In a pretty informal poll of people I know, at least around here, very few have heard of "Free to Be You and Me", by Marlo Thomas. But I LOVED it as a child, and when I saw it at the public library, we promptly checked it out. My kids are loving it too!
What is "Free to Be You and Me"? It's an album and also an award-winning television program for children. It came out in 1972, a pivotal year in my life! It's also a heart-tugging snapshot of 1970s in all of its beautiful idealism and cool graphics and sweetness.
Even if I hadn't watched it as a child, it would remind me of my 1970s childhood. Can I just say, I'm glad I grew up in the 70s? What a great decade to be a child. Still innocent in many ways, yet with opportunities opening up. I credit my parents for passing those opportunities - and prairie skirts - onto us.
The songs in "Free to Be You and Me" were obviously meant to fill a void ... or create a new ideal, including a song about a princess who doesn't have to marry the man her king father chooses, the pretty well-known song about boys being able to cry too, and my favorite, "When We Grow Up." The song itself is just lovely, a duet between Roberta Flack and Michael Jackson, but the knowledge that Jackson's life doesn't turn out the way this song hopes for makes me tear up. Call me goofy, but it kind of breaks my heart.
Graham and Annie like this song about parents (because the mother is an umpire - "Is that possible?!?!?!" asked Graham - and because her velvet dress is "beautiful", said Annie.)
10 comments:
I loved FREE TO BE YOU AND ME! I used in my classroom forever--I had a wonderful lp record that went along. Recently, I disposed of my copy. It had pages torn out and tucked back in from where I made old ditto copies from the pages. I had a difficult time opening my fingers to drop it into the trash can.
Who doesn't know FREE TO BE YOU AND ME??? We have the DVD, and when we were kids Eve and I actually broke the cassette tape we listened to it so many times. I love some kind of help is the kind of help that helping's all about ...
Oh my.
Never heard of it, and, oddly enough, neither has Allen. What are the odds that he knows the lyrics to "The Golden Girls" theme song but never experienced the wonders of a Jackson/Flack duet? (A Flackson duet?)
I'm glad that G & A like this show, but perhaps nostalgia is the only thing that could make me feel warm and fuzzy about it. I guess I'm a child of the eighties.
Um, we had Cabbage Patch Kids. And He-Man. And, uh . . . jelly shoes.
And Garbage Pail kids, Becca.
But Allen is from the 70s. He should know better than jelly shoes :)
Erin, just remember that Mommies are people. People with children.
I still sing that song in my head all the time. Don't ask why.
My cooking group watched this a few years ago since some members knew what it was and others didn't. I sang along the whole time, like the nerd I am. It was great.
And the end of the Cold War.
When I hear "Free to be you and me", I kind of sing it to the tune of "Ebony & Ivory." Which is maybe another strike against it.
I do also feel saddened about Michael Jackson--he's so lanky and innocent in his overalls!
To be fair to the Renfroes, "Golden Girls" also had a very important message - that life doesn't stop when our hair turns gray. There are plenty of adventures to be had in our own families and circle of Florida friends!
I wonder if my voice will go deep like Beatrice Arthur's when I'm a golden girl. I'll happily retire with you in Florida, Erin (if it's still around in forty years!)
which just goes to show you never never know what will affect your children in the years to come. They were GOOD years.
I loved watching that movie in school. I remember the man that sang, "It's all right to cry, crying makes the hurt go away." I remember the kids on the carousel at the beginning that turns into a cartoon as their horses take them places. Good times!
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