Saturdays in my world.

Turn the other radio down and punch this button and have a nice listen while reading!




How about a musical trip down memory lane? Today this beautiful, almost warm Saturday brought such a physical renewal, and a sense of well being, and both of those powerful emotions put me into a wonderful state of mind. Hearing one special song was all it took, and back in time I went!



I began to remember the Saturdays of my childhood, I loved them, the best days of the week and the radio was mine. Our radio looked like many of the old wooden tri-level art- deco(ish) style. At the time, I could care less what it looked like, but it sounded wonderful—like Saturdays-—like freedom, like Daddy was home, like we may ride the bus to town, or chase bumblebees for my little brother to carry home for me, in his hands, as long as he could. Yes, freedom, pain, sunshine and music all tumbled together.
Glorious.


I would lay flat on my back, feet propped up on the front of the radio cabinet with its curly-cue design, the serials that I listened to usually came on in the evenings. Entertainment came on Saturdays mornings too—this is the day the teddy bears have their picnic—I cannot remember the title of the “program”. but this was the song, it was great. But listening to all the “programs” was only the beginning.



My Daddy was not often home on the weekends but when he was and if I was good, we danced. He put swing and big band music on the radio, he would hold my hands and around we would go. My Dad would have loved to have been a “soft shoe” dancer, and in his own way, he was, and that was good enough for me. I never felt the beat, I have no natural rhythm, but he could move to the music whistle the song and sing it all at the same time. My legs were stiff but I could snap my fingers, not exactly to the beat, but they popped!



Now for some reason this was always embarrassing to me, he would grab my Mother by the waist and they would dance, face to face. Gee whiz, then he would sing to her, “For I Only Have Eyes For You” it originally came out in 1934 and it was one of the many songs he sang to her, it gave me a strange feeling. Acting like they were girl friend, boy friend or something when they were only Mother and Daddy, and she really needed to be in the kitchen or taking care of my little brother.



It would be my turn again soon and it would be time to teach me how to dip, what I really liked was the fake “dropping me” part. Daddy would either wear down or I would get into trouble. “How?” you say, on a beautiful happy day with all the dancing and music, could I get into trouble? It was so easy, I think I won’t go into it now, suffice to say it takes two, and it happened when the other “one” (the younger, pesky, male one who related to me) came into the room, almost every time! I was not a gentle or patient child.



I can still hear my Daddy’s soft tenor voice as he sang and the way he would get my Mother to sing with him, and my feeble efforts to join them. The way he teased with her and my odd feelings about that, they were so old to be acting that way, strange, but they were young, and I am old, funny how things are switched.



As I said Saturdays were my day, often it meant Kresge’s and cherry sodas, but what I really loved was the feeling of freedom, sunshine, the radio at full blast, dancing feet and that soft lingering tenor voice singing that he, only had eyes for her.