Saturday 9: Cadillac Ranch

Saturday 9: Cadillac Ranch (1981)

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

1) In this song, Bruce Springsteen sings about taking his father and his aunt to see The Cadillac Ranch. Have you recently taken a road trip? If yes, where did you go?

A. I have not taken a road trip recently, more's the pity, unless one can call a drive into the city to see doctors road trips.

2) The Cadillac Ranch is real. It's an outdoor art installation in Amarillo, TX. Tell us about a statue, mural, or other piece of outdoor art in your community. 

A. Virginia has these LOVE signs all over the place. There are two, maybe three, just in my county alone. One is over at the Greenfield Sports Complex, and the other is painted on the side of a building in the county seat. I believe there is at least one more over on the other end of the county, but don't hold me to it.

The "Love" sign at Botetourt Center at Greenfield (courtesy Botetourtva.gov)

Because Virginia is for Lovers, after all. (One of the best pieces of state advertising ever.)

3) Not only is Bruce singing about a real place, he mentions three real people. The first is "James Dean in his Mercury 49." That refers to the 1949 Mercury driven by James Dean in his first starring role, Rebel Without a Cause. Though he remains a legendary star, Dean made only three movies before his death at age 24. Have you seen any of his films?

A. I probably have but I don't remember them. 

4) The second is "Junior Johnson runnin' through the woods of Caroline." Junior Johnson was a folk hero, famous as a NASCAR driver and notorious for running moonshine through North Carolina. He was the inspiration for "Midnite Moon," an animated old Ford in the 2017 Disney movie Cars 3. What Disney movie did you enjoy when you were growing up?

A. I don't recall many Disney movies. I do remember "The Wonderful World of Disney" that came on every weekend, with the castle with fireworks and Tinkerbell doing a little spell over it before the show appeared. I'm sure I saw Disney movies, but apparently, they didn't stick.

5) The third man Bruce sings about is "Burt Reynolds and his black Trans Am." This is a reference to Burt's biggest hit, 1977's Smokey and the Bandit. Burt also had success as a restaurateur. He co-owned Burt and Jack's, a popular steakhouse at Port Everglades, right on the water. Tell us about a restaurant that offered both good food and a memorable view.

A. The Peaks of Otter Restaurant in Bedford off the Blue Ridge Parkway offers good food and a lovely view of a pond and mountain tops.

6) For decades, Cadillac was the gold standard of luxury. For example, an eatery referred to as "the Cadillac of restaurants" would be best or most prestigious. Think about your neighborhood. Tell us about a restaurant, hotel or business that is "the Cadillac" of your community.

A. I'm not sure we have a "Cadillac" of my community. I think we have a lot of Volkswagons and Toyotas. It's a pretty county, though, once you get out of the southern end where the growth is, with farms, fields, and forest offering up many lovely views and vistas.

7) Since he's been singing about America and cars for decades, it should come as no surprise that Bruce Springsteen has a collection of classic American cars. For the cover of his autobiography, he chose a photo of himself leaning on his favorite, a 1960 Corvette convertible. Think about your favorite photo of yourself. What are you doing?

A. A photo of me when I played my guitar when I was a teenager ties with one when I was getting married.

8) In 1981, when Bruce released this recording, Dolly Parton had a hit with "9 to 5." What's your favorite Dolly Parton song?

A. Love is Like a Butterfly. 

9) Random question: When did you last DIY and fix something around your home or yard?

A. We redid the garden this spring a little bit. I guess that counts.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.