Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America and also to our ships at sea ....

Everyone, from time to time, has had that moment of "spark" when you hear a song on the radio, or in an elevator, or in this case, Starbucks ... and it transports you back to a time and place in your past ... brings a smile to your face or a tear to your eye.

Recently, I had accompanied my husband into town. I had a laundry list of items to tend to while he was at work; one of them being a Starbucks run. Generally, I take advantage of the drive-thru services, or place my order inside and leave. But, today afforded me the luxury of taking my laptop inside and cuddling  up in a little corner chair with my triple espresso caramel latte.

While I checked my work emails and checked in with my facebook friends, a melody came across the air that took me back in time to my childhood when my parents would play the oldies as we'd drive across this country of ours. A melody full of life, and happiness, and energy...The song was the Glenn Miller musical rendition of In The Mood, a song well-played and worn out during the days of WWII.  I am more accustomed to the Andrew Sisters singing the lyrics rather than just the melody, and found myself singing the words as they came to me...something I'm sure my fellow latte-lovers would have rather not witnessed. 

As the song enveloped me, it was all I could do to not get up from my chair, approach the elderly gentleman to my left, pull him up to his feet, and engage him in a full-on Dancing With The Stars moment right there in Starbucks! Shocking to most of you who know me, I did NOT do this as I normally would, mostly because this gentleman was elbow-deep in an anti-something political discussion with a much younger man sitting across from him. (then again, maybe he really could have benefited from the distraction). And, most importantly, I do not know how to do anything remotely resembling the dances of the time. 

I did manage to sit in my chair, cheerfully singing out loud, chiming in with trombone and trumpet players when appropriate  (which, I'm certain, was never appropriate if you asked the other patrons). I also took a moment away from my keyboard (miracle, right?) to take joy in some "jazz hands" moments while I chair danced...yep, I danced and wiggled in my chair throwing up some jazz hands while making my trumpet noises! I'm sure it was quite the sight and I think I heard someone tell the barista that they'd have "whatever it was that crazy lady with the jazz hands in the corner is having."

The Andrews Sisters are well before my time. Actually, a lot of the music I enjoy is! I blame this squarely on my parents; and love them for it. At a time when I was growing up and conventional music on the radio was far too mature for my little ears, my parents invested in 8-track tapes with music and stories and songs from eras long since past.

 I  enjoyed the music of The Andrews Sisters, The Glenn Miller Band, Roger Miller, Dinah Shore, and a wonderful tape of old radio stories including The Shadow and Baby Snooks.

Now, as I write this and look back at some of my favorite old-timey diddies, I realize that they weren't as wholesome as perhaps my parents had thought (Chug a Lug, Chug A Lug...Hmmmm....can you guess what that song was about?)

But, in their minds, anything was better than Rod Stewart singing to us impressionable girls that Tonight's The Night and how Donna Summer Works Hard For Her Money. 

Below are some links to some of my favorite songs as well as some excerpts from the radio shows I enjoyed as a child... with the internet and listening alternatives while ticking away the hours in our cars, I'd hope that other parents take the time to introduce some of these classics to their children. The kids will, more than likely, roll their eyes like I did, but who's to say what memories will be ingrained in their minds 30 or 40  years from now.

I hope you take a moment to treat yourself to these links to our past ...and for goodness sakes! Try to control those jazz hands !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYKR4p8CUjE&feature=related boogie woogie bugle boy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJE-onnw2gM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsNWlM3fWmI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6BffiHlvfk shoo fly pie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kKd9ZAJB8Q&feature=related Baby Snooks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJyWcUS9RIM The Shadow Knows