Get Back (To Where You Once Belonged)

[Paul de Denus]

Back in the late 60’s, our band played a social event at a farm community where we methodically butchered most of the popular songs of the day, including a revved up version of the Beatle’s newly released ‘Get Back’. I was willing to bet that most of the straw-chewing yokels watching us were oblivious to the sounds of the Beatles as I imagined Friday nights at their quaint social gathering was probably reserved for Fiddle‘n Jug’n Hoedown Hour; I swear I heard Ol’ Lonesome Me spinning on a creaky crank-turntable somewhere. And sure enough, part way through our set, a girl from the small crowd, dressed in what looked to be a square dance outfit, approached the stage and asked, “Do you know Different Drum?” We were stunned; here we were, imaginary Beatles from the Big City some twenty miles away, playing in their dusty little village and all they were hoping for was Stone Poney’s waltzing music?

Hulking behind their girlfriends, the weathered faces of bulky farm boys glared at us, arms wrapped tightly around thin waists as if holding their girls back from the dangerous city boys posing in Flower Power outfits of paisley shirts and over-flared bellbottoms, our amplifiers humming. I don’t think there was much to be concerned about; we wouldn’t butcher a song we didn’t know.

[Angela]

Sorry to be getting here late.

So soulful and looking toward the future there in the pic.  You must have been way cool in high school.  

[Teresa]

The last line is perfect.  Love the facial expressions in the picture.  Who knows what you could've been ten years later?  You look famous to me...;-)  Great post.  I could read stories about life-mapping all day.

[Kristine_ES]

i liked the menacing feeling of the farm boys hulking behind their girlfriends, especially.  i felt the whole thing here, with everything you used to describe the time. 

[Wendy]

I'm a sucker for a walk down memory lane...anyone's lane. Thanks, Paul!

[Paul de Denus]

Looking back now, we weren't very good, just a bunch of wannabee's but it was fun for the short time we did it.

@Gita- I remember we out with a friend and he took pictures at a shopping mall and a park with a lampost and other stupid stuff- a little embarrassing but hey, we were just 19.

[Dude A Bydes]

PdD- Good post. Here in the good ol' Hoosier state, the crows would've been to "Play Freebird!" 'Makes a fellow wanna' free the bird on a few of them... Dude

[Ron. Lavalette]

Yeah I remember doing vocals for a makeshift band, a bunch of guys stranded with their square families at a "family campground" back in the day.  We'd jammed a& practiced a little during the day & that night we set up on a stage.  All the placid, flatfaced Norms seemed pretty happy when we opened with a most acoustic version of "As Tears Go By" until we launched, without hesitation or warning into a fully amped-up, full volume version of "19th Nervous Breakdown," and in those days I could still belt a pretty mean Jagger.

 

The crowd turned pretty quick, I can tell ya; parents scowling & ushering their kids out and away to more wholesome campfires and marshmallows at breakneck speed, as if lyrics and volume were anthrax. 

most of them never got to hear "Satisfaction."  Their loss.

[Sandra Davies]

Loved this, and the photo ... no doubt, as Stephen says, more than a few were hoping to be worthy of such music - in the village gatherings we went to anything was better than centenarian Ivor Pugsley and his collection of 78 rpm records (Jimmy Shand's Gay Gordons and the like)

[Stephen Torelli]

Nice account. I remember the neighborhood bands who enlightened many and I'm sure some in that farm community secretly admired your band's music.

[Mike Handley]

Cool.