Jim and the Operator
As a consumer of pop (popular) music, I have heard a lot of tunes along the way. The quality has varied, but that makes me appreciate the “good” stuff, even better.
This afternoon, I watched a video dialogue between Rick (Beato) and Mary (Spender). They worked through a song by Jim (Croce). From a half-century ago. The song still sounds great! Some perspective, when you deal with songs from that long ago. There will be references, in the lyrics, that require “Cole’s Notes”.
Let’s get started. The song, Operator, mentioned. In the first versue, concepts like “a dime”, “operator”, “phone booth”. I understand the relevance, but my children may not. A half-century, AKA a lifetime will introduce changes in infrastructure. I’m sure that the music from a century ago also helf puzzles, but there were fewer songs. Fewer recorded songs.
I had heard Jim, and I had likely spun his 45 rpm when I dabbled in radio. Good song. Great voice. I had (maybe) heard that he had died in a plane crash, that same year, but the detail didn’t mark me. I just thought that he had found new ways to please his audience. Anyhow.
The effortss of Rick and Mary to showcase the work of Jim are appreciated (by me). And I will have to seek out the Greatest Hits album by Jim. Not in vinyl, but out there in cybersppacee, the playlist goes on. Not going to dwell on what might have been; there were other great songs to distract me, but I will let this note stand, as a tribute to one of the better ones.
