“Bucket List” A Mort Laitner Essay
I’m eating, drinking and watching The Fabulons at Nick’s Italian Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.
The Fabulons bill themselves a “South Florida’s Favorite Party Band.”
I ask myself, “Is this the same Stamford, Connecticut doo-wop group that sang: “Smoke From Your Cigarette”, “Connie”, “Just Like A Fool” and “I Want a Girl (1960)”?
I remember the joy of my cigarette smoke kissing my date’s lips and her reciprocal smoke touching mine.
Life was so simple then.
The only item on my teenage bucket list was to get some—maybe not that simple.
Nick’s has the ambiance of a 1960’s mob-run night club without the tobacco smoke.
It has a clientele that thinks it has fulfilled most of the items on their bucket list.
I’m not really there for the food or the drinks—both average at best. I’m there to dance to my generations music— and The Fabulons are fabulous.
The crowd dances the night away. By “night away” I mean that most of them are home in bed by 10:30.
But then I get blown away. The lead singer of The Fabulons bellows, “I am now going to introduce a living legend. A man who has written some of the biggest hits of all time—Mr. Paul Vance.”
You may ask yourself ,”Who is Paul Vance?”
I did.
The eighty-five-year-old, jumps on the stage, grabs the mic and sings, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini.”
WOW! One of my favor hits.
Paul wrote and released that song in 1960.
It was my first vinyl 45 rpm (4.5 minutes per side) record. With my meager allowance, I bought my first single with the large center hole.
(Please don’t ask me the song on the flip side. I don’t remember because I never listened to it.)
An itsy-bitsy song with lyrics that burn in my memory to this very day.
A song, I played over and over again on my record player as did 20 million other record lovers.
A song, I sing—along with Brian Hyland—on the beach as I long to meet that girl wearing the itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini who was afraid to come out of the water.
This bikini-clad girl that I want, remains an elusive item on my bucket list.
Paul also wrote: Perry Como’s signature hit, “Catch a Falling Star”, The Detergents’ “Leader of the Laundromat” and Clint Holmes’ “Playground of My Mind.”
After his two song set and a standing ovation, Paul sits down.
I get up to shake Paul’s hand.
“Paul, I was one of your 20 million fans that bought your record. I still sing along when I hear it on the radio. You’re the best.”
As our hands grasp, his smile lights up the room. He is a true artist that loves accolades, applause and standing ovations.
“Thanks a lot,” he responds.
As I walk back to my table, I think, “Life often comes full circle.”
“Tonight I checked off a small item on my bucket list that I didn’t even know was here.”
But I guess there are plenty more.
