There’s something about the early seventies that is just so magical in my memory. I am always the first to tell people I had a really happy childhood. From as far back as my first memories up until the summer of 1979, I truly was a happy soul. And the music of that decade still fills me with a serene sense of roots. I can go on and on about the house where I grew up, across the street from a park, with neighbor kids who were just my age and with whom I created adventures every single day like it was eternal summer. And that’s what this song is to me – eternal summer. The memories of the early seventies fill up my senses like I’d imagine a night in a forest would, like a walk in the rain. Annie’s Song is exactly how I would describe the memories of my life as a child on Wright Avenue in Lynbrook, and I feel like if you asked the kids from my neighborhood they may tell you they agree. The tune is melodic and the lyrics tell of joy. Denver may have written this about someone he loved, but it translates, for me, to the love I have for those beautiful, endless summer days in Greis Park.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 6, 2016. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.