Remembering Eddie Rabbit the Jersey Boy

[Steve/sewell]

Epack, Charlie cyber,Olditractor,and anyone else from Jersey on the forum. Do any of you remember the Country singer from New Jersey (North Jersey) Eddie Rabbit. He had Number 1 cross over hits into Pop with Drivin My life away, I love a rainy night, Any which way but loose (Clint Eastwood movie) ect. Here is our anthem song particularly for you Northern New Jersey boys "Jersey Boy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXrppkfoECI It is more a Jersey song then any that Springsteen ever penned. Epack you have probably been to every place mentioned in the song.

When I was 18 in 1978 DISCO was in full swing and I was in shock trying to figure out how the heck can anyone in their right mind like this stuff!! I wore death to disco I grew up with the Beatles,Deep Purple,Eric Clapton,Three Dog Night Steppen Wolf,The moody Blues and later with Skynard,38 Special,the Cars Foreigner ect. Radio Stations were now playing more Disco then traditional Rock with more and more of the early rock groups taking a back seat to this crap.

My Dad always listened to traditional Country music, Hank Williams Sr., George Jones,Buck Owens,as a kid I hated it and swore to never listen to it!! One day in 1978 Dad brought home an album from a guy named Eddie Rabbit!! Who the heck was this guy Eddie wascaly Wabbit!! Well fast forward to 1979 and Eddie was now touring with Kenny Rodgers. The two of them came to a small theater in Pitman New Jersey 3 miles from my boyhood home. My parents,older sister and her husband and my younger sister and her best friend across the street all bought tickets to see them.

A couple of days before the concert my sisters best friend developed a walking pneumonia and could not go to the concert. She was devastated, but my Dad came to her rescue. He has always been able to pull off tough tasks in life that others cant and he did in this case in a moments notice. Dad worked for the New Jersey Bell Telephone company ( Now Verizon) in 1978 and his boss was a big Country music fan. Back then Union guys and their bosses were still friendly towards each other and Dad and his Boss were going to the show together that day sitting right next to each other in second row seats.

Dads boss was a neighbor to the owner of the theater and was able to introduce my Dad to him. My Dad asked a small favor of Clayton Platt the owner and that was, could Kenny and Eddies tour bus detour past my Dads street and blow the horn so the sick girl could catch a glimpse of her favorite singer Eddie Rabbit. Dad figured since their next show was in Philadelphia it really was on the way westward so he took a chance and asked. Clayton said he would relay the message to the singers and see what he could do. The show ended and as the theater was emptying out my parents and siblings had to wait as they were all the way up front. While they were waiting Clayton Platt announced over the PA system would Steve Atkinson ( My Dad) please go to the side stage door.

My Dad went back stage and met Kenny Rodgers and Eddie Rabbit. Both singers said it would be no problem to stop on Dads ( My!!) street and say hi to the girl!! and that they wanted my Dad to lead the way there. How cool is that!! My Dad said they blew through a red light and all to get him there timely.

Well Mr Eddie Rabbit and Kenny Rodgers went above and beyond the call of duty and when the tour bus pulled up on my street Eddie and Kenny jumped out and knocked on the girls door. The girls Mom answered as she knew they were coming as my Dad had called her from the theater( pre-cell phone days). She got her daughter to come down stairs and when she came outside the young girl began to cry a happy cry I believe. After a minute of picture taking and autographs Kenny and Eddie each played two songs with Eddies band right in the girls front yard accoustic mind you but played for twenty straight minutes.

During the commotion I wandered over and heard the song Hearts On Fire for the first time a country cheating song, sung with no mic and no speakers.I became a fan of his immediately. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDLXauZMRY8 Little did I know at the time I would become a future fan of Eddie. He recorded a duet with Crystal Gayle ( Just you and I ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0sxMMsDgtM It was my and my wife's wedding song to dance to in 1983. The reason I posted this is I ran into the young girl who was sung to in her front yard today at a job I was on this morning. She brought up the fact she has never forgot the act of kindness on my dads part but especially to Kenny Rodgers and Eddie Rabbit. The little girl is now 46. Eddie Rabbit passed away in May 1998 from a courageous battle with Cancer.

 

[Steve/sewell]

Eddie Rabbit Jersey Boy


My Mommy and My Daddy came from Ireland in 1924. They settled in New Jersey, they bought a house with a big front porch. I went to school down on the corner, my old scout master taught me the guitar. I still can smell those autumn leaves burning in my old back yard.

Oh I'm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy.
From the Streets of old East Orange to the Jersey Shore, to the Palisades I'm here to say I'm a Jersey Boy.

My first best friend was Charlie we threw snow balls at each other way back when. When Mickey Mantle and Phil Rizzuto were still in the game. And my first true love was Carol she was pretty and she lived in the neighborhood, On a street with trees and sidewalks where everybody knew their neighbor good.

Woh ohh, I'm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy
From the Old Pulaski Skyway to Lake Hopatcong to the Hurricane Bar deep in my heart.I'm a Jersey Boy.

I remember thinking long ago when telling a bartender named Stewart. I don't think I'll ever be discovered singing country music here in Newark.

So I took a Grey Hound Bus down to Nashville knocked on doors and made some friends. One opened up and I walked through and I never was the same again.

I'mmm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy
Looking back it seemed so long ago,and then again it seems like yesterday.And I'm Proud to say I'm a Jersey Boy.

And my mind is full of images of another time and place of soda shops and scrimages and the school girls pretty face.

Ooooohhh,I'm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy.
From the George Washington Bridge to the Clairemont Diner to the girls I knew through and through
Oh I'm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy

From the streets of Old East Orange to the Jersey Shore to the Palisades,I'm proud to say I'm a Jersey Boy, Jersey Boy. From the old Pulaski Skyway to Lake Hopatcong to the Hurricane Bar, deep in my heart Im a Jersey boy.........

 

[epackage]

ORIGINAL: Steve/sewell

My Dad always listened to traditional Country music, Hank Williams Sr., George Jones,Buck Owens...

Exactly what my parents listened too, I grew to love country music along with Rock.... Remember the whole Eddie Rabbit craze, thought his stuff was pretty cool for what it was...

 

[Steve/sewell]

Good scene and Eddies song from the movie.......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MhJxx6A7dE

 

[glass man]

Gotta say I am no big fan of country music..used to hate it..but now like some of the older stuff like Hank Williams sr......BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THEY DID!!GREAT STORY STEVE!!..Makes me "LOVE A RAINY NIGHT"..like we are having now....AGAIN GREAT STORY STEVE!!!!

Wish some one could have brought IRON BUTTERFLY TO MY DOOR...BETTER JIMI HENDRIX..NAW THE ALLMAN BROTHERS..NO ALL THESE AND THE BEATLES..NO I WISH THEY COULDA STAGED WOODSTOCK RIGHT AT MY DOOR!![]JAMIE

 

[surfaceone]

Thanks for the great story of your Dad and Eddie, Steve.

From.

 

[Steve/sewell]

Thanks Jim,Surf as always great pictures, and Jamie Woodstock at your front door gotta love the thought of it[8D]

 

[myersdiggers1998]

Ive got about 5 albums from him , not my fav. artist , but he made his mark in r&r history.