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.
No Anchovies Please
The J. Geils Band Lyrics
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While waiting for her husband Don
To return home from work, she reaches for a can of anchovies
As she spreads the tiny fish across a piece of lettuce
She notices a small note at the bottom of the can
Written on it is a telephone number
Placing the phone back on the hook, she turns
To see three smartly dressed men standing in her kitchen doorway
Before she realizes what is happening to her
She is rolled tightly in long sheets of cellophane
Transported to an international airport and placed on a waiting jet-liner
All this being too much for her to comprehend, she passes out
Upon awakening, she finds herself in a strange, foreign speaking nation
'Dalas nekcihc dna tihs nekcihc neewteb
Ecnereffid eht wonk ot suineg a ekat t'nseod ti'
Alone, fearing her escape impossible
She seeks comfort in the arms of a confidential agent
With the trace of her kiss still warm upon his lips
He betrays her to the hands of three scientists
Who are engaged in diabolical, avant-garde experiments previously
Performed only on insects and other small, meaningless creatures
Using her as their subject, they are delighted with the results
For the first time, a human being is transformed into a, shh, top secret
Meanwhile, back in Portland, Maine
Her husband Don, now chain-smoking 40 packs of cigarettes a day
Sits at a local bar and has a few beers with the regulars
Bored, everyone's attention turns to the television set
That just hangs from the wall, welcome to bowling for dollars
Suddenly, crazy Al says
"S-say, Don, there sure is something familiar about that bowling ball"
To which the terrified Don replies
"Oh my God! That bowling ball, it's my wife!"
And the lesson we learn from this story is
Next time you place your order
don't forget to say, "No anchovies please"
The lyrics of "No Anchovies Please" by the J. Geils Band tell a very peculiar and bizarre story of a young couple living in Portland, Maine. The story begins with the wife waiting for her husband to come home from work. While waiting, she reaches out for a can of anchovies to spread across a piece of lettuce. However, while doing so, she discovers a small note at the bottom of the can with a telephone number on it. Curiosity takes over her, and she dials the number. To her surprise, she is instructed not to move, and within moments, three gentlemen barge into her kitchen and roll her up in cellophane sheets. They then transport her to an international airport, place her on a waiting jet-liner, and she passes out from the overwhelming experience.
The story takes an interesting turn when she comes to and finds herself in a foreign-speaking country with no means of escaping. In despair, she betrays herself to a confidential agent to find comfort only to be handed over to three diabolical scientists. These scientists engage her in avant-garde experiments reserved for insects and insignificant creatures. They are overjoyed with the results, as for the first time, they have succeeded in transforming a human being into a top-secret subject.
The J. Geils Band's "No Anchovies Please" tells a fascinating story of a woman who receives more than what she bargains for while buying a can of anchovies. The story is unique, bizarre, and humorous, and it teaches you not to overlook the simple things while placing an order.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of a young couple in Portland, Maine
Let me tell you a tale about a couple from Portland, Maine.
While waiting for her husband Don
As she awaited her husband Don's return
To return home from work, she reaches for a can of anchovies
She grabs a can of anchovies while she waits.
As she spreads the tiny fish across a piece of lettuce
She lays the small fish on her salad.
She notices a small note at the bottom of the can
There's a little message at the bottom of the anchovy can.
Written on it is a telephone number
The message is a phone number.
Curious, she dials, and is told, "Don't move, lady, we'll be right over"
She calls the number and is told to stay put.
Placing the phone back on the hook, she turns
She hangs up and turns around.
To see three smartly dressed men standing in her kitchen doorway
Three well-dressed men are in her kitchen.
Before she realizes what is happening to her
Before she knows it
She is rolled tightly in long sheets of cellophane
She is wrapped in clear plastic from head to toe.
Transported to an international airport and placed on a waiting jet-liner
They take her to an airport and put her on a plane.
All this being too much for her to comprehend, she passes out
Overwhelmed, she faints.
Upon awakening, she finds herself in a strange, foreign speaking nation
She wakes up in an unfamiliar place where they speak a different language.
'Dalas nekcihc dna tihs nekcihc neewteb
She hears people talking backwards.
Ecnereffid eht wonk ot suineg a ekat t'nseod ti'
She can't understand anything and feels trapped.
Alone, fearing her escape impossible
Alone and unable to escape
She seeks comfort in the arms of a confidential agent
She finds comfort with a secret agent.
With the trace of her kiss still warm upon his lips
After she kisses him goodbye
He betrays her to the hands of three scientists
The agent hands her over to three scientists.
Who are engaged in diabolical, avant-garde experiments previously
These scientists are up to no good experimenting on people.
Performed only on insects and other small, meaningless creatures
Experimentations typically only performed on small animals.
Using her as their subject, they are delighted with the results
They experiment on her with great success.
For the first time, a human being is transformed into a, shh, top secret
Her transformation was unprecedented and top-secret.
Meanwhile, back in Portland, Maine
And what's happening back in Portland?
Her husband Don, now chain-smoking 40 packs of cigarettes a day
Her husband is at the bar, smoking a lot of cigarettes.
Sits at a local bar and has a few beers with the regulars
He's drinking beers with his buddies.
Bored, everyone's attention turns to the television set
They're all bored and turn to the television.
That just hangs from the wall, welcome to bowling for dollars
They're watching a show about bowling.
Suddenly, crazy Al says
Out of nowhere, Crazy Al speaks up.
"S-say, Don, there sure is something familiar about that bowling ball"
Crazy Al notices something strange about the bowling ball.
To which the terrified Don replies
Don is horrified and responds.
"Oh my God! That bowling ball, it's my wife!"
He realizes that the ball is his wife.
And the lesson we learn from this story is
The moral of the story is
Next time you place your order
When you're ordering food
don't forget to say, "No anchovies please"
Remember to ask for no anchovies.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SETH JUSTMAN, PETER WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind