POW 090909

Did you know that in England the number for dialing emergency is 999? Even after all these years, eighteen and a half of which have been spent in the U.S., my first instinct is still to recite that number if asked about dialing emergency.

(Yes, people still watch over me when I cross the road, too.)

***

Last year I wrote about my mom's first trip to England and a life-long musical crush that resulted from that trip. Now, my dad was well into his 30s when he first went to England, with my mom and sister, but he also retains fond memories of a musical crush of his own. Well, he wouldn't call it a crush, I am sure, probably an affinity for a just pretty voice.

Just a pretty voice, my ass.

Those Were The Days - Mary Hopkin
Note that this song was produced by Paul McCartney; Mary was one of the first artists signed to the Apple record label.



Goodbye - Mary Hopkin
It shouldn't surprise anyone, after listening to this song, to learn that Paul McCartney not only produced but wrote this song for Mary.



***

This next song was favorite of both my parents. I know this only anecdotally in my dad's case, but with separate certainty of my own in my mom's because one of my very earliest memories--and my first recollection of any kind of music--is my mom humming this under her breath, putting me to sleep. And, if you were to believe all the baby books, I probably knew this song from before I was born, since my mom loves to tell the story of how "Sister M___" (the head nurse of their floor) and she used to sing this song all the time in the break room.

That I did not grow up with an overwhelming fear of abandonment is a miracle. That I do have propensity for expecting the other shoe to drop is clearly explained.

Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - Middle Of The Road



***

My parents also became great fans of the Eurovision song contest, and were especially fond of the singers who sang in French (regardless of their country of representation). My sister and I grew up on a steady diet of 45 singles and LP records from the winning (and nonwinning) artists but, unlike some folk who are traumatized by their parents music, growing up, I liked the music. Besides which, I still maintain to this day that my ease in picking up French, when we lived in Spain and it was a mandatory second language from third grade onwards in the school we attended had everything to do with all the French Eurovision songs I'd memorized.


Vicky Leandros is a polyglot singer--probably on a par with Nana Mouskouri--who's represented various different countries in the contest. This was her first foray into the competition, and while she did not win, my parents--along with all their peers, it seems--became fans of her. She is, in fact, their favorite Eurovision discovered artist ever.

The song should sound pretty familiar to you, by the way.

L'Amour Est Bleu - Vicky Leandros




Vindication came for Vicky with this song finally. Of course, my parents bought the full album that she put out, after her win, and it was probably one of the most played albums in my house for about 5 years or so. That I can remember.

Après Toi - Vicky Leandros



In no particular order, some of the artists my parents (and, who're we kidding, I) enjoyed listening to. *Yes, I know these songs inside and out. No, I won't perform them for you. At least, not on demand.

Tu Te Reconnaîtras - Anne Marie David



Poupée De Cire Poupée De Son - Frances Gall



Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue - Séverine



L'Oiseau Et L'Enfant - Marie Myriam



***

I'm keeping the tradition alive, albeit with a twist. That last song was covered in what is one of the first songs the kid has (or, I guess, will have) recollection of remembering as something he liked and requested himself. Well, requested himself after I subjected him to it, that is. After all, I have to give the kid something to blog about thirty years from now.

L'Oiseau Et L'Enfant (cover) - Karol
Yes, we do the dance moves. See the answers to performing the songs upstream* for answers to your follow-up questions.



And if I've carried you this far, you might as well listen to and watch the other video that's in the same vein.

Le Bateau Blanc - Karol