For the first day of fall, some ‘hibernating’ songs about hideaways and hangouts

Today is the first day of fall, and I’m already starting to think about the inevitable cold weather ahead.

That makes it a fine time to start some “hibernation” plans for indoor activities — and even an escape or two from the long season.

To get in the mood, I’ve put together a small sample of musical hideaways and hangouts — some real, many imagined. Feel free to add some other contenders in the Comment section below.

We’ll start with a couple of outdoor “hideaway” songs that will require quick action to implement before a cold snap.

• Frankie Laine’s “Making Memories”: 

Green grass for a pillow, a black velvet sky above
Tender magic moments in a wonderland of love

The years may come and go but we’ll recall
Sharing love in our hideaway and how this night was the start of it all …

• And  “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” from the record-setting off-Broadway musical “The Fantasticks,” described as “the longest-running musical in the world”:   

Hear how the wind begins to whisper.
See how the leaves go streaming by.
Smell how the velvet rain is falling
Out where the fields are warm and dry.
Now is the time to run inside and stay.
Now is the time to find a hideaway
Where we can stay. 

Cramped quarters
Here are some folks with latent “hermit” tendencies:

• Steve Lawrence’s “A Room Without Windows,” from the Broadway musical “What Makes Sammy Run?”

• Anita Bryant, in her pre-controversy days, with “My Little Corner of the World.” 

Fantasy getaways
These musical hangouts are more a state of mind:

• Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.”

• Vic Dana’s “Shangri-La.”

• The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo.”

Lots of swinging night spots
There are plenty of night spots, legal and otherwise:

• “Hernando’s Hideaway,” from the musical and film “The Pajama Game.”

 • Speakeasy time with Jim Lowe’s “Green Door.”

• The Mamas and the Papas’ “origin” song “Creeque Alley,” named for a club in the Virgin Islands.

• The Miracles’ “Going to A Go-Go.”

• Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana (At the Copa),” which he describes as “the hottest spot north of Havana.”

• Two from the Dixiebelles: “(Down at) Papa Joe’s” and a whole swinging town, “Southtown, U.S.A.”

• The Orlons’ “South Street,” the place where “all the hippies meet.”

• The Robins’ “Smokey Joe’s Café,” the title tune of the musical revue of Leiber-Stoller music.

 • Petula Clark’s “Downtown.”

And a more mellow place . . .
• “Sugar Shack,” Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs’ favorite caffeine hangout.

And speaking of coffee shops, mark your calendars now for next Thursday, when we celebrate National Coffee Day. In case you missed it, I paid tribute to the day last year. You can check out that highly caffeinated list here.