More melodious love for the Bronze Fonz has arrived from afar. Yesterday, West Chester, Pa.-based singer and songwriter Ben Smith wrote to share one of his tunes with us. It's one that pays homage to the Bronze Fonz, says Smith.
"I'm no Aimee Mann," he wrote, self-effacingly, and in reference to a comment Mann made at a concert at The Pabst Theater (and a Twitter discussion between Mann and her collaborator Ted Leo), "but here's a song about the statue of the Fonz – and Milwaukee."
"Happier Days" is from Smith's upcoming EP and he writes on Soundcloud:
"The song was inspired by one of Aimee Mann's tweets in December – one of my favorite songwriters. She tweeted that she and Ted Leo were considering writing a song that alluded to Milwaukee's statue of The Fonz. I tweeted an opening lyric and she responded, 'Fantastic. Where's this from?' This is the only encouragement I needed to finish this song on my own. If she and Ted follow through with their song, consider the Fonz statue twice honored."
You can hear "Happier Days" here. And here are the lyrics:
There's a statue of the Fonz
where all Milwaukee's Johns
wait for a girl who'll hear their "Heyys."
The line wraps round the block
and the girls rock round the clock
They know there's just some things they'll never pay
But don't get down
We're all waiting
Waiting on Happier Days
Somewhere across town
there's moonshine underground
and now it's coming down with the rain
And we'll watch it hit the lake
and the ripples that it makes
but the wind is more than you can face
But don't get down
We're all waiting
Waiting on Happier Days
You've tried to find your thrill
Looked up on Blueberry Hill
but the clouds were hanging low that day
You won't find it on TV
but you'll find it right with me
cause Misery loves some company
But don't get down
We're all waiting
Waiting on Happier Days
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
