Tune Tuesday – My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms

The fantastic actor Robert Mitchum was born today in 1917. Mitchum appeared in over 110 movie and television roles over the course of his career. The American Film Institute places him at #23 on their list of 50 Greatest American Screen Legends of All Time. He was in so many great films like the noir classic Out of the Past (1947), the noir thriller Night of the Hunter (1955), the psychological thriller Cape Fear (1962), the western 5 Card Stud (1968), the World War II film Midway (1976), and the holiday favorite Scrooged (1988) just to name a few.

So why am I writing about Robert Mitchum in a blog about music? One of the lesser-known aspects of Mitchum’s career was his foray into music as a singer. Critic Greg Adams writes, “Unlike most celebrity vocalists, Robert Mitchum actually had musical talent.” Even Frank Sinatra had nice things to say about him. Frank said, “For anyone who’s not a professional musician, he knows more about music, from Bach to Brubeck, than any man I’ve ever known.”

Many films will overdub an actor with a professional singer’s voice when the character has to sing. Mitchum’s voice was often used instead of that of a professional singer when his character sang in his films. He can be heard singing in Night of the Hunter, One Minute to Zero, The Sundowners, and he sang the theme to the film Young Billy Young.

Robert Mitchum recorded two albums. The first was recorded after he heard some calypso music while filming in the Caribbean. In 1957, he released “Calypso – Is Like So,” on which he emulated the calypso sound and style, even adopting the style’s unique pronunciations and slang. Personally, I didn’t care for this album. He has such a cool voice and by singing this way, it just sounded like a joke to me.

In 1958, he starred in the movie Thunder Road and sang the title song, “The Ballad of Thunder Road.” It was included on the rerelease of Calypso – Is Like So as a bonus song. The song never cracked the Top 40, but it did get to #62 on the charts. Although Mitchum continued to use his singing voice in his film work, he waited until 1967 to record his follow-up record, That Man, Robert Mitchum, Sings.

The album featured songs that had a country feel to them. His first single from the album, “Little Ole Wine Drinker Me” (which has a minor hit for Dean Martin) was a top-10 hit on country radio, reaching number 9 there, and crossed over into mainstream radio, where it peaked at number 96.

When I worked at Honey Radio in Detroit, my partner Rob would bring in songs sung by various celebrities. He’d play a clip of a song sung by William Shatner, Sebastian Cabot, Telly Savalas, and folks like that and have listeners call and guess who it was. One day he brought in Robert Mitchum’s version of My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms. At the time, I had no idea that he’d ever cut an album! Once I listened to it, I loved it. I couldn’t believe it was him!

The song was first recorded by a group called the Virginians in 1922. There have been many cover versions of the song since then. Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Guy Lombardo, Kay Starr and (I think) Jeff Healy have all recorded the song. It is interesting to hear the various takes on the song to be sure.

As far as Mitchum’s version, it’s just …fun. It’s got simple instrumentation and some harmonious background singers and when it all comes together with Bob’s voice it just makes me smile. I remember the first time I heard the background singers sing “Doodly-op” before Mitchum comes in with his vocal. I lost it. I thought it was kinda corny, but as the song went on, I liked it more and more.

I would certainly not classify Mr. Mitchum as a great singer, but he does alright on this one. Happy Birthday, Robert!!

My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms

I love your lovin’ arms,
They hold a world of charms,
A place to nestle when I am lonely.
A cozy Morris chair,
Oh, what a happy pair!
One caress,
Happiness
Seems to bless my little honey.

I love you more each day,
When years have passed away,
You’ll find my love belongs to you only,
‘Cause when the world seems wrong,
Then I know that I belong
Right in my honey’s lovin’ arms.

I love your lovin’ arms,
They seem to hold a world of charms,
A place to nestle when I am lonely.
A cozy Morris chair,
Oh, what a happy pair!
One caress,
Happiness
Seems to bless my little honey.

I love you more each day,
When years have passed away,
You’ll find my love belongs to you only,
‘Cause when the world seems wrong,
Then I know that I belong
Right in my honey’s lovin’ arms.

Oh, when the world seems wrong,
Then I know that I belong
Right in my honey’s lovin’ arms.

Movie Music Monday – Risky Business

It was on this day in 1983 that Risky Business was released in theaters. It featured Tom Cruise is what many consider his “break out role.” It also starred Rebecca DeMornay, Curtis Anderson, Bronson Pinchot, and Megan Mullally. Cruise was picked for the role over some other famous actors who auditioned for it including, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, and John Cusack. Michelle Pfeiffer was actually offered the female lead role, but turned it down.

Roger Ebert enjoyed the film. He said that the film featured “New faces and inspired insights and genuine laughs… one of the smartest, funniest, most perceptive satires in a long time… not only invites comparison with The Graduate, it earns it.

The soundtrack of the film was done by Tangerine Dream. Their music makes up half of the movie’s soundtrack. Mixed in with their music are songs from Muddy Waters, Prince, Phil Collins, Journey, Jeff Beck, and the song I’m featuring in this blog. I’m sure I don’t even have to tell you what it is, because it is THE song that is forever connected with one of the films greatest scenes.

Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger was released in 1979 and had all but gone away before it was featured in Risky Business. Thanks to the film and the iconic scene featuring Cruise’s character sliding across the floor, dancing in just his pink shirt, socks, and white briefs while lip synching to the song, it enjoyed renewed popularity.

As far as the influence on pop culture… the scene has been recreated in episodes of many television series, as well as in films, parodies, and advertisements.

So today, find a nice smooth wood floor, throw on a pink shirt, white socks and your tightie whiteys and sing along …

Old Time Rock and Roll

Just take those old records off the shelf
I’ll sit and listen to ’em by myself
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
Don’t try to take me to a disco
You’ll never even get me out on the floor
In ten minutes I’ll be late for the door
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll (oh)

Won’t go to hear ’em play a tango
I’d rather hear some blues or funky old soul
There’s only one sure way to get me to go
Start playing old time rock ‘n’ roll
Call me a relic, call me what you will
Say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll (oh)

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll (hey)

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Still like that old time rock ‘n’ roll

Happy National Friendship Day!

On the first Sunday in August, we celebrate National Friendship Day to encourage people across the world to connect with friends. It is a day to expand your view of the world by making a new friend or reconnecting with an old friend on National Friendship Day.

I have over 1400 friends on Facebook.  I’m not bragging about this.  I have met a lot of people as I have traveled through life and many of them, I chose to stay connected to.

On Friday’s post, part of my core group of friends was mentioned.  The guys who stood up in my first wedding.  Lifelong friends – Jeff, Joe, Steve, and Steve.  I would put Margaret, Chris, Stacey, Stephanie, Allyson, and Warren in that group, too.  Almost everyone of them will fit into another category – school friends.

My school friends consist of classmates from elementary school, junior high and high school.  There are just too many of them to list here.  This category of friends can be expanded, though.  I have many friends from school who were teachers, bus drivers, cooks, custodians, and staff members.  All great people.

My sleep friends are also plenty.  The classmates I had in college, coworkers and those who hold the same RPSGT credential are all connected to me.  There are plenty of college friends who were made that had other majors, but we shared prerequisite classes together.

During my radio career, I accumulated many additions to my friend list.  First, there are former coworkers that go all the way back to 1988 and my first radio job.  Then, there are the many listeners who became life long friends.

Also from my radio career, I met many wonderful people from the community.  I met business owners, politicians, members of law enforcement, local TV personalities, and celebrities. I can’t mention radio friends without mentioning the record label friends.  There are plenty of them, too.

Celebrity friends like singers (James Otto, Craig Morgan, Emily West), other DJs (Dr. Dementia, Joe Piscopo), comedians (Don Reese, Dobie Maxwell), famous relatives (Dean Martin’s daughter Deana, Curly Howard’s grandson Bradley, Lou Costello’s daughter Chirs), actors (Eddie Deezen, Clint Howard), cartoonists (Kevin Fagan, Drew Friedman), and authors (Brad Meltzer, Geoff Dale, Bill Cassara, Burt Kearns) are all folks I am glad to have interacted with.  Some of them I know better than others, and I have regular interactions with them.

Along those lines are the friends I have through shared interests.  My Dean Martin friends and Three Stooges knuckleheads are plenty.  Not to mention those friends I made through bowling and golf.

I also am blessed to have many neighbor friends.  They come from the various neighborhoods I have lived in throughout my life. Many go all the way back to 1977!

Friends who are true blessings are my church/faith friends.  Pastors and teachers from across the country are so helpful when I run across something I don’t grasp.  The brothers and sisters from my local church assembly are truly loved.  Of course, there are those friends that I have made at Bible conferences, and as students of Grace School of the Bible.

Last, but certainly not least, there is you.  My blogger friend.  Maybe we share a love of music, books, writing, poetry, movies or nostalgia.  This WordPress community has been just wonderful.  I have met some amazing friends here. 

Today, I thank you for your friendship.  Make sure to reach out to a friend today!

#NationalFriendshipDay

Book Recommendation: A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice

I have been fascinated by the story of Titanic since I was little. I can still remember how amazed I was when the wreckage was discovered.

I would say that 99% of the books and movies are all told from the Titanic’s point of view.  I was truly engrossed in this story of what happened on the Carpathia!  In the book you get to see another viewpoint of the events. From the moment they get Titanic’s distress signal, the rescue of life boats and passengers, and beyond, this book was fantastic.

The story of heroism and heartache is a must read.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

Based on the remarkable true story of the Carpathia—the one ship and her legendary captain who answered the distress call of the sinking Titanic.

Shortly after midnight on April 15, 1912, the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, wakes to a distress signal from the Titanic, which has struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Though information is scarce, Rostron leaps into action, determined to answer the call for help. But the Carpathia is more than four hours away, and there are more questions than answers: Will his ship hold together if pushed to never-before-tested speeds? What if he also strikes an iceberg? And with the freezing temperatures, will there be any survivors by the time the Carpathia arrives?

Kate Connolly is a third-class passenger on Titanic, and she is among the last to receive instruction and help after it hits an iceberg. Despite the chaos of abandoning ship, Kate is able to board a lifeboat, though after seeing the Titanic sink into the abyss and hearing the cries from hundreds of people still in the water, she wonders if any rescue is even possible.

Told in alternating chapters from both Captain Rostron and Kate Connolly.

5 out of 5 stars!

Friday Photo Flashback

I take you back to September of 1999 today. Knowing what I know now, it can be hard to look back at this day. No one ever gets married thinking that it will end in divorce. Believe it or not, the divorce rate in America has been declining since the 1990’s. They used to say that 50% of marriages end in divorce, but it is really less than that. The American Psychological Association (APA) estimates that the probability of a first marriage ending in divorce is 41% in 2024.

As I look back, I know that while my first marriage ended, it led to me having two sons. I also know that if it hadn’t ended, I would not have found the happiness I experience today. I am truly married to my soul mate and she has blessed me with my daughter and my third son. It is true that when something ends, there is always a new beginning that follows.

I ran into a friend the Monday after our reception. I was dropping off the cake plate at a local bakery. He looked at me and said, “Dude! Your reception was like a variety show!” I always thought that was the best compliment.

We had a ton of fun for sure. We did your standard wedding stuff, but as a wedding DJ, I tried to make sure we did things a bit differently. First, I hired the best DJ I have ever seen. Marc and Jim went to school with us and they knew how to work a room. They had everyone dancing all night.

When we did the YMCA, all the groomsmen and I had the hats of the Village People and did the dance up on chairs (something I always did at weddings). My ex did an up-tempo dance with her dad. I danced a tarantella with my Italian grandmother. We did the chicken dance with a rubber chicken. I brought the guys from my bowling team out to the middle of the dance floor and we did a shot to our “team song” (Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash). There was always something going on.

The men who were my groomsmen were the guys who have been friends for life. They are my inner circle. My best friend, Jeff I’ve known since second grade. My pals Steve and Joe were in band together since 7th grade. My other buddy Steve used to DJ with me and we’ve been friends since we got together in alumni band. Then, of course, my brother, who I’ve known all his life.

I wanted to do something silly with just them. Steve and I used to do this Blues Brothers thing to kick off our events and I thought we would do something along those lines. I remembered the scene in the Blues Brothers movie where Ray Charles sings “Shake a Tailfeather.” In it he calls out all kinds of dances and a large group of dancers dance along (doing those dances) outside Ray’s place as they sing.

I got Blues Brothers hats and sunglasses and had a radio buddy put together an intro that was played before we came out to dance. They guy who did it produced this 5 minute long thing that was a bit much. Thankfully, the crowd forgot all about it when we came out and danced.

The guys had no idea how to do the Boogaloo, the Monkey, or the Watusi. I told them we’d make it us as we went along. They all kind of watched me and followed along. On cue, when the lyrics called for us to “bend over” and shake our tailfeathers, we did!

Honestly, we looked like fools, but what a great way to share some fun with the guys who will always mean a lot to me. These guys will forever be my “capos.” It has been too long since we’ve all gotten together. I hope we can rectify that soon.

What a great time! What great friends!

Fun At The County Fair

I got a call last Friday from my friend Margaret. She told me that the county fair was going on up by her and that Saturday was the last day. She asked if maybe we’d like to go. My wife had to work that night, so she was unable to go, but the kids and I drove up to join her. I felt bad that my wife couldn’t be there for their first fair experience, but I made sure to take a lot of pictures to send her.

The kids were so excited to go and Margaret road with me so I knew where I was going. Her husband Walt and his daughter Maddie followed us there. Right from the get go, there were plenty of animals to see. The kids were fascinated by the ducks and chickens. One set of ducks kept quacking at Andrew! They also loved seeing all of the bunnies. There were some big ones!

Inside, there were bigger animals and I loved seeing the excitement on the kids faces. Andrew kept saying hello to them all. “Hello, goat!” “Hello, cow!” “Hello, pig!” Ella was loving it too!

There were some big smiles as we walked through and looked at the animals. Just like the ducks who were quacking, there was one goat who wouldn’t stop talking. They stood by the goat and kept talking back to it. Every time it made a noise, they’d crack up!

At the fair, there were plenty of cows! The smaller ones were just hanging around and people could go up and pet them. Andrew was standing in the hay and said, “Can I take my shoes off, Daddy?” Uh…. no! The cow Ella is with actually started eating her dress and Ella had to play tug of war to get it back!

Naturally, they had to get up on just about every tractor and vehicle that was available to them. There were so many things to do and we hadn’t even gone out on the midway yet!

They saw the carousel from the parking lot when we arrived and that is where they wanted to go first. Aunt Margaret spoiled them by getting them wristbands so they could ride whatever they wanted. I chuckled at this because I do not ride carnival rides. What is funnier is that neither does she! Maddie, however, said she’d ride whatever rides they wanted to.

First stop, and my ONLY ride of the day, was the carousel. I have to be careful, because if I don’t focus, my benign positional vertigo can kick in. LOL.

Andrew wanted to ride on the bench, which surprised me. Maddie joined him. I was so glad to catch this beautiful shot of Ella patiently waiting for the ride to start.

This ride was tame compared to some of the ones they were on. They rode that pirate ship thing that goes back and forth. They did that bear/dragon that you sit in and it spins around and then you can make it spin by turning the wheel inside it. They rode that caterpillar rollercoaster. They also rode on that one that goes up high and low while it spins…. I love how excited Ella looks in this picture.

It was pretty warm that day and it showed. So we made sure to stop and get them something to drink. Andrew is all about pop right now. I figured they’d both get one, but Ella saw someone with a snow cone and she had to try one! She loved it. Eventually, when the flavor was gone, she let Andrew try it!

Shortly after this, we found the bounce house and that was where they spent a good chunk of the day. They kept going in and out and being silly. Andrew was sweating like crazy and came out and asked if we could go home. Both were pretty tuckered out. We missed Uncle Walk going up in that crazy cage thing that goes around and around and people in the cages can make it go upside down and such (no thank you!). I would have loved to watch that!

On the way out that thanked Aunt Margaret and had to get a picture. You can really see how tired they were by this time.

On the way out I promised them one more thing. There were ponies that you could ride as we walked in, so I kept my promise and they each got to do a pony ride. They each got a cowboy hat and wore them home.

It was almost bedtime when we got home, but they had to call and fill mommy in on all the fun they had. I can’t wait until our county fair comes to town next month. I’m sure they will be ready for more rides. I just gotta figure out who is going to ride with them!!

Tune Tuesday – Lord, Mr. Ford

Today is the 161st birthday of Henry Ford. He was the founder of Ford Motor Company who developed the assembly-line process for mass production.

In 1891, he became an engineer at the Edison Illuminating Company of Detroit. He he received a promotion to Chief Engineer in 1893, he had enough time and money to devote attention to his experiments on engines that would run on gasoline. These experiments culminated in 1896 with the completion of a self-propelled vehicle, which he named the Ford Quadricycle. He first test-drove it on June 4. After various test drives, Be began to brainstorm ways to improve the Quadricycle.

Also in 1896, Ford attended a meeting of Edison executives that would change his life and eventually lead to a lifelong friendship. At the meeting he was introduced to Thomas Edison, who approved of Ford’s automobile experimentation. Encouraged by Edison, Ford designed and built a second vehicle, completing it in 1898.

He founded the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899. Sadly, the automobiles produced were of a lower quality and higher price than Ford wanted. Ultimately, the company was not successful and was dissolved in January 1901. He never stopped trying and on June 16, 1903 (thanks to some new investors) The Ford Motor Company was born. The Model T debuted 5 years later in 1908.

So just how does Henry Ford fit into Tune Tuesday? Well, the great Jerry Reed had a number one country hit with his ditty, Lord, Mr. Ford in 1973. The lyrics bemoan the fact that a seemingly simple invention to assist mankind has instead brought nothing but grief, become increasingly more complex and added to the increasing fast-paced demands of society. Can you imagine what could be said about the cars we drive today??

Happy Birthday, Henry Ford!

Lord, Mr. Ford

Well, if you’re one of the millions who own one of them gas-drinking, piston-clinking, air-polluting, smoke-belching, four-wheeled buggies from Detroit City, then pay attention. I’m about to sing your song son.

Well, I’m not a man appointed judge
To bear ill-will and hold a grudge
But I think it’s time I said me a few choice words
All about that demon automobile
A metal box with the polyglass wheel
The end result to a dream of Henry Ford
Well I’ve got a car that’s mine alone
That me and the finance company own
A ready-made pile of manufactured grief
And if I ain’t out of gas in the pouring rain
I’m a-changin’ a flat in a hurricane
I once spent three days lost on a cloverleaf
Well it ain’t just the smoke and the traffic jam
That makes me the bitter fool I am
But this four-wheel buggy is
A-dollaring me to death
For gas and oils and fluids and grease
And wires and tires and anti freeze
And them accessories
Well honey, that’s something else
Well you can get a stereo tape and a color TV
Get a back-seat bar and reclining seats
And just pay once a month, like you do your rent
Well I figured it up and over a period of time
This four thousand dollar car of mine
Costs fourteen thousand dollars
And ninety-nine cents, well now

Lord Mr. Ford, I just wish that you could see
What your simple horseless carriage has become
Well it seems your contribution to man
To say the least, got a little out of hand
Well Lord Mr. Ford what have you done

Now the average American father and mother
Own one whole car and half another
And I bet that half a car is a
Trick to buy, don’t you
But the thing that amazes me, I guess
Is the way we measure a man’s success
By the kind of automobile he can afford to buy
Well now, red light, green light, traffic cop
Right turn, no turn, must turn, stop
Get out the credit card honey, we’re out of gas
Well now, all the cars placed end to end
Would reach to the moon and back again
And there’d probably be some
Fool pull out to pass
Well now, how I yearn for the good old days
Without that carbon monoxide haze
A-hanging over the roar of the interstate
Well if the Lord that made the moon and stars
Would have meant for me and you to have cars
He’d have seen that we was all born
With a parking space

Lord Mr. Ford, I just wish that you could see
What your simple horseless carriage has become
Well it seems your contribution to man
To say the least, got a little out of hand
Well Lord Mr. Ford what have you done

Come away with me Lucille
In my smoking, choking automobile

Movie Music Monday – NUJV?

In 1965, The Beatles’ second feature film, Help! premiered at the London Pavilion Theatre in the West End of London. The musical comedy, which followed the success of A Hard Day’s Night, was a much larger production than its predecessor, finding the band and director Richard Lester shooting in a variety of international locations. The film’s soundtrack doubled as The Beatles’ fifth studio album.

Ok, before I go on, I need to clarify the title of this blog. Just what in the world is NUJV? Originally, the album cover showed The Beatles spelling out the word “Help” using the semaphore system of communicating with flags, which was usually used by ships. The photographer, Robert Freeman, didn’t like the pose because it looked unbalanced. Instead, he had them pose in a more “balanced” way – that in semaphore spells the letters NUJV.

Apparently, only those who knew semaphore saw the issue.

This movie played a big part in the way another group portrayed themselves. Help! was used by The Monkees to prepare for their TV series. The Beatles showed off their individual personalities in their movies, which The Monkees made sure to emulate. By not presenting all members of the band as identical, it made the Beatles even more popular, as many of their fans picked a favorite.

There certainly are some great tracks on the album: Ticket to Ride, Yesterday, The Night Before, Act Naturally, Dizzy Miss Lizzie, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, I’ve Just Seen a Face, and the title track – Help! (Which is what I want to feature today.)

According to Lennon’s cousin and boyhood friend Stanley Parkes, “Help!” was written after Lennon “came in from the studio one night. ‘God,’ he said, ‘they’ve changed the title of the film: it’s going to be called ‘Help!’ now. So I’ve had to write a new song with the title called ‘Help!’.”

Fun Fact: The original title to the title song and the movie was “Eight Arms To Hold You,” and the first copies of the single said it was from the movie “Eight Arms to Hold You.”

Originally, John Lennon wanted this to be a much slower song. He was convinced, however, that by speeding it up, it would sound “more commercial” and would naturally sell more albums.

The song itself runs just 2:18, but packs in 267 words! This makes it one of the most lyrically dense hits of the era. It starts and ends on a vocal, and there are two vocal lines running throughout the song, as John Lennon sings lead while George Harrison and Paul McCartney do backgrounds, singing some of the same phrases either before or after Lennon. There are only a few seconds in the song where somebody isn’t singing.

Lennon admitted that the song truly was a “cry for help!” He has described this time of his life as his “fat Elvis period.” In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon said this is one of his favorite Beatles records, because, “I meant it – it’s real.” He added: “The lyric is as good now as it was then. It is no different, and it makes me feel secure to know that I was that aware of myself then. It was just me singing ‘Help’ and I meant it.” Paul McCartney helped Lennon write the song, but did not realize it was actually John calling for help until years later.

Writer Ian MacDonald describes the song as the first crack in the protective shell Lennon had built around his emotions during the Beatles’ rise to fame, and an important milestone in his songwriting style. In January of 1980, John told Playboy magazine, “The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help”.

As a bonus, here is the trailer for the film:

Book Recommendation – Oona Out of Order

Books are a lot like music. “If you like _____, then you might also like _____.” Thanks to some book blogger friends and the Goodreads app, there are always suggestions for books to read. I have read my share of time travel books, and this one was certainly different.

This is the first book I have read by this author. If I am being honest, I almost stopped after the first chapter. I had to remind myself that sometimes the things in that first chapter often are necessary to be the springboard for the rest of the book. That was the case here. It was all a little too – sappy teen love storyish for me. But I pressed on.

Before I explain, here the Goodreads synopsis:

A remarkably inventive novel that explores what it means to live a life fully in the moment, even if those moments are out of order.

It’s New Year’s Eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or remain at home in Brooklyn to pursue her passion for music and be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the New Year begins, Oona faints and awakens thirty-two years in the future in her fifty-one-year-old body. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she’s told is her own, Oona learns that with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. And so begins Oona Out of Order…

Hopping through decades, pop culture fads, and much-needed stock tips, Oona is still a young woman on the inside but ever changing on the outside. Who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club Kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she’s never met? Surprising, magical, and heart-wrenching, Margarita Montimore has crafted an unforgettable story about the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family.

That first chapter sets the stage for everything else that comes at you. From the moment Oona wakes up as a fifty-one year old, the chaos begins. Panic, fear, and the unknown face Oona as she navigates through the year, never really knowing if what she is experiencing is real. But when she leaps again at midnight on New Year’s Eve, she knows it is either real or a really bad nightmare.

What was interesting about this story was thinking about what it would be like if you had to live your life out of order. One year you would know people, while in other years they are strangers. In one year you have one set of friends, while in another a totally different set. In one year, you might witness a tragedy and in another it hasn’t happened yet. What could you do with the knowledge you have (or lack of it) as you lived from day to day knowing that you’d be off to another unknown year next? How would you live your life differently?

In the book, every so often a character will tell Oona, “No Spoilers,” and so I will not offer any here. There are many surprises and times I found myself yelling at the characters! LOL At the same time, I certainly took a few nuggets of wisdom away from this story.

3.5 out of 5 stars (only because I had some lingering questions at the end)