This is a song that I put on my CD Up in The Bronx and Down in L.A. that I’m attaching as a companion piece to my novel of (almost) the same name Up in the Bronx.
The main character, Jack Isaacson, sings it, and the lyrics are presented, on page 15. I really did write the song at the same time the book refers to (yes, the book is somewhat autobiographical). And I still enjoy playing it. It’s a doo-wop sort of progression. It all takes place Up in the Bronx after all.
I was playing it again yesterday and did it pretty much without error – and to make no serious errors represents the high standard (the limbo bar, some say) this Bumbastories blog sets for itself! Click on the Up in the Bronx page above for more info. And click on the song if you want to hear the song.
The song – and the novel itself – is about youthful expectations. It’s about simple needs and simple pleasures, and reconciling the whole ball of wax. And getting on in life. That I still can play and sing the same lyrics thirty years later shows you how far I’ve come after all these years. Still it’s good to reach back and play a rock&roll progression. The notion of a music CD to accompany a novel isn’t something you hear about every day. Most novelists and most songwriters have better sense I suppose.
Sweet dreams and happiness
Baby don’t you fall
Go home, pick up what’s left
I’ll meet you in the hall
All I need is my baby when I call
Love’s around the corner
So why’d ya walk all around the block
Go on, do what you wanna
Some day you know it’s gonna have to stop
All I need is my baby when I call
It works, I never got around to mentioning it in my review, mainly because I was so taken with the book, but I like the CD. it gives off a feeling of raw authenticity and not to mention another medium of immersion can only ever be a good thing, unless it’s Fifty Shades of grey.
I confess I haven’t read Fifty Shades of Grey. I thought the same. But the question was if they go together – does the CD recall the book etc. I myself cannot judge, being so familiar with it. Thank you, by the way, for including my Bronx book on your list as one of the top 50 books of the century…. er…. I mean for putting it on your list of 100 that you forced yourself to read. You did read some great books there.
There was no forcing, except for the sex books and maybe a couple of others. I have heard the originals of some of the songs, mostly as an experiment to see how they related to your versions and my visions of the book, interestingly sometimes other versions creep up on me via other people or the radio. I do have in my mind your book when I hear them or other similar compositions of the genre(s), I got so steeped in the book and my imagination that it was an easy leap to ‘be there’ again.
That sounds like music to me. I hope you listened to the original Duke Ellington recordings of the songs I tried to do. I figure that any time I somehow cause someone to hook up to Ellington that I’m doing a good deed.
Beautiful song, Stephen!!!
Thank you!
Thank you so much, Marina. And please, my best wishes for a very Healthy and Happy Holiday!!!
…my best, warmest wishes too, Stephen!
Happy & melodic Holidays!!
Beautiful song, Stephen. Warm wishes for a Happy Holiday. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season to you, Amy!
That you still can play and sing the same lyrics thirty years later shows that your song is unforgettable good!
hi Steve,
today the postman brought your two books: “Up in the Bronx” and “The Phantom Speaks” and your Blues CD! I’ll try to write an amazon book review – but (beg your pardon) it takes a little time, because I have to translate everything forward to German and back again – but I like your topic very much! [we both needed patience during waiting, because the post took 4 weeks for the long distance!]