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Driving cars one song at a time

Come away with me, Lucille

In my merry Oldsmobile.

Down the road of life we fly

Automo-bubbling you and I.”

Are the first few lines of a bit of music from back in 1905, just seven or eight years after the first Oldsmobile cars came off the assembly line, making Oldsmobile one of the first marque cars. Only three other such cars had earlier dates: Daimler (German), Peugeot (French), and Tatra (Czech).

When recently the waitress at the restaurant came up to our table, my wife and I had this ditty on our minds and with smiles we sang a couple lines. The waitress had the look of wonderment possibly thinking that we had lost our minds. Well, maybe we had, but I asked if she had ever heard that before?

“No,” she said. We were a bit astounded at that response, but we did not persist in continuing our duet. We placed our order.

Afterward I wondered about whether the waitress had maybe never even heard of an Oldsmobile. Afterall, she was only probably in her early 20s and so could have easily been in her primary school years (2004) when the last Oldsmobile came off the assembly line.

The song and some of the words continued to be used late into the 20th century. For example, in a “M*A*S*H” episode, Hawkeye Pierce sings a bit of the song while driving a jeep in Korea. Of course Oldsmobile ads used the song for many years through its long history.

Wikipedia mentions that other lines of the song, “In my merry Oldsmobile,” indicate that the singer wants Lucille to “steal” off to get married. Lucille was also a very popular name reaching a peak of use in the early 1900s.

So, is there a continuing story of “Lucille,” that Kenny Rogers heard about on the radio in 1977 and subsequently, with help from some songwriters, came up with in his hit about Lucille?

“You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,

With four hungry children and a crop in the field.”

I do forgive you if you are now saying, “Oh, Fiddlesticks!”

jtr

In the last month or so, cars have been a topic in my life that brought up some memories. To get to know one another better, members of a group to which I belong, were asked to talk about the first car they owned. Also, several articles in The Wall Street Journal and in Automotive News have caught my attention.

Not only was the first car I owned a Chevy (1950 coupe), but the first family car I remember was a Chevy (1936 – but owned until after the war) and the very first brand new car I purchased was a Chevy (1961 Impala). That is not to say that the family has always stuck with that brand as my parents at different times owned Chevys, Fords and even a Nash (I loved that Ambassador and it did a good job in the Rocky Mountains in 1950). I also sampled Fords, Plymouths, Dodges, and Oldsmobiles.

The articles in the WSJ and AN were speculations on the various models of sedans that are or may get to the chopping block.

Chrysler’s Dodge Dart and the Chrysler 200 have apparently ended. The scuttlebutt for Ford is that it may discontinue the Taurus, Fiesta, and Fusion. The scuttlebutt for GM is that it may discontinue the Impala, Sonic, and Volt.

The reason for most of these discontinuations is, of course, the changing tastes for the various models. Looking around the parking lots, and on the highways, it is easy to see that the new preferences are for SUVs and small trucks.

jtr

Not only was my first brand new car a Chevy Impala, after owning several cars of various brands, my second Chevy Impala (and current vehicle) is a 2015 model. There have been two discontinuations of the Impala over the years.

The first Impala was inaugurated in the 50th year of manufacturing Chevys – 1958. New Impalas continued until 1985 when the model was first suspended. The Impala made a comeback for 1994-1996 when it was suspended again. In 2000 it was again manufactured and that has continued to today.

Just as the Oldsmobile had a song that helped advertise it, in 1962 a redesign of the Impala had one of the choices being a new 409 cu.in. engine that led to a hit parade winner by the Beach Boys that some of you may remember:

“Well I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes

For I knew there would be a time

When I would buy a brand new ‘409’

(giddy-up, giddy-up 409)

When I take her to the track she really shines.

She always turns in the fastest times.

My four speed, dual quad, Posi-traction 409.”

One last car song many of you may remember was Dinah Shore with,

“See ——- the ——- U S A, in your Chevrolet…”

Until next time: Oh, Fiddlesticks!

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