January 23, 1971

 

I remember this vividly. The 1971 Winter Carnival Queen was Anne Stovell. Runners up were Joanne Bond and Veronica (Ronnie) Brady. Both Anne and Ronnie were a year ahead of me in my brother Ed's class. Joanne was the yearbook editor that year. I was part of the yearbook team (wrongly identified in the yearbook as my brother). All of these people pictured were beautiful, vibrant, young women, and caused intense limerence in self and my male cohorts. Ahhh the halcyon days of youth .....

When I found this photo in the Oshawa Times archives, I emailed Joanne and Anne with a portion of the following lyrics:

Once upon a time there was a tavern

Where we used to raise a glass or two

Remember how we laughed away the hours

Dreamed of all the great things we would do?

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

For we were young and sure to have our way

La la la la...

Then the busy years went rushing by us

We lost our starry notions on the way

If by chance I'd see you in the tavern

We'd smile at one another and we'd say

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La la la la...

Just tonight I stood before the tavern

Nothing seemed the way it used to be

In the glass, I saw a strange reflection

Was that lonely woman really me?

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La la la la...

Through the door there came familiar laughter

I saw your face and heard you call my name

Oh, my friend, we're older but no wiser

For in our hearts, the dreams are still the same

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La la la la...

So where were you in '72. Moi, I was having some of the best years of my life and didn't fully realize it.