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Song of the Week: "Little Boy Blue"

To celebrate the first leg (view map) of our 2-day, 400-mile whirlwind of a family vacation to Lake Chelan, it's time for a road trip song. The song of the week is "Little Boy Blue (North of North Dakota)" from Jake Armerding's self-titled album. It was the last song I added to the iPod before hitting the open road this morning.

Now, the lyrics may not fit the scene perfectly. June. North of North Dakota. But the sentiment is all there.

Got myself a debit card, little bit of cash
Petty on the speakers and I'm beating on the dash
Daddy was a highway, Mama was a view
I'm a little boy blue

After dinner tonight I went night swimming with the kids in the pool. Braeden asked each of us what the best part of today had been. Mark and Emma named various things we had seen. For me, it was just spending time with Thelma.

I'm a little bit of highway, shiny with the dew
little bit of summertime, sitting next to you
Never had a reason, never had a clue
just a little boy blue

Few things can compete with the open road when Thelma's by my side and the music is playing. I know the cardinal rule is to keep your hands at 10 and 2. It's so much better, though, when my left hand's at 6 and my right hand is in Thelma's.

She was looking so phenomenal, what was I to do
I crumpled up the gas receipt and stuck it in my shoe
Never had a reason, never had a clue
just a little boy blue

I'm not sure we ever managed to get Petty on the speakers. Thelma started going through the songs beginning with "A". My favorite Tom Petty song, "Wildflowers", never had a chance.

The way "Little Boy Blue" personifies the highway has me thinking about the faux folk song "Never Did No Wanderin'" from the movie A Mighty Wind. (A must see movie especially if you like folk music, humorous lyrics and improvisational acting. Think This is Spinal Tap meets Peter, Paul and Mary.)

My mama was the cold North wind,
My daddy was the son, of a railroad man from west of hell,
Where the trains don't even run...

No I, never did not wanderin'
Never did not wanderin' after all.
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