A true Che Underground supergroup — comprising David Fleminger (guitar, vocals); Kristin Martin (bass guitar, vocals); Paul Kaufman (guitar, vocals); and Ed Meares (drums) — Lemons Are Yellow first formed in high school, then regrouped in the San Francisco Bay area in the early oughts to create an amazing CD titled “Destroy All Music.”
“Thousand Island” off that 2006 album is a rip-snortin’ salute to El Cajon Blvd. Denny’s of early-’80s San Diego legend and to the waiter there who was rumored to provide patrons who requested “coffee with” a little something extra on the side. How’d you like your coffee with?
(N.b.: Che Underground: The Blog does not condone the use of illicit substances, except to propel a good lyric. The views expressed in “Thousand Island” are humorous and reflect neither Che Underground’s zero-tolerance house policy nor any verified menu practices employed by the Denny’s restaurant chain past or present. Please keep your comments theoretical.)
I heard you could also order a cup of tea with a dimebag of tea on the side, pcp with any order of fried or scrambled eggs, and that there are even a few waiters who’ll provide extra bacon with your BLT…provided the customer is male.
thats so funny…I swear I hadnt heard the song yet when I post that! Im just listening to it now.
This song is cool! Sorry for being unoriginal with my joke…
Matthew, could you post the link to that site that had the Lemons Are Yellow cd for download? I was listening when you gave me the link a while back. The album is great…I liked the “Kiss” song best.
I really like the idea of that site too… it makes me want to record some music and offer it for sale.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/lay
I love this album.
…er, CD
We’re also available at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009RYFTG/102-9393751-9468108
and at the iTunes store.
“Wall-walking pies” is another quintessential coffee-shop reference … It describes the pies in those mirrored display cases that (in the right circumstances) looked like they were crawling up the wall. (I believe Topsy’s was actually the original home of the wall-walking pies.)
Yes! Topsy’s had the wall walking pies, served by the lovely Rose E. Rose. And also the famous knockwurst reuben.
… The knockwurst Reuben, much-favored by our Dave Rinck.
Thanks, Paul Allen. Glad you liked the album. I probably haven’t seen you since the (first?) Morlocks show at your house (back when “Voices Green and Purple” was on the set list), so…cheers!
I just listened to it again. Wonderful. I used to hang out at gay Denny’s as well and I vaguely remember that waiter (the one with the pockmarked face Ray refers to somewhere?) but I sure don’t remember people ordering “coffee with”.
I heard it second hand so that it must be close to true.
Hi Andy,
I haven’t heard from you since the Peace Nazi era. I was starting to think I just didn’t get the joke on the “coffee with”.
Paul, great songs. I don’t remember meeting you at my party, I remember running around being a social butterfly and making sure my parents house didn’t get trashed.