The Hold Steady "Hurricane J"

I wasn't crazy about my name, "PJ," when I was a kid.

For one thing, people would always get it wrong. BJ, AJ, etc.

They'd always try to guess what it stood for. "Picklebarrel Juicebar?" No.

And if I went to Disneyworld, there was never a bike license plate with "PJ" on it. Sure, my sisters Julie and Amy could easily find personalized Mickey Mouse ears or a pencil set bearing there name. But no such luck for PJ.

The Romper Room lady would always call out to my friends like Brian and Elizabeth and David and Christine, and every day I'd watch her look through that magic mirror and wait in vain for her to call my name.

And never, ever, in my forty-plus years, have I heard a song about PJ.

There are songs for Alison and Barbara and George and Jane, but never for PJ.

At least, as a DJ, I can pass on the love, when a song comes around with your name in it.

So to the several Jessie's I know (and I'll count you, Jess Phaneuf), here's a song with your name in it from The Hold Steady. Enjoy!



Buy the album, here

Songs featuring the names of people mentioned in this post:




And no, she still hasn't said my name