Vocal by Margaret Lynn scoggins; sax solo by Carl Ratliff.
This song was an attempt to capture the sound and spirit of a 1940’s jazz club, and a love song from that era. First written in 1976, this is the oldest of my songs on the album, inspired by the few gigs I was lucky enough to play with The Mellow Men led by Buddy Fields during the mid-1970’s.
If I had a wish today,
I would wish you here with me.
These mem’ries are so beautiful,
But after all, they’re just mem’ries.
If I had a song to sing,
I would sing it just for you.
I know a melody can’t hold you tight –
It just seems right to me.
Both of us know that we’re in love –
So far apart, yet still in love.
There must be a way that I can reach you-
Somehow hold you in my arms,
Somehow hold you in my arms.
Singer Margaret (Lynn) Scoggins grew up in McConnells in a family of musicians. She is a graduate of Clemson University and taught 9th grade grammar and literature at York Comprehensive High School for several years after graduation. She left teaching in 1992 to pursue her love of the stage, starring in regional productions of plays and musicals, including Little Shop of Horrors, The New Odd Couple, Evita, Vanities, and Smokey Joe’s Café just to name a few. Performing on cruise ships called in 1994, and she sang and danced her way around the world. The first 19 years of her career at sea, she worked as a singer/dancer. Working for smaller lines and vessels allowed her to work as Entertainment Staff, Social Hostess and Assistant Cruise Director while performing full time. She also wrote, produced and performed four different solo cabarets which included musical theater, big band standards, jazz, country, and pop/rock music. 2014 brought a promotion to Cruise Director, and while she no longer did the onboard production shows, she continued to perform her solo cabarets for the remainder of her time at sea. Her life on cruise ships took her to 132 countries.
Lynn left the sea for good in October of 2023, but she just kept on singing! She can be seen locally as the female vocalist for JazzGroupProject and The Back Roads Quartet. Life has come full circle, as she has returned to education and works with special needs students at Catawba Ridge High School.
