July 14, 1967

It is nothing to brag about, it is simply an ability I have; I made no effort to cultivate it, nor was I aware of it for decades: I can close my eyes and picture a specific day, or event, and can "see in my inner eye" what was going on in the past.. It is not a true eidetic memory, but a partial one.  Growing up, my friends used to tease me when I referred to an event or music show, whatever, and would throw in a comment -- don't you remember, you had one your new blue shirt, Carnaby Street trousers, whatever, and they would be exasperated saying, 'I barely remember the show...'

A recent blog posting by me  was a Bio piece concerning my arrival in New York on
July 14, 1966. The next year was a crazy one of my final undergraduate year. There were lots of moments that were not shared with my neighbourhood/school friends. They were spent with a couple of college friends I have since lost touch with; A crazy acid taking artist living with two Scandinavian beauties. A rich nutter with great sense of humour who just latched onto to me and we hung around pubs near Oxford Street or went to wild parties. A Jazz musician, who went onto a music career that lasted at least into the seventies when I lost track of him. However, my school friends remained in my life for -- well, centuries !! Many are still in my wide FB circle, email connections and Ma Bell network.

Back in the mid-sixties, my friends and I were fans of the Lovin' Spoonful. A great group who remain on the radio/TV/Movie/Internet world.

On July 14, 1967, I went to a movie called "You're a Big Boy Now" written & directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He was the wunderkind of the year. What attracted Mart & I to go to the movie particularly, was the soundtrack by John Sebastian and his group the Lovin' Spoonful .
Suddenly, in the middle of the movie, I remember turning to Mart and saying :"Holy Cow, I know exactly where I was a year ago today. I was where this film is set". Poor Martin, exasperatedly said "I don't know where I was a  week ago, let alone a year ago!"

However, You're a Big Boy now is set in NYC and has scenes in Greenwich Village, The New York Public Library and other iconic NY locations.  It was one of the first times I became physically aware that I could close my eyes and put myself in those scenes: because I had been in those same places, and the memory flooded back.

One of the best songs from the film is Sebastian's Darling, Be Home Soon. A love song that has been covered by hundreds of singers. It is magnificent. Listen to it on YouTube.

The Lovin' Spoonful were the soundtrack of my Summer of 1966, 67 and all the following years.