Words, Words, Words, Words

NB: Obama icon because today is his birthday. Not actually relevant to this post.

A few weeks back I made a post wherein I linked to a website that was showing pictures from a Sears catalog from 1973 or 74. The bit I linked to had long dresses for little girls, and I mentioned how I remember wearing those dresses.

Well the other day I was going through an old photo album and happened upon a photo in which I and my friend are wearing similar dresses to the ones in the catalog:



I am the one in the yellow and white dress. I honestly can't remember who the other little girl is, but the woman is, of course, my mother, and the toddler in the foreground is my sister.

I believe this was taken on my 6th birthday, or thereabouts. We must have just moved into the house because there is no carpeting or wallpaper and believe me; you'd notice it. All through the 70's we green carpeting in the kitchen and wallpaper that was covered in drawings of vegetables in shades of avacado green and gold because, hello? 70's.

A family friend* gave me that dress, and she was wealthy so I believe it was fairly expensive. I adored that dress. Made me feel like a princess.

I rather wish I had that tea kettle.

*Family friend went on to become locally infamous, but that's a story for another day.

Disco Sucks.

I don't remember the DJs or the record burnings; not really, but I remember the Death of Disco.

One year in grade school - I forget which one; 2nd or 3rd, maybe, we learned how to 'do the hustle' in gym class.

When I was in the 5th grade, my birthday party was a 'disco' party. This boy from down the street who knew how to dance came over and showed us how do do some moves.

I actually owned a read satin jacket in the 6th grade, and my class would spend rainy lunch hours dancing to Donna Summers.

In 7th grade, however, Disco was Persona Non Grata amongst those I thought of as the 'cool kids'.

Pink Floyd's The Wall was standard issue, I think, and 'Led Zepplin Rulz' was inked onto many a boy's binder, right next to the words 'Disco Sucks'.

I remember someone had 'disco thinks rock stinks, but rock knows disco blows' on his notebook.

Because I was rather obsessed with being a cool kid; something I was decidely not, I jumped on the 'Disco Sucks' bandwagon. Wasn't a big leap, actually. I was already sliding towards the love of all things Punk/New Wave anyway. And secretly preferred the Monkees.

However, when I hear those disco songs from the 70's today, they make me smile. They were a huge part of my childhood's soundtrack, after all. I'm not running out and downloading "Donna Summers' greatest hits, but I won't pretend I don't know at least some of the words to 'Bad Girls'.

As an aside, in 7th grade - 1979 - 80, when we were waiting for some rally or something to start this kid, Floyd, got in front of the microphone and started singing, or rather 'rapping' a song; although I don't think the term was coined then. I am totally blanking on the song right now, but it was really novel, and completely devoid of any kind of gang violence. Just sayin'...