Love Notes to Dot
I wrote these original songs and produced them using AI to tell the story of my lifetime of love for Dot
More will be released periodically in the future. Enjoy.
September of '71
Though Dot and I had seen each other in the halls of Columbia high school as sub-freshmen starting in 1969, neither knew the others name or anything about them. We grew up in different parts of town and had no classes together. But we each caught the other's attention in the 10th grade. Then, by random chance the star's aligned and a friend, Steve Brown, asked if I'd like to go out on a date with Dot on September 5th, 1971, to see the movie Evel Knievel at the Roxy. Finding out Dot was the mystery girl I'd seen at her locker, I quickly jumped at the chance. We went, had a great time together and we had our first kiss in the foyer of her home when we dropped her off. We fell in love quickly and just 20 days later on September 20, 1971, I asked Dot to go steady and we've been together ever since. This song is the story of that first date and kiss where it all began. This photo was taken at Christmas 1971. It's easy to see why I fell for her then and each day we get together.
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A few months after Dot and I began dating in September 1971, Dot celebrated her 16th birthday on November 5, 1971. In the love note I wrote her for her birthday, I wrote a poem to express my love to her and how beautiful she was to me (and still is). This song is based on that poem. This is Dot's class photo when she was 16 years old.
As Beautiful as You
(Dot's 16th Birthday Song)
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49 Years
On December 13, 2024, we are celebrating 49 years of marriage between two best friends who've been together for over 53 years since September 5, 1971. If given the chance, we'd do it all over again. This song tells the story of our 49th celebration.
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I found these two photos which now hang above our bed a few years back. They reflect our inside joke about which of us has the greater love for the other. She says, "I love you more" and I say, "I love you most." You decide. Dot's photo is on the left and mine is on the right. This duet is about the love debate story.
I Love you more…I Love you most
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Love Notes to Dot
Dot and I didn't have classes together, but we managed to pass love notes to each other every chance we got. Dot, my better half, saved all my notes to her along with the little calendars she picked up at the local Hallmark store each year. In these calendars is a treasure trove of important dates and events including what we did when we got to see each other. Unfortunately, her notes to me are lost to the mists of time. But after spending 53 years together and by reading my notes to her and looking at her little calendars, I can imagine what hers said to me. This is the story of those love notes.
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This is a photo of the two of us from our honeymoon in December 1975. We drove to Key West and this was our 1st stop at Daytona Beach at the Sea Dip motel. There are actually two photos taken at the same place at the same time, one of each of us alone. But with the help of a friend, I had them merged into one, just like the two souls that have merged into one over the years. Dot's recent battle with cancer (she's cancer free now :-) taught us both not to take the gift of life that we've been given for granted. So we live life and love each other each day. I'd do it all again if given the chance and this song is my story.
One More Time
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Always Kiss Me Goodnight
Dot and I have had this sign hanging in our bedroom for many years. Not only as a daily reminder to express our love for each other, but also as a celebration of the power of love to help you enjoy the miracles of life. We practice what we preach...each night (and day).
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Dot and I were both born in Atlanta in 1955. Our parents settled in the Decatur area near where Columbia High School was to be built. But she went to Snap Finger, and I went to Wadsworth Elementary, so our paths never crossed. After entering Columbia High School our paths grew closer but were still far apart (I'm sure there are plenty of people in your high school that you never met or remember) until they finally converged in "September of '71".
This song is about loving someone so much that you wish you'd met them earlier so you could have loved them longer. Hopefully you've experienced (experiencing) that kind of love too.
Note: Since this song is about suspending reality and revising fate, I thought I'd feature the photo you see of the two of us. This photo was created by merging a photo of Dot at the 1970 Jr. Sr. with a photo of yours truly from our 1973 Jr. Sr (I didn't start going to Jr. Sr. until Dot and I went in our Jr. year in 1972). Again, with the help of my talented friend, I conveniently replaced her actual date (who shall remain nameless) with mine. ;-)
I Wish I'd Met You Sooner
(so I could have loved you longer)
Copyright 2024 Jeff and Dot Smith