One old Briton says "thanks" to Darrell Banks

When I was 17 I thought I could dance. At parties I would flay my arms around in, what I thought was, a creative way.

I went to university and met and became a friend of K.M. who knew a thing or two about 'dancing to music'. He had honed his skills on the 1960's 'Leeds' dance circuit and took me in hand and showed me how to dance 'on the off beat'.

I remember the dancing classes took place in my flat in Hove, with me wearing moccasin sandals on a green carpet. These gave me the extra bit of 'shuffle' I needed to twist my legs and do the 360 degree turn which added that extra bit of 'flounce'.

I practised hard, while taking time off from essays on 'Machiavelli' in History and 'Kierkegaard' in Philosophy, but I knew it was going to pay off when I went to a party and a girl called Lucy said that of K.M. and I, that we : " danced like snakes."

The one 45 record I had, which K.M.loaned me was Darrell Banks singing 'Open the Door to Your Heart'. I played it over and over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8rC9Bf0hXk

Thanks K.M. and thanks Darrell.

Sadly, Darrell died 5 years later in 1970 at the age of 33.

Walk right on in,
Stretch out your arms.
Let the lovelight shine on my soul, baby,
And let love come running in.

You know that I needed you,
I've needed you a long, long time.
My pride is too much for me, baby, and I'm about to lose my mind.

Walk right on in.
Let your love come running in.

Open the door to your heart, baby,
Open the door to your heart,open the door to your heart,
And let love come running in, let your love come running in.

Let it flow like the river,
Let it shine like the light.
Take all my mind and soul, baby,
Why don't you give it sight ?

I'm trying to keep from loving you,
And I've been loving you a little too long.

Darling, darling,
You've been so sweet to me,
That's what keeps my love so strong.

I need you to stand by me,
Let your love come running in.
Let it flow like the river..