JOE DROUKAS - SHADOWBOXING (NEW EDITION)

JOE DROUKAS - SHADOWBOXING NEW EDITION PRODUCED BY ALAN LORBER

1. Writing On The Wall 2. Outlaw 3. The Sweetest One 4. Sleep With One Eye Open 5. Shadowboxing In The Rain 6. Li-o-me 7. Hold On To Me Girl 8. Tailfeather

SHADOWBOXING (NEW EDITION) Commentary by Joe Droukas 10/10/09:

1. WRITING ON THE WALL: I was reading a lot of Edgar Allen Poe at the time, and couldn’t help but discover the similarity between fame and pain. The character in the song is about to off-himself when he realizes, “Something in the night cut me like a knife”; that suicide was no solution. It looked like Marilyn Monroe had it all but was really a sad and tragic figure; as was the “Rainbow Girl,” Judy Garland. One of my favorite all time lines is, “Teach the ones that you love that nothing’s forever.”

2. OUTLAW: I think the song, written by John Sweeney is a rock classic—what rock and roll is; all powerful and a little scary. It tells the story of the height of broken- heart revenge. Sweeney truly walked the walk, a true and original outlaw, and a genius.

3. THE SWEETEST ONE: A fond ode to a friend who was gay who came out in the late 60s.

4. SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN: Suddenly you’re not just some kid with a guitar. Everybody wants to be your friend. Credo: “Don’t sign your name. Count your change. Don’t trust men in suits.” Catholic guilt?

5. SHADOWBOXING IN THE RAIN: Title comes from a line in an old Cagney war-movie I was watching. He spoke the line and I loved it. It is really a true story about a friend of mine from Brooklyn. A real street guy, who came to New Hampshire, met and fell in love with a beautiful small town New England heiress. She was in fact a pretty good artist. They married but she ended up fucking the poor guy over pretty good. He’s still a good friend of mine now living in Montana.

6. LI-O-ME. Okay, I admit it. It’s gibberish, but fun.

7. HOLD ON TO ME GIRL. Another John Sweeney song. It’s hard to believe that the guy who wrote Outlaw could write something this beautiful and sweet.

8. TAILFEATHER: Based on a true experience. I was booked to go on tour with Jim Croce. I told everyone. About a week before we were scheduled to leave my manager informed me that due to lack of advance ticket sales the promoters were canceling the opening act; or replacing the cost of my band with a comedian or a single acoustic act. The silver screen reference is to no one in particular, however even brushed with fame (“I was supposed to be on that plane with Croce!”), was enough for the groupies.