Jukebox In My Mind

I've been asked more than a few times over the years if the stories I write are true.

Indeed, many of the stories are written based on where I was or what I was doing at the time.

I look back on my youth and recall some of those original songs that continue to be favorites more than sixty years after their first release.  Los Angeles' Cleve Duncan and the Penguins bringing back those "Memories of El Monte" and their anthem, "Earth Angel," originally recorded as a demo in a garage in South Los Angeles as the "B" side of the record.

The Penguins' only hit, it eventually sold in excess of 10 million copies, and in 2005, would be chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

The song made me appreciate more, the original Doo wop sounds that emerged during the early 1950s. I was actually into rockabilly and country with Elvis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash leading the way around the mid-fifties. As I began to enter my teens the street corner-style harmonies that were seemingly everywhere in 1958 came a whole lot closer to defining the true doo-wop experience. Girl groups, most notably The Shirelles and The Crystals, continued to knock down gender barriers, advancing their cause in the wake of The Chantels.

No longer was doo-wop the exclusive domain of African-American youth. 1958 saw a strong influx of young Caucasian groups who embraced the legitimate sound. The Elegants, Capris, Skyliners, and Dion and The Belmonts were all dedicated R&B fans. They too provided an intimate soundtrack for lovers, unlike the white pop cover groups that seemed to be everywhere only a short time earlier.

Many who write and share their memories grew up during this wonderful time in history. For each one it's a sentimental longing for the past, and another reason I continue to draw on the Jukebox In My Mind for many of my related stories.

And, so it goes....In the corner of my mind stands a jukebox, and it's playing all my favorite memories...

When I write a story, I break down the fourth line of the first verse, "To the days when you were mine," to include not only the girl, but my first car, a classic blue '57 chevy. On any given night me and my friends would spend countless hours at our favorite Drive-in restaurant. Top ten hits played over the speakers while pretty girls circled the cars delivering Burgers and Fries and cherry pies in a world we used to know. Special times indeed. For me each one holds a memory; of a person, a time, a place.

Starting with the first verse, it's the fond memories that allow me to pull it all together, and in turn, create a much easier path to the stories you read on these pages.

In the corner of my mind stands a jukebox
It's playing all my favorite memories
One by one they take me back
To the days when you were mine
And I can't stop this jukebox in my mind

Visitors who respond with added memories from the Big Band era of the 1940's, remain a genuine plus for my stories. One such song is "Dream," a 1944 cover song by Roy Orbison released in the early sixties.

The facts surrounding the songs require more detail and research; who was the songwriter, the vocal backing groups, and the session players who turn ordinary songs into hit records. But it's the Jukebox In My Mind that will ultimately determine if a particular song will make an interesting page that others will enjoy reading.

Alabama is a country music band from Fort Payne, Alabama. They originally began by singing for tips around Myrtle Beach.

The group was started in 1969 but failed get a recording contract until 1977. It was their blend of contemporary and traditional country and southern rock that turned them into one of the first successful groups in the mid-1970s and beyond.

The band was founded by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry. They were soon joined by their other cousin, Jeff Cook. After losing 4 previous drummers, drummer Rick Scott left the band in 1979 and was replaced by Mark Herndon, a former rock drummer who helped give Alabama their signature sound. 

Emerging in the late '70s, the band had roots in both country and rock, however, there is no denying that Alabama is a country band. Before Alabama, bands were usually relegated to a supporting role in country music. Alabama took it to the next level.

A sleek country-rock sound made the group the most popular country group in history, selling more records than any other artist of the '80s and earning stacks of awards,  thanks to the hits "My Home's in Alabama" and "Mountain Music."  Alabama would go on to sell millions of records.

"Jukebox in My Mind" was released in July 1990 as the second single from their album "Pass It On Down." The song was written by Dave Gibson and Ronnie Rogers. It was a number-one hit in both the United States and Canada.

If you enjoy Alabama, plus you tend towards a romantic nature, then you'll likely want to add this one to your collection.