NO, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!

I feel a bit foolish sharing how small I thought the world was where people I knew sang songs on the radio or where famous singers somehow knew what was going on in my life and wrote songs about it. Perhaps these songs were serendipitous. Or perhaps I simply made them my own:

1966 Winchester Cathedral The New Vaudeville Band

Winchester Cathedral Lyrics

Winchester Cathedral You're bringing me down You stood and you watched as My baby left town

You could have done something But you didn't try You didn't do nothing You let her walk by

Now everyone knows just how much I needed that gal She wouldn't have gone far away If only you'd started ringing your bell

Winchester Cathedral You're bringing me down You stood and you watched as My baby left town

I strongly suspected that it was Papa Dick who sang Winchester Cathedral on the radio and was impressed that he did it pretty often. (It was much later that I learned that songs on the radio weren’t performed live.) When I sang along, I’d hold my nose to sound more like him.

1972 Saturday in the Park Chicago

Saturday in the Park Lyrics

Saturday in the park

I think it was the Fourth of July

Saturday in the park

I think it was the Fourth of July

People dancing, people laughing

A man selling ice cream

Singing Italian songs

Eh Cumpari, ci vo sunari

Can you dig it? (Yes, I can)

And I've been waiting such a long time

For Saturday

Another day in the park

I think it was the Fourth of July

Another day in the park

I think it was the Fourth of July

People talking, really smiling

A man playing guitar (play a song, play a song, play on)

Singing for us all

Will you help him change the world

Can you dig it? (Yes, I can)

And I've been waiting such a long time

For today

Slow-motion riders fly the colours of the day

A bronze man still can tell stories his own way

Listen children, all is not lost

All is not lost, oh no no

Funny days in the park

Every day's the Fourth of July

Funny days in the park

Every day's the Fourth of July

People reaching, people touching

A real celebration

Waiting for us all (waiting for us all)

If we want it, really want it

Can you dig it? (Yes, I can)

And I've been waiting such a long time

For the day, yeah yeah yeah

Clearly, the band Chicago had been inspired by Freedom Park in Charlotte when they wrote Saturday in the Park in 1972.

1975 Philadelphia Freedom Elton John

Philadelphia Freedom

I used to be a rolling stone you know If the cause was right I'd leave To find the answer on the road I used to be a heart beating for someone But the times have changed The less I say, the more my work gets done

'Cause I live and breathe This Philadelphia freedom From the day that I was born I've waved the flag Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man Yeah Gave me peace of mind my Daddy never had

Oh, Philadelphia freedom Shine on me I love you Shine a light Through the eyes of the ones left behind Shine a light, shine a light Shine a light won't you shine a light? Philadelphia freedom I love you

Yes, I do!

If you choose to you can live your life alone Some people choose the city (Some people choose the city) Some others Choose the good old family home (Some others choose the good old family home) I like living easy without family ties ('Cause it's easy) Till the whippoorwill of freedom Zapped me Right between the eyes

'Cause I live and breathe This Philadelphia freedom From the day that I was born I've waved the flag Philadelphia freedom took me knee high to a man Mmmm, mmmm Gave me peace of mind my Daddy never had

Oh, Philadelphia freedom Shine on me I love you Shine a light Through the eyes of the ones left behind

Shine a light, shine a light Shine a light won't you shine a light? Philadelphia freedom I love you

Yes, I do!

Oh, Philadelphia freedom Shine on me I love you Shine a light Through the eyes of the ones left behind Mmm, mmm Shine a light, shine a light Shine a light won't you shine a light? Philadelphia freedom I love you You know I love you Yeah! You know I love you Yes, I do! (Philadelphia Freedom) I love you (Yes, I do) (Philadelphia freedom) You know that I love you (Yes, I do) (Philadelphia freedom) Oh Don't you know that I love you? (Yes, I do) (Philadelphia freedom) Ha Don't you know that I love you? (Yes, I do) (Philadelphia freedom) Don't you know that I love you?

By the time Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom was released in 1975, I was aware of how absurd it was for me to think it was meant as a tribute to our move. Still, I found the fantasy comforting.

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