Monthly Archives: April 2007

42. I’m just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song

Song Blog, , ,

On the way back from Savannah last Sunday we listened to a rebroadcast of Prairie Home Companion. About half-way through the show a woman with a beautiful voice sang Red, Red Robin. She sang it in almost a melancholy way, much different from the song I’d memorized while listening to my parents Mitch Miller’s Sing-along album back in the 1960’s.

The Red, Red Robin I remember was a lively, cheerful song that would bring me out of the blues when I heard or sang it – which I did often, along with Mitch Miller’s chorus. The album even had the words for me to read and memorize.

I don’t remember much of the Mitch Miller Sing-along on television, but I do seem to remember that the words of the songs being sung were superimposed over the video, and a bouncing ball let the viewer know which word to sing at any given time.

Am I making this up? (A quick visit to Wikipedia tells me I’m not.)

In the car ride, after Ms Dworsky finished singing, my husband, Dean, and I sang it again, the way we remembered – all the way through. The kids said nothing – they were either speechless with embarrassment or just used to our silliness.

Just follow the bouncing ball:

WHEN THE RED ROBIN COMES BOBBIN’ ALONG
(written by Harry Woods )

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along, along
There’ll be no more sobbin’ when he starts throbbin’ his old sweet song:
Wake up, wake up you sleepy head
Get up, get out of your bed
Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red
Live, love, laugh and be happy

What if I were blue, now I’m walking through, walking through the fields of flowers
Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours
I’m just a kid again doing what I did again, singing a song
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along
There’ll be no more sobbin’ when he starts throbbin’
There’ll be no more sobbin’ when he starts a throbbin’ his old sweet song
Wake up, wake up you sleepy head
Why don’t you get up, get up, get out of bed, cheer up
Live, love, laugh and be happy

What if I were blue, now I’m walking through fields of flowers
Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours
I’m just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along
Along, along, along, along, along.

The Internet Archive has two mp3 versions:

One by Al Jolson

Another by The Golden Gate Orchestra

41. Show me that you love me too

Song Blog

I have few vivid memories of my Uncle Don – they are mostly vague feelings of being loved. I remember one Eastertime and he peeled me a colored egg that I think he’d cooked. I didn’t want it because the yolk was greenish. I’m pretty sure he died a couple of months later.

I also remember the Christmas he and Aunt Leila gave me clothes for my brand new Barbie Doll.

What I remember most, however – the one true, good vivid memory I have of my Uncle Don (who gave me his name) was the song, Put Your Head on my Shoulder. I remember him putting the record on his HiFi, scooping me up in his arms and singing softly into my ear as he swayed with the music; and I slowly, and deliciously, drifted off to sleep.

Put your head on my shoulder
Hold me in your arms, baby
Squeeze me oh so tight
Show me that you love me too

Until today I had no idea it was recorded by Paul Anka. I didn’t know that Paul Anka was singing in the 60’s. (He was 14 when he had his first hit – wow). I guess I need to show that guy some respect. If ever a song made me feel loved, it’s Put Your Head on my Shoulder.

My Uncle Don died when I was six – a few months before John F. Kennedy was assassinated. After Kennedy died, I pictured Heaven as a grand cafe. Uncle Don was sitting next to John Kennedy at a small table, drinking a beer. As more people I knew left this life, that table in Heaven grew more populated. When I think of it today, I see many familiar faces – all smiling, all chatting, all friends.

40. Hey Hey, Rock-n-Roll is here to stay

Music, ,

My parents have a vacation house in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin which is close to Minocqua. One day my daughter and I were browsing the shops in the Boardwalk Shops of Minocqua. We both love books and were happy to find a bookstore there. We walked in and were greeted with the smell of old books, coffee and familiar music coming over the sound system. Clare immediately said – Mom! It’s Dan Bern. I replied that it couldn’t have been Dan Bern. Not here in this small bookstore in Minocqua. I said it was probably a Dylan song that sounded like one of Dan’s. As I walked further into the store I realized that the song was indeed by Dan Bern (I don’t remember which song it was) and cried out. DAN BERN!

The shopkeeper, who was helping another customer, looked up and said, “Yes. Dan Bern. Do you know his music?” We then chatted for 45 minutes about how we knew about Dan and what albums we owned. (In my case it was every album plus hundreds of bootlegs and live recordings – in his case it was just one compilation he’d put together while working at a radio station that played Dan’s music).

I bought a couple of books, then mentioned that I was interested in expanding my horizons within the singer-songwriter arena and asked for his advice. He pointed out a couple of musicians, but the one that thought I’d like most was Todd Snider. The fact that there was a song called Statistician Blues on the album he showed me was the final factor (my husband is a statistician).

The shopkeeper was right.We loved Todd Snider. He was funny and a good singer. Even my husband liked some of the songs (but not the one about the statistician).

The kids favorite was Beer Run.

Here he is playing Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues

So it made my day a few weeks ago to see that Todd Snider was going to be playing at the Birchmere. With none other than Dan Bern.

I bought my ticket today.