Saturday 9: Feelin' Groovy

Saturday 9: The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) 1966

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) The bridge that inspired this song is The Queensboro Bridge in New York City. Are you near a bridge right now as you answer these 9 questions?

A. Not particularly close, no, and certainly not one with a real name. There is one that crosses Catawba Creek down the road a bit.
 
2) Paul Simon says he "loathes" this song and only performs it because fans want to hear it. What's your favorite Paul Simon song?

A. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.
 
3) "Groovy" is such a 1960s word. What common word/phrase from 2020 do you predict will sound just as silly and quaint some day?

A. Hopefully "pandemic" but probably not. Maybe social distancing? I dislike that term anyway and use physical distancing instead.
 
4) Paul is a lifelong Yankees fan and was thrilled to meet his all-time idol, Joe DiMaggio. Mr. DiMaggio was, at first, less than thrilled to meet Paul because he thought the song "Mrs. Robinson" made fun of him. Once Simon convinced him it was an homage, the men got along fine. Do you have a celebrity encounter to tell us about?

A. Not really. I've mostly only met politicians.

5) Art Garfunkle was the other half of Simon and Garfunkle. Art and Paul met in sixth grade, when they were both in a school production of Alice in Wonderland. Tell us about one of your school theatrical appearances.

A. I played an angel in the second grade at Christmas. My lines were Luke 2:14 (KJV) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." I remember my mother used a sheet to make me a white gown and some kind of tinsel to make a round thing over my head.

6) "Artie" used to love needling Paul about his height -- or lack thereof. He maintained he was trying to be funny, but Paul thought is was mean and says the constant digs hurt. Is there anyone in your life who similarly enjoys teasing?

A. Not at the moment.
 
7) Paul told NPR that his impulse to write new music has always come "in bursts." He'll go years without composing, and then he'll write every day for months. Do you often feel creative?

A. Yes, I do.
 
8) In 1966, when this song was popular, First Daughter Luci Johnson married Patrick Nugent. Their reception was held at the East Room of the White House. The couple had an 8 ft. tall wedding cake and when the bride threw her bouquet, it was caught by her sister, Lynda. Sure enough, Lynda married a year later. Tell us about a wedding you attended (or your own).

A. I will tell you about the ending of my own. We were at the country club, and we'd both changed into our "traveling clothes." I had on a maroon skirt with knee high black boots. We headed out the front door and ran right into my Uncle Lance, who was videotaping the wedding for us (so the tape ends with us crashing into him and the video spinning up in the air). The guys had messed up my car - they'd even roped the doors shut. We headed towards my car, where everyone was waiting, but at the last minute we veered to the right to my mother's vehicle. Everyone ran towards us, and one of my husband's friends grabbed me by the arm. My husband reared back with his fist and said, "Let her go!" and everyone backed away in a hurry. James hustled me into the car and we drove off, leaving my car for my brother to drive home after everyone else finished partying. I don't know what was the best part of that - Uncle Lance taking a dive or my new husband being willing to punch out a friend to get me out of there.
 
9) Random question: Which do you regret more -- the times you were cautious or the times your were reckless?

A. The times I was cautious, I think. Now I'm too old to be reckless.

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