Sunday, May 2, 2021

Memories from early childhood: MUSIC

Mostly, I have a shitty memory, but the one exception is music. For music, I have a great memory.
I recall hearing this song on the radio—in 1958! I was only 3 or 4, living maybe in Vancouver, BC. We were German immigrants and I don't think I spoke English at the time. 
I've always loved the cheesy organ and, well, the whole dang thing. I was pleased to find out, many years later, that Alex Chilton always sang this song in Italian at gigs. In fact, I heard him sing it at the Coach House maybe in the 1990s.

Here's another well-remembered song:
This was a hit in late 1961/early 1962. I was seven at the time, and I really loved this song. Still do.

Really loved this one from 1962. Lester played piano on the recording—and that was the main attraction for me. Still love this.

What can I say? Loved this when I was a kid. Acker Bilk in 1962

Here's another trad jaz number that really caught my attention. I recall hearing this on the radio—must've been late 1963. The school bus driver always had the radio on. This was a hit, if only briefly.

I recall being stuck in the back seat of our shitty 1960 Ford Fairlane or Galaxy—we went on endless drives. But I'd listen to the radio and I recall being mesmerized by this song as we drove through the Riverside Canyon when the 91 was a two-lane highway. The song was called "Sukiyaki" in the U.S. (Good grief!) It's actual name: "Ue o Muite Arukō" (1963)

I seemed to have a thing for Dusty Springfield when I was a kid. Really loved this number from 1964, when I was nine. I became a true appreciator of Bacharach/David much later on.

OK, this one might be embarrassing. But I loved this song from the Fall of '64, when I was nine. Garnett did become a hippie, sort of.

By 1967, I was a huge Moody Blues fan. Saw 'em in concert a couple of times, a few years later, in LA.

By 1973, I was a huge Mott the Hoople fan:

Volare again, this time via Alex Chilton. Chilton really captured the essence of this cheesy wonder.
So cool.


     I live in a little rural canyon right off Live Oak Canyon, not far from Hamilton Truck Trail. --You know, in the country.
     I've only got maybe four neighbors. I know one of 'em—the renter—is hard core Trump. Then there's the family with the "Saddleback Church" sign: I figure they're Trumpists too. I ran into another neighbor for the first time (after all these years!) a couple of days ago. She seemed a little weird. I noticed her cap. It said "Trump." Or maybe it was "MAGA." One of those.
     I utterly ignored that. It's best to be on good terms with your neighbors, even if they are insane.
     Teddy says "hey!" He still feels the Bern!

4 comments:

Annie said...

I recall most of these songs. The usual source was our family car radio on those very long Sunday drives: The salmon-colored 1955 Ford station wagon, the metallic-green Fairlane. Eventually, the black 1964 Lincoln Continental with the crazy suicide doors. We were playing a whole lotta Motown, Surfer, Folk, Rock n' Roll, British Invasion, Psychedelic, Country, Blues, Jazz and the incessant presence of Burl Ives and the Tijuana Brass; what a mix!

Bob said...

And I remember them as well in our 49 2 door Pontiac.

Anonymous said...

I've always found it odd that the song by Kuy Sakamoto was given in English speaking countries the name "Sukiyaki," a one pot Japanese dish (delicious in its own right). It's like naming a Chinese song "Chow Mein," or a Mexican ballad "Pozole." Huh?

Anonymous said...

My childhood memories of music are increasingly powerful. The weekend music on the Long Beach jazz station reminds me of my mother.

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...