The great Jackie Shane died yesterday. I highly recommend the Numero Group’s collection of her work, Any Other Way. The liner notes are terrific (great stories about her upbringing and how her mother helped her figure things out when she was young), and there’s a live cover of Barrett Strong’s “Money” on there in which she breaks into one of her wonderful monologues:
You know, when I’m walking down Yonge Street, you won’t believe this, but you know some of them funny people have the nerve to point the finger at me and grin and smile and whisper. But you know that don’t worry Jackie because I know I look good, and every Monday morning, I laugh and grin on the way to the bank because I got mine. I look good, I got money and everything else that I need. You know what my slogan is? Baby, do what you want, just know what you’re doing. As long as you don’t force your will and way on anybody else, live your life because ain’t nobody sanctified and holy. Because when we leave here we don’t know where we’re going… I’m gonna live while I’m here.
What a legend. She gave one of her last interviews not too long ago. Here’s my favorite song of hers, the first one I ever heard, called “Any Other Way”: