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Countdown with the Iceman
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In our first issue in 1992 Barbara Holt wrote as essay about her favorite singer, Jerry "The Iceman" Butler. Four years later, on an appropriately icy winter afternoon, she had the honor of having Jerry appear as the first guest on her radio show. The show, "City Countdown," was an innovative program where elected officials brought in their Top 10 favorite records, and chatted between tunes. So here, for the first time in print, is a transcript of that show, wherein you'll not only learn about the Iceman's government job, but also get some insight into his listening habits. Without further ado, here's "City Countdown, as broadcast on WHPK FM, February 1, 1996:
Barbara Holt: Good afternoon, I'm Barbara Holt, and welcome to the premiere edition of City Countdown, the show where you get to know your elected officials better through their favorite music. When we think of music and politics, quite naturally we think of my very special guest today, Cook County Commissioner Jerry "Iceman" Butler, welcome Jerry
Jerry Butler: Thank you, how are you?
BH: I'm doing great, I appreciate the fact that you could be here. Jerry, how long have you been in politics?
JB: Actually I'm about halfway through my 9th year as County Commissioner. I was elected in 1986, during Harold Washington's tenure as Mayor of this city, and I've enjoyed it thus far. It's been a great learning experience, I wonder why more people from our profession have not gotten into it.
BH: How long have you been in your profession, in music?
JB: 37 years, starting in 1958 with the Impressions and Curtis Mayfield, and I'm surprised that I'm still doing it (laughs)
BH: We're happy that you are. We've got 10 songs here that you say aren't necessarily ranked...
JB: You want to do it from bottom to top?
BH: From #10 to #1. So starting with #10, I want you to set it up for us.
JB: Alright, this is by Eumir Deodato, who is a very fine pianist, he's doing "Space Odyssey 2001," which is actually "Also Sprach Zarathustra," which is the Zoroastrian word for God, and it was originally done by Strauss, as a matter of fact it's one of his works. And what Deodato has done, he's taken the Jazz rhythms and his pianissimos and placed them within the contexts of this grand orchestral sound. I think if you've not heard it before you're in for a treat, and if you haven't heard it in a long time, hear it comes...
BH: You've just heard Cook County Commissioner Jerry Butler's #10 song. Your number 9, Jerry?
JB: This is from the master of Funk, and as a matter of fact, when most of the folks talk about funk, if they don't mention his name, then they don't really know what it's all about. This was probably more Jazz, in terms of its concept and how it was structured then, I think, anything else that James Brown has done. This is James Brown's version of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag!"
BH: Alright that was the Godfather of Soul James Brown, one of our guest's favorite picks, and our guest is, of course, The Iceman of Soul, Jerry Butler.
JB: Well thank you so much
BH: Tell us a little about or next selection, Jerry
JB: This is the Sound of Philadelphia, created by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, through a group known as the O'Jays. The song is called, "For The Love of Money," and the interesting thing about this is that the bassline was not written. After they had finished making the take, the bass player was just kind of fiddling around, minding his own business, enjoying the groove that had been created, and it was so exciting that they went back and cut the whole song over again, so they could capture the bassline.
BH: Wow. Well here's everybody's favorite, "For The Love Of Money"
BH: For your #7 song we have The Spinners classic, "Love Don't Love Nobody."
JB: Philipe Wynne with the Spinners, who I think was just a marvelous singer, I don't think he's ever sang anything as well as "Love Don't Love Nobody."
BH: Jerry, you were saying that this next song, "Call Me," was written as the result of an experience Aretha had in New York...
JB: She said she was leaving New York and she saw these people standing in front of the hotel getting into a cab. The woman evidently was not going on the trip, and her husband was leaving, we assume it was her husband (laughs). But anyway she says, (in falsetto) "Call, me, I love you!" And out of that scene came this particular song, and I think it is just...I'm an Aretha fan, but this one just leaves me...
BH: Let's take a listen...
BH: Tell us about this next pick
JB: This is kind of a setup. Actually this guy is probably the most Country of all Country kind of people, big ol' Country boy from Macon, GA. He and I happened to be a doing a show up in Buffalo, NY, and after the show we went to his room, talking about songs we'd never completed, and I gave him this song, called, "I've Been Loving You To Long To Stop Now." And he called me two, three weeks later, and said, "It's a smash!" I said "What do you mean it's a smash?" He said, "I'm telling you it's a smash!" I said, "I haven't even heard it, I want to hear it." And sure enough, a friend of mine from Atlanta called me and said, "Have you heard the new Otis Redding record?" And I said, "No I haven't heard it...but I wrote it!" (laughs)
BH: Otis Redding "I've Been Loving You To Long," written by Jerry Butler...
JB: And Otis Redding...
BH: Jerry, why don't you tell our listeners, in a few words...
JB: ...25 words or less...
BH:...what is a Cook County Commissioner?
JB: The Cook County Board of Commissioners is composed of 17 Commissioners who are now elected from 17 separate districts in Cook County, who oversee the governments and the budgets of all of the other elected county officials, i.e. the State's Attorney, the Sheriff, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Treasurer, the County Assessor, etc etc etc. We are a quasi-legislative body, in the sense that we set laws and policies, as long as they're not in conflict with state law or federal law. Because of Cook County's unique position as a home rule government , and the second largest County in the United States comprised of about 5.2 million people, we operate the largest on site jail of its type in the whole world. Cook County Hospital, Provident Hospital, Oak Forest Hospital, and Cermak, which is an infirmary located at Cook County Jail, also fall under our responsibility. We are also the custodians of 67,000 acres of Forest preserve land. And Forest Reserve is a separate governmental body from the County of Cook, but the same 17 commissioners serve as commissioners of the forest reserve.
BH: That's a lot of responsibility, I'm glad you're there for us citizens of Cook County.
JB: Some days I'm glad I'm there, then there's some days that I say (weeping) "What's love got to do with this?" (laughs)
BH: Jerry, do you have anything else you want to say about your role as an elected official?
JB: It's been a wonderful education and I hope that people will become more involved, not just with County government, but with all forms of government. I was talking with a lady today who was upset about something someone had said to her at Provident Hospital, and I said, "It's your hospital, you're the taxpayers. If you got upset, you should have written a letter to the County Commissioners, or written a letter to the director of the hospital, as opposed to saying, 'I'm never going to call there again.' " Unless people complain and make their voices heard, then people who are hired by us for them will wind up not treating them with the respect that they deserve
BH: That's right, and we all have a voice, and we can make it heard. Now our next artist...
JB: Artisssste With long S's! She has a perfect song for today. This is Betty "Be Bop" Carter, and for those folks who've never seen her perform live with a little small group, I recommend that the next time you hear she's coming your way you go and do that. Here she is singing with Brother Ray. This was recorded just about the time the world was finding out that Ray Charles was more than just a Blues singer, that in fact he was a genius, and this is, "Baby It's Cold Outside"
JB: It's cold outside.(laughs) No degrees, just cold outside!
BH: Trust the Iceman, it's cold outside, and we've got number two and number one to countdown
JB: As a bid you adieu, and return to the cold outside, let me tell you that it has been a real pleasure to be your first guest
BH: Believe me it has been my pleasure and I deeply appreciate it.
JB: Thank you. Prince is about to get married, so this time, young brother, this is absolutely correct, you better party like it's 1999, 'cause it's over after that! And then I will leave you with my signature song, and since I'm modest I won't even tell you what it is
BH: Well I've got something to set it up. Thank you, Jerry!
BH: That was our guest, Cook County Commissioner Jerry Butler's #2 favorite song, and Jerry's number one favorite is also mine, and I'm sure that of many, many of our listeners. In 1979 I wrote about going to see Jerry and other performers at the original Regal Theater. I just want to share some of my thoughts about that with you, and those of you who enjoyed going to the Regal during the 50s and the 60s will be able to identify with this I'm sure: "He wore a brilliant blue silk suit. Pillars of light electrified the man and the threads he bore. Cool-so cool, he was appropriately dubbed "The Iceman" - my man, heretofore motionless, dropped to one knee, and crooned 'wanting you...' amid a crescendo of squeals, screams, shouts, moving some of us to collapse in our seats, eyes closed enraptured; moving others to leap up and charge towards the stage to feel firsthand, to touch the magic of the moment...no you can't go home again. I cannot close my eyes and open them to find myself transported in time and space to Jerry Butler's second show at the Regal in 1960. But I can put, "For Your Precious Love" on the box, close my eyes, and in a sense, be there. In fact, it was just such an experience that inspired me to pen this piece about something that I will always hold very dear, and -sing it, Jerry - 'that's what love will do.'"