Was in a Righteous Brothers cover duo as You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ hit #1.
b’day 2/18/47
Spent my 18th birthday
at Newport KY’s Flamingo Club
playin’ blue-eye’d soul
into the early mornin’
final set over at 4:00 am
we smuggled single malt
into the all night grill
for the crusty sunrise special
bliss’d out from giggin’
bleary-eyed and blasted
we’re mixin’ with fellow players
from other early AM clubs
among willing groupies
and loud hangers on
all sittin’ and chattin’
a family of the night
steel-heart working girls
soul-bruised painted strippers
burnt drink slingers
and tired cocktail mules
hipsters grifters drifters
and slick gamblers
from behind the sealed doors
of those private upstairs rooms
swell perfumed boys
and sisters of the leather
queens and trannies
pimps pushers and the cops
we’re huddled and hidin’
from those cruel first rays
ready to scurry off
to our well-curtained rooms
it’s time to score
whatever gets us through
‘till sundown next
strikes up the band again
but right now the jukebox
volume up to the ceilin’
is blastin’ out the #1
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
many noddin’ — YES
*
rob kistner © 2021
Poetry at: dVerse