Inside Stuff Between Husbands And Wives

“Mention that at the station,” she said, “and no one will know what you’re talking about.”

Sobering. No one wants to be the obviously old guy.

Helaine and I have been together a long time. More on that next week. Like most couples… God, I hope most couples… we have little inside things only the two of us understand. Here’s an example.

Anytime Helaine mentions Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee I slap my hand down like the opening drum hit and hum my way though Cliff Nobles’ “The Horse.” It was an instrumental that made it to number two in 1968. I played that song hundreds of times on-the-air.

Cliff Lee. Cliff Nobles. OK, it’s a stretch but it works for us me and she nicely plays along puts up with it.

Tonight we were on the phone when Lee’s name came up. He had shut down the Yankees in a masterfully pitched game.

I did my “Horse” hum.

Helaine groaned.

“Mention that at the station,” she said, “and no one will know what you’re talking about.”

Sobering. No one wants to be the obviously old guy.

As I sat and pondered Helaine was busy looking up Cliff Nobles. He was a cipher. Other than his name I knew nothing about him… and as it turns out I wasn’t too good with even that! Until she did the research I thought his name was Noble with no “s.”

Then Helaine read from Wikpedia.

“Their second release for the record label was the single “Love Is All Right” b/w “The Horse”, which featured the horn section from what would later be known as MFSB. “The Horse” was simply an instrumental version of the A-side, and Nobles, who was the lead singer, does not actually play on the track at all.”

Excuse me?

“Nobles, who was the lead singer, does not actually play on the track at all.’

Yeah, that’s what I thought it said the first time.

Forty plus years after the fact and I’m just hearing Cliff Nobles is a no show on his biggest only hit! Who does he think he is, Gary Lewis&#185?

This is just too weird. I can’t wait for Cliff Lee to pitch again.

&#185 – In spite of putting Gary Lewis down for possibly not being in the room while his songs were being produced I love the music attributed to him. Honest.

7 thoughts on “Inside Stuff Between Husbands And Wives”

  1. This is so funny. My 87 year old mother HATES that song. She will hear it somewhere and say, “It’s that HORSE song.” I HATE that… Her mind is sharp. She remembers music from my high school days! I forget what I ate for breakfast!

  2. Love me some horse,,,,,, of course I remember it, like the back row at Jimmies(of Savin Rock) You hated it but…..whateva, it was the day/!!!!!

  3. Who played on and co-wrote many of GL & the Playboys’ hits? Hint: he will be on SNL tonight. And it’s not Elton.
    Are you serious about GL being AWOL on his own records? Then who emitted that double-tracked nasally voice?

  4. I had forgotten all about this piece of music. Curiosity got the best of me. Thanks Geoff for bringing it back!

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