MC Albaniana

I've had a go at quite a few things since coming to the States, and I've tried to say yes more often than no to new experiences.  But I don't think I ever imagined I would get to be a DJ - or that I'd enjoy it so much.

Well, I say "DJ".  The discs I was spinning were...original 78s.  And the hip kids I was wowing with my sounds were...about the same vintage.  I'd been invited to bring my wind-up gramophone along to the local Senior's Luncheon.

Oh, it was fun though.  I had time to play six records:  Paddlin' Madeleine Home (a slightly naughty number from the late '20s); Love is the Sweetest Thing (we all agreed, that's what we call a romantic song) sung by Ray Noble ("Ray Noble!  Ahhh!' sighed a lady to my right); for a change of mood, a tango about Spring, sung in Japanese; then a novelty instrumental, Whistling Rufus (includes actual whistling); Teddy Bears Picnic, performed with terribly posh vowels by Henry Hall and his BBC Dance Orchestra; and to finish off, Paul Robeson singing Jerusalem (pure self-indulgence on my part, the thought of England's green and pleasant land bringing a tear to the eye of no-one but me).

As I rounded up the show, members of the audience shared memories of their grandmother's or aunt's old wind up gramophone "with a big horn", that they had listened to as children, and I expressed my envy - I've always wanted one like that (though my picnic version is a lot more portable). 

Someone I know from Five Rivers, not exactly a spring chicken himself, turned up at the end to drive some of the seniors home. He said, "I never knew you were into this old fogey music!"  Ah, but I am.  One day, when I'm attending senior entertainment in my own right, I'm going to be so miserable sitting there, forced to listen to Wham! and Madonna.  Will there be anyone left by then who has even heard of Ray Noble?