From Harry James to Santana

image from pinterest.com

 From Harry James to Santana

June 14, 1944--little Butch came into this world

kicking and screaming, as Harry James’ band

played I’LL GET BY; and I have.

As a two-year old in ’45, I began my SENTIMENTAL

JOURNEY with Doris Day; loved her freckles.

Turning four in ’48, I swayed to Nat King Cole and

NATURE BOY. I always wanted to be a mountain

man.

Becoming five in ’49, I remember singing along with

Vaughn Monroe for GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY.

I still recall the lyrics.

When I was seven in ’51, I flipped out over HOW HIGH

THE MOON with Les Paul & Mary Ford. The guitar

became my favorite instrument.

Turning eleven in ’55, I swiveled my hips along with

Elvis and HEARTBREAK HOTEL, and became an

official Rock’N’Roller.

Starting high school at fourteen in ’58, I laughed at

Sheb Wooley’s PURPLE PEOPLE EATER. I never

did find any to eat myself.

At fifteen in ’59, I started liking Country Music thanks

to Johnny Horton and THE BATTLE OF NEW 

ORLEANS.

I was sixteen in ’60, loving the harmony of the

Everly Brothers and CATHY’S CLOWN. I knew

a Cathy. She was a cheerleader, and I never gave her

a chance to dump me.

Out of high school, being eighteen in ’62, I went to the

World’s Fair in Seattle, and saw Elvis making a movie.

I started to dig Ray Charles and I CAN’T STOP

LOVING YOU. 

Turning twenty-two in ’66, my mother died, I was

drafted, and The Rolling Stones sang PAINT IT

BLACK, and it was.

In ’68, when I was 24, I returned home to MRS.

ROBINSON by Simon & Garfunkel. Ironically,

I actually had an affair with a Mrs. Robinson.

Turning 25 in ’69, I returned to college, to kick-

start my dreams as the Beatles sang GET BACK.

When I was 29 in ’73, I became an Actor, that had

been one of my fantasies, as I listened to MY LOVE

by Paul McCartney.

By ’83, at 39, my career as an Actor was over, and

I turned my gaze to teaching,  as Irene Cara sang

WHAT A FEELING.

I turned 45 in ’89, a new bachelor (again), as my

“Pretend Wife” and “Practice Wife” faded, and

I knew someone else was in the mix as Bette

Midler sang WIND BENEATH MY WINGS.

I was 56 in 2000, and I loved listening to MARIA,

MARIA by Santana, realizing how much I missed

honest-to-God rock-and-roll.

With the rise of Rap, and all the overly produced

groups that all sounded the same to me, I quit

listening to music, and quit letting it be a 

landmark as birthdays marched along.

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at d'Verse Poet's Pub