Oh no, there's one of those obnoxious memory bubbles floating over my head. Ahhh!
The time: 1992
The place: The stage of the Atlantic Connection on Martha's Vineyard.
(Pan in) The fog from the fog machine clears to reveal our band "The Diarrhea Roses" on the stage. "The Battle of the Shirleys" is about to take place.
Back stage all the Shirleys are warming up with a cacophony of "Ba da das". The competition is fierce.
On our cue we all pile onto the stage in our velvet pantsuits, ruffles, and blonde wigs and tamborines. Our song, a twisted version of the Partridge Family's "You are always on my mind" begins. The lyrics have been changed to accommodate the true story in which Shirley Jones's husband Marty has a heart attack after tying Shirley to the bed, making it impossible for her to get to the phone. The Shirleys let loose a string of "ba da das" between choruses of "Shirley, your tied up to the bed, if you don't dial 911 pretty soon, old Marty will be dead". I spot Michael LaBonte and know I don't stand a chance.
I give it all I've got but this boy is good. He's studied all her mannerisms and has her 'Ba Da Das" down to perfection! That particular shake of his head as he lets loose a stream of ferocious twills has everybody beat.
The Golden Tambourine Award shall forever belong to Michael LaBonte. Amen.
Michael Labonte, the winner of "The Battle of the Shirleys".
Here's the source of our inspiration...
2 comments:
You really have the trivia! I never knew that tied up story, did he actually die there while she was tied up? That's really twisted. Is this how Marty died? Where do you dig up old photos of Michael? Diarrhea Roses came to Bisbee around 1993, I am remembering?
I think that is right. I'm also thinking that may have been our last show, but I'm not sure about that.
Post a Comment