Remembering Love and War: 1967

The "Early Show"'s week-long "Time Machine" series ended Friday with a trip back to the year 1967.

Blast to the Past, 1967, with "The Early Show"
Photos: Remember 1967
Relics of 1967
"My Three Sons" Cast Reunite
"Hair" Revives 1967 Energy

But what happened in 1967?

The year was all about love and war. The summer, as "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez said, was dubbed the "Summer of Love."

"Early Show" news anchor Russ Mitchell joked, "I was a little young for the summer of love, unfortunately."

"Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith was in high school in 1967.

"I didn't even understand it until years later," he said.

However, the music of the era, Smith said, was part of everyday life. Smith said he listened to music from The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" every morning on the way to school."

Jimmy Hendrix was also a force to be reckoned with that year. Songs, such as "Purple Haze" and "Foxy Lady" were popular on the radio along with now-legends' hits, such as Aretha Franklin's "RESPECT."

Rodriguez said, "I can't think of anyone who doesn't know R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me."

Mitchell said '67 was a paradox.

He said, "You had the 'Summer of Love,' and at the same time you had all this protest out there."

Rodriguez added, "It was a time of volatile emotions in this country. It was really raw and on display in 1967."

The conflicts in Detroit, "Early Show" weather anchor and features reporter Dave Price said, was a perfect example of that time.

Price said, "Fires erupted, and violence was here, there, and everywhere."

The violence overseas in the Vietnam War was also on Americans' minds, Mitchell remarked.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that year: "Let no one claim that there is a consensus to this war."

Smith remarked the draft was very real to people.

He said, "A lot of times people were very afraid about it."

Remembering 1990
Reflections on 1979
Blasting Back in Time to 1983
Recalling 1954

However, others were already in the service. Former presidential candidate John McCain began his five year ordeal in 1967 as a prisoner of war.

The year 1967 was also a year when Americans were in love with space, Smith remarked.

"The first astronauts were bigger than rock stars," he said.

All three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 died during a training exercise.

Mitchell said he remembers 1967 being a cool time for cars. He said 1967 was the best year ever for the American auto industry.

Mitchell added, "This country was changing. You had riots. You had protests. You had incredible music out there. And people kids really, for the first time, (were) getting together and making a point like they never had before.