Bob Seger was born and raised in Ann Arbor Michigan, home of the University of Michigan Wolverines.

As a young teen, however, Bob was far less interested in Wolverines than what was happening downtown near the corner of Main and Ann Street.

It seems there was a pool hall there where girls would dance in the window and R&B bands would play on the weekends. To Bob, this was not only fascinating –it was life changing.

In fact, it’s what influenced him to make music his career.

In 1977, Bob wrote and released “Mainstreet:” an autobiographical “Great Song” that covered this part of his life.

Music critics called attention to an interesting undercurrent in the song. Instead of a young man singing about homecoming queens and college girls…he sings about a down-on-her-luck dancer in a dive bar. And instead of dating or trying to save her…he just watches as she lives her life–down on “Mainstreet.”

And here’s something else that’s interesting: ”Mainstreet”. went to #1 in Canada–\just 45 miles east of Ann Arbor, but here in the US, it topped out at just 24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 . In other words…45 miles and an international border may have made a noticeable difference in chart position, but it did NOT affect “tMainstreet’s” status as a “Great Song of 1977 for Bob Seger!

For the stories behind nearly 1,300 Great Songs of the ’70s and ’80s, visit my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk