“Imagine me and you…I do.” The first line in the Turtle’s classic hit, “Happy Together.” My wife and I made it our theme song and danced to their performance at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Our other favorite was “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations. These are memories from over twenty-years ago and dates I will have to look up on the calendars or diaries that I keep. We bought an inexpensive screen-print of the words “Happy Together” that seems to be one of the few items missing in our move to Florida. I can’t imagine that it was stolen, but it could still be hidden in a storage box or in a drawer. Oddly, it has yet to turn up.

Yesterday, I found the D-Day commemorative bottle (just in time for the anniversary) and the rest of our fancy Monopoly game. Birthday Bear showed up for it’s June celebration duties, while we were unaware he was missing. There are undoubtedly other things that will turn up AWL. We had two storage cages in Portland, filled with items that haven’t been accounted for in years. It’s amazing to look around and see all of our possessions in one place again. Although, “Happy  Together” still has not reported for duty.

Fortunately, our daughter-in-law was thoughtful enough to get us a second version of our beloved song for our recent anniversary. This one has all the words scrolled out on an old fashioned cassette tape:

“Imagine me and you, I do
I think about you day and night, it’s only right
To think about the girl you love and hold her tight
So happy together

If I should call you up, invest a dime
And you say you belong to me and ease my mind
Imagine how the world could be, so very fine
So happy together

I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you
For all my life
When you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blue
For all my life

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together

I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you
For all my life
When you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blue
For all my life

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together

Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba
Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together

So happy together
How is the weather
So happy together
We’re happy together
So happy together
Happy together
So happy together
So happy together (ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba)”

I also found an article on the website Songfacts that puts a slightly different twist on the words:

     Despite what the title implies, this is not a song about a couple in love. According to Gary Bonner, who wrote the song with Alan Gordon, the song is about unrequited love. Our desperate singer wants the girl to “imagine how the world could be so very fine,” proposing what would happen “if I should call you up.” The line in the fadeout, “How is the weather?” is when he realizes they will never be more than passing acquaintances, as he resorts to small talk to keep from bursting into tears.

We won’t be happy at all if our original print does not show up soon, but remain Happy Together in this much better Florida weather.