Rockin Robin – SeasonedSistah

“Write about the three most important songs in your life — what do they mean to you?”

The three most important songs in my life bring back early memories of a relationship that many projected wouldn’t last.

It began as puppy love between a boy (13 years old) and a girl (12 years old), which led to a marriage that has lasted for more than fifty-four years.

Song #1 – Rockin Robin by Bobbie Day (1958)

The summer of 1958, I was visiting my grandparents in Mississippi. I was looking forward to rekindling my puppy love friendship.

We were uptown at a restaurant (also called the teenage juke joint) where we hung out. Even though we had been in our puppy love friendship for two summers; I had never danced with him. The jukebox was jumping all evening and up came the hit song of the day, Rockin Robin. He came over and asked for a dance.

We flowed together on the dance floor as if we had danced together for years. I could expect his next move as he led me through the “bop” steps. It was amazing. The few lyrics, I remember are:

“He rocks in the tree top all day long hopping and a singing his song. All the little Jaybirds on Jaybird Street love to hear the robin go tweet-tweet-tweet.”

Song #2 – Mr. Postman by The Marvelettes (1961)

I was 20-years-old, married, with a toddler and young baby, temporarily living with my mother when this song came out. While waiting for Hubby to find housing for us at his new military assignment in Kansas; I checked the mail twice a day hoping to receive a letter from him. Back then, leading up to the Christmas Holidays, mail was delivered twice a day. Most days, I received a letter and there were days when two came. My girlfriends teased me by singing this song; and, I remember a few words:

“Oh yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman look and see if there’s a letter in your bag for me. I have been standing here waiting patiently to see if there’s a letter in your bag for me.”

Song #3 – My Guy by Mary Wells (1964)

Our military traveling was over and we were living in Chicago. Hubby’s nickname is Guy. The lyrics expressed how I felt about My Guy in 1964; and, I feel the same way in 2014″

Nothing you can say can tear me away from my guy. Cause I’m stuck like glue to my guy. I’m sticking to my guy. Like birds of a feather. We stick together. I’m telling’ you from the start. I can’t be torn apart from my guy.”

Puppy Love, Young Love, and Senior Love, wrapped up in one package, what more could I ask for.

At 71-years-old, the lyrics sound a little goofy. But, they were important during this period of my life; and, I am grateful for the past memories.

Writing time for this post was close to the fifteen minutes suggested, but interrupted by several lengthy phone calls.

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“This is the first in a series of three articles, responding to

questions about my childhood and teenage years.”

What was the first news event you remember?

A 12-year old latchkey kid, home alone on a very cold day in December, I was terrified after hearing this television announcement — “the world is coming to an end.”

I decided this was a real emergency; and, called Mama at work to warn her of this “pending disaster.” Mama reprimanded me for breaking her #1 Rule, “not to call work unless it’s an emergency.” She thought I made this story up so that she could come home early. I never convinced Mama that I was telling the truth.

Fifty-eight years later with Wikipedia at my fingertips, I found proof …

“World Coming to An End

A Chicago area housewife, Dorothy Martin,

claimed to have received a message from a

fictional planet named Clarion. These

messages revealed that the world would

end in a great flood before December 21, 1954.”

This time I was telling the truth. However, there were other times when I made up stories best described by the fable, “The Boy who Cried Wolf.”

What song makes you think of your teenage years?

I met Hubby when I was 12-years-old and visiting, over the summer, with my grandparents in Mississippi. However, he insists we met when I visited his first grade class with a cousin. I have no memory of this.

But, I do remember the summer of 1958. I was a 15-year-old who discovered for the first time a “real and true love.” This major life-changing event happened following a fun-filled evening at a local teenage dance.

Two popular records pulled us closer together; and, we both decided these were our “special songs.”

Rockin Robin by Bobby Day, symbolically there was no relationship between the words of this tune and this “real and true love.”

“He rocks in the tree tops all day long

Hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and a-singing his song

All the little birds on Jaybird Street

Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet..”

This was the first record that we ever danced to. We hit the floor, quickly adapting to the fast-paced rhythm; and, our steps were smooth, coordinated and effortless as if we had danced together for years.

For Your Love by Ed Townsend a slow-moving love song which did symbolize our “real and true” with lyrics like “For your love, I’d give you everything, and that’s for sure. For your love. I’d bring you diamond rings to your door….”

At seventy-years-old, the lyrics and music are just nice memories of an earlier time. But, at fifteen, every word and lyric reminded me of this newfound “real and true love.”

After fifty-three years of marriage, saying with confidence, Hubby is my first “real and true love.”