1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: A centeral is the protection of I Heard Radio. The 2 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: following contains spoilers about the episode reputation. When Bob Purse 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,479 Speaker 1: was at the Mammoth Music March Sale, he had picked 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: up a half dozen or more real to real tapes 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: marked with what appeared to be the same handwriting. This 6 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: included recordings of Don and Merrigil Moorland, as well as 7 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: some other oddities. Two of them had the phrase the 8 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: Tallest Rock on them, and another one said t R 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: several times, which I took to probably mean tallest Rock, 10 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: which is a piece of this has never been written about. 11 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: The Tallest Rock is a song about the Sears Tower. 12 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: You can tell these are people that are working on 13 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: the Sears Tower, which was going to be the tallest 14 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: building in the world when it was finished. Every now 15 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: and then there's a bit of talking about how they're 16 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: negotiating with the folks building the Sears to hour to 17 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: be able to play this song when it's dedicated and opened. 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: When I looked it up many many years ago, I 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: did find a hit for a story about how some 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: electricians that helped build the Series Tower performed a song 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: called the Tallest Rocket. Its opening ceremonies. On May three, 22 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: seventy nine, the Chicago Tribune read today's ceremony was almost postponed. 23 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: The weather was raw and windy. The final girder contained 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: the signatures of the twelve thousand people who had worked 25 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: on the project. The construction chief was worried that the 26 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: pound beam might smash into some windows on the way up, 27 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: but a few hundred people had already gathered at the site. 28 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: The girdon was hoisted and set in place. That was 29 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: the signal. A chorus of electrical workers burst into song. 30 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: He's gott understand. I listened to the tallest drack tapes once, 31 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: probably nine, so that's almost twenty years ago. I still 32 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: have them, I could, I could pull them out in 33 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: less than two minutes. Well down in my game up 34 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: there's nothing higher, not the dulcet tones of Marigael Moreland. 35 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: But regardless of your opinion of the material, it's a 36 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 1: fascinating record of four friends in a band with one song. 37 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: If you, like me, have ever been in what we'll 38 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: call an ephemeral band, you'll appreciate both the exuberance and 39 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: the tremendous amount of work demonstrated on these tapes and 40 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: with ambition there are thirty takes of the full song 41 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: plus false starts. And then we got steadily working out 42 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 1: single sections BA punches of just the ending. Okay, we 43 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: got to practice the ending we know outside that. All right, 44 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:16,399 Speaker 1: let's do the tapes begin sometime before Christmas en two 45 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 1: with five acapella takes plus a horrific screen. It seems 46 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: like they have yet to pitch this idea to the 47 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: Sears people. All right, now what I'm gonna do. I'm 48 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: gonna start, maybe even tomorrow night, but one of these 49 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: nights I'm going to start writing. We'll let it and 50 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: then I want all you guys to look at before 51 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: I mail it. And I figured, if well, how the 52 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: rest of holidays go by about the middle of January, 53 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: we'll get the thing to him. Now, are you better? 54 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: You better? You're better? Make a get smoked. Some urgency 55 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: has felt because not everyone is sure they'll still be 56 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: on this job by the time the dedication ceremony rolls around. Well, 57 00:03:54,160 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: I mean someone does get Oh no, no, it's somebody 58 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: gets smoked. But we'll do We'll just say, Mr mc jazz, 59 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: we gotta come back there. The dedications thing. This guy, Damn, 60 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: we gotta be working on the job, right. We worked 61 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: in the job at one time or another. Yeah, we've 62 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: bled our hearts out for that, andyer, that's right and 63 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: all of that. Consequently, if you're gonna smoke us off 64 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: the job, you're bad people. That's it. So we'll shame 65 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: Amanda keeping us there. You want to put on the 66 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: last six thirty two screw on the last flex receptacle, right, John, 67 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 1: Now we'll make some copies of this whole message, right, Okay, 68 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: we gotta vy him here, We've gotta buy him all. Right. 69 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: In three ish months a lot has changed. So now 70 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: it's March three and we've heard from Sears. You guys 71 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 1: have all read the letter. Sears is okay to performance 72 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: of the tallest rock at the dedication, And this is 73 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: our rehearsal in preparation for the topping out ceremony, which 74 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: Serious wants us to do. The approach of the song 75 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: will be a little different. We've decided now, of course, 76 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: that we're going to get a drummer and a guitared 77 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: and we're gonna put this thing into rock beat. They 78 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,799 Speaker 1: all know the tune fairly well. We know the words 79 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: by heart. The endeavor itself looms a little larger in 80 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: everyone's mind. I never taught this thing will go that far. 81 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: The fellows are changing their mind's a little too now. 82 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: They don't talk like that anymore. Is like they would 83 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: have if they would have mentioned it to him. They 84 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: had been keeping it a secret. It's a good thing 85 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: we didn't mention. That never happened in I think we 86 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: kept a pretty good secret to myself. I think, guys, 87 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: and I think it's a credit at all of us, 88 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 1: kind of. I opened up a little bit around the 89 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: neighborhoo where I know it wouldn't hurt her yet. Right 90 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: that we've we've we've all. It's kind of hard to 91 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: hold something like that excited about it, you know. I 92 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: always kept it with the thought that well, even if 93 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: it never went anywhere, we did have a good time. Yeah, 94 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: we had a good time. Even four four heart nosed 95 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: electicians will be kept it like that all the way through. 96 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 1: It sounds like they anticipated getting some flak from their coworkers. 97 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: I didn't even tell Bruno, you know. And the other 98 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: day he gave me a little shot and I said, well, 99 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: now you see why I didn't spread it around adapting 100 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: the new rock and roll sound meant a lot more 101 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: takes come down even though we know the words. It's 102 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 1: like a reconversion. We're gonna it's different at different, but 103 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: there's nothing. I'm going to a rock and it's slower 104 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: and it's well, it's the thing. I believe your kids 105 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: are gonna like it better. They're gonna like it. They're 106 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:07,559 Speaker 1: gonna like they're gonna very much better, guys than I figured. 107 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: If we do the first time, like you's kind of 108 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: a staccattle, you know, it is a sattle. That's right, 109 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: It's okay, that's staccattle. All right. Now let's listen to 110 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: our songs. Wait, bab, what are you doing a race 111 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: in the series? Yeah, you got it. You gotta go 112 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: up to three fifty. You're you're you're racing something. You're recording. 113 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: If we even get to sing it at the tapping out, 114 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: it will be well worth while and it will Yeah, 115 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: that's right, that's right. And I'll tell you if if 116 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't do anything else, but let someone realize the 117 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: talent of this guy that he can write songs pulse. 118 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: So now you just hope he keeps us on mind 119 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: for later on. For Moore Records. Yeah, there you go. 120 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: You want to be able to pretty, that's right here. 121 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: Sure I look shaby MyD be able to beat the 122 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: year old men. I wrote you know one of my 123 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: first rock things. You know what. The name of it 124 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: was Backfire, Backfire as performed with Don Morland's the Flip 125 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: Side of the seven Ascetate with reputation on it and fire. 126 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: Exactly how that song came together remains on the tar. 127 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: You But after a little more practice and when some 128 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: p they're ready for their first audience, let's shut it 129 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: off and let's let the woman come down a listen. 130 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: All right, very good market. Let's okay, move the chairs again. 131 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna stand here, right, I'll get we're everything down 132 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: the work hi and bye. There's nothing uh. And even 133 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: though they're still making adjustments rose from and performance. Now, 134 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna get a little bit more on the gyrations 135 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: later because they have begun to make plans that go 136 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: beyond the topping out ceremony. Now, if they accept us 137 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: for a commercial, like for a television commercial, we can 138 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: always change awards to put series in their day insisting 139 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: there's no sweat there. That's that's that's very simple. And 140 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: even tell Howard he should keep his summer open. You 141 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: don't know what's gonna happen. They may say, Hey, God, 142 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: damn it, we need you people to make a recording 143 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 1: such and such a date now for we're set for 144 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: a vacation. We gotta wipe it out. That's it. I'm 145 00:09:50,320 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: down in. There's something roup of country and still game 146 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: by five for what and doe where is that tradis? 147 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: And when them yeah said by word back and with 148 00:10:55,440 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: some crime grows. It seemed she was playing sunshine and 149 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: rain dur her pain over columns, rain the winds, never 150 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: so head to see her slaying. We're so high de 151 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: grave me this guy who ain't the smaller fun bill 152 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: the smallest fun. He had a handmaid run. So she's 153 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: ahead right, went through FI through through five FI through 154 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: a B. In the only other mention I could find 155 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: of the Tallest Rock retrospective about the Sears Tower, also 156 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: in the Chicago Tribune, it seems that they went with 157 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:22,719 Speaker 1: the stripped down version after rock. Finally, a quartet of 158 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: acapella electrical workers called the Tower Bums lifted an original 159 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: ditty called the Tallest Rock She stands like a rock, 160 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: a whole city block. She hovers over the Flock Special 161 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: Thanks to Bob Purse and Matt Frederick. For more podcasts 162 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: from my Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 163 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite show. 164 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: If we only had this on video tape instead of 165 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: audio tape, it would be something else. Today is to 166 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 1: getting the food of the rocks more than anything. For hour, 167 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: you ain't nowhere, Collars time, This collars time. He had 168 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: a handmade round. No man d right ro