I am currently writing a song about a white Cadillac limousine. It’s a nonsensical little tune that makes me smile. It’s not like anything I’ve written before, but at the same time it bears a connection to every other tune I’ve ever conceived. This is not a new thing – making up songs. I’ve been doing it almost as long as I can remember. By the time I was ten years old, I could play the guitar just a little, and I actually began writing songs down. Off the top of my head, I recall one I wrote just after returning from a summer 4-H camp. I had seen a young girl at a dance, and I had hoped for an instant romance. I hadn’t really thought about what that might involve, but I had enough inspiration for a song:

Only been a week at summer camp
Already I’m in a trance
That girl means a lot to me
I kind of wish I never had to leave

But it’s just a summer daze
A reality now soon a thought in the haze
And I know it can’t last long
A love like this just cannot go on
A summer daze at summer camp (“Summer Daze” by little Bobby Tatum)

Well, it wasn’t love, it wasn’t a trance, and I never even spoke to the girl in question. I think we did have one dance together – but fast dances by ten-year-olds hardly count as anything other than exercise. The song had a couple of other verses, but believe me, you’re looking at the best of it.

When asked about the meaning of a line in “Eleanor Rigby,” John Lennon once remarked that it meant what it literally said and whatever else anyone wanted it to mean. “Summer Daze” wasn’t about a girl at summer camp. It wasn’t about a romance that I had experienced. It was about the fantasy of a romance as envisioned by a ten-year-old boy. And even though I’m much older now, I still find meaning in such a simple songs. Now I would say “Summer Daze” means that sometimes you meet someone, get to know them just a little, but you have to leave before any actual relationship develops – doesn’t have to be romantic at all.

Sometimes a song carries tremendous weight and significance. We’ve talked about some of those songs on this site, and we will speak of songs like that in the future. Sometimes, however, a song is just a song, sung because the heart feels like singing.

I used to wonder what birds were talking about when they’d get into a song festival in the trees. Now I just accept that birds sing because they were made to sing, they live to sing, and sometimes a song is needed to sweeten the air we breathe. – Bob Tatum

This coming weekend Sound Traveler will be on the west coast of Florida at a big contra dance called Snowball (kind of ironic given our Florida climate), but if you are at the dance, we’d love to meet you.

To respond to this post, click on the title, scroll down, and share your reactions.

5 Comments to “SongTravelin: 01.17.11 – What does it Mean?”

• January 19, 2011 at 9:13 am
  Libby says:

  thats a cute little song. did yall hook-up or anything later-lol.
• January 19, 2011 at 9:16 am
  admin says:

  Didn’t get lucky, I’m afraid. But I’m over it now — I think.
• January 20, 2011 at 10:54 am
  Ed says:

  Perhcance some day you’ll share the true story behind that little ditty…what was it? “Cotton Candy” I believe?
• January 20, 2011 at 1:27 pm
  Bob says:

  Some songs are better off dead and buried. How did you remember that song? In actuality, the song meant absolutely nothing. I just wanted to rhyme purple and durple.

  Her eyes are blue
  Her nose is purple
  She’s got so many freckles
  It makes her look durple
  I don’t know why but I’m
  Crazy about her

  My gosh, I remember it too! And I am not writing out any other verses.
• January 20, 2011 at 2:26 pm
  Patty says:

  I’m here to testify…Whitecadillacalimousina (or however Bob writes it) is a catchy little tune. Totally different from his usual stuff, but that thing will get stuck in your head! I can’t wait until he finishes it!