The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe - 85: Strange Bedfellows

Episode Date: November 28, 2017

Pete just wanted to get some sleep - But he could not get his bunkmate's earworm out of his head.

This is the way I heard it. For the life of him, Peter could not understand why anyone would want to date his 17-year-old sister. Wasn't Jane kind of annoying? And wasn't her new boyfriend kind of 21? Just imagining dopey little Jane as a sexual creature was enough to make Peter throw up in his mouth. But it was hard not to imagine such things with a grown man out on your parents' porch, serenading your kid's sister with silly love songs. I mean, really, how much creepier could it get?

Well, as it turns out, quite a bit. Because that was the summer that Peter's underaged sister's older boyfriend was allowed to move into the attic of Peter's parents' place, otherwise known as Peter's bedroom. The situation was untenable. Every night Peter bunked with a grown man who yearned to be in the bedroom below them, spooning with his little sister.

There wasn't upside to this awkwardness, though. The creepy boyfriend's love songs were actually pretty good, even if they were written for jailbate. And the guy in Peter's attic cranked them out like most people changed their socks. Every night, Peter found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, humming along to a new tune, one in particular, stuck in his crows.

all, an earworm. He simply couldn't shake. One evening, the lovesick boyfriend returned to the attic and found Peter sitting on his bunk, playing his guitar, singing the song in question. The boyfriend cocked his head. You've got a decent voice, Peter, and you can carry a tune, but that is one of the worst songs I've ever written. Really? said Peter, I think it's one of your best. Tell it to my bandmates, said the boyfriend. They can't get past the first line without cracking up. They hate it. Well, if you don't want it, can I have it? Sure, said the boyfriend. What are you going to do with it? What Peter did was walk into a local recording studio and sing it. A month later, the song went straight to number one, and it didn't stop there. The little tune with the funny first line ended up in the

a rock and roll hall of fame as one of the 500 songs that help shape rock and roll. It also made Peter a star. He signed with a major label. He got on TV. He met everyone in the music business, and everyone seemed to like him. But when Peter sat down to write a follow-up hit, he quickly learned one of music's great truths. Just because you know a hit when you hear one doesn't mean you can write one. So Peter did what he did best. He kept his ears open. And what he heard time and time again were the hits that other people didn't. Consider the hippie from Massachusetts who played a tiny gig in London that Peter just happened to attend. His own label laughed when Peter brought him in for an audition. The kid was a downer, they said. He sang about suicide and drug addiction. He wrote about

far-off places like the Berkshires and Carolina. But Peter heard greatness, so he left his label and proceeded to produce a string of albums with a kid named James Taylor that would forever transform the singer-songwriter genre. But the man with the golden ear was just getting started, listening for what others simply couldn't hear and making stars out of people the industry ignored. Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Rahn. and Kenny Loggins all owe him their careers. He produced hits for Cher, Morrissey, Diana Ross, Olivia Newton, John, Neil Diamond, too many to list. Peter collected Grammys, like most people, changed their socks, and went on to become one of the most influential hit makers in pop music.

Nowadays, Peter still picks up his old guitar from time to time and hums a few bars of the song that changed everything. thing. He still likes to tell the story of the Mopey boyfriend who cast it aside and the little band who laughed at the first line. Please lock me away and don't allow the day here inside where I hide with my loneliness. Ultimately, Peter Asher's underaged sister agreed to marry the aspiring rock star who slept in her big brother's bedroom. And even though their engagement didn't last, don't feel too bad for the star-crossed couple. Jane Asher has been happily married for the last 30 years. And her former fiancé, the lovesick Trubador, who could crank out silly love songs like most people change their socks. Well, as of today, he's written 32 number one hits, including

world without love. The catchy little tune that Peter Asher knew would be a smash, even if the man who wrote it did not. A broken-hearted singer-songwriter named Paul McCartney. Anyway, that's the way I heard it. When you manage procurement for multiple facilities, every order matters. But when it's for a hospital system, they matter even more. Granger gets it and knows there's no time for managing multiple suppliers

and no room for shipping delays. That's why Granger offers millions of products in fast dependable delivery, so you can keep your facility stocked, safe, and running smoothly. Call 1-800-Grangeer, clickgranger.com, or just stop by. Granger, for the ones who get it done.

The ocean moves us, whether that's surfing a wave or taking in an inspiring view. The ocean feeds us. Sustainable seafood practices bring the ocean's bounty to our plates. The ocean teaches us. How our everyday choices, big and small, make an impact.

The ocean delights us as playful otters restore coastal kelp forests. The ocean connects us. Find your connection at Monterey Bay Aquarium.org slash connects.