  My mom likes Neil Diamond. I can remember her playing his greatest hits LP on our huge stereo that took up half the living room as a kid.
A few of them stuck in my mind like "Sweet Caroline" and my favorite "Cracklin Rosie". Flashforward about twenty years when I saw my favorite party band The Menus for the first time. The songs they cover are mostly late 60s, 70s and a few 80s and I didn't recognize many of them.
But as soon as the first notes of "Cracklin Rosie" kicked off, I was all over that one. Finally, a song I could sing along to! It was my favorite until I learned more of their songs. ( A year later, I might add I can sing all of them!). That became my nickname, the name my friend Bonita uses to introduce me to strangers at bars, and "Cracklin Rosie" became my signature song.
Whenever, we are planning a Menus adventure-such as the one this weekend for April's birthday-someone will mention "Cracklin Rosie". Which is all well and good except that I have no idea what the song means. "Cracklin Rosie get on board/We're gonna ride til there ain't no more to go" Get on board what? A boat? A train? Where are we going? "Have me a time with a poor man's lady "? Who's lady is Cracklin Rose ?
Why is she hanging with a poor man ? And finally, " Cracklin Rose you're store bought woman " What the heck does that mean? Is Rosie a ho ? Despite my confusion, it is fun to have an alter ego. Whenever I see The Menus I can leave Mindy the mild mannered accountant at the door and let Cracklin Rose take over. Which is pretty cool...even if I'm not real sure what I'm supposed to be boarding. 
