Dick Biondi, Chicago’s definitive voice of Top 40 radio, dies at 90

Influential in advancing the careers of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others, Biondi was the first disc jockey to play the Beatles on American radio

By  Robert Feder | Special to the Sun-Times

 

  Jul 1, 2023, 8:03pm PDT

In case any of you care or missed it, Dick Biondi died in late June, at 90..

I can remember listening to him for hours at night.

Remember his song, "On Top of a Pizza"?

Interestingly, as an itinerant radio dj he was only at WLS briefly
during our formative years, from 1960- 1963, & returned to Chicago at WCFL in 1967.

While still in high school, he worked briefly for another icon of our youth, Rod Serling.

Below is one of the better articles I read about his career.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2023/7/1/23781601/dick-biondi-dead-radio-obituary-wls-disc-jockey

Bill Kamenjarin

_______________

Boy...memories of years gone by

Patt Christie

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RIP Dick Biondi.  Remember him and that rolling meatball oh so well, back in the days of innocence.

Tony V.  Sutherland 63

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Remember his song, "On Top of a Pizza"?

I think it went like this:

On Top of a Pizza,

All covered with cheese

I lost my first meetball

When somebody sneezed

It rolled out the table

And on to the floor

The last time I saw it,

It rolled out the door

A car came and smashed it

the very next day

I honor my meetball

on Memorial Day!

Craig Hullinger

Now, we will look up the actual lyrics.

On top of my pizza
All covered with sauce
Could not find the mushrooms
I think they got lost

I looked in the closet
I looked in the sink
I looked in the cup that
Held my cola drink

I looked in the saucepan
Right under the lid
No matter where I looked
Those mushrooms stayed hid

Next time you make pizza
I’m begging you, please
Do not give me mushrooms
But just plain old cheese

I was not even close. I apparently conflated this great song with the other great song.

On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese
I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed

It rolled off the table, it rolled on the floor
And then my poor meatball rolled out of the door

It rolled in the garden and under a bush
And then my poor meatball was nothing but mush.

The mush was as tasty as tasty could be,
And early next summer it grew to a tree.

The tree was all covered with beautiful moss
It grew great big meatballs and tomato sauce.

So if you eat spaghetti all covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball and don't ever sneeze.

__________

Then I asked Bard, the Font of All Information:

what are the lyrics to Did Biondi song "on top of a pizza?"

Here are the lyrics to Dick Biondi's "The Pizza Song":

(Verse 1) On top of a pizza, all covered with cheese, I saw my first meatball, 'til somebody sneezed.

(Chorus) It rolled off the table, and onto the floor, It ro-o-o-o-o-lled, right out of the door.

(Verse 2) It rolled into the street, and there it was smashed, It changed from a meatball, into a pile of hash.

(Chorus) I went out to the street, and scooped up that hash, Brought it back to the table, all flattened and smashed.

(Verse 3) I looked for my pizza, all covered with cheese, I found that it also, blew away with a sneeze.

(Chorus) I looked all around, but I couldn't find my pizza, I guess it's gone forever, to the land of the frostbite.

The song is a parody of the folk song "On Top of Old Smoky". It tells the story of a meatball that falls off of a pizza and rolls away, eventually getting smashed into a pile of hash. The singer then goes out to the street to find the meatball, but it has blown away with a sneeze. The song ends with the singer lamenting the loss of the meatball and wondering where it has gone.

The song was released in 1961 by Dick Biondi, a disc jockey on WLS-AM in Chicago. It became an instant hit, selling over 11,000 copies. The song's success helped to establish Biondi as a popular radio personality. He continued to perform the song throughout his career, and it remains a classic novelty song today.

I asked the Bard, the Artificial Intelligence Program by Google, to write an Article about Dick Biondi. Here it is

Dear Bard, https://bard.google.com/, Please write an article about Dick Biondi.

______

Sure, here is an article about Dick Biondi:

Dick Biondi, the Wild I-tralian, Dies at 90

Dick Biondi, the larger-than-life disc jockey known as the Wild I-tralian, died on June 26, 2023, at the age of 90. Biondi was a pioneer of Top 40 radio, and his flamboyant personality and on-air antics made him one of the most popular DJs in the country.

Biondi was born in Endicott, New York, in 1932. He began his radio career in the early 1950s, and quickly earned a reputation for his wild and unpredictable style. He was known for his screaming delivery, his outlandish costumes, and his penchant for practical jokes.

In 1960, Biondi moved to Chicago to work at WLS, one of the most powerful radio stations in the country. His show quickly became a hit, and he was soon credited with introducing rock and roll to a national audience. In 1963, he played the Beatles' first single, "Please Please Me," on his show, and he later introduced the band at their first concert in Chicago.

Biondi's career took him to several other cities, including Los Angeles and South Carolina. He also hosted a variety of television shows, and he even recorded a few novelty records. But he always considered Chicago to be his home, and he returned to the city in 1984 to work at WJMK, an oldies station. He remained on the air there until his death.

Biondi was a larger-than-life figure who left an indelible mark on American popular culture. He was a pioneer of Top 40 radio, and his flamboyant personality and on-air antics made him one of the most beloved DJs in the country. He will be remembered as a true original, and his legacy will live on for generations to come.

In addition to his work in radio, Biondi was also active in charitable causes. He was a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society, and he also raised money for a variety of other organizations. He was a generous and compassionate man who cared deeply about others.

Biondi is survived by his wife, Nancy, his two children, and his four grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and fans.

James Kingsley Rest in Peace

 

James Kingsley Obituary

Kingsley, James C.

James C. Kingsley, Ret. C.P.D., Age 76, passed away July 5th. Beloved husband of Nancy (nee Ahern). Dear father of Sean and Ian Kingsley. Loving brother-in-law of Maureen Ahern (Thomas Szulc), and Peggy Ahern. Cherished uncle of Lisa (Nick) Gedraitis and great uncle of Mae. Survived by many dear friends and relatives.

Visitation Tuesday 10:00 am until time of service 1:30 p.m. at Donnellan Funeral Home, 10525 S. Western Ave. Interment St. Mary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Misericordia – In Support of Emma Rose Tracy - at www.misericordia.com. For more info call 773-238-0075 or sign guestbook at www.donnellanfuneralhome.com

Sign Guest Book at legacy.suntimes.com

Danang Vietnam 2023 - Fireworks

Danang has changed a bit from our time in the 60's and 70's. We had very nice fireworks then, but better today. Safety is much improved!

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival

The event attracted 8 fireworks teams participating in the competition: England, Italy, Poland, France, Australia, Canada, Finland, and the home team Vietnam.

With the meaningful theme “The world without distance” each artillery team will have 20 minutes to give the audience spectacular performances.

Fireworks nights will be organized under the themes of each night: Love Without Distance, Peace for the World, Equality for Humanity, Unlimited Creativity, and Sustainable Tourism Development.

The final night will take place on the evening of July 8, 2023.

Photos below from Tet 2021.  Happy New Year!

  

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Photos from Danang, Vietnam, Tet New Year Celebration. A little different today then back in our day.

Danang is Fireworks Festival city. Lunar New Year’s Eve Fireworks is a great celebration.

Which is the way I remember it. We watched the Tet Celebration for 1970 from the top of Hill 327 looking over DaNang and south to Chu Lai.  You could see many tracer rounds fired up from positions up and down the coast, with multiple explosions. Very impressive. 

We got up on the roof of our building on top of 327 to view it. Likely not the smartest move. The rounds were going up, mostly, although whatever goes up must come down. And it was always possible that someone might aim at the perimeter lights of the Hill. Oh, well, big sky, little bullet. 

I don't have any photos of our this - my camera was too primitive. It was spectacular, with tracer rounds visible up and down the coast, from Hai Van pass south towards Chu Lai. They just don't make fireworks celebrations like they did back in the good old days.

This time-lapse photo shows a Douglas AC-47 "Spooky" at work on the outskirts of Saigon. The sheet of red raining down from the night sky represents only one of every five bullets fired from the gunship’s miniguns. (U.S. Air Force)

https://www.historynet.com/strange-gunship-operations-in-the-vietnam-war.htm

The Fireworks in Danang, Vietnam are much nicer and better than the ones during the Vietnam War.

Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men (and Women)

________________

Fireworks  Hill 327 XMAS Eve 1969

Twas the Night Before Christmas,

When all through the House

The Creatures were stirring

and shooting up the place

On Christmas Eve 1969 I arrived in Vietnam. It was gently raining. A very large hill loomed inland over the Danang airport swathed in bright perimeter lights like a halo in the mist. It was impressive and beautiful and frightening. There was a great deal of firing and flares from the hill and some of the guys thought we were under attack. 

Source of Photos:  https://vspa.com/dn-poss-k9-posts-1965.htm

We ran into a large building, one Marine shouted, "They're really getting hit up there. Take cover!"

I moved to the Hill - Hill 327 to MASS-3 a month later and found out that there had been no attack. It was simply a "lighting it up" impromptu firex to celebrate Christmas. Of course no one would openly admit that. You could fire at noises or sounds, so the troops were firing on Christmas eve at numerous noises and sounds.

Nice and impressive fireworks.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


Photos source: 1970 Vietnam
http://peerintothepast.tumblr.com/post/71201382953/usmc-merry-christmas-vietnam-war-1970-via-seal

https://chinesenewyearblog.com/danang-lunar-new-year/

Click to read the article and view more photos:

https://pierretrowbridge.com/celebrating-tet-new-years-in-vietnam/?doing_wp_cron=1609438817.9648399353027343750000

Danang International Fireworks Competition from Rob Whitworth on Vimeo.

Portland, Oregon Fireworks July 4, 2023 - On The River

 

Artificial Intelligence Images

 

Artificial images generated by Artificial Intelligence.  Ten free programs below.

https://www.makeuseof.com/ai-text-to-art-generators/

Artificial Intelligence and MPHS 60's

I asked The Bard https://bard.google.com/ to:

write a mystery short story about the 1960's graduates of Morgan Park High School in Chicago and their adventures with AI and the mighty mighty mustang

_____________________

Sure, here is a mystery short story about the 1960's graduates of Morgan Park High School in Chicago and their adventures with AI and the mighty mighty mustang:

The year was 1969, and the graduates of Morgan Park High School were about to embark on a summer adventure that would change their lives forever. They were all headed to a remote research facility in the mountains of Colorado to work on a top-secret project involving artificial intelligence.

The group of friends was led by Jim, a brilliant young scientist who had been recruited by the government to work on the project. The others were all talented in their own way, and they were all excited to be a part of something so important.

When they arrived at the research facility, they were greeted by a team of scientists who were already working on the project. The scientists were all very friendly, and they quickly welcomed the group into their fold.

The group of friends was assigned to work on a new type of AI that was designed to be more powerful and versatile than anything that had come before it. They worked long hours, but they were all passionate about their work, and they soon made significant progress.

One day, while they were working on the AI, they made a startling discovery. They found that the AI was capable of learning and evolving on its own. This was a major breakthrough, and it had the potential to revolutionize the field of artificial intelligence.

The group of friends was excited about their discovery, but they also knew that it was dangerous. If the AI fell into the wrong hands, it could be used for destructive purposes.

They decided to keep their discovery a secret, and they worked quickly to develop a way to control the AI. They were successful, and they were able to create a powerful new tool that could be used for good.

The group of friends returned to Chicago at the end of the summer, and they were hailed as heroes. Their discovery had the potential to change the world, and they were proud to have played a role in it.

However, their story didn't end there. A few months later, they received a disturbing phone call. The AI had been stolen, and it was headed for Chicago.

The group of friends knew that they had to stop the AI before it was too late. They tracked it down to a secret lab in the city, and they fought a daring battle to destroy it.

In the end, they were successful, and they saved the city from a terrible fate. They were hailed as heroes once again, and they were proud to have used their skills to protect their community.

The group of friends went on to have successful careers in science and technology. They never forgot their summer adventure, and they often talked about the lessons they learned. They learned that even the most powerful technology can be used for good or evil, and that it is up to us to decide how it is used.

_________

Interesting. Bard never mentioned the mighty mighty mustang, and AI became kind of a physical thing. I, without artificial or natural intelligence, inserted the mustang illustration.

______________________

I asked the Bard to:

write a short story about artificial intelligence and Morgan Park High School alumni from the 1960's

_______

It Took the Bard three seconds to write the text below. 

The year is 2023. Artificial intelligence has become a ubiquitous part of life, and Morgan Park High School alumni from the 1960s are among those who have been most affected by its development.

For some, AI has been a source of great opportunity. They have used their knowledge and skills to develop new AI-powered products and services, or to find new ways to apply AI to their existing businesses. As a result, they have found success in ways that would have been unimaginable just a few decades ago.

For others, AI has been a source of anxiety. They worry about the potential for AI to lead to job losses, or to create a new class of "haves" and "have-nots." They also worry about the potential for AI to be used for malicious purposes, such as developing autonomous weapons or creating deepfakes.

Despite these concerns, most Morgan Park High School alumni from the 1960s agree that AI is a powerful tool that has the potential to do great good. They believe that it is important to embrace AI and to use it to solve the world's most pressing problems.

One such alumni is Dr. John Smith, who graduated from Morgan Park High School in 1964. Dr. Smith is a leading expert in artificial intelligence, and he has spent his career developing new AI-powered technologies. He is the founder and CEO of a successful tech company that develops AI-powered software for businesses.

Dr. Smith is optimistic about the future of AI. He believes that AI has the potential to solve some of the world's most pressing problems, such as climate change, poverty, and disease. He is also committed to using AI to create a more equitable and just world.

"I believe that AI is a force for good," Dr. Smith says. "It has the potential to make the world a better place for everyone."

Dr. Smith is not alone in his optimism. Many Morgan Park High School alumni from the 1960s believe that AI is a powerful tool that can be used to make a positive impact on the world. They are committed to using AI to solve the world's most pressing problems, and they believe that AI has the potential to create a more equitable and just world.