“All Woolworth Stores are special,” Nancy Griffith begins, as she stands before an audience that truly appreciates her talent. “They all smell the same,” she adds. They smell a little bit like popcorn and chewing gum rubbed around on the bottom of a leather-soled shoe.” In just a few words and a couple of phrases, she expresses herself with a scholar’s intellect and a poet’s imagination. What a remarkable way to introduce her song! What follows is no less an outstanding performance of an extraordinary ballad.
With the sweet voice of a nightingale, Griffith weaves a love story about sixteen-year-old Rita, who “makes the Woolworth counter shine” and her “sweet romancer…a darn good dancer,” Eddie. After closing time, the couple waltz the aisles of the five and dime to some silent melody. I can almost hear the sound of the old wooden floor tapping and creaking below their feet, and I picture how close to the displays of dime store novelties and items that no one really needs, like plastic combs and shoe shine kits, they come without upsetting a single thing.
In time, the couple split and go their separate ways. The story has a predictably sweet ending, as the couple returns to Woolworth’s, the place they first met, to waltz again.
What a soft and beautiful image that melody invokes. For a love song, this one rates right up there with the best. What I love about this skillfully crafted and well performed song is its natural flow that draws me into the story right from the outset. Few songs really have that innate capability, at least in my musical world.
What makes this ballad, or any great song for that matter, memorable cannot be described adequately; the perfect blend of poetry and melody are a recipe for a song that indelibly etches itself into the heart, creating a memory so strong that it is nearly impossible to distinguish the imaginary from reality.
With the right artist and the right composition, nearly any song can become just as unforgettable.
Let me add this musical disclaimer: Admittedly, there are songs out there that do not fit into this general category; they are so poorly written that they deserve to be exposed, condemned, and humanely executed.
Next up: Some songs that were created by talentless would-be poets, songs that have such terrible lyrics that they make my skin crawl─ songs like Steve Miller’s Take the Money and Run.
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