Washington D.C. My Hometown -The Musical

Once upon a time not so very long ago, John Landers, a song collector was wandering the land of Google when he tumbled across this blog and sent the above picture. He wondered if I was hip to the swinging version of "Washington, DC.  My Hometown."

What?!!

Yes, D.C., there is a song. Made for our area radio station WWDC to be exact.

Back in the early 1960s, the mad men of "PAMS," the Production Advertising Merchandising Service, came up with the bright idea of making customized "My Hometown" songs for local radio stations. The musical format for each town is basically the same with local attractions plugged into the lyrics.

"The Red Sox and Celtics have both brought Boston fame.
Drive on in on Route Number Nine, you'll be glad you came."

Terry Lee Jenkins seems to have done many of the vocals, and I swear to god the band could be our own Hula Monsters, but these ditties were produced long before their time. Thanks to Youtube you can hear the ones made for PAMS Birmingham, WCAO Baltimore,  WPLO Atlanta, KXOL Fort Worth, Chattanooga, and WCOP Boston.

Sadly Washington's version seems to be lost in the mists of time. I contacted WWDC, but had no luck with their archives. Please let us know if you have the digital or the vinyl. Otherwise we'll have to make up our own words....

Take Me Out

In 1929 my mother Bebe and her little brother Roger Jr lived in the Broadmoor Apartments on Connecticut Avenue. Their parents were the building's first managers, and that brought unexpected perks. Bebe remembered a lot of Senators at the Broadmoor. Not so much the politicians, but  real live baseball players. In the house! The whole family got free passes for games at Griffith Stadium,  and the great pitcher Walter Johnson and my grandfather Roger became friends when he came back to coach the team. 

In 1972, we lost our team to Texas, and my parents never converted to Baltimore.  I don't love sports, but I do like the pace of baseball which allows plenty of time for eating and talking in between (and during) innings.  I will always have a warm spot for the "O's," but  I definitely miss Memorial Stadium where Earl Weaver tended his tomato plants.  If memory serves me, I think it was a dollar for a bag of peanuts on the way in and five for a bleacher seat, and I could always find my friend Dan Elwood commandeering an entire section with a bunch of friends and Budweisers.

Things have come full circle now with a team back in town and a new ball park on the Anacostia.  

Last year my son was lucky enough to score Nats tickets from a friend. He rode his bike to the ball park on a balmy Tuesday night, perhaps starting another tradition of keeping baseball in the family.