Christmas Music
Cheryl Unruh
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
It was one of those Christmas presents that a kid asks for but never really expects to unwrap.
At 13, I had the winning box under our Christmas tree. I found a record turntable. It was inside its own hard plastic shell.
Music was bulkier back in the ’70s. Teenagers didn’t walk around with a 5-ounce iPod. Nope. A portable record player weighed about 10 pounds and had to be plugged into the wall.
Just because my record player was portable didn’t mean that I traveled with it. I hauled it to my basement bedroom where I could listen to music alone — and Mom didn’t have to hear what she often referred to as “that noise.”
The family record player sat in the living room where I spent my early childhood listening to Mom and Dad’s idea of good music: “Sing Along with Mitch” and Burl Ives with “It’s Just My Funny Way of Laughing.”
Johnny Mathis sang about the “Windmills of Your Mind.” And Ed Ames gave us “Little Green Apples.” I knew Ed Ames from the TV show, “Daniel Boone.” He played Mingo, Boone’s half-Cherokee friend.
Those records of my parents weren’t much to groove to, so I had already started my own collection of vinyl.
Some of my early albums were: Dr. Doolittle, the Monkees, and the Jackson Five. (OK — the Doolittle thing — not my idea — and I still have issues with talking animals).
One of the first albums that I purchased with my own money, when I was about 9 years old, was “Love Child” by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Love Child? Yeah, Diana Ross introduced me to adult themes in music.
My collection wasn’t large and I listened to these records over and over.
Although I haven’t played Johnny Rodriguez in years, I’ll bet his lyrics would come back easily. They should — as many times as I heard his sad songs, like “All I Ever Meant to Do Was Love You.”
Also in my music mix, were the Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, Seals and Crofts, The Carpenters. Oh, oh, oh, and Bread! Bread’s album titled “Baby I’m-a Want You” includes one of my favorite heart-ripping songs of all time: “Everything I Own.”
The songs about broken hearts helped me work through the puppy love crushes — and the general craziness of being a teenager.
And even as an adult, listening to music often gives me a fresh perspective, helps to reshape thoughts in my head. My old friend Kevin used to say that country music was “poor man’s psychiatry.”
Speaking of country, on a TV special a few weeks ago, I saw Kris Kristofferson sing “Jesus was a Capricorn.” That album included the hit, “Why Me, Lord.” It fit in well with a spiritual phase at 14.
And this wasn’t my favorite record, but I had the “I Honestly Love You” album by Olivia Newton John. “I’ll leave ya a note in the john” was what my brother called her.
I can’t forget Linda Ronstadt. John Denver. Mac Davis and his hit “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.”
And in my stash are three Willie Nelson albums. I’m still a big fan; he’s “Always on My Mind.” No one does misery like Willie.
The cardboard covers of these albums are now in various stages of decay. And the vinyl may be worn and scratched, but that doesn’t matter: the gift has been delivered.
Those lyrics and tunes I heard as a teenager still play in my mind and live in my soul. You couldn’t pull those songs from my body with an extricating tool. They’re in there for life.
One Christmas, my parents wrapped up a record player and put it under the tree. But the box that I opened turned out to be a lifelong love for music — a gift without end.
“Flyover People” is online at www.flyoverpeople.net.
F Cheryl Unruh can be reached at cheryl@flyoverpeople.net.
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