Monday Memories
In honor of the Dream Girls movie, which I wrote about here, I'll throw in a memory from the mid-60s when we were briefly landlords. The movie is based on the Broadway musical, which is loosely based on the lives and careers of the women in the Supremes.Our first home in Champaign, IL, purchased in 1962, was a duplex--not a real one--it had been converted from a one family house, so the renters had 2 bedrooms, living room, bath and kitchen upstairs, and we lived downstairs. After we bought our home on Charles St. in 1965 we rented both units, and that paid for both mortgages.
Although we really didn't want to rent to female students (we preferred married couples), after a few weeks of no rent for one unit, we relented. Not. A. Good. Idea. Oh, did they party (we found out later from the other renter). And didn't pay their rent. Finally, they just left, owing back rent. When we let ourselves in, things were a terrible mess. Spoiled food. Dirty clothes. And bills from the local hospital for food poisoning. Also bills for pregnancy testing and services. We weren't the only people in town these girls stiffed. I called their parents (on their university records) who were clueless--thought they were enrolled at the university living in a dorm. They had left behind all the "free" records on a membership in a record club (33 1/3 at that time), including the first by the Supremes. We may still have it somewhere.
This record by the Supremes was a keepsake of our years as landlords and I got a lot of enjoyment from it. Wikipedia lists the songs as:
Side one
"Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)", (Holland-Dozier-Holland, Sylvia Moy)
"You Can't Hurry Love" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"Baby I Need Your Loving" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Lee Hazlewood)
Side two
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"Get Ready" (Smokey Robinson)
"Put Yourself in My Place" (Holland-Dozier-Holland, John Thornton)
"Money (That's What I Want)" (Berry Gordy, Jr., Janie Bradford)
"Come and Get These Memories" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
"Hang on Sloopy" (Wes Farrell, Bert Russell)
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5 comments:
I remember the good old days of the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, etc. Them were the goold old days with good music! I'm not into the music that the kids today listen to.
Ohhhhh my! What an experience! I can certainly see whay you would prefer renting to married couples! LOL! This sure brings back some musical memories though! Just slightly before my era (musically speaking) - but right IN my older sisters! I grew up on the Supremes -- along with the 4 Tops, Marvin Gaye & the Vandellas... all that Motown sound! It was all good! Boy... those were the days!
Wouldn't it be interesting if one of those girls were reading this post now!!! Wonder how she'd feel. LOL
Used to LOVE the Supremes and could still probably sing most of those songs.
Ah, the supremes! Wonderful group, even though it was a bit before my time they're still very good I think!
I think that the modern music today isn't quite of the same quality as before, even if it can be good to listen to in another sense.
What a memory and what a bunch of girls! I can't imagine what you'd get if you rented to kids today:)
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