“Grandma’s Feather Bed“ (John Denver) reminds me of holidays at my grandparent’s rural log cabin home, and four cousins sleeping head-to-toe (two at each end) in the single bed, with Grammy’s feather bed under us and comforters stacked over us … in between trips thru the snow to the outhouse.

“Wayward Wind“ (Frankie Lane) for  my paternal grandmother, who spent summers at the lake in Minnesota (where my father was born and spent his early years at the Chippewa Reservation) and spent each winter near us in Oregon.

“The Chippewa Song“ was handed down from my father.  One year I sang it to a music specialist at the Reservation who acknowledged the Chippewa language and culture in the song, but said “like many of the old songs, that song must be lost to history”.  I only remember the first of many verses, and it was sung to my children at bedtime …  just as my father sang it to me.

The Irish and cowboy heritage from maternal side of my family is memorialized with my maternal grandmother’s favorite song “Oh Danny Boy“, and “The Master’s Call” (by Marty Robbins) which became my son’s special bedtime song.

“Michelle“ (by The Beatles) was primary song for both my sister and my daughter, which I sang her at each bedtime during her childhood.

The first album I asked for was in 5th grade; “My Cup Runneth Over“ by Ed Ames.  Mom had been saving up to buy a new couch (never had one before) and instead Dad came home with a stereo player.  That is also the year our family was given gift of a used, black and white television, and we children were allowed to watch two shows per week.  Ed Ames had the Native American role in the weekly show of Daniel Boone, and that is where I was exposed to his voice.  I remember many a night going to bed, with Mom on Dad’s lap in the one chair, listening to records they had been given by friends.  She finally forgave him for buying the stereo — but she never did get a new couch.  Years later he bought a large grandfather clock instead of the couch, and we all sat on the carpeted floor until we inherited the chaise lounge from grandparents.  (After all, difficult to dance on carpet so what is a carpet for if not sitting on  — LOL ! )

My brother, sister and I regularly sang “They Call the Wind Maria“ (Harve Presnell) with Dad on harmonica.

Another family favorite was “Impossible Dream“, which was a favorite of my brother in his early youth.

During seventh grade I learned  the songs from many musicals, and ever since 1970, “Who Will Buy this wonderful morning” became my default song.  That song is what I hum every morning until something else enters my mind or until I hear something that day.  I was about 40 years old before one of the children pointed out that fact.  Never really realized until then.

 

Our small High School had one drama production per year with joint participation from choir, art department, and much of the community.  My Senior year we produced the musical “Sugar” (based on the Marilyn Monroe movie “Some Like it Hot”).  As “Sugar”, I had the female lead.

 

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “He aint Heavy he’s my Brother“ were my younger brother’s favorite two songs and captured much of who he was until he died from a shotgun blast to the head while protecting his friend.  He was 21 years old.  (see my autobiography pages https://truthfulkindness.com/bnp/part-2/2d/death-brother/)  and (https://truthfulkindness.com/bnp/part-2/2d/october-justice/)

“Big Bad John“ (Jimmy Dean) was my song for the best friend I had thru many bad years; John Kimbley.  He was the boy across the street whom I babysat during High School years, and was best friends with my brother.  He was even more strongly integrated into our family after my brother was killed.  Years later he returned from his military time, and I returned home from military base in Italy, in order to care for Dad while he was dying of cancer, so we both were living in the same houses, across the street, as adults.  We shared coffee every morning and I had extremely vivid dream of John’s death at 25 years old.  Several months later he died almost exactly as I had dreamed, and I had a really REALLY hard time with that one!  (written autobiography page, but not online yet).  It was as if I had suddenly lost Julie again, lost my brother Spence, and lost John … all at one time.

 First two verses of “How Great Thou Art“ (as sung by my friend Feather ForestWalker and me) and “The Lord’s Prayer“ (Andrea Bocelli) are my favorite childhood hymns.  “I Believe“ (Frankie Lane) is very important to me, along with “What a Wonderful World” (Louis Armstrong).  “Avinu Malkeinu” (Barbra Streisand) is an addition during the last 10 years.  Many of my spiritual beliefs have changed thru the years, but my relationship stays very strong.  (See https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/07/16/faith-dementia/ and https://truthfulkindness.com/2014/10/31/my-motivation-hope/ )