saw the title for this thread for Jersey City theme song
and this Animals song is immediately what came to my mind....

For the pessimist. [img][/img]

My god.............that was embarrassing. It looked like it was filmed in Beirut

Can downtown to declare independence from the remaining 10 square miles of shitesville? Just build a big wall under exit 14c of the turnpike.

Chunky Pam is faboo, but as previously mentioned, her song is about New Jersey. I'm sorry, folks, but there can only be one official song for Jersey City.

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That's awesome -- thanks for posting! I remember my father talking about that song long ago.

There's a wonderful R&B / black rocker 45 by Bobby Long with "Jersey City" on the A-side, from the late-1950s I think. Here's a Real Audio link via WFMU:

http://wfmu.org/listen.ram?show=21840&starttime=2:20:24

This is easily my favorite song about JC.

And here I thought it was "Sister Goldenhair." Who knew?

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chunky pam blows chunks. as is nj doesn't look bad enough without her disgusting shit (fake though it is).

chunky pam is awesome!!! my husband showed me this video recently and it cracked me up, although it's about Jersey as a whole and not just JC.

I can't believe there is an official song about Healy - who would have thought! [img][/img]

Actually, Healy may hate the lyrics but the visual of everone on the street greeting you with a smile so gay has never been truer in my opinion

08/03/2007

Singing the praises of Jersey City

NJ second largest city has an official song - who knew?

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer

Is there an official song for Jersey City? And what would that song sound like?

Isn't there some tune with the words, "Jersey City is my kind of town" or "Smells like Jersey City"?

The second largest city in New Jersey has been called "Wall Street West" and "New York's Sixth Borough" due to development that has brought Goldman Sachs and Donald Trump. Such accomplishments may be music to the ears of some residents, but what most of them don't know is that the city has an official song.

Commissioners named it in 1947

Just as New York City has "New York, New York" as its official tune, Jersey City has "Jersey City, N.J." (See sidebar for lyrics.)

It was made the official song of Jersey City when the Board of Commissioners of Jersey City (a forerunner of the present-day City Council) adopted the song at their April 1, 1947 meeting. A resolution states, "The words and music...have caught and given expression to the pride and spirit of this community."

And it all sprang from the mind of a Pennsylvania coal miner.

In the winter of 1946, the city was under the rule of legendary Mayor Frank "Boss" Hague in what would his next to last year in office. The song began as an effort by the operators of the old State Theater in Journal Square, the semi-pro Jersey City Giants football team, and a local daily newspaper to foster civic pride and to be performed at all official functions.

The triumvirate came up with a song contest. The grand prize was that the song would be performed before a live audience, and would be recorded on vinyl. There was also a cash prize.

By late March 1947, the contest ended with 293 entries from as far away as the West Indies.

On March 24, the winning song was chosen from 20 finalists by a panel of judges that included comedian and composer Morey Amsterdam, who achieved fame later on "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

37-year-old supported 'invalid brother'

"Jersey City, N.J." was submitted by then 37-year old Ted Lovick, a coal miner and amateur songwriter from Starford, Pa. In the March 25 edition of the Jersey Journal, he was described as the "young man from the 'sticks'" supporting his sister and invalid brother.

That edition also reported that there was to be a live performance at the State Theater by local singers Marion Sharkey and Kerwin McMahon accompanied by Joel Herron and his orchestra, to be aired on radio station WHN.

However, a worker strike prevented that from happening.

In April, the show went on. The song was recorded on vinyl. However, the record, like the song, has faded into obscurity, somewhere lurking the recesses of one's memory or basement.

Not music to everyone's ears

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said he never knew there was an official song. But upon reading a copy of the lyrics provided by the Jersey City Reporter, he didn't sound too impressed.

"I think we can do better if the lyrics are any indication," Healy said.

Healy who is known to belt out a tune or two from time to time said he would like to see a new song along the lines of renowned jazz vocalist and New Jersey native John Pizzarelli's "I Like Jersey Best".

"I know someone who is a friend of a friend of Pizzarelli's and I would love to get [Pizzarelli] to write a new official song about Jersey City," said Healy. He then sang a line in Pizzarelli's song that gives a shout out to the city: "And have no pity, Jersey City/ Once again will shine".

Bayonne resident and Jersey City native Bruce Brandt, works in the New Jersey Room of the Jersey City Public Library, said he only knew Jersey City had an official song because of the information on Jersey City-related songs retained in the New Jersey Room.

"I never heard it performed when I was growing up," Brandt said. "As far as what I think about Jersey City having an official song, I have no feeling one way or the other."

Local resident Cliff Perkins, lead singer with the R&B group Soul Generation and an employee with the city's Division of Cultural Affairs, said he has not heard the song performed in his lifetime and particularly at official functions.

"I think this should be performed before ceremonies in, say, an instrumental form," Perkins said. "But the words need a bit of upgrading for the current day. What the song describes is what Jersey City was in the past."

Besides reactions of curiosity and surprise, there was a lot of laughter from other people interviewed.

Shakimiah Garretson and Desire Marte, receptionists in the City Council office inside City Hall, couldn't hold their amusement at the lyrics of the song.

"'There's a smile on each face...Little friendly words of cheer,' " quoted Garretson, laughing. "That's not the Jersey City I know."

Marte said, "I can't believe this is the official song for the city. I'm going to write my own."

Anyone with suggestions on how to update the city's official song, or a new official song, can send their submissions to rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com and they will be printed in a future issue of the Jersey City Reporter.

Sidebar

Let's all sing 'Jersey City, N.J.'

These are the lyrics of Jersey City's official song, adopted by the City Commissioners in 1947, in case there's the urge to croon:

"I've been around'/And I'm nobody's fool.
I know where folks/Obey the golden rule.
I tell you, friends, It's something nice to see/ And talk about their hospitality.
When you're walking down the street/Everybody that you meet/Greets you with a smile so gay.
It's a friendliest place/'There's a smile on each face/ In Jersey City, N.J.
It will warm your heart to hear/Little friendly words of cheer; Howdy neighbor, happy day.
Hearts are always so light/Skies are always so bright/ In Jersey City, N.J.
And if you're lonely by chance/Whether it be March or June/You're sure of finding romance/Underneath the Jersey moon.
So when you are feeling blue/And you don't know what to do/Take a trip down Jersey Way.
And in just a short while/You'll be wearing a smile/In Jersey City, N.J." - RK