From the recording Eight Ball
One hot summer morning in Chicago I was awakened by my clock radio which was permanently set to WBEZ (NPR.) The first thing I heard was an announcer's voice identifying the title of the previous song--"Eight Ball in the Corner Pocket."
"Ooh!" I thought. "What a great title for a song!" I deliberately avoided listening to the original so as to leave all my creative options open. Lucky for me, it is not possible to copyright song titles.
I began to imagine a smokey Chicago pool hall in a questionable part of town and what kinds of dramas could be enacted there. Characters emerged. Romance evolved. A challenge was issued....and the rest of the song followed.
I still haven't listened to the OTHER song by that title.
Lyrics
EIGHT BALL
Copyright 2013 Dana Clark
Saturday night downtown pool hall. Jimmy's lining up a shot
Saturday night, racking eight ball. Hustle you for all you got
Squinting through the smoke of his cigar, his fedora tilted low
Jimmy's looking out for an easy mark. One that's got a lotta dough
One that's got a lotta dough
He'll put the eight ball in the corner pocket
Hey boys won't you look at this
Eight ball in the corner pocket
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Ooo—I betcha he won't miss
Lucy's got the hots for Jimmy, and she don't care who knows it
Lucy calls the shots for Jimmy and she giggles when he blows it
Standing by the juke box with a dime, checking out the rhythm and blues
Jimmy's kinda giving her the eye while he's chalking up his cue
He's chalking up his cue
He'll put the eight ball in the corner pocket
Hey boys won't you look at this
Eight ball in the corner pocket
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Oh, that boy just can't resist
Stranger strutted in one night, like he thought he was cool
The game he played was outa sight. He made Jimmy look like a fool
But when Lucy tried to catch his eye, he choked up on the eight
Jimmy got hot in the nick of time. You know he didn't hesitate
He put the eight ball in the corner pocket
Hey boys won't you look at this
Eight ball in the corner pocket
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Five'll get you ten that he won't miss
Ooo, Lucy's giving him a kiss
Eight ball in the corner pocket
Wo, wo, wo, wo
He won't miss and
He can't resist and
Lucy's giving him a kiss
Instruments recorded by Tommy Detamore at Cherry Ridge Studio, Floresville, TX.
Dana Clark: piano. Kevin Lewis: Bass & guitar. Michael Madison: Drums.
Vocals recorded at Dana Clark Studio
Mixed and mastered by Brant Sankey