How I Drove My Parents Crazy, With "Laverne And Shirley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                With Penny Marshall passing, this past Monday, I was reminded of how I used to drive my parents crazy, with "Laverne And Shirley."

                                   Now, this show, which ran from 1976 to 1983, spanned my college and graduate school years.  It also ran in 1979, the year my mother passed.  So lots of life changes happened, to me, during its run.

                                    I was never a fan of the show, but I loved the theme song.  From the playpen up, if I heard something musical on TV, and liked it, I learned it, and sang it.  During junior high and high school, before doing my homework in the evenings, I would watch "I Love Lucy," on WNEW, Channel 5, on TV, and, at show's closing, hum out the title theme, in my belting voice.  The show was on from 6:30 till 7:00 PM, and my parents were often still at the dinner table, finishing their coffee, and they would always go crazy, telling me to tone it down.  But did I listen?  Of course not!

                                    Then came "Laverne And Shirley."  Even if my parents were watching something else, they resigned themselves that, come 8:30PM on Tuesdays, I would just watch the opening credits--and belt out the title theme song, "We're Gonna Makes Our Dreams Come True," which, in reality, was all about me singing making MY dreams come true.

                                     "Not so loud," my mother would plead, especially in late Spring, early Summer, when the windows are still open.  Not being of a theatrical bent, she could not understand that I needed to express myself, artistically.  I HAD to belt it out!  Besides, it was a great workout for my voice.  And it fit my range, unlike trying to do "Maggie's Crescendo" in "At The Ballet," which I have accepted I will never make.

                                       Hey, it's not like I totaled the car, got busted for drugs, or knocked anyone up, like others in my peer group.  In terms of driving parents crazy, I was pretty tame!!!!!!!!!!!!
They should have been grateful!  Secretly, I think they were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       So, when Penny passed, this came up in my head, and I decided to write this, as a tribute to her.

                                        Thanks, Penny!  And may you Rest In Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the opening theme song, with the lyrics, right on the screen.  Listen, and belt it out, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!