“Everyone knows it’s…”

Hearing "Windy" on the radio reminds me of the rhyme about a former mayor of New York that some of us would sing as schoolboys:

"Who's walking down the streets of the city
Smilin' at everybody he sees
Who's reachin' out to capture a moment
Everyone knows it's Lindsay"

John Lindsay was New York's John Kennedy, bringing a sense of optimism and charisma to a city that was in desperate need of it by the mid-1960s.  He weathered the worst of changing times in urban America, experiencing both victory and defeat during two stormy terms, but ultimately leaving City Hall with his head high.

Hearing the Association's 1967 hit on the radio also reminds me of the interesting book edited by Sam Roberts, "America's Mayor: John V. Lindsay and the Reinvention of New York."  If the city's history fascinates you, I highly recommend you read this book.  It’s comprised of a series of write-ups by people who were there, and includes lots of great photos.  The book is available from Columbia University Press and Amazon.

If you just have an ear worm for the song, check out the video on YouTube.