Blue Jean Blues: Good Bye Old Friend (Hello ZZ Top & The Coasters)
Hell, even Secretariat had to be taken out behind the barn at some point.
Whether it is a campion thoroughbred, free wi-fi connection you are stealing from your neighbor, side two of "Sticky FIngers", or yes, even a favorite pair of jeans...all good things must come to an end.
Two Pics: The outside and the inside
It is with a heavy heart that I have to say goodbye to an old friend that I have been very close to for near eleven years. I have this pair of Levis that I bought in Boston in 1999. At the time, Levi's was going through a resurgence, transforming themselves into a hip brand. They had just built this massive store inside the Prudential Building on Boylston Street. I used to walk through "The Pru" every day on the way to the gym. I was in the market for a new pair of jeans, so one day I decided to pop into the shop.
Little did I know that the jeans I bought that very day would still be hugging my hips over a decade later. I bought them just before I met my wife. I guess, technically, that means I have been in these pants longer than I have been in hers (bah dump bump). Thank you...I'll be here all week.
Seriously though, folks... These jeans have been with me in two states, three countries and more bars, concerts and road trips than I dare to count. The time has come where they just can't be patched up any more. We're talking paper thin on the verge of turning to dust.
I have had bandanas sewn into them to hold together huge rips and blowouts. I super glued the some of the belt-loops back on. The back pockets had to be sewn shut to keep them the ass-end intact. The zipper has been replaced twice. A shitload of blood, thread and tears have gone into keeping these jeans alive!
I think I will wait until the weekend to say good bye. A proper send-off is in order. I'm thinking a back-to-back-to-back vinyl listening session of "After The Gold Rush" into "The Last Waltz" into The Allmans "Live at the Fillmore", accompanied by a few tall tumblers of Wild Turkey and then, when the groove is deep and the vibe is high, I'll set those old jeans ablaze a la Gram Parsons. Daaamn, straight.
"Blue Jean Blues" - ZZ Top
Like I said, I am attached to these jeans. Just thinking about unceremoniously tossing this second skin into the trash reminded me of a story I read about someone else who was attached his blue jeans. I own the ZZ Top box set ("Chrome, Smoke & BBQ") that came out in 2003. There is a booklet included that is filled with stories and song by song commentary by Billy, Dusty & Frank. One of ZZ's songs, "Blue Jean Blues" is included. Dusty kicks the story off as to how this slower burner came to be:
Dusty: "This one had a lot to do with Frank and this girl he used to go with. They wore the same size jeans. We were in a club one night and she walked in with this guy, and I don't think that really mattered so much to Frank, except that he could tell she had his jeans on. There was this oil stain on them that confirmed that they were his. For a blues song, that's great substance.Frank: You have to remember, when you had your prize jeans that were almost tissue paper, you had 'em so long...I was really skinny back then, and my girlfriend just stole them. She showed up where we were working back then, in my jeans, at the Old Quarter.
That shit is just cold. Screw it, I can't go through with it. To voluntarily throw away my tissue jeans after that story...hell no!. I'm going to have to just store these suckers for safe keeping and break them out for special occasions: Stones tours! Vinyl listening sessions!! For the birth of any children I may have!!! You get the idea...
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While I am deep down in texas, let's go a little further south of the border to Mexico. Here is a cool ZZ Top song that, unless you are a fan beyond the MTV ZZ, not many have heard. The lyrics are cool: "She's hot as a pepper, but cool as a Mexican brew". Poetry. The music is dirty and slinky. Texas Poetry.
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OK, I'm feeling it now...here is one more song. This one is by the Coasters. This song, "Down in Mexico", reminds me of the previous ZZ Top ditty. They are both about Mexico, they both border on novelty songs and they both have a snarl to them. Do you think that the "Cat Named Joe" and the "Mexican Blackbird" ever did the "Tube Snake Boogie"? Hmmm...
