You Know Me Blues: lost love is found and lost again

Charlie Brown had a heart-rending crush on the infamous Little Red-Headed Girl who caused him feelings he was too young to grapple with. She occupied his thoughts during the day and was in his dreams at night. He would tell his thoughtful friend Linus about his crush and Linus would encourage him to approach her and try to strike up a conversation, but Charlie was too overwhelmed by his feelings and lack of self-confidence. The few times he did try to approach her he became tongue-tied and embarrassed, ending up blushing, stammering and finally running away. Sadly, it seemed he was doomed to pine for his romantic ideal. I felt for him and understood because I had a little red-headed girl of my own. Her name was Denise Evans. She was two grades behind me - I was in the 10th and she was an 8th-grader -which meant I was in my first year of high school while she still had a year to go in middle school. We hung out with the same circle of friends, which is how we met. I was absolutely smitten with her. Being a little more adventurous than good ol' Charlie, I courted her and we ended up actually going steady for a week (which back then meant holding hands, hours-long phone calls and the occasional chaste kiss) before she broke up with me for reasons that are lost in the fog of time. I was crushed. Time is different when you're young. A week can seem like a year - and not in a bad way. I pined for her in the best Charlie Brown fashion, my unsuccessful attempts to win her back only making it worse. Eventually we went our separate ways and got on with our lives, but I didn't forget her and she became the legendary lost love - the girl every romantic partner would be measured against. At least until I grew up a little a realized I was being foolish.

My teenaged passions and feelings were reignited by a chance encounter with her 5 years later, which resulted in a week-long reunion that consisted mostly of me reverting to my 16-year-old-self and making a complete fool of myself. For her part, she was patient with me and we spent a few evenings together reminiscing about days gone by. She took out all the letters and poems and artwork I'd given her in that first flush of romance. I asked her to marry me several times, proposals she politely refused. After a week we again went our separate ways - a situation oddly similar to our first pairing when we were kids. 

I was on my way to get my business straight

I didn't intend to stay out late

But when you opened up the door

You nearly had to pick me up off the floor

You were so nice to me - you even kissed me "hello"

I'm gonna hang around your window like an alley cat

Sniff around your doorway like a dog

You might think you know me better than that

When you showed me the pictures drawn

I never though you had it in ya

Just goes to show that you've been carryin' on

While I've been spending life tryin' to win ya

You were so nice to me - you even kissed me goodbye

(repeat chorus)

Went to see you but you weren't home 

So I talked to your sister instead

She was really kind to me

She gave me the wall to lean on

She was so nice to me - she didn't make me leave

(repeat chorus)

Something is wrong - I gotta spend my whole life to convince ya

That nothing's been the same since ya

Gave me that message about Five years ago

And you even came to see the show

I didn't see you 'cause I was singing

You were so nice to me - I didn't notice 'cause I had been drinkin'

But until I hold you in my arms like a vise

Or get into your blood like a disease

(repeat chorus)

...but you don't, no you don't, no you don't 

"You Know Me Blues" is a slightly fictionalized account of that chance meeting. I discovered this cool little bluesy riff and wrote a song around it. A few other songs about my little red-headed girl were written and I even recorded a couple: "Patron Saint" which, though completed, wasn't used and the previously mentioned "Whatever You Want". Both will turn up later as we go along.

Using my lost, lamented Ovation acoustic I recorded the song live onto two tracks, nailing it in one take. Despite the fact that my wan attempt to sound like a grizzled bluesman left something to be desired it was destined for the album until I managed a better version (without the grizzle) during the 1977 session with Arlene, whose piano can be heard on the fadeout playing the opening chords to Neil Young's "Don't Cry No Tears" (we played the two songs as a medley then because reasons). It was performed live for the first and only time at the 25th anniversary celebration by the full band as the first half of a medley with the CD bonus track "Lend A Hand".

I feel you, Charlie, but sometimes it better to worship from afar. Like my alter-ego Norman Famous said:  "Never date your crush. You'll get crushed. Nothing crushes like a crush".

                                                        sing along with me! IGLOO! 

Just a story before I go: I met Neil Young in a model train store several years ago. I was at the counter preparing to buy at something - probably a model train part - when he walked in alone. He and the shop owner greeted each other and started talking about something that Neil was searching for. I pretended not to notice that one of my heroes was standing just feet away from me. Finally the store owner, probably sensing my discomfort, called me over and introduced us: "Neil, this is Earl." Neil nodded at me and said "Hiya Carl", not offering to shake hands. I said hi and corrected him "It's Earl", Neil nodded again and turned away to talk trains with the owner, who grabbed a Lionel Trains catalog and handed it to him, saying "Here, sign this for him," Neil obliged, asking me how to spell my name. I watched him scrawl something on the catalog cover with a Sharpie that had magically appeared in his hand. "Here ya go" he said with a smile, "take good care of this" I thanked him and, forgetting about my purchase, headed for the door. As I walked out with my prize Neil called after me "See ya later, Carl".

"Roll on, Southern Pacific"