How Billy Graham Stoked the Fire of My Sexual Desire

I suppose any era would be confusing for youth seeking to make sense of the world into which they are coming of age, but for me in the 60’s it was particularly difficult. I earnestly sought to reconcile God and religion [NOT the same thing in the least, which by not having this figured this out only added to my adolescent confusion] with morality, Americanism, popular culture and human relationships.

Damn near everything was BAD, so we were taught: drugs, booze, tobacco—a given. Lying, cheating, stealing, selfishness—another given. Anti-establishment, pot-headed, protestin’ hippies--to be prayed for but also to be utterly avoided! And then there was that magical little three-letter word that packs such a big bang: “sex.”

Society’s famously repressive guidance on sex was mostly just don’t do it—you’ll go blind if you do it by yourself, you’ll get VD and/or knocked up if you do it with a member of the opposite sex. And as for same-sex shenanigans…well, THAT wasn’t even on the radar—NOBODY spoke of that as if it plain did not exist, as if “it’s not even a possibility, we’re not speaking of it, you’re not gonna do that, nor is he or she and since we’re not gonna talk about it, it ain’t gonna happen, so there!”

Most of my (I’d venture OUR) indoctrination was from the world—the preacher and teacher, the screen and the song—and it all conflicted. Totally sensible proscriptions against pre-marital sex omitted any instruction on how to deal with the real physiology of a powerfully potent pubescent sex drive, guidance that came instead from Hollywood and Madison Avenue.

Then there was the family vacation, the one that takes you down I-75 through Atlanta, Macon and Valdosta. The one where you hear some guy named Johnny Cash singin’ bout a boy named Sue. But it was the fluidly melodious sandpaper sound from who I’d later know as Satchmo, the incomparable Louis Armstrong that helped liberate my budding libido. With that velvety voice Louis proclaimed, “Birds do it, bees do it even educated fleas do it, let’s fall in love!”**

The coup de grace so to speak came on a sultry summer night in ’67, the height of “the summer of love.” With the family all gathered round the tube on came Billy Graham, who cut a Moses-like figure, delivering the Word with eyes ablaze under that wavy shock of hair, arms outstretched. We all loved Billy Graham; my Uncle Willie was especially fond of quoting him.

Tonight Reverend Graham was lamenting contemporary society [query: was “contemporary society” always lamentable no matter what the era?]. He attacked the “if it feels good, do it” mantra as freedom run amok. And then he said it.

Picture Billy Graham with his Carolina voice-from-up-high cadence saying, “…and they’re making songs about girls and boys spending the night together!” WHOO BOY, they’re doing what I thought. Being 12, I didn’t quite get the allure of sleeping with girls—they were, after all, the bearer of the dreaded coodies—so Billy Graham’s protestation really piqued my curiosity.

I stayed ever vigilant to discover that song about which Billy objected. And—EUREKA--about the time I heard the Rolling Stones sing “Let’s Spend the Night Together” I was beginning to “get” the allure of doing so! And to think I first heard the concept from the world’s highest pulpit preacher (excluding God’s vicar on earth, the Pope, who was just a pope to us Episcopalians anyway).

Wow, Billy Graham was right—that’s some FUN stuff and, oh by the way, like booze, drugs, tobacco…it’s SIN! Oh well, at least I had Disney World.

**LET'S DO IT, LET'S FALL IN LOVE
(Cole Porter)

Recorded by: Louis Armstrong; Bunny Berigan; Tommy Bruce & the Bruisers; Ian Carmichael; Noel Coward; Bing Crosby; Dorsey Brothers; Ella Fitzgerald; Marvin Gaye; Georgia Gibbs; Benny Goodman; Stephane Grappelli; Roy Hamilton; Billie Holiday; Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson; Marion Hutton; Jack Hylton; Dick Hyman; Eartha Kitt; Peggy Lee; Mary Martin; George Melly; Moonlight Serenaders; Alanis Morissette; 101 Strings Orch.; Della Reese; Nelson Riddle; Dinah Shore; Frank Sinatra; Connie Stevens; Toni Ternnille; Rudy Vallée;Dinah Washington; Paul Whiteman; Jane Wyman ..... and others.

Birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

In Spain the best upper sets do it
Lithuanians and Letts do itLet's do it,
let's fall in love

The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the FinnsFolks in Siam do it
Think of Siamese twins

Some Argentines, without means do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Romantic sponges they say do it
Oysters down in Oyster Bay do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do itEven lazy jellyfish do itLet's do it, let's fall in love

Electric eels, I might add, do it
Though it shocks 'em I know
Why ask if shad do it
Waiter, bring me shadroe

In shallow shoals, English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love