The Buoys - Timothy 1971

The Buoys - Timothy - The Cannibal Song

God Why Don't I know

I played this song for about 50 people the past several days. I asked this simple question. What is this song about? Without the use of the Internet not one person knew. So, I pose the same challenge to you. Without the aid of Google to search the meaning, read the lyrics below and tell the Grassy Knoll Institute what the song is about. 

Sidenote: The following lyrics are the exact lyrics from the original single release. They have been altered and misunderstood many times over. Even the original recording was altered to change the meaning of the song along with the lyrics but the Institute has the original so there is no conspiracy going on here.

Timothy - Buoys - 1971

Trapped in a mine what had caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Was Joe and me and Tim

When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
Was Joe and me

Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go
Timothy, Timothy, God why don't I know

Hungry as hell, no food to eat
And Joe said that he would sell his soul
For just... a piece... of meat
Water enough to drink for two
And Joe said to me, I'll take a swig
And then... there's some... for you

Timothy, Timothy, Joe was looking at you
Timothy, Timothy, God what did we do

I must have blacked out just round then
Cause the very next thing that I could see
Was the light of the day again

My stomach was full as it could be
And nobody ever got around to finding... Timothy

Timothy, Timothy where on earth did you go
Timothy, Timothy god why don't I know

Timothyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Yeah
Timothy
Timothy

OK, before you read any further, add your answer in the comments section at the bottom of this page. OK, you can read on to find the meaning.

That's right kids! This song is about cannibalism. Trapped in a mine that caved in, three men survived. Two of the men apparently struck a deal to kill Timothy and eat him to survive. The Grassy Knoll Institute is not kidding. The song really is about cannibalism.

In 1971, Rupert Holmes, (Famous for his Pina Calada Song, Escape) formed a band in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. After a lengthy negotiation, Scepter Records caved in and allowed the band to record a single song. They were informed that the song would not be promoted and they were on their own with it.

Rupert and the band got together and decided to cut a record that would be so controversial that it would get banned. After all, if the record wasn't going to get promoted, they thought that perhaps if their song was banned, another record label would take notice and sign them to a real deal. And so Timothy was conceived and written.

The song got limited play time but soon the kids would call the radio stations and request the song to be played again and again. The station DJ finally listened to the record and realized the meaning of the lyrics and pulled the record from it's slotted airtime. But it was to late.

Timothy had become a hit and after several major radio stations began playing it, it quickly rose to a top 20 hit. The listeners were eating it up. (Pun intended) Unbelievable that a song about cannibalism had become so popular.

Today, parents are up in arms about suggestive lyrics in Britney Spears, Pink, and Beyonce songs plus the sometimes violent storytelling of some rap artists. To put this in perspective, not one of these artists songs tells the tale of three men trapped in a mine where two of them plot against the weaker, kill him, and eat him to survive celebrating cannibalism.

I'm hungry, who wants pizza?!

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Heart - Dreamboat Annie 1976

Heart Dreamboat Annie 1976 Record Album

Heart, Dreamboat Annie 1976

Ann and Nancy Wilson's debut album, Dreamboat Annie featuring Steve Fossen and Roger Fisher but the Wilson sisters were the true force behind the music. The front cover has the sisters back to back hinting that they are nude. Both are attempting to look sensual.

The Wilson sisters had many adults up in arms with the rumor that the sisters were witches and devil worshippers and that the lyrics in their songs were about the occult and the underworld. The albums hit song, Magic Man was supposedly about the devil and how he manipulated the innocent child to love him. Other songs on the album also were called out as well as future albums by the Wilson sisters. To this day, there are still whispers that Ann and Nancy Wilson worship the devil.

Whatever your belief, Heart had a powerful album with driving guitar and bass with potent lyrics which spawned, (Pardon the pun) monster hits, Magic Man, Dreamboat Annie, Crazy On You, and White Lightning And Wine.

Side One:
Magic Man
Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)
Crazy On You
Soul Of The sea
Dreamboat Annie
Side two:
White Lightning And Wine
(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song
Sing Child
How Deep It Goes
Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)

The album's protective jacket had the lyrics printed on both side plus a little add on poem by Ann Wilson written in 1975.

Dreamboat Annie was powered by the hit single, Magic Man, and the mysterious man, (Or devil) the lyrics spoke about. You be the judge, here are the exaqct actual lyrics to the song.

Magic Man

Cold late night so long ago
When I was not so strong you know
A pretty man came to me
Never seen eyes so blue

I could not run away
It seemed we'd seen each other in a dream
It seemed like he knew me
He looked right through me

"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile
"You don't have to love me yet
Let's get high awhile
But try to understand
Try to understand
Try try try to understand
I'm a magic man."

Winter nights we sang in tune
Played inside the months of moon
Never think of never
Let this spell last forever

Summer lover passed to fall
Tried to realized it all
Mama says she's a worried
Growing up in a hurry

"Come on home, girl" mama cried on the phone
"Too soon to lose my baby yet my girl should be at home!"
"But try to understand
Try to understand
Try try try to understand
He's a magic man, mama
He's a magic man"

"Come on home, girl" he said with a smile
"I cast my spell of love on you a woman from a child!
But try to understand
Try to understand
I'm a magic man!"

The flip side had the album title lyrics and also another hit from the album.

Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)

Heading out this morning
into the sun
Riding on the diamond waves
little darlin' one

Warm wind caress her
Her lover it seems
Oh, Annie
Dreamboat Annie
my little ship of dreams

Going down the city sidewalk
alone in the crowd
No one knows the lonely one
whose head's in the clouds

Sad faces painted over
with those magazine smiles
Heading out to somewhere
won't be back
for awhile

Dreamboat Annie Heart Lyrics

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Alice Cooper - Love It To Death 1971

Alice Cooper Love It To Death Record Album

Alice Cooper - Love It To Death - 1971

In 1971, Alice Cooper released Love It To Death which contained his smash hit, I'm Eighteen that quickly turned into a teenage anthem that still rocks today 35 years later. Last year when my son turned 18, he was blasting 18 on the stereo just as I did many year ago.As you can see on the front cover, Alice is dressed to thrill, or at least entertain. Alice Cooper was the first band to bring showbiz and entertainment into their tours.

Although the shows were graphic and gruesome, (Plenty of fake blood, theatrics, wild gory scenes) they were also packed with great rock and roll music. The audiences every night were not just treated to Alice Cooper singing and playing, but were also entertained with mini Broadway type shows.

And oh yea, Alice Cooper is the artist formerly known as Vincent Damon Furnier. Alice had his name legally changed in the early 1970's.


The left side album jacket is dominated by a giant eye with heavy bushy eyebrow with streaked mascara. The eyeball has a picture of the band Alice Cooper. The bottom left side has the song tracks and credits.
Album Tracks Are:
Side One:
Caught in a dream
I'm eighteen
Long way to go
Black juju
Side Two:
Is it my body
Hallowed by my name
Second coming
Ballard of Dwight Fry
Sun Arise


The right side of the inside album jacket had another giant eye with yet another picture of Alice Cooper.


The back cover shows the Alice Cooper group with guitars ready. Alice is dressed in a leopard type cape and heavy mascara. The classic Alice cooper look.


If you put the inside jacket pictures together, you get a freaked out frantic Alice Cooper in mascara looking out at you. Marilyn Manson has nothing on Alice.

I'll leave you with the lyrics to the albums smash hit, I'm Eighteen.

Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form from the ups and downs
I'm in the middle without any plans
I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen
and I don't know what I want
Eighteen
I just don't know what I want
Eighteen
I gotta get away
I gotta get out of this place
I'll go runnin in outer space
Oh yeah

I got a
baby's brain and an old man's heart
Took eighteen years to get this far
Don't always know what I'm talkin about
Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt
Cause I'm

Eighteen
I get confused every day
Eighteen
I just don't know what to say
Eighteen
I gotta get away

Lines form on my face and my hands
Lines form on the left and right
I'm in the middle
the middle of life
I'm a boy and I'm a man
I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT
Yes I like it
Oh I like it
Love it
Like it
Love it
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen and I LIKE IT

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Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced 1967

Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix brought psychedelic rock and roll to the United States in 1967 in his debut album, Are You experienced. Already a star in England, Hendrix, after a few substitute tracks, released the album on Reprise records and it quickly soared up the charts.

As you can see, the album cover has a psychedelic look and feel with the odd angle photo shot of Hendrix and his band in the center of a circle Bright clothing and a colorful back round with a bending effect complete the photograph.

The band was Mitch Mitchell on drums, and Noel Redding on guitar.

The tracks of this album are almost legendary. Any rock and roll countdown of the top 100 albums of all time always has this record in the top 10. And with thousands of great rock albums out there, that is some heavy praise.

Side one is:
Purple Haze
Manic Depression
Hey Joe
Love Or Confusion
May This Be Love
I Don't Live Today

Side two is:
The Wind Cries Mary
Fire
Third Stone From The Sun
Foxey Lady
Are You Experienced

Purple Haze, Manic Depression, Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, Foxey Lady, and Are You Experienced were all hit songs from the album. It was almost unprecedented to have that many hit songs on one album.

Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced Back Cover

The back cover has a black and white photo of Hendrix and the band with the track titles and a little warning about the album. It states:

Be forewarned. Used to be an experience meant making you a bit older. This one makes you wider. With the assistance of Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on guitar. Jimi Hendrix breaks the world into interesting fragments. Then reassembles it. You hear with new ears, after being experienced. Those who've only seen him perform know only part of this experience. They rave about a young man who plays a guitar in more positions than anybody before him. Now, this debut album will put the heads of Hendrix' listeners into some novel positions. Be forewarned.

Fire is one of my all time favorite tunes. Oh how I wished I could play guitar like that on this track. The lyrics of the song have been reported on the Internet many times. They are incorrect however. Below is the actual complete lyrics of the track, Fire. I suggest you get this CD, download the MP3, turn up your stereo as loud as it will go, and then force it up a little more and let Fire rock and roll. You might just see Jesus.

Fire By Jimi Hendrix

Alright,
Now dig this, baby

You don't care for me
I don'-a care about that
Ya gotta new fool, ha!
I like it like that

I have only one burning desire
Let me stand next to your fire
Let me stand next to your fire (Repeat 4 times)

Yea baby
Listen here, baby
And stop acting so crazy
You say your mum ain't home,
It ain't my concern,
Just to play with me and you won't get burned

I have only one itching desire
Let me stand next to your fire
Let me stand next to your fire (Repeat 4 times)

Oh! Move over, Rover
And let Jimi take over
Yeah, you know what I'm talking 'bout
Yeah, get on with it, baby
That's what I'm talking 'bout
Now dig this!
Ha!
Now listen, baby

You try to gimme your money
You better save it, babe
Save it for your rainy day

I have only one burning desire
Let me stand next to your fire
Let me stand next to your fire
I ain't gonna do you no harm
Ohhhh
Yea, you better improve a little baby
I ain't gonna hurt ya baby
Ahh, I ain't done with your old lady
Ahh yes, that's Jimi talk baby
Yea baby.
Woo hoo hoo whoo hoo ouhh...

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U2 - The Unforgettable Fire 1984

U2 The Unforgettable Fire 1984 Record Album

U2 The Unforgettable Fire, 1984

You knew it wouldn't be to long before a U2 record showed up on the Grassy Knoll Institute. If you didn't know, U2 is from Ireland and has Bono as the lead singer and "Edge" as lead guitarist. You can hear the distinct sound from Edge's guitar from the first album, Boy, to the latest CD, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

The album did not have an inside cover, just a jacket sleeve. The sleeve front had a black and white photo of the group with an old Irish castle in the back ground.

The back sleeve has the album title and the credits for the album. Very sparse, no lyrics, no band info, background, just the title and credits.

The back cover has a small picture of the Irish castle, the song titles, and the lyrics to track one of the album, A Sort Of Homecoming.

Song Titles: Side 1
A sort of homecoming
Pride (In the name of love)
Wire
The unforgettable fire
Promenade

Side 2
4th of July
Bad
Indian summer sky
Elvis Presley and America
MLK

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Jethro Tull - Aqualung 1971

Jethro Tull Aqualung Record Album Cover

Aqualung My Friend

Jethro Tull released their fourth album in 1971 titled Aqualung. The title song was Aqualung, a song about a dirty old man, or perhaps, about god. Either way, the sound was hard hitting, and the flute haunting. It took some time to follow along with the lyrics as Ian Anderson, lead singer and songwriter of the band, (No, there is no one named Jethro Tull in the band) bridged choppy lyrics changing tempo mid sentence. This is best on Aqualung and Locomotive Breath.

The lyrics of Aqualung, title song from the album.

Sitting on a park bench
Eyeing little girls with bad intent.
Snot running down his nose
Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes.
Hey, Aqualung

Drying in the cold sun
Watching as the frilly panties run.
Hey, Aqualung

Feeling like a dead duck
Spitting out pieces of his broken luck.
Oh/Hey, Aqualung

Sun streaking cold
An old man wandering lonely.
Taking time
The only way he knows.
Leg hurting bad,
As he bends to pick a dog end
He goes down to the bog
and warms his feet.
Feeling alone
The army's up the rode
Salvation a la mode and
A cup of tea.

Aqualung my friend
Don't you start away uneasy
You poor old sod, you see, it's only me.

Do you still remember
December's foggy freeze
When the ice that
Clings on to your beard is
Screaming agony.
And you snatch your rattling last breaths
With deep-sea-diver sounds,
And the flowers bloom like
Madness in the spring.
Ohhh, Aqualung

The album inside covers had no information about the band or the album itself. The artwork depicted five men, seemingly from old London, in a meeting, one holding a lamp, one a cross, one crouched and looking leftward, one sitting playing a piano, and one drinking wine.

The back ground looks like a cathedral, or large church. Perhaps a monastery.

The backcover has a picture of an old vagrant, sitting almost in the gutter, beard and clothes ragged, with his faithful dog with him.
At the top left, the song titles:
Side One
Aqualung
Cross Eyed Mary
Cheap Day Return
Mother Goose
Wond'ring Aloud
Up To Me

Side Two
My God
Hymn 43
Slipstream
Locomotive Breath
Wind Up

At the top right, Ian Anderson wrote a little verse, a sort of spin off from bibles book of Genesis. He is comparing Aqualung to God. I happen to notice that the CD version does not have this on the back cover. Nor do the releases in the 80's or the 25th anniversary edition. Perhaps the words were to powerful. Here are the verses.

1. In the beginning Man created god:
and in the image of Man created he him.

2. And Man gave unto god a multitude of names.
That he might be lord over all the earth when it was suited to Man.

3. And on the seventh millionth day Man rested and did
lean heavily on his god and saw that it was good.

4. And Man formed Aqualung of the dust of the ground.
And a host of others likened unto his kind.

5. And these lesser men Man did cast into the void.
And some were burned,
And some were put apart from their kind.

6. And Man became the god that he had created
and with his miracles did rule over all the earth.

7. But as all these things did come to pass,
the spirit that did cause man to create his god,
lived on within all men,
even within Aqualung.

8. And man saw it not.

9. But for Christ's sake he'd better start looking.

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Sam Kinison - Louder Than Hell 1986

Sam Kinison Louder Than Hell Comedy Album

Sam Kinison, Shock Comedian, Debut Album, Louder Than Hell

You know this kid ain't filming a letter from home with a Betamax?

Come here, see, see, this is sand....Yea......You know what it's going to be in 100 years? ITS GONNA BE SAND!!! You live in a desert. Nothing grows out here. Nothing's gonna grow out here.

This album debuted during the height of comedian Sam Kinisons popularity. he debuted on David Letterman, appeared on Rodney Dangerfield's young comedians show, and countless gigs at halls and shows throughout the country.

His humor was raunchy, loud, to the point, and sexual. His famous line was "I just love women." His act would usually start out with him calm and slowly pacing on stage. Soon his voice would escalate, and then he would begin screaming. It always brought the audience to their feet.

Alas, Sam passed away in 1992, killed by a teenage drunk driver on a highway in Needles, California. His humor is missed.

Sam Kinison Album Art

The back cover had a close up of Kinison in his trademark overcoat and beret cap. A smug smile adorns his face.

Titles on the album are:
Side One:
Blind
Big Menu
Libya
Relationships
Alphabet
Sexual Therapy
Side Two:
Manson
Jesus
Devil
World Hunger
Letter From Home
Love Song

You lyin whore
You used me
You never loved me
I hope you slide under a gas truck and taste your own blood
Die! Die! I want my records back. I want my records back

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Bob Seger - Night Moves 1976

Bob Seger Night Moves 

Strange how the night moves, With Autumn closing in.

The year was 1976, and Bob Seger, one of the hardest working rock and roll men in Detroit had finally broke the top 40 barrier with his "Night Moves" album. During the infancy of the so-called disco era, Night Moves was more than a refreshing change, it was a hard hitting rock album that captured the souls of millions of rabid rock fans searching for salvation disco balls and polyester pants. Night Moves didn't disappoint. The album title track, Night Moves was a slow almost ballad type song of teenage angst experimenting with love, life, and rock and roll.

The back cover displayed the album titles, a photo of the Silver Bullet Band, and instruments played.

Song Titles:
Side One:
Rock and roll never forgets
Night Moves
The fire down below
Sunburst
Side Two:
Sunspot baby
Mainstreet
Come to poppa
Ship of fools
Mary Lou

The album jacket is a black and whit photo of the front cover at a farther distance. Seger is standing with his hands in his pockets with a light behind him. The Capital records logo on the bottom right side.

The flip side of the album jacket has the song lyrics. Here are the lyrics to Night Moves, the albums #1 hit.

I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants points hardly reknown
She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points all her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high

Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my 60 Chevy
Workin on mysteries without any clues
Workin on our night moves
Trying to make some front page drive-in news
Workin on our night moves in the summertime
In the sweet summertime

We weren't in love, oh no, far from it
We weren't searching for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Living by the sword
And wed steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, the alley, the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were getting our share
Workin on our night moves
Trying to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin on our night moves
And it was summertime
And oh the wonder
Felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder

I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just don't seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in

Bob Seger Night Moves Lyrics

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Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run 1975

Bruce Springsteen Born to Run Iconic Record Album

Tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Bruce Springsteen was somewhat of an underground rock and roll legend before his Born To Run album hit the charts in 1975. In 1973 Springsteen released his first album, Greetings From Asbury Park and followed that up just months later with The Wild, The Innocent, And The E Street Shuffle. Both albums scored minimal success in the top 40 yet the word spread and Springsteen was ready to emerge from the velvet underground.
Born To Run opened with the tune Thunder Road, a ballad that quickly turned into a hard rock almost ghostly tale of a high school romance on the verge of going sour. The boy decided to make one more attempt to win Mary's heart as he sang.....

Well I got this guitar
And I learned how to make it talk
And my cars out back
If you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The doors open but the ride it ain't free

The album jacket revealed a candid photo of Springsteen with his hand in his hair and the lyrics to all the songs. The following is the beginning of Thunder Road.

The screen door slams
Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singling for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
Darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty buy hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

The right side of the jacket continued with the rest of the lyrics of the songs. The albums hit song, Born To Run, ended with these powerful lyrics.

Someday girl, I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
And we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
Baby we were born to run

The back cover of Born To Run has a photo of saxophone player and E Street band member Clarence Clemons and also displayed the song titles of the album.

Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Free Out
Night
Backstreets
Born To Run
She's The One
Meeting Across The River
Jungleland

Band members and associates are....
Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Suki Lahav, Danny Federici, Steve Van Zandt.

This album had all the ingredients to become a blockbuster album and it did not disappoint. Born To Run stayed on the top 40 for many weeks and continued to build the reputation of the rocker from New Jersey.
Hey Eddie, can you catch us a ride?

Born To Run Lyrics

Lyrics To Born To Run Album

Born To Run Album Back Cover

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Boston - Debut Album 1976

Boston Vinyl Debut Album 1976

Boston, Self Titled Debut Album 1976

In 1976, at the height of disco music, a rock and roll band burst onto the scene that would take the rest of the 1970's by storm. That band was Boston, a five man band that brought some fast and furious hard hitting riffs that echo still today. This album was designed to be played as loud as your stereo permitted and then some. And I had just the tools to do it.

The front cover is a depiction of city sized spaceships hurling away from an exploding planet. The largest ship is aptly named "Boston" and it is in search of a new home.

This album, or 8-Track tape, has 8 classic rock tunes each better than the previous tune. I fondly remember being in my car, my 1968 Camaro, equipped with my Motorola 300 watt power booster, with Clarion stereo with 8-Track player, and 14 heart stopping, blood pumping speakers positioned all around the car featuring my 6X9 triax 180 watt Arthur Fulmer speakers.

I would turn the volume up until all the red lights on the power booster were shining bright and then pop in the Boston 8-Track. The song, Foreplay/Long time was a great tune to begin with cruising up the avenue. The song would slowly build up to its peak and then a thumping bass and guitar riff would ring out. It wasn't loud enough unless your ears bled. Everyone in the neighborhood knew I was coming and going, depending on one's perspective.

Boston Record Album Back Cover

The back cover lists the song titles,
SIDE ONE
More Than A feeling
Piece Of Mind
Foreplay/Long Time

SIDE TWO
Rock And Roll Band
Smokin
Hitchin A Ride
Something About You
Let Me Take You Home Tonight
The album liner notes simply ask you to "Listen to the record." They also give a brief history of the band members and how they came together. Tom Scholz was lead guitar, Brad Delp, lead vocals, Barry Goudreau lead guitar, Fran Sheehan, Bass, and Sib Hashian, drums.

I have to agree with the liner notes. Listen to the record. It is an album that became a classic overnight and sustained the test of time and is one of the most popular records of all time. After all, it was more than a feeling.....

Brad Delp, the lead singer of the 1970's rock band Boston was found dead March 9th, 2007. He lived in New Hampshire and apparently died in his home. Delp was 55 years old.

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