You Needed Me

In February of this year, I received a message at YouTube from "NewMamaBear." It seems that "NewMamaBear" had appeared on GL while in high school as a singer at the wedding of Kelly and Morgan in 1981 and she wondered if perhaps I had clips of the episode that I could post. I didn't at the time, but now at long last, "NewMamaBear" can revisit her time in the light after decades of trying to track it down.

It's interesting that I was contacted by someone who was involved with the music of this storyline because music is a huge part of the events covered in the You Needed Me clipset. These fifteen clips are generously peppered with people bursting into song. Looked at with 21st century eyes, these musical expressions could be considered "corny" or dated, but what they are is a perfect example of how genuine, how sincere, how astonishingly earnest this period in daytime was. We modern soap viewers are quite used to a genre that's become very sophisticated and jaded and ironic. The knowing wink to the viewers is pretty standard now, but these clips, taken from just before Gloria Monty at GENERAL HOSPITAL decided that what "soap opera" had been it should no longer be, represent the sunset of a long bygone era of simplicity and forthrightness in soaps.

Having said that, this is still GUIDING LIGHT, so "simple" is not a synonym for "stupid" here-- and not just any GUIDING LIGHT, but Douglas Marland's GUIDING LIGHT: intelligent, passionate, grounded, and exquisitely crafted. This is such a lovely time in the show's history and one that I can't visit often enough.

You Needed Me is the title not just of this clipset, but also of Kelly and Morgan's oft-heard theme song by Anne Murray. Without question, one of the most popular couples in the history of the show, Morgan and Kelly's love story struck a chord with viewers and swept them away into a passionate and tortured, yet still very sweet romance that culminated (after more than a year) in this beautiful, down-to-earth wedding, with the Bauer family (back when they were a whole family, before the Lewises edged most of them off the canvas) and Alan Spaulding among the attendees... and "NewMamaBear."

You Needed Me

clip 1 , clip 2 , clip 3 , clip 4 , clip 5

clip 6 , clip 7 , clip 8 , clip 9 , clip 10

clip 11 , clip 12 , clip 13 , clip 14 , clip 15

And for those who'd like a little background, here's a previously posted clipset from 1980 dealing with the beginnings of the Morgan/Kelly relationship, as well as the hijinks of their zany friends. Look for Kevin Bacon as Tim, lots of Nola, and lots of John Wesley Shipp (Kelly) in a speedo (What a mighty, mighty good man!)

Summer School

clip 1 , clip 2 , clip 3 , clip 4 , clip 5

clip 6 , clip 7 , clip 8 , clip 9 , clip 10

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Lastly, I present an mvid that I created recently, spotlighting the first four months of 2007 on GL. The song is "Ballad of Behaviour" by Baxter.

Ballad of Behaviour

Enjoy these clips. See you right here next week!

---ivnkplng

GLMP: Follow the Light backward in time and forward into the future...