OS#64 Tales of the Unexpected

Hey Professor Mikey dropping into your audio rotation with Old School. If you are a follower of the podcast, you’ll know we usually have better organized themes than what I’m going to throw at you next. 

None of these songs were huge hits, in fact the most nostalgia driven listeners may not recognize any of this. The Boomers, the Millennials, the Gen-Exers, the GEICO Caveman, all tossed into a dark room with big speakers.

I’m even going to borrow a great title. Tales of the Unexpected was a fun TV series that ran 112 episodes from 1979-1988 and will be on YouTube when your great grandchildren are watching it on their sneakers.. Before that Tales of the Unexpected was a great DC comics published 106 issues from 1956-1968. It was mostly sci fi anthology, although there were some great recurring characters including  Space Ranger, Automan, Green Glob, and Spaceman-At-Work.

I will put links into the newsletter, which you can get for free simply by typing professormikey.substack.com.

Comics:

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Tales_of_the_Unexpected_Vol_1

TV Episodes

The only thing the TV show or the comic book have in common with what is all cued up is the Unexpected. Surprises every time you drop the needle. Certainly the first podcast to ever include Creedence when they had another name, Yma Sumac whose name backwards really Amy Camus, some British invasion that never got off the boat, and at least one song the censors banned because it sounded like a duet making loud passionate love on prime time radio.

Go figure. Not everything has a great plan, but this one is a real getaway. Professor Mikey’s Old School, Number 64, “Tales of the Unexpected.”

Babalu  YMA SUMAC 1952

Larf and Sing  FAMILY 1971

Itty Bitty Pieces  THE ROCKIN’ BERRIES 1963

The Janitor Drives a Cadillac PAPA JOHN CREACH 1971

Nerds  THE ROCHES 1980

 Fight Fire  THE GOLLIWOGS 1966 

My Name is Jack  MANFRED MANN 1968

Dust My Blues ELMORE JAMES 1955

Uncle Willie ZOOT MONEY 1964

Little Girl JOHN AND JACKIE 1958

Bring It to Jerome BO DIDDLEY 1956

Professor Mikey hopes you enjoyed these Tales of the Unexpected. The playlist was not approved by a programming committee or a focus group. Back in the beautiful days of freeform radio, this is often how shows came together. Browsing through the music library, picking what feels right. Pearl diving along the bottom of the Sea of Love. Finding tunes that have been waiting for you for years.

Old School is produced for educational purposes. Any and all music heard in this program resides within the public domain, is licensed through the podcast carrier, or is used within the guidelines of fair use provided for in Section 107 of the copyright act of 1976. You sharing what you like is a great way to get the word out. Subscribing on YouTube means you will never miss a rocking discovery. The newsletter remains free and those subscribers hear the new podcasts first. Subscribe anytime at professormikey.substack.com.

Since we are in a good collaboration kumbaya mood, lets close with a song about working together and appreciating those who help our dreams come true. Jerome Green played maracas and provided vocals in Bo Diddley’s band. Some of Bo’s greatest songs involves hard charging call and response with his friend and bandmate. From Bo Diddley’s first album in 1956, here is Bring It To Jerome I’m Professor Mikey, thanks for listening. 

“The past is a blast.”