An Easter parade of shopping and memories

By RALPH STONE
MVI Columnist

“Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet and of the girl I’m taking to the Easter parade.”
Those were the closing lyrics of Irving Berlin’s very popular tune of the 1940’s and 50s, “The Easter Parade.” The opening words of that same tune stated, “In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it, you’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.” It went on to say, “On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us, and you’ll find that you’re in the Rotogravure.”
Irving Berlin of course, was referring to New York city’s very famous Fifth Avenue. However, the thought would come to indicate the main streets in each burg, village, town and city across our vast nation. We eagerly listened to and sang along as the music entered our homes by way of the large, floor model RCA radio and, I imagine, those same lyrics were sung beneath a few showers as we scrubbed away!

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