by Ricky Garni
Jerry Leiber had what we like to call a “champion attitude.” Although I prefer to say “champeen” because that sounds so much more like the sort of thing that you would hear from a sportscaster in the thirties in the middle of the Depression. But that was then, and this is now. Now is 1950, and Jerry Leiber loves those beautiful butter-colored shoes in the window so much, so, so much, that he trades his car for them. “I do love them, they look delicious!” Jerry said. And the shoe salesman thought, “What gives?” but finally said, “Well, it’s your funeral” and Jerry Leiber said: “Thanks, man.” Jerry Leiber also said: “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog” and then wrote “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog” on the back of a paper bag, the kind that you would find in your car. “Crying all the time.” Or, if you prefer walking, the kind of paper bag that you would hold while walking towards a picnic. “You can wag your tail,” Jerry said, “but Lord I ain’t gonna feed you no more.” And Jerry kept walking. What a beautiful day! I feel lighter than air with these new shoes on my old feet.