Song: “Heart to Hang Onto”
Album: Rough Mix
Release Date: September, 1977
“Heart to Hang Onto” is this week’s Big Top entry. The song is about those among us who struggle to find their identity due to a lack of conviction, focus and faith. I count my blessings that I have never had that problem. I credit this to my upbringing, which set a solid foundation and opened up an endless array of doors for me.
We are just a few weeks shy of my Mom and Dad’s 56th wedding anniversary and so I thought I would roll out a poem I wrote for their 35th (below). It hits on many of the highlights of my upbringing, but more important it is reflective of a youth full of life and love. My apologies go out to Pat’s wife Ruth, who was not in the picture yet (and so is not in the poem) along with the additional grandchildren who came after October, 1995; Joe (who was awfully close), Molly, Katie, Grace, Peter, Jack, Ryan, Abigail, Patrick and Anastasia. Some of the poem will be nonsensical to those who were not there. But that’s not the point. The point is in the title “A Relationship Full of Life”. However, to try and explain some of the characters, localisms and colloquialisms, I’ve added a Glossary of Terms at the bottom.
“Heart to Hang Onto” is such a beautiful song. The version here was performed live on Late Show with David Letterman (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVjmtT-f7VY): Pete Townshend accompanied by Eddie Vedder and the Paul Shaffer house band. The original interplay was with Ronnie Lane (Lane singing the verses and Townshend the choruses). In this live version Pete Townshend and Eddie Vedder switch it around some: Very well done I might add. The mid-section horns in the studio version were performed by John Entwistle. The house band does a very nice job of recognizing that Who-bandmate contribution.
A Relationship Full of Life
October 15, 1960 that’s where we begin
Ike was on his way out, Camelot on its way in
And on the alter at St. Pat’s another Camelot had emerged
Here’s my humble attempt to put parts of that story into words
Franklin was a hick town, much, much smaller than now
“Gooey Louie” had the eggs, Brett had the cows
Mom and Dad spent their honeymoon up in Quebec
And picked up a pumpkin on their way back
To their new home on Mill Street where they placed it outside
Announcing to Franklin, the Steeves had arrived
Now those first years on Mill Street the thoughts I have few
For I didn’t come round until mid ‘62’
But I know happiness abounded and the laughs there were plenty
Visits from Jerry and Big Fred, Nandy and Grampy
And Margaret and Kenny who were back then still single
The Rappas, the Martins, Mr. Burke as Kris Kringle
Dad kept political signs off the lawn
Occasionally out of the woods leaped a doe with her fawn
In the meantime the family had started to grow
‘63’ Jen and Fred, and 64 along came Joe
Soon after my memory begins to take hold
What follows are some tidbits that need to be told!
The cigarette stool was where everyone wanted to sit
‘koya koya’ you never saw Jen without it
Fred rode a red tractor, dinner time Dad said grace
Jen’s nickname was ‘Missy’; Joe had mud on his face
Jack O’Connor took photos, Mush Mush was our Dog
Ginger hid in the tub and we all searched for God
We heard “I am the Ghost of Abel Gable”
And made sure we ate up everything on the table
After dinner sometimes Dad would have us all searching
For 4-leaf clovers: I’m sure he was laughing
In ‘67’ Mom gave birth to Amy, December 9th was the day
Amz name would have been Santa if Joe had gotten his way
With Amy in tow many memories followed
‘Scuz cuts’ Jolly Cholly’s, Bubble-heads at the Mellos
Benson’s Animal Farm, Mrs. Doyle and Proovo
Dad never got their names right; he’d say ‘Boil’ and ‘Ghoulo’
From Mill Street to Martin Ave in 1969
Now we were in the center, no longer on the town line
There was Dean Junior College, St. Mary’s and more
Newbury’s Kearney’s, Jimmy’s Penny Candy Store
As the new decade rolled in the old one said “Top that!”
The new decade answered with a bang; it was Pat
Here’s where my memory really starts to cruise
Every statue was Dad; the ‘71 Bruins would …. Lose
Big Butch walked round town with a radio held to his ear
There were rabbits and turtles, white shoes I had to wear
Jen in the Brownies; Dean kids shining moons
Street hockey, tree climbing, water balloons
'Joshua Brown’ in the cellar, altar boys and ‘Boo Agway’
Driving to hockey at 5 am Dad would shout out ‘Woon-sock-ayyyy’
Mr. Rappa pulled a chunk of wood out of Fred’s wrist
Sister Margaret Ester had me on her negative list
Joe ran outside naked to bring the bathing suits in
With Jen and Phil in it the pools lining burst open
There was Falmouth and Ashland, Rocky Woods with the egg toss
Mom taking us to swimming lessons in the VW bus
After painting the Martin Ave house harvest gold
We got out of there quick and moved into Park Road
I must admit now I did not want to move there
There were holes in the walls; there were holes in the stairs
But Mom and Dad worked day and night, room to room
And turned a rickety old house into a beautiful home
This is where the memories really start to pile high
There was Mr. Lavertue, Lindy and Herm Bly
Dad’s mopeds, Jen’s green hair, Phil’s ice cream and Nicky
Whiskers played shortstop, there was Daisy and Chrissie
When Mom rang the dinner bell, no matter where you heard it
So much laughing at the table – “Bububububbit”
Jen and Amy, Julie and Liz set up haunted house in the cellar
Where Mrs. Tibbit’s corpse could be seen for a quarter
We had a puzzle room, and Charlie on the MTA
Flashlight Tag, Kick-the-Can, fire crackers, Croquet
Wacky Packs, coins, apple trees, Danny Leary
‘The Watergate’, Joe’s killer dance on Skittle Alley
When Dad read from the Bible on Christmas Eve, we were all ears
Christmas Day began at the top of the stairs
Soccer and baseball, Friendly’s and the New Store
Applebee’s, Welick’s, paper routes door to door
And then there were all the great times on vacation
The ‘Penalty Box’, the time Joe went hitchhiking
Williamstown, Ottawa, Quebec and the Falls
D.C. and Bush Gardens, it was a ball
And let’s not forget Camp Wind-‘n’-the-Pines
Mom holding the gas pedal, Dad trying to drive
By ’79 Jen was dating a great guy named Dale
Pat rushed over to greet him, Jen’s face went pale
Rolling into the 80s there’s a lot to be said
Emmett falls off the garage roof, Paul Smits under Jen’s bed
Mom was the best hostess for every occasion
Whether Thanksgiving or Christmas or just welcoming a friend in
North Adams and Lowell, Johnson & Wales, Keene, B.C.
There was Shannon and tailgates and Sucker in Lee
‘Mi Grabisin grabone’, the Scrubius Pip…. I just had to throw those in
Along with “Bird Lady”, “Oh Lamby”, “Nachos Grande”, Jason
Amy left behind after dinner; shopping at Heartlands
Mom running the Bellingham Branch for Ben Franklin
In late ’84 everyone got to meet Nancy
After she’d taken the Pike half way to Albany
In ’85 Ginger coordinated a great 25th
’86 Jen and Dale….. Best Man must make a list
’87 “Party Summer”, the 1st camping trip
Monica said ‘hi neighbor’, teeth under her lip
Lots of other things also happened that year
There was Lake Street, ‘Plum Dandy’, and more than one beer
It was the 1st “Pete Steeves Open”, the Grinch with the Whos arm in arm
And ‘we can’t find the money for the mortgage on the farm’
’88 the second annual camping trip to Moosalaukee
Where Nancy and I stuck out the rain with Fred and Kippy
’89-’91 was all laced with weddings
Joe and Mon, Fred and Kip, Pete and Nanc…. Amy singing
“Big Mac La Fry La O” & “I’ve been hornswaggled!”
Bachelor Party police escorts, a bus driver frazzled
Getting Nancy dressed up as a clown
My face in a cake, and then dancing around
Meanwhile the annual camping trips continue in earnest
Out of all the fire side chats “I love you guys” one of the best
Dale cooking chicken over nuclear heat
Dad heaved rocks in the river; Nancy dropped a cake meant for Pete
Then there was the trip to Prince Edward Island
And the rain cloud that followed us from the hills to the beach sand
Finally into the picture came Paul
The rooftop party on Beacon Street sure topped them all
Johnson and Wales at Pat’s graduation
Seeing Mom sobbing, overcome with emotion
And the grandchildren arrived, first Kelsie then Kelley
Then Charlotte (with Mom’s help), Meagan and last for a short time, Lily
I say for a short time because Jen and Dale are expecting
The news was enough to have Mom summersaulting
Here it is ’95, Mom and Dad’s 35th
They get to spend part of it overseas with the Irish
When I read between the lines of these words that I’m writing
I see a story that I find O Quite Fascinating
Because it reflects a relationship that is So-Full-Of-Life!
That started with Dad and Mom alone…. Husband and wife
Glossary of Terms
The Characters in order of appearance (not including Mom and Dad and their 6 children):
Big Fred and Jerry > my
grandparents on my Dad’s side
Nandy and Grampy > my
grandparents on my Mom’s side
Margaret and Kenny > two of my Mom's siblings
Margaret and Kenny > two of my Mom's siblings
The Rappas > Nancy and
Bob Rappa; my parents earliest of friends in Franklin
The Martins > Mom’s
oldest sister Marge and her husband Bill and their children
Mr. Burke > another of my
parents earliest friends in Franklin
Jack O’Connor > Dad’s
best friend growing up (also my Godfather)
Ginger (Sister Virginia
Smith) > another of my Mom’s sisters, who became a nun (a great one I might
add!)
The Mellos > Dad’s
sister, Nineen, her husband, Arthur, and their boys Peter, Eric and Andy
Big Butch > a kindly, very
large war veteran who hung out downtown.
Mr Lavertue > a carpenter
who spent a lot of time repairing our Park Road home
Lindy > a kindly elderly
man who befriended my parents.
Herm Bly > another
elderly man who spent a lot of time on the phone with Dad planning the
bicentennial parade: He talked so incessantly, Dad once put the phone in the
freezer for 10 minutes. When he took it
out Herm Bly was still talking.
Phil > my neighborhood
friend in grade school: Noted here in several ways, including for making his
own ice cream
Nicky > my wonderful old
faithful mutt
Whiskers > Phil’s
dog: One of the smartest animals I have
ever known.
Daisy and Chrissie > our
very bright rabbits
Julie and Liz > Our
cousins the Gilligan’s (Mom’s side)
Mrs. Tibbits > the
elderly woman who lived in our Park Road home alone before us
Danny Leary > another
neighborhood friend (of Amy and Pat)
Dale > Jen’s husband
Emmett > our cousin
(Mom’s side)
Paul Smits > an over-exuberant
New Year’s Eve victim who temporarily found a place to pass out until he was
discovered when my sister went to bed
Nancy > my beautiful wife
Monica > Joe’s wife
Kippy > Fred’s wife
Paul > Amy’s husband
Shannon: My grandfather’s young golden retriever
handed off to us. She kept Nicky alive
for an extra half decade I am sure
“Sucker in Lee” > Dad
never wanted to conform to campground rules and celebrations, particularly at
the trailer park in Lee, NH. Some people
took a while to accept this
“Bird Lady” > A colorful
character on CB radio. Amy and I ran
with it
Definitions and Events (in chronological order):
Definitions and Events (in chronological order):
“koya koya” > Jen’s
tangled up torn and frayed pink and white tiny blanket
“The Cigarette Stool” >
Fred, Jen, Joe and I named this stool after a round burn indentation in the
seat, about the diameter of a quarter.
The story goes that Dad used a cigarette or cigar to intentionally put
the mark there, which has never been substantiated
“Missy” > Uncle Bill used
this nickname for Jen, but no one else did!
“The Ghost of Abel Gable”
> A neighbor a few years older than us claimed to be this persona while
crouched unseen outside the kitchen window while we ate
“Scuz Cuts” > Whiffles/buzz cuts. Usually me
“Jolly Cholly’s” > An
amusement park, I believe in North Attleboro
“Bubble-heads” > a great
video exists of one of these soapsuds episodes in the Mello’s pool. I looked like Confucius
“Every Statue was Dad” >
Dad used to claim the statues in town were all of him. This claim did get me in trouble one time
with a neighborhood bully
“Joshua Brown” > A brilliant horror poem told in the dark to a
bunch of us kids on Halloween as “body parts” were passed around (i.e. grapes
for eyes): Scared the daylights out of
us
“Woon-sock-ayyy” >
Woonsocket Rhode Island, where we would travel to on early weekend mornings for
hockey at Mount Saint Charles. Dad was
never a big fan of Rhode Island in those days
“Boo Agway” > A hardware
store Dad did accounting for early in his career. When he switched to a competitor, we booed
them every time we passed the building
“Rocky Woods” (Reservation)
> in Medfield MA: Annual family
reunions (Moms side) were held there
“Bububububbit” > Dad’s
unique style of belching
“Charlie on the MTA” >
Fred, Phil and I put a nice skit together to this tune
“Apple Trees” > Amy and
Cousin Linda had 2 baby apple trees planted in the yard named after them
“The Watergate” > Dad
named our inflatable boat after this infamous Washington D.C. hotel break in
“Skittle Alley” > a kid
game show hosted in Boston that we all appeared on
“Welick’s” > a very busy
local restaurant Fred, Joe, and I all worked at
“The Penalty Box” > the
area in the far back of our VW Bus
“Joe went hitchhiking” > ….with
a straw hat and pants pulled up to his ears.
Our vacations were where Joe became the hilarious Joe we all know and
love
“Mi Grabisin grabone” > just a saying I made up and used when I
had nothing in particular to add to the conversation.
“Scrubius Pip” > a great
childhood storybook
“Oh Lamby” > when Joe and
I landscaped for a summer, a pestering new homeowner repeated this line over
and over to his pet poodle. We ran with
it.
“Jason” > we also ran
with the lead character of the Friday the 13th movies
“Best Man must make a list”
> I was Jen and Dale’s Best Man, and so I came up with a list of my duties
“Plum Dandy!” > a store
in Kennebunk, Maine: Everything was
purple. We admired many of the items by
exclaiming the stores name as we shopped: Too funny
“Lake Street” > Fred’s
and my first owned home (in Waltham).
Later Nancy and I.
“Pete Steeves Open” >
Dad’s annual golf tournament, all done in fun (and everybody got a trophy!).
“Grinch” > Jen hosted an
annual Grinch-watching party the week before Christmas
“Amy singing” > Amy sang (in
spellbound fashion) at all our weddings
“Big Mac La Fry La O” >
While down south, a friend of Joe’s heard a local yokel order at the drive thru
using this exact term. Joe’s friend
tried it after to see what would happen and received a Big Mac, large order of
fries, and a large orange soda. It was
the hit saying at Joe and Monica’s wedding
“I’ve been hornswaggled”
> another hit term we used frequently on a camping trip (it seems we had a
hit term on every trip)
“Nancy dressed up as a clown”
> the girls brought a clown suit for Nancy to wear around Boston for her
Bachelorette party
“My face in a cake and then
dancing around” > my bachelor party ended on a sweet note
“I love you guys” > Dale
uttered this
- Pete
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