of the signal from Chicago.
To be young again.
da Wolfman puttin da moves on da grooves...
Mercy...! 😎
Wolfman Jack!!!😎😎😎
Remember his part in American Graffiti? His fridge took a dump and the popsicles were melting 😂
You remember the All Night Creature? On Stereo 92...YEAH!
This song always makes me think of the Outlaw X...you know, ZZ Top wrote about it "cuttin through the air"...I lived in So. Cal. And the X was the first station I heard this on.. somebody get Mr Peabody to fire up the Wayback machine..
I recall listening to him on my radio as a kid!
lol I thought that was him dancing!!
Clap for the Wolf Man!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I wonder if the Wolfman rated their record high? Hehe
Love that song too! Burton Cummings and The Guess Who.
You thought she was diggin you but she was diggin me!
YOU GOT THE CURVES BABY , I GOT THE ANGLES.
I remember walking into the break area in my high school when this was out and seeing 2 girls I knew dancing to this music....I joined in and we danced and hugged and laughed and the only thing in the world we had to worry about was the inevitable tests on Fridays.....what a simple yet amazing time!
You mean you didn't have to call or text someone back immediately? 😂
Yep - the good ol' days 🥴
I hope you went for it 😆
You do that now and you might get a SH complaint!
Love this song. Saw the group in the 70s at a college gym. Those were the days
This tune is so wonderfully hook-laden; even using an old push button phone for 'special' effects! Btw; thank you, Burt Sugarman, for producing The Midnight Special series, and of course the inimitable Wolfman Jack for his vocal 'contribution'!
LOL ! "An OLD push button phone"
A touch tone phone was a relatively new invention in the early '70's !
That was 'hi-tech' back then; for sure!
That phone was "state of the art" back in 74 when this song was out. I was a senior in high school.
,OMG as a teen in the 70's blessed best music ever
Great hook,it stays with you long after the song ends.
I was a neglected child.. My parents did not know how to love themselves much less me. This is what got me me through the rough spots...
🙌🏼☮️🩷
Ditto @@Maria-n6t2d
I was born Aug 20 1961 and I'm still listening.....
We had the best music back then.
1963 for me❤❤❤❤❤
I was born on December 5,1961 and I recall half singing this song while I delivered newspapers in the spring of 1975! To me this is an iconic song!
Happy Birthday today.
Happy Birthday!!!
1961 for me too and I'm still playing a lot of the songs in my bands I'm the drummer for I rocked with in the 1970s in 2024 and they still sound great and go over great!🥁🎶🥁
50 years ago I was 14 and loved this song, and now I find it browsing TH-cam!!!!
Me too 😂
Worked with Jerry Corbetta a few times in the early 90s. He was nice and gracious and a fabulous keyboard player. After Sugarloaf he was, among other things, music director for Franky Valli. He was part of the '30 years of Rock 'n' Roll' tour that went through Florida for a few years before he joined the Classic Rock All-stars.
Is he on the oh what at night song or is that somebody different?
Loved Sugarloaf. Great band. Great songs, great memories.
YES
YES!
Green eyed lady!!!! i grew up and just started to drive - still remember jamming in my 'volkswagan original beatle! lol
Man I totally forgot about this great tune and never knew Sugarloaf did it! I really loved Green Eyed Lady too
Dude. I was just thinking the exact thing 👍👍👍 Rock on 🤘
There’s a video here on TH-cam of them playing it live on a tv show. They were really good!
Same, but it came back immediately!
This was the jam back in the day! Don't hear great music like this anymore...sad
Baby this song has it all! Wolfman Jack dancing on top of it
My first garage band, we played this song. 15&16 year old kids just having fun and sharing our happiness. The best gift I have ever experienced. What a rush it was for a 15 year old kid to play in front of family and friends. Your worse critic!
It was a great song in 1973, and it's still a great song 50 years later!
Hard to believe it's been that long
@@websrfr8454 Right? I have no ideas where those decades have gone!
Around the time American Graffiti came out. Wolfman played in that also.
I was 12 ,and where did this life go, WOW
What I would'nt give to be able to go back, JUST THE GREATEST OF TIMES IN ALL THE WORLD!!!!!
That riff is just pure gold.
Forgot how great of a song it is
30+ years since my dad passed. Him, my mom and my brother and I would sit late every weekend watching the Midnight Special. My brother and I were in grade school then. Remember it like it was yesterday.
Loved watching the MIDNIGHT SPECIAL.
I wore that record out when I was 12 fast forward all these years and for the life of me I could not remember the name of the song or the band but I knew the tune in my head, I even called a radio station and asked a couple DJ's that had a morning show (Off the air) who where really big on the classics and hummed it for them they could not remember then last years we were listening to SXM 70's radio station and this song came up, I finally found it.. :)
WLS rocked this one on the AM.
Hell,yes_I was in my teens and had no FM radio
As a young man in Minnesota we actually could get WLS from Chicago late night on Fridays. My Dad who was the announcer at a race track used to listen to this on the way home. Another favorite of mine was Long cool woman in a black dress by the Hollies!
Remember when they did the WLS jingle with the push button phone tones during the song?
Those were the good old days.
@@razor6552 Remember the Pointer Sisters dubbed in "WLS" on their song over the lyric 'you turn on the radio' in 1979 so that everyone who heard it in Chicago would get a kick out of it.
I don't know if there were any actual records (45rpm) pressed with that version but it would be neat to have one.
And even Wolfman Jack!! Nice! What memories!
Simply awesome...the way it used to be in AMERICA
You'll like this video if you haven't seen it already. A tribute to the awesome 80s' music and movies, perhaps the greatest decade in American history...
Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme ( Moreno J Remix )
th-cam.com/video/oRLJIQCwEvw/w-d-xo.html
How the music business was back then. Don't call us...
I think most people would think of Green-Eyed Lady, but this band had a lot of good songs.
So cool, feel young for a minute!!!
It has been a very long time since I heard this one, like when it came out. God, I am old, lol. Anyhoo, cool tune and nice to hear it again. :)
THis song takes me back to when i was locked up in the New Mexico state penitentiary back in 76'
Me too
I was in a juvenile detention center for skipping school!
Huh? That must’ve been a bit of a drag so to speak how long were you in for and how bad was it?
It’s great that you’re out. Take care.
❤ This and Remember Hearing this Song as a kid in the 70s on A.M. Radio!
ONE OF THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE.
GREAT MUSIC SUGAR& WOLFMAN.
DOES'NT GET MUCH BETTER
ROCK &ROLL FOREVER
. ..dont call us we'll call you!!!! Great song
1970s, school bus, AM radio tuned to the big 89, WLS. I loved this song!
Larry Lujack!
Love the Big 89!
One of the GREAT songs of the 1970s.
One of kind song i feel in love it when i first hear it around 74 still love it 😬😁😬😁
Thank you friend it's so nice to hear from you yep those were the days real music everything was real 😁😬😁😬
Love ❤️ it.
70s rocked well
Amazing to be a young man in the 70s😊
First time I've seen this live performance. I had always thought the Wolfman was dubbed in, glad it was in person!
On the studio version it wasn’t Wolfman Jack, it was a DJ named Ken Griffin.
That wasn't live. That was footage synched to the record. And it was Wolfman on stage
Epic Jam!!!
This was my theme song during my job search after graduation from college.
Saw them in 1970 at Kelker Junction Concert Hall. They were great! I was 18 yo and 3.2 beer was served. Great memories with my friend John Royle.
Keller junction Next to Security Garbage that's how their radio ad went.
@ Kelker Junction!
Hard to believe there's music out there like this!!
I always loved the Beatles lick in this song!
I Feel Fine.
@h2ofield Yup!
And Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" at about 2:41!
@@JLajos Wow! Good catch!
OMG😱😱😱 I've been searching for a music video of this CLASSIC early 70's smash hit and THANK GOD I've found it...TY YOU TUBE 👏👏👏
This is the first video I've ever seen on this song. Others were just pics with music. Loved how Wolfman Jack was on stage ❤
@@dianneclick2848 Ty and you are so right...I still can't believe I have a music video of this awesome song...
I had this on 45. I think the flip side was Green Eyed Lady. Great music in the 70s.
The 1970s is my favorite decade for music and film.
Such a well-constructed song with a catchy riff.
The lyrics are funny as hell if you really listen to them.
well its a stolen riff from "I feel Fine" beatles which is also a stolen riff.
I was a kid when this song came out but blown away & hooked immediately and couldn't wait to hear it again, I didnt know who Wolfman Jack was yet but what a Legend he was in radio & the Biz,.."Uh...UH!!,.Kids!,......."Dont Call US!!,..We've heard it all before"!!😅
I was born in the 60s and wow this song I heard so much as a young boy
Got to grow up with them!
Awesome memories!
One of the greatest pop songs ever.
This song brings back soooo many memories, i was just out of the service and looking for a job got turned down left and right, i remember listening to this song on the radio and laughing to myself thinking sounds like my life. But i got a break and started on my career.
What did you end up doing?
@@rapman5791built. A construction company
I was 11 years old listening to this today i love music so much all my life music music music
We're the same age. This came out either late '74 or early '75. I would turn 12 on June 10, 1975. Well worth it to be of a certain age now, to have been young then!
MUSIC IS LIFE
awesome!
My late oldsr brother loved this song during his teenage years in the 70s i thought the song was sung by another group when i first heard it as a young child but the funky melody is so hypnotic 😊
Iconic tune. 70's ruled😊
I love this band . 😊
Tenth grade when this came out. Great times. Great music.
I love this freaking song
Ahhhh yes! I old days make smile again.
Not much makes me happy or in smile, nowadays.
Great band
Anyone jamming to this Jan 2025? I absolutely love the music of this time. ❤
Loved seeing them live back in the day. It was, quite literally ELECTRIC.
Jerry Corbetta had some nice chops on the B3...check out "green eyed lady"
Love Green Eyed Lady ❤❤
I was 9 when this came out, but still kicking ASS in 2024!!
I was in grade school when this came out, loved it then, and still do. It's on my phones playlist.
Forgot how much fun this song brings!
Taking me back to such better days!!!!
Tremendously underrated band ! 👍👍
Wow! I'd forgotten how great this song is! Thanks!
Wow this is the 1st time I’ve heard this song in a very long time 👍😁
Yeah, The Best Two Hit Wonders Group Of The '70's! I Had This 45 As Well As, 'Green-Eyed Lady'. I Can't Remember If This Was On, 'In Concert' Or 'Midnight Special'. Thank You.
Love this song. There is another crazy video for this song made in the late 1960s which features parts of telephones moving an assembling themselves during the song.
What a great song!
Years back I met Jerry Corbetta along with Mike Pinera, Pete Rivera and Dennis Noda. at a classic rock All-Star show. He passed away in 2016, Jerry was a really terrific person
Always loved this tune. Good stuff.
Great song!
What a prophetic song!
My first Concert: 1975, Abilene TX.
I used to always buy 45's at Kresgie's on Delaware and Sheridan. Then my 1st LP was Sugarloaf Green Eyed Lady. 1970
great song, creative. an anthem for everyone grinding it out, day by day.
AS THE BABY BOOM GENERATION SLOWLY FADES AWAY
Just as good as the first time I heard it on wls when I was 13, what a time to be a kid!
Wow, yess loving that awesome bass line, sweet Rickenbacker.... 🎸🖤🎧
What a recommendation TH-cam, took me back to the radio as a 6 year old. What a different time for sure, I’d gladly go back, not possible but I can for a few minutes.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
There was an interesting book that was about this very idea. Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. It was about a guy who could revisit any part of his life (he couldn't change it). I wish I could do the same!
@@gowensbach2998know the book well.
13 when this came out, dug it. 💙💙💙
I was a teen in the late 70's, I remember this song and many others on the A.M. radio shows.
Probably one of my most played 45 singles in the 70s.
I thought this was quite an unusual song many yrs back. I really loved it when I heard the Beatles reference. It was about the time of the Beatles/Klaatu excitement. At age 12, I thought the Beatles were reuniting.
Sugarloaf with jerry corbetta, loved this when I was a kid!