Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Young Girl (1968)

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

1) The song is about a girl who is too young for romance. How old were you when your parents allowed you to date? 16. Though just because my parents allowed me to date doesn't mean any boys wanted to date me. I did a lot more babysitting than dating that year.

2) Lead singer Gary Puckett mentions the girl's perfume. What scent do you wear most often? I rediscovered Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. It's both light and lasting.

3) "Young Girl" reached #2 on the charts and stayed there for three weeks, but it never hit #1. It was stuck behind Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay." Are you competitive by nature? Or would you be satisfied doing well, but not being #1? I like winning, but I'm not terribly competitive. I like to win because I've done well, not because I beat someone.

4) The Union Gap got together in San Diego, California's second most populated city. Have you ever visited California? If yes, where did you go? I've been to San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. I just booked my airfare to LAX for the TCM Film Festival in April. But of those California destinations, my favorite city is San Francisco. I found it unique and quite charming.

5) The Union Gap performed at a White House state dinner for special guests Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Some in attendance that night maintain that President Nixon seemed to be playing matchmaker that night between the Prince and his daughter, Tricia. Have you ever tried to fix people up? If yes, did romance result? I've never played matchmaker.

6) After six Top 20 hits in three years, the Union Gap disbanded. Today Gary Puckett tours as a solo artist on the "oldies circuit" with Peter Noone of the Herman's Hermits. Without looking it up, can you name any of the Herman's Hermits hits? In 16 Magazine parlance, this one is my fave rave.

7) In 1968, when "Young Girl" was a hit, Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis. Think about the last wedding you attended. Were you closer to the bride or groom? It was my niece's wedding, so I was closer to the bride.

8) Also in 1968, the most popular movie in theaters was Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand. What's the last movie you watched? On Friday afternoon, I just saw American Fiction. A very funny movie.

9) Random question -- Come clean: Right now are there more dishes in your sink or clothes in your hamper? My hamper, most definitely. A pipe burst in our laundry room and while we were able to get it repaired promptly, we're on a waiting list to get the washers fixed. Apparently there are many, many washing machines on the fritz right now, probably tied to the arctic blast and all the attendant frozen pipes.