Thanks to everyone this week for all your great comments! This has been a fun break for me and I hope for you as well. In the future I may do another theme week. This will be the last car post for a while. Also...thanks to any husbands or significant others that may have visited this week as well...hope you enjoyed dreaming about the cars! Who knows...a future theme may be Barbie dolls!Dan
Peace Brother...or in today's parlance...Don't taz me bro!
The technical quality of these photos is not all that great but I couldn't end the week without a hippie van.
During the late 60's and early 70's this was the most coveted mode of transportation at Purdue. Along with the shag carpet, the smiley face, love beads and assorted psychedelic art posters, multiple compartments to hide your stash, even the peace symbol hanging on the mirror and in the upper left hand of the windshield...all the "important" necessities of life were contained within the VW Microbus! Even down to the subtle touches like...no cigarette lighter in the dash. Why? But of course because there was always the BIC lighter in the glove compartment to proudly hold up whenever FREEBIRD was played over the state of the art 8 track. To hear this over speakers the size of spare tires was a an experience to behold.
Each generation has it's quirks...the flappers of the 20's, the Zoot suits of the 30's, the rumble seat of 40's, the qawdy roadside attractions of the 50's, the diso ball of the 70's, the big hair of the 80's, gangster rap of the 90's, and Twitter of today...but the VW Mircro bus remains the symbol of all that was great or wrong with the 60's...depending upon your point of view.
The largest Ipod play list of all...after all the 60's was all about music:
Woodstock - complete album
Don't Bogart that Joint - from Easy rider soundtrack
The complete Grateful Dead discography
FREEBIRD - only played when lighters are lit
Turn Turn Turn
The times, they are a changin'
Dust in the wind
Any song with a cowbell in it
Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin
Timothy Leary is dead - Moody Blues
Hair...from the Musical
Dawning of the age of Aquarius
Up up and away in my beautiful balloon
Complete Temptation's Discography
The Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix
4 Dead in Ohio
Teach your Children
Credence - complete set
Overture from Tommy
A day in the life
She came in through the bathroom window...Let's add the entire Abbey Road Album
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)... Google it!
My Green Tambourine
If your going to San Fransisco...be sure to wear flowers in your hair
...this list is too long to include it all...any additions?
On the DVD player:
Easy Rider
Forest Gump (my favorite...made after the 60's but so appropriate)
2001 Space Odyssey
Woodstock of course (while the 8 track is playing the album)
Friends (not the TV show but movie with the Elton John soundtrack - Google it)
Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Libertine (didn't have to sneak out...I was in college away from the parents)
Last Known Tweet from Twitter:
Yasgur's Farm...we are here...FAR OUT@toasted.com Google Yasgur's Farm
Have a "peaceful" weekend brothers and sisters....
Dan
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23 comments:
Love it!! If I had my choice of decades, the 60's would be it. The music is my favorite! Creedance, The Doors, The Beatles... I'd love to have gone to some of their shows.
I love all of the bumper stickers and the tag on the front of the van. Very hippie. Nice :)
Also, Freebird was our senior class song. It gets rather long when you listen to it a bajillion times during senior week, but still good. Lighters are a must.
Ahhh Heather....a woman after my own heart! and the Doors...I forgot the Doors! Nice addition to the play list!
I can't believe Freebird was your song during senior week! AWESOME!
Dan
Excellent! Makes me want to hit the road! (These were notorious for breaking down at the side of the road, however...)
;^0
How 'bout "Puff the Magic Dragon" by Peter, Paul and Mary
;^)
Cyn Thina...
Excellent addition to the play list...Puff the magic Dragon! I love it! And you are right...they were very unreliable!
Dan
A true blast from the past! Love the texture of this photo. The carefree 60's are back when you take a ride in this classic van. My husband and I thank you for giving us an enjoyable "car escape" this week. I bet my husband will be saying soon, "Any more testosterone themed weeks from Dan?" My daughter would like the Barbie week:)
Thanks Septembermom...
I am glad you enjoyed the week. I was hesitant to do this type of thing since it was so different than what I usually do! I think people enjoyed it...but I think they are ready now to move on!
Dan
Blast from the past, man. I was at Woodstock. Don't remember much about it, though.
I didn't have a VW but I had a love van.
Great post, brother. And the photo is awesome.
Peace. Love.
Oh, Freebird is still my favorite song.
I have so enjoyed the cars, and the finale is perfect - the treasured VW van. Peter, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, spoke at my high school graduation in 1971 and I still treasure the program which has his name in it. I loved that music, and the magic of the message. Music does define a time period, doesn't it? I'm a little nervous about that with this generation! If you can't hear the words, can you receive the message?!
When I saw this one, Dan... I called in to my oldest son to tell him that he posted this one for him. He's been saying lately that when he grows up, he wants one of these vans in pink (but he IS color blind...so I don't know what pink actually looks like to him) with a huge peace sign on it.
I love this kid! He carries mom's sense of humor, fun and joy.
Anyway...he came in and looked at your VW and smiled a BIG smile. COOL!
Now..on this list (if it were mine) would also have included one of my FAVORITES...The Steve Miller Band :)
Oh how I envy a car with such character. (A VW van beats the pants off of my hum-drum Sonata, let me put it that way.) The 60's are an era that I known little about, but now you've triggered my interest. For that, I must say thanks! :-D
Oh, and I say go for it with the Barbie week. Tehe!
...this has been a fun series. I loved them all, but especially the 1957 Oldsmobile Rocket. Wish I had that car!
Patty...words from an actual Woodstock attendee! I enjoyed your post and long live FREEBIRD! (cigarette lighter is out and on!)
Dan
Sandy...I am in total agreement...the words are the message! Man, I am sounding older every day! That is really neet that you had Peter, Paul and Mary at your high school...something to remember. I am glad you enjoyed this weeks departure from the program!
Dan
Vermont Heather...
I am really glad your son enjoyed the post...that runs the whole gamut now this week...from someones father to someones son...I take great satisfaction in that! Also...Long live Steve Miller Band...they had a style unlike any other! Have a great weekend.
Dan
Kateri....
Look at it this way...your Sonata is a lot more reliable than the old Micro buss! If you didn't know much about the 60's...hopefully you learned something this week and welcome aboard the peace train (Cat Stevens)!
Dan
Kelly...
I am with you...my favorite picture was the Oldsmobile as well. The qawdy continental kit said so much about that era!
Dan
Pretty groovy, my brother.
Interestingly, while spending this summer in the San Francisco Bay area, I've seen more VW vans on the roads than I've seen in the last two decades in other cities, I think.
It's always the 60's out here, I think. ;-)
Peace & love, Jennifer
Jennifer...LOL!
I bet you have felt right at home with this post! I have been following your trek through the SF and Oakland areas this summer.
Dan
I love these vans.
I drive VW - they are great cars!
(I used to drive GM, but my cars kept falling apart. Maybe I picked the wrong ones?)
Jen,
I heard the other day that VW is now outselling Toyota and all three American Car Companies! I drove a VW Rabbit in '75!
Dan
Right on, brother! I lived those times as well. I went to the Monterey Pop Festival, and mostly what I remember about it today was kind of floating around in a sea of people and music, incredibly happy and peaceful. Did I say too much?
Can't forget Steppenwolf!
Shabbygirl....
NO..you didn't say too much...I always enjoy your insights! And I can't believe I forgot Steppenwolf...one of the iconic bands of that period!
Thanks for the reminder!
Dan
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