Lately I've been feeling nostalgic about stores we used to shop at that are no longer in business. Some of it I remember fondly; other stores, I'm fine without! Do you remember?
1. A&P - I never knew what it stood for until today! The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. This was a grocery store I remember when I was very young.
2. Service Merchandise - This was a weird catalog/showroom store where you checked out then had to wait for the merchandise to be brought to you from the warehouse. I was reading a book recently that mentioned it several times. They sold a variety of items: jewelry, sporting goods, electronics, and so on.
3. Wicks-n-Sticks - What else but candles! This was one of my favorite stores in the mall when I was a teenager.
4. 5, 7, 9 - This was another mall favorite as a teenager. Cute clothes!
5. Weiners - This was another clothing store, but my memories aren't fond. I hated shopping here, but the clothes were cheap.
6. Rexall - This was the only drug store in town when I was a kid. I loved going to the soda fountain for a nickel ice cream and a cherry coke. (That makes me sound so old!)
7. Weingarten's - This was another grocery store that was eventually sold to Safeway.
8. Hi-Lo Auto Parts - There was a Hi-Lo very close to our house, and I remember going there with my dad, although I didn't really want to look at auto parts. So boring!
9. Montgomery Wards - This was a department store similar to Sears. They had everything from clothes to jewelry to furniture. I read that all of the brick-and-mortar stores are closed, but they still have an online presence. Who knew? Did you know that Rudolph (yes, the Red-Nosed Reindeer) was created as a Montgomery Ward campaign in 1939?
10. Mervyn's - Another department store I liked. I remember their commercials, too. (Open, open, open!)
11. B. Dalton Bookstore - I love to read, and I love browsing a good book store. This one was around until 10-15 years ago.
12. Eckerd - This drugstore was located right next to Weiners in the town where I grew up. It's now a CVS.
13. Woolworth - I call this the original dimestore; others would call it a five-and-dime. They sold a variety of merchandise such a toys, candy, decorations, but they also had a lunch counter. This was great fun as a kid!
This reminds me of other stores such as Joske's, Foley's, Thrifty, but this is a Thursday 13, so I'll stop. I hope you had fun walking down memory lane!
A long long time ago I can still remember how That music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe they'd be happy for a while...
You probably recognize the lyrics above: American Pie (1971) by Don McLean. I love this song! There has always been some disagreement over what the lyrics mean, and Don McLean wasn't too keen to clear up the mysteries, but in 2015, his original manuscript was up for auction at Christie's, so he gave a little information in an interview to promote the auction. The manuscript sold for $1,205,000!
The Manuscript
The song also made a 26 year old McLean famous quickly.
But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step 1. McLean was actually a paper boy who was on the job the
day the music died.
I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride Something touched me deep inside The day the music died
2. This, obviously refers to the deaths of Buddy
Holly (age 22), Richie Valens (age 17), and the Big Bopper (JP Richardson) in a
plane crash on February 3, 1959. Waylon Jennings, a member of Holly's band, had given up his
seat to Richardson who was ill at the time.
3. McLean believed the music industry started heading
in the wrong direction after this. "There is no poetry and very
little romance in anything anymore," he said.
So bye-bye, miss american pie.
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
Did you write the book of love,
And do you have faith in God above,
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock 'n roll,
Can music save your mortal soul,
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
`cause I saw you dancin' in the gym.
You both kicked off your shoes.
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues.
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck,
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died.
I started singin',
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
Now for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone,
But that's not how it used to be.
When the jester sang for the king and queen,
In a coat he borrowed from james dean
And a voice that came from you and me,
4. The line "moss grows fat on a
rolling stone" likely refers to the tight outfit Mick Jagger wore at a
show that
displayed
a roll of belly fat.
Oh, and while the king was looking down,
The jester stole his thorny crown.
The courtroom was adjourned;
No verdict was returned.
And while lennon (lenin?) read a book of marx,
The quartet practiced in the park,
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died.
5. The King refers to
Elvis Presley.
6. The Quartet likely refers to the
Beatles.
The dirges in the
dark refers to the 1960's peace marches.
We were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
Helter skelter in a summer swelter.
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter,
Eight miles high and falling fast.
It landed foul on the grass.
The players tried for a forward pass,
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast.
7. Helter Skelter refers to the Charles
Manson murders.
Eight
miles high and falling fast refers to the Byrds' popular song "Eight Miles
High."
8. The jester here is
Bob Dylan.
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While the sergeants played a marching tune.
We all got up to dance,
Oh, but we never got the chance!
`cause the players tried to take the field;
The marching band refused to yield.
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
9. While sergeants
played a marching tune likely refers to the Beatles' "Sergeant Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band."
10.. From "We all
got up to dance" to "the marching band refused to yield" refers
to the huge numbers of young people that went to Chicago in 1968 for the
Democratic National Convention thinking they would be able to take part, but
the Chicago police did not allow them to.
We started singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
Oh, and there we were all in one place,
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again.
So come on: jack be nimble, jack be quick!
Jack flash sat on a candlestick
Cause fire is the devil's only friend.
11. Jack Flash refers
to the Rolling Stones.
Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage.
No angel born in hell
Could break that satan's spell.
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite,
I saw satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
And singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news,
But she just smiled and turned away.
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before,
But the man there said the music wouldn't play.
And in the streets: the children screamed,
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed.
But not a word was spoken;
The church bells all were broken.
And the three men I admire most:
The father, son, and the holy ghost,
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died.
12. McLean was a
practicing Catholic, thus, the trinity that he admires, but it may also be
another reference to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper.
And they were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin', "this'll be the day that I die.
"this'll be the day that I die."
They were singing,
"bye-bye, miss american pie."
Drove my chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' this'll be the day that I die
13. And here is a missing verse that McLean decided not to include in the song: And there I stood alone and afraid I dropped to my knees and there I prayed And I promised him everything I could give If only he would make the music live And he promised it would live once more But this time one would equal four And in five years four had come to mourn and the music was reborn.
The Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts named "American Pie" the “Song of the Century." At 8 minutes 32 seconds, this is the longest song in length to hit #1 on the Hot 100. References: People Magazine Los Angeles Times The Telegraph Songfacts Join in the fun at Thursday Thirteen!
When I was very little, we only had a few TV channels: ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, and two UHF channels that didn't even have names. After the late show, about midnight, nothing was on TV but either static or a picture of the American flag. They always played the Star Spangled Banner before they went off the air. There was NO 24 hour TV! And no remote control!
Do you remember waking up on Saturday morning, ready to watch cartoons? They weren't on 24/7. They weren't even in Prime Time until The Flintstones debuted. I'm feeling nostalgic, so I'm looking back on the TV shows I grew up with. I hope you liked some of them, too.
The Brady Bunch - 1969-1974 - A man with three sons marries a woman with three daughters. Add the housekeeper to a newly blended family, and you had some crazy misadventures! This is also where I first saw Davy Jones and the Monkees.
The Munsters - 1964-1966 - Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie, and strange cousin Marilyn. Frankenstein is married to a vampire whose father lives in the basement, and their son is a werewolf. Marilyn is the unusual one (read - not a creepy monster). The Munsters was already in reruns by the time I was really old enough to watch them, but I sure thought the telephone booth coffin was freaky!
Plus, I liked Pat Priest as Marilyn, not the other girl.
The Pink Panther Show (cartoon) - 1969 - I'm surprised this was only one year. I loved it. It was my favorite Saturday morning cartoon. This pink cartoon cat was groovy! He didn't have any time for Inspector Clouseau, Sargent Deaux Deaux, the Aardvark, or any number of annoying gadgets. They tried resurrecting the series in the 70's, but it bombed.
The Andy Griffith Show - 1960-1968 - I watched this in reruns, too since I wasn't even born until '65. I think one reason I loved this show is my daddy loved it, too. Andy Griffith still reminds me of my dad every time I see him or hear something about him. Or Mayberry (Thanks, Rascall Flatts) Who can resist Sherriff Andy, Opie, Aunt Bee, and especially Deputy Barney Fife. They had lots of laughs, and there were simpler, more wholesome laughs.
The Beverly Hillbillies - 1962-1971 - Hillbillies inherit millions of dollars when oil is found on their land, so they move to Beverly Hills. Their mansion has a cement pond, a "fancy eatin' table" (billiards table), and you can probably find Granny in the kitchen making her roomatiz medicine or cooking up some delicious possum. Jed Clampett, Elly May, Granny, Jethro, the Drysdales, and Miss Jane sure got in a lot of trouble! And it was so much fun!
The Flintstones - 1960-1966 - Another cartoon I saw only in re-runs! This was probably my absolute favorite! I loved all the "gadgets" they used to wash dishes, take showers, send messages, and power their cars during the Stone Age. Lovable Fred, Wife Wilma, and pet Dino palled around with Barney and Betty Rubble. They finally had children, Pebbles and Bam-Bam. This was a great Hanna-Barbera cartoon!
The Jetsons - 1962-1963 - No, I wasn't born yet, so yes, re-runs again. While the lack of technology made the Flintstones funny, the abundant technology made the Jestons more fun. I can still sing the theme song as many of you probably can, too. George Jetson and his family, Jane, Judy, Elroy, pet Astro, and Rosie the Robot were great characters always getting into trouble. The Jetsons made me think that we would have flying cars by the year 2000!
Gilligan's Island - 1964-1967 - This is another theme song I can sing word-for-word still. I think back on this show and realize how NOT politically correct it would be in this day and age, but it sure was funny then! I think my favorite characters were Gilligan and Mary Ann. But I liked them all: The Skipper, the Professor, Ginger, and Mr. and Mrs. Howell. I think I liked the episodes where they were putting on some kind of show best, especially the Hamlet episode. I always wondered how they were able to make all of those gadgets and some of that food with only the items that were on the island.
Mister Roger's Neighborhood - 1968-2001 - Can you believe there were 31 seasons of Mister Rogers? Fred Rogers came across as the kindest, gentlest man, and he was so sincere. I don't think he was acting at all. I believe that was his true persona. My favorite segment of each show started with the trolley taking us to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe with its puppet characters. I supposed I liked Daniel Tiger the best. I also liked when a "neighbor" would visit.
Heckle and Jeckle - 1956-1971- These two smart-alecs were one of the cartoons I looked forward to on Saturday morning. Did I mention they are magpies? I supposed this cartoon also would not be politically correct in this day and age, but I enjoyed it.
The Huckleberry Hound Show - 1958-1961 - I watched this one in reruns, too. I especially liked my blue-furred Southern friend Huckleberry, but I also liked Pixie, Dixie, and Mr. Jinks. The format of this show was a little different than other cartoons. You never knew if Huckleberry was going to be a detective, a scientist, a soldier, or even a policeman.
Bewitched - 1964-1972 - I always wished I could wrinkle my nose like Samantha and make some magic happen. I loved this show, even after they changed Darrens. I thought Tabitha was adorable, and I think everyone was a little scared of Endora. My favorites were the neighbors, Abner and Gladys Kravitz. She sure had a lot of "sick headaches." I especially liked the episodes were Elizabeth Montgomery also played Serena. And when Paul Lynde appeared, what a treat!
Hazel - 1961-1966 - Played by Shirley Booth (and yes, I watched in re-runs), Hazel was the maid and housekeeper in the Baxter household where she kept things ship-shape. Hazel ran the show, and she always solved everyone's problem. I always wanted to have a housekeeper like her!
Wow! The time change and a week off school both have my body clock messed up. I guess you could say part of it is my fault for failing to follow the same schedule I normally have throughout spring break. Oh well. I'm just tired.
News... news? I don't know. Too many bad things are happening. Bombings in Austin, Texas (my home state), and we have friends and relatives there. A shooting at a high school in Maryland. The 14 year old boy is stable, but the 16 year old girl is in critical condition, last I heard. The perpetrator was killed by the school resource officer, a former SWAT officer.
Are you old enough to remember when we called the newspaper comics "the funnies?" I liked to read them every day, but especially on Sunday when they were in color. My favorite was always Peanuts. I grew up, not only reading it in the funnies, but also in books. I had stacks of Peanuts books. I think I had these two (and dozens more), but mine were paperback.
I'm pretty sure I still have them somewhere. The covers were colorful but the pages were black and white. I didn't care. I loved them. I also had a few with the original Charlie Brown in them. Or was he just the "young" Charlie Brown?
Time for random Tuesday, and I got nothin'! Here is my perfect opportunity to write about anything I want, anything at all, and I got nothin'. Isn't that ironic? I'm usually a "Chatty Cathy," and here I am drawing a blank.
Wait! I got it! Chatty Cathy! Did you have that doll? It was only made from 1959 to 1965, the year I was born, but I never had one. I think my sister did, but she wasn't really into dolls. I was, though. I played with them until fifth grade, but I probably wouldn't have admitted it then. My favorite Christmas present that year was Baby Alive. I thought it was great fun to feed her and change her diaper. If I'd only known what it was really like!
Image Credit Something else I liked to play with besides my baby dolls and Barbie dolls was paper dolls. Do you see a theme? I imagine younger people have no idea what paper dolls are. And in our high-tech world, who would play with them now? They were basically dolls made of heavy paper or lightweight cardboard-type material. The dolls had tabs on the bottom so they could stand up. You would punch outfits out of paper, which also had tabs so you could "dress" the dolls. I loved them!
This week she asks... The long work day is done, you arrive home and the first thing you do...? Usually, I take my school bag upstairs and change clothes. I've been in "professional" clothing all day. Time to pull out the yoga pants, tee shirt, and sneakers! And I have to stop and pet the cat, too. But sometimes, I actually start on dinner before changing clothes. Like last night... I had to start right away because there was much to prepare: fried pork chops, sauteed asparagus, and whipped potatoes all from scratch. If I wait until after dinner to change, I might as well just shower and get my PJ's on! How about you?
