Wayback Wednesday: 1975

Wayback Wednesday: 1975

As mentioned previously, I enjoyed reliving the 1970s during my research for Dial S for Second Chances, part of the You Are on the Air series. The characters graduated from high school in 1978 which means they would have completed their freshman year in 1975.

January brought the guilty verdicts for John Mitchell, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman for their participation the Watergate scandal. A month later they would be sentenced between thirty months and eight years. Also in February, Margaret Thatcher would become Britain’s first female leader of a political party when she defeats Edward Heath for leadership in the UK Conservative Party. The Vietnam War continues.

On television, Lorne Michael’s “Saturday Night Live” airs and quickly gains a cult following. George

Carlin was the show’s first host and included cast members Dan Akroyd, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Laraine Newman. The format included a musical guest, political satire, and comedy sketches. Other TV debuts during the year are “Welcome Back, Kotter,” “Wonder Woman,” “One Day at a Time,” “The Jeffersons,” “Fawlty Towers,” and “Space 1999.”

In the fall, NBC would broadcast the now legendary 12-inning long sixth game of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds. The game ends with Boston catcher Carlton Fish’s home run to send the series to a seventh game.

Several musical celebrities made the news during the year, the first of whom would be Paul and Linda McCartney who were arrested after a routine traffic stop for carrying 6-8 ounces of marijuana. Robert Plant was in a serious car accident, putting the future of Led Zeppelin in doubt. John Lennon won his battle to remain in the United States after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 1972 deportation order. Peter Gabriel leaves the British group Genesis, and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” goes to number one on the charts.

Hit songs for the year embraced a variety of styles with Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy,” The BeeGees “Jive Talking,” Captain and Tennille’s “Love Will Keep us Together,” KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Boogie Shoes,” Van McCoy and the Soul City Orchestra’s “The Hustle,” and Queen’s previously mention “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

What do you remember from 1975?

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Dial S for Second Chances

Can years of hurt and misunderstanding be transformed into a second chance at love?

Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home, but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart?

One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time?

Reunion festivities include calling into to WDES’s program No Errin’ for Love with fake relationship problems. When both use their real situation, the stakes are raised higher than either imagined.

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