So, today’s prompt from Jim is "la," and I’m certain he intended that it be the musical syllable, as in "La La Means I Love You" by the Delfonics, which I used on New Year’s Eve as my Song of the Day. "Stroke Survivor UK", in fact, commented that he thought I’d use that song today. But, of course, I had other ideas. See, if you take the syllable "la," capitalize the letters and place a period after each one, you get "L. A." which, as everyone knows, is the abbreviation for Los Angeles.
Having figured that out, I came up with a bunch of songs that mention L. A.: "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" ("L.A. is a great big freeway/Put a hundred down and buy a car") and "Midnight Train To Georgia" ("L. A. proved too much for the man"), for example. Then I remembered this one, a country tune by Susan Raye called "L. A. International Airport." The Blogger’s Best Friend ™ tells us that the song was written by Leanne Scott and recorded originally by David Frizzell in 1970, when it reached #67 on the Country Singles chart. Susan Raye, a protegé of Buck Owens, had the big hit the following year, but not in the US, where it reached #9 on the Country chart and only #54 on the Hot 100. They loved the song in New Zealand, where it reached #1, and in Australia, where it reached #2 on the weekly chart and #5 on the year-end chart.
The lyrics as seen on MetroLyrics:
Waitin’ for that final call
Says he doesn’t love me anymore
Shakin’ hands, I pack a bag;
Tremblin’ voice, I call a cab
Slowly I start walkin’ through the door;
The cab arrives, he blows his horn
I stumble out in the early morn’
Tell him of the place I’ve got to go
Hit a hundred signal lights; Peterbilts in a traffic fight
Gettin’ to these doors has been so slow.
L.A. International Airport
Where the big jet engines roar
L.A. International Airport
I won’t see him anymore.
Stewardess in a mini-skirt; Hippie in a leather shirt
Starlet on her way to Naples; Rome
While I’m wonderin’ where it’s at; I see a Paris diplomat
College kids are tryin’ to get back home;
Baggage car goes quickly by; See my case and I start to cry
Stumble to the lounge to be alone
And while I’m tryin’ to get some rest; I bite my lips and try my best
To fight the pain that’s makin’ me leave home.
L.A. International Airport
Where the big jet engines roar
L.A. International Airport
I won’t see him anymore.
With Silver wings across the sky; Vapor trails that wave goodbye
To those below who’ve got to stay at home
I wish that I had flown at night; So I could take that Champagne flight
Rid myself of every tear I own;
Soaring high above the heavens; In a seven-forty-seven
Fighting back the tears that curse my eyes
Captain’s voice so loud and clear; Amplifies into my ear
Assuring me I’m flying friendly skies.
L.A. International Airport
Where the big jet engines roar
L.A. International Airport
I won’t see him anymore.
That’s Song Lyric Sunday (and Song of the Day) for January 5, 2020.
Brilliant, never hear this ! But then I suppose I wouldn’t would I …we don’t have a song about Heathrow Gatwick, Stansted, Exeter, Luton exctra but we do have an old advert you might like
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Good commercial! Lemonade is carbonated there, more like 7up or Sprite, correct?
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Yes indeed, we call it fizzy 💜
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Oh wow! Quite a blast from the past. Very peppy beat despite the lyrics.
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Kind of reminds me of Anne Murray’s “Snowbird.”
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Now that you mention it, I see the similarities
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Brilliant choice, John. Quite a nice one, seeing as how I can’t normally stand country 🙂. I’m glad someone else has gone off on a tangent.
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That’s what I always shoot for,. someting not quite as on the nose. I figure that way I won’t duplicate anyone else.
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