Tuesday, October 14, 2008

YOUNG LOVE...a song I can never forget!



This was the song that made Sonny James from the UK famous when it was first released on Capitol Records Label in 1957. There were many beautiful songs from that great era of hits. Songs by Russ Hamilton like "Rainbow, Wedding Ring, We Will Make Love" and by the King of Rock himself...Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon's "Venus", etc... It was a golden age of songs unlike today. Well, any old timers reading this would you care to comment? Would really love to hear from others of my time and generation how some of these songs have impacted you, as they impacted me hugely.
I'm certain that hearing this song "Young Love" may again bring back a wave of sweet memories for many who were still young then and searching for their first innocence of love.
But for uncle Dicko here, each time I hear this song ,my mind automatically travel back in time to the few, precious and most beautiful years I had with the youngest member of our large family then....my little kid brother whom I was most fond of and with whom I had a most special older-younger sibling relationship. That much was also noticed by my dear late mother, who before she passed away, had given me the ONLY photo of him to me saying..." you keep this. Of all in the family, you are the closest to him, the one who loved him most.."
That dear youngest little kid brother is no more. He passed away from a sudden illness barely 3-4 years old in 1959. I was about 11+ then. If he had survived, he would be around 54 years old today.
I can never explain it...but somehow this song brings back both the beautiful and sad memories of that traumatised period for me. It overwhelms me to the point I can almost relive those good old days with him!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dick, I am younger than you (your younger brother age group in fact) but I certainly have heard this song and many that you might mention; VENUS by Johnny Maths, Wooden Heart by Elvis...I used to go to my neighbour's house to listen to those kind of music because they were hits then. Hits in those days came in 45 rpm records. Before 45 rpm it was 33 1/3 rpm the size I can remember because I "destroyed" my father's collection of Mantovani, Billy Vaughan, Doris Day, Pat Boone by playing the stylus over the vinyl record (without turning on the power because I didn't know where it was located. It must have been when I was about 3 or 4 years old).

Somehow, unlike today's rap music, these songs stick with me although I might have forgotten the song titles. So when I travel for overseas business, you find me staying in a hotel which has a sushi bar and a music lounge with live music. I will spend my evenings after business dinner in the lounge with a red wine or a Jim Beam whisky to accompany me the whole evening. The best place for me was in Makarti in the Philippines. The Filipinos can sing very well and also can do many oldies.

Unk Dicko said...

Yes Peter...those different types of records I used to keep too. I now only have a few of the long playing ones left. The stylus...there were many types too. When spoilt or damaged, you get a new one and just fit it in.
Wah..your father must really be upset with you then for spoiling his precious records?
Talking about upsets,jolts my memory again. I am sure too many of us as kids or older kids, must have done things to greatly upset our parents till no end. Mostly unintentional. I am guilty of this too but it was also accidental.
You sure know how to relax and find good ambience. Same here. When I was in Baguio, Philippines that beautiful mountain resort city in the mid 70's, I asked the locals there where I could relax and find good music. They recommended a cosy lounge called "The Fire Place ". It was filled mostly with young university
people. And the makeshift band was one of the Best I've heard. I tested them by requesting one of my favourites " Don't Think Twice,It's Alright" by Peter,Paul and Mary.My verdict? If they had recorded it, I would have bought it! That good! And they were just a couple of uni students, mind you.
Filipinos are truly musically gifted.

Unk Dicko said...

Must tell you a about locating the"Fire Place" episode in Baguio City. We, my friends and I from COMEX, were told it was not too far away..that we can walk there from where we were then. As we walked in the direction shown to us, we still could not locate this place. Then some helpful locals volunteered to lead us to the exact spot. How wonderful, we all thought! After turning round 2 street corners,they pointed to the building and said," There! That's the Fire Place !" We all looked at each other and burst out, laughing loudly. They had led us all to the Baguio Fire station!!!
When we told them ...no,no the FirePlace..a place for good music. Now, their turn to laugh. They knew where it was but knew it in their local Tagalog lingo.
That's what I like about travelling and mixing with the locals!