Sergeant Michael Knoll has been posting some incredible pictures and stories about his awesome Audiophile collection of turntables, speakers, tapes and albums. Amazing stuff.
And I got to thinking about the songs in my life that, if I hear them, I am instantly transported back to a moment in time. Some good...some...bad. But music works as a Time Machine.
And one song, but two versions of it, makes me a teenager in love again. And it brings back a vivid memory of my Mom in her rocker, with a cup of coffee in her hand. Her eyes closed, a soft smile on her face, and her hand tapping out the beat on the rocker handle.
You probably guessed the song from the thumbnails for this post.
First, the Percy Faith Version of: "A Summer Place."
My brother brought home a "Reel to Reel" tape deck when he got back from Okinawa after four years there. And the first song on the first reel was : "A Summer Place. " Instrumental. And so so pretty. My Mom loved that song. I would play it several times a day...and sometimes several times in a row.
My HS Sweetheart and I, would sit in the living room, put that tape on the reel to reel...and snuggle. If Mom, or one of my sisters or brothers would leave their posts- for we were always chaperoned lightly in my house. No hanky panky tolerated. But sometimes, they would leave us alone for a bit...and we would sneak in a few passionate kisses. Sometimes our makeshift chaperones could be persuaded to leave for a while...if we promised to do the same when their girl or guy came over. Not often tho...or Mom's intuition would kick in. LOL
When my Mom had a break in her day, and stopped for a cup of coffee. She would ask me to fire up the reel to reel...and "A Summer Place." And I would watch her wondering what place she went to in her mind. Because she always got that soft smile, and the light tapping of her hand to the beet. I think, like I do now...she went back to her youth.
So two years later, I was in a Music Store (remember those?lol) And I saw a Letterman Album. It was of their Greatest Hits. Lo and behold..."A Summer Place " was on that album. I had never heard lyrics to that song. So I bought the album.
Jumped in my car, raced over to my girl's house. Her Mom and Dad had one of those massive "Entertainment Centers" with the TV, a record player, and a little bar that popped up. I showed the album to her, and her Mom. Since we weren't allowed to touch the Entertainment Center. Too expensive for kids to fool around with...and the liquor might be a temptation. Not for her and I, but my best friend Ed and his girl....well, I think they snuck a few shots now and again.
So her Mom took the album and put it on the turntable. We all plopped down and started listening.
And doggone of both my girl and I, liked it better than the Instrumental version. Which neither of us thought was possible, as we loved the Percy Faith version with the London Philharmonic Orchestra as his band.
And my girl's mother?
Well...she did just like my Mom!
Yep. She closed her eyes, got a soft smile on her face, and tapped the beat out lightly on the armrest of her chair. My girl and I just snuggled on the couch. We must have played it five times in a row. And when her Dad came home for Supper, right after the meal we played it for him.
And just like my Mom and her Mom, he closed his eyes, got that soft smile on his face, and tapped out the beat with his hands.
When it was done. He got up, changed albums and put on an album with Waltz music. And we watched has her Mom and Dad glided across the room. After the first song, my girl and I joined them.
Then Ed and his girl came in the front door, looked at us all dancing around and said:
"Are you guys drunk or something?"
We laughed.
And now some sixty years later...I can still go to "A Summer Place."
Don't even have to try.