Had 6 HITS Including the 2nd BIGGEST Hit of the CENTURY…NOBODY Under 40 KNOWS 'em?-Professor of Rock
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Coming up… an interview with some of the members of a band that has been somewhat forgotten in the time we live in... Which is strange because for a couple of years they were as big as any group on radio. In fact in 1999 when BMI compiled their list of the most played songs of the century they had 2 in the top 25… Tied with the Beatles and more than any other band. They actually had 3 in the top 60! I’m talking about the multiplatinum band The Association. Their vocal harmonies were some of the best of the rock era and yet they were like Halley’s Comet because by the 70s they all but disappeared from radio. They Scored half a dozen hits and then they were gone! Up next the story of one of the most-played songs ever… Cherish... The heart-wrenching song that many have walked down the aisle to but it’s a bit Obsessive! It was supposed to be a slow ballad but during recording the pace quickened and this made it a classic! The interview with members Jim Yester and Jules Alexander is next.
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#classicrock #60smusic #vinylstory #60srock
Hey Music Junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and songs of all time, if you crashed and burned by making bad choices in the Choose your Own Adventure book series You’ll dig this channel of deep musical nostalgia. Make sure to Subscribe below right now. to be a part of a community dedicated to the timeless music of the rock era. The stories straight from the legends…
I’m excited to bring you another episode from our series Revelations- where featured artists go deep on their greatest songs and albums. Methodical interviews on these songs with the artists you won’t find anywhere else.
When BMI released their top 100 most played songs of the 20th century in 1999… If you skimmed the list. there were very few surprises… You saw the usual suspects that you’d automatically assume would be on there like Yesterday by the Beatles and Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding and Every Breath You Take by the Police. but when you noticed that there was one group from the late 60s who has as many in the top 25 as the Beatles and 3 of the top 60 songs you were like HUH? But then if you really think about it and listen to those songs it’s not all that surprising. Because the #1 hits Cherish and Windy and the #2 hits Never My Love were and are songs that soothe the soul, put a smile on your face, and an ache in your heart. And the group behind them had a 2 year run that could compare to just about anyone with 7 hits including the classic top 10s I’ve just mentioned as well as Along Comes Mary and Everything That Touches You! These guys created intricate harmonies that cut to the bone. And for a couple of years just about everything they did or recorded went gold and platinum. They were easily one of the most underrated groups to come out of the mid-to-late '60s. Their soothing harmonies and pop-oriented sound (which sometimes embraced psychedelia and even a garage-punk sound) made them unique in one of the most competitive times in radio history.
The band’s roots go back to 1964 when Terry Kirkman, who was born in Kansas but raised in California. Terry was a music major and Jules Alexander, a high school dropout from Tennessee who loved R&B music was - Розваги
Poll: Which band or group had the greatest vocal harmonies of the rock era?
The Zombies
Crosby Stills and Nash
Mama's and the Popa's
Beach Boys, Steely Dan
America
Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Runnerups: The Eagles, The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees, Mamas & Papas and The Carpenters,
My grandpa, had a stroke in 1987. As he was laying in the hospital at Sequoia hospital Redwood City my grandma hummed “Never My Love” as a tear spilled from his eye. He passed shortly afterwards.
That's very touchining.
How can you think love will end, when you know my whole life depends on you.. it, like these others, is one beautiful song..
I like "Windy"
Grew up very young w/these Guys !!
INCREDIBLE!!!
CHERISH !!!
By FAR !!
GREAT interview! My wife and I started dating in 1966, and married in 1971, so The Association was a big part of our dating and married life. While we were dating we decided ‘Never My Love’ was our song, it encapsulated our commitment to each other. It’s still our song. My bride has Alzheimer’s now, and I lose a little more of her every day. She doesn’t remember any longer that we are married, but she still smiles and sings along any time ‘Never My Love’ plays. If I outlive her, it will be one of the songs I ask to be played at her funeral, because it is still true for us.
Sir, I your story brought tears to my eyes
God bless you and your beautiful wife. ❤❤
so sorry for your loss gone but still there
So sorry to hear and wish you both well. Suggestion...
Get her on MCT Oil immediately!
Throw out all vegetable oil and Seed Oils.
Stop with the Sugar. Use Local Raw Honey instead for sweetener.
I pray she's not on cholesterol meds...it does so much damage. 🙏
@@timk4502 And sunshine. It's free, for now.
My hubby was getting ready to leave for Vietnam….a long drive home from Ft Riley, Kansas, and Cherish playing on the radio as we drove home for a brief stay before he left the states. Memories! He happens to still be with me…57 years! We had such great music! Isn’t it amazing how certain songs stay with us!
Moodys got so many of us through southeast Asia....
Bless you both!
@ How sweet of you to say that! 🥰
The Association has always been my favorite group, and "Cherish" will always be my favorite song. Thanks for shining a spotlight on these great guys.
Cherish is a beauty!
Man,it's tough watching some of your segments only because it brings tears to my eyes. But it's only a drop in a bucket compared to what I read in the comment section. You are one fortunate individual to generate so much emotion through your channel. Thanks again for all your work.
My wife and I saw The Association in 1972 at the Troubadour in Los Angles. We sat at a table up front. It was our first date, beyond romantic. First kiss that night. We danced to “Never My Love” at our wedding 47 years ago. Yep, this group was a big part of our lives. Thank you for this episode. Brought back some wonderful memories.
Spoiler alert. Thx. This guy is longwinded.
What a great night & story!
Thankyou for sharing that, l used to go to The Troubadour back in the mid 80s
Thank you for sharing such a great story 👍
Wasn't that in Goodfellas?
The Association was one of the best bands of the 1960's. Their vocal harmonies were what separated them from most bands and I can't think of any group that did it better.
THIS. 💯 IMO their harmonies were better than those of The Beach Boys (I don’t mean any disrespect to Brian Wilson & company).
Being a boomer, I loved the Association. They sure made some great stuff in the mid-sixties.
Thanks, Professor!!
😎👍
I'm a gen x guy and I love them just as much!
I’m a Gen Z gal and Never My Love is one of my personal favorite songs of the 60s.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
That is a beautiful song! My favorite was "Six Man Band"!! That buzzin' guitar still gets to me!!
😎👍
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980Agree... Out of their songs, it's Never My Love for the win 👍
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980
Gen Z?? Holy cow!! I'm probably old enough to be your granddad. You sure know your stuff for being so young!!👍
As baby boomers we have not forgotten about The Association band. Their music is timeless and brings back wonderful memories for us from back in the days...
FINALLY someone recognized The Association!!!! ❤ you for this!
Over 1/2 a century of living to finally hear this good 1 - 'have archaic & eat it to!', that's as good as this son(:
I am 71 years old now so I remember everyone of these songs when they came out and loved them all. Being a musician myself I saw the complexity and beauty in everything they did. Harmonies just blew me away every time. Thank you for this wonderful interview with them it made me subscribe to your channel
Hi Butch! My name is Chuck, well Charles, but I have always gone by Chuck. I'm also 71 years old, & what's funny is that my mom always called me "Butch" when I was a youngster. My best memories of high school were being in choir & the unreal harmonies that we produced. I guess that is why "The Association" was one of my favorite bands of the 60's, & of course for all time. Keep enjoying the music my friend... Chuck
I was born in '65 and I was a young 4 year-old, and I remember hearing the song "Cherish" on a long car ride to Tennessee at night that played from an 8-track player. I looked up at the stars and sang along to the lyrics, "...and gaze into your eyes." Listening to "Cherish" and looking at the stars made my heart melt, and I love this memory! 😊❤
Exactly the same for me but different circumstances. England, same looking at the stars , was the Beatles, And I Love Her. That makes my heart melt also hearing it to this day
I was born in 1955. So I very much remember their music and have always loved it. This was such a great interview. They seem like really likeable guys.
Love the Association…Graduated from High School in 1968 and they were are very large part of the AM Radio Sound of our lives… Their Harmonies are as complicated and beautiful as any that any band in the History of Rock/Pop Music ever performed, Including The Beach Boys and the Beatles…Great Band. Thanks Prof of Rock for your treatment of them.
You nailed it on the Association being a forgotten group. I listened to them in the late 60s as a pre-teenager and through the 70s as a teenager. Anyone with a sense of music couldn't ignore the brilliance of their songs. I shamefully admit I have not thought about or listened to the Association since the 80s.
The harmonies were truly excellent.
The Association were the sound of my earliest memories. I was maybe 2 or 3 years old, but their dreamy harmonies were firmly imprinted on my brain.
I still listen to the Association. I first heard Cherish back in 1966. Great harmonies.
until now
THIS WAS GREAT! As an old lady, your interview was a skip down that proverbial memory lane. These are songs that capture the true meaning of "takes me back." When I hear 'em, I'm young and still in high school. Thanks to those guys for the fun.
The Association's "Windy" from 1967's Summer Of Love is one of the best songs of all time, lyrically, vocally and instrumentally. And #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.
Agreed! WINDY Is such a feel good catchy classic!
The song is undeniably great.
Reminds of when I was a kid, sitting in the back of the beasty station wagon, and listening to the semi static of AM radio songs as we drove downtown
Especially when you consider the Breaking Bad context...not sure thats what they had in mind though 😜
Seriously though always thought it was "Wendy" maybe because that was my HS crush who I later married (and sadly divorced).
We exhibited our wedding ceremony to "Everything That Touches You"- just magical! RIP, Terry. Thanks for the beautiful music!
One of the greatest bands of all time, and their harmonies are incredible. They don't always get the respect that they deserve, but some of their songs are indeed timeless classics.
The Professor of Rock is an archeologist of music who "digs" treasured relics and showcases artifacts of a genre that spans generations. Adam, you're a gem that perpetuates the universal language of Rock 'n' Roll. Thanks for all you do. Happy holidays to you and yours.
I couldn’t have said it better. I wish someone like Netflix would make episodes with him.
Along Comes Mary was great because it combined jazz and rock with an incredible lyric. There has never been anything like it. The song was very advanced for its time and still is. Fun interview!
Good call! Thanks!
Them and BST were great at jazz rock fusion
I believe Mary is Marijuana. Great song.
@@romanwasilewski5446knew her when she was still untouched....
Thanks so much for featuring these guys ….. massively underrated…..with ALL the boy vocal bands who have come and gone …. These guys wrote -arranged -recorded & performed these timeless beautiful songs …. Master craftsman indeed !!! Thank you again
😊 only the professor could look at that list and think “did you see who’s got as many songs as the Beatles on here?” And then turn it into a whole episode. Man, this dude truly is an encyclopedia. Thank you, Prof!!
G'day to you Oh Wise One, Yay verily you speak true, they were one of the best Groups for Harmony, any Song they did was Brilliant, Never my Love, Cherish and my favourite Windy! I am now 73 and still love them! from Armadale West Aust.
I must concur, oh friend from down under! Windy is my favorite too. What are the odds, we’re thousands of miles apart, yet we dig the same tune! Hah! Gday to you!👍🎸🥁❤️
G'Day to you again my Friend, if the Music is Brilliant distance is no Barrier, I have seen so many of the Greats over the Years, of course to Me 60s will never be Beaten, Keep on Listening my Brother !@@davemoyer505
G’day from Brisbane, totally agree you mate! Cheers
As they say "Great Minds Think Alike!" Mate🤔@@russdando5153
I am 72 and I still play all the songs of the 60’s and up every night. Never my love will always be a favorite and bring sweet memories. Wonderful interview, thank u
Had the pleasure of seeing these guys in the late 80's and despite a few lineup changes they still sounded fantastic. One of my 4 or 5 favorite bands of their era
They toured up until a few years ago...
@@ProfessorofRock Near the end you played a clip from their last song to chart, it got my attention because I've loved a cover of it for years, since the 1980s. Moon Martin did the cover that I'm familiar with. TIL that it was an Association song! I'd have never guessed. Thanks Adam!
Moon Martin was my fiance's favorite musician-people-don't-know-but-should.
Moon Martin wrote the huge hit that most everyone thinks was written by Robert Palmer, "Bad Case of Loving You" (Doctor, Doctor!). It's just that Palmer was so great, he really made that song his! Moon's original is worth a listen though.
I think Moon's song "Rolene" had what it takes to be a hit, it just didn't get airplay. "Rolene" reminds me a lot of "Radar Love", sounds nothing like it but the lyrics are ALL about the anticipation of getting jiggy with a hot girl. A sexy song, but not crude:
"You know my baby's love
Just like a sweet velvet glove
Honey, crack that whip
Ya make me bite my lip!"
I’m glad you got to see them! Where was it?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Ft. Worth Tx. They played for almost 2 hrs
Always have loved this band. They have a sophistication about them that is pretty rare these days. And the lyrics to "Along Comes Mary" are among the best I've ever heard.
I agree! Thanks Mitchell!
Love Along Comes Mary! The lyrics are easily the best part of that one.
This is a terrific interview with the wonderful Jules Alexander and Jim Yester of the legendary group, The Association.
I loved The Association ever since I was a young kid during the 1960s. I finally got to see this great band in performance in 1972 at the Schaefer Music Festival in Central Park. They were absolutely superb in concert.
Sadly, Brian Cole, Richard Thompson, Larry Ramos and, most recently, the great Terry Kirkman, who performed at that memorable concert, are deceased.
Why The Association is NOT in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a joke. Shame on the obtuse and the apparently politically-incorrect Jann Wenner.
One of my favs at the time. Lost the 1st album at a party :-(
I had to smile about the length debate over Cherish. I went to a party at a friends house in the 60’s and met a girl for the first time. I got up the courage to ask her to slow dance to Cherish. Well, … we simply put that song on repeat and it went on for probably a couple of hours, over and over and over. I never wanted to let go of her.
Windy was one of the first songs that took me back to my "awakening to the music culture" in '67, 7th grade. Brings back some great memories.
I was 13 yrs old back in 1966 in the backseat with my sister in my Dad's 59 Rambler going for a drive and heard Cheris for the first time. Years later that song has stuck in my head since then, it's a beautiful song.
Amazing group! Beautiful songs and harmonies. They performed at Monterey. The fact that they are not better known and appreciated is criminal!
Have you seen them?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 unfortunately I never got the chance but I love the music
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Saw them in the 60s in Chicago.
I saw The Association in NYC in 1972. They were superb in concert.
They should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but I understand that the late, great Terry Kirkman supposedly told the insufferable Jann Wenner to “bleep-off.”
Aloha Professor of Rock, I am 72 years old and grew up with music from the Association. They were a huge influence on my love for music and I am glad you did such an amazing job of covering their incredible talent. You must have a photographic memory to cover so much history of music groups and the stories behind their struggles and successes. Keep it up and Mahalo from Hawaii.
I love music and was born in 1956. Wow what music those years produced, and all of these classics were a huge part of what is now a wonderful memory. Thanks.
I'm 51, and "Never My Love" is just a bit before my time, but I absolutely *ADORE* that song! It will always be a timeless gem.
Without this channel, music lovers would remain in the dark about their favorite songs and musicians. Thanks for turning on the lights for us Professor!
The Association’s performance of Along Comes Mary on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour is a classic. You get a real sense that the band members had a lot of fun playing together.
Saw them in 67. Great concert.
Along Comes Mary is my favorite. A real tongue twister!
@timeout8928 In Chicago,? That's where I and friends saw them.
I loved their performances on The Ed Sullivan Show.❤
I was really little (born 1960), but even at that age, I was a music affectionado. 🎶📻 📺
In July of 1966 a buddy and me took a week long trip in his 12' aluminum boat down Hoods Canal in Puget Sound. Nothing beats Puget Sound when the sun is out. We had an old fashioned transistor radio and the two songs I remember hearing all week were Laz'in on a Sunny Afternoon and Cherish. I was 16 and that was the last summer I had where I didn't have to work.
Good memories. Thanks Professor!
Ted Bluechel Jr was a “hometown boy” where I grew up and my oldest brother went to high school with him. Ted seemed to disappear. I’ve heard he passed away and also he just stepped out of the limelight to live a quiet life. I recently rediscovered The Association on UA-cam and they are on my list of mixes. Their music is timeless.
I looked this man up, and he’s still alive. He’s 81 years old now. I wouldn’t blame him for being private.
My understanding is he had a child who was on the autism spectrum, and stepped away to focus on raising him/her. I too have a child on the spectrum, so have mad respect for the man. #autismspeaks
I was a freshman in college in '66 and I still have their hits on vinyl. I still play their greatest hits on our traditional weekend video and vinyl night. They never get old. We saw them in a small venue in the early 80s and they sounded great.
My high school glass was '68. All these Association songs bring back my many, many heart breaks. Especially Cherish. Unrequited love was my middle name. Cherish about sums up my love life in high school. Funny how I can now look back fondly.
Good video. Thanks.
They remind me of their contemporaries The Fifth Dimension .Well blended ear- catching harmonies
Both great groups! What your favorite Fifth Dimension song?
@@ProfessorofRock Up, up and away.
Add Bread and The Carpenters and you’ve lost me to a sugar coma…
I love the bands from the 60's. So much, passion and love for their music. Hats off to Association. Great Band!
It's great to see Jim Yester back doing his Association gig! He's had quite a varied career and worked with some of the best folk and "folk/rock" acts. Last I knew, he was managing what's left of one of those old vocal groups like The Lettermen, The Four Preps, or one of those type acts. The Association still sells tickets, especially on the package gigs, so I'm glad he's back with them!
Early 70s mom played her radio in the house, easy listening station out of Miami. The Associations songs were played often and, of course, some of my favorite tunes of the day. Thanks for this segment. It really brought back some memories.
WLYF?
I remember slowing dancing to Cherish at my Senior Prom (1972). A lasting memory.
Thank you Adam for putting a spotlight on The Association, one of my favorite bands of all time! They are one of the few groups that remind us that the voice is every bit an instrument, just as integral to the finished piece of music as any other instrument! Their voices were astounding! That they performed their own instrumental music as well with little backup was probably not done again until Queen, so they are unique in rock music as well.
Hope everybody has a wonderful New Year in 2024!
Thank you so much for covering The Association!! Terry Kirkman grew up in Salina, KS...about 30 miles north of me.
Never My Love is my fave Association song.
One of the most under appreciated rock bands of all time. I absolutely loved the group, still do. Rock on!
Thanks so much for covering them professor. I feel connected to the Association in so many ways . Though I was born in 62, I knew of them before the 60s was over . My older brother used to play them around the house a lot to enrich my young rock and roll soul, along with the Grass Roots , another great but mostly forgotten band back then .Also that same bro was later a member of the same Mensa group as Tandyn Almer in D.C. their writer for “Along Comes” and got to probe him over the song.And I get to see them almost every year as they come to my town for the “Happy Together “ tour with The Turtles. What a treat!
My husband and I had two songs and “Cherish “ was one of them. When I was 16 and he was 18 in the summer of 1966, that song came out. I remember walking on the beach with him on San Gregorio Beach by Half Moon Bay and listening to it on my transistor radio. Hearing it always brings those days and memories right back to me and I’m 16 once again.
What a fantastic interview. Thanks Professor
Thanks for the insight. They're another great band that deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They probably never will be but that's the Hall's loss.
Never my love! Ha! I agree. They are amazing.
Well, neither is Neil Sedacka. That still pisses me off, but what am I supposed to do? All I can do is bitch about it.
I truly enjoyed this as I do all your interviews, I am 70 and my sister is 75 so i grew up listening to all the awesome music early on. My parents made her take me to see the Beatles at the Atlanta Braves Stadium in 1965, I was 12 and it was awesome. Thanks a million for covering the old stuff
One of the greatest bands of all times. I know every word of their songs, just as others do around the World. Beautiful music. Great Interview. Thank you so much. It made my day. 🇺🇸❤
The Association’s music is timeless. Every time I hear them, I blast the radio. Thanks for a great interview.
7 years old and I bought a 45 of "Cherish" for my first record. I have always felt the Association was the best of the 60s. Never have they left the soundtrack of my life. Thanks for doing this!
My husband tuned me into you and I just happened across this video on my way down another rabbit hole and ...... God, Yes, on The Association! Man what a band.
As a kid, I was a fan of "boyband" The Lettermen. It was through listening to them, that I discovered The Association. I have a deep seated love for vocal harmonies, and they remain the penulimate example. Thanks again Professor!! You never fail to entertain. You must have the highest view retention rate on UA-cam, I don't think I've ever not watched to the end. Kudos for finding the pitch perfect tone and style.
Just before going in the Army and then Vietnam, I gave a very good friend of mine (Linda) the first Association album. Need less to say, I never saw her or the album again. Loved them both.
I'm 63 and remember all their beautiful songs
I went to a talk given by Russ Giguere last month. He's promoting his book about his time with The Association. It was absolutely terrible. I learned more from this interview than the entire hour listening to him reading from his book, sounding stilted, and not actually telling us anything about the songs. Thanks as always, Adam. Have an excellent weekend.
Never My Love has been a personal favorite for 40+ years.
Really a beautiful song.
Not to be missed: The Association included a Filipino-American during some of their popular years. His name was Larry Ramos, and he is the first Asian American to ever win a Grammy. After The Association added Larry Ramos to their band, the band faced discrimination, with some people being upset and not wanting to give the band opportunities to play. Larry Ramos has passed away, but he was a trailblazer. Raised in Hawaii and California, he was a red-blooded American, just like you and me.
Complete & utter bull 💩! Y’all forget some of us were alive & activity listening to rock during this period & not once did I ever hear this from ANYONE!!! NOBODY CARED!!!
@@patrickancona1193 Name a fact I got wrong. If you can’t, then look in the mirror at the bull 💩
Yes I remember Larry Ramos. An ex- monk and Catholic seminary survivor, just like me. Can't blame him for dropping out. Too much regimentation and indoctrination. His true vocation was his music. He found his calling.
@@patrickancona1193”Nobody cared back then”? Complete nonsense. I don’t know about the incident he mentions where the band wasn’t allowed to play, but it’s likely true because he was in fact the first Asian to win a Grammy in the early sixties and, shortly after, there was a long delay in hiring him to be in the backing band on the The Andy Williams TV Show “because he would be the only non-white member of the band”, per the TV show’s producer. Yes, many audiences in many places didn’t care, but many did.
Its bullshit complete and utter bullshit. No one cared about race in the music business for sure. Do you remember a guy named Carlos Santana, or maybe Richie Valens, then around that time there was this other fellow that was kinda popular, what was that.guys nam... oh yeah Jimi Hendrix. Racism was then and is now dead, you should really let it RIP
Truly one of the best vocal arrangements and harmonies ever put on vinyl
Hey Professor - I am closing in on 73 trips around the sun and still remember the lyrics to “Along Comes Mary”! When I hear it I can’t help but belt it out. The sixties were a great time for growing up in. Thanks for all you do for us to bring us these great interviews!
There are so many unsung heroes of rock. Great that you have done this feature on this underrated group.
I love the videos where professor interviews the band members. It just brings so much new information to that song. I love all those songs. Such classics
Loved The Association growing up. Played Windy countless times in middle school band. They were definitely a big part of the radio airplay I grew up with.
Windy is a classic!
What did you play in band?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Cornet. I was first chair so I pretty much carried the melody.
Love this group, was fortunate to meet Jim and Jules at a New Jersey concert a few years ago and have them sign my "Stop Your Motor " Album, one of my all time favorites.
My Aunt's & Mom Loved Cherish! Grew up with that! Thanks 🧡 Much Love!
My favorite by The Association: MESSAGE OF OUR LOVE. Didn't make it into the charts, but it's so romantic that it's in my heart till the day I die.
Thank you for this. They are a grossly underrated band. Saw them at least six times over the years and their vocal harmonies were always on point.
I’m a 1948 model, this was prime for this group’s songs. And they were ALL special. Remarkable!
And your interview was a fine one.
Great! Nice guys, great memories, perfect interview.
Love The Association. During the mid-to-late 1960's, they recorded so many great mellow, pop-rock songs including "Cherish", "Windy", "Never My :Love" and so much more. I always wondered what happened to them and why we didn't hear anything new from them in the 1970's. That's why I tune in regularly to The Professor Of Rock Music Channel.
THanks Stephen!
Isn't "Never My Love" a Beatles cover?
I was thinking that they kept making music but it wasn’t going anywhere, so they just disbanded.
Me, too, Stephen. Professor of Rock brings back a lot of the great songs and explains them to us and younger people.
@@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398no it’s not
I'm glad to see this great group featured today. I see why "Cherish" was enjoyed by so many, but I agree it is somewhat obsessive. I think "Windy" was great, too, but among their many standouts, "Everything That Touches You" is my favorite.
Good songs.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Hi Lilly, yes...Happy Holidays to you and yours; I hope you had a super Christmas!
@@shiroibasketshoes I had a wonderful Christmas, how about you?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I had fun on Xmas when a longtime friend visited for a few hours, thanks! I am glad yours was wonderful!
🤡🤡🤡
This is the music of my school days. I remember how popular Wendy was on the radio. It seemed like WLS played it every hour on the hour for a whole summer.
Everything That Touches You was/is probably my favorite Association song. It describes how I feel about my wife of 43 years and counting.
I still play their music once in a while. I ripped their greatest hits CD to MP3 and put it on my phone and the USB drive in my car.
Being an old Boomer, I'm still mostly stuck in the 60s and 70s when it comes to music.
I remember when Wendy was played on Breaking Bad and thought it was cool.
Wendy. Who??? Wrong
Good old WLS 890. Chicago's premier rock station. Played rock music well into the 80's. Then went down the toilet along with the rest of AM radio. Still broadcasting but has nothing but talk , sports, and other crap. However its sister station WLS FM 94.7 is still playing older music and classic rock till this very day.
WLS! Best DJ--Larry Lujack. The good old days! My favorite was also Everything That TouchesYou, with Cherish a close second.
You must mean Windy. Wendy is a song by the Beach Boys. Wendy left me alone, but everyone knows it's Windy.
I had forgotten much of how good they really were. Part of many experiences of my life . Great interview.
Hope you had a great Christmas, Professor! Love Cherish and Never, My Love. Always love how wholesome and sweet those songs sound with their beautiful harmonies. Great video as always! 🙏
Everything That Touches You and Requiem are my favorite Association tracks though the three in the top 25 are stellar compositions and recordings. I'm thrilled these guys are getting some "posthumous" recognition.Their vocal harmonies are dead on and so uplifting. And their arrangements! That is creativity at its best.
One of the interesting things about The Association is that they spread the lead vocal duties around. Terry Kirkman wrote and sang lead on "Cherish," but it was Larry Ramos, then new to the group, who sang lead on "Windy" and my favourite, "Never My Love." Jim Yester wrote and sang lead on "Along the Way," a beautiful ballad from 1970 that should have been a hit, but failed to chart. The band also did some great B-sides, including "We Love Us" (B-side of "Everything that Touches You"), written and sung by Ted Bluechel, "Looking Glass" (B-side of "No Fair at All"), and "Requiem for the Masses" (B-side of "Never My Love," and a minor chart entry). They also did a good cover of "Darling Be Home Soon," which was a minor chart entry in the spring of 1972.
The Association also provided the title song and a few others for the movie "Goodbye Columbus" (1969) and remained a good concert draw into the early 1970s, with a live album in 1970 that sold fairly well.
what you didnt know larry ramos is filipino
All of the guys in The Association are superb singers.
OMG!!!
I love how yourgful they are....and they seem like so much FUN!
So much of their oeuvre sounds like chant. The harmonies really sell the songs. My sister and I loved The Association, growing up, and were always singing their songs. Thanks for the information and the interview!
great interview professor. good to see the band members still here, happy and healthy and telling the old stories.
THanks!
I loved The Association! They're songs are classic.Cherish and Never my love are a big part of my music memories!❤❤
Agreed! Part of the soundtrack of our lives!
They’re a 60s treasure.
I read something Ray Manzarek of The Doors wrote about playing in Des Moines for 34 people the weekend after The Association played to over 5,000. He seemed bitter. For me, it told me that the version of the 1960s I was being sold probably wasn't the truth. It drove me to learn more about 1960s music -- and I learned I *wasn't* being told the truth about what people actually listened to.
The Association will always be one of my favorite groups. They were insanely talented.
Does someone remember a summer replacement show possibly in 66 or 67 that was talent show with them and Sly and the Family Stone in it? Is my memory that bad?
It may have been that people were staying away after Morrison exposed himself on stage.
Thank you so much for the interview 🙏
The Association was the favorite band, along with The Beatles, from 1966 to 1968, for me and my first love Linda. “Cherish” was our song. Every time I hear those songs they make me cry. Ah memories of youth and young love…I was in college and she was in high school then. I thought it would last forever and we would get married, but it wasn’t to be.
Now I am with my soul mate wife Sandra and she has filled that empty void I had in my heart for many years.
Pure, Real Music! ❤ That Will Forever Stand the test of Time. These Gentlemen set the bar.... Forever ❤ Thank You.
During the 1966-68 era, The Association was my absolute favorite American band. Their two albums on Valiant were sensational. I was sad when Gary/Jules left but Larry did a fine job in replacement. Two songs that fell between Cherish and Windy that don't get the recognition they deserve were Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies, a psychedelic masterpiece written by Jules, and No Fair at All (written by Jim) which really showcased Jim's angelic voice. I encourage anyone who likes the songs in this video to check them out if you're not familiar.
Have you seen their performance at Monterey Pop?
@@seed_drill7135 Yes, great performance!
Every once in a while I pull up Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies on youtube. Underrated number.
They were supposed to play locally a couple years before the pandemic with Al Stewart on the bill, but it was cancelled due to poor sales. We didn't get the memo and drove to an empty parking lot. @@blinky705 😞
Great interview. I grew up with their music. Love how when Jules returned from India he rejoined the band, no hassle. Jim Yester also has one of the most gorgeous voices in rock (Barefoot Gentleman and Rose Petals, Incense, and a Kitten, right up their with Art Garfunkel IMHO). Thank you!
Excellent take on this group! Thank you!
So nice that you interview such wonderful people. You bring these classics back to life and give them deeper meaning.
One of my favorite LP’s to listen to as a kid/teen/young adult was The Association’s Insight Out album. In addition to Windy and Never My Love, other tracks I liked were On A Quiet Night, Reputation (dug Brian Cole’s vocal as well as the seemingly atypical R&B feel), and both B-sides of the big hits, Sometimes and Requiem For The Masses (the story behind that song is fascinating also).
I was born as their string of hits was coming to an end, so I was aware of them post popularity but while radio still had some of their hits on their playlists. I remember that when I was little, I thought they were saying "Sherry Shoe", not "Cherish you". I did grow up enjoying their hits on the radio.
Ha ha! Thanks for sharing!
You’re confusing them with Frankie Valli! Staaaaaahp.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Even my young self isn't mistaking those (relatively) deep vocals for Frankie Valli...
I was first introduced to The Association by my older brother - now 76. The amazing harmonies grabbed my attention right off the bat. I felt devastated when Jules (Gary) Alexander left, although I grew to accept Larry Ramos as his capable replacement, and felt fully vindicated when Jules returned, even though it meant that Terry Kirkman’s “Six Man Band” had to be revised to “Seven Man Band.” At one point I had every LP the band put out. I could hardly believe it when Brian Cole died, and now more so with the passing of Larry Ramos and Terry Kirkman. In my opinion, The Association never got the recognition and credit they deserved. But thank you, Professor, for focusing your spotlight on one of my favorite bands of all time. You made my day!
The first drummer in my first band Glass Onyon was Brant Cole the son of The Association’s bass player singer and cofounder Brian Cole. Brant now produces and plays with his band Cole/Flood in LA.
Thanks Professor for the great interview and history! As a young teenager, my big sister took me to my first rock concert in the SF Bay Area with The Association, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, and Tommy James and the Shondells, not long after Cherish was released. Wow, what a show! Those truly were the days!
Everything that Touches You is one of my favorite songs! The Association is sooo underrated.
Agreed. So many great songs!
"Everything" is such a beautiful song!!! Never got much airplay, but if you bought the album, you could play it all the time!! My favorite was "Six Man Band"!! That buzzin' guitar still haunts me today!!✌️
That’s a great choice!