Another Reason Why I Love NY

As you probably know, the New York subways are full of performers of all stripes. Professional musicians playing guitar or flute or harp or accordion or keyboards (I’ve seen all of these, even a Mariachi band), impromptu acapella groups, the guys who drum on plastic tubs, the deluded homeless people who warble a few numbers trying to make a buck. I have loved many of them and shuddered at many, too. Here’s the tale of my latest encounter.

A couple nights ago Andres and I board the 2 train at 72nd Street, on our way home after a long day. It’s not such a long ride back to Grand Army Plaza but it usually seems to take forever. We settle into our seats and chat. At 42nd Street, a slightly disheveled man boards with an electric bass, which he unsheathes and plugs into an amp which he stows beneath the seat. He's sitting just a couple seats opposite us. I roll my eyes internally…it’s just another “ladies and gentlemen, please pardon the interruption, I’m here to play a few tunes for you” crazy man. Then he starts thumping at his bass, grinning ear to ear. “Can you guess this tune? Who sings this?” he yells. He starts barking/singing his own lyrics:

I can’t get no….satisfaction….
I can't get no...satisfaction...
Got a wife and kids to feed, I need something to eat….gotta sing some songs on the street…

Now I’m a little excited. I look him in the eye and I lip synch along:

And I try…and I try…and I try….and I try….

Andres and I exchange a smile. The other passengers facing him are half-ignoring him, as far as I can tell. “Anybody know who sings that?!” “The Stones!” I exclaim. “That’s RIGHT!” He is gleeful. “The lady over here guessed correctly. If she guesses the next song right,” he continues, “I’m gonna kiss this man right here on the lips.” The older gentleman immediately to his right who has been grinning and tapping along lets out a surprised giggle. I point at Older Gentleman and I say “you’re in trouble.” Because of course I love Name That Tune. Now the other passengers are interested. A small group of them are watching and enjoying along with us.

He starts plucking at the bass, one note over and over….what could it be? I wrack my brains. The note soon becomes multiple, and turns into Proud Mary. I’m excited, because I know the song, and I want to see our Musician kiss Older Gentleman, or at least pretend to. But after Musician sings a few bars he jumps up and shouts “go Tina!” and does a little groovin’ leggy thing in the middle of the car. Everybody cracks up and makes eye contact, which is extremely rare on the NYC subway. A corporate looking fellow on his other side holds up his iPod screen to show him he is listening to the song in solidarity. It’s rare for someone to brandish their iPod so openly. Doesn’t he know he could get ripped off? But we’re all a captive audience now. I don’t even know what station we’re at but Andres and I don’t seem to care.

Musician segues rather skillfully from Proud Mary into Let’s Get it On. He croons the opening bars to Older Gentleman, who looks tickled pink.

I’m just really trying, baby
To hold on to these feelings for so long
But if you feel, like I do sugar
Come on, let’s get it on....

We bob our heads appreciatively. He looks at me and says “who sings that? Can you guess?” I chirp “Marvin Gaye – time for your kiss!” Another round of laughter and applause. Musician, with his maniacally wide grin, is now whipped up into a romantic fervor. He doesn’t kiss Older Gentleman, but he points at a woman across the car and shouts “this last one is for you, Dread!” A dreadlocked woman who is trying hard to look busy listening to her iPod and reading something blushes and shakes her head. What is it going to be? Everyone clearly wonders.

It’s One Love by Bob Marley. Another round of laughter. He keeps shouting “I love you Dread, you’re beautiful.” He finishes, unplugs his guitar and starts getting ready to go. I am sorry to see him leave. He cleans up…people are putting dollar bills into his hand. He cracks jokes. He leaves the train, and lots of smiling New Yorkers in his wake.

Another reason to love NY, baby!