Europe’s Ode To Spring – 1963 – Past Daily Reference Room

. . . or click on the link here for Audio Player – NBC Radio: Europe’s Ode To Spring – March 20, 1963 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection.

In some parts of the country it may be difficult to imagine, but at 3:45 pm on the West Coast, Spring will have officially arrived.

Those of us on the West Coast have some vague recollection of Winter, followed quickly by Summer. But now it’s Spring – no wonder everyone’s just a little “off” in Los Angeles – our seasons have not only taken us by surprise this year, they’ve been in no particular order. It would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that, as of today, we only have 1 year’s worth of water left and haven’t had any appreciable drops of rain in a few years.

Still, the calendar points to Spring – and even though we’re tackling a version of Summer, the East Coast is still looking at wind-chill factors and snow drifts. All in all, what season is it?

But in 1963, there was no doubt about Spring and all that it entailed. In Europe especially, Spring had a special sort of magic attached to it – along with rituals and rites, Spring signified the beginning of a lot of possibilities and a lot of beginnings.

So NBC Radio put together a half-hour Special program called Europe’s Ode To Spring, and featured a plethora of European (and Americans of European extraction) personalities, discussing what Spring meant to them.

And on May 19th, 1963 this is what a lot of people all over America were listening to.

Enjoy Spring – wherever you are.