Janitor Joe
Janitor Joe
Is getting busy late at night (at night)
The students are gone
He turns on the light
The hallway is clear
To the laboratories he goes (he goes)
Hush hush
Nobody knows
There’s a secret desire
He’s been hiding it for years
Mr. Joe’s aiming higher
He dreams of leaving Mother Earth
Flying through the universe
He’s ringing the bell
It’s 9am, the kids return to school
He’s back on the job
Playing it cool
Teachers complain
“Must be a thief in our midst” (who did it?)
Missing their tools (oh no)
Blaming the kids
Why would he risk to get fired
He’s been working there for years
Soon he will be retired
Dreams of leaving Mother Earth
Flying through the universe
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
A call from the school
The students have to stay at home (at home)
Something is wrong
The classes postponed
Janitor Joe
The man is nowhere to be found (he’s gone)
Just a hole in the roof
soot on the ground
Seems like something got fired
Through the roof into the sky
Maybe Joe has retired
Looking down on Mother Earth
Flying through the universe
Janitor Joe
Where did you go
Janitor, Janitor Joe
Janitor Joe
Where did you go
Janitor, Janitor Joe
Responses
I have a 9 year old nephew named Joe who loves music and astronomy. When I ask him where he parked his spaceship, he just points up in the air.
Wonder what song I should play for him?
Janitor Joe •
There’s certainly creative lyrics and an imagination, to come up with an original story about the mysterious Janitor Joe! (Yes where did he go?) Musically; the song has a distinct rhythmic feel with the syncopated snare drum. This is another song which would go well played live. (even could be aptly played with a straight beat for dance!).
The song is much more appreciated if you absorb the lyrics, as it takes you on a magically entrancing journey! Plus there’s some splendid background vocals cleverly arranged through-out the song.
I think it’s Mona who takes the lead vocal in this composition and she also plays some nicely featured flute, giving the song a distinct sound and theme. At 0:38 begins the chorus, with the lyrics soon stating; ♫”He dreams of leaving Mother Earth”♪. Then at 1:47 is the clever idea of including a NASA style countdown!!
The song moves along as the story about Janitor Joe progresses; and it’s not until finally it reaches it’s climax at 2:43, when he blasts off!! Now with Joe flying through the universe, the song takes on a musical twist. The catchy sing-along chorus with the distant vocals; ♫”Janitor Joe where did you go”♪; has you also singing along! It’s the highlight of the track and would be interesting hearing it earlier at 1:55 with Joe’s first venture. However since the song follows the story line; it makes perfect sense being featured at the end! It’s such an irresistible chorus which you will instantly love! ♫”Janitor, Janitor Joe”♪. If this song was played live, it may probably be played longer as the crowd would be all elated singing along! ♫”Janitor Joe where did you go”♪.
Just re-activated my membership to the club and thought I’d poke around a bit. This is a very cool song! Creative lyrics, interesting arrangement. Impressive drum and bass tracks. I’d probably order your next album just based on this one tune (and the contents of “Orange”, which I bought directly from this site a while ago). Can’t wait to see what else is in store! You girls are still groovy! 😉
Ha! love this song – love anything to do with ‘space’ lol More please!
I think Janitor Joe hired the politician….I mean how else is he gonna get away with illegally building a rocket and going though the roof and around the world a few times….gotta have a politician with lots of money to help finance the voyage and the Fake News media….good gosh I hope Joe the Janitor didn’t hire Sleepy Joe !
He went to a concert put on by Club 27! Wouldn’t that be a TRIP. Those little green men
Loved the 60’s too.
What a great song! And a good idea to put the lyrics beside the song.
I´ looking forward to the new album with great pleasure!
Love from Frank
“Traveling more than 100 miles per hour” the news broadcast says at the end of the song makes me laugh….can Joe’s rocket even get off the ground…I love the whole space travel idea… it reminds me of a great movie The Astronaut Farmer from 2006 starring Billy Bob Thornton…the plot is about a Texas rancher who attempts to construct a rocket in his barn and launch himself into outer space….I love your Janitor Joe and just maybe you’ll launch a #1 hit record !
Thanx Mona & Lisa for putting the lyrics up like this – really adds to the pleasure of listening to the track. BTW, the spoken ‘radio’ part at the end, is this an actual recording, or something that you added yourselves? Andy.
Ladies thanks so much for including the lyrics to your great song.
Your accents make the song too. If someone from say, America sang it, it wouldn’t have near the appeal you all give it.
I’m also anxious to hear Track 1 ” the pure rock and roll song”.
Of course I can’t wait for the release of your next Dynamic Original Album!
Mona, you’re getting so much better on your Flute!
Lisa, your Gretsch playing keeps getting better and better. (I think you play a strat on this one)
Thanks Again
Rick Ross
As others have pointed out, the words in the vocals are very easy to distinguish, but these lyrics did help me in one spot. The simultaneity of “tools” and “oh, no” caused me to hear that phrase as “missing their toes”!
Thank you Mona and Lisa for sharing the words with us. My wife works at our high school as a cusdotian and she loves this song. You ladies know how to write and arrange the music so it is nothing but a perfect song for us to hear. So excited for the album when your finished and as always worth waiting for. This song is truely a gem and have played it serveal times and love it even more and more I hear it! Love it Love it Stay groovy
I have to agree with Jeffery, your singing is so clear that it is easy to hear the lyrics. When you released Lola, my wife fell in love with the song again. When we first heard it, she exclaimed,”Wow, I can understand the lyrics!” Apparently, she thought the Kinks sang something else, but she wouldn’t say.
I hear so many great influences in Janitor Joe, he must have had a good science teacher.
It’s a catchy tune and a fun story line with very picturesque symbolism. I wonder if everyone is picturing their old school when they listen. I started thinking about day dreaming in my high school physics class.
The sound effects sync very well with the story and the music. I love all the layers to this mix. We are looking forward to hearing more of this album. You chicks rock!
JP
Great idea for the Tuesday post, ladies! I fell in love with “Janitor Joe” the first time I heard it! (the song, that is. There are probably a ton of janitors named Joe out there not as deserving of my affection!)???? One of the beautiful things about your songs is the fact that I can almost always distinguish the lyrics pretty well, especially compared to other singers. It’s still really nice to have the lyrics right there in print, tho! I’ve listened to your pre-release gift to us enough times that the song plays beautifully in my head when I read these lyrics! I think the only thing I was singing along incorrectly was “class is postponed” as opposed to “classes postponed”, but that’s a moot point, since they sound the same!???? Thanks and hugs to you ladies! Next….I’ve got Friday on my mind!
Totally luvin this one… all the elements that are music to my ears, another creative gem here . I always look forward to and embrace whatever musical notions you conjure up, and this is stellar, am so stoked for new album of originals, Thankyou for allowing your creative music juices to continuously flow …????????
Brilliant! I absolutely love this song. Song has such a wonderful catchy melody, together with the imaginative lyrics is just art, and there is so much beauty in the artistry.
After about the mid 90s I gave up on pop music, and classical music has been my thing. The beauty and emotional depth of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven is an incredible emotional musical journey for me.
The mainstream pop music lining the Billboard and music download sites like Amazon and Apple charts are mostly rubbish the last several decades. There are certainly talented musicians and song writers out there, the independents, but their music is drowned out by the mainstream rubbish today music industry are pushing.
Mona and Lisa, your Janitor Joe, is music these ears find worth listening to. There is a wonderful catchy melody, carried by beautiful vocals and harmonies and superb guitar work and flute. There is an imaginative lyrical story line, and even humour. This is art, the kind of inspired song writing that existed in the 60s and 70s by the likes of the Beatles. What a breath of fresh air to hear truly incredibly great music Mona and Lisa! This is real art! Truly talented and timeless inspired song writing. Kudos.
Really looking forward to your new original album. It’s going to be an incredible musical journey I’ve only come to find in classical music, but you have brought me back to pop/rock music I truly use to enjoy before it all went down hill.