The-B-Side of Life

This week we spend more time in the 1970's, this time featuring songs and artists that were often known as "One-Hit-Wonders." Those songs and songwriters that may only have hit pay-dirt once, but whose original songs not only climbed high on the charts, but were later covered by other artists, thus ensuring them of lasting legacies and many years of royalties. One surprising and repeating feature was how quickly some of these songs were written and how long they lasted on the Hot 100!

We hope you enjoy is very abbreviated listing, as time did not permit for a more in-depth look, so we will need to visit this topic again!

In this episode we dive right into the 1970s with a special guest and long time friend of Kurt's.

We both agree that the 70's were the absolute worst for men's fashions - wide ties with even wider lapels, sideburns, shaggy hair, gold chains, and worst of all, polyester!

Our guest, Carrie describes how it was actually a great fashion decade for the ladies - a combination of bohemian/hippy with maxi-dresses, cut-off shorts, miniskirts, knee-high boots and platform shoes.

Then of course there was the music - from Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd to the singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Carole king, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Jackson Browne, Elton John, Billy Joel Paul Simon and so many others.

And least we forget the sound of soul and rhythm & blue, from Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Earth,Wind & Fire, and too many others to mention.

Buckle up and join us as we take a look back at the 70's through our perspectives and through the eyes and life of our guest, Carrie, who puts her defining spin on the fashions and music of the 1970's!

New banter from Kurt and Jim...A music history lesson that made The Beatles a whole lot of money in one day and the story of The Doors on The Ed Sullivan Show along with The Who on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour...More from Kurt's Irks...Some additions to last times discussion of Black and White TV shows and our music topic for the day, Novelty Songs from the likes of Ray Stevens, Roger Miller, Tiny Tim, Alan Sherman, The Beach Boys and more...

Today we discussed Black & White TV shows from our youth - More of "Kirk's Irks" and the surprising things we learned over the years about the session players who were the backing track for nearly all the pop and rock music of our youth...The Wrecking Crew of LA - The Swampers of Muscle Shoals, Alabama and The Funk Brothers of Motown...Just a handful of musicians who created the sound track of our lives.

New Kurt's Irks, the original names of fast food restaurants, and Hollywood night clubs featuring the artists that filled the AM radio dial. Why just listen, when for $2.50 one could go to the Sunset Strip and see the bands and artists live and in person!

Episode Nine. A recap of this day in Rock History...Kurt's latest Irks, a tribute to Dolly Parton and an interview segment with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones on looking back and what really matters.

Music Updates, Car Songs, Little Deuce Coop, Interesting info on Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, this day in musical history and more...

Talking Double sided hits on 45 RPM records...

Cartoons we grew up with

The B-side of Life podcast

Th B-Side of Life podcast - Episode Five - June 12, 2026