I saw the shadow of a girl I had known.
And through the shadows I could see many tears,
And so I walked up and I said:
Hey, little girl,
Let me fix your broken heart.
I'll replace each broken part that's gone.
Because I know I could Try,
Hey, little girl, my heart's been broken too.
Del Shannon: Hey Little Girl (Live In England)(Link)
Terrific song. Terrific old Smarthmore photos.
ReplyDeleteAnd New Haven? I hope you and Caroline have recovered.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny what emerges from delirium states. This is the latest "Exhibit A." The Satan Bug that bit us circled back last night for another meal. I hope he stays in Philadelphia and doesn't visit your parts. The top photo shows what I knew as Michael's College Pharmacy. I cashed checks there and enjoyably browsed and purchased magazines, including People (when it was new and inexpensive) and my personal favorites, Rock Scene and Hit Parader. Sadly, the site is now a Dunkin' Donuts and a visual blight on the "Ville," (although probably useful for commuters who hop the SEPTA trains just across the road.) The bottom photo shows Yale Avenue near Cresson Street in Swarthmore, which isn't far from a house I lived in, which although unprepossessing was made of bricks and, therefore, very solid and reassuring. There is a Del Shannon Live In England cd, recorded in Manchester during the mid-1970s, which I highly recommend. Del was a giant (as a writer and a singer), but his ability to pull off those amazing vocals in concert was phenomenal. He had a lot of conviction, charisma and, of course, vulnerability. He could make you believe in all of the extreme, charged situations he described. I guess my favorite is I Go To Pieces, but there are so, so many "favorites" to choose from. Curtis
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the tree down on Yale Avenue is arresting. Reminds me of how things fell over in college, often on me. Hope the horrible flu is going away. Judy was prostrated most of last week. Now she's returning to life. There are so many beautiful Del Shannon songs. I especially love "Runaway".
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures... But, you should know better Curtis! There are no "Streets" in Swarthmore... only Avenues and Roads (plus a few Lanes)! To be a nitpicker, too, Cresson Lane and Yale run parallel.... Sorry to hear you were all under the weather. I hope this finds you all on the mend.
ReplyDeleteChris: Runaway IS another great one.
ReplyDeleteCurtis: I have always associated I Go To Pieces with Peter & Gordon. After checking out Del Shannon singing his own song, I don't know how I missed it. Probably because I didn't buy too many albums back then, mainly singles.
Extremely awful that Michael's College Pharmacy is now a Dunkin' Donuts. Even more awful is that you and Caroline still seem to be suffering from this pre-Spring fever. Certainly hope it doesn't come down here, and that you are feeling better as you read this.
Christine: Things fall down on me and I on them. I'm glad Judy's feeling at least a little better.
ReplyDeleteChristine: Thank you. This is the vilest of vile illnesses. Right on "streets." The picture (from a neat archive) was labeled Yale near Cresson. Fasinating. Avenues Of My Town? Roads of My Town? No. Doesn't work. Whereas On The Road, On The Avenue and On The Street all work. I'd better feel better soon. Stay inside. Wear a surgical mask. Pay someone off. Don't catch this. Curtis
Nell: I Go To Pieces is just very, very pure Del. I posted something about it once:
ReplyDeletehttp://acravan.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-go-to-pieces-del-shannon-lyric.html
The Beatles loved Del and obviously P&G were part of that orbit. Del gave P&G the song to record before he did it and they had a very nice hit with it. Del's is better because he's Del and no one can do what he can do.
Runaway is marvelous, of course, but there's an enormous amount of extraordinary, intensely emotional songs to choose from.
Curtis