My daddy's bands played it. Therefore they practiced it often. We listened to it in the car. And if it wasn't playing around us, Dad would sing it there on the spot. It's one of his true loves. And growing up with it, it's also one of mine.
When I think back on most of my fondest childhood memories, there are oldies songs playing in the 'background' of them. One of my favorites is when I was like 7 years old... Maybe less? We went to Oklahoma to visit some of my aunts, uncles and cousins. My aunt and uncle had a reining horse operation and I remember my dad, my uncles Greg, Fred & Cy, and myself (and probably more people, but this is what I remember) and we were sitting out on a deck or patio, and somebody was telling the story of these nasty black bugs that could bite huge holes in your skin. And there was one on my dad's beverage can and I freaked out and they were laughing at me. No, that isn't the fond part of the memory, but since it happened then, apparently I retained it. But then after that, all of them started singing 'Blue Moon' by The Marcel's. And I remember them trying to make me sing it because it was one of my favorite songs, but I was too shy or embarassed to sing. I remember it all very clearly. Navy blue, summer evening sky, pretty stars.
Or shortly after that, or maybe shortly before? We took a family trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota. And at the time, Tess and my's favorite song was 'Denise' by Randy & The Rainbows. So my dad recorded it like 10x in a row on a cassette tape and we played it all the way to SD. Until everybody else finally got sick of it and made us turn it off. But to this day I can't listen to that song without remembering the caves that we explored, the gold that we panned, and even the fact that our cabin there was called 'The Vulture'.
Whenever I hear "Popcicles & Icicles" by The Mermaids or "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes, I think of my sister Tess. Tess and I used to jam in the driveway to these songs when our ages were still single digits.
Sure I grew up in the 80's and 90's. But that crap has got nothing on the golden oldies.
1 comment:
Although your memories are far different than mine, or maybe because of it, I really enjoyed your post. I hope you have fond memories of the Black Hills; I've been living in that area for five years now and really love the Hills. Can't say the same for mid-west winters, tho!
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