Father's Day - Monday Music Review

Growing up, I loved to listen to my dad play the guitar.  He would often play us folk songs and loved it when we would sing with him.  Many of these songs became family favorites.  “Why Me Lord” always ticked us pink when dad would sing with his low, deep, bass voice.  Dad taught me how to pick out harmonies by ear with “Lord I Lift Your Name On High”.  And to remind my mom of my dad serenading her college, my dad and I would sing the song “Today” sitting on a stair well, him playing and me singing.   This song ended up as our father-daughter song at my wedding, though we didn’t dance it…we sang it.

Father’s day 2020 is coming after weeks of social distancing.  During quarantine, I dusted off some old piano books and began to play.  After a couple of show tunes, some Billy Joel songs, and a classical piece or two, I opened up my Simon and Garfunkel book and turned to the song “59th Street Bridge, Feeling Groovy”.  The moment I started playing tears popped into my eyes as I immediately thought of my dad.  He loved Simon and Garfunkel, he gave me a tape of theirs to listen to as I fell asleep, and I have very dear memories of my dad teaching me the echo of the main lyric “ feelin’ groovy….feelin’ groovy”.  I blinked back the tears and tried to really pay attention to the lyrics.

"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"
Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy

Hello, lamppost, what'cha knowin'?
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't'cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in doo-doo, feelin' groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy

I got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you
All is groovy

It struck me as a poignant wish of a father.

The longing for time to slow down

The opportunities to be present in the simple moments

The pangs of lost years

And the hope to pass along his hard earned wisdom to his children.

 Thank you, Dad – for sharing your music, passing on your wisdom, and showing me how to present in the simple moments, whether it was playing catch, driving us to or from college, or singing a folk song in a stair well.

Happy Father’s Day to all you wonderful Dads out there!