What Song Is This?

Typically, Mr. Ginley changes the channel during the musical portion of SNL. Pretty much all the time, the artist is someone we don't recognize. And neither one of us is into much of the new music.

Yes, I still have vinyl.

However, last week, Mr. left the room and I, in typical fashion, had fallen asleep on the couch. As the artist, Maneskin (yes, I had to look it up) began to sing, I sat up.

"Hey, that guy is singing a Four Seasons song," I said to no one in particular.

I was pretty pleased with myself. The song (called Beggin') wasn't one of the Four Seasons' top hits or anything. But I was fairly certain this young kid was covering the 1960s tune. So, I googled the artist and sure enough, I was right.

Having performed my victory dance, I told Mr. Ginley, who wasn't nearly as impressed as I thought he should be. 

Apparently, my talent for remembering obscure songs and lyrics is something he takes for granted. So I wasn't exhibiting anything earth-shaking as far as he was concerned.

Playing Name That Tune is something we do fairly frequently. In the dark days when we went grocery shopping together, he would quiz me on Heinen's playlist. "What song is this?" he would query as we trundled down the bread aisle.

These days, in the absence of cable, Mr. Ginley flips through the channels willy-nilly to escape Jimmy J.J. Walker and Joe Namath shilling for Medicare supplements. In his travels, he's occasionally landed on CSCN, a station hosted by the Cleveland Sight Center for a sight-impaired audience. 

The screen in blank, but there's someone speaking. Or music is playing. 

"What song is this?" Mr. Ginley will ask.

Many times, the song is an instrumental like Classical Gas (aka the old Big Time Wrestling theme) or Green Onions or Java. 

When I give my answer, he'll reply, "Are you sure?"

At which point, I visit YouTube and play the song for him.

"Yep, that's it."

And so our crazy, madcap lives go.

In the years to come, I suspect that while I may forget my name, where I live or where I put my Geritol, I will always recognize the Teaberry Shuffle.

A talent that, alas, cannot be monetized. Much like Mr. Ginley's ability to take any song and destroy it with dirty lyrics. But that's a story for another day.

Or not.