Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning July 2006 » Is Shaky Jake still alive? « Previous Next »
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Xphillipjrx
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Post Number: 138
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:39 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I went to the UM/Wisconsin game on Saturday. My brother and I were talking and the topic came to Shaky Jake. I asked a couple passing students if they heard of Shaky Jake and they both looked at me like, "Who"? I know two students isn't exactly a representative sample, but I'm pretty sure everybody knew who he was when I was there.

So...any Shaky Jake sightings in A2?
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Detroitduo
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Post Number: 730
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:44 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is this Detroit relevent?
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Wmuchris
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Post Number: 450
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Has anyone seen the Can-Man in Brighton recently?
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Motorcitymayor2026
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Post Number: 1371
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:53 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

His name is Fritz!
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Wmuchris
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Post Number: 451
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So he is still around? That's good. This may be a bit of an overshare, but when I worked at Pet Supplies Plus, that guy would come in all the time, and talk for hours.

Sometimes he was allright to talk with, others it was just annoying.
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Danindc
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I haven't seen Shakey Jake since Bagel Factory closed down around 2000.
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Motorcitymayor2026
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Post Number: 1372
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Fritzy sure is still around, making the rounds through Brighton. He can be fairly interesting to talk to.
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Pam
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Post Number: 511
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I thought I heard Jake moved to Florida.

Remember the "I Brake for Jake" bumper stickers?
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 967
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I heard he is still alive and in Ann Arbor this summer. My girlfriend and I were walking through Art Fair when I said to her I wonder if he was still alive because I hadn't seen him in years. We talked about him for a few minutes before the couple in front of us turned around and confirmed that yes he was still alive and in Ann Arbor and that they had seen him earlier in the summer. It's not exactly a shaky jake sighting, but its all I have heard of him for years now.
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Lowell
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Post Number: 3029
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So who is he? Descriptions please...
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 968
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Shaky Jake is probably the most famous homeless man in A2. He is mostly sighted in downtown where he often plays guitar and sings very simple blues songs. Over the years, he has developed sort of a cult following. He is even mentioned in Wikipedia. Shaky Jake bumper stickers are the biggest legacy. The bumper stickers said "I Brake for Jake!" and were quite popular during 1990s I think. He is still well known among the townies. Here is a photo of him.

http://www.pbase.com/rhoover/i mage/25156284
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The_aram
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Post Number: 5061
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i saw Shaky Jake earlier this year over on South U. he's still kickin'!
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Lilpup
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Post Number: 1364
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jake's not homeless
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 969
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I had heard that, too. Some people believe he has a house. Some people believe he's rich. But the conventional wisdom as I understood it has always been that he is homeless. I don't know for certain one way or another.
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Chub
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Shaky Jake coming at ya'! I remember the radio spot he did for WCBN. Very funny stuff.

Living in Ann Arbor from '96 to '01, I remember seeing him almost daily, playing (if you could call it that) his junk guitar and singin' his jiggy jangle jiggy lyrics.

The strangest thing I remember thinking about him, was that I owned and worked a guitar store in downtown Ann Arbor for 6 years and not once did he ever step foot into my store. Well, I guess he must have been buying his strings down the street at Herb's.
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 971
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 1:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Shaky Jake might be one of the best known people to frequent downtown A2, but my two favorite people downtown were the Michael Jackson impersonator and the old black guy who drives around downtown on weekends in his big old cadillac playing blues songs on his radio with the windows down.
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Citylover
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Post Number: 1812
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 1:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Who needs strings??!! Jake has lived on Broadway here in AA for yrs_ had a stroke a few yrs back but is still getting around

I wonder how he wold fare in Detroit?
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Goat
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Post Number: 8825
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 2:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Shot, killed or stabbed I'm sure.
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Xphillipjrx
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Post Number: 139
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 2:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I thought somebody would have posted it, but David Alan Grier's character on In Living Color (Wanna hear it? Here it go.) is based on Jake since Grier went to UM.

As for relevence to Detroit, this thread is 4-5 away from the Reviving Downtown Flint thread...
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The_aram
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Post Number: 5062
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 3:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

E_hemingway, just like most of the notorious panhandlers in Ann Arbor (the "Spare any change my good-good-friend? Have a niiice day!" guy that hangs out near the entrance to the Diag at the intersection of E and S University, etc.), Shaky Jake is NOT homeless.
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Valkyrias
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Post Number: 346
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 3:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

my lil sis just graduated from u of m this past spring, and i have heard many stories of shakey jake and his antics. a former friend of her's befriended him, and just as others pointed out on the thread, he is not homeless and from what she's told me (and if i am remembering correctly) he actually lives with another *street person*, a woman who is referred to as momma cass.
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 976
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 3:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ahhh... the pandhandlers. I used to feel sorry for them and give them money once upon a time many, many moons ago. That was until I read an A2 News story about how they make anywhere from $10 to $20 per hour begging for money.

My favorite was the obese woman who begged for money with her kids in tow. She would always be asking for money for food and have brand new clothes, usually some sort of jogging suit, and shoes on. Never saw her leave that bench.
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Beatsworking
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Post Number: 52
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 3:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Shaky Jake even has a video about him... available at Liberty St. Video
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Citylover
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Post Number: 1813
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 3:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

His cd is a good bargain there are about 35-40 songs on it_ I am waitng for the shaky jake box set from k-tel
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Caseyc
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Username: Caseyc

Post Number: 639
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 4:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lyrics from "where this record is going", from his first album (courtesy of my brother's transcriptions):

You wanna' know where this record is going?
I'm gonna send this one to fifty states!!

I'm gonna send it to HI-wai-uh, Hong-Kong-ah, Nova Slavvy
HI-waii V05
n' I want it to go to Bever-wood,
Hollywood
California
Down south
Baton Rouge, Blindsville

Because I want those people down there to know
That a poor boy come to the city
can do things just as good as anybody

A normal person can't do what simple person can do
So I advise you not to try'n keep up with me
Because I'm faster than the wind .. wheeeaeaoughheough

If you would vacation with me I will stay and teach you
but if you try to beat me
I'll speed up to 150 miles an hour
If you try to beat me
I'll speed up to 250 milesan hour
and you'll be sorry
Because I'm faster than the wind ...

Wheeeawwww-hahaw-wheeeeeeawwww ww-snnxxxkkxxkkkxxk
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Caseyc
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Post Number: 640
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 5:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

here's another good one, from his first album, entitled "End Song" (think ersatz Big Star jangle pop meets silverware in the garbage disposal with a soupcon of VanDyke Parks):

This the story of the three
Serv ... ahh ... Wiseowww...
Gable, ... Dick and Clark


The lord has seven servants
The lord has seven servants
and the seventh one is simple


And when the time comes
the simple man's going to destroy the devil
He's is the only one that can destroy the devil
the others can't destroy
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Danindc
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Post Number: 1786
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 5:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Any of you folks in Ann Arbor, where can I score a Shakey Jake CD/video/t-shirt? I would prefer if the vendor could ship it directly to me, but if I have to, I'll trade DC schwag with ya if you score some Jake on my behalf.
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Caseyc
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Post Number: 641
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 5:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

send me a Blelvis cd (the self-proclaimed "black elvis")....ran into him in Adams Morgan more than a few times.
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Ron
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Username: Ron

Post Number: 299
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Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 6:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Since we're talking about the "homeless" on Michigan college campuses, does anyone remember the "can man" or "bike man" at MSU? He, too, was a mainstay at MSU, much as Jake was at UM. I also heard he was not homeless. Any info?
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Cablmich
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Username: Cablmich

Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 11:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I saw Shaky Jake this summer at the Art Fair and he was alive and kicking. Also, a couple of years ago I ran into him at Applebees when he was eating dinner with a young blonde co-ed. It kind of took me by surprise but I definitely respected the game.
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Malcovemagnesia
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 1:15 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here is a WFMU (New York, of all places) blog entry about Jake with links to three MP3 files (from a CD you can buy).

I'd buy it, but my girl would either hide it or chuck it if I dared play his music while she was around.

p.s. yeah, post #1 for me, tho I've been lurking longer than December.
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E_hemingway
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Post Number: 980
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 11:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Welcome Malcovemagnesia. Quality first post.
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Andylinn
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Username: Andylinn

Post Number: 226
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 12:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

shaky jake is indeed still around. I saw him about a month ago. he still lives. still can't play guitar.

:-)
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Citylover
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Post Number: 1822
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 1:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wonderful review from arwulf on the blog link from malcovmag....
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Frenchman_in_the_d
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Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 1:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

E_hemingway,

hahaha! I laughed my ass off when I read your "Michael Jackson impersonator"

I see him every evening when I walk around with friends. He dances right on Liberty, between Division and State in a little drive-in covered with graffitis.

He was dancing crazy yesterday: we were probably 10 watching him a cracking up. Prolly the next Shaky Jake?? I don't think the guy is homeless though. I'll try and talk to him next time...
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E_hemingway
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 2:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nah, Michael Jackson isn't homeless. He lives in Ypsi last I heard. And the old guy in the Cadillac lives somewhere on the city's north side. Those guys aren't panhandlers but just cool little parts of Ann Arborcana. Michael Jackson is awesome. He's been doing the same routine in the same alleyway for years and gets better each year.
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Farrer
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Post Number: 587
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 2:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While he's always been referred to as "Shakey", I think that on the casette (which I owned and is currently missing) and elsewhere's he's known as "Shakin' Jake Woods". I first encountered him whilst a young teen at a J&B festival where he sort of fit in and may even have been given a slot. He was most certainly given a slot at the two day "Free John Sinclair" benefit at the Grande/Eastown in '70 because he made it onto the event poster that I have (no, I was too young to go to any of it), so there's a Detroit tie-in for the nitpickers. My brother became a supporter and friend of sorts to him and picked up on many of his t-shirts, bumper stickers, cards and, of course, the now missing cassette. I think when brothers such as these notice that you still have the cassette but no longer have a cassette deck, they "indian-give".

I particularly like the freely-associated references to animals like the signifying monkey, wise owls, quails, billy goats, snakes and also the "jokes". I like the "Ballad for the Young Girls" where he starts out "advising" them but quickly crosses over to his apocalyptic visions of judgment day where he can help with the "rules" and the "tricks" becuase he authored the rulebook and the trickbook, etc.....

Glad to hear he's doing ok.

F

(Proud owner of two Jake t-shirts and former owner of cassette recording"
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Rugbyman
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Post Number: 61
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 2:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ron, the Wells Hall Can Man (or Santa Claus, depending on who you're talking to) died two or three years ago. His name was Ernie and he wasn't homeless either. Apparently he had a house in town, but didn't live high on the hog by any stretch of the imagination. Here's a link to one of many SNews writeups about him after his death:
http://www.statenews.com/artic le.phtml?pk=21680

Strange though it may sound, he really was one of the bigger things to stick out in my mind about my time at MSU. There really was a lot of buzz on campus about him after his death and it was pretty surreal walking around campus and never seeing him again.
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Caseyc
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Username: Caseyc

Post Number: 642
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 3:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

you mean this one Farrer? (lyrics courtesy of brother Samuel):

This a poem,
f'all the young girls
Uh when they get eighteen or fifteen whatarea and what
Now This is a certain age
you remember one thing
you gotta' know how to 'duct yersef in public
You have to coalugrate yoursef
be calm
don't get excited
try to do the best y'kin'
you see . . .

I say, I can't tell you when the date is ...
but we gonna' have judgement day
I know right now
I know what year
what the date
but I can't tell you
right now I know whats's gonna happen to th' world
gonna get dark

I know what to do
reparin' now
for when the worl' gonna happen
y'all won't be able to live in the dark
but I will because I know the rules
I can survive better'n y'all could
because I know the rules

Y'see I wrote the rulebook
and I wrote the trick book
I know all the tricks
and I know a couple dozen extra
Wheeeeheeehiickxkxk aa

I know a whole lotta' tricks
but I don't want to tell you


But I'll try ta' hep y'all the best I kin
Try ta'be rea'ble ...
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Pam
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Username: Pam

Post Number: 514
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 3:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

Wheeeeheeehiickxkxk aa




Casey your transcriptions and your description above (Ersatz Big Star etc) are hilarious. Makes me wish I had hung on to a copy of the Jake tape.
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Livedog2
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Username: Livedog2

Post Number: 1253
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 4:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Are you kidding?

Shaky Jake standing at the SE corner of S. Main St. and E. Washington St. very much alive! Doing what he does best which is not playing that guitar!!

shaky jake

Livedog2
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Nainrouge
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Username: Nainrouge

Post Number: 79
Registered: 05-2006
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 4:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I always thought "Shaky Jake's" would be a great name for a bar.
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Bagman
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 5:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I lived in Ann Arbor for 20 years before returning to Detroit. I ran three differant businesses there and Jake had an account at all three and paid his bill every month....in full, of course. Over the years have gotten to know Jake pretty well, and for people to think he is Rich, homeless, a begger, whatever they think is ok by me as it adds to the mystique. I saw him when he came to see John Sinclair at his gig in Ann Arbor two weeks ago. He's alive and well.....
Fans of AA:
Rumor has it that the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival is going to return next year as the ORIGINAL AAB&J Festival with a killer line up like the awsome shows of '72, '73 & '74, you know the glory days ...stay tuned
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Ron
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Post Number: 302
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Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - 6:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Rugby. He was certainly a part of the campus. Sorry to hear about his passing.

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