Court Yard Hounds "See You In The Spring"

When people (who don't live on Martha's Vineyard) think about romance on Martha's Vineyard, I'm sure the phrase "Summer Fling" comes to mind.

But if you're here year-round, and you're single, there is a flip-side to the Summer Fling.

In August, the number of people on the Island stretches well pass 100,000. Dating choices are many. Good looking people are tan and on the beach and full of summer energy.

But by the end of November, the Summer People are gone, the Seasonal folks have left, and even the many young, single Europeans and South Americans working in the hotels and restaurants have had their work Visas run out.

There are about 15,000 folks left, and if you're not dating somebody by December, it's pretty likely that your long, cold, lonely winter is going to extend well into April, if not longer.

When I moved here in October 2000, it was all new to me.

Despite all odds, I did manage to meet a girl I liked.

She was interested, no doubt, but she was hesitant.

She'd started dating a guy near the end of that summer. But when mid-October came, he left the Vineyard, to go work someplace warmer for the next 6 months.

They had agreed: "See you in the Spring." They'd pick up where they'd left off, when he returned to the Island.

At the time, I probably thought it was my natural charm and charisma that won her over. She sent a note to the Summer boyfriend, letting him know that she was going to date me.

And she and I both thought she was just kidding when she decided we should give it a go, by saying: "You'll do, for the Off Season."

Are you surprised that the coda to this story is that Summer boyfriend returned in April, and Off Season boyfriend (me) was cut loose? No, you're not surprised if you've spent a Winter here . . .

Most of the time, if I identify with a lyric and it winds up on the Blog, it's because I feel relate to the protagonist. But in the case of "See You In The Spring," the girl and the Summer boyfriend are the protagonists, and I'm just the trouble in their relationship.

In retrospect, it's kind of a fun role to play.

Court Yard Hounds “The Coast”

There’s a reason for a band name.

Some names are designed to be unsubtle. If you pick up an album by Black Sabbath, or Boyzone, you pretty much already have a good idea of what you’re going to be hearing, before Note One plays.

There are names that are slightly more subtle, but no less descriptive.

Like your indie rock to be literary? Listen to a band named after an unfinished Tolstoy book (The Decemberists).

Into roots music? You don’t have to guess that you’ll like someone called The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Unfortunately, many wonderfully creative musicians, are just plain lousy at naming their bands, saddling them with weak weak monikers.

I mean, most famously, if they weren’t so friggin’ good, a band with the horrible pun-name The Beatles, should be shunned.

And today, we can add to the list of bands that don’t seem to have tried very hard to name themselves (who’s alumni includes The Goo Goo Dolls, Monsters Of Folk, and Limp Bizkit): the Court Yard Hounds.

On the Cape, there’s a restaurant called The Courtyard, that has live music (and houses the mvyradio Sales office in the basement). So when I first heard the name, I kinda figured this was some local band.

But no, The Court Yard Hounds are actually 2/3rds of the (former) biggest name in Country Music, The Dixie Chicks. While lead singer Natalie Maines takes more time off, sisters Marti Maguire and Emily Robison cut an album as a duo. And it’s great stuff. But a totally lame name.

Then again, Dixie Chicks is probably a candidate for the club, too, huh?

For more bad band names . . .





Courtyard Hounds origin story