이한중 님과 김창현 님의 글로부터 받은 Inspiration 과
이 노래가 유행되었던 때가, 본인의 재미 수련의 어려웠던 초기시절이라는 사실에서
윗 webpage를 한번 만들어 봅니다.
어디인가 알수없는 이유에서 본인의 가슴을 흔들어주는 노래이지요.
두분께, 이런 추억의 길을 다시 밟게해준데 대해서 감사드립니다.

본인이 Northwest 항공편으로 처음 도미하는 비행기안에서
"I left my heart in San Francisco"를 들었었고,
"San Francisco" (이 노래의 원명)는 1960년대 말에 San Francisco에서 열렸던
American Collge of Surgeons Convention에 한 surgical resident로 갔을때 들었던 노래였지요.

Written by John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, and sung by Scott McKenzie, this song was
released originally under the name of "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)"
on May 13, 1967.

By then San Francisco was becoming the capital of Hippie movements of US (probably of the world).
The song had become an instant hit and sung world-wide.
In Central Europe, young people adopted "San Francisco" as an anthem for freedom,
and it was widely played during Czechoslovakia's 1968 Prague Spring uprising.

In my personal feeling, this song might carry some elements of hippie culture and homosexual tone.
The lyrics have the inklings of such.
But I don't care. It's a wonderful song. There are a lot of songs like that.

San Francisco in My Memory;

I had a dear friend, Dr. K(70), who  used to live in Fresno, California.
Probably, he's still there in Fresno, but we're forgotten for a long time.

Anyway, I made trips to California three Summers in the beginning of my practice
to spend time with him and his family. He used to drive us around to Lake Tahoe,
LA and San Francisco.

San Francisco,
A City with steep hills, the Golden Gate,  Flowers on the hills, Fisherman's Wharf,
Little Tokyo, and Chinatown.

But I didn't see People with Flowers in their hair, even though we had a fun night
at Korean Night Club at Little Tokyo. Dr. Y(71), Pulmonary Specialist who played
Volleyball with me during our college days, guided us there.

Brother of famous Korean singer who sang "Ahn-gae", Mr. J, was the bandmaster.
I was excited to hear her name when he was introduced to us and I treated all
the band members, all the employees with 'Yang-joo(Scotch)".

And listen to this. I thought it would cost me at least more than $1,000, but when
they brought me their check, it was only $150. I thought they made huge mistake,
but I walked out of there after I paid with credit card. And I told Drs. K and Y with
laugh _ "They miscalculated. It's their fault, not ours. And We had Fun, didn't we?"

San Francisco where I didn't see People with Flowers in their Hair, but I remember
it was beautiful and where we had Fun Night like we used to have at Myeong-dong
When We were Young College Boys.

준재야! 나는 이 노래 때문에 샌프랜시스코를 좋아하고,
거기 전차를 좋아하고,거기 차이나 타운과 중국술을 좋아하고,
어부의 집에서 파는 값 싸고 맛 좋은 털게를 더 좋아한다.
 

Thank you, WM, for sharing your fond memories and sentiment.
UC San Francisco has had an excellent annual Cardiology meeting called,
"Advances in Heart Disease" for some 30 years, which started by
Dr. Rappaport, whose invention, Rappaport stethoscope, is still the choice
of most serious Cardiologists. Incidentally, he was a gifted, accomplished
violoinist as a teenager recognized by the all time great, Jascha Heifetz.
Yet he gave up the career as a violinist, instead chose medicine.
He died a year ago.

As a result, and since my daughter lives in Sacramento, Sukjoo and I
would go to the meeting and drive to our daughter's over the years.
Like most visitors, we fell in love with the town.
One taxicab driver gave me a suggestion to give up my medical practice
and move to San Francisco. He added by saying, I can get a job as cab driver
if I can't make it as a doctor. In his opinion, that would still be better choice than
living in the cold and snow of Michigan. He also said that is what he did by giving up
his good job elsewhere to come to Frisco some 10 years back.
I must say that the town seems to be in party mood everyday and night of the year.

Doc,
Please... forget the idea of becoming a cab driver in San Francisco.
No, oh, no. The guy didn't know what I had known about you !!
On those hilly streets, you may get so dizzy that you won't be able to survive very long.
In case you quit your medical practice, please be a cab driver in Denver.
Just stay away from the Rocky Mountains. Then you'll be just fine.