Bobby Sherman (1970) 10/12/21

I have always been a sucker for bubblegum music. Sucker? Bubblegum? Does that make me a Blow-Pop?

Anyway, in the late '60s and early '70s, this sub-genre of pop music was targeted at teen and 'tween girls who read magazines like "Tiger Beat" and "Sixteen," and bought records by groups like The Archies and The Ohio Express, as well as heart throbs like David Cassidy and Bobby Sherman.

The targeting was extremely successful; bubblegum was all over the charts. (For more on the "Bubblegum Phenomenon," check out two of my previous posts on the topic):

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/216767429796712 https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/posts/274127737394014

Today I want to highlight the aforementioned Bobby Sherman, because if you unwrap the bubblegum wrapper, you'll find that he was more than just a "chew toy."

Unlike most bubblegum singers, Bobby was around long before the "bubble." In fact, he started releasing records in the early '60s, and after an agent saw him perform with his band, he was signed to a contract that eventually led to movie and TV roles, as well as a regular "in-house singer" on the TV variety show "Shindig!"

From there, he was cast as one of the Bolt Brothers (Jeremy) on the TV series "Here Come the Brides," which was loosely based on the true story of Asa Mercer and his attempt to "civilize" the small Northwestern logging town of Seattle by importing brides for the men from "out east."

In short order, Bobby, being a good-looking guy, garnered more female fan mail than anyone else on the ABC Network, and it didn't take long for the powers-that-be to put two and two together and faster than you can say "Bazooka," the hit records started spinning.

Today, I'm highlighting two of his songs from 1970. Are they "Great Songs?" Well, they're catchy, that's for sure. And in the context of "bubblegum," they're certainly far better than most. (Plus, he was backed by the legendary studio musicians known as the "Wrecking Crew!")

You may not agree, and that's okay, but give them a listen with an open mind. You might find yourself enjoying them!

"Easy Come, Easy Go:" #2 on the Adult Contemporary Chart & #9 on the Hot 100.

"Julie Do Ya Love Me:" #2 on the AC Chart and #5 on the Hot 100.

Note: After a while, Bobby got tired of the entertainment business and became a paramedic, far from the spotlight...but much more important.