It Was Easy Getting On Each Other's Nerves

Your musical instrument practice options in Yorkville were limited. The apartments were small, and if you did play, you heard everything through the air shaft. If you went on the fire escape and played poorly, or too loud, people would throw things at you right after the cats and dogs joined in.

.

Billy Shuck brought his guitar down the park and his playing bothered the older guys so they threw his guitar on top of the Checker Pavilion. Frankie Bizz got thrown off the 86th Street crosstown bus for playing Oh Susanna, on his harmonica. And he was good!

.

My friend, Eddie Ekis, always an innovator, barricaded himself inside his 506 East 82nd Street bathroom with his drum kit and stayed there till he nailed, Little Bit O' Soul, by the Music Explosion. Lucky for us, the guy who lived over the Ekis apartment was a Nazi spy and took this one and only photo of Ekis in mid practice through a peep hole he drilled through his floor.

.

.

Little Bit O' Soul

Now when you're feelin' low and the fish won't bite,

You need a little bit o' soul to put you right.

You gotta make like you wanna kneel and pray,

And then a little bit of soul will come your way.

Now when your girl is gone and you're broke in two,

You need a little bit o' soul to see you through.

And when you raise the roof with your rock'n'roll,

You'll get a lot more kicks with a little bit o' soul.

And when your party falls 'cause ain't nobody groovin',

A little bit of soul and it really starts movin', yeah.

And when you're in a mess and you feel like cryin',

Just remember this little song of mine.

And as you go through life tryin' to reach your goal,

Just remember what I said about a little bit o' soul .

.

.