Oh, the memories that a good old Oldie of our high school years can bring to mind. The premier music memory catalyst has to be universally agreed to be "Sleep Walk", by Santo and Johnny, not only the best tune of 1959 but undoubtedly in the top ten of our high school years of 1956-60.
Sleep Walk is an instant recall song of dances, a memories of dancing with a girl, any girl, and enjoying the closeness that generates adolescent hormonal reactions. It's such a perfect song, so slow and easy, so sweet and cuddly-inducing that no one would ever want to turn it off when it comes on the radio to this day--I should think. I suppose, if it brought back memories of an old girl friend of breaking up, it would, bring back some sadness--even tears.
Sleep Walk could also be titled "Close Dance". It was the perfect song for that. No one really had to know any fancy dance steps or worry about his dancing skills. It was good enough to just gently slide the feet a bit, to shuffle around a tight space on the floor to the music.
Ken Kelling, a very good friend of mine, told me a story of the days when the guys in the Hillyard Booster Club would have group weekend dates with the Rainbow Girls or Job's Daughters. Those club dates were held in someone's basement, the usual place was the basement of Art Blum's house, whose parents were always so gracious to allow a bunch of teenagers to gather at their home. Ken was chewing gum while dancing to a slow dance, quite likely Sleep Walk, or the disaster could not have happened, since being so close to his partner caused it. He must have been saying sweet things in her ear while chewing away on a stick of Spearmint, when it somehow was ejected from his mouth and wound up in his partner's hair. What a "revolting development" that turned out to be. But, Ken being the take action type guy he is, apologized profusely and borrowed some scissors to give her enough of a haircut to get the gum out of the tangles. Such a mishap would not have happened while dancing to "Rock Around the Clock" or "Hound Dog," but had it, the gum would have ended up on the floor and sole of a shoe instead. If Ken ever runs into the girl with the gum in the hair, the Perry Como song, "Sweet, sweet--the memories you gave to me. You can't beat, the memories you gave to me" would not come to mind. Every guy can likely recall stepping on a girl's foot while dancing, but spitting out gum into her hair? More fitting a tune for the memory if he ever runs into her would be the popular Brenda Lee song, "I'm Sorry."
I wonder if Ken has chewed any gum since that unfortunate event. Will he ever find out which flavor or brand of gum would lose its flavor if it was put on the bedpost overnight? Doubt it.