Before I can write about the song Electric Avenue, a promise I’d made. Last year, I wrote: “Some time, I need to tell the story of when I saw Eddy Grant in concert.” Then I forgot.
Recently, I saw a photo of my old pal “Mary” on someone else’s Facebook page. Mary and I were casual friends, and we were going to see Eddy Grant performing at the University at Albany. I went to her house, and she and/or others were going to drive to the campus.
I came right from work, if I’m remembering correctly, and I was really hungry, and I ate a brownie she had out, and took another to go. We get to the locale, which didn’t have chairs, but had an open space for dancing. I ate the second brownie.
I’m grooving on the music, when suddenly, I’m in need of leaning against a wall. I am feeling unwell, maybe. Then even standing became too difficult, and my back slid down the wall, and I sat in a corner, I think, I don’t know.
And I really don’t remember much else, such as how I got home.
Sometime that week, I called Mary. She was SURE she had told me there was hashish in those brownies. Maybe there was a general announcement, but I never heard it.
Every time I hear that intro, I have, if not a flashback, an odd physical recollection. Electric Avenue got to #2 in both the UK and US, for five weeks in the States. It appears on the Killer on the Rampage album, and I heard that track on the radio. I have Electric Avenue on a reggae compilation album with Living on the Frontline.
Listen to:
Electric Avenue HERE or HERE
Killer on the Rampage HERE or HERE
Living on the Frontline HERE (short version) HERE (long version)
“Marijuana the Assassin of Youth!
You can believe it, you know it’s the truth!
Marijuana the Assassin of Youth!
Dah-dah-dah-Dah!”
(Lyrics courtesy of Roger Owen Green)
Roger, You old Hippie! A haven’t read about loaded brownies in years!
Then in the middle 80s, larger Montgomery Ward stores relabeled their electronics/appliances sections as “ELECTRIC AVE.” I hope Eddy Grant got paid.
A certain local electrical contractor (which I would NOT recommend anybody use) uses this song as their holding music when you call them on the phone.