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Frank's Song Is Playing In My Head

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By STEVE OTTO

sotto@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

Ever feel like you're living life in a soundtrack? Everywhere you go, whether it's the store or a ballgame or riding in your car, there is music in the background. You even get music in restaurants and little cafes. It's like we're not supposed to talk to one another anymore.

The current younger generation goes everywhere attached to an iPod, which at least is easier to carry than our generation's boom boxes, even if the music isn't as good.

That's OK up to a point. Usually about this time of year "Jingle Bell Rock" is dancing around the back of my head, the result of too many trips to the mall. I also admit to being so much a Tannenbaumophile that I start listening to Christmas music right after the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving Day.

This year it's different. Now it's Frank Garcia singing; going on and on about "Cuban sandwiches and hot deviled crabs; Smell them outside the Silver Ring; Cuban coffee and Havana leaves..." and all those other memories he dredges up in a song he wrote and sings called "Corazon de Tampa."

Going Nuts

This thing is driving me nuts. You know how it is when you go through "Small World" at Disney World. It will be hours before you stop humming "It's a Small World."

I'm no pop music reviewer. I'll leave that to those who have allowed their brain cells to be fried after listening to what passes for music on their iPods and MP3 players, but I like Frank's song. I suppose what's surprising is Garcia not only wrote the song, he sings it.

I've known Frank for years, although usually when we talk it's about things that are old ... no, I mean really, really old. Frank's world is some 3 million years ago, or at least what's left of what was 3 million years ago.

He's a paleontologist. He spends his time digging at shell pits near Apollo Beach and uncovering fossilized remains of a Florida most of us never would have imagined.

It was Garcia who uncovered fossils like the giant sloth - no, not the one you're married to, but a creature from the Pleistocene epoch; and something called the long beaked dolphin you never would see these days in Tampa Bay.

Recently, Frank opened what is called the Paleo Preserve and Leisey-Casey Discovery Center in Ruskin and continues his digs around the country.

The Karaoke Kid

So I was a little surprised to get a CD with Frank's song on it. I was more surprised when it turned out he can sing. It seems Garcia is something of a karaoke kid and does a lot of singing around town.

"It is all about growing up in Ybor City and Tampa," he said when I asked him about it. "I had David Hubbell, who is one of the best, arrange and orchestrate it for the CD and everyone tells me they love it. I think if the mayor hears it, it might become the city's song."

That may not be such a good thing. How many of you can tell me the name of that boring little ditty that became the state song this year? Me neither. It's always going to be Suwannee River for me, no matter what the politicians pick.

As for Frank's song, you decide. You can go to YouTube and hit "Corazon de Tampa" and you will get Frank singing his song and see some pictures of old Ybor as well. All I know is I can't get it out of my head, which isn't easy to do in the middle of Christmas carol season.

For more Steve Otto go to TBO and hit keyword "Otto Graphs."

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