Rockville Rocket

As someone who’s lived and/or worked in Connecticut for eight years now (and someone who lived and worked for a stretch in the Garden State), I’ve always felt that the CT was basically Jersey without the stigma. Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford can compete with Patterson, Trenton and Newark any time. Bring it on. But, along with the stigma, CT is missing out on a whole lot more – namely, the likes of the Misfits, Bon Jovi and the Boss. Few states have such an empty slate in terms of pop and rock history (spare me the notes about the Wildweeds, or how John Mayer is from Fairfield). The Nutmeg State has only one inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he died this week. Gene Pitney was the Rockville Rocket. I’ve seen some pretty painful recent concert footage of Pitney on PBS fund-drives.

This track is from “Just For You,” Pitney’s third album, on the of which he stands a few steps up on a ladder. He’s got the collar of his pink shirt coming over the neck of his red sweater and he’s draping his checked jacket over his shoulder. They don’t make covers like this anymore. What’s he doing up there anyway?

The tune is called “Mecca.” I wish that Edward Said were alive. He’d have something to say about it.



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