The band started as an acoustic blues trio in the mid 1960s with singer and guitarist J. Geils (born February 20, 1946; died April 10, 2017), bassist Danny Klein (Dr. Funk) and harpist Richard Salwitz (stage name Magic Dick). The band formed under the name Snoopy and the Sopwith Camels while Geils was attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute for a couple of semesters. In 1967 the band switched focus, starting to play electric guitar and bass and recruiting drummer Stephen Jo Bladd and fast-talking ex-disc jockey singer Peter Wolf, born Peter Blankenfeld, both from Boston. The following year Seth Justman joined as an organist, and the group signed to Atlantic Records in 1970.
The J. Geils Band first received FM radio airplay with the live single "First I Look at the Purse", then had several hit singles in the 1970s, the most successful of which was "Must Of Got Lost" (1974). Later in the 1970s, the band signed with EMI America Records.
The band had good success covering soul singles. Besides the well-known aforementioned "First I Look at the Purse" from The Contours, they covered the more obscure "I Do" from The Marvelows and "Ain't Nothing But a House Party" from The Showstoppers.
The group's commercial fortunes improved in the early 1980s, first with the humorous "Love Stinks", then with their great success with the Freeze Frame album which included "Centerfold" (#1 for six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100) and then the title cut (#4). Wolf left the group in 1983 for a solo career not long after, over disagreements about whether to continue to take the band in more of a popular direction, or continue with the purist tradition.
The band went on to record one more album of new material, You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd, after Wolf left. He was not replaced, and Seth Justman took over most of the vocal duties. The album produced only one single - "Concealed Weapons", a song about breasts - and was not a success. The band toured in support of the album, but never again recorded anything new. The group then disbanded in 1985 after contributing the title song to the 1985 horror film Fright Night.
The group was not reunited with Wolf until 1999, and subsequently broke up again when ticket sales proved extremely disappointing. Wolf continues to tour with his own backup band, and the rest of the Geils band makes occasional appearances. Since the semi-retirement of the band, Geils has been restoring sports cars in Massachusetts.
On 22 May 2006, the six original members had a surprise reunion, the first time they had all played together in over 20 years, at bassist Danny Klein's 60th birthday party at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.
Since 2009 they are reunited once more.
The band disbanded in 2017 after the death of bandleader J. Geils.
Freeze–Frame
The J. Geils Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could see it was a rough-cut Tuesday
Slow-motion weekdays stare me down
Her lipstick reflex got me wound
There were no defects to be found
Snapshot image froze without a sound
Her face still focused in my mind
Test-strip, proof-sheet love is hard to find
Friday night we'll dance the spotlight grind
Stop-time heart for me if she's not mine
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Now I'm lookin' at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feelings just won't disappear
Close-up darkroom sweet-talk in my ear
Her hot-spot love for me is strong
This freeze-frame moment can't be wrong
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame, now freeze
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
Like a freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Freeze-frame
It's like the freeze, she's breeze
Freeze-frame
It's like the freeze, she's
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
Freeze-frame
The J. Geils Band's "Freeze-Frame" is a nostalgic song about reminiscing on a passionate but fleeting romance. The singer reflects on specific moments with his lover that are captured in his memory like freeze-frames. The lyrics suggest that while the relationship may be over, the emotions and memories associated with it continue to haunt him. The chorus, with its repetition of the phrase "freeze-frame," further emphasizes the idea of being stuck in time and unable to move on.
The first verse sets the scene for the song, describing a "rough-cut Tuesday" where the singer feels weighed down by the monotony of daily life. However, his attention is suddenly captured by the "lipstick reflex" of a woman who captivates him. The second verse describes how the woman is constantly on his mind, even when he has moved on to other days of the week. He imagines the "close-up darkroom sweet-talk" that they shared and wonders if their love was real or just a temporary "freeze-frame moment."
Overall, "Freeze-Frame" is a wistful song about the power of memories, particularly those associated with a passionate but fleeting love. It uses the concept of freeze-frame photography to emphasize the idea of being stuck in time, unable to fully let go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I could see it was a rough-cut Tuesday
I noticed that it was a difficult and unrefined Tuesday.
Slow-motion weekdays stare me down
Monotonous weekdays seem to last eternally.
Her lipstick reflex got me wound
Her quick response and charm captivated me.
There were no defects to be found
She had no flaws, nothing imperfect about her.
Snapshot image froze without a sound
The photo in my mind stayed still and silent.
Thursday morning was a hot flash-factor
Thursday morning was full of intense excitement.
Her face still focused in my mind
I couldn't forget her face, it was stuck in my head.
Test-strip, proof-sheet love is hard to find
Finding a genuine and lasting love is rare.
Friday night we'll dance the spotlight grind
We'll dance the night away under the spotlight.
Stop-time heart for me if she's not mine
If she doesn't belong to me, my heart will stop.
Now I'm lookin' at a flashback Sunday
I now recollect a past Sunday as if it just happened.
Zoom lens feelings just won't disappear
My intense emotions for her refuse to go away.
Close-up darkroom sweet-talk in my ear
Her whispers felt so close and personal, like in a darkroom.
Her hot-spot love for me is strong
Her passionate love for me is deep-rooted.
This freeze-frame moment can't be wrong
This moment of stillness and clarity is undoubtedly correct.
Like a freeze-frame (freeze-frame)
Just like on a freeze-frame photo.
It's like the freeze, she's breeze
She is easygoing and free-spirited like a breeze.
Freeze-frame
Fixed in time, like on a freeze-frame photo.
Freeze-frame
Frozen in the present, not moving forward or back.
Freeze-frame
A state of temporary suspension, not permanent change.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Peter Wolf, Seth Justman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jerryhaider1625
I watched this video for the first time, although I have heard the song many times. The song seems to view a woman being a centerfold as something negative. I don’t. Only pretty women get to be centerfolds.
I’ve never seen nor heard of an extra fat or an ugly woman who is selected to be a centerfold.
Being a centerfold is an honor similar to being selected to be Miss America, although there are more hoops to jump through to be Miss America than just looking pretty.
I think that his blood runs “cold” simply because it rhymed with other words : that he his memory has just been “told” that is angel was a center ”fold”.
Maybe his memory should have just been told that she’s still not too “old” to be a very pretty center ”fold”. ... and to be valued like a special coin of “gold”. etc.
“gold”. When my awareness had been told in a local news story that my angel would be a future centerfold, my blood certainly did not run cold.
The song has a catchy tune with rhyming words but it’s description of a fake event and a fake reaction are ridiculous.
When I heard that my angel would be a centerfold, I was pleasantly surprised. Not too many guys can say that they had a female playmate as a kid who later became the playmate of the month in July 1987!
@smokinjz
I could see it was a rough cut Tuesday
Slow motion weekdays stare me down
Her lipstick reflex got me wound
There were no defects to be found
Snap shot and it froze without a sound
Thursday morning was a hot flash factor
Her face still focused in my mind
Test strip proof sheet love is hard to find
Friday night we danced the spotlight grind
Stop time heart for me if she's not mine
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Now I'm looking at a flashback Sunday
Zoom lens feeling just won't disappear
Close up, dark room, sweet talk in my ear
Her hot spot love for me is strong
This freeze frame moment can't be wrong
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Can't be wrong
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, freeze frame
Freeze frame, I freeze, yeah
Freeze frame, oh yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
I freeze, you freeze
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame, yeah
I freeze, you freeze
Freeze frame, yeah
Freeze frame
@NevilleRollerDrome
J. Geils signed to play for $20,000 at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown before Freeze Frame hit big. The album hit and they kept their commitment to our small campus of 2,000 students. It was a great show and they played like there were 20,000 of us. A class act and a great band!
@rayjohnson2387
I saw the freeze frame tour at the convention center in Indianapolis...U2 was the opening band...I don't think there was more than 2,000 people there
@terrycarthy4433
@@rayjohnson2387 ; great memory ! I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan in Melbourne, Australia, in October '84...not many there. He didn't seem to care, God bless him.
@rayjohnson2387
@terrycarthy4433 yea ..and concerts didn't cost a fortune back then...saw the rock n roll marathon in 80...it was...Mother's Finest...Angel...Humble Pie and Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush....was $6.00 lol
@terrycarthy4433
@@rayjohnson2387 ; I saw James Brown in 1996 for $36 ! Was in seriously good form, the joint was just movin'.
@sabrinasetzler689
❤❤❤
@PureJoyful
Who's still here 2024? Another great classic 💯
@camzinke5028
Me
@oscarl.ramirez7355
word.
@rhalld
one of my favorite bands from the 80's still listening in 2024