Old Timer's Airline Quiz and Discussion.
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Now that I think of it, there's another song off an album I actually have. The band is the Flatlanders (A country band from Lubbock, Texas with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock). The song is titled "Dallas"
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well, Dallas is a woman who will walk on you when you're down
But when you are up, she's the kind you want to take around
But Dallas ain't a woman to help you get your feet on the ground
And Dallas is a woman who will walk on you when you're down
Well, I came into Dallas with the bright lights on my mind,
But I came into Dallas with a dollar and a dime
Well Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes
A steel and concrete soul with a warm hearted love disguise
A rich man who tends to believe in his own lies
Yeah Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes
Well, I came into Dallas with the bright lights on my mind,
But I came into Dallas with a dollar and a dime
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well, Dallas is a woman who will walk on you when you're down
But when you are up, she's the kind you want to take around
But Dallas ain't a woman to help you get your feet on the ground
And Dallas is a woman who will walk on you when you're down
Well, I came into Dallas with the bright lights on my mind,
But I came into Dallas with a dollar and a dime
Well Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes
A steel and concrete soul with a warm hearted love disguise
A rich man who tends to believe in his own lies
Yeah Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes
Well, I came into Dallas with the bright lights on my mind,
But I came into Dallas with a dollar and a dime
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
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It states here, which coincides with what I always thought, that it was a Viscount. It came from the EMI recording studio's stock tape of sounds, this one "Jet and Piston Engine Aeroplane sounds", the sort of thing that the recording industry has around for special effects. I bet the Beatles long-time producer, George Martin (more musically competent than any of the band, or any of the other bands he ever worked with, come to that), just knew where it was in the store cupboard and listened through all the sounds on it for the best one. Described here, just under the Apple label
https://www.beatlesbible.com/1968/08...k-in-the-ussr/
How many others of us still have the record up in their attic ?
The high-pitched scream of the Dart engine was particularly noticeable on the Viscount which had four of them. The compressor ran at 15,000 rpm and the compressor tips were near-supersonic (the propellers ran far slower, through reduction gearing). A bit noisy. The later, bigger Tyne engine ran slower, but was even noisier from its big propeller blades - when I was at university in Edinburgh in the 1970s, up at Edinburgh Castle on top of its rock, on a quiet night you could hear Vanguards taxying at Edinburgh airport 7 miles away. The Britannia engine and props combination however was so quiet, just a low drone, hence its nickname. Wonder how they did it.
I'll just observe it was "Flew in FROM Miami Beach BOAC". The song is from the perspective of a KGB agent returning home, hence the subsequent excitements with the Ukraine girls, the Georgia girls, etc (It's the other Georgia). It was criticised at the time for portraying Russia in anything other than an unfavourable light ...
Last edited by WHBM; Nov 14, 2020 at 7:45 am
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I'll just observe it was "Flew in FROM Miami Beach BOAC". The song is from the perspective of a KGB agent returning home, hence the subsequent excitements with the Ukraine girls, the Georgia girls, etc (It's the other Georgia). It was criticised at the time for portraying Russia in anything other than an unfavourable light ...
again, no research at all, and obviously no critical thinking about the lyrics either
:/
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The "Whispering Giant" making that high-pitched scream ? Surely not. But credit for guessing a turboprop where most references say a "jet".
It states here, which coincides with what I always thought, that it was a Viscount. It came from the EMI recording studio's stock tape of sounds, this one "Jet and Piston Engine Aeroplane sounds", the sort of thing that the recording industry has around for special effects. I bet the Beatles long-time producer, George Martin (more musically competent than any of the band, or any of the other bands he ever worked with, come to that), just knew where it was in the store cupboard and listened through all the sounds on it for the best one. Described here, just under the Apple label
https://www.beatlesbible.com/1968/08...k-in-the-ussr/
The high-pitched scream of the Dart engine was particularly noticeable on the Viscount which had four of them. The compressor ran at 15,000 rpm and the compressor tips were near-supersonic (the propellers ran far slower, through reduction gearing). A bit noisy. The later, bigger Tyne engine ran slower, but was even noisier from its big propeller blades - when I was at university in Edinburgh in the 1970s, up at Edinburgh Castle on top of its rock, on a quiet night you could hear Vanguards taxying at Edinburgh airport 7 miles away. The Britannia engine and props combination however was so quiet, just a low drone, hence its nickname. Wonder how they did it.
It states here, which coincides with what I always thought, that it was a Viscount. It came from the EMI recording studio's stock tape of sounds, this one "Jet and Piston Engine Aeroplane sounds", the sort of thing that the recording industry has around for special effects. I bet the Beatles long-time producer, George Martin (more musically competent than any of the band, or any of the other bands he ever worked with, come to that), just knew where it was in the store cupboard and listened through all the sounds on it for the best one. Described here, just under the Apple label
https://www.beatlesbible.com/1968/08...k-in-the-ussr/
The high-pitched scream of the Dart engine was particularly noticeable on the Viscount which had four of them. The compressor ran at 15,000 rpm and the compressor tips were near-supersonic (the propellers ran far slower, through reduction gearing). A bit noisy. The later, bigger Tyne engine ran slower, but was even noisier from its big propeller blades - when I was at university in Edinburgh in the 1970s, up at Edinburgh Castle on top of its rock, on a quiet night you could hear Vanguards taxying at Edinburgh airport 7 miles away. The Britannia engine and props combination however was so quiet, just a low drone, hence its nickname. Wonder how they did it.
How many others of us still have the record up in their attic ?
I'll just observe it was "Flew in FROM Miami Beach BOAC". The song is from the perspective of a KGB agent returning home,
DC-9 x 2
707, 737, 747 x 1 each
Hint for the last one I'm thinking of. Came out just before and after (1 yr) two of the songs referred to in this post. Aircraft type is in the first line of the lyrics and the band had a (mispelled) name suggesting flight.
Last edited by YVR Cockroach; Nov 14, 2020 at 10:02 am
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well, here’s another for your list (and I’m a bit surprised, since the artist is Canadian):
Gordon Lightfoot, Early Morning Rain - “Out on runway number 9 / Big 707 set to go”
Gordon Lightfoot, Early Morning Rain - “Out on runway number 9 / Big 707 set to go”
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Now that I think of it, there's another song off an album I actually have. The band is the Flatlanders (A country band from Lubbock, Texas with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock). The song is titled "Dallas"
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
Well Dallas is a jewel, oh yeah, Dallas is a beautiful sight
And Dallas is a jungle but Dallas gives a beautiful light
Did you ever see Dallas from a DC-9 at night?
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It states here, which coincides with what I always thought, that it was a Viscount. It came from the EMI recording studio's stock tape of sounds, this one "Jet and Piston Engine Aeroplane sounds", the sort of thing that the recording industry has around for special effects. I bet the Beatles long-time producer, George Martin (more musically competent than any of the band, or any of the other bands he ever worked with, come to that), just knew where it was in the store cupboard and listened through all the sounds on it for the best one. Described here, just under the Apple label
https://www.beatlesbible.com/1968/08...k-in-the-ussr/
How many others of us still have the record up in their attic ?
Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.
You don't know how lucky you are boy
Back in the U.S.S.R.
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In the same vein, name the singer-songwriter who performed this song which mentions a wide body aircraft.....
I walked to the window turned out the light
Looked at the city went through the night
Yeah I stood in the darkness stood all alone
Thank God for California thank God I'm going home
That's right you hurt me baby hurt me good
Hurt me like no one else ever could
Cut me down the middle face down in the dirt
And we both know it's too late to save it
Betcha feel proud about it baby
You taught me how to hurt
DC-10, 10:45
Halfway to L.A. red in the eye
Might be the devil, might just be his friend
It don't make no difference you ain't gettin' me again
That's right you hurt me baby hurt me good
Hurt me like no one else ever could
Cut me down the middle face down in the dirt
And we both know it's too late to save it
Betcha feel proud about it baby
You taught me how to hurt
I walked to the window turned out the light
Looked at the city went through the night
Yeah I stood in the darkness stood all alone
Thank God for California thank God I'm going home
That's right you hurt me baby hurt me good
Hurt me like no one else ever could
Cut me down the middle face down in the dirt
And we both know it's too late to save it
Betcha feel proud about it baby
You taught me how to hurt
DC-10, 10:45
Halfway to L.A. red in the eye
Might be the devil, might just be his friend
It don't make no difference you ain't gettin' me again
That's right you hurt me baby hurt me good
Hurt me like no one else ever could
Cut me down the middle face down in the dirt
And we both know it's too late to save it
Betcha feel proud about it baby
You taught me how to hurt
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The name of the song is "Hurt" from the You're Gonna Get It! album.
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In that show, he did mention what he saw that inspired him to add the 707 to the lyrics. So a
Bonus question
Being awed by which airline's brand spanking new plane inspired Gordon Lightfoot to feature the 707 in the lyrics to Early Morning Rain?
Answer can be found here (but might take a bit of time for it to be reviewed).
I think if something isn't in the first line of the lyrics, I won't notice it. Sort of like someone screening job cover letters.
Last edited by YVR Cockroach; Nov 14, 2020 at 1:20 pm
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Have to admit I looked it up. I am aware of the singer/band but can't say I know the song (unless I've heard it).
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SO we Have
{Missing plane/song/artist}
DC-9 Dallas / Flatlanders
DC-10 Hurt / Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
707 Jet Airliner / Steve Miller Band & Early Morning Rain / Gordon Lightfoot & Boeing Boeing 707 / Roger Miller
737 Travelin' Band / Creedence Clearwater Revival
747 It Nevers Rain in Southern California / Albert Hammond
p.s. Albert Hammond was/is a British reportedly from Gibraltar. I guess the names of British planes just didn't roll off the lyrics so well.. Wonder if French songs feature Caravelle and Mercure.
{Missing plane/song/artist}
DC-9 Dallas / Flatlanders
DC-10 Hurt / Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
707 Jet Airliner / Steve Miller Band & Early Morning Rain / Gordon Lightfoot & Boeing Boeing 707 / Roger Miller
737 Travelin' Band / Creedence Clearwater Revival
747 It Nevers Rain in Southern California / Albert Hammond
p.s. Albert Hammond was/is a British reportedly from Gibraltar. I guess the names of British planes just didn't roll off the lyrics so well.. Wonder if French songs feature Caravelle and Mercure.
Last edited by YVR Cockroach; Nov 15, 2020 at 10:42 am
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Eric Clapton and B.B. King recorded an album together entitled "Riding With The King" with the title track written by John Hiatt mentioning an airline. Here are the lyrics....
I dreamed I had a job and I got well paid
I blew it all at the penny arcade
A hundred dollars on a kewpie doll
No pretty chick is going to make me crawl
Get on a TWA to the promised land
Every woman, child and man
Gets a Cadillac and a great big diamond ring
Don't you know you're riding with the king?
He's on a mission of mercy to the new frontier
He's gonna check us all on out of here
Up to that mansion on a hill
Where you can get your prescription filled
Get on a TWA to the promised land
Everybody clap your hands
And don't you just love the way he sings?
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Riding with the king
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
A tuxedo and a shiny 335
You can see it in his face, the blue never lie
Tonight everybody's getting their angel wings
And don't you know we're riding with the king?
I stepped out of Mississippi when I was ten years old
With a suit cut sharp as a razor and a heart made of gold
I had a guitar hanging just about waist high
And I'm going to play this thing until the day I die
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Riding, you're riding with the king
You're riding, you're riding with the king
I dreamed I had a job and I got well paid
I blew it all at the penny arcade
A hundred dollars on a kewpie doll
No pretty chick is going to make me crawl
Get on a TWA to the promised land
Every woman, child and man
Gets a Cadillac and a great big diamond ring
Don't you know you're riding with the king?
He's on a mission of mercy to the new frontier
He's gonna check us all on out of here
Up to that mansion on a hill
Where you can get your prescription filled
Get on a TWA to the promised land
Everybody clap your hands
And don't you just love the way he sings?
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Riding with the king
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
A tuxedo and a shiny 335
You can see it in his face, the blue never lie
Tonight everybody's getting their angel wings
And don't you know we're riding with the king?
I stepped out of Mississippi when I was ten years old
With a suit cut sharp as a razor and a heart made of gold
I had a guitar hanging just about waist high
And I'm going to play this thing until the day I die
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Don't you know we're riding with the king?
Riding, you're riding with the king
You're riding, you're riding with the king
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The original version by Hiatt also featured the same airline but the lyrics differ (reportedly rewritten by Hiatt for the King.Clapton version).
So for airlines
BOAC - Back in the USSR / The Beatles
TWA - Riding with the King / John Hiatt + BB King/Eric Clapton
The only time I've heard TWA mentioned in music was some advertising jingle used in the U.K. in the '70s.
Last edited by YVR Cockroach; Nov 14, 2020 at 5:16 pm
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