Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.
Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.
At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.
Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.
She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).
A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.
In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.
Discography
1979: Rickie Lee Jones β Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates β Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) β Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine β Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead β Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day β V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead
Weasel
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Selling articles of congress to these people downtown
He was pretty sleezy when I met him
A weasel in a poor boy's wool
Sal lives in a black vinyl pen in New Jersey
Buys his meat from a whore next door
Wants it rare but he gets it well
So, Sal, say good-bye to your mom and your dad
Sal, say good-bye to the barrio
Sal, say good-bye to your buddies and your pals
Angela, Perry and Mario
Kid Sinister with the Bus Stop Blues
A quarter could take you home
A dime could make a dream come true
But a weasel ain't got a dime for the phone
( Does a weasel got a dime for the phone ? )
So, Sal, say good-bye to your mom and your dad
Sal, say good-bye to the barrio
Sal, say good-bye to your buddies and your pals
Angela, Perry and Mario
You dancin' in the welfare lines, Sal
Actin' like some jerk-off fool
When we could lay out eatin' peaches on the beaches
A weasel in a white boy's cool
But we're all in a white boy's school
( Just like a weasel )
The lyrics to "Weasel and the White Boys Cool" by Rickie Lee Jones tell the story of a man named Sal, who is painted as a low-life figure living a bleak existence in New Jersey. Sal is depicted as working at Nyro's Nook in downtown, selling "articles of congress" to people, suggesting that he is involved in some kind of illegal deal. He is described as a "weasel in a poor boy's wool" which implies that he is somewhat sleazy and untrustworthy despite trying to fit in with others. The lyrics go on to describe how Sal lives in a black vinyl pen and buys meat from a prostitute next door. He wants his meat rare but gets it well done, suggesting that he cannot afford to be choosy about the quality of his food. The chorus of the song repeats a message to Sal to say goodbye to everything that he knows, including his family, friends and the barrio from which he comes.
The song also introduces another character called Kid Sinister with the Bus Stop Blues, who is suggested to have a more carefree existence than Sal, but also lacks the ability to get away from his current circumstances. The lyrics mention a quarter being able to take him home and a dime being able to make a dream come true, but a weasel like Sal doesn't have a dime for the phone. The song ends with a reference to "dancing in the welfare lines," which suggests the struggles of these characters and the bleakness of their existence. The final line about "a weasel in a white boy's cool" suggests that while these people may appear to be cool and suave, their situation is much different behind the scenes.
Line by Line Meaning
Sal was working at Nyro's nook in downtown
Sal was employed at Nyro's nook situated in the city center
Selling articles of congress to these people downtown
He was selling different kinds of stuff to the people in the downtown area
He was pretty sleezy when I met him
When I first met him, he had a dishonest and unpleasant appearance
A weasel in a poor boy's wool
He had a deviant personality hidden under his unassuming exterior
Sal lives in a black vinyl pen in New Jersey
Nowadays, Sal resides in a gloomy and unwelcoming location in New Jersey
Buys his meat from a whore next door
Sal purchases his meat from a prostitute who lives nearby
Wants it rare but he gets it well
Although Sal desires his meat to be rare, he ends up getting it well-done
A weasel on a short order floor
Sal behaves in a scheming and sly way in his workplace where he takes orders
So, Sal, say good-bye to your mom and your dad
Sal, it's time to bid farewell to your parents
Sal, say good-bye to the barrio
Also, say goodbye to your old neighborhood
Sal, say good-bye to your buddies and your pals
And to your close acquaintances, too - Angela, Perry, and Mario
Kid Sinister with the Bus Stop Blues
A young and shady man called Kid Sinister who suffers from depression and stands at the bus stop for a long time
A quarter could take you home
With 25 cents, you could take a bus ride and go home
A dime could make a dream come true
If you had just ten cents, you could make one of your wishes come true
But a weasel ain't got a dime for the phone
However, a dishonest person like Sal doesn't even have ten cents to make a phone call
( Does a weasel got a dime for the phone ? )
The question is, does someone as sneaky as Sal have ten cents for the phone?
You dancin' in the welfare lines, Sal
You are living off welfare and still acting carelessly, Sal
Actin' like some jerk-off fool
Behaving like an annoying and foolish person
When we could lay out eatin' peaches on the beaches
When we could be relaxing and enjoying ourselves, eating peaches at the beach
A weasel in a white boy's cool
Sal is deceitful although he might seem calm and collected
But we're all in a white boy's school
We are all in a 'white boy's school' - a world where deceit is prevalent, just like Sal
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ALFRED WAYNE JOHNSON, RICKIE LEE JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Engbloom
Of course she s still cool! She'll never lose that....@Shes a True muse and Artist just an older Human. ! We mortal humans our self forget that these special people have to be given considerations too!
Look at Van Morrison!
This Lady if she has any Irish decent in her
Deserves to be Honored now !
Seriously....!
She is one very incredible Lyricist n
Singer n musician...
One the World has never seen the likes of.
She s been given an
Angelic VOICE
And a β€οΈ Heart of the little people and a Queen!.....
Paul Kazuberns
Rickie Lee Jones - vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, horn arrangements on all tracks, drums on tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, bass on tracks 1, 2, 5, percussion on track 4.
Dr. John - keyboards
Michael McDonald - vocals
Randy Newman - synthesizer
Victor Feldman - percussion, drums, keyboards
Tom Scott - horns
Ralph Grierson - keyboards
Michael Boddicker - synthesizer
Red Callender - bass
Nick DeCaro - accordion, orchestral arrangements
Buzz Feiten - guitar
Chuck Findley - horns
Steve Gadd - drums
Randy Kerber - keyboards
Neil Larsen - keyboards
Arno Lucas - background vocals
Johnny Mandel - orchestral arrangements
Andy Newmark - drums
Jeff Porcaro - drums
Leslie Smith - background vocals
Mark Stevens - drums, percussion
Fred Tackett - guitar, mandolin
Joe Turano - background vocals
Ernie Watts - horns
Willie Weeks - bass
Matthew Weiner - background vocals
Dianne Combs
This album, I wore it out. Played it constantly in college, and especially after a death in the family. She still sounds great!
Garry Bryan
Excellent recording, clean and clear, my standard as an audio engineer . . .
stan kenosky
She was good. I got lucky got to spend more time with a family member till Copperline from James Taylor got tagged with my sorrow...Anyway, she was good....
rythum N truths
I was 9 at the time, my older sister brought this album home; I was hooked instantly. Not a diva, an artist; indeed.
Kathy Norris
I'm going to see her for the first time in Dublin, Ireland next February 25th. This album formed the soundtrack of my youth and I know every note of it. This is the first time I've listened to the whole album in years. It's still as fresh as ever, great songwriting, wonderful voice and great musicians jamming with her. She's still cool!
Joe Travia
C'est marrant, mais c'est la mΓͺme chose pour moi! π
Eric Engbloom
Of course she s still cool! She'll never lose that....@Shes a True muse and Artist just an older Human. ! We mortal humans our self forget that these special people have to be given considerations too!
Look at Van Morrison!
This Lady if she has any Irish decent in her
Deserves to be Honored now !
Seriously....!
She is one very incredible Lyricist n
Singer n musician...
One the World has never seen the likes of.
She s been given an
Angelic VOICE
And a β€οΈ Heart of the little people and a Queen!.....
michael lay
Absolutely headphone music! Amazing musicianship and incredible vocals long before the evil of autotune would plague us. Takes me back to my college years of getting home from the restaurant at 2 a.m. to buzzed to sleep and I'd put some Rickie on the turntable, slip into the headphones and decompress until I could doze off. Good memories.
Jean tavernier
simply love her voice and her great sense of rythm
brenda zollicoffer
sounds as good today as it did in 1979. great music