"Check Yourself Out" was the second original song I wrote myself that I recorded on 24 track tape with Chris Pati when we were in the group "Modern Voices". It was never completed but it sure sounded cool. The hook derives from one of the first Akai songs I ever recorded; aptly titled "Check Yourself Out". Ultimately, that song was split into two. The hook of which I used for this version and the verse was later used for "Call Me In The Morning" which resides on the collection "It Wuz & Still Iz Late Octobra". The verse on "Check Yourself Out" was used a few years later for the song "Life Here, Is A Holiday". Funny the way one song can inspire many variations. Anyway, this is just a warm up of things to come and I like the way it sort edits in to those wacky phone messages.
At one point, Chris Pati, Nick DiMauro and I lived at Modern Voices Recording Studios that was in a Summer house the famed composer Rachmaninoff used to stay in. It cost about $3000.00 a month to live there and that was a lot to come up with considering we were all broke and clients were far and few. Fortunately, we had made a deal with a kid who's grandfather had left him some cash (Nick and I produced one of his high school friends, Mike Crum). We convinced him to give us some money to promote and upgrade the studio. After a lot of rigamarole he wrote a check out to Chris for $25,000.00. Chris quickly deposited the check and started paying off some of the debt he acquired getting us in to this house. A few nights later Nick and I thought it would be funny to make up these credit card collector messages on the phone saying that the check had bounced. We were bored, had no car and in general feeling pretty lousy. Chris who had a car, was out somewhere and we were stuck in this house many miles from civilization. We needed something to do. We didn't think much of it but when Chris returned home and heard the messages he was really upset and angry. Nick and I laughed our asses off. Of course we apologized. But our actions definitely put a wedge between us and Chris. Not to let a good joke die, we played this prank again about a year later. That one turned out to be slightly more disastrous. Without going into too much detail, Chris had sold a guitar amp to a client of ours. Melvin was his name. Well, one night when Chris was away Nick imitated Melvin on the answering machine saying that he was gonna sue Chris because the amp went on fire when he plugged it in and it burned down his house and he was cursing and stuff. It was pretty convincing sounding. Of course, Nick DiMauro is a master impersonator. Well, Chris comes home around three in the morning kind of drunk and activates the answering machine. Now Nick and I were in our respective rooms kind of asleep but we heard Chris listening to the message. Funny right? It was quiet for a second. Then the next thing we hear is Chris pushing the buttons on the phone. WTF? Chris calls up Melvin, wakes him up out of a sound sleep and starts screaming at him. " How dare you say such things to me", I hear Chris yell! At which point Nick flies into the room telling Chris, "It was a joke! It was a joke!" Man, that was really embarrassing. Suffice to say Nick and I had to leave the studio shortly there after. Tensions were way too high.
lyrics
CHECK YOURSELF OUT / YOUR CHECK HAS BOUNCED
Back in the gray years
Back in the salad days
There were many mistakes dear
I was naïve and lead astray
Well now I am new-age
Yeah now I am hip to know
What is a lie dear and what is the truth that will let me go
Check yourself out
Don't let anyone abuse you
Check yourself out
If the motives are greed
Check yourself out
If your lookin' for answers
Check yourself out
You'll find all that you need
Check yourself out
There's a new set of chances
Check yourself out
And the world will be yours tonight!
Jackie : Ah Ha, Ha, Hawwwwwwwwww!
The Priest : Check out these amoebas Phillup!
Jackie : Cheesburger?
But you got to believe it children...
The Priest : Heh - heh- That's right!
Back in the gray years
Jackie : Ah Ha, Ha, Hawwwwwwwwww!
Back in the salad days
There were many, many mistakes dear
Jackie : Cheesburger?
I was so naïve and lead astray
Jackie : Cheesburger? Ah Ha, Ha, Hawwwwwwwwww!
The Priest : That's right!
Jackie : Cheesburger? Cheesburger?
Jackie : Ah Ha, Ha, Hawwwwwwwwww!
The Priest : And every time I wonder what Phillup's doing with the children
I get really angry because he usually wastes them on stupid little things
like moving things up into the attic when there is no attic at all.
I told you once.
Hey Miss Breslin just let me check it out. The expiration date is all I need.
Yeah, just, just gimmie that Mastercard or whatever ya got there.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
I told you once.
Telephone answering machine messages :
Mr. Roy from Mastercard. Your check has bounced Mr. Geedah.
This is the last time.
This is Richard Shaefer calling from G.E. Capital for Mr. Geedahsto.
Ah, we received a check from you just a couple of days ago ah,
which we were glad to see but it has ah, been returned to us with insu…
for ah, non payment Mr. Geedah. Please call us to explain. Thank you.
This is Peter Escavante calling from American General ah, for ah, Geedah Mustpha.
Ah, we received a check ah, from you which has bounced. Ah, please call us immediately at 1-800 - 209-353. Please call us right away. This is of serious concern Mr. Geedah.
$639,000 dollars and you're still alive.
credits
from Late Octobra,
released October 23, 2014
JT : Vocals, Dialog, Keyboard
ND : Dialog
Chris Pati : Simmons Drums, Guitar, Keyboard
Check Yourself Out : Recorded at Backdoor Studios, Huntington Station, NY
Overdubs : Sonic Underground Studios, Stony Brook, NY
Your Check Has Bounced : Recorded at Modern Voices Studios, Centerport, NY
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