I first fell in love with this song when it appeared on the debut album by the Captain and Tennille, "Love Will Keep Us Together," which I bought at Korvettes in Madison Heights when I waas 8 years old and would bring to listen to during lunch hour and parties at Hiller Elementary. (I used my trusty labelmaker to put my name in the upper-right corner to ward off potential ownership mishaps or police involvement.) I had to have been the only kid in Ms. Schnabel's fourth-grade class who was already prone to nostalgia -- which I'll blame on a father who vanished when I was 5 and the popularity of "Happy Days," a series you couldn't show your face in school on Wednesdays if you had missed the night before.
Although I still adore Toni Tennille's gender-flipped rendition, Art Garfunkel's version a couple years later on his "Watermark" LP quickly replaced it as my definitive version. I don't even think I realized just how wistful it was until I paid closer attention to the lyrics in my adulthood -- and stumbled upon the Beach Boys original, having not even realized it was a Bruce Johnston composition.
But not a lot has changed in the 47 years since I first heard this corny song: I've still got my love to give, and a place to live. And you can be sure I'm gonna stay.
I loved y Breakaway Album. I must have played it raw.
ReplyDeleteI loved this song. Still have the LP upstairs.
ReplyDeleteahhh. korvettes. so many memories. so many $2.99 albums. did you know before it was a korvettes it was the j.l. Hudson discount store (Hudsons Rainbow). did your mom take you to see the captain and tennile that year at the michigan state fair?
ReplyDelete@Dave: Yes, those cheap albums! Sadly I didn't get to see the Captain or Tennille live. :-(
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