Meyer & McGuire
Songwriter Notes
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Songwriter Notes |
Song
of the Month #32
- “Cool Hand Tuite”
(Track #10 on The Road Less Traveled CD)
Lyrics: If you want to listen to this song while you read, go to the following link: http://free.napster.com/view/album/index.html?id=13077012. Click on “Cool Hand Tuite.” You can listen to it for free (not available outside the USA).
As
a songwriter, I try to vary my songs in many ways. I do this because I like a wide range of
music, and I like CDs and playlists that fluctuate from song to song. As a result, when an idea comes to me, I am
always looking for different things to do regarding the tempo, style, tone,
etc. If the message is serious, I use
techniques that reflect its solemn nature; consequently, if there is no message
or it is light in temperament, I employ methods that echo its
lightheartedness. “Cool Hand Tuite,” aka
Shakin’ the Bush, is one of my more frivolous songs, and here is how it
developed.
Nestled
between the city of Rochester, New York, and the shore of Lake Ontario sets the
community of Irondequoit. For several
years now, Siobhan and I have traveled to this suburban town to play at
Shamrock Jack’s, a great little Irish pub owned by the Petzing family. We started working for the Petzings in the
early 2000s, and it’s been fun getting to know them and their patrons. Mike Petzing, one of the owners, triggered
the writing of the song with a greeting he would often use when I asked him how
he was doing. He would always answer my
question by saying, “just shakin’ the bush.”
One
night after one of our gigs, Mike and I were sipping some Jack Daniels, and I
asked him about the significance of “Just shakin’ the bush.” He didn’t remember. It was an expression his Uncle Jimmy always
used whenever he was asked how he was doing.
Mike liked the phrase, and he began to use it. When we returned to Shamrock Jack’s for our
next gig, Mike told me the line came from one of his Uncle Jimmy’s favorite
movies, Cool Hand Luke.
For
those of you who are not familiar with the movie, Cool Hand Luke is a
film about a prisoner who refuses to conform to life on the chain gang. Luke, played by Paul Newman, escapes from the
prison several times. On one of his
escapes, he asks the boss of the chain gang if he can go and relieve himself
behind one of the bushes along the road.
The boss insists Luke keep shaking the bush while he is standing behind
it. He periodically calls out to Luke
while Luke is relieving himself, and Luke repeatedly says, “just shakin’ the
bush, Boss.” Luke eventually escapes by
tying a long string to the bush. He
keeps shaking the bush with the string as he slowly crawls away to his freedom.
After
I found out the origin of the term “shakin’ the bush,” not much happened until
one night during a performance. We were
screwing around on the stage, and someone shouted out “shakin’ the bush.” I spontaneously broke into what is now the
chorus of the song. I gave it a somewhat
reggae Caribbean sound because Mike likes reggae music. Needless to say, it was an instant hit thanks
to Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Johnny Walker, and their friends. I don’t know if Jimmy Buffett’s
“Margaritaville” or “Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw” got their start this
way, but I’ll bet there is a good chance they did.
After
that night, “Shakin’ the Bush” quite often became a request after the alcohol
kicked into the bloodstreams of the patrons.
Since I only had the chorus to the song, I was compelled to put some
verses together in order to prolong it.
I decided to include Jimmy Tuite, Mike’s uncle, in the song because he
was the inspiration for it. Since Jimmy,
a retired police officer from the Rochester Police Department, was intrigued by
a line from a convict in a film, I thought it would be fun to illustrate this
irony by having Luke, the convict, be the contrasting character. After I constructed a verse about each
character, I brought the two characters together in the final verse to
illustrate the universal nature of “Shakin’ the Bush.” Is this a great song? Not really.
Is it a fun song? Absolutely!
“Cool Hand Tuite” is an upbeat song that
somewhat reflects the reggae sound that dominates the Caribbean Islands. It’s one of those songs that should be played
at the end of the party for the conga line that forms after the booze kicks
in. By the request of many, Siobhan and
I recorded this song without the help of any studio musicians. In addition to our basic sound of the guitar,
harmonica, vocals, and bass, I gave the recording some depth by dubbing in some
additional harmonies, an electric guitar, and blending harmonicas. While this recording is a much simpler one,
it reflects more accurately how Meyer and McGuire sound when they perform. Pop this one into your CD player when the
alcohol has taken over the party. It
will definitely help to keep it going!
The song is perfect for a beach party or a wedding reception that has
gone over the edge. It contains the nonsensical
nature of Buffett’s “Margaritaville” or “Why Don’t We Get Drunk And
Screw.” I like it, and I hope you do,
too.
I
dedicated this song to Mike Petzing, Jimmy Tuite, and the rest of the Petzings
and Tuites at Shamrock Jack’s. These two
families come together to run an absolutely terrific mom and pop operation, the
kind of venue Siobhan and I place highest on our priority list of places to
play. Shamrock Jack’s, like so many
small family businesses we support, works hard to bring people together to
enjoy great food and camaraderie. This
is not an easy job, and it gets more and more difficult as the chain
restaurants continue to establish a stronger foothold in the small towns
throughout America. I commend the
Petzings for the great job they are doing, and I thank them for letting Siobhan
and me play a small role in their success.
Check out Shamrock Jack’s if you live in the Rochester area! If you don’t live in the area, make it a
point to patronize a mom and pop operation in your vicinity! You can learn more about Shamrock Jack’s at http://www.shamrockjack.com.
This song was inspired by Mike Petzing
and Jack Daniels. Mike, the youngest of
the owners of Shamrock Jack’s, and I have spent several evenings sipping Jack
Daniels together at the end of our gigs.
Over the past several years, I have watched Mike mature into a talented
restaurant owner, and I am sure he will continue to get better and better as he
gains more experience. I thank him for
triggering the writing of “Cool Hand Tuite,” and I can only hope another song
will emerge somewhere in one of our future conversations! Thanks, Mike, for getting this one off the
ground!
We recorded this song in 2008 at Rich
Cooley Studios, a little studio in Canandaigua, New York. Rich Cooley Studios is owned and operated by
Rich Cooley, an excellent singer/songwriter, music teacher, and recording
engineer. When you record with Rich, you
can always count on him for a relaxed recording session with a genuine and
sincere effort to produce the best recording possible. I highly recommend Rich if you are interested
in doing some recording on a small scale level.
Rich is most comfortable when he is recording a solo artist or a
duo. Check him out if this is what you
need!
Well, there you have it. I’ll have another song of the month for you
next month. If you have any comments or
suggestions, please pass them on to me.
This is a work in progress, and I am always looking for new ways to improve
it.
(E-Mailed 12/18/09)
E-mail us at McRiley@Frontiernet.net