Orleans "Dance With Me" (1975)
Dance With Me
In July of 1975 I joined The Ken Griffin Magic Show. My family's juggling act had worked with them on a show in my home town of Maryville, Tennessee. Ken and his wife Roberta were in town for a few days and came to my parents' house for dinner one evening. We got to know each other during the time they were in town.
Ken and Roberta were a very pleasant couple in their 50's who had toured their magic and illusion stage show for many years. They were well known in magic circles because of their reputation with the show and a book they had written about touring magic shows that was like a bible of that field of entertainment. Since I was not working and had dropped out of college--essentially loafing--they invited me to join their show. It was like the golden opportunity that I had been waiting for so I jumped on the offer.
It was a lonely time for me. I was 24 with no real plan in my life. I had many friends and we had great times, but what I wanted most was a girlfriend--a female partner who might become my wife. Many of my friends were getting married or had steady girlfriends of their own, but I had not met that one special lady for me. I pined for female companionship.
The road life was not the best place to find that companionship either, but it was an exciting life and I was having a great time--except for that lingering loneliness. I might call it a lack of completeness or at least that's how I thought of the feeling at the time.
The Orleans hit "Dance With Me" was all over the radio that summer. Everytime I heard the song it was like it was being sung to me. It became like my theme song. The following year I found the girl I'd been waiting for. At least for a while. We did get married. We had a son. I had my companion. My dance partner.
After that it made me happy to hear that song. I'd smile and think of my special lady whom I could whirl on the dance floor of our life together.
That was many years ago and that special girl is now far from me. We found other partners to do our life dance with. We're still friends, but no longer partners. Now when I hear "Dance With Me" I whirl her across the dance floor of my memory and smile wistfully.
Did you have a time in your life when you were especially lonely? Do you think having a partner in a love relationship makes you more complete? What was your adventure of youth that was your breakaway from home and family?
