The J. Geils Band was an American music group from Worcester, Massachusetts… Read Full Bio ↴The J. Geils Band was an American music group from Worcester, Massachusetts, USA that had a successful blues-rock/R&B-influenced sound in the 1970s, before moving towards a more pop-influenced sound in the 1980s, which brought them MTV airplay and their 1982 international hit single "Centerfold".

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.

The Usual Place
The J. Geils Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Please be there on time
Please be there on time
Darlin' don't be late for darlin' I can't wait
Please be there on time the usual place

I can't go through another night
Been so long since I held you tight
Darlin' don't disappoint me, keep me out of misery

Please be there on time the usual place

You're the sugar
You're the sugar in my coffee, baby
You're the salt
The salt in my bread, oh yes, you are baby

And if I don't
I don't get to see ya soon, baby, oh yeah
I think I'll go out of my head
Please, please, please, please

Please, be there on time
Please, be there on time
Darlin', please don't be late

Don't let nothin' stand in your way
Please be there on time at the usual place

Overall Meaning

The J. Geils Band's song The Usual Place is a plea to a lover to meet in the designated location on time. The singer is anxious and is pleading with his lover to show up on time for their date, "Please be there on time/Darlin' don't be late for darlin' I can't wait/Please be there on time the usual place." The songwriter uses repetition to emphasize the importance of being on time, and the urgency of the situation. The singer's unease comes through as he adds, "I can't go through another night/Been so long since I held you tight/Darlin' don't disappoint me, keep me out of misery."

The lyrics also highlight the importance of the relationship to the singer. The chorus mentions the importance of the lover's presence in his life. The singer describes the lover as "the sugar in my coffee, baby/The salt in my bread, oh yes, you are baby." These lines equate the lover with things that are essential to him, making the song's focus on his anxiety all the more palpable.

Line by Line Meaning

Please be there on time
I need you to arrive promptly

Please be there on time
It is crucial that you are punctual

Darlin' don't be late for darlin' I can't wait
My love, I am eager to see you and cannot bear any delays

Please be there on time the usual place
I expect you to meet me where we usually do, as planned

I can't go through another night
I am unable to endure another night without you

Been so long since I held you tight
It has been too long since we were last together and embraced

Darlin' don't disappoint me, keep me out of misery
I implore you not to let me down or cause me any further pain

You're the sugar
You bring sweetness and joy to my life

You're the sugar in my coffee, baby
You enhance my life like sugar sweetens coffee

You're the salt
You add flavor and depth to my life

The salt in my bread, oh yes, you are baby
You complement and complete me, like salt completes bread