OK, it’s about as crass as it gets and so 80’s, but geewiz Centerfold is well written and catchy. The lyrics alone deserve a read. Also musically as soon as the song blares out on the speakers there’s no escaping its tractor beam. Upon hearing this in my early adolescence it hit all the right buttons. My appreciation of it, like my testosterone has probably faded over the years, but when this dance rock anthem came on my music player a few days ago, I wondered why I hadn’t written about it. I just love its candidacy and even the song’s premise is more than an interesting one at that: An innocent girl you have fawned over at school (a homeroom angel who slipped notes under the desk) is now in fact – a Centerfold!
I can see why the The J. Geils Band were dissuaded by their record company from originally wanting Angel In Blue to be their album’s first single, but I fully appreciate why the band would have liked that song. Angel in Blue is really good and definitely worth a listen. Centerfold was, of course the song they recommended and ‘boom’! It reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard in February 1982 and held that spot for six consecutive weeks, becoming the most successful single of the group’s career. In 2018, the song was ranked at No. 66 on Billboard‘s All Time Top Songs. It was also an early staple on recently launched MTV.
It was sad to read in the 2017 Jacksonville article below that the guitarist J. Geils, who sang Centerfold, had died. The J. Geils Band was founded in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, while Geils, whose full name was John Warren Geils Jr. Bandmates included Danny Klein, Richard “Magic Dick” Salwitz, Stephen Jo Bladd, Peter Wolf and Seth Justman. The band, whose music bridged the gap between disco and new wave, released 11 studio albums before breaking up in 1985. They reunited off and on over the years. Their biggest hits other than Centerfold included Must of Got Lost and Love Stinks a rant against unrequited love, the title song on their 1980 album.
[Verse 1]
Does she walk? Does she talk? Does she come complete?
My homeroom, homeroom angel always pulled me from my seat
She was pure like snowflakes no one could ever stain
The memory of my angel could never cause me pain
[Pre-Chorus]
Years go by, I’m lookin’ through a girly magazine
And there’s my homeroom angel on the pages in-between
[Chorus]
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
(Angel is the centerfold)
My blood runs cold (Woo)
My memory has just been sold
Angel is the centerfold
[Verse 2]
Slipped me notes under the desk
While I was thinkin’ about her dress
I was shy, I turned away
Before she caught my eye
I was shakin’ in my shoes
Whenever she flashed those baby-blues
Somethin’ had a hold on me
When angel passed close by
[Pre-Chorus]
Those soft and fuzzy sweaters, too magical to touch
To see her in that négligée is really just too much
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Yeah, now, listen
It’s okay, I understand
This ain’t no never-never land
I hope that when this issue’s gone
I’ll see you when your clothes are on
Take your car, yes, we will
We’ll take your car and drive it
We’ll take it to a motel room
And take ’em off in private
[Pre-Chorus]
A part of me has just been ripped
The pages from my mind are stripped
Oh, no, I can’t deny it
Oh, yeah, I guess I gotta buy it
References:
1. Centerfold (song) – Wikipedia
2. Guitarist J. Geils, who sang ‘Centerfold,’ dies at age 71 – Jacksonville
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I think “Centerfold” was the first song by the J Geils Band I heard. While I subsequently explored their ’70s catalog and prefer their music from that period, I also still reasonably enjoy “Centerfold.” It finally gave them a hit after they had been at it for about 12 years.
The occasional hit can came in very handy for an artist or a band to sustain themselves. Ironically, of course, it didn’t quite work out that way for J. Geils Band. As soon as they became successful, Peter Wolf decided success stinks and called it quits! 🙂
‘Centerfold’ and ‘Love Stinks’ were perhaps my only foray into the group. I was really impressed with their intended lead single ‘Angel in Blue’. You seem quite familiar with their discography. How interesting Peter Wolf decided that not only does ‘Love Stink’, but also ‘Success’! According to Wiki:
‘Wolf left the group in 1983 over disagreements on the group’s musical direction. Many years later in 2016, Wolf offered the following recollection of the disagreements within the group that led to his departure: “I did not leave the band, but the majority of the band wanted to move in another direction.[…] They wanted to continue in a pop-techno way, [and] it wasn’t my thing.”
That’s my understanding as well. Wolf pretty much wanted to go back to the blues rock and R&B the J Geils Band did in the ’70s.
Always enjoy this when it comes on the radio. Still today.
That’s cool man. I like it more now for nostalgic reasons, but I still get a kick out of the crafty and playful lyrics.