July 16, 2023 (Song #2024): “Luckiest” (2001) by Ben Folds.  Happy Birthday to Julie Lyon Borden & Morgan Morse. xoxo LYRICS & SONGFACTS APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY

T-18* Today I want to celebrate one of my favorite families, besides my own: The Bordens.  This whole T-60 thing was inspired by Tom Borden, who, last spring, sent us a playlist with his 60 favorite songs when he turned 60.  I meant to just copy his idea, but then blabber-mouth here couldn’t stop typing. 

Tom and I met at Colgate.  He is a year older than I and a Colgate 13er; I was a Swinging ‘Gate, and I loved watching him perform and hearing him sing and scat (this guy’s got chops). Peter knew Julie Lyon as “that cool upperclassman, er woman” at Kenyon.  Though neither Tom and I, nor Peter and Julie ever remember talking in college, we did share many close mutual friends.

Fast forward to a Princeton/Colgate football game years later and a post-game party on Hodge Road.  Somehow, the subject of live music came up; we were both fans.

A few years later, the Bordens moved to Newport, where Julie grew up, and generously invited us to the Newport Folk Festival (the first year, they only had Friday tickets available, other people were using the Saturday & Sunday tickets).  We went, had a blast, must’ve been half-way decent guests, and were invited back the next year for two days!

Fast-forward, again, to the present: now we go to NFF for three full, glorious days (once for SIX DAYS!) and our kids and their kids have become friends. 

If you know me at all, you know that I feel lucky about many, many things, and our friendship with the Bordens is among “the luckiest”.

P.S. Please sing along with “Annie Waits” and “Zak & Sara” (click on “More” beneath the video for the lyrics), two more Ben Folds’ songs that we loved to sing on every car ride with our kids; get your clapping hands ready.

P.P.S. Today is also Morgan Morse’s birthday. Morgan is the son of my work-wife, Ellen Hardy, another friend I am so lucky to have made. xoxo