08/07/01 - I was in the mood to listen to some oldies, but not like the Beatles or Dylan. I ran across a recent bargain CD lately: The Everly Brother's Collector's Edition. Boy does that bring back some memories ... very, very young memories. I was like 13 or 14 years old when The Everlys were on their way out. The thing I like about this Collector's Edition is that there are a lot of songs that were not all that familiar to me but very, very cool just the same. It's like I got to like them all over again. There is, however, one song missing from this two CD collection ... Cathy's Clown. It wasn't a slight on my part to purchase a collector's edition that is missing Cathy's Clown, a major hit of theirs. I hate that song. I think most Cathy's of my age probably have a story or two to tell about this song. Mine takes place during the summer between Freshman and Sophomore year of high school. I was pretty much a nerd when it came to boys. No, it wasn't like I was shy. And I wasn't unattractive. I just didn't know much about boys. I was an only child and I had been attending all girl Catholic private schools all my life. It was the fact that I was pretty adventurous (always have been) but a loner, had no one to discuss boy stuff with, no big sister to show me the ropes. Anyway, I got into trouble that summer. I think I met SM at the YMCA dance. I met ER at Teen Club. They were each so different but both very nice. I still can't figure out how it happened, but I ended up going steady with both of them at the same time. I didn't know how to say no? In any case, I didn't mean for it to happen and knew I had to solve the problem, make a decision. I was going to pick SM. He called to have me meet him at the Y dance that night. It was a big night, live band ... The Knight Riders. He didn't get there right away, I was waiting for him. When he showed up he informed me that he found out about my other steady. They ended up comparing notes at football practice. Who knew? I sure didn't. He dropped me, duh! Next thing I knew the story was broadcast from the bandstand and the group launched into Cathy's Clown. I was devastated. I really hadn't wanted to be in that situation. I was very careful after that not to get involved. No, I think I had only a couple of more boyfriends in high school and not serious ones at that. I dated a lot, but no steadies.
Kid stuff. Takes all kinds of memories ... the good ones the bad ones. I cry each time, I hear this sound, here he comes, that's Cathy's Clown. Couldn't they have used the name Ethyl? |
