Album of the Week 10 - The Hit Heard Round the World

The Hit Heard Round the World was a syndicated radio show produced by the U.S. army from 1968-69.  It's an interesting bit of history.  It's basically five 10 minute lock tracks where the host, Fred Robbins, interviews various Djs about what is hot and wild in their countries.  It's peppered with Army recruiting ads and Army oriented songs.  The selction isn't great and most of the songs have been shortened for the 10 minute format.  But I did learn a little

- The Rolling Stones were no longer  "happening" in 1968 and British DJ, Kenny Everett seems a pleasantly surprised to have them on his countdown.  He also seems a bit high and there's some giggling in the background on his side of the interview.  

-The Army was very short on nurses.  A majority of the ads were to recruit women into the Army and that makes sense because they couldn't be drafted.

- From this radio show you'd have no idea there were protests against the war and barely any idea we were in Vietnam at all.  Most of the ads talk about being stationed in Germany or Japan or San Francisco.

- Rudi Senia from Brussels is my favorite DJ only because of how he says Wild.  It's more like "Weeiiooold."  And Brussels is Weeiioold about Aretha Franklin

-Oh and Alan Freeman seems to hate Tom Jones.

Over all not great music and poor quality but I couldn't help listening to it again and again.  I need to track down some more of these.