The Biggest Regret of My Life: A Candid, Heartfelt Confession by Shady Del Knight

I'm down in the dumps, dear friend, and you'll soon know why.

Years ago on my old Shady Dell Music & Memories blog, I posted

for the first time two amazing photographs. The pics, taken at

the Shady Dell in 1961, were generously shared with us

by original Dell Rat Lynn Budesheim.

The photo above shows Dell rats chit-chatting in "The Barn" - the Dell's

historic dance hall. The blonde girl on the left was identified as

Debbie the Dellette   Lynn's friend Joyce Spahr Miller.

The second shows Joyce (left) out on the floor dancing to a jukebox tune.

Note that it was common at the time for two or more girls to dance

with each other at the Dell and other venues. Wish I knew which

Dell song was playing at the moment that picture was snapped.

All these years, I never thought anyone would ever be able

to top Lynn's priceless contribution - those amazing photos

of Dellions in the dance hall. But now, thanks to a couple

more original Dell rats who recently came forward-- I can!

 TODAY, I PROUDLY 

  PREVENT PRESENT 

  MORE EXHIBITS  

 IN MY SERIES...

  SHADY DELL 

 SHOW AND TELL! 

 AND SHIRLEY, 

 THESE ARE THE 

 BEST OF ALL!  

Regrets, I've had a few

But then again too few to mention

But, sincerely folks, there is one big regret worth mentioning.

I deeply regret the day I stopped going to the Shady Dell.

 That sad day inevitably came when I graduated college, found a job in another city,

moved away from York, got married and "settled down." I spent the next 50+ years

wondering what the Dell was like in the weeks, months and years that followed my

departure, how much the look of the place and the Dell crowd had changed and

all the fun I might have had if I could have stayed on the scene a little longer.

Well, now I know. Boy, do I know!

 FOUND FOOTAGE! 

You see, just recently, two original Dell rats of the 1970s

and 1980s - Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten - reached out

and generously donated ultra-rare films they themselves

recorded inside the Dell's dance hall in the months

and years after I hung up my Dell rat ears.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

 

The priceless Super-8 footage seen here, captured by Al and Yul on

the Dell dance floor in the early 70s, has me eating my heart out,

knowing (and especially seeing) all that I missed!

(early 1970s) typical Friday night crowd

at the Shady Dell - film courtesy of

Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

I always knew I had lousy timing, and the films shot by

Dell rats Al and Yul are a brutal reminder that-- "I been

in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time."

Here's my story, it's sad but true

It's about a girl that I never knew

dancing Dellette of the post-Shady Del Knight era

- film courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

The above clip is a painful reminder that a future Mrs. Shady

might have been waiting for me right there on the Dell

dance floor. But, alas, I was gone, retired, washed up.

Our epic romance was simply not meant to be!

(10 second pause while Shady sobs)

Having regained my composure, allow me to show you

the next amazing film clip contributed by new friends

of the Dell Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

As you might have noticed by now, soon after I left the Shady Dell

for good, the demographics at my favorite hangout suddenly

skyrocketed to 99% female! Oh, the pain... the pain!

"Wall-to-Wall Dellettes!"  - film courtesy

of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

But wait -- there's more!  I have proof that the 1980s brought

even greater, more drastic changes to the Shady Dell dance hall.

The rare footage you are about to see, recorded by Al and Yul

and their candid cameras, shows us that a movie screen was

installed, a stage was erected and live rock bands played

to standing-room-only crowds of boisterous Dellettes!

live band performs in Dell "barn" in May, 1987

- film courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

If only I had continued on as a Dell rat one more night,

I would have witnessed this exciting all-Dellette

"Dance Contest." I'll never forgive myself

for flying the coop prematurely!

 

"Oldies Night" dance contest held in June 1971,

the night after I stopped going to the Dell! -

film courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten  

Yessum, in the years after I turned in my Dell Rat badge,

it was "anything goes" in the old barn.  Al, Yul and their

trusty Super-8 cams gathered graphic visual proof

that some mighty strange characters frequented

the joint and bizarre antics abounded.

And the man at the back said "Everyone attack"

and it turned into a ballroom blitz! - film

courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

Shirley the news headlines will read "Dell Alum Makes Good"

once the MSM get their hands on this rare footage shot by Al

and Yul. It shows Debbie the Dellette, the most popular girl

ever to attend our dear old alma mater, all grown up and

performing with her dance troupe in The Barn. Yessum,

the cameras were rolling on "Homecoming Night" as

Debbie & The Dellettes brought their "Can't Wait

For The Weekend To Begin" tour back to

York, PA, and the Shady Dell!

Debbie & The Dellettes "Can't Wait For The

Weekend To Begin" National Tour Homecoming -

film courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

Clearly, the film footage you are watching, secretly collected

by Dell rats Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten... locked away

in a vault for decades and made public for the first time

today exclusively here at Shady's Place... shows us

the shocking truth about the post-Shady Dell.

Jan & Dean's hit record "Surf City" boasted

"2 girls for every boy." Shucks, that's nothing!

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

These mind-boggling home-away-from-home movies

taken by Al and Yul reveal that the girl-boy ratio at

the Dell in the 70s and 80s was "a million to one!"

"The Great Dellette Invasion" of the early 70s

- film courtesy of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

Rats! Woe is me! Why was I in such a hurry

to leave the Dell behind and "grow up"?

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

 As these rare flicks donated by Al and Yul indicate,

I missed a heck of a lot when I left York to begin

my so-called "adult life" in another city!

The Shady Dell dance hall, totally unrecognizable

in the years after I departed - film courtesy

 of Al B. Dern and Yul B. Smitten

And there you have it, my friends. The biggest regret

of my life is that I left the Shady Dell too soon.

I wasn't there to witness my old hangout's incredible early 1970s transformation...

...and the even more stunning metamorphosis that followed in the 80s.

I've been kicking myself ever since Dell rats Al and Yul sent me

their film reel offering indisputable proof of a Shady Dell

most of us "old timers" never even knew existed...

...a swinging underground scene overrun by robo-babes!

Now, here I sit, five decades later, with tears in my eyes...

wondering "what if?" and feeling sorry, not so much for myself...

but for all those young women who never had the chance to meet

and, more importantly, to date and marry Shady Del Knight.

Thanks for hearing me out, dear friend. In parting, I'd like to wish you a

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

A SUPER GROOVY
ST. SWITHUN'S DAY!

AND, MOST OF ALL, A...

 

 HAPPY 

 APRIL FOOLS' DAY! 

The AI-Team, Vol 1

"I pity the fool who don't like these songs!"

 Old School's the Rule 

 In the Battle Against 

 The Anime From Within! 

No, dear friend. That isn't a typographical error

in the title of my post at the top of the page.

 Today's post does not focus on The A-Team.

 It focuses on The AI-Team... delightful characters emerging

from the breakthrough territory of Artificial Intelligence art.

These creations are out of this world. World? I mean universe!

As you can see, the sky's the limit in this

rapidly expanding cutting-edge technology.

Above, for example, incredibly detailed and lifelike but totally unreal,

is the "charming and mischievous space adventurer" Nova Stardust.

Yessum, we're in the middle of an AI boom...

and today's post offers a mix of past and present...

...20th century boomer songs combined with

dazzling... mind-blowing...

21st century AI art renderings.

  

Shady's going Old School - playing ten of his favorite songs

that have the word "school" in the title or make reference to

School days, school days,

dear old golden rule days,

Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic

Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick

To illustrate the theme of the post, the songs are accompanied

 by modern AI generated images of teachers...

college women...

bookworms in the school library...

 and studious schoolgirls doing homework.

 How many of these old school songs do you know or remember?

Okay, here we go with the first of our school related songs.

When we were at school, our games were simple

I played a janitor, you played a monitor

So sang the English pop rock band The Hollies in 1967. 

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

 Here they are on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour doing

a song that was a top 3 hit in the UK and made the top 10

in the U.S. The Hollies sing-- "Carrie Anne!"

"Carrie-Anne" - The Hollies

(July/Aug. 1967, highest chart pos. #9 Hot 100/#10 Cash Box,

#9 Canada/#3 UK, live perf. on Dec. 10, 1967, ep. of

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour)

I used to carry her satchels

She used to walk by my side

But when we got to her doorstep

Her dad wouldn't let me inside

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

The following year, The Hollies changed their tune

and their schoolgirl's name and gained a top 40

hit in the U.S. with-- "Jennifer Eccles!"

"Jennifer Eccles" - The Hollies

(July/Aug. 1968, highest chart pos. #40 Hot 100,

#54 Cash Box/#19 Canada/#7 UK)

The chicks are jealous of the new girl in school

They put her down and they treat her so cruel

But the guys are goin' out of their minds

'Cause she's the finest girl you'll ever find

Jan And Dean scored a double-sided hit single thanks to this school-

girl song on the B side of their top 10-charting "Dead Man's Curve."

From the early spring of 1964, here's "The New Girl In School!"

"The New Girl In School" - Jan And Dean

(Mar./Apr. 1964, highest chart pos. #26 Cash Box,

#37 Hot 100, B side of "Dead Man's Curve")

So kids, stay in school,

don't be no drag

Take a fool's advice and

stay out of that bag

Tell me one more time people,

looka here, what he said

Without an education

You might as well be dead

In the fall of 1966, Soul Brother #1 James Brown was riding

high on the charts with a musical public service announcement.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

The single reached the top 5 on the R&B chart and is ranked

high at #27 on my list of The Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell.

Brown's message to the kids of America: "Don't Be A Drop-Out!"

"Don't Be A Drop-Out!" - James Brown

And The Famous Flames (Oct./Nov. 1966,

highest chart pos. #4 R&B/#39 Cash Box,

#50 Hot 100/#35 Canada)

Up in the mornin' and out to school

The teacher is teachin' the golden rule

American history and practical math

You're studyin' hard and hopin' to pass

Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll, it's the merry mister Chuck Berry

with his chart-topping hit from the spring of '57--

"School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)."

"School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)" - Chuck Berry

(Apr./May 1957, highest chart pos. #1 R&B,

#3 Cash Box/#5 Hot 100/#24 UK)

After school we have to rendezvous

Gonna plan all the things that we're gonna do

Trade bookin' for cookin' and I'll quit my lookin'

When our days at the school are through

In the spring of 1960, Bobby Rydell, one of the most

popular teen idols of the pre-Beatles era, scored a top 5

hit with a song about a school that's most definitely cool. 

Enjoy this rare colorized clip as Bobby does-- "Swingin' School!"

"Swingin' School" - Bobby Rydell

(May/June 1960, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100/#6 Cash Box)

Don't know much about history

Don't know much biology

Don't know much about science books

Don't know much about the French I took

Three music giants co-wrote this next school-related ditty:

Lou Adler, Herb Alpert and Sam Cooke. Sam was first to

wax the song, resulting in a top 10 hit in the spring of 1960.

 Fast-forward to the summer of '65 when England's Herman's Hermits

cracked the U.S. top 5 and topped the Canadian chart with their cover.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

Here's kid tested - mother approved Peter Noone

and his Hermits' doing-- "Wonderful World!"

"Wonderful World" - Sam Cooke cover by Herman's Hermits

(June/July 1965, highest chart position #4 Hot 100,

#5 Cash Box/#1 Canada)

I used to get mad at my school

(Now, I can't complain)

The teachers who taught me weren't cool

(Now, I can't complain)

You're holding me down (Ah-ah),

turning me 'round (Ah-oh)

Filling me up with your rules

(Fool, you fool)

Released by The Beatles in 1967 on their album Sgt. Pepper's

Lonely Hearts Club Band, this song features Paul on double-

tracked lead vocals and John and George on backing vocals.

McCartney sings:

It's "Getting Better" all the time

Lennon sings:

Can't get no worse!

"Getting Better" - The Beatles (from May 1967

album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Everybody screamed

When I kissed the teacher

And they must have thought they dreamed

When I kissed the teacher

Now, here's the opening song on the Swedish

pop group ABBA's 1976 album Arrival.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

This rare clip captures ABBA in a live performance that fall

on Polish TV, performing-- "When I Kissed The Teacher!"

"When I Kissed the Teacher" - ABBA

(Oct. 1976 live perf. on Polish TV in Warsaw)

When the ivy walls

Are far behind

No matter where our paths may wind

We'll remember always

Graduation day

To conclude my musical essay on old school songs that are

old school cool, let's go way back to June, 1956, and listen

to the best known hit by The Four Freshmen, a male vocal

quartet from Indianapolis. The nostalgia song was a major

early influence on The Beach Boys who went on to make

it a regular part of their concert lineup. This special Y/T

hybrid took the original Four Freshmen studio recording

and remixed it to sound more like The Beach Boys.

We'll remember always-- "Graduation Day!"

"Graduation Day" - The Four Freshmen

(May/June 1956, highest chart pos. #12 Cash Box,

#27 Hot 100, remixed in the style of The Beach Boys)

I hope you learned your lesson today.

Meet more enchanting members of

 The AI-Team 

next time, and remember... 

 Old School's the Rule 

 In the Battle Against 

 The Anime From Within! 

  See you soon!