BEFORE WE BEGIN THE POST,
I PROUDLY PRESENT ANOTHER
EXHIBIT IN MY SERIES...
SHADY DELL
SHOW AND TELL!
“The Mystery of the Cup”
NEVER BEFORE SEEN ON EITHER
OF MY BLOGS...THIS ULTRA-RARE
SHADY DELL SOUVENIR PLASTIC
DRINKING CUP, GENEROUSLY
DONATED BY OUR GOOD
FRIEND JIM SIELING!
Cup measures 5.5 inches in height
and 3.5 inches at top lip.
Jim says he has five of these cups. Former Dell owner Toni Deroche
told me her son Brandon had one cup back in the 2000s when he
lived at the Dell with members of his band The Underwater.
However, Bran's collector cup vanished at some point.
WHAT'S THE STORY
BEHIND THESE CUPS?
WHO CREATED THEM?
WERE THEY PRINTED AND
SOLD AT THE DELL AUCTION?
EVER SEEN ONE BEFORE?
DO YOU OWN ONE OR MORE?
PLEASE LET US HEAR FROM YOU
IF YOU CAN HELP SOLVE...
“The Mystery of the Cup”
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NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!
Hi! I'm
Shady Blue...
one of the founding fathers
of the Shady Bunch DJ team
on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio.
I host an oldies show called
STUCK LIKE GLUE
on SHADY BLUE
And I'm
Shady Green...
one of the other original
Shady Bunch DJs here
at Shady's Place and
your Host with the Most
on a magic carpet ride back
to the Swingin' Sixties called
SHADY GREEN
AND HIS
AND HIS
WAYBACK MACHINE
Starting today, Blue and Green collide.
We're joining forces to bring you a 5-part, 50-song series
dedicated to great records of the 1960s that shoulda been,
coulda been and woulda been major hits but, for some
reason, failed to get the attention they deserved
at the time of their release.
Along with the records we're playing, we've hung cool vintage
artwork and illustrations on the walls to enhance the mood.
Listen to the first 10 songs and let me know in your comment:
How many of these long lost relics do you remember or like?
Okay, start clicking and enjoy the tuneage in Part 1 of my series...
UNDERACHIEVERS!
The 50 Most Underrated
Records of the 1960s!
"Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" - Marvin Gaye
(Oct./Nov. 1962, highest chart pos. #36 Cash Box,
#46 Hot 100/#8 R&B)
"One of the very best records of Marvin's career, yet it fell short
of the Billboard Top 40. Outrageous!... a travesty!" - Shady Blue
CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO PLAY SONG
CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO PLAY SONG
"Hey Sah-Lo-Ney" - Mickey Lee Lane
(July 1965, uncharted)
"Uncharted??? Unbelievable! Mickey Lee's record rocks big time!
Good to know the ditty was hot across the pond... a genuine
'Northern Soul stomper' played heavily in dance clubs
of northern England." - Shady Green
"The Boy From Crosstown" - The Angels
(Oct. 1964, uncharted)
"Uncharted??? You gotta be kidding! This song surpasses
'Boyfriend's Back' as the toughest, most streetwise sound
generated by this great pop girl group!" - Shady Blue
"That's Cool, That's Trash" - The Street Cleaners
(Nov. 1964, uncharted)
"Uncharted??? No way! This slab's too cool for school! Penned
by Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan and covered a few months later
by The Kingsmen, this frat rockin' party platter belongs
in the soundtrack of Animal House.
Ain't gonna be any dancin' on the kissin' floor!"
- Shady Green
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"You've Been Untrue" - The Delfonics
(Apr. 1967, uncharted)
"Uncharted??? Didn't even make a dent in the R&B survey?
I'm flabbergasted! One of greatest songs in the entire Delfonics
catalog, this exquisite sweet soul ballad is one of the essential
building blocks of The Sound of Philadelphia." - Shady Blue
"Mr. Dieingly Sad" - The Critters
(Sept./Oct. 1966, highest chart pos. #14 Cash Box,
#17 Hot 100/#17 Canada)
"Failed to reach the top 15 on Billboard? Makes no sense to me!
This groovy, beautifully written song deserved to wind up
in the top 5 winner's circle!" - Shady Green
"Uncharted??? I call bullcrap!!!
"Homicide Dresser" - Billy Harner
(Oct. 1967, uncharted)
This rowdy Northern Soul cult classic by
East Coast blue-eyed soul shouter Billy Harner
aka 'The Human Percolator' deserved to bust
into the top 40 at the very least!" - Shady Blue
"California Nights" - Lesley Gore
(Mar./Apr. 1967, highest chart pos. #11 Cash Box,
#16 Hot 100/#15 Canada)
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"14 weeks on the chart and still peaked outside the top 15 on
Billboard? I'm flummoxed! Co-written by Marvin Hamlisch
and produced by veteran hitmaker Bob Crewe, this great
single deserved to reach the top 3." - Shady Green
"Hold On" - The Radiants
(Apr./May 1968, highest chart pos.
#35 R&B/#68 Hot 100)
('Keep on rockin, baby... cause you only (WOO-HOOO!)
rock once!') "A soul essential that recalls the glory years of
The Geator (Jerry Blavat), Hy Lit, Georgie Woods, Porky
Chedwick and other great record spinners of the 60s.
Featuring Mitchell Bullock on lead, here are Chicago's Radiants
with the hottest sound around in the spring of '68, but a true
underachiever that missed the Top 30 on the R&B chart
and stopped well short of the Top 50 on the pop survey.
Shirley you jest!" - Shady Blue
"I Wonder (If Your Love Will Ever Belong To Me)"
- Rick Nelson (May 1964, uncharted)
"Uncharted??? Well 'I Wonder' what gives! Okay, I know
darned well why Rick's superb cover of a 1961 record by a black
doo-wop group called The Pentagons failed to register on the chart.
It's because the song went to waste issued as the B side of a single.
If only the Rickster's rendition had been released as an A side,
it coulda been and woulda been a hit!" - Shady Green
Okay, how many of these
underappreciated and
underachieving records
of the 1960s do you
remember? Do you
like any of them
so much that you're
STUCK
LIKE GLUE?
Did these moldy oldies
make you feel like you
just took a trip in my
WAYBACK
MACHINE?
Stick around!
There are 4 more parts of this series...
40 more songs that need your love and
a forever home on your record player.
See you soon on the next edition of
UNDERACHIEVERS!
The 50 Most Underrated
Records of the 1960s!
Well these evidently underachieved enough that I don't think I've heard any of them before that I can remember. The only possibility is the Lesley Gore number, which I really liked. It's a shame it didn't do better.
ReplyDeleteHope you and Mrs. Shady are staying warm this winter. It's been brutal.
Hi, Kelly & Pat!
DeleteThanks for being the early birds this time, dear friends!
There is absolutely no wagering here at Shady's Place, and nobody's keeping score on this post, so please don't fret over not knowing many of the songs. Indeed, this series is dedicated to obscure songs that deserve recognition.
The Marvin Gaye song was a biggie in my neck of the woods and has stood the test of time as one of the soul man's finest recordings. I was delighted to find that rare clip of Marvin doing a lip-sync on Where The Action Is. The Leslie Gore song is well known because it rode the chart for so many weeks. It's very unusual for a single to last that long w/o climbing into the top 10.
Seeing as how I could not submit replies to comments on my previous post, I will thank you here and now for checking that one out. I'm glad you liked the Duran Duran cover and spooky lyric video produced for it.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comments, dear friend Kelly. I'll be back next month and hope that you, Pat, Grady and Fred stay well until then!
Hey Shady how are you doing? Keeping warm?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't around yet in the 60's so I didn't think I would know these songs but... my late husband was born in 1961 and he listened to some of the songs from back then. But I think it was my mom that listened to Marvin Gaye and so I knew that song.
Mickey Lee Lane is someone I've never heard of and that song was new to me. The Angels was also new to me.
That Delfonics song sounded familiar but I have no idea where I heard it. Good song through. The Critters is a great name for a band but hadn't heard that song before.
But Rick Nelson I knew. I know his twin sons band, Nelson. I loved them.
That was a fun look back. I'm glad you made an appearance this month and hope you and Mrs. Shady are well.
Hi, Mary!
DeleteThanks for dropping in, dear friend! This is actually my third post of 2025. I hope you and my buddy Falcor are well and in good spirits.
No, dear friend, I am not keeping warm. :) On Tuesday, we needed to pick up Mrs. Shady's brother at Philly airport. It was 17 degrees and the wind chill made it feel like zero. We almost froze on the "death march" from the airport to the car in the parking garage. Yesterday morning, the temp bottomed-out at 7 degrees. Temps are forecast to rebound nicely in the coming days.
Yessum, I remember you telling me you came to know some boomer songs by listening to your mom's records. Mickey Lee Lane's best known hit is "Shaggy Dog." (Play it for Falcor.) The Angels are best known for "My Boyfriend's Back," one of the biggest hits of the decade. The Delfonics produced a consistent sweet soul sound throughout their career. You probably know their biggest hits "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)." The Critters had a somewhat bigger hit with "Younger Girl."
Since I couldn't reply to comments left on my previous post, I will double-up and reply to yours here and now. I'm thrilled that at least one follower of Shady's Place is familiar with the TV series Evil. I think it was the best show on TV, and I join the millions of other fans who are upset that it was canceled after 4 seasons, just when the chemistry among the main characters was firing on all cylinders and creepy storylines were at their best. We can only hope the series finds a new life on Netflix. Katja Herbers is my Pick-To-Click as Best Actress on the small screen. I'm sorry that you discontinued your Saturday Song of the Week feature. I always enjoyed your rockin' picks. Crazy Lixx rightfully asks the musical question, "What happened to the youth of the USA?"
I'm delighted that you had a fun visit and I thank you for your great comment. I'll be back sometime early next month and until then I wish you good health and happiness, dear friend Mary!
I can only hope that Evil gets picked up because I agree it's such a good show. Try to stay warm.
DeleteHi again, Mary!
DeleteBelieve it or not, my blog gremlins swiped your follow-up comment. I just now found it in my spam folder! So sorry that happened again.
Yessum, we can always hope for Evil season 5, but it doesn't seem likely, even with its widespread critical praise and large fan base. I read that the writing team already has season 5 laid out in case they are given the green light to proceed. I also that fans of Evil (and Lost) might also enjoy the horror mystery series From produced by MGM+. If you can find it, you might give it a try.
Thanks again for your repeat visit, dear friend Mary. I'll see you and Falcor around V-Day!
I knew a couple of those.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting there is a cup marking the days of the Shady Dell. Where did they come from? Do you have one?
Hi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for coming early to sample the sounds and take in the nostalgic sights as I launch yet another Shady's Place series, "Underachievers."
I wish I knew the answers to your questions about the Shady Dell collector cup. I suspect some company had them printed up hoping to sell them to fans with fond memories of the Ettlines' hangout and of Old York (PA) in general. The cups might have been sold at area flea markets, local antiques and collectibles shops, and maybe even online when internet marketplaces became the norm.
Since I could not reply to your comment last time on my Evil post, I will do so now. In addition to ELO's "Evil Woman," Duran Duran covered another classic rock nugget on their album Danse Macabre, released at Halloween 2023. DD's version of The Rolling Stones hit "Paint It Black" is creepy to the max-- but I like it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLPfcv6Rohc
Thanks again for your visit and comment, good buddy Alex. See you next month!
Happy Friday date night Shady! I hope you're having a little warm up. This weekend might just bring us out of the deep freeze and into the top freezer of the fidge! I did know a few of the songs! Leslie Gore's song brought back my years of wishing I was a California girl and that year ('67) we took a trip to California to see relatives in LA. I was in heaven! My Uncles tried to convince Dad to move out there, but he said there was no way he'd be raising his kids in that place! Could it have been the bikinis on the beach? The hippy movement happening? All those crazy beach bums? Don't know but I'm glad I was raised in the safe, secure, arms of Chicago! Ha! Anyway, I remember Mr. Undieingly Sad and although I always like Ricky Nelson that song is one I don't know. The others were good but didn't ring any bells for me from that time frame. Of course, you must forgive me because my brain was wrapped up in the Fab 4 in the 60's! Thanks for the back to the past blast tonight. I have to mention that cool Del cup. What a find! I wonder if that logo on the front would have come off over the years, especially if put in a dishwasher. Looking at the Del wall names of fame I was wondering if you signed it? Well, time to go and I hope you have a great weekend and will enjoy the last week of this crazy cold month!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks for coming on day one, dear friend! How's Annabelle? The Yeti in Creepy Woods? I saw your generous comment late last night but was tired and needed to hit the hay, so I slept on it. Hope I didn't get it wrinkled.
Yessum, it feels like bikini weather now that the mercury is rising back into the 30s and 40s. The lowest temp I saw locally during the brutal cold spell was 7 degrees the other morning.
Thanks for sharing memories triggered by Lesley Gore's 1967 underperforming single "California Nights." It is natural to wonder all these years later how different our lives would be and possibly how different we would be if we had grown up in a different part of the country and subjected to radically different influences. For example, I wish the girls who fell under Charles Manson's influence and went out and murdered for him had just stayed home and never hooked up with him in the first place.
I'm pleased that you are the first person to remember the minor hit by The Critters. the breezy and very ear-pleasing sunshine pop song "Mr. Dieingly Sad."
I agree that the collector Dell cup is probably not dishwasher safe. If I owned one, I'd put it in a display case and never use it for drinking. It's the same principle to which I adhered when I assembled my modest collection of near-mint condition 45 rpm records. I never once played any of them! I simply admired their pristine beauty and collectible value.
Great question! I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before. Did I ever write my name on the wall of the Shady Dell dance hall? The answer is no. Wild as I was (or pretended to be) at the time, I never had the urge to immortalize myself by scrawling my name on the wall as so many other Dell rats did. In fact, I don't recognize any of those names, nor do I remember there being very much graffiti on the walls in the years I attended the Dell. I think most of it came in the years that followed, coinciding with a growing disrespect among young people of the 1970s and especially the 1980s for owner John Ettline and the special place he created for them.
Since I could not submit a reply to your comment on my previous post, I will do so now. Evil might be over-the-top, but it is brilliantly written and acted with a large cast of main and recurring characters, some endearing and some repugnant. Contrary to what you might think, Evil is not a slasher series, gore for gore's sake. It is existential horror and is laced with humor that develops as the series progresses. It's simply excellent and I do hope you give it a try someday. Dutch actress Katja Herbers has become my favorite actor on the small screen. Come to think of it, she does resemble Sally Field. At times, she also reminds me, through behavior and mannerisms, of Elizabeth Montgomery of Bewitched fame and of Lucille Ball from I Love Lucy. She is also wonderful in Manhattan playing Dr. Helen Prins, one of the few women scientists in the period TV drama about the U.S. development of atomic weapons during WWII.
Thank you again for coming to see me and enjoy the rest of your month, dear friend YaYa. I'll be back around Valentine's Day with my next offering, and hope to see you then!
This is Birgit! A day late but I am here! Harley says woof, woof and promises to send more pics. He’s been busy sleeping, walking and trying to eat anything off the plates. He also gets lots of cuddles and kisses on his nose which he loves,
ReplyDeleteThat cut is neat and I hope you find out how it came to be.
Loving the old pictures and, my mom had one of the old record players which I used a lot when I was a teen.
Love the blues you used here too.
The music- I know this Marvin Gaye song! It’s a fun one for sure.
Mickey…- love it and could dance to it
The Angels- I really like this song that makes me think they are no angels
The Kingsmen ..a fun song but not one for the Delfonics..oh well
The Critters- I first read it as Mr. dingaling sad and my mind went to the gutter.
The Billy Harper song is a lot of fun.
California Nights is another I know and find it so much fun.
I Wonder…it coulda bin a contender!
I just love all these songs and it proves that many songs are just as good or even better than the top 40 or even top 10. Love you are showcasing these songs.
You must be just scratching your head with the orange nut. Take care..from this proud Canadian
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteHello to you, dear friend, and woof woof woof to my buddy Harley. Thanks for joining the fun as I present Part 1 of Underachievers, my picks of The 50 Most Underrated Records of the 1960s. I'd love to be busy sleeping like pooch Harley, but I'm afraid Mrs. Shady would kick my butt.
I'm glad you admire the ultra rare Shady Dell cup. Drop everything and search your entire house, including basement, attic and garage. If you find one of these highly collectible Dell cups, Shirley you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams! :)
Yessum, I was delighted to find so many pictures of vintage couples and individual teens and kids using old style record players. My cousin had one and needed to stack nickels atop the tone arm to keep his records from skipping. Can you imagine the punishment those poor vinyl discs took?
It's neat that you are the first person who remembers the underrated Marvin Gaye single. Thanks for letting me know. The Angels' ditty "Boy From Crosstown" sounds like it was influenced by Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" theme." Far as I know, it is the toughest and baddest sound the angelic girl group put down in their entire career. The song "That's Cool, That's Trash" was indeed performed by The Kingsmen, and I had their version in my collection way back when, but the act that released the version in this post is called The Street Cleaners. The group didn't exactly rival The Beatles in popularity or record sales. Happy to know that you remember and like the Lesley Gore underachiever, and agree that The Rickster was robbed of a hit with his great version of "I Wonder" buried on the back of a minor hit single.
I'm quite pleased that you like the concept of this 5-part series. There are so many great but underrated songs to choose from, but I whittled it down to 50 favorites that I am eager for you to hear. Now all we need to do is live long enough for me to run all 5 posts. :)
Question: When Canada becomes the 51st U.S. state, do you think it will be a red state, a blue state or a purple state? Maybe we should make a friendly bet on it. :)
Since I did not submit replies on the previous post, I will make up for it by offering a reply to yours now. I do hope you are curious enough to give Evil a try. In my opinion, it's the best series on television. The writing, acting and cast chemistry are next level, and the storyline is a metaphor for what is happening today in government and organized religion. Katja Herbers is an actor to watch. I saw one of her Dutch language films a few months ago, loved her in Manhattan and love her in Evil.
Thank you again for making time for me on your weekend, dear friend BB. Please give my buddy Harley hugs and smooches and take good care of yourself until I resurface around Valentine's Day!
Hey Shady! I'm a bit too young to remember anything from the 60s, ha! But I did like the Marvin Gaye song and the Mickey Lee Lane song. I liked all the instrumentals, if not necessarily the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe we've been snowed in south Alabama? It's true! It snowed most of the day on last Tuesday, and today (Saturday) there's still some snow left. In fact, my neighbor across the street still has a full-sized snowman! We're supposed to be in the 50s today, though, so I don't imagine any of the lingering snow will make it to tomorrow. We got about 7 inches at our house, but some surrounding areas got 8 or more! As you can probably imagine, Alexis had a blast. We built a snowman, had a snowball fight, and made snow angels. I've got a few pictures on my last blog post.
Enjoy your weekend!
Hi, Ashton!
DeleteWelcome back in, dear friend, and thank you for coming! I am delighted to have you here as I present the first 10 of 50 records I consider to be Underachievers - songs that shoulda been, coulda been and woulda been hits - but somehow weren't.
Yessum, you have the distinction of being one of my oldest blog friends but, at the same time, the youngest of all my commenting followers. I didn't expect you to know many of these songs, but glad you enjoyed a few. Indeed, a couple of these songs, the one by Mickey Lee Lane and the one by Billy Harner, were brand new to me when I discovered them in recent years on YouTube. I have no memory of them from my teenage years in the 60s.
Yessum, Mrs. Shady's brother and family live in Alabama up northwest of you, and they got a good bit of snow this past week. It's amazing that you received 7 inches! When I lived in the Tampa, Florida, area it actually snowed a little one night in the mid 1980s. It's amazing that temps remained cold enough in your neck of the woods to preserve snowmen for a few days. I'm happy to know that Alexis had a rare and joyful experience playing in the white stuff. I'm coming over now to see the pics.
As with other commenting readers, I will reply today to your remarks on my last post. I do hope you checked it out and were inspired to give Evil a shot. Be sure little Alexis is in bed for the night before you tune in the show. I also hope you found a few musical selections to your liking and that you managed to plow though that intensive course to add onto your teaching certificate.
Thanks again for your faithful support of Shady Dell Music & Memories and Shady's Place, dear friend Ashton. If you care to stop in next time, I'd love to see you. Look for my next post around V-Day. Until then, take care of yourself and your little one!
The cup has the dates 1945 to 1991 and therefore must have been made 1991 or later. I never saw one. Maybe they were sold at one of the "Class of 60 Something Reunions" or the Yok Fair? Sorry I can't help other than that. Also did not remember the songs. Jerre
ReplyDeleteHi, Jerre!
DeleteHappy new year, good buddy! I hope you are well and in good spirits as the first month of 2025 enters its final week.
Thanks for adding the possibility that the souvenir Dell cups were sold at Class of 60-Something reunion dances or possibly at the York Fair. By the way, I trust you have heard that Adrian "Buddy" King, co-lead singer of the Magnificent Men, has died. Buddy possessed one of the most beautiful voices of our generation, and Dell rats and sweet soul lovers everywhere have good reason to be "Misty" over the sad news.
It's unusual for me to run a 10-song post and find out that you don't remember a single one. Every volume of Underachievers will include obscure or underperforming songs by black artists and by white artists. You might have noticed that Mickey Lee Lane's northern stomper "Hey Sah-Lo-Ney" sounds a little like "Land Of 1000 Dances" by Cannibal And The Headhunters. To me, it also sounds a bit like Neal Hefti's "Batman Theme." My personal Picks-to-Click for Vol. 1 are "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow," "That's Cool - That's Trash," "You've Been Untrue" and "Hold On," the latter a killer by The Radiants of Chitown.
Thanks again for dropping in, good buddy Jerre. Stay tuned for a special Valentine's Day edition of "Top Hit Club of America" coming up on Feb. 14. Hope to see you then!
Afraid I'm hearing these songs for first time. The ones I liked the best, or at least stood out for me more, were those by, Marvin Gaye, Leslie Gore and Ricky Nelson. Maybe it's the mix of the familiar (their voices) and the unfamiliar (the songs themselves.) Finally, when I heard the opening to the Angels song, I thought for a second it was going to be the 1960s Batman theme!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks fop staying up late to pay me a visit and sample the sights and sounds of Underachievers Part 1, good buddy!
These songs are not intended to be familiar to most people's ears. The name of the game is to present cool but relatively obscure singles that fell short of the mark and failed to reach their full hit potential. It was well after the 1960s had passed before I learned about a few of these of these songs myself and listened to them for the first time. One example is the song you named, "The Boy From Crosstown" by The Angels. As I told friend Birgit, the tough, streetwise ditty sounds as if it was influenced by Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" theme." I agree with you that there are also traces of Neal Hefti's "Batman Theme." The Batman sound is also present in the Mickey Lee Lane song that precedes The Angels. Listen again to ""Hey Sah-Lo-Ney." It practically begs to be remixed as a mashup with "Batman."
Thanks again for joining the fun, good buddy Kirk. Take care and I'll see you in the middle of next month when I return with a special V-Day offering!
Tom – A few things --
ReplyDeleteI am really confused: I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before but you really tell a great story with Debbie the Dellette. Even by looking back at your blog from years ago I can no longer see your older ‘wallpaper’ to see when Debbie first appears, let alone 12 pictures. Anyway, Debbie tells a good story thru the years with the great punch line at the end with her being Mrs. Shady #1! Perfect surprise ending. However, I’m confused. How does (real wife's first name) fit in? Guess I always assumed she was Mrs. Shady # 1. No matter what, a great tale told on the wallpaper.
Always liked Lesley Gore, probably because she had her best hits when I was in my later years at Penn State. However, I don’t remember California Nights at all (although I see it was on the Dell jukebox) – but, I love it. Maybe the song just wasn’t promoted (payola?) as well as her older songs were. Thanks for digging it up. Think I’ll put it on my jukebox.
Lastly, I have 4 children but 5 Dell cups. If you would like one, just send me your mailing address. You deserve to have it as a thank you for all your online blog work telling the story of The Dell and York racing.
Jim
It is surprising that those songs didn't make the charts. I particularly liked Shady Kind of Fellow.
ReplyDeleteResponding to your comment on my blog, I am very appreciative of the friendship we've had over the years. Thanks for your visits to my blog and your thoughtful comments!
Well, Tom, your last blog really messed up my mind. I can not get
ReplyDeleteCalifornia Nights out of my mind – and I keep on playing it.
But first an abridged overview of my relationship with Nancy:
1959 First got to know her the summer of Nancy's 16th birthday when she
moved into the neighborhood –
She stole my heart that first summer (and never gave it back)
Would sometimes see her during the summers when not away at PSU
1966 Saw her more often after she broke up with boyfriend of 7 years.
“She thinks I'm just a friend; Though it hurts, I must pretend;
The only way to keep her, is to keep it to myself”
Gene Pitney – It Hurts to Be in Love
1968 Received invitation to her wedding and reception
Spent two hours talking together at Lake Williams on the eve
of her wedding
1969 Starting dating her after her divorce
Stepped aside when a previous boyfriend reappeared. We had no
contact at all for two years. (Terrible mistake on my part)
1971 Her Lotus breaks down in Lancaster -- she calls me asking to come
pick
it up with my trailer and get the car back to York. All my old feelings for
her
were still there. Found out she was going to spend summer at Stone Harbor,
NJ
and I offered to tow down her sailboat the following weekend. Didn't know
if I
would be heading right back or staying for dinner. Ended up staying the
weekend and was at the shore almost every weekend that summer.
Best summer of my life!
1972 We were married.
When Lesley Gore's 'California Nights' is changed to 'Stone Harbor Nights'
the song reminds me so much of that wonderful summer of 1971 at the
shore with Nancy. I get very sentimental and can not get the song out of
my mind. (I've added it to iTunes and keep playing it over and over
again. It's also now C7 on the Dell jukebox.)
As Mr. Shady would say, “a pleasant ear-worm”.
Thank you for letting me know about Buddy King's passing. From about 2014
through 2019 Nancy and I would have a Christmas dinner at the Conewago
Restaurant near Manchester where there was a fire in the fireplace and Buddy
King and his sister (Diane I think) would sing Christmas music. They would
always end up the evening leading the patrons in “The 12 Days of
Christmas” – very fond memories.
Also, I was really in bad shape in the months after Nancy died. and I
played Buddy and Dave's “Piece of Mind” over and over again for support.
That song really helped. (And also started sorting down and cataloging what
turned out to be over 6000 45's which certainly kept me busy!)
It is amazing how much music can be intertwined with our lives.
Thank you for keeping it alive!
Jim
p.s. Welcome back to the northeast and our ice and snow. :)
I love how music transcends generation. And what a difference in the way it was before! Entertainment has evolved so much. But, hey, that cup seems immortal. What other treasures are you keeping there?
ReplyDelete