Poem about the University of Notre Dame in 1966/67

From 1962-66, I attended an all-boys Catholic high school, St. Joe's in Cleveland (2000 boys). And then in 1966 I went on to an all-male Catholic college, the University of Notre Dame (7000 guys, no girls). This is the exotic, strange, and often lonesome environment in which I was educated.

Devil with the Blue Dress On . . .

                                                            (University of Notre Dame, 1966-67)

played over and over at Notre Dame’s Rathskeller,

Basement of the Student Center, Good Golly Miss Molly,

Only place on campus where you might, but probably not,

Meet and dance with a girl, while you’re

Grooving on a Sunday Afternoon,

And smelling their sweet perfume,

Wishing they would dance with you.

Tomorrow will be Monday, Monday,

So Reach Out I’ll Be There—

And I will Cherish you like a thirsty man in the desert cherishes water.

Of course, you will say to me, You Can’t Hurry Love;

I know you’re right, but why not let’s try.

Baby, I Need Somebody to Love, and tonight

We could go Dancing in the Street, down Notre Dame Avenue,

Down to Frankie’s or Louie’s or another juke joint,

And you could Light My Fire . . .

O baby, I’ve been Lonely Too Long,

So Lonesome I Could Cry,

And this is Notre Dame, where you learn loneliness

Along with calculus, geology, and German.

Bob Coughlin / August 16, 2016