Saturday 9: I Will See You in C-U-B-A

Saturday 9: I Will See You in C-U-B-A (2010)

On Saturdays I take a break from the heavy stuff and have some fun…

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This song was chosen in honor of Father's Day.

 

1) In this week's song, Lucie Arnaz encourages us to hop a ship and join her in Cuba. Is your passport up to date?

No, unfortunately I can no long get it up dated because of an Executive Order.

But speaking if Cuba… did you know that my father used to go bar hopping in Havana on weekends? Yup. I was at home with access to the network drive I could post a picture of him sitting around a table in their uniforms with a bottle of rum on the table (He kept a bottle of Cuba 25 year old rum and opened it on his retirement.) at a night club. You know back then a woman would come around with a camera and take pictures for you.

You wonder what he was doing going to Havana all time. Well he had rank and was stationed in Key West during WWII, he was in charge of shore batteries against German U-boats and on weekends the Nave mail boat made trips down there. On space available he and my mother used to take weekends there in Havana. 

2) She sings that Cuba is a great place to enjoy wine and Panatelas. Do you like the smell of a good cigar?

Yuck!

 

3) Lucie said her Latin Roots CD represents "the rhythms of my soul" and is a tribute to her father, Desi Arnaz. Cuban-born Desi starred on Broadway and in nightclubs but was best known for co-starring in and producing the 1950s sitcom, I Love Lucy. When you think of I Love Lucy, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

The classic of her and Edith stuffing chocolates in there mouths.

4) While Lucie's parents – Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball – are famous for their TV work, Tony-nominated Lucie has found her greatest success on the stage. She inherited their love of performing, saying, “My parents were always happiest when they were working.” What have you inherited from one or both your parents? (It could be anything from your work ethic to your eye color.)

From my mother, my brother says I inherited my mother’s worrying genes.

5) Though "Ricky Riccardo" often mangled English on I Love Lucy, Desi's English was very good. Lucille Ball admired his facility with languages and encouraged him to speak Spanish to their children so that they would be bilingual. When you were growing up, did your family speak any language other than English?  

Nope. My grandmother on my father's side always said “Speak English! We are Americas!” So the only Italian I know are swear words.

6) Desi Arnaz often performed "I Will See You in C-U-B-A." Is there a song that reminds you of your father?

Not that I know of.

7) After Lucie's parents divorced, Lucille Ball remarried and Lucie got a stepfather, Gary Morton. Lucie appreciated how positive Gary always was about Desi. Decades later, when she married a man who already had children, Lucie said she better understood what a tough role stepparent can be. Did you have a stepparent? Are you a stepparent? 

Nope.

8) As a single dad, Desi lived south of Los Angeles in Del Mar. Lucie and her brother, Desi Jr., spent school vacations there, going to the race track, bowling, and fishing with their dad. Share a happy memory from one of your school vacations (Christmas, Spring Break, or Summer).

Ah… my father was a high school principal, and later he was the head of the tech 2 year colleges. So one spring break the ATEA held their annual meeting at… now get this… at Cape Canaveral! Family got a special tour of the base! We got to see the Saturn V being assembled. It was the first unmaned Saturn V to be launched.

9) Father's Day began in Washington state. In the early 1900s, Spokane resident Sonora Smart Dodd listened to her minister deliver a sermon celebrating Mother's Day and devoted herself to similarly honoring fathers. A century later, more money is still spent annually on Mother's Day. Why do you suppose that nationally we still make more of a fuss over Mother's Day than Father's Day?

Yeah, I think Mother’s Day is celebrated more than Father’s Day. Mother's Day… flowers, breakfast in bed, and all the cards. Father's Day… here’s a new golf club dad.

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!