From The Pen Of Joshua Lawrence Breslin-Juke Box Rock And Roll Night, Circa 1958

CD Review

The Golden Age Of American Rock ‘n’ Roll: Volume 5, Ace Records, 1995

Jake LeFleur (nee Jeanbon) had it bad, had it bad as a man (oops, young man, boy) could have it for a girl (oops, young woman) and still be able to breath, breath normally. And she, Marnie Capet she, the object of one Jake LeFleur’s palsied breath, knew that hard fact, and depended on her ability to keep Jake in that state. But before you say “dames what can you do with them, or without them” like all of Jake’s corner boys whom he hung around with in front of Jimmy Jakes Diner 9said every time they heard the latest installment of the Marnie leading Jake by the nose saga hear her side. Then, perhaps, you will not worry so much about the how and whys of Jake’s breathing.

Marnie, for all the world to know, for all the important world to know in 1958 in Olde Saco, Maine, and that meant her friends, her teenage friends, her girls, whom she hung around with in front of, guess, Jimmy Jakes Diner, had been minding her own business when one Jake LeFleur came swooping down on her. And she would swear on a stack of seven, hell, seventy sealed bibles (as all her “corner girls” would attest to after they had heard the latest installment of the Jake leading Marnie by the nose saga) that she had no intention of finding herself riding in Jake’s ’55 two-toned souped-up Chevy after a few minutes of Jake smooth talk. But she did, although she will also swear, at least for public consumption, that she had a problem breathing when she found herself in that position (or later more intimate positions, as she would slyly allude to when describing her latest date with Jake.)

But at some point Jake, or maybe Marnie, it was never clear discovered two things, one that Jake was crazier about Marnie that she was about him, and more importantly ,two, Marnie was taking more than a few peeks at a new boy in town, Bernie Albert, who if one can believe this, had neither a car, hot or otherwise, and had not the least inclination to hang around Jimmy Jakes Diner because he was crazy for the sea, and crazy for writing stuff about the sea once he found the best spots over at Olde Saco Beach (naturally including the exclusive teen hot spot of Seal Rock). Bernie came in like a breath of fresh air and before long one did not see Marnie Capet riding, front seat riding, in any funny old ’55 Chevy. She was breathing the sea air down at the beach after walking there with Bernie.

Now the tale turns back to Jake though, Jake of the thousand chicken run victories, Jake of the hard boy corner boy society in front of Jimmie Jakes Diner, spurned Jake. And before you wonder what hell our boy Jake is going to rain down on one Bernie Albert for “stealing “ his Marnie you should know this. Not only do you not see Marnie riding in that Chevy, that boss Chevy as anyone in town, anyone that counted would tell you, meaning the habitués of Jimmy Jakes but you do not see Jake riding around. If you can believe this, Jake was still carrying a big torch for Marnie and had taken to his room to write her a letter begging her to come back. And since he was not a scholar like Bernie, and since he wanted to note her upcoming birthday he played the Tune Weavers’ Happy, Happy Birthday Baby to help him through task, and settle his uneasy breathing. Stay tuned. And while you are waiting check out this volume to see if Bernie has a chance to select something to counter Jake’s move.