My father (pictured in the center. I’m on the right and my bother Steve is on the left) would have been 85 today — if he was alive. He died in 1993 after suffering a series of strokes, but it’s not how one dies that is important so much as how one lives life, right?
You know those stories we often hear about people who pull themselves out of poverty and strive toward something beyond what they were born into? Well, the long and short of it is that my father’s life was very much a reflection of that narrative.
The son of sugar cane field “driver,” whose family was brought to Guyana as indentured servants, he was the only one of his family to attend college and eventually earn his medical degree. He practiced medicine in Guyana, Canada, and the United States — where our family eventually settled.
I don’t know if it was his prolonged exposure to middle class white culture of the 50s and 60s, but one thing I do remember is his MOR taste in music (MOR as in “Middle Of the Road”). For some reason, he loved Barbra Streisand and musak. In one of those ironies of life, the station he used to have his car radio locked on was called KDFM (92.1 FM) in Walnut Creek — which played elevator music. Now? One of the stations I work for (and this is the second time in my radio career) is 92.1 FM in Walnut Creek. Thank the music gods I don’t have to play musak, but when I hear James Blunt or Five for Fighting at work, I have to wonder if I really should thank the music gods ’cause that crap is pretty close to musak.
So, Eddie (or “Pops” as us kids would call him), these songs are for you! Happy birthday!
Barbara Streisand “Evergreen” (Listen HERE)
Percy Faith “Theme from A Summer Place” (Listen HERE)
Barbara Streisand “Stoney Road” (Listen HERE)
J
May 31, 2007 at 6:10 amHappy Birthday, Pops! I wish he were here so we could sit down and laugh and have some cake with him. And listen to really bad music.
Although he tried to teach me to dance calypso once…that didn’t suck.
Py Korry
May 31, 2007 at 6:56 amHe did like to dance that dance…
If you do listen to these songs, play them loud for maximum MOR, um, fun!
Beenzzz
May 31, 2007 at 7:57 amEddie was a sweet guy. I had no idea he liked musak and Babs Streisand! Classic! 🙂
Maya's Granny
May 31, 2007 at 10:29 amI always enjoyed seeing Pops. How funny that he like Musak! People have their own little things, don’t they?
Lalapunci
May 31, 2007 at 10:45 amThanks for the blog on Pops. I do miss him. Every time I hear Moon River, I think of him. He used to sing that song whenever it was played.
Py Korry
May 31, 2007 at 11:33 amMoon River…Man, I should have put that one in!
And yes, it’s weird that he love musak. But, it’s kind of amusing now.
Lalapunci
May 31, 2007 at 12:36 pmI think muzak gave him temporary peace from his hectic life. Thanks Py for the music and the tribute. Without Pops, and his desire to get out of poverty, we would not have the life we now have.
Lalunas
May 31, 2007 at 8:50 pmThat was beautiful. I remember those songs. hehehehe. Today me and Chee went up to Grayson. We rounded the corner of where pops is resting and I opened the window of the car and starting singing happy birthday. We got out and I was still singing happy birthday. What I did not notice was a guy in the next garden. He got offended and got into his truck and drove off. Oh well. Then I had a peice of cake in his honor. That was a very cool tribute. Remember he used to sing, Feelings nothing more that feeeeelings…
Ml
June 1, 2007 at 5:34 amHappy Birthday, Eddie! As long as the music made him feel good, that’s all that matters 🙂
Gina
June 1, 2007 at 8:23 amWhat a nice tribute to your Pops!
My mom adores Babs, and Johnny Mathis and some other people that drive me a little nuts. But, music is all about how it makes you feel, and feelings are never wrong, right?