ConocoPhillips buying Marathon Oil for $17.1 billion

• May 29, 2024

By Michelle Chapman | The Associated Press

ConocoPhillips is buying Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $17.1 billion as energy prices rise and big oil companies reap massive profits.

The deal is valued at $22.5 billion when including $5.4 billion in debt.

Crude prices have jumped more than 12% this year, and the cost for a barrel rose above $80 this week. Oil majors put up record profits after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and while those numbers have slipped, there has been a surge in mergers between energy companies flush with cash.

“We never know when these opportunities come available, and this one certainly came available, or to our attention, here a few weeks ago,” Chief Executive Officer Ryan Lance told analysts and investors Wednesday on a conference call. “We weren’t necessarily out looking for something, but it was an opportunity that presented itself.”

Chevron said last year that it was buying Hess in a $53 billion acquisition, though that deal faces headwinds. The company warned the buyout may be in jeopardy because it will require the approval of Exxon Mobil and a Chinese national oil company, which both hold rights to development of an oil field off the coast of the South American nation Guyana where Hess is a big player.

In July of last year, Exxon Mobil said that it would pay $4.9 billion for Denbury Resources, an oil and gas producer that has entered the business of capturing and storing carbon and stands to benefit from changes in U.S. climate policy. Three months later, Exxon announced the proposed acquisition of shale operator Pioneer Natural Resources for $60 billion.

All the proposed acquisitions could face pushback from the U.S. which, under the Biden administration, has stepped up antitrust reviews for energy companies and other sectors as well, such as tech.

The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces federal antitrust law, asked for additional information from Exxon and Pioneer about their proposed deal. The request is a step the agency takes when reviewing whether a merger could be anticompetitive under U.S. law. Pioneer disclosed the request in a filing in January.

As part of the ConocoPhillips transaction, Marathon Oil shareholders will receive 0.2550 shares of ConocoPhillips common stock for each share of Marathon Oil common stock that they own, the companies said Wednesday.

ConocoPhillips said Wednesday that the transaction will add highly desired acreage to its existing U.S. onshore portfolio.

“This acquisition of Marathon Oil further deepens our portfolio and fits within our financial framework, adding high-quality, low cost of supply inventory adjacent to our leading U.S. unconventional position,” ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance said in a prepared statement.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. It still needs approval from Marathon Oil stockholders.

Separate from the transaction, ConocoPhillips said that it anticipates raising its ordinary dividend by 34% to 78 cents per share starting in the fourth quarter. The company said that once the Marathon Oil deal closes and assuming recent commodity prices, ConocoPhillips plans to buy back more than $7 billion in shares in the first full year. It plans to repurchase more than $20 billion in shares in the first three years.

Shares of ConocoPhillips declined 3.3% before the market open, while Marathon Oil Corp.’s stock rose more than 7%.

​ Orange County Register 

13 acts coming to Southern California casinos in June

• May 29, 2024

June is packed with big names in entertainment heading to Southern California casinos, including several stand-up comedians, political commentators, rock stars, Latin acts and more.

Be sure to check the official websites for the latest event information.

Marisela

Mexican-American singer and queen of romanticás Marisela is on tour supporting her latest album, “Dos Almas.” 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $50. 800-514-3849. aguacalientecasinos.com.

Heather McDonald

Standup comedian, bestselling author and actress Heather McDonald is bringing her pop culture comedy podcast, “Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald,” to a live audience where she’ll dish about the latest scoops from her celebrity friends. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets start at $39.50. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.

Bill Maher

“Real Time with Bill Maher” host, comedian and political commentator Bill Maher is bringing his nationwide “WTF?” comedy tour to Southern California for one night only. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. Tickets start at $45. 760-775-5566. spotlight29.com.

Jon Stewart

Best known for his politically charged late-night hit “The Daily Show” and the current affairs series “The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+,” Jon Stewart is returning to his comedy roots with a special standup show in Temecula. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 8 at Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. Tickets are sold out, but select tickets are available on Stubhub.com. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.

Walker Hayes

“Fancy Like” country hitmaker Walker Hayes is on tour with new music from his latest EP, “Sober Thoughts,” where he examines his past battles with alcoholism. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. $54.50-$163. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Mike Epps

Mike Epps got his big break on HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam” in the ’90s and kept people laughing with roles Day-Day in “Next Friday” and “Friday After Next.”  8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland. Tickets start at $65; 21-and-older only. 909-864-5050. yaamava.com.

Tesla

Tesla, not to be confused with the automotive company, has been rocking out since the early ’80s. Last year, the “What You Give” hitmakers released a live album recorded at a Sturgis Bike rally in 2022. They’ll be playing a mix of their greatest hits and their latest studio albums. 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. $56.50-$99.50. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Switchfoot

The alt-rock San Diego group did something a little different to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut record, “The Beautiful Letdown” and rereleased a version in September that includes covers of its tracks performed by the Jonas Brothers, Jon Bellion, Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph and others. The show will include hits from their latest album and the rest of their catalog. 8 p.m. Friday, June 21 at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. $49-$79. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com.

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, the duo known for their shenanigans and skits on “Whose Line is it Anyway?,” will take over The Show with audience suggestions for an interactive evening of laughs. Saturday, June 22 at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. $40-$100. 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com.

Deon Cole

Actor and standup comedian Deon Cole, best known for his recurring role as Charlie Telphy in the ABC sitcom “Black-ish,” is hitting the stage for a night of standup. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. $39-$69. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com.

Todd Rundgren

Musician and songwriter Todd Rundgren, a previous member of the psychedelic band Nazz and the prog-rock act Utopia, is bringing his solo show to the Coachella Valley. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22 at Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. Tickets start at $25. 760-775-5566. spotlight29.com.

Grace Potter

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter, who often draws comparisons to Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, is touring to promote her fourth album, “Mother Road.” 8 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $49-$99. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

Intocable

Intocable, the norteño and Tejano supergroup that’s topped Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay charts again and again with hits including “Si Me Duele, Que Duela” is on tour celebrating its 30th anniversary together and supporting their latest accordion-driven album, “Modus Operandi.” 8 p.m. Sunday, June 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio. $49-$99. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

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​ Orange County Register 

Santiago Canyon College helps utilities technician map out a career

• May 29, 2024

By Greg Hardesty, contributing writer

Teresa Hodges recalls seeing surveying data on maps while working for the City of Carlsbad and wondering what the numbers meant.

One day, she told herself, I’m going to learn about that.

And so, at 62 years old, she is.

Last year, Hodges took her first surveying course at Santiago Canyon College in Orange. The tough 90-minute, one-way commute from her office in San Diego County a couple of times a week for three-hour evening classes didn’t deter her.

Things got easier, driving-wise, the next semester, when Hodges took a follow-up course on advanced plane surveying.

Now, she’s also taking classes in SCC’s water utility science program with the goal of becoming a wastewater treatment operator or water treatment operator.

“The instructors are all encouraging,” Hodges said. “It’s been a fabulous and wonderful journey.”

The same could be said of Hodges’ life.

Encouraging upbringing

A former Marine with a varied professional career that has included managing a women’s athletic clothing store, Hodges, along with her husband, Joseph, has raised four children who now are in their 30s.

Two decades ago, Hodges overcame two extended and potentially debilitating illnesses to return to college. Her thirst for learning comes from her parents.

“They always encouraged us to be avid readers and to get a good education,” said Hodges, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio. A utilities engineering technician for the City of Carlsbad’s Municipal Water District, .

Hodges started with the city as an engineering technician in the transportation engineering department in 2018 but made a lateral move to her current job in 2021.

Teresa Hodges at her job with Carlsbad Municipal Water District. (Photo courtesy of RSCCD Communications)

In her current position, she uses computer tools such as Autodesk Civil3D to work with civil engineers in a 3D model-based environment to produce such things as location maps for complex infrastructure projects.

Serious health issues

In high school, Hodges became interested in fashion merchandising as well as drafting.

She was 17 when she entered the military on the delayed-entry program. Hodges served four years in the Marines, working in supply and later as a chaplain’s assistant, and settled in Macon, Ga., after being honorably discharged in 1984.

She got married while working as a store manager and taking business courses at a junior college. In the early 1990s, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and, after that, polymyositis, an autoimmune disorder.

Those serious health issues brought her family to Southern California so she could be treated at Naval Medical Center San Diego (her husband works for the U.S. Navy).

After doctors got those diseases in check with no serious lingering issues, Hodges started taking college courses in 2005 — first at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.

“Going back to school was a marker, a signifier of me regaining my life back from these illnesses,” Hodges said.

She went on to earn an undergraduate degree in history at Cal State San Marcos, where she was on the honor roll, and she also took water technology and wastewater technology classes at Palomar College in San Marcos.

“I’ve always been interested in history,” Hodges said, “and when I took my first wastewater class, I simply fell in love with the history of it and the microorganisms that help clean up the water. I was just fascinated by that.”

She found out about SCC’s surveying course while attending a water education seminar there in 2021.

“Oh, my goodness!” Hodges recalls thinking. “There’s a surveying program here? I couldn’t believe it.”

High-level education

Hodges, who lives in Oceanside, plans to continue taking classes at SCC through 2025 and then work on becoming certified in wastewater and water treatment.

She said all the professors at SCC have been very approachable.

“You can ask them any questions,” she said, “and they’re always available.”

Hodges is grateful for the high level of education she’s receiving at SCC.

“I can’t believe I’ve been afforded the opportunity to learn surveying and water utility science at Santiago Canyon College,” she said. “There are so many aspects to both. It’s blown my mind.”

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​ Orange County Register 

Last Remaining Seats series revives historic theaters with classic films this summer

• May 29, 2024

The glory days are coming back for a trio of classic theaters in downtown Los Angeles thanks to a film series that will take people back in time to the golden age of cinema with the return of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series.

“For people who may not know about L.A. history or its historic buildings but who love film and film history, or who love architecture, this is something you have to experience,” said Sarah Lann, director of education for the Conservancy.

The popular summer series features classic films screened in historic theaters in downtown Los Angeles with double features at three movie houses on June 1, 8 and 15. The venues this year are the Orpheum, the Palace and the Los Angeles theaters.

“There are so few opportunities to come into theaters as glorious and magnificent as these ones are and to sit down and see a classic film. It’s like stepping back in time to a period when Los Angeles was home to this new and innovative industry called the movies,” she said.

Here’s what you need to know about the classic venues and the films that will be screened there as part of the Last Remaining Seats.

The Orpheum Theatre

The Orpheum opened at 842 S. Broadway in 1926 and was renovated a few years ago. It was built in the Beaux-Arts architectural style. “It’s opulent, it’s fancy. It has all of the architectural details that you could possibly want,” Lann said. The theater is decked out in marble-clad walls, stained-glass rose windows and two huge chandeliers. “It really does make you feel like you should be going in to attend some grand opera instead of just watching a movie,” she said. The theater also houses a Mighty Wurlitzer organ, which will come in handy for the opening film of the series.

The Films

The Orpheum will open the series at 2 p.m. on June 1 with the 1920 silent classic “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” The German horror classic tells the story of an insane hypnotist who uses a sleepwalker to commit murders. “We always do a silent film at the Orpheum because it has an intact original Mighty Wurlitzer organ. So you can’t miss the opportunity to watch a silent film with a live organist to accompany the film,” she said.

The second film of the day at the Orpheum is the 1955 Marylin Monroe film “The Seven Year Itch,” which will screen at 8 p.m. on June 1 also happens to be Monroe’s birthday. “It’s going to be really fun to be in that space celebrating Marylin with that film,” Lann said.

The Los Angeles Theatre

Located just up the street from the Orpheum at  615 S. Broadway, this is the youngest of the three theaters in the series and perhaps the most opulent. It opened in 1931 and was the last theater built on Broadway. “It was designed to look similar to a French baroque palace, and it does not disappoint,” Lann said. “There are crystals, fountains, massive chandeliers, and there are red walls with golden gilded columns. It’s just dripping in ornamentation,” Lann added.

The Films

Get ready for an action classic because on June 8 at 2 p.m. the theater will screen the 1968 Steve McQueen film “Bullitt,” where he plays a stylish and cool San Francisco cop assigned to protect a key witness. The film has one of the greatest car chase scenes ever and for the series screening actor and car aficionado Michael Spellman will be there to talk about his Mustang, which is a replica of the one that McQueen drives in the film.

The day will close with the 8 p.m. screening of “Gaslight.” The 1944 film is a psychological and creepy thriller that gave us the term “gaslighting.” “It’s a great theater for ambience. It’s a black and white film, filled with that film noir shadow and light feel. It’s the perfect setting for it,” she said.

The Palace Theatre

The doors to the Palace Theater opened in 1911 at 630 S. Broadway. It is the oldest theater on Broadway and was built for the Vaudeville circuit before movies were common. It became a silent movie house in 1926. “I always think of the Palace as being a jewel box. It’s like you’ve opened this perfect little jewelry box and stepped inside,” she said. It was designed to look like a Renaissance palazzo with multi-colored terra cotta and decorations like flowers and fairies.  “It is absolutely picture perfect inside,” Lann said.

The Films

The series closes June 15 at the Palace starting the 2 p.m. James Bond film “To Russia with Love,” and the 1994 film “Mi Vida Loca,” which will screen at 8 p.m. The movie takes place in Echo Park and tells the story of how a group of friends survive gang life in the neighborhood. “For a lot of people this is a real cult classic so this felt like a great opportunity to bring it back, especially because it’s such an L.A. story,” Lann said.

Tickets are $25 for general admission. For more information go to laconservancy.org

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​ Orange County Register 

Nissan warns owners of older vehicles not to drive them

• May 29, 2024

By Tom Krisher | The Associated Press

Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata airbag inflators have an increased risk of exploding in a crash and hurling dangerous metal fragments.

Wednesday’s urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed by an exploding front-passenger inflator, and as many as 58 people were injured since 2015.

“Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an airbag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death,” Nissan said in a statement.

Nissan said the “do not drive” warning covers certain 2002 through 2006 Sentra small cars, as well as some 2002 through 2004 Pathfinder SUVs, and 2002 and 2003 Infiniti QX4 SUVs. Owners can find out if their vehicles are affected by going to nissanusa.com/takata-airbag-recall or infinitiusa.com/takata-airbag-recall and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.

The company says owners should contact their dealer to set up an appointment to have inflators replaced for free. Nissan also is offering free towing to dealers, and in some locations mobile service and loaner cars are available.

“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries,” the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. “Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.”

Nissan originally recalled 736,422 of the vehicles in 2020 to replace the Takata inflators. The company said around 84,000 remain unrepaired and are believed to still be in use.

Nissan said it has made numerous attempts to reach the owners with unrepaired Takata inflators.

The death was reported to NHTSA in 2018, the company said. The person killed was in a 2006 Sentra, according to Nissan.

The death is one of 27 in the U.S. caused by the faulty inflators, which used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been hurt.

Worldwide at least 35 people have been killed by Takata inflators in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S.

Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding airbags sent Takata into bankruptcy.

Honda, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Stellantis and Mazda have issued similar “do not drive” warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.

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​ Orange County Register 

Crean Lutheran hires Kyle Rouse as girls basketball coach after Ziemann sisters resign

• May 29, 2024

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Crean Lutheran has hired Westcliff University’s Kyle Rouse as its girls basketball coach, the school announced.

Rouse led Westcliff’s women’s basketball team the past four seasons. Westcliff, an NAIA program, finished 13-13 this past season, falling to Embry-Riddle of Arizona in the first round of the Cal Pac Conference tournament.

Rouse replaces twin sisters Bianca and Rachael Ziemann, who resigned earlier this month after five seasons.

“With careful thought, prayer, and seeking counsel from our inner circle, we have decided to step down,” Bianca Ziemann posted on social media. “It’s been an honor to serve and mentor so many amazing young women past and present.”

The sisters, who played at Edison, compiled a 102-34 record at Crean Lutheran with a pair of Empire League titles, including one this past season.

The duo continues to coach Flames Basketball Club for youth girls and operate their family-owned Body Technology personal training business.

Crean Lutheran also made five consecutive playoff appearances under the twins, including a runner-up finish in CIF-SS Division 3AA to Santa Monica in 2019-20.

Crean Lutheran is set to the join the Century Conference for the next two years.

Please send girls basketball news to Dan Albano at [email protected]

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​ Orange County Register 

Psychological torture by Fontana police shakes public confidence

• May 29, 2024

As first reported by the Southern California News Group’s Tony Saavedra, the city of Fontana has settled a federal civil rights lawsuit over the degrading and unconscionable actions of their city’s police officers.

In August 2018, Thomas Perez Jr. called police to report his father missing. Thomas Perez Sr. had gone on a walk with the family dog. After about ten minutes, the dog returned to home, but the father was missing.

Thomas Perez Jr. was then taken to an interrogation room, where detectives grilled him for many hours on end with accusations that he had in fact killed his father.

According to the lawsuit, Sergeant David Janusz told Perez “your father is dead,” that his body had been found, and that “he has a toe tag on him.”

The officers also brought in the family dog and told Perez to “say goodbye” to the dog because it would be euthanized as a stray.

“Because of [the officers’] actions in telling [Mr. Perez] that his father had been murdered, accusing [Mr. Perez] of committing that murder, brutally interrogating Plaintiff for hours, seizing [Mr. Perez’s] possessions, and sending [Mr. Perez’s] dog off to be euthanized,” the lawsuit explains, he “suffered extreme emotional distress.”

The officers had been told he had been prescribed medications for “depression, stress, asthma, and high blood pressure,” but took their time in allowing him to take his medications.

Amid this psychological torture, Perez offered a false confession that he had in fact murdered his father.

Perez Sr., it turned out, was alive and was at the airport going to visit his daughter.

“Mentally torturing a false confession out of Tom Perez, concealing from him that his father was alive and well, and confining him in the psych ward because they made him suicidal, in my 40 years of suing the police I have never seen that level of deliberate cruelty by the police,” Jerry Steering, Perez’s attorney, told Saavedra.

The case was settled for $900,000 in part out of concern the city would prevail thanks to the horrific doctrine of “qualified immunity,” which provides abusive police officers protections from civil liability.

The Perez family deserves every penny and more after their horrific treatment by the Fontana police department.

Saavedra notes that three of the four officers named in the lawsuit continue to work for the city, while another has since retired. All, of course, are highly compensated and stand to earn lucrative pensions.

According to Transparent California, Janusz, for instance, received total pay of $244,386 in 2022 and $75,092 in benefits, not counting his total pension debts to taxpayers.

The officers should feel deep shame for the rest of their lives for what they have done. Thanks to them, public confidence in local law enforcement takes another hit.

Some day, Congress or the U.S. Supreme Court must eliminate qualified immunity from the books. No one should be above the law. Officers who unconstitutionally trample the rights of the people should be held accountable directly for what they chose to do.

​ Orange County Register 

Summer songs: Going back 40 and 50 years to revisit top tracks of 1974 and 1984

• May 29, 2024

Summertime, and the listening is easy, songs are rockin’ and the volume is high. Which is to say, it’s time to talk about songs of summers past.

Songs of the summer anchor us in a time and place. You remember who your friends were, what you did, and where you went.

There are absolutely people this summer who will always remember their love for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” or Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” or Post Malone and Morgan Wallen‘s “I Had Some Help.”

It’s too early to evaluate those, though. Come back in 40 or 50 years when I, or some AI simulation, will tell you how the summer and history turned out for those songs.

This, though, we know: The Summer of ’74 was wild, man, with classic songs alongside some ‘what-were-we-thinking?’ tunes. The Summer of ’84 was much better, with breakthroughs by a number of artists still relevant today.

(And what of 1994? Check out our piece on the classic albums of that year celebrating their anniversary in 2024 here: https://bit.ly/3VjWROD.)

Summer songs are in the ears of the beholder. I picked 10 songs for each year, and yes, your list might differ. But I did try to cast a wide net and survey as much as personal memory and online research turned up.

So tune in, and drop out of 2024 for the spin of the dial through summers past.

Summer songs of ’74

“Band on the Run,” Paul McCartney & Wings / Released in April, peaked at No. 1 in June

“Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash, as we fell into the sun!” Oh my, what a terrific song this is. A suite in miniature, it opens with our heroes in the band sorrowful for their confinement, shifts into a second movement making plans for breaking out, and then, pow! Two minutes and 22 seconds into the song’s 5:13 run time, they’re off, and we’re off too, singing, “And the first one said to the second one there, I hope you’re having fun. Ba-a-nd on the run!”

“Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods / Released in April, peaked at No. 1 in June

“Billy, don’t be a hero, don’t be a fool with your life!” There was a time when I would, uninvited, entertain a party with my rendition of this classic. (I never did figure out why everyone’s drinks needed refilling just then.) There’s no rule, you know, that a summer song has to be good. It just to be memorable, and that’s what we had here. “Billy, don’t be a hero, come back and make me your wife!”

“Rock The Boat,” the Hues Corporation / Released in May, peaked at No. 1 in July

“So I’d like to know where you got the notion …”. Not only was this a call to the dance floor the moment the needle dropped, it’s also considered by some to be the first disco song to top the charts. A perennial favorite at weddings and parties in Ireland, it’s so beloved there’s a dance fans do, as seen on Netflix’s “Derry Girls,” that includes sitting on the floor to rock an imaginary boat. “Rock the boat, don’t rock the boat, baby.”

“Annie’s Song,” John Denver / Released in June, peaked at No. 1 in July and August

“You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest …’: We’ll confess we considered making up a rule that a summer song had to have more oomph than this limp little love song has. It’s just so … weak. But according to Billboard, this baby was the biggest cumulative hit of the summer of ’74. Maybe it was the come-down from the Vietnam War, Watergate and all needed something soft on the ears. “You fill up my senses, come fill me again.”

“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” by Elton John / Released in May, peaked at No. 2 in July

“I’d just allow a fragment of your life to wander free.” Exhibit A in the case against “Annie’s Song”: It blocked this Elton John classic at No. 2 in the summer of ’74. It’s a beautiful, melancholy song with some of John and lyricist Bernie Taupin‘s most poetic work of the period. Gorgeous piano, glorious harmonies, it remained a staple of John’s sets thereafter. “But losin’ everything is like the sun goin’ down on me”

“Feel Like Makin’ Love,” by Roberta Flack / Released  in June, peaked at No. 1 in August

“Strollin’ in the park, watchin’ winter turn to spring.” Now this is how you do a soft summer song. Flack’s mellow vibes are as cool as a summer breeze, and the love song here is something you’d play at a party or for your special lady or dude in the mood. It was also No. 1 for five weeks on the Hot Soul Singles, so, yeah, it was huge that summer. “Ooh-oo-oo, that’s the time, I feel like makin’ dreams come true.”

“The Night Chicago Died,” by Paper Lace / Released in June, peaked at No. 1 in August

“In the heat of the summer night, in the land of the dollar bill.” A fitting bookend to ‘Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” both as guilty pleasures but also authorship: Paper Lace wrote and recorded “Billy,” which flopped, only for Bo Donaldson to take it No. 1. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was not a fan, his rep suggesting that the band “jump in the Chicago River, placing your heads under water three times and surfacing twice.” “Brother what a night it really was.”

“Tell Me Something Good,” by Rufus / Released in April, peaked at No. 3 in August

“You ain’t got no feeling insi-i-de …”. Stevie Wonder wrote this and gave it to Rufus for his friend Chaka Khan to sing, and man, does she sing it. After this hit, the band changed its name to Rufus and Chaka Khan. The funky wah-wah guitar, one of the very uses of a guitar talk box, and just a groove that lasts all day long. “Tell me something good, tell me that you like it, yeah.”

‘Waterloo,’ by ABBA / Released in March, peaked at No. 6 in August

“Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war.” The breakout single from ABBA, “Waterloo” uses Napoleon’s fateful defeat as a metaphor for a love affair. They’re Swedish, they knew their European history, and, smartly, that might have helped win the Eurovision Contest in 1974. To American audiences, that didn’t matter as much as the bouncy run of the up-tempo ballad. “Waterloo, promise to love you forevermore.”

*(You’re) Having My Baby,” by Paul Anka and Odia Coates / Released in June, peaked at No. 1 in August and September

“What a lovely way of saying how much you love me.” People loved this song, and yes, I can sing this at your party, too. There’s no defense for how bad it is other than that Anka really loved his wife and their four daughters, all of whom it was inspired. Interesting side note: One of Anka’s daughters Amanda is married to actor Jason Bateman. “I’m a woman in love, and I love what it’s doing to me.”

Also on the Summer of ’74 jukebox: “Sundown,” by Gordon Lightfoot; “Rock Your Baby,” by George McCrae; “Hollywood Swinging,” by Kool and the Gang; “I Shot the Sheriff,” by Eric Clapton; “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” Barry White

Summer songs of ’84

“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now),” by Phil Collins / Released in February, peaked at No. 1 in April and May

“How can I just let you walk away? Just let you leave without a trace.” Phil Collins’ moody ballad from the film of the same name connected deeply listeners, in part due to the massive clout the still-new MTV had on the pop chart then. The song became Collins’ first U.S. No. 1, bumping Kenny Loggins’ springtime hit “Footloose” off the top spot. “And you comin’ back to me is against all odds, It’s the chance I’ve gotta take.”

“Relax,” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood / Released in March, peaked at No. 67 in May, but …

“Relax, don’t do it, when you want to go to it.” The English duo’s innuendo-filled single didn’t make it far up the Billboard 100, but listeners to KROQ-FM in Southern California heard it in heavy rotation. It was voted the alternative rock station’s No. 1 song of 1984 in a year-end listeners poll. And if there were a poll of popular T-shirts that summer, those white “Frankie Say Relax” tees were pretty popular. “Got to hit me (hit me!), hit me with those laser beams.”

“Time After Time,” by Cyndi Lauper / Released in March, peaked at No. 1 in June

“Lyin’ in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you.” Cyndi Lauper‘s debut single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” climbed to No. 2 at the end of 1983 and start of 1984. This ballad, which Lauper co-wrote, not only did that one better, one better being all there was to do, it’s also become her signature song even more than its predecessor. (Even jazz legend Miles Davis covered it.) “If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me. Time after time.”

“The Reflex,” by Duran Duran / Released in April, peaked at No. 1 in June

“Oh, why-y-y-y don’t you use it? Try not to bruise it.” The glamourous synth-fueled rock of Duran Duran was at its peak in the early ’80s, but it was “The Reflex,” not songs such as “Hungry Like the Wolf” or “Rio,” to achieve their first No. 1 in the U.S. Simon Le Bon’s vocals sparkle as the rest of the band race to the finish in fine form. “The reflex is a lonely child who’s waiting by the park / The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark.”

“Dancing in the Dark,” by Bruce Springsteen / Released in May, peaked at No. 2 in July

“You can’t start a fire. You can’t start a fire without a spark.” The debut single from “Born In The USA” lit the fuse for Bruce Springsteen‘s rocket into superstardom. It was blocked from No. 1 by “The Reflex” and the next song on this list. In this classic age of MTV, the music video was directed by filmmaker Brian De Palma with an unknown Courteney Cox featured. “This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark.”

“When Doves Cry,” by Prince / Released in May, peaked at No. 1 in July and August

“Dig, if you will, the picture, of you and I engaged in a kiss.” Even more than “Born in the USA” boosted Springsteen’s fame, the release of the film and soundtrack to Prince‘s “Purple Rain” transformed him into a global superstar. This song, written in one night to fit a scene in the movie, is classic Prince, funky, sexy, and cool as cool can be. “Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like when doves cry.”

“Eyes Without a Face,” by Billy Idol / Released in May, peaked at No. 4 in July

“I’m all out of hope. One more bad break could bring a fall.” Billy Idol‘s first single off “Rebel Yell” was its title track, a hard rocking number like “Dancing With Myself” and “White Wedding” before it. Here, though, he slowed things down with a ballad that still finds space for some meaty guitar riffing by his musical partner Steve Stevens. “Eyes without a face, got no human grace, your eyes without a face.”

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“State of Shock,” by the Jacksons with Mick Jagger / Released in June, peaked at No. 3 in August

“She looks so great every time I see her face.” Two things you must know about this song. First, when it was released on June 5, 1984, DJs at KIQQ (100.3 FM) decided it would be fun to play it over and over again. And they did, for 22 consecutive hours. Second, the Insane Clown Posse has covered it. Juggalos! Can I get a “Whoop Whoop”? “She put me in a state, a state of shock.”

“People Are People,” by Depeche Mode / Released in March, peaked at No. 13 in August

“People are people, so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully?” Here’s another one that Southern Californians surely heard more than the rest of the nation thanks to KROQ’s alternative rock programming. The British electronic band Depeche Mode uses everything in its toolbox – melancholy vocals, clanging percussion – as well as ever it did. “I can’t understand what makes a man hate a man, help me understand.”

“What’s Love Got to Do with It,” by Tina Turner / Released in May, peaked at No. 1 in September

“What’s love got to do, got to do with it? What’s love but a second-hand emotion?” Tina Turner‘s well-deserved comeback started with the 1984 album “Private Dancer,” and this single from the record was a large part of her success. Sultry and sleek, the modern pop instrumentation behind Turner’s powerhouse vocals still thrills. “What’s love got to do, got to do with it? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?

Also on the Summer of ’84 jukebox: “Cruel Summer;” by Bananarama, “Hello,” by Lionel Richie; “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” by Deniece Williams; “Drive,” by the Cars; “The Longest Time,” by Billy Joel; “Sister Christian,” by Night Ranger; “Jump (For My Love),” by the Pointer Sisters; “The Warrior,” by Scandal featuring Patti Smyth; and, because bustin’ makes me feel good, “Ghostbusters,” by Ray Parker Jr.

​ Orange County Register