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***The Roots Is The Toots-The Music That Got The
Generation Of ’68 Through The 1950s Red Scare Cold War Night-Ike Turner’s Rocket 88
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…she hadn’t thought
about the upcoming date all that much, hadn’t thought about how Art was going to
squire her to the first dance of the school year, the decisive Fall Frolic.
Decisive in that one’s date, one’s successful date, at that event usually foretold
who one would be going to the senior prom with. It wasn’t that she was crazy
for Art, not in the way best friend, Jenny, was over Sal, Sal with the wavy black
hair and athletic build, crazy to let him do what he wanted with her, but she
did see him a one part of her “item” for the senior year if only he showed a
little spark her way. Damn, she almost had to force the issue and invite him to
the dance herself after they had spent some time together in school talking and
then he walking her home after school, talking. So they had spent their time
together before the dance in that way. And here it was the big night and she
was now preening herself as expected of any girl going to the Frolics with a
guy that might form part of an “item” for senior year.
She wasn’t sure when
she heard the rumble of the engine coming up the street maybe just before the
car stopped in front of her house but she definitely heard it before Art
knocked on the door downstairs as her mother welcomed him in while she was
finishing her last preparations. As she came down she noticed that he looked especially
handsome in his suit and hair parted just so. Things already looked up for the
evening. She did not know the half of it though until he opened the front door
for her as they were leaving and she spied that big old Cadillac sitting in
front of her sidewalk. Seems that old Art once he got the message from the time
around the dance invitation started his own version of the courting ritual and
convinced his friend, Spider Mack, to let him borrow his souped-up Caddy. And
off they went, she proud to be seem in the company of a man who knew how to
bring a girl to the dance in style.
But that was only the
half of it since once they got to the school gym when the Frolics were held
annually Art seemed a man transformed as the cover band hired for the evening, the
Ready Riders, kissed off the old classics that guided previous dances and kicked
out the jams. She noticed that Art had become almost a whirling dervish as he
rocked to some older rhythm and blues stuff and then laid out the program when
the band tore into a big riffing dose of Ike Turner’s Rocket 88 that everybody at Doc’s Drugstore over on Main was
dropping endless nickels and dimes in the juke-box to hear over and over. As
the dance ended she, they ran into Jenny and Sal, and she, she who had secretly
scorned the stuff Jenny told her that she and Sal did down at Adamsville Beach,
suggested that the foursome go down to that very beach to, well, she said cool
off after the dance. But you know what she meant. So, yes, if anybody was
interested she and Art were an “item” that year …
*********Rocket 88
You woman have heard of jalopies
You heard the noise they make
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88
Yes, it's great, just won't wait
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Baby, we'll will ride in style movin' all along
V-8 motor and this modern design
Black convertible top and the girls don't mind
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy
Blow your horn, rocket, blow your horn
Step in my rocket and don't be late
We're pullin' out about a half past eight
Goin' on the corner and havin' some fun
Takin' my rocket on a long, hot run
Ooh, goin' out, oozin' and cruisin' and havin' fun
Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88
I'll be around every night about eight
You know it's great, don't be late
Everybody likes my Rocket '88
Girls will ride in style movin' all along
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