Songs of the Season

A nice long run with freshly fallen leaves crunching under every step made clear the change of season. A few shocks of color remained in the trees. Early in autumn I am always reminded of an old song, Fall in Philadelphia, from Daryl Hall and John Oates. It's a mellow song on a little known album before the duo's rise to popularity. I mentioned the song in a piece about this same time last year. As I continued on this November run I began to think about songs that really remind me of particular times and seasons.

In the summertime
And oh the wonder
Felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder

Bob Seger’s Night Moves cued in my mind. I didn’t have the music. I played the song in my head, and best of all as I imaged the tune I traveled across time to the mid 1980s. I landed in Champagne, IL. This was my first trip out of the south, and wow what an eye opener. I arrived in the small college town late in the summer, right around Labor Day Weekend. I didn't have a plan or even a place to stay. Somehow things came together. I got caught up in the magic of the Night Moves, of being young and free and in being the novelty in town. "Speak in southern," my new found friends would say. I think it was particularly interesting to hear an accent like Andy Griffith coming from a fellow who looks like Juan Valdez. We all had a grand time making fun of the differences between southern city life and rural life in the north.

Fun and frolicking continued, however, my nemeses, cold weather, arrived sooner than I expected, so I headed home with a naïve fear of being trapped by Old Man Winter. For those who know the song well, yes there was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes. And no, we weren’t in love, oh no far from it. We were workin' on our Night Moves.

Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just don't seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in

Experience the seasons. Run.

Tom