I’m feeling really good right now. You see, I was just dropped off at home following a lovely Mother’s Day brunch with my family. As the waiter was pouring my first mimosa refill, I professed my love to him. Luckily, his fiancée is a bartender and not the jealous type! …and then I totally never saw the bottom of my glass… Each time he would fill my glass, as he would, being in our committed relationship of course, he would tease me and I’m sure I blushed. I honestly don’t know how many I had… I’m such a lightweight!
Anyway! On to today’s simple pleasure which is a song. I’ve written about Happy by Pharrell Williams previously, which will always remain one of my favorite songs. I think when I turned on the radio at work on Friday, I was pleased that it was playing. I love upbeat music like Happy. I grew up listening to rock ‘n roll from the 60s and 70s, learning about half of the lyrics of every song! I didn’t really know who sang each song, unless it was The Beatles. Nowadays, car radios and Pandora feature the song title and artist on a screen, so I learn a lot each time I listen to music.
Last Sunday evening, I was doing laundry at my parents’ place. While doing other things, they kept watching the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on repeat until they had seen all the parts they wanted. In between loads of wash and dry, I caught Chicago’s performance of Saturday in the Park. I loved it. I associate the band Chicago with my dad who loves music with a lot of instrumental parts to it. You know, like a great guitar solo. Of course, the horns from Chicago qualify. Even though I knew most of the words of the song and it sounds like a song Chicago would produce, I seriously couldn’t have told you that this song was by them prior to last weekend. This is the song that I’ve had stuck in my head all week. Plus, the one I have voluntarily sang or hummed as I went about my chores. I’m not saying it’s one of my top five favorite songs or anything, but I really do adore this happy song. Plus, there is an Italian song lyric in it! I had no idea until I started researching this song, preparing for this blog post.
Here are the lyrics…
Saturday in the Park
Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People dancing, people laughing
A man selling ice cream
Singing Italian songs
Eh Cumpari, ci vo sunari
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I’ve been waiting such a long time
For Saturday
Another day in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
Another day in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People talking, really smiling
A man playing guitar
Singing for us all
Will you help him change the world
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I’ve been waiting such a long time
For today
Slow motion riders fly the colours of the day
A bronze man still can tell stories his own way
Listen children all is not lost
All is not lost
Funny days in the park
Every day’s the Fourth of July
Funny days in the park
Every day’s the Fourth of July
People reaching, people touching
A real celebration
Waiting for us all
If you want it, really want it
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I’ve been waiting such a long time
For the day
This is a catchy song. I never realized it was by Chicago either! That little bit of Italian in it is fun 🙂
I seriously sang it for a week. Growing up, I hadn't even realized the lyric was "Singing Italian songs," maybe I just knew the first word was "Singing," especially since that word begins another lyric later. It is the first lyric in a song called "Eh, Cumpari!" (which means something like "Hey, Buddy!") by Julius La Rosa famous in 1953.