The Miles' Files are back on track as scheduled this week.
Get Back (The Beatles)Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (Mancini Orchestra)In the Year 2525 (Zager & Evans)Honky Tonk Women (The Rolling Stones)Sugar Sugar (The Archies)I Can't Get Next to You (The Temptations)Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley)Wedding Bell Blues (The Fifth Dimension)Something/Come Together (The Beatles)Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (Steam)Leaving on a Jet Plane (Peter, Paul & Mary)Someday We'll Be Together (The Supremes)Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head (B. J. Thomas)I Want You Back (Jackson 5)Venus (Shocking Blue)Thank You/Everybody is a Star (Sly & The Family Stone)Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)Let It Be (The Beatles)ABC (Jackson 5)American Woman (The Guess Who)Everything Is Beautiful (Ray Stevens)The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles)
The 22 songs just listed above were the number one hit singles from June, 1969 through June, 1970 (from the beginning of our senior year at NHS to the culmination). All of our lives have a soundtrack. I believe one's life soundtrack to be a part of our individuality. We can "edit out" songs we don't particularly like. Scanning radio stations is certainly easier than it was 30 years ago (WLS, KAAY, WDIA, WHBQ, KNBY where are you?). The choices on my multi-disc CD player are really easier to access than the tunes on Harry Goodyear's LearJet four track tape player. Or was it an eight track? Anyway, those 22 songs above bring "us" together when I hear them. They make up that part of my soundtrack that renders visions of you and your youthful shenanigans. Take a look at that list. It seems to be a patchwork quilt of songs that probably touched all of us in a special way depending on one's particular taste in music. It includes rock'n roll, bubblegum, folk, Motown, blues, orchestral, and early alternative (2525). No country unless you count "Everything is Beautiful". No jazz, but hey, there are few who appreciate great jazz. After all it is difficult to place the likes of Miles Davis and John Coltrane above The Archies when it comes to good music (Gag!). And the artists on this list run the gamut from the "The King" to the greatest rock groups of all time (Beatles, Stones) to the one hit wonders (Shocking Blue, Steam, Zager & Evans). And then the titles of these 22 hits struck me as being meaningful to high school seniors. As we entered our senior year we were being told to "Get Back" and then we heard the words of "In the Year 2525".
Hell, I had just finished reading "1984" and my father often told me I would never live to see 40, so I still can't believe this is the year 2000, let alone 2525. Then came "Honky Tonk Women", my life's pursuit and my personal favorite on this list. Actually I point out this Stones' hit as one of those timeless songs. Everbody loves a good honky tonk especially if you grew up in Newport, Arkansas. A few weeks later came "Suspicious Minds" and "Wedding Bell Blues" back to back. Many (most?) of us have since experienced both marriage and divorce. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" depict the transition from a carefree high school experience to the realities of day to day living. Thank goodness for that "bridge" and a little "rain fallin' on the head" never really hurt anyone. As a matter of fact, it can be quite fun playing in the rain. And our senior year wound down listening to "ABC", "Everything is Beautiful", and "The Long and Winding Road". We did learn our "abc's", didn't we? In many instances, the "road" over which we have travelled the past 30 years has been "long" and it definitely has been "winding" yet interesting. And everything is still "beautiful" if you will just look in the right places and into the eyes of the right faces.
The last title I will revisit is The Beatles' "Something/Come Together". In that dual song hit George Harrison sang "Don't want to leave her now, You know I believe her now". Did any of you not want to leave the comforts of dear old Newport High? Or were you as excited as I in trying something new? No matter, soon we will all "Come Together" back in the Port.
This was another good week.......I heard from Laura, Dinny, Nancy, John Sink, Gail, Clay, Mary Wynne, Kathy Foley (on her 30th wedding anniversay....Wow and congratulations!!!), Margaret Ann and Cherry "the Schemer". There are now 79 old hounds signed up to whoop and holler on June 17th. Some will have significant others in tow bringing the total to about 130. PARTY!!!!!!!
I will be back soon (sooner than you think) to reminisce some more before I head to Newport on Wednesday of this week. Yeah that's right, Newport. Newport, Rhode Island - land of big houses, tall ships, good seafood, and wonderful jazz music. Until then, I am faithfully yours and still "Miles from Nowhere",
Love to you all, joe
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