Play All My Records, Keep Dancing All Night

My cousin and I went to see Jersey Boys on Friday, and as we were going into the theater he commented about the fact that we would probably be some of the only young people there. He said this because both of our parents raised us on Oldies music. The Beach Boys, Lesley Gore, Franki Vali and the Four Seasons, etc., etc.

My first Cassette tape and then CD were Lesley Gore's greatest hits. When I was eight my Dad taught me all of the lyrics to 'It's My Party' and then called up a radio station and requested 'Judy's Turn To Cry' so I could hear the epic conclusion of Lesley's broken heart.

'Big Girls Don't Cry' is the song my Mother would sing as she brushed the tangles out of my hair.

No matter where or when I am, every time I hear 'Kokomo' a warm feeling rises up in my stomach and I'm ten years old again dancing around my living room.

Every Sunday from when I was eight to eleven my Dad and I would drive to 7/11 to get slurpies before church. He'd have all the windows in the car down and blasting Oldies music and singing at the top of his lungs. I was mortified most of the time, but it's my favorite memory of all time. 'Don't Worry Baby' is the feel of the wind racing through my fingers and the taste of Pina Colada Slurpie.

My childhood belonged to the Oldies, and a world where I was worry free.




'We'll Get There Fast and Then We'll Take It Slow. That's Where We Wanna Go, Way Down To Kokomo'