Music For Labor Day: Ian Dury, ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’ (1978)

'...all my brain and body need...' (Ian Dury, 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,' 1978)

‘…all my brain and body need…’ (Ian Dury, ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,’ 1978)

Happy Labor Day fellow USians! Today is a day for taking a break, putting one’s feet up and giving thanks for labors of the past and present. It’s also a fine day for sex and drugs and rock and roll. I refer, of course, to the song of the same name! Cough..cough. All on the up and up here.

Here’s Ian Dury and the Blockheads performing “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” on the Dutch music show, TopPop in January of 1978. S&D&R&R was first released under Ian Dury’s name alone (the Blockheads were formed just after) in August of 1977. Despite the tune’s wonderfulness and its popularity on new wave and punk rock stations in the late 70s and early 80s it was, surprisingly, not a chart hit. Play with gusto and have a great day off.

Ian Dury and the Blockheads, ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’ on TopPop, 1978

Previously on Music for Monday: The Sylvers, ‘Boogie Fever’ (1976)

Daily 70s Spot: ‘The Mike Douglas Show,’ ‘Moscow’ Promo (1975)

Swingin' Mike keeping things cool ('The Mike Douglas Show,' 1975)

Swingin’ Mike keeping things cool (‘The Mike Douglas Show,’ 1975)

“ABC sports announcer, Jim McKay joins Mike on his tour through Russia.”

To start off the week, our Daily 70s Spot features an American talk show that ran for the entirety of the 1970s. Here’s a commercial for The Mike Douglas Show promoting a week-long broadcast from Moscow, Soviet Russia. Spot aired in November of 1975.

Daily 70s Spot #234: ‘The Mike Douglas Show,’ ‘Moscow’ Promo (1975)

Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Shell Auto Care (1978)

Daily 70s Spot: Shell Auto Care (1978)

Tell me, 'Shell Answer Man,' how do we achieve peace on Earth? (Shell commercial, 1978)

Tell me, ‘Shell Answer Man,’ how do we achieve peace on Earth? (Shell commercial, 1978)

“Come to Shell Auto Care dealers for answers.”

Daily 70s Spot time. Today we visit an old friend – the Shell Answer Man – in this commercial for Shell Auto Care. Spot aired in May of 1978.

Daily 70s Spot #233: Shell Auto Care, 1978

Previously on Daily 70s Spot: ‘Stunts’ TV Promo (1977)

Daily 70s Spot: ‘Stunts’ TV Promo (1977)

This particular stunt didn't go so well ('Stunts' promo, 1977)

This particular stunt didn’t go so well (‘Stunts’ promo, 1977)

“Stunt Men – their business is danger…”

Time to attach some dynamite to our Daily 70s Spot and roll it across the road. Today, we have a television promo for the New Line Cinema motion picture, Stunts, starring Robert Forster. Spot aired in 1977.

Daily 70s Spot #232: ‘Stunts’ TV Promo (1977)

Previously on Daily 70s Spot: Wang Computers ‘Giant Killers’ (1978)

Funshine Friday: ‘Hong Kong Phooey’ Cartoons (1974)

The searing, intelligent gaze of 'Hong Kong Phooey' (Hanna-Barbera, 1974)

The searing, intelligent gaze of ‘Hong Kong Phooey’ (Hanna-Barbera, 1974)

Happy Funshine Friday, Bionic pals. Today, we drag Hong Kong Phooey into the spotlight once again with two, full cartoons on display.

‘Iron Head the Robot’ and ‘Cotton Pickin’ Pocket Picker’ comprised episode two of Hong Kong Phooey and first aired on September 14, 1974. The great Scatman Crothers (whom I met very briefly in the halls of CBS studios in the 70s) is the voice of Mr. Phooey and really brings these shorts alive. Roll it. Heee Yah!

Bruce Lee ain't got nuthin' on this ('Hong Kong Phooey,' 1974)

Bruce Lee ain’t got nuthin’ on this (‘Hong Kong Phooey,’ 1974)

‘Hong Kong Phooey’: ‘Iron Head the Robot’ & ‘Cotton Pickin’ Pocket Picker,’ 1974

Hong Kong Phooey Wiki, IMDb

Previously on Funshine Friday: ‘The Electric Company’ Intro (1976) & ‘The Sweet Sweet Sway’ (1972)

Daily 70s Spot: Wang Computers ‘Giant Killers’ (1978)

'Wang!' (James Harder, Wang commercial, 1978)

‘Wang!’ (James Harder, Wang commercial, 1978)

“Wang! They ARE giant killers!”

It’s time to type up and print out our Daily 70s Spot. Here we have another Wang computer and word processing systems commercial. Spot aired in November of 1978. The actor playing the boss appears to be James ‘Big Fig Newton’ Harder.

Daily 70s Spot #231: Wang Computers ‘Giant Killers’ Commercial, 1978

Previously on Daily 70s Spot: ‘The Electric Company”s Judy Graubart For JCPenney (1972)