Comments on: Basement Songs: Joe Jackson, “Home Town”

By: Becky Gould (Bies)

Becky Gould (Bies) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:27:14 +0000

I remember Craig Dyson, he dated Michelle Dobias in High School and he now has my childhood phone number! Niel Stenger I remember too. I'm actually moving home because my family is still in North Olmsted and home is calling me back. Funny, it was actually a different “hometown” song that moved me to miss home and it was by someone I used to work with at the radio station, he's still there today, it was Michael Stanley from MSB. Scott I didn't know you in high school, but you tell a great story and your a talented writer.

By: Becky Gould

Becky Gould — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:19:06 +0000

Has anyone seen the great Sonny Mullins??

By: Matt Berlyant

Matt Berlyant — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:55:29 +0000

I love this post and I feel much the same way about “Hometown”, also being a major JJ fan (I'm the guy who wrote the 2-part Idiot's Guide on him that was on Jefito, but is sadly not on here). However, I have to point out that the version of “Hometown” on Big World does not feature Graham Maby. In fact, Big World is one of the very few JJ albums where Graham Maby doesn't make an appearance at all. A guy named Rick Ford was the bass player on that album and the subsequent tour. Another thing to note is that since Big World is technically a live album (it's a direct to 2-track recording with audience noise eliminated), he's never recorded it in a studio, at least to the best of my knowledge.

By: Matt Berlyant

Matt Berlyant — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:55:29 +0000

By: Clark

Clark — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:15:23 +0000

Seconded, and right now I prefer Graham Parker over both of them. But I also think that the acclaim Elvis Costellos has gotten over all of them is deserved.

By: Malchus

Malchus — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:17:59 +0000

I also love the version of “It's Different For Girls” that is on the Live 86 album. It's superior in its arrangement and much more poignant. That's the thing about Jackson, so many of his songs are full of heart and it really comes out in his live performances.

I guess I might as well piss off some people by saying that I prefer Jackson over Elvis Costello.

By: Malchus

Malchus — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:14:15 +0000

Nope, I never got to play the fair, not even with the great Sonny Mullins.

By: Jaybug

Jaybug — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:50:12 +0000

Me too bro. I only lived there for 8 of my 37 years…but it's still where I'm from.
Can you believe that Scott. I only lived there 8 years and it seems like a lifetime. It was a lifetime. It kinda hurts just to think about the past like this. I miss my North Olmsted, but when I was there, I too, wanted to break out and take on the new world. And now that I think about the present and OUR new hometown…man I wouldn't change ANYTHING. It took all that too get where we are today. It's now up to us to make our kids memories of family, home and belonging as cherished as ours.
Oops, I forgot to write about the song…uh, it was a good song…
Hi Stacie, enjoy the fair.
Oh yeah, Scott, did you ever get to play in a band at the fair?
I played with Neil Stenger, Myke Grayshaw, Craig Dyson and Dave Riley in 'Rumors'. Maybe Sonny Mullins was even in the band.

By: Clark

Clark — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:16:49 +0000

Are you talking about the one from his Live 86 or whatever it is album where there's three different versions of ISRGOWH? I love that version. I actually like it just as well if not better than LP version. It's also a lot better than the elevator music sounding version on this Live in Portland album. I just think that acapella polka thing really brings out the strength of the arrangement and the melody better than the original studio version, which is just kinda thin and is really overshadowed by the rest of the songs on Look Sharp.

By: DwDunphy

DwDunphy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:42:49 +0000

You either love Jackson's reworkings or you don't. For myself, his German Polka version of “Is She Really Going Out With Him” is just plain fun. Others expecting verbatim run-throughs would hate it.