Just like Bogie & Bacall

In 1981, my dad bought a brand new Oldsmobile Delta 88 with all the bells & whistles. By bells & whistles, I mean an automatic antenna and an 8-track player. My favorite thing about having a new car was the complimentary 8-track that came with it, and I would very quickly take it as my own and play it for YEARS (literally, years) on the one stereo we had in our house. By stereo, I mean a radio, record player, 8-track and cassette player all-in-one unit. It even had a microphone you could plug in and sing into.... like early karaoke. It was high tech for those days. My favorite song to sing along to was Key Largo by Bertie Higgins.

In 1990, when my dad handed the Olds off to me, I was a junior in high school. Though the car's 8-track player had long-since been replaced with a tape deck, I could still play the original 8-track in my room, because that's where the once "high tech" stereo had come to rest. I owned lots of cassettes and records, but I never got sick of the songs on the 8-track. Especially this one:


The sentiment of this song is universal... AND I LOVE IT!

I know on the surface it seems like a cheesy song, but it made a permanent imprint on me.

Wrapped around each other
Trying so hard to stay warm
That first cold winter together
Lying in each others arms
Watching those old movies
Falling in love so desperately
Honey, I was your hero
And you were my leading lady

We had it all
Just like Bogie and Bacall
Starring in our old late, late show
Sailing away to Key Largo

Here's lookin' at you kid
Missing all the things we did
We can find it once again, I know
Just like they did in Key Largo

Honey, can't you remember
We played all the parts
That sweet scene of surrender
When you gave me your heart
Please say you will
Play it again
'Cause I love you still
Baby, this can't be the end

We had it all
Just like Bogie and Bacall
Starring in our old late, late show
Sailing away to Key Largo

I didn't even know who Bogie & Bacall were or that they starred in movies called Key Largo (or where Key Largo was, for that matter) and Casablanca. What I did know was that one day, when I was old enough, I'd get myself to Key Largo.

That day is today.

There are 6 of us, all flying from different cities into Florida, where we'll drive from Miami down to our rented condo in Key West. I already told everybody that we have to stop in Key Largo on the way down to Key West so I can get a photo of the sign, and then I made them listen to me sing the song to them over the phone so they would realize how serious I am.

I've read that there isn't too much going on in Key Largo these days, but the 8-year-old in me knows that there once was a time that people had it all... just by sailing away to Key Largo.