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By Root 302 0

purpose. With Yoko as his muse and partner, John Lennon was coming of age; he was stepping out on the world stage as a political and social leader and as a spokesman for young people everywhere. I was enthralled, proud, and fascinated. If the Beatles were the best, John was even better. This was a time to be counted amongst Beatle fans. Kids were gravitating away from them as a predominant musical influence. John was taking a stand and being attacked. Loyalty was needed, and I was ready for the assignment. We were no longer just listening to music and going to concerts. We were about to change the world. That is when I decided to express my loyalty directly to John. I wrote him a letter at Apple in London. I told him I was his biggest fan and how much I loved the double White Album and Two Virgins too. I drew a picture of earth, with the North and South America side showing, and a red arrow pointing at Toronto. “This is where I live,” I noted on the side. “He would think that was funny,” I thought and who knows, he might write me back.

Steve was driving my cousin Larry and me to a movie one night in April 1969. I was in the back seat with the boom box. For about a week CHUM (the premier Toronto rock station) was announcing that they were going to play the Beatles’ new single “Get Back/Don’t Let Me Down” at a specific time on a specific night. For some reason, CHUM claimed to have world premier rights to Beatle songs. I would not miss that for anything, and held onto the radio until the deejay said what I was waiting for: “Here it is. The Beatles. ‘Get Back’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Down.’ A CHUM world premier.” The feeling of hearing those two songs for the first time has stayed with me. Within seconds of the opening strum, Ringo’s drum beat and staccato cymbals set the stage for Paul. “Jo Jo was a man who thought he was a loner but he knew it couldn’t last.” Throughout the song, maybe six or seven times, a prerecorded whispered announcement layered over the music proclaimed, “A CHUM world premier.” Barely five months ago the Beatles had given us the double White Album. “Don’t Let Me Down” was segued by another “This is a CHUM world premier.” My God, I loved that song from the instant John cried out his love for Yoko. I was in heaven.

CHUM was the kind of station that would play a side of an album uninterrupted by commercials. The deejays were trippy, some brighter than others, and the ads were for things like the Toronto Free Drug Clinic and hip clothing stores. It was the kind of station where you could call the deejay up and he would answer your call on air while spinning a record. CHUM-FM’s AM sister station had a much broader and bigger listening audience. It is hard to believe, but back then, most people listened to AM radio. FM was for a specialized audience. CHUM-FM became a rock station in 1968. Before then it was strictly classical. This was the beginning of the overpowering impact rock would have on radio demographics throughout North America. Once a week, CHUM would list its “CHUM chart,” which would be published in newspapers and promoted on the radio. You could not wait for the new CHUM chart to see how your favorite song was doing. On Saturday, May 24, 1969, I took my weekly pilgrimage to Sam’s to check out the latest list of hit songs. This was that week’s CHUM chart::

The CHUM Chart, a weekly listing of the most popular songs of the day. Doug Thompson/CHUM archives.

Whenever there was a new Beatle single, I would track it with NASA-like precision. How many weeks was it on the charts? Was there movement? What conspirator was trying to overtake them? On that Saturday the Beatles were in the number one position with “Get Back/Don’t Let Me Down.” Creedence Clearwater Revival was breathing down their necks and moving fast with “Bad Moon Rising” as was Elvis’ biggest hit in years, “In the Ghetto.” Moving fast as well was Apple recording artist Mary Hopkin with her follow-up to “Those Were the Days,” Paul McCartney’s “Goodbye.” I was happy and the Beatles were in good shape. I had no idea that Saturday afternoon,