Two days ago, my best friend texts me, “do yourself a favor and listen to this”. “Hammond Song” by The Roches.

One day ago I listen to it and text back, “That record [The Roches] is on some top 100 albums by women list (I think NPR?) I want to make it a goal/writing project to listen to each one. Great harmony!!” I thought of the only other song by The Roches I know: a cover of “Wedding Bell Blues” written by Laura Nyro in 1966 and made popular by The 5th Dimension in 1969. The cover by The Roches is on a Laura Nyro tribute album called Time and Love: The Music of Laura Nyro which I bought sometime shortly after its release in 1997 and still have in my physical CD collection somewhere. I remember buying it and the record store guy saying, “That’s one of the last great tribute albums ever made.”

Zero days ago this morning, Husband and I walk into a local 50s themed diner for breakfast. We grab a booth in Angie’s section (Angie is our favorite), and wouldn’t you know it? Playing over the speakers: “Wedding Bell Blues” by The Roches.

To recap: my best friend shares with me a song I’d never heard by a relatively obscure folk pop vocal trio. A day after that, I listen to the song and it makes me think of a different song, a relatively obscure cover, sung by that same relatively obscure vocal trio, which is really the only other song I’ve ever heard by them. And then a day after that, in a seemingly unlikely setting, I hear playing in real time the exact song I thought of one day before.

Exactly.

🤷

The Hammond Song by The Roches

If you go down to Hammond You’ll never come back In my opinion you’re On the wrong track We’ll always love you but That’s not the point Oo-o-o-ooh Ooooh

If you go with that fella’ (Aah-aah) Forget about us As far as I’m concerned That would be just Throwing yourself away Not even trying Come on (Come on), you’re Lying to me

Well, I went down to Hammond I did as I pleased I ain’t the only one (Not the only one) Who’s got this disease (Not the only one, not the only one) Why don’t you face the facts You old upstart? We, fall a-part Aaaaah

If you go with that fella’… You’d be okay if you’d Just stay in school Don’t, be a Fool

Do your eyes have an answer To this song of mine? They say we meet again On down the line Where is “on down the line”? How far away? Tell me I’m o-kay

If you go down to Hammond If you go down to Hammond If you go down to Hammond You’ll never come back

Wedding Bell Blues by The Roches

Bill, I love you so, I always will I look at you and see the passion eyes of May (Eyes of May) Oh, but am I ever gonna see my wedding day? (Wedding day) I was on your side, Bill, when you were losing I’d never scheme or lie, Bill, there’s been no fooling But kisses and love won’t carry me ’til you marry me, Bill

I love you so, I always will And in your voice I hear a choir of carousels (Carousels) Oh, but am I ever gonna hear my wedding bells? (Wedding bells) I was the one who came running when you were lonely I haven’t lived one day not loving you only But kisses and love won’t carry me ’til you marry me, Bill

I love you so, I always will And, though devotion rules my heart, I take no bows (Take no bows) Oh, but Bill, you’re never gonna take those wedding vows (Wedding vows) Oh, come on Bill (Come on Bill) Oh, come on Bill (Come on Bill)

Come on and marry me, Bill I got the wedding bell blues Please marry me, Bill I got the wedding bell blues Wedding bell blues Wedding bell blues