A Birthday Card: Part 2

Welcome back to the 2nd part of this birthday card for my cousin, Gary, who turned 60 yesterday. 

In part 1 I listed 31 out of 60 songs in two categories. 
For part 2 I'm going to give you 3 different lists. One with songs the two of us liked to sing together; even without the record. Also there will be a list of songs that have a bit of a story that goes with them. 

This next group are songs that we identified with as teenage boys trying to make our way through the minefield of relationships, with the girls. I'm not going to go into the specific details as to why we identified with these songs. Just want to put them on the list. 

First are those that meant the most to Gary. 
32. Jackie Blue-Ozark Mountain Daredevils
33. Poor Side of Town-Johnny Rivers
34. Rainy Night In Georgia-Brook Benton
35. Runaway-Jefferson Starship

There were "Lost Love" and "unrequited love" songs that meant the most to me. 
36. Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend-Lobo
37. It Was Almost Like A Song-Ronnie Milsap

This last group of love songs, applied to both of us. 
38. Cherish-The Association
39. When I Loved Her-Bill Anderson
40. Worst That Could Happen-Brooklyn Bridge
41. You've Never Been This Far Before-Conway Twitty

Next are the songs Gary & I liked to sing together. Our parents sang to us a lot. My dad and Gary's mom, who were brother and sister, both sang to their kids all the time. So it was only natural that their children would carry on that singing tradition. Gary and I did. 

Here are some of the songs that we used to sing whenever we were together. Most of the time it was acapella without the record. We did our best to harmonize and I remember at times we actually did. We were a pretty compatible musical duo. I'm going to list them in order of what I remember as our favorites. 
42. Silhouettes-The Rays
This was the song that was ahead of the song by Timmie Rogers mentioned in part 1. It was by far our favorite. We sang it hundreds of times.  

43. But For Love-Eddy Arnold
44. Cathy's Clown-Everly Brothers
Another pair of songs that called for harmonies. They were so much fun to sing. 

45. Restless-Bill Anderson
This was the first song on side 2 of  Anderson's "Still" Album
It was a favorite because it was a reminder of Gary's journey as a runaway teenager. He made it all the way to California. 

46.Then You Can Tell Me Good-bye-Eddy Arnold
47. Last Kiss-J. Frank Wilson & The Caviliers
48. Come A little Bit Closer-Jay & The Americans

These last dozen songs all have stories I want to tell you. I'll do my best to convey their significance but it may not come through to anyone but my cousin. But then that's who this series is for. So here I go. 

49. She'll Be Comin Round The Mountain-Traditional
This is one of the first songs I remember making up jokes about. I think we were about 7 or 8. We supplemented the verses with exaggerated cartoon like gestures that fit the lyrics. Once we had our "act" down we presented it in front of all the adults who were in the kitchen playing cards. It was one of our first "shows" we created. 

50. The Counting Song-Children's Church Song
I can almost guarantee you that other than my cousin and I, nobody knows this song. But let me share the story anyway.  
It was the summer of 1971. Gary & I were ages 10 and 11 respectively. Thanks to some generous church members we got to go to our church denomination's sleep away camp for a week. 
It was my first time away from home other than staying at a relative's house. Using a puppet I took along for some familiarity and comfort (gimme a break I was only 10) Gary & I created a musical comedy act for the talent show. We got a lot of laughs and won 2nd place. I still have the red ribbon we were awarded. 

51. Wonder Of Wonders-Northeast Bible Institute Chorale
This is a gospel song that provided a unique and memorable live concert experience for Gary and me, It happened when we attended a youth rally at a local church in the mid to late 70s. The best way I can explain it is that the performance sounded as close to what I imagine a choir of angels would sound like as I've ever heard. Even decades later it is a very strong memory for the two of us. 

52. Why Can't I Touch You-Ronnie Dyson
The story connected to this song happened when we were preteens. In the eyes of most adults we were still a few years away from knowing about much less understand the "birds & the bees". 
We were in our family car on a Sunday night, taking Gary home after he spent the weekend at our house. Dad was driving and mom, as always, was next to him in the front seat. This song came on the radio. The singer sang "If you let me make love to you then why can't I touch you?". Not aware that the two boys in the backseat were listening, my dad commented to my mom about the lyrics.  "I don't understand how that would be possible." Before my mom could answer From the darkness of the backseat Gary spoke up . "I don't either", he chimed in. Both of my parents quickly looked back at us with stunned looks on their faces. The two of us just kind of shrunk down into our seats and looked away. The silence was deafening. Nothing else was said. Later the two of us laughed and laughed at how surprised my parents were by Gary's contribution to a rather adult conversation. 

53. Mr. Jaws-Dickie Goodman
This song served as inspiration for a couple of teenage boys who loved making up their own "drop in" skits. Although I don't have any of those we made ourselves they were inspired by this song which sparked the creativity in us as a young comedy team. 

54. In The City-Joe Walsh
In 1979 Gary and I along with a couple of other buddies went to the movies to see a film called "The Warriors". It was an "us against the world" film about a gang being chased around New York City. All 4 of us, who were in our late teens or early 20s at the time, loved this movie. 
A few months later, the day that my high school girlfriend broke up with me, Gary and I made a spontaneous and very funny parody of "The Warriors" on my tape recorder at his house. The sketch was probably the best therapy I could have gotten at that point. I wish I still had that tape but I don't. Fortunately I have this song to bring back that memory. 

55. Travelin Band-Creedence Clearwater Revival
In the mid 1990s Gary and I discovered karaoke. The opportunity to get up and sing in public was a dream come true for us. It became a very popular activity in the Easton/Phillipsburg area where we lived at the time. We went out to local bars and restaurants to sing as often as we could. Sometimes it was 2 or 3 times a week until 1 or 2 AM.
There even was a short time when Gary actually was a Karaoke host. I helped him once during what was a disastrous night at a party in a Catholic high school. 
Each of us had a "go to" song. Mine was "Mack The Knife" and this song was Gary's. So this one is really a representation of the block of songs we sang both solo and together during those many many nights at Karaoke. 

56. Molly-Bill Anderson
57. Looks Like We Made It-Barry Manilow
Whenever I hear either of these two songs, I listen to the songwriter's lyrics but in my mind are the words that we made up to them. They became our parodies, "Moley" and "Oh, No You're Pregnant."  

58. Keep On Lovin You-REO Speedwagon
As I mentioned when writing about the Beatles in my last post, in our early 20s Gary and I spent a lot of time playing ping pong in his basement. If there wasn't a Lennon McCartney composition playing on the boom box, the tape with this song on it was. But this song reminds me not just of that basement but all the things that happened while my cousin lived on the ground floor of that apartment building. And that's all I have to say about that. 

I am down to the last 2 in my list of 60 songs. If I was only given the choice of two songs connected to my favorite memories out of the life long friendship I've had with my cousin, these would be the two. 
  
59. Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life-Monty Python
In the summer of 1979, I was enrolled in a nationally famous radio school. I was trying to get my aspiring radio career off the ground without the expense of college. The school's office was located in Willow Grove, PA, an hour south of where we lived. On a Friday night in August, I drove there to take attend a class. Gary went with me. On the way there we passed a movie theater. It was one of the biggest multiplex theaters (6 screens) we'd ever seen. We saw that the newest Monty Python movie was playing. On the way back we decided to stop and see "Life Of Brian." We loved this movie. We laughed all the way through it the first time and still do to this day.  This song was a key element in the conclusion of the picture. The song has since become associated with the Broadway musical, "Spamalot". But that day left us with one of the best memories of our friendship as young adults.

60. The Rain, The Park, And Other Things-Cowsils
Without a doubt this is my top "Ron & Gary" memory. I really like sharing this story. 
In the summer of 67, this song was #1 on our local Top 40 radio station, WEEX. The two of us loved this song. We got excited and sang along every time we heard it. As much as two young boys could, we found it romantic. 
Back in those days music wasn't so readily available as it is today. You had to turn on the radio and hope you were lucky enough to be listening when your favorite came up on the station's "hot rotation". 
That summer in August, I was spending a weekend with Gary. Since it was so extremely hot in his attic bedroom, we convinced my aunt to let us sleep in sleeping bags on their front porch. 
This may seem a strange thing for kids so young to do these days but back then it was a much safer world than today. 
To help us fall asleep we took a portable radio out on the porch with us. We turned on WEEX with the volume turned down low but we could still hear it. 
Once we settled in for the night, we talked for a few minutes, eventually drifting off. 
Sometime during the night this Cowsils song came on. Almost as if it was a siren's song calling us, Gary and I both woke up to listen. "Ronnie," my cousin said in effort to wake me up, "listen."  I was already awake and responded with "Yeah, I hear it." We laid there just listening to the sound of our favorite song pierce the silence of the night. In our half awake/half asleep dream state the song took on an even more romantic feel to it. 
Once the song was over and the graveyard shift DJ's voice began to talk over the intro of the next song, we drifted off back to dreamland. 
The next morning we talked about what happened as a way of confirming that we had shared a magical radio moment together. To this day we are certain that we did. 


And that brings to an end my list of the top 60 music memories of my friendship with my cousin, Gary. Now my partner in all of these recollections may remember these stories a little differently but that's what time and the fading memories of 2 old codgers does with yesterday. Like juice squeezed out of an orange, we get out of it what we can.  
     
Once again, "Happy Birthday" Cuz. Welcome to the other side of 60. I'll be joining you in a few months. Thanks again for all the good times discovering, listening, singing and laughing with all kinds of music as we were growing up.  

To all the rest of my readers, thanks for allowing me this very long and detailed walk down memory lane. I hope you got something out of this series as well. 

I'll see you again soon here on the Yankee Near Nashville blog. 

A Birthday Card:Pt.1

Today's post is the first of a two parter. Its going to be different than any of my other series. It's being written specifically for one person. I hope anyone who is reading this gets something out of it, but it is written for my cousin, Gary, who is turning 60 today, March 2nd. 

Born 6 months and 7 days before me, Gary and I spent a lot of time together as we were growing up. Although we've only seen each other a few times since I moved to Kentucky, we still remain lifelong friends. We are the two middle sons in each of our families, which included a dozen kids. So naturally, we hung out with each other. 

One of the things we had in common was that we loved listening to music and singing. I can't tell you the hundreds of hours we spent listening to the radio, playing records and singing our favorite songs together. It started when we were in grade school during our frequent family get-togethers and continued into our 30s, at Karaoke nights. 

I consider Gary one of the three biggest influences in my life when it comes to my taste in music. The other two being my dad and my sister, Peggy. 

The wonderful thing about songs you hear on the radio throughout your life is that they serve as mental bookmarks. Hear one of them and it immediately reminds you of a person, place, or event. 

There are a hundreds of songs that remind me of times I shared with my cousin. When I hear them, the first thought that comes to me is, "This is a Gary song." 

So in honor of his birthday, although there are a lot more, I'm going to list 60 songs I think would be included on the soundtrack of our friendship. 

I will break them down into lists that fit into several categories. Some require details. Others will be explained simply by the name of the category. 

This post series is not only to remember the songs but the bonds and memories of a life long friendship. And it is by no means a complete list. 

I know each song I mention will bring back a memory for the "birthday boy". He will more than likely remember the reason I've included each and every one of them. After all he was there too. The details I share are for those reading this who weren't. I sure hope at least some of them evoke some personal memories for you as well. I've got along list to get through so here we go. 

But First The Albums

This first list is not included in the "Top 60" but are still just as important. These are entire albums from groups or singers we liked so much that we just dropped the record player needle onto song 1 side 1 or pressed the "play" button on the tape player and enjoyed. 

Sesame Street Original Cast Album: While this album was intended for preschoolers, (my parents got it for my 5 year old sister) this album had an impact on a couple of 9 year old boys. We were both fans of the show, especially the puppets, Ernie & Burt. They were our favorite comedy team. Did I mention we were 9?

One of my favorite stories that has to do with Sesame Street  is about the day when Gary and I went to a store near his house and saw an "Ernie" puppet in the toy department. On the way home, Gary found a $5 bill. He went back to the store and bought the puppet. I was so excited and jealous at the same time. I eventually got an "Ernie" of my own that Christmas. 

Best of The Bee Gees: This was before the whole disco part of their career; when they made really good records. It included songs like: "New York Mining Disaster", "To Love Somebody", and "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?". 

Four Seasons Greatest Hits: We loved singing along with "Marlena", "Rag Doll" and all the songs on this album.

The Beach Boys Endless Summer: This was one of our favorite albums to listen to in our teens. By the time we found this one, we had gone from records to cassette tapes. 

The Beatles Greatest Hits 67-70: This one of from when we in our Early 20s. Gary was married and his first son, Gary Jr., had just been born. In the basement of his apartment he had a ping pong table. We spent hours and hours down there just volleying with each other. He always seemed to beat me by the same score, 21-12. On the boom box in that basement was this double cassette. 

There you have the groups and their albums that will always be connected to my cousin. 

Gary's Favorites

This inital list of songs are those that I associate with Gary because he really liked them. They weren't necessarily my favorites but he sure did. They always make me think of him. I am listing them in chronological order of their release date. The numbers are just to show that there are part of the 60 in my overall list. 

1. Let's Lock The Door-Jay & The Americans

2. Castles In The Air-Don McLean

3. Gypsy Woman-Brian Hyland

4. Easy Lovin-Freddie Hart

5. Betcha By Golly Wow-Stylistics

6. Behind Closed Doors-Charlie Rich

7. Sad Sweet Dreamer-Sweet Sensation

Songs We Both Liked

As kids, Gary and I spent a lot of time at each other's houses. Sometimes it was when our families visited, at weekend sleep overs, or for a week over summer vacation. A lot of that time was spent listening to the radio, or playing records. These are a few of the songs that both of us liked. We always sang along. 

  8. Back To School- Timmy Rogers

This 1957 hit was the 2nd song on a 6 song 45 that Gary owned. A song I'll mention later was the 1st. The time between the songs was less than a second. So as soon as song # 1 was finished, almost immediately the first line of this one began. It was so familiar to us that we even sang the start of this one as if it was a continuation of the first. It always made us laugh. 

  9. Hello Muddah Hello Faddah-Alan Sherman 

10. Monster Mash-Bobby Pickett

11. Wonderful Summer-Robin Ward

12. White On White-Danny Williams

13. Laurie-Dickey Lee

14. Dandy-Herman's Hermits

15. The Summer Wind-Eddy Arnolds

16. I'll Be With You Always-Jonathan Frid

A spoken word song by the actor who played Barnabas Collins on the Gothic TV soap opera, Dark Shaows. 

17. It Hurts Me-Elvis Presley

The live recording from his 69 comeback special

18. Angel Sunday-Jim Ed Brown

19. Where Evil Grows-The Poppy Family

20. If You Could Read My Mind-Gordon Lightfoot

21. Clair-Gilbert O'Sullivan

22. Ever Gentle Ever Sweet-Bill Gaither Trio

23. Daddy What If-Bobby Bare

24. Ride'em Cowboy-Paul Davis

25. Summer The First Time-Bobby Goldsboro
26. Swamp Witch-Jim Stafford

27. Come Monday-Jimmy Buffett

28. You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet-Bachman Turner Overdrive

29. Seasons In The Sun-Terry Jacks

30. I Go Crazy-Paul Davis

31. Is This Heaven-Moody Blues

There you have the first half of my 60 song list. Yet to come are songs about romance, those we sang together, and then some that require a bit of a story. 

All of those will be coming up in part 2 of my special 60th birthday card to my cousin and best friend.  See you again next time.