"Coney Island Baby" - The Excellents (1962)

With all of the cold weather slamming us lately I thought we all could use a break and head to the beach. While looking through the you tubes I ran across this "oldie but goodie" by The Excellents from 1962. Lou Reed also did an album called Coney Island Baby in the late 1970's or early '80's. I always thought he took the name from this song.

The Excellents were really the remnants of the Bronx based sextet known as The Premieres. Not having an amusement park on their beach, naturally they had to sing about ours in Brooklyn. And there was no way that a doo-wop group outta the Bronx was gonna cut a record about Brooklyn, and so they became the Excellents.

Brooklyn isn't the center of the earth; though it's close. The first time that I was in Italy I was kind of surprised to see that they had chewing gum called "Brooklyn Bridge". I was flattered. And even in the red light districts of France, Germany, Alexandria, Subic Bay and all the rest, there is always a Brooklyn Bar. We're everywhere!

Enjoy the song and sights and sounds of the past with this little video. Hope it carries you through the cold weather. Don't worry, spring is coming soon! I hope.

"Heat Wave" Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (1965)

I can think of no more appropriate song for the current weather situation than this "oldie but goodie" from 1965. Many of my happiest memories seem to be centered around that year. Being 11 years old was a magical time for me in Brooklyn, where I grew up. And summertime was the ultimate season. School was out by the end of June, not to be re-visited again until after Labor Day in September. Those 8 weeks seemed eternal. There was so much time, and so much to do.

As the years passed by, and I got older, the summers got shorter; as did the years. But whenever the temperature soars above 95, or so, and I hear this song, I am 11 years old again, riding my bicycle down the shady side streets of Brooklyn. And, in my mind I am headed for the beach with a towel wrapped under the seat.

"Summer In the City"

With temperatures soaring to the high 90's for the next few days a little summer music is in order. When I was about fourteen I went to summer school. There was too much fun to be had in school during the year, and too much idle time on my hands in the summer, so I suppose I subconciously just split the term up a bit.

It fascinated me no end, when in the summer I would leave our cool, air conditioned apartment for the walk to the subway station, and upon hitting the street I would be slammed with an oven like wall of heat. This was usually about 7:30 in the morning, and though it had already been daylight for an hour or so, the sun was just coming up over the trees. This was my first realization that the sun came up in the East, traversing Avenue R. at a slight angle for the remainder of the day. Years later I learned that this is the apparent result of the elliptical path which the sun seemingly takes, while we, of course make our daily trip around it. But it was so much more magical when I didn't understand it.

I always had my 6 transistor radio on hand, or more accurately, at my ear. "Summer in the City" was one of my favorites that year, which is why it's posted above. Music is funny like that. It has a life of it's own, which can evoke memories that are physically felt.

When I hear this record I still feel 14 years old as I leave the apartment on Avenue R. I can still hear the quiet of the early morning in Brooklyn, and I still see the slow parade of tired commuters making their way to the train station to put in another day at whatever they were doing. And, on a day like today, I can still feel the heat.