Dad enlisted in the US Marine Corp on
August 3rd, 1943 and received an Honorable Discharge on Jan. 20, 1946.
So, my guess this picture was
possibly early 1946, as Mom did not appear pregnant with her 2nd child, due in
Jan. 1947.
I think it is on Westmont Drive in
Alhambra. The exact address I do not have. [Given the rolling hills of the neighborhood, my guess is that the section of Westmont Drive where Mom and Dad lived was in the 1700 block but that's just a guess.]
The car nearest them in the picture
appears to be the 1941 Willys that Mom (according to Dad) purchased from her
earnings from Sears and Roebuck as a
comptometer operator.
Was just
thinking how so much of the upbeat music of the 60s and 70s was really British pop. I was thinking of Dusty Springfield, 1939-1999.
I loved The Kinks. But who can deny American country music for its beauty and simplicity? I love
Dolly Parton. Aside from a sweet voice, musical talent, Parton has a
great deliberateness to the story of her songs. She can take the tragic
life of a young girl and turn it into an enduring tale through
song.
But it was this song that I'd first heard tonight that made me want to listen more to Dolly. Thanks to Bob Higgs. "The sky is green and the grass is blue" is almost a Wallace Stevens poem. Beautiful imagery to help wake up the senses.
"Down to the River to Pray," (1867), sung by Alison Krause, was posted on a Facebook page that I like. I'd heard the song, have known of it since seeing the movie
"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou," (2000), and subsequently learned of Alison
Krause as well. But there are two things I like about this post. One is that I really liked this particular production of the song with the terrific scenes of tent
revivals, baptisms in local rivers versus the kind we're used to seeing inside
a church.
Though I’ve
left the evangelical fold and joined the RC Church, I maintain great respect
and admiration for the contribution non-sacramental Christian churches made to
the developing culture of the USA. American Christianity has blessed us with
the most singable hymns of the church, especially those that sprung out of camp
meetings and revival tents.
If you want to read the lyrics to the song, they're here.
The music
and her voice will bring you into the presence of the person you've loved most
in life.
What a voice. 1972's "The First Time Ever
I Saw Your Face." The first time I ever heard this song played on a record player may have been at Chuck and Sally Pullman's place in Glendora. Chuck and Sally had great taste in music and had a terrific stereo console. I loved these lines from the song
The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the [end of the skies] endless skies
And the first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand, like the trembling heart of a captive bird that was there at my command, my love
And the first time ever I lay with you,
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last 'til the end of time, my love.
The first time ever I saw your face . . . your face . . . your face.
When I marry I would choose this song as my dance song
with my wife.
How interesting.
The song was written in 1957 by British political songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife.
About the song, Roberta Flack said
It's a perfect
song. Second only to "Amazing Grace, I think...[5] "It's
the kind of song that has two unique & distinct qualities: it tells a
story, & it has lyrics that mean something....Because of [its meaningful lyrics] the [song] can be
interpreted by a lot of people in a lot of different ways: the love of a mother
for a child, for example, or [that of] two lovers."[6]"I wish more
songs I had chosen had moved me the way that one did. I've loved [most] every
song I've recorded, but that one was pretty special."[5]
