Operation 365... Blog 295

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 301 Don Truesdail "The Femme Fatale" - 10-27-08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKPvXj6ZODg


I don't know "The Femme Fatale" as well as I know many other Don Truesdail songs. I like how he says at the beginning of this clip that the songs serves to show that he "doesn't take himself TOO seriously." Don was a humorous fellow when he wanted to be, and I love how this show gave him the opportunity to show a little more of himself that he routinely did at his performances. At a nightclub, you don;t necessarily want to talk a whole bunch about the tunes over and over, but at it was very appropriate and Don adjusted magnificently. Not to digress, but I like big words.

"The Femme Fatale" was filmed by Don's wonderful wife, Nancy at The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, CA on October 27, 2008 as part of my Acoustic Evenings At The Athenaeum series. I love Don and feel him close to me always. Please enjoy his tunes. Did you know he had a black belt in some martial art of some sort? I didn't until his pop told me. Merci.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 301 "Bad Cat" by Blowski
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOptO9QVhkc


Struggling like Joe Namath's Jets (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQqIQyT-RuM) to find a cover here today. I've already tried Elvis Costello's "Watching The Detectives," The Beatles' "Rain" Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy," Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," Billy Joel's "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," and one or two other songs. It's not happening. Ahhhhhh!!!! Need something painfully easy cause I am bushed. Oh yeah. I tried Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" a few times too.

Well, it worked out, more or less. It always does. I had an epiphany that if I played a tune I knew well, it might not be so hard. So, of course, I went and found a tune I'd never played before on guitar. I DID play it on drums many times though. In the bowels of my hard drive, I uncovered the chords for my buddy Blowski's awesome tune, "Bad Cat." I missed the crap out of playing this tune. I couldn't do that backup vocals while I played and sang lead, but that is all right. Yes, as Acoustic Booze's drummer, "Bad Cat" was one of my favorite tunes to pay, I'm sure I messed it up a little, but I ut my own spin on it, so hopefully that at least evens out. I love my pal Blowski and it was an honor to play one of his tunes topless. Yes, that's right. I tried to cover up. What can I tell ya? Go to be comfortable in this world. If it wasn't for the whole internet audience thing, I'd probably be naked. I like being naked, Sue me.

This is my first Blowski cover in the 365 and I hope not the last. I bet he'll be surprised. This song is about a talking tiger. It is not a pervy tune, despite what Patricia Mueller thinks.

And guess who hit me up on the Facebook chat just as I was putting the finishing touches on this little vid. That's right, the Ski Man himself. Ahhhh, yes. Synergy. The vibe. I love it. In related news, this one of my two tunes today that mentions teddies.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 301 I Shot Teddy (Just For Fun)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qE1bKwoIoo


Today's original is "I Shot Teddy (Just For Fun)," off my CD, "Blue; A Kids Album." You can get it here by clicking on the blue icon in the upper right hand corner of this blog or by going here www.jeffersonjay.blogspot.com

When I was in high school, I had an English teacher, I really hated. Her name was Joanne Cooney. She was a mean woman with a bad wig and personality to match. Once I got in trouble and muttered something under my breath about wanting to get a gun. This was a bit before all that high school shooting stuff. It was a more innocent word, more or less. She asked me what I said and I told her, I said, "I wanted to go get a gun and shoot my teddy bear's head off." I got in trouble. Does this awful anecdote have anything to do with the meaning of this song. Doubtful, but who knows?

As to how it relates to my kids album, I would argue that the message in this song for children is, go take out your frustrations on a teddy bear or a pillow and not a wall or another person. I punched a hole in my mom's bedroom wall once as a disturbed child. Ironically, I was only trying to hurt my hand. I had no idea I could punch through a wall. Oh well.

So yeah, that's the message. There may be some other meaning, but you're gonna have to waterboard me to find out. Please don't waterboard me. If you ask nicely, that may be enough. I wrote this tune in like 2003 or something. It's a little sloppy cause I haven't played it in years but that's all right. Thank you. And thanks to Paul Ruiz, for always having my back, in this case on the trumpet for "I Shot Teddy (Just For Fun)."