The Faintest Memories

     I can remember bits and pieces of growing up in Cramer Hill – a neighborhood that was part of Camden, NJ. But even before that, there were things going on that would make music commonplace in our house and in my life. My parents were born in the 1930’s and their musical heritage was steeped in the Big Band Era:  Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. In the post-war prosperity, radios, TV’s and stereos were more and more affordable and quickly became commonplace. In our house, we had a stereo console that was about the size of a Volkswagen. I can remember stacking up about 7 or 8 records on it at Christmas time and having Christmas carols playing nonstop from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. My parent’s record collection was mostly Big Band music, and maybe some soundtracks, like The Sound of Music or West Side Story. I guess it’s odd, though, but I don’t really remember them playing any records on the thing, except at Christmas time.

     The first records I can remember playing myself were 45s with songs from Sesame Street on them. Sesame Street debuted in 1969, when I was 5 but I think the records came out a year or so later, after the show established itself as a hit with kids and parents. I had records with “I Love Trash” and the “Alphabet Song” on them. I can still see the bright primary colored labels spinning on the turntable and the melodies are etched into my memory.

     I also remember the Christmas when I was in kindergarten, 1969 I think. I was sick for a day or two and I missed the class gift exchange. Maureen Zealberg, who was in my class and lived across the street, brought my gift home. It was an album of songs from Disney movies. I remember it had “Chim Chim Cheree” on it and maybe a song from the Jungle book. It was my first 33rpm LP. Hey, thanks to the internet, I found it! The track listing was:

Side A

1. Chim Chim Cheree

2. Whistle While You Work

3. Work Song

4. Lavender Blue

5. Siamese Cat Song

6. Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

Side B

1. Ten Feet Off the Ground
2. Give a Little Whistle
3. Work Shop Song
4. The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers
5. I Wanna Be Like You
6. I'm Late

     I definitely wore that thing out! And it turns out I still have it!

     In the summer 1971 we moved out of Cramer Hill trading our cobblestone street for the suburban splendor of Pennsauken, NJ. Bye-bye St Anthony’s, hello St Pete’s.

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