> > It took me a few minutes...I actually thought at first this was Joe telling us his story about the song...
>> Never say I didn't do anything for the panel... > > At 18, I was on my own and busing tables in 1979 at a salad-bar restaurant > in Boston. The concept of making your own salad was just catching on then. > That’s where I first heard Rickie Lee Jones’s “Chuck E’s in Love.” > > The best part about my restaurant job was Mary, the manager. She had this > great work ethic and a motivating sense of humor. She made everyone laugh, > and everyone worked hard for her. > > A cassette stereo system provided the restaurant’s music. One morning, > when I was setting up tables, I heard “Chuck E’s in Love” on the radio. I > went out and bought the album on tape so we could hear the song every day > before the restaurant opened. > > “Chuck E’s in Love” is a happy song. It opens with a strong beat and a > slinky, twangy acoustic guitar. Then Rickie Lee Jones’s raspy voice comes > in and sings the song’s lyric, something about Chuck E being in love. I > loved Rickie Lee Jones’s quirky articulation. It was both rural and street > and hard to pin down. But it was tough to sing along with her. I could > never figure out what she was saying. > > Even when I read the lyrics, they didn’t make much sense. Lines like, “And > how come he turn off the T.V. / And he hang that sign on the door?” But > when it was time to sing the chorus, “Chuck E’s in Love,” I’d wail away, > usually just before she did. > > Eventually, Mary and many of my work friends moved on. I was heartbroken. > Clearing salad-strewn tables had lost its charm. By then, I had tried > stand-up at open-mic nights in Boston and was hooked. > > With barely enough money for two consecutive months of unlimited travel > tickets and a bag of Oreos, I boarded a Greyhound bus. > > Once I got where I was going, I’d work a comedy club and then take the bus > on long trips so I could sleep. It was cheaper than a hotel. During those > lonely nights, I longed for my restaurant friends. > > The Sony Walkman hadn’t come out yet, so late at night on the bus, to > avoid disturbing anyone, I’d press my ear against the tiny speaker of my > small cassette player so I could hear “Chuck E’s in Love.” The challenge > was to avoid singing along or crying too loud. > > -- > -- > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "TVorNotTV" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Sent from Gmail Mobile -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
