♫*♥ “You Don’t Have To Be Italian” (SONG PLAY link HERE) by Pat Cooper (aka Pasquale Caputo) is one of my all-time favorite Italian-themed songs. If you’re not yet acquainted with Pasquale you can meet him at Getting Saucy with Pasquale Caputo.

I love it, but whenever I listen I’m sure to have the tissues ready. I tear up, sometimes even blubber a bit, as the song instantly transports me back a few decades. Even though it’s a happy place I end up, it makes me realize how fast life goes by, and how many precious memories I have stored in the vault between my ears.

So here I am, zapped back to our cozy wood-paneled living room at our Lehigh Street duplex in Dover, NJ. Mom and dad are hanging out on a chilly winter’s night listening to a few Pat Cooper comedy albums, and Dad takes Mom’s hand for a little twirl around the braided rug when this tune comes on. Even better, I know it was one of their favorites too.

It’s really about the little things in life, isn’t it?

What songs or comedians bring you back? I’d love to hear about them, so don’t be shy, please share!