We’ve had California Dreamin’ and Moonlight Shadow so far. This week it’s over to Father Abraham:
When I was growing up in the 1970s, Smurfs were the latest craze and like any young child, I was mad about them. Some of my friends had lots of them, but times were hard for Mum and Dad and so they couldn’t afford to buy me all the newest toys. I was a little envious of my friends, but they’d often ‘loan’ me the odd Smurf or two so we could all play together.
Then Dad came home one day with a record. He had a big grin on his face as he gave it to me. I remember looking at him a little blankly. He had lots of records that he’d often listen to – from The Shadows to The Everly Brothers to Val Doonican. I wasn’t particularly keen on any of them so I wasn’t sure why he’d bought me a record – until he played it. The Smurf song is terrible, utterly terrible, but extremely catchy (even now!) and as a young six-year-old, I adored it.
And what’s more, none of my friends had a copy. For once I had something they didn’t! But, as they did with me, I shared and we’d often happily be found singing the odd, ‘La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la’ – they really did seem to go on forever.
I was even lucky enough to be given three of my own Smurfs – one male and one female and then the most wondrous of Smurfs – The Astronaut Space Smurf. It felt like ten Christmases rolled into one when Dad gave me the plastic helmeted Smurf. He was even better than the record (don’t tell Dad) and I took him everywhere. Alas, one of the neighbour’s boys got hold of him and threw him across the garden. I will never forget the day when I picked the Smurf’s broken body (well, his helmet was cracked) and carried him inside, tears streaming down my cheeks.
It wasn’t long after that that I grew out of the Smurfs and moved on to the next craze. Though, they’ve made the odd comeback over recent years and I must admit I always have a smile to myself when I see them. Britney Spears recorded a song for one of the Smurfs’ films. Sorry, Britney, but you’re no Father Abraham.
Esther Chilton 
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