halfway there by terry ernest
If you ever got goose bumps listening to Mario Lanza you may be half way there. all the words and sang right along with our favorites, often in multi-part harmony
If you don’t know who Mario Lanza is stop reading now and click into Wikipedia and full feathered boas. When a new song was introduced the DJ would invariably
or listen to him sing “Be My Love” on YouTube. You’ll need a frame of reference play it often enough so we could decide if it was worthy of our favorites repertoire.
to continue. As a fledgling mo some of my most endearing memories are of my In those days DJs played most music straight out of the box catering to their audi-
mother listening to Mario Lanza on her six foot long Magnavox hi-fi console. I was ence. With today’s technology, club DJs seem to be drawn more toward making a
breaking new ground as a teenager then and while I never suffered from keep- name for themselves as ‘master mixers’ than taking direction from the crowd. But
ing up with the Joneses, my attraction to Mario Lanza had to remain a secret. At then I guess it’s easier these days when you can stretch and play the same song for
home the Magnavox was a gateway to a musical fantasy I shared with my mom an hour and a half. I sense an entire generation is talking here.
but even that was cloaked for privacy. While she swooned from her favorite living As I’ve traveled from decade to decade my taste in music has changed with
room recliner I stood silently in the bedroom hallway embraced in the power the times, as it does for most people, but just like the early days in front of the
of his magnificent tenor Magnavox I’ve always been a sucker for a pretty face. Peter Frampton became
voice. Of course the fact Richard Marx, who I secretly married in over 100 dreams. All my disco queens
that Mario had a strikingly became Abba or Michael Jackson and all my other boys evolved into the fabulous
handsome, boyish face Luis Miguel. One college roommate was so astounded by the hard line I drew be-
had nothing to do with my tween the music I attended at home versus being out with my friends, that he was
It’s All About the Goose Bumps
“Just try to get a dJ at Rich’s to spin up
something Streisand. You’d have better luck
getting a five star sushi chef to toss one of
his finest creations on the grill for you.”
attraction. To my high school friends convinced I was schizophrenic,
I was the last Beach Boys, Beatles and or using 1970s vernacular, fuckin’
Motown aficionado, but at home, it nuts. But I didn’t see it that way.
was Mario when mom was there and To me it’s easy to be selfish with
Barbra when I had the hi-fi to myself. the things I truly adore. Besides,
I played My Name is Barbra so many finding Mario Lanza fans that
times that I had to buy a replacement aren’t already in Shady Pines is a
album before my mother ever found out I tough job today so keeping him
was using her precious turntable. Thank all to myself makes perfect sense.
god when 8-Tracks finally came out and we And while I know a lot of guys
could play our favorite music in the privacy who share my esteem for Barbra,
of our cars, as loud as we wanted, head bob- just try to get a DJ at Rich’s to spin
bing all the way. Sadly I could never find up something Streisand. You’d
Mario on 8-Track but Barbra and I traveled a have better luck getting a five
whole lot of miles together. star sushi chef to toss one of his
In college in the 1970s I melded with the finest creations on the grill for you.
paisley generation and got serious with Some things pass gracefully as they should. I
CCR and Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart and wish I could say the same for corn, but I digress.
the most beautiful long haired boy on vinyl, Yesterday’s favorites may have faded from my top
Peter Frampton, at least when I was with my shelf but not the ones that give me goose bumps.
friends. But in the solitude of my home I was It’s all about the goose bumps.
busy wearing out Barbra’s Stony End or vicariously playing La Scala through If your childhood backyard ever sported a
Mario’s adoration for Puccini. Wham-O Slip ‘n Slide you’re probably half way there too.
When disco hit the dance clubs I was there to answer the call. I was gaga for
Gloria and danced to Donna every night. We didn’t just dance though; we knew feedback? halfwaythere@ragemonthly.com
22 RAGE monthly | August 2009
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