A lighthearted and loving look back at the glory days of the Shady Dell, the historic haven for teenagers in York, PA, and the magnanimous couple that created it, John & Helen Ettline.
CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OPEN YOUR HEART.
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SHADY DEL KNIGHT, ADMINISTRATOR
High School Yearbook Photo
"More than a place, the Shady Dell was and will forever remain a state of mind." Shady Del Knight
HELLO STRANGER ..... IT SEEMS LIKE A MIGHTY LONG TIME!
Once again it's time to put your musical knowledge to the test as we continue our countdown of The200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!
You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.
Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:
"Children, behave!"
Give me my propers
when you get home Sheriff John Stone Why don't you leave me alone?
In the shelter of your love, my strength I found But now I’m useless
I'm beginning to think that man has never found The words that could make you want me
Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:
180. "I Think We're Alone Now" - Tommy James & the Shondells (February '67)
179. "Respect" -Aretha Franklin (May '67)
178. "Sloop John B" - Beach Boys (April '66)
177. "Helpless" - Kim Weston (March '66)
176. "Cherish" - Association (Sept. '66)
How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.
All 5 right – Congratulations! You’ve been appointed dean of the College of Musical Knowledge
3 or 4 right – Licensed lyric lover
2 right - Lyrically challenged
1 right – Sign up for remedial classes at the School of Rock 0 right – You just dance and hum along!
Do you have a top tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it! It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your song list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.
"Jingle Bell Rock," a single released by Indiana born country singer/guitarist Bobby Helms was one of the many two-sidersto enjoy popularity at the Shady Dell. Both sides of the record were enduring seasonal favorites.
"Jingle Bell Rock" first became a nationwide hit at Christmas time in 1957.
Every December thereafter, the song would magically show up on the Dell’s dance hall jukebox just in time to engender a festive holiday mood.
"Jingle Bell Rock" - Bobby Helms (December 1957, highest chart position #6)
You might think that the Dell's inner circle would have avoided this old countrified Christmas classic, dismissing it as square. Instead, the gang eagerly got into the spirit of the proceedings and made it their own.
The B-side of the single, a nursery school ditty entitled "Captain Santa Claus," produced an extraordinary reaction at the Dell. The record begins with a series of bizarre and instantly recognizable sound effects. Naming that tune in seconds flat, the crowd would erupt in gleeful, childlike laughter.
Jubilant rats would leap to their feet, head out on the dance floor, and skip around the room hand-in-hand like merry little elves. At the Dell, even the coolest kids were capable of letting their hair down on occasion and acting silly, particularly at Christmas when Bobby Helms was serenading us.
"Captain Santa Claus" - Bobby Helms (December '57, B side of "Jingle Bell Rock")
The popularity of these two perennial holiday classics allows me to once again make an important point about the Dell rats of the 1960s. They were always eager to embrace the songs of the past and preserve the traditions of their 50s predecessors.
Once again it's time to put your musical knowledge to the test as we continue our countdown of The200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!
You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.
Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:
It's been so long Since you've been gone away And baby when you come back You'll be home to stay
Well my doctor told me beware I'm taking more than my share Falling in love I can bear Provided that loving affair But he don't know about you And all the things that you do And how it breaks me in two Just to know a man's with you
As best I can, I'll always try To reassure & satisfy 'Cause I'd be lost if you went away
Not this time Not with me You had your fun Now set me free
We're out there on the floor, y'all, goin' to a go-go
Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:
185. "Dry Your Eyes" - Brenda & the Tabulations (March '67)
184. "Can't Get Enough Of It" - Spencer Davis Group (April '67)
183. "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" - Four Tops (June '66)
182. "Rumors" - Syndicate Of Sound (August '66)
181. "Sweet Soul Music" - Arthur Conley (March '67)
How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.
All 5 right – Congratulations! You’ve been appointed dean of the College of Musical Knowledge
3 or 4 right – Licensed lyric lover
2 right - Lyrically challenged
1 right – Sign up for remedial classes at the School of Rock 0 right – You just dance and hum along!
Do you have a top tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it! It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your song list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.
Hello, dear friends! For the next couple of weeks I will have a house full of guests so please excuse me if I don't visit your blogs quite as often or reply to your comments here on mine. I am also beginning
a reduced publishing schedule today, one which will continue through the coming year. Instead of publishing an average of twice a week as I have done in the past I will publish an average of three times every two weeks. This adjustment will give you an extra day or two to read my posts. It will also give me more time to assemble them, read and comment on my friends' blogs, and devote more time to my family and other aspects of life beyond the blogosphere. I'll be checking in as often as possible but until I return full time I wish each and every one of you very happy holidays!
Once again it's time to put your musical knowledge to the test as we continue our countdown of The200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell!
You know the drill. I'll give you a line or two of lyrics taken from five of the most popular Dell songs of the mid 1960s. Your job is to Name That Tune.
Put on your thinking cap. Here are the lyric samples for
the next five Dell songs:
I can't blame you for tryin' I'm tryin' to make it to I've got one little hang up baby I just can't make it without you
No football hero or smooth Don Juan Got empty pockets You see I'm a poor man's son
I'm fightin' hard to hold my own No, I just can't make it all alone I'm holdin' on, I can't fall back Now that big brass ring is a shade of black
All the windows are painted black And wait right here til you come back I'll keep waiting, waiting Until your face again I see
I walked on over and I asked her to dance Thinkin' maybe later on we'll make with romance
Okay, let's find out how well you did.
Here are the Dell songs in today's countdown:
190. "Poor Side Of Town" - Johnny Rivers (September '66)
How many songs did you correctly guess from the lyric clues? Refer to the grading scale below to determine your musical I.Q.
All 5 right – Congratulations! You’ve been appointed dean of the College of Musical Knowledge
3 or 4 right – Licensed lyric lover
2 right - Lyrically challenged
1 right – Sign up for remedial classes at the School of Rock 0 right – You just dance and hum along!
Do you have a top tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it! It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your song list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.
There, I said it! Let's get all of the snickering over with right now. If there are any outbursts later I'll clear the courtroom.
Yes, I admit that I went into a gay establishment but I didn't intend to. Oh alright, Dick Tracy, I guess maybe my first hint should have been the fact that there were no women in the joint. Perhaps I should have put two and two together when I noticed that the walls were covered with framed portraits of divas like Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli.
It just didn't sink in because...well, because I got distracted. Here's what happened (just the facts).
Friday, May 29th, 1981, 8:45PM: My partner Frank and I were working the night watch out of LAPD Homicide Division. (Oops!...pardon me...wrong story.) Actually, I was sitting on a bar stool that evening halfway through my first draft beer and paying no attention to the clientele when, to my delight, an exciting medley of Beatles songs began to play on the club's bitchin' sound system. My eyes grew wide in disbelief as the long string of Beatles favorites continued, blended seamlessly and mixed with a nonstop dance beat. It was the coolest thing I ever heard! I wondered where it came from, who assembled it and why didn't I know about it.
STARS ON 45
Turns out I wasn't listening to the Beatles after all. It was Stars on 45, a Dutch act put together by Jaap Eggermont, formerly of Golden Earring, and consisting of studio musicians recreating the authentic sound of the Beatles and weaving portions of their songs together over a fixed drum/clap track.
The Stars on 45 Beatles medley soared to #1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts and spawned other medleys including the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Abba, the Supremes and the Carpenters. Many Beatles tribute bands have emerged in the years since but I never heard any of them imitate the Fab Four better than Stars On!
"Stars on 45 (Medley)" - Stars on 45 (May/June 1981, highest chart position #1)
In 1982 I saw the Stars on 45 perform live in concert at a Harrisburg hotel. It was a fabulous show!
THE BEATLES
Now I'd like to offer a few of my favorite songs by the real Beatles. If you're like me you've heard some Beatles hits so many times that you wouldn't care if you never heard them again. I tried to avoid songs like those and instead present selections that you might not have heard lately and Beatles footage that you might not have seen before. Let's begin with the opening track from the English combo's second UK album With the Beatles. The rocking "It Won't Be Long" was written by John Lennon with an assist by Paul McCartney on lyrics and arrangement.
"It Won't be Long" - Beatles December 1963, from album With the Beatles
Second in line..."Not a Second Time," another track written by Beatle John and included on With the Beatles.
"Not a Second Time" - Beatles December 1963, from album With the Beatles)
The rollicking "When I Get Home," another John Lennon composition, appeared on the album A Hard Day's Night and was first released in America on the album Something New.
"When I Get Home" - Beatles (July 1964, from albums A Hard Day's Night and Something New)
Penned by Paul, "The Night Before" is a track from the album and the film Help!
"The Night Before" - Beatles (August 1965, from the album and motion picture Help!)
PAUL McCARTNEY
AND WINGS
Paul and Linda McCartney wrote the song "Hi Hi Hi" in Spain while Paul was, in his words, "in a sensuous mood." That helps to explain allegations of sexually suggestive lyrics and drug references that got the record banned in the UK by the BBC. Negative publicity often boosts sales and the former Beatle's rowdy recording made it to #5 in Britain and #10 stateside.
"Hi Hi Hi" - Paul McCartney and Wings (January 1973, highest chart position #10)
RINGO STARR
Ringo Starr and George Harrison wrote "Photograph" and
the two ex-Beatles recorded it with Ringo singing lead and playing drums and George on guitar and harmony vocals. "Photograph" was released as a single in the fall of 1973 and went all the way to #1 in the U.S. while halting at #8 back home in the UK.
"Photograph" - Ringo Starr (November 1973, highest chart position #1)
GEORGE HARRISON
Many songs by the so-called quiet Beatle resonated with me. "If I Needed Someone" is a beautiful George Harrison composition from the UK album Rubber Soul and the USA album Yesterday and Today. The Hollies recorded the song and released it on a single with only modest success. The Beatles version achieved immortality.
"If I Needed Someone" - Beatles (December 1965, from UK album Rubber Soul and 1966 USA album Yesterday and Today)
A gem from George's solo career, "Blow Away" was released on Valentine's day 1979. At the time everybody and his grandmother was making disco records and "Blow Away" swept in like a fresh cool breeze.
"Blow Away" - George Harrison (April 1979, highest chart position #16 Billboard, #12 Cash Box, #2 Adult Contemporary)
John Lennon was assassinated 31 years ago today on December 8th, 1980. The following spring George Harrison released "All Those Years Ago," a loving tribute to his friend and former bandmate. The single spent three weeks at the #2 position on the American Billboard chart. In an ironic twist Harrison's record was blocked from the top spot by the band of Beatles imitators the Stars on 45 and their Beatles Medley!
"All Those Years Ago" - George Harrison (June 1981, highest chart position #2)
JOHN LENNON
"I just had to let it go," explained John Lennon when fans, handlers and hangers-on wondered why he retired from the music business and withdrew from the limelight rather than milking his Beatles fame for all it was worth. Lennon reminded all of us that fame and fortune are not the only measures of success. As John discovered, it can be realized in the quiet role of husband and father.
"But I can be alone without Yoko, but I just have no wish to be. There’s no reason on earth why I should be alone without Yoko. There’s nothing more important than our relationship, nothing. And we dig being together all the time. Both of us could survive apart but what for? I’m not going to sacrifice love, real love for any whore or any friend or any business, because in the end you’re alone at night and neither of us want to be. And you can’t fill a bed with groupies. It doesn’t work. I don’t want to be a swinger. I’ve been through it all and nothing works better than to have someone you love hold you."— John Lennon
"Watching the Wheels' was the third and final single to be released posthumously from the John Lennon/York Ono album Double Fantasy following John's murder.
"Watching the Wheels - John Lennon (May 1981, highest chart position #10 Billboard, #7 Cash Box)
"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open- hearted vision of people who embrace life."-- John Lennon
31 years and counting, John. We will always remember.
Rat Ron's back and he's packing stax o' wax. (Say that5 times fast!)
Ron and I along with Mr. Peabody and Sherman are ready to hop into the Wayback Machine and revisit some of the greatest seldom heard snugglers of the pre-Beatles era. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when doo-wops ruled!
Ron, if you don't mind I'd like to kick off the festivities with one of the best known names in the biz - Dion.
DION AND THE BELMONTS
Some dismissed him as just another flash in the pan teenage idol, but Dion DiMucci proved them wrong the same way that Ricky Nelson proved them wrong. Both were the real deal.
Growing up in an Italian American family in the Bronx, Dion was influenced by rock and roll and rhythm and blues. He assimilated both genres, produced his own unique blend of New York style pop, rock and doo-wop, and became one of the most popular singers of the Eisenhower and Kennedy years, influencing many other performers.
Bob and Gene Schwartz signed Dion and his friends the Belmonts to their new Laurie record label and put the two acts together in the studio. From the spring of 1958 until
the fall of 1959, Dion and the Belmonts released half a dozen charting singles, achieving three top 40 hits and a top 5 hit, "Teenager in Love."
The early success of Dion and the Belmonts landed them a spot on the ill fated Winter Dance Party Tour. On February 2nd, 1959, after a concert in Clear lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper invited Dion to fly with them to their next gig. Dion declined because he couldn't afford the $36 cost of the flight. The plane crashed killing
all on board... the day the music died.
Dion and the Belmonts reaped their biggest hit with "Where or When" which went to #3 early in 1960. I already featured that record in a previous post but I'd like you to hear the killer bee, "That's My Desire."
"That's My Desire" - Dion and the Belmonts (March 1960, uncharted B side of "Where or When")
In 1960 Dion split from the Belmonts and began a solo career, finding success with his first release "Lonely Teenager."
"Lonely Teenager" - Dion (January 1961, highest chart position #12)
More hits followed, including Dion's best known recordings "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer." In 1962 Dion rocked out with "Little Diane," a top 10 record that featured the Del Satins accompanying Dion and a distinctive hook in the form of a kazoo solo!
"Little Diane" - Dion (Aug. 1962, highest chart position #8)
Ron, looks like your first spin is another golden goodie by York's own R&B group the Quin-Tones! Don't delay - Play away!
"Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
THE QUIN-TONES
Shady, it's time to pick up where we left off with the story of the Quin-Tones, five vocalists and a key- boardist who achieved a national hit in 1958 with their second 45rpm release "Down the Aisle of Love." The success of that single multiplied opportunities for the Quin-Tones. They did more touring and made a guest appearance on American Bandstand. The Quin-Tones' most memorable gig took place on Saturday night, August 23rd, 1958 at the Apollo Theater when they shared the stage with famous acts that included the Coasters, the Olympics, the Danleers, the Spaniels and the Chantels and received a standing ovation.
Riding high as a result of their hit record, "Down the Aisle of Love," and still in a position to benefit from a national distribution deal with ABC Records, the Quin-Tones hoped to repeat their success with a follow-up single. However, their third release, "There'll Be No Sorrow," did not make the national charts even though it appeared on the top tunes surveys of radio stations throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
"There'll Be No Sorrow" - Quin-Tones (September 1958, uncharted)
The killer bee, "What Am I To Do," was another sweet ballad that came and went unnoticed.
"What Am I To Do" - Quin-Tones (November 1958, uncharted)
Ron, let me interrupt you here to add that our Quin-Tones have been called a cross between the Chantels and the Bobbettes.
THE BOBBETTES
The Bobbettes were an early R&B girl group from Spanish Harlem. The girls killed at the Apollo, attracted a manager, got an Atlantic recording contract and in 1957 scored a
#1 charting R&B/top 10 pop hit with the tongue-in-cheek novelty record "Mr. Lee." In so doing the Bobbettes were the first girl group to achieve that degree of crossover success. A derivative recording, "I Shot Mr. Lee" became a minor hit for the Bobbettes, but neither of those jump tempo records can touch the power of the group's churchy doo-wop ballad "The Dream."
"The Dream" - Bobbettes (1958, uncharted)
THE CHANTELS
Led by classically trained Arlene Smith, The Chantels from The Bronx, NY were the next girl group after the Bobbettes to achieve nationwide success. "Maybe" and "Look in My Eyes" were the Chantels' biggest crossover hits but I'm shattered every time I listen to this one, the devotional, gospel drenched "Every Night (I Pray)."
"Every Night (I Pray)" - Chantels (May 1958, highest chart position #39, R&B #16)
Ron, the ball's back in your court, my friend. Play us some hardcore sock hop doo-wop!
THE JIVE FIVE
with ARLENE SMITH
& THE CHANTELS
Shady, I agree with those who compare the Quin-Tones with the Bobbettes and Chantels and I think The Quints were as hot as those more famous girl groups! Speaking of the Chantels, here's a recording that I never knew existed until recently, where the original Chantels and the Jive Five do a cover of Lenny Miles's "Don't Believe Him Donna." I may prefer Lenny Miles's version a little better, but just to hear these two fabulous groups TOGETHER is a real treat!
"Don't Believe Him Donna" - The Jive Five with special guests Arlene Smith & The Chantels (1982)
I know how much Jerre likes the Jive Five and in this live performance they sing their two biggest hits. "My True Story"/"What Time Is It" (live)- The Jive Five
Ron, let me give Jerre a high five with more Jive Five.
Here's a seldom heard gem by Eugene Pitt's Brooklyn vocal group. "Rain (Makes My Baby Cry)," with a melody derived from that fall 1962 hit "What Time Is It," was released as a single in the spring of 1963 and registered for just one week near the bottom of Billboard's Bubbling Under chart. Shady's Law applies. "Rain" is a great record that deserved more chart action back then and deserves to be heard right now!
"Rain (Makes My Baby Cry)" - The Jive Five (April 1963, highest chart position #128)
Those last three songs have inspired me to play a quick game of Six Degrees with Jerre's Jive Five by connecting them with two other great groups!
THE JIVE BOMBERS
The Jive Five always makes me think of The Jive Bombers,
a jazzy, bluesy New York City R&B group that recorded for Savoy Records, the Newark, NJ label that played a key role in popularizing bebop. The Jive Bombers' biggest hit, "Bad Boy," can be traced back to 1936 when the song was written and recorded by Louis Armstrong's second wife, Lil Armstrong.
The Jive Bombers originally recorded the song as "Brown Boy" but changed it to "Bad Boy" for release on Savoy in 1957. Lead singer Clarence Palmer renders the song in a lazy, offbeat style and comes across sounding very much like Satchmo!
"Bad Boy" - The Jive Bombers (April 1957, highest chart position #36 Hot 100, #7 Black Singles)
THE NUTMEGS
The Jive Five told "My True Story." For the Nutmegs, a group from New Haven, Connecticut, theirs was a "Story Untold." Led by tenor Leroy Griffin, whose ardent vocals are among the finest in all of doo-wop, the Nutmegs watched their single climb all the way to #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart during the summer of 1955, yet it never showed up on the white dominated pop chart. The Nutmegs' popularity was confined primarily to the East Coast and Northeast and they never achieved widespread crossover success. That reality notwithstanding, their "Story Untold" is regarded as one of the greatest doo-wop recordings of the 50s.
"Story Untold" - The Nutmegs (August 1955, highest chart position #2 R&B)
The Nutmegs followed "Story Untold" with another R&B hit, "Ship of Love," which includes a spoken passage.
"Ship of Love" - The Nutmegs (October 1955, highest chart position #13 R&B)
LITTLE JOEY
AND THE FLIPS
In the fall of 1961 the Dovells flirted with the #1 chart spot with "Bristol Stomp." In the summer of 1962 that hit sound and stompin' beat were back on the radio in a shamelessly derivative recording called "Bongo Stomp" by another Philly act called Little Joey and the Flips. The group rerecorded "Bongo Stomp" from a demo of theirs which was originally called "African Twist."
Cameo-Parkway, Swan and other Philly labels rejected the record before Eddie Joy released the single on his Joy label and achieved a top 40 hit.
"Bongo Stomp" - Little Joey and the Flips (July 1962, highest chart position #33)
“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).
THE SHADY DELL
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA
The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History
What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.
At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club, or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.
The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.
'Dell rats' as we were called had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility, and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.
SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight
I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip, the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.
To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S., and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?
'JACKS'
AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!
THE CLASSIC TAN BARACUTA
STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!
Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell
Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.
As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?
At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began climbing the narrow, winding and bumpy Starcross Road. By now, my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?
"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."
We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house and, down to the left, a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. The atmospheric illumination, as I would soon learn, originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.
We banked to make our final approach, and I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music that was emanating from the barn and terrace and projecting outward across the surrounding countryside. We turned left into a gravel parking lot that was overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!
I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill
My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!
“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. Although I didn’t get it at the time, John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.
Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!
From the moment I entered the compound, I was hooked. The Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly, I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. Moreover, there was a vibe in the air at the Dell that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!
Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted us the independence teenagers crave. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.
Of Rats and Men
Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.
Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. One of the first lessons a guy learned at the Dell was: don’t let the gray hair fool you - nobody messes with John - he’s the boss!
A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!
I got punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently, a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, such incidents could not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact, they had the opposite effect - they whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life, I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Just like Secret Agent Man, I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!
Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies, and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I engaged in a good deal of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough, even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips, and my game face was on.
One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?
In my mom’s day, the ideal guy wore a white sportcoat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.
Helen & John Ettline
Shady Dell Owners
Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop
Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.
Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.
Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”
John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.
The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!
Upon arriving on the Dell scene, I soon realized that the jukebox in the barn was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before, and would never hear anywhere else. The music that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than that being played on top 40 radio. During the mid 60s, the musical menu at the Dell was a combination of Motown, northern soul, blue-eyed soul, Memphis sound, southern r&b, British beat, girl group, American pop and folk-rock, plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.
Shady Dell regulars prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out, they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country had somehow overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.
Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they remained on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the song that I picked as #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. That song was still one of the most popular selections on the Dell’s jukebox a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s! That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys!
THE FIVE KEYS
"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1
Del-Chords & Magnificent Men
Another mighty evergreen at the Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members from Harrisburg’s Endells to form the blue-eyed soul group, the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their awesome, inspirational ballad "Peace of Mind" became the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.
Magnificent Men
HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!
The Emperors of Harrisburg
Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. The Emperors, a black group from the state capital, became leading exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.
THE EMPERORS
DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!
End of an Era
Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years, I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.
My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.
After a brief chat, I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead - or at least in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.
That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline who would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench, and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.
John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.
(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)
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