Monday, February 13, 2017

Song of the Day

Just as I remember where I bought certain books or associate books with a certain time and place, I remember the first time I heard certain songs or associate them with a time and a place.  What I remember about this one is that I was in the back seat of a beige 1954 Pontiac being driven east on Titus Street in Mexia, Texas, about a block from the elementary school one night in the summer of 1958.  Margaret Stubbs was the driver, and the car belonged to her parents.  I don't remember who else was in the car, but the radio was tuned to some AM station that wasn't coming in too well.  Probably nobody else was listening to the music, but I always did, even if with only half an ear.  When this song came on, I was electrified.  I practically jumped into the front seat to get to the radio knobs and turn up the volume.  I yelled at everyone to be quiet so I could hear it.  They thought I was crazy, which I probably was (and am), but they let me listen.  I bought the 45 rpm recording of the song as soon as I could.  I still have it, and I still love the song.

Robin Luke - Susie Darlin' (1958) - YouTube:

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too flipped when I first heard this song. Learned years later that Robin was living in Hawaii at the time and it was first released on the tiny Bertram International label.

Unknown said...

Robin Luke went on to have a nice academic career.

Don Coffin said...

I was 10 in 1958, and had received a radio as a birthday present (in February). I listened to it every chance I got, tuned to the leading Top 40 station in Indianapolis. Maybe it was a regional thing, but I had no memory of the song, and, after listening to it on You Tube, I still had no memory of it...There were large regional differences in what got played back then, so I'm guessing that's the reason.

Rick Robinson said...

I loved it too, and had the 45 until I sold them all in the late Eighties. A good song.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Good but not great. I don't particularly remember it from 1958, but as an oldie. As such it's no "Speedo" or "Earth Angel" but OK.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

Don't recall ever hearing this before, but in 1958 I was ten and not paying much attention to music. Maybe it didn't get play in Michigan.

Don Donovan said...

I have always loved this song. I find the track hypnotic and Robin Luke's vocal drew me in from the jump. The story behind the making of the record is pretty amazing, too. Amazing they ever finished it, since it was recorded in some guy's apartment across the street from a hospital ER entrance, complete with wailing ambulances coming and going.

He's had a 50-year career in the academic world and still looks good. Here's a recent interview with him.

https://vimeo.com/10279190

Unknown said...

Thanks for the link! Great stuff!