Saturday 9: Chuck E.'s in Love

Saturday 9: Chuck E.'s in Love (1979)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here. 

Oh, one of my favs from back in the day! "How come he don't come and PIP with me down at the meter no more?" Hard one to play on the guitar, too.


1) In this song, Chuck E.'s friends look for him at the pool hall and the drugstore. If we want to find you on a Saturday afternoon, where should we look?

A. At my house, generally. Boring, I know.

2) The lyrics tell us his friends know something up with Chuck E because he's even combed his hair. So here's a question about your hair: do you usually use a blow dryer or let it air dry?

A. I blow it dry. Occasionally I let it air dry just to give it a change of pace.

3) In this song, Ricki Lee sings that she spotted Chuck E. at the Pantages, a grand old Los Angeles theater. Nearly 100 years old, the Pantages was originally a movie palace and was renovated in the 1980s for concerts and theatrical productions. Tell us about a cool landmark in your town.

A. Roanoke, my nearest city, is known as the Star City of the South because it has a huge star on Mill Mountain. It has always been the Mill Mountain Star to me but I think they call it the Roanoke Star now. Roanoke likes to change the name of things. Anyway, the star was built in 1949 as a gimmick to bring in shoppers. The star is made of neon. It changes color from red, white, and blue, depending on time period and whims of city council.

I think it is the largest manmade neon structure in the world, but I wouldn't swear to that.

You can see what the City of Roanoke looks like from the star on the StarCam.

Here are photos I took in 2014.

The view from the Roanoke Star.

4) "Chuck E." is a real person. Chuck E. Weiss is a blues musician and DJ who hung around with Ricki Lee and her boyfriend . . . until he fell in love. Have you ever had a friendship fall by the wayside when one of you entered a romantic relationship?

A. Long ago, like, high school years. These days friends just fall by the wayside because people move, have other interests, or have no time. Most of my friends had children, but since I was unable to do that, it created a bit of a chasm. I couldn't really talk about the price of diapers.

5) Rickie Lee was once married to a French musician named Pascal Nabet-Meyer. Say something to us in French.

A. Oui. No?

6) When her popularity was at its height, Rickie Lee appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone twice. Who have you seen on a recent magazine cover?

A. Oprah Winfrey. I get her magazine.

7) Rolling Stone called Rickie Lee "the duchess of cool." Who is the coolest person you know?

A. Hm. I know a lot of cool people. But I will go with my friend Dreama K., who is a local artist. You can see her artwork at this blog entry I wrote in 2013. Another cool person is my physical therapist, Audrey. She has been putting up with me weekly for 18 months while we try to get me functional again.
 
Here are a couple of pictures:

Ms. Dreama herself.

8)  1979 was a good year for Rickie Lee, what with her big hit record and the Rolling Stone covers. But it was a terrible year for The Who, because eleven of their fans died during an Ohio concert. What's your favorite Who song?

A. Whooo are you? Whoo ooo whoooo? And Pinball Wizard.

9) Rickie Lee moved to New Orleans, a city she fell in love with after a visit. Have you ever gone to a vacation spot and wished you could just stay there forever?

A. Can't say that I have. There's no place like home, there's no place like home. I live in my ruby slippers, I guess.
  
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