Week One Hundred and Thirty-Five: Petula Clark - "Downtown" - Girl, Interrupted Soundtrack

For the second year in a row now, my family has decided to postpone our Thanksgiving celebration until Friday, instead of Thursday, and for the second year in a row now, the person whom we were most accommodating chose not to show up.

So while everyone else was enjoying their turkey meal on Thursday (i.e., "Thanksgiving Day"), I had a VCR-fest instead. Before I get into the details of VCR-fest, I will take this opportunity to say that I miss the stability that I had growing up when I always knew that Thanksgiving would be on Thanksgiving and that Christmas would be on either December 24th or 25th (and if you made it to these celebrations, well fantastic, and if you didn't make it, then you missed out; it seems that everyone eventually figured out a way to make it when they realized that plans were not going to be switched around for them). However, since I don't have a spouse and/or child, I suppose that I don't get much of a say in the matter.

Anyhow, I dusted off my VHS tapes and embarked on some film watching. I started off with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, followed by Reality Bites, followed by Say Anything, and wrapped up things with Girl, Interrupted. 

I guess I never realized what a decent soundtrack Girl, Interrupted actually had. If you recall, at the time the film was released, I was still in my uber-goth phase. However, as I watched the film last Thursday, I realized that a lot of the tunes aren't half bad. 

If you get a chance to read the book, I strongly suggest that you do so. It was from the book that I learned that Sylvia Plath was at the very same psychiatric hospital as Susanna Kaysen. I'll include the back cover for you:

In addition to "Downtown" by Petula Clark, I am also including "Angel of the Morning" by Merrilee Rush and the Turnabouts... I always thought that was a Juice Newton song.

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go downtown
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go downtown
Things will be great when you're downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything's waiting for you

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows downtown
Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close downtown

Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle Bossa Nova
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go downtown
Where all the lights are bright, downtown
Waiting for you tonight, downtown
You're gonna be alright now, downtown

Downtown
Downtown

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along
So maybe I'll see you there
We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares

So go downtown
Things will be great when you're downtown
Don't wait a minute more, downtown
Everything is waiting for you, downtown

Downtown (downtown)
Downtown (downtown)
Downtown (downtown)
  Downtown (downtown)