Lenny Lane's Greatest Hits (Decca 2721-1978)

Hits & Bits

10. Piano Man … the Billy Joel ode to Lenny’s profession … very rare
#9. Sweet Georgia Brown … good opportunity to pound those pedals
#8. Danny Boy … the Irish stand, typical of the standard request
#7. As Time Goes By … Play it Again, Lenny
#6. I Left My Coat in Coatesville, Pennsylvania … a parody on I Left My Heart in San Francisco
#5. But Then Again Inspector … not a song but a bit, a monologue on whatever vibe Lenny was feeling delivered in character similar to Columbo
#4. Tea for Mr. Tee ... old standard with ad libbed lyrics
#3. Smoke Gets in Your Sunglasses … another parody, this one with cigarette held in corner of dark sunglasses
#2. Sweeper Man … another bit with Lenny rambling into an extension for a vacuum cleaner

And the number one most requested, best, Lenny Lane song or bit …
#1. Cab Driver … again, with Lenny’s own lyrics of unrequited love and cab rides up St. Joe Street

… all of the above combined to make him a perfectly qualified candidate to run for President of the United States which gave him another bit to incorporate into his routine. He was an entertainer, a hero, an icon and a friend. I went to Wildwood once to see him play and searched as far away as Coatesville going bar to bar looking for Lenny but would have been just as glad to find his coat. However, just as the gap between candidate Lane and Carter & Ford began to narrow … he spit on the Wheatland barmaid and was unceremoniously fired from his job. Stay tuned. Unfortunately, just as that happened the 340 gang (me, Phil, Sil) had to leave town on a well deserved vacation. There was nothing we could do for Lenny until we returned.