Love American Style

Song by The Cowsills

“Love, Love, Love {CLAP}, Love, Love, Love

Love, American Style, Truer than the Red, White and Blue.

Love, American Style, That’s me and you.

And on a star-spangled night my love. You can rest your head on my shoulder.

Out by the dawn’s early light, my love, I will defend your right to try.

Love, American Style, Free’r than the land of the free.

Love, American Style, That’s you and me.

We pledge our love ‘neath the same old moon, but it shines red and white and blue now.

Upon this land of hopes and dreams, my love, here all I hope for tis of thee

Love, American Style, Truer than the Red, White and Blue.

Love, American Style, That’s me and you.

And in this land of hopes and dreams, my love, all that I hope for tis of thee

Love, American Style, Free’r than the land of the free.

Love, American Style, Truer than the Red, White and Blue.

Love, American Style, Free’r than the land of the free

Love, American Style, Truer than the Red, White and Blue.”

On September 29, 1969, Television network, ABC premiered the first episode of a program of short skit-like scenes, which was called, Love American Style. The above lyrics were the intro from that comedy program. It ran until January 11, 1974, covering four and a half TV seasons, airing 108 episodes. I’m almost certain as you read the lyrics above, many of you were hearing the melody of the theme song performed by the Cowsills, better remembered for their hits, Hair, and Indian Lake.

There was no set cast in this comedy series, but there were many repeat actors and actresses who appeared in some of the many zany situations depicted on this half-hour show. Many of them were stars of other programs during that era of television. Some of those actors you may have remembered: Michael Callan, Don Porter, William Calloway, Stuart Margolin, Tracy Reed, Barbara Minkus, Mary Grover, Lynne Marta, Gary Collins, Herb Edelman, Jo Anne Worley, Ken Murray, Buzz Cooper, Alice Ghostley, Carol Wayne, Clifton Davis, James Hampton, Judy Carne, and Henry Gibson, even an occasional appearance by the likes of Burt Reynolds, Joan Van Ark, Kurt Russell, Martin Sheen, and multiple appearances by Karen Valentine, and many more who were a part of the 4.5 season on-air comedy. One skit proved to be a pilot for the long running sitcom, Happy Days, and featured performers Ron Howard, Marion Ross, and Anson Williams who were a huge part of the show set in the 60s, about the antics of the Cunninghams from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The basis of this barrage of names and facts is that the main theme of this program is just as the title indicates, Love. Most (all?) of the episodes contained pratfalls, situations where characters got themselves in funny situations with a spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, or fiancée, and sometimes you wondered how they were going to get out of their dilemma, but as we who watched the show regularly can attest, Love won out and there were always hugs and kisses at the end of each of the series’ skits. In between some of the antic filled, short acts, the series included single comedic, almost commercial-like, scenes which usually followed a commercial, to get the viewers back in the Love/Romance frame of mind for the next story. It was a funny show centered around love, romance, and the sometimes-awkward situations both of those could, and usually did, cause.

That brings us to this coming Friday, when the theme of the day will be Love and Romance, as it will be Valentine’s Day. It’s the day we try to find ways to let that special someone in our lives, how much they mean, and how special they are, to us.

Over the years, as have Halloween and Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day has grown to be competitions in how extravagant, overblown, or expensive we can get, but maybe this Valentine’s Day could be a simpler celebration. Perhaps we can take the lyrics of Billy Joel, “A Bottle of Red, a Bottle of White, it all depends on your appetite…” from his song, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, or the quote from Omar Kahyyam’s, the Rubaiyat, “A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou,” and spend a quiet evening at home, with a fresh loaf of bread, maybe your favorite cheese to go with it, or some olive oil with spices for dipping, and a bottle of your favorite red, white, rose or other beverage, spread out on the coffee table, maybe a lit candle, or fireplace (real or fake) going, in front of the Love Seat, as you give each other the two greatest gifts you can give, the gift of Time, and the gift of each other’s Love. Maybe you’ll watch a movie together, or maybe you’ll stream episodes of Love American Style, and/or maybe you find a romantic song that says what’s in your heart to play for that special one in your lives.

My special Valentine’s song, I choose this year, for my bride, best friend, and most special Valentine, was written and first performed by Barry Mann (of “Who Put the Bop” fame) in 1980, and was later performed by Bill Medley and Bette Midler. It gained greater fame and recognition in ’88 when performed as a single by Linda Ronstadt, then a collaboration with Aaron Neville. It was released in 1981 on Casablanca Records, and had two titles, “All I Need to Know,” and “Don’t Know Much.” The lyrics:

“Look at this face, I know the years are showing

Look at this life, I still don’t know where it’s going

I don’t know much, But I know I love you

And that may be, All I need to know

Look at these eyes, they’ve never seen what mattered

Look at these dreams, so beaten and so battered

I don’t know much, but I know I love you

And that may be, all I need to know

So many questions, still left unanswered

So much, I’ve never broken through

And when I feel you near me, Sometimes I see so clearly

The only truth I’ve ever known, is me and you

Look at this man, so blessed with inspiration

Look at this soul, still searching for salvation

I don’t know much, but I know I love you

And that may be, all I need to know

I don’t know much, but I know I love you

That may be, all I need to know

I don’t know much but I know I love you

That may be all there is to know.”

Happy Valentine’s Day, Sally, and Everyone!