Yesterday Molly slept through til early evening, jet lag, I guess, but eventually came back to life, and so we decided to take her out to a couple of places, so she could at least test the waters looking for a dancing job somewhere. Starfish, still glued to her heels, was jumping in excitement, suggesting a string of places we should all try, Chiaki considerably more quiet, definitely a mode I had so far not often seen her in, perhaps right before and after her abortion being the only exception.
Seemingly she had drawn her conclusion on the situation and went along with it, maybe more as an audience what this strange English bird would turn into and possibly what effect it might have on Starfish, anyways she didn’t drop any comments nor did she throw any more grumpy looks in Starfish’s direction; however, she did take over the lead suggesting going to MIYAMOTO’s, a small sake bar not far from the hotel, which would be nice because Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays they had open mic night followed by karaoke til 2am, sometimes longer if the mood was right, and it seemed like a fun thing for the night and a chance to meet people Molly might like to get in touch with for work.

Molly was appropriately dressed for a Japanese sake bar, perhaps even a little overdressed for this one, having tied a red and white 帯 obi sash complete with a red and white 帯締め obijime string fastened around it around a floor length red silk dress, although she didn’t go all the way Japanese style and the way she wore it it still showed off her curvy figure after all and somehow she managed to pull it off that the whole thing didn’t look trashy at all, but quite elegant indeed. Whatever money she may have to hold together tightly to be able to stay in town, she sure somehow affords an exquisite fashion sense.
At times it looked like Chiaki and Molly got on really well walking down the street chatting with each other like best friends. Larry came along as well, but the conversation he and Molly had did not rotate about dancing at all, instead Molly asked him all kinds of questions about their band ShinySkySituation and what instruments Larry played and made comparisons with other in insider circles famous musicians, which got Larry started to brag and Molly seemed glued to his lips; ChoCho had to work, so he only could come along for one drink and then left for the Night Cafe.

Right during our first round Chiaki stood up and sang a song they were working on in the band right now, “Maybe You’re Not Fat, Maybe You’re Just Bloated”, which was a bit odd and interesting, and obviously not quite ready, which she stated prior singing, but since Chiaki has tremendous stage presence she got a lot of applause for it anyways. They tried to motivate Larry, who was as expected way too shy to sing alone on a small, intimate stage, although I have seen him do it when completely stoned or/and drunk. Starfish usually also more introvert, but since Molly’s appearance showing some very different personality traits went up next and of course we all cheered him up wildly, he sang of all things “Sweet Jane”, which worked in a weird way quite well with his squeaky punk voice, and it was pretty obvious he was singing it for Molly, who sat shining like a sun behind her hot sake, blushing and glowing. Who would have thought. (Well, everybody really, who has been watching Starfish in the last 48 hours.) I glanced over to Chiaki, trying to do it not too obvious, but Chiaki kept her cool, slurping loudly a bucket of crushed Strawberry Margarita through a straw as fat as a finger, occasionally lifting her Margarita bucket to take a lick from the salted rim of the glass.

And then everyone started pushing Molly to sing something, she was laughing and fighting us off, claiming she wasn’t a singer but a dancer and could only sing a little bit, but they didn’t let her off the hook, in particular Chiaki seemed eager to hear Molly’s performance, and we explained it didn’t matter, because the real amateurs-pros at MIYAMOTO’s are singing on Saturday nights and the beginners come on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and so she finally and very modestly also got up and went on the tiny stage they have.

She sang a couple of Berto Wilcox covers, which in itself is a surprise, because as excellent as his work is, there are as far as I know only a few single recordings around sung by Dana H. Benjamin and Ella F. Mack and contemporaries, and most people have forgotten about him, in fact he is buried under a tree on some far away graveyard in bloody Ohio of all places, facts I only happen to know because as a teenager, in the attempt to be highly original, I wrote a paper in music class on his life and his jazz songs and the connection between both.

Molly sang “EVER”, “Harry” and “My Beloved Sleeps”, excellent choice of arrangement, and not enough with just that as it turns out Molly has a singing voice that sounds like Hope Sandoval, though she looks more like Betty Page, and the combination of both had the effect one can imagine in a tiny sake bar on a Tuesday night: everyone down to the very last cockroach fell dead silent and was mesmerized, (luckily I kept level headed enough shooting a series of pictures of her doing it:)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing EVER by Berto Wilcox” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing EVER by Berto Wilcox 6” (2016)

I even found the lyrics of “Ever”, if anyone wants to sing it, (sadly couldn’t find the date though) :

” EVER – Berto Wilcox

 

to get into your view

although I saw your eyes

caught your glance

don’t look away

I wanted you to look

Since EVER.

 

Would you know

that I tried?

I’m just not gonna have a chance with you

EVER

leaving me right here at the start

for EVER. “

Josiane Keller “Molly singing EVER by Berto Wilcox 7” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing HARRY by Berto Wilcox” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing HARRY by Berto Wilcox 4” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing HARRY by Berto Wilcox 7” (2016)

and here for the eager karaoke goers, also the lyrics to “Harry”:

” HARRY – Berto Wilcox

 

Harry has me on a leash

a short one

he’s got the handle tight in his hand

yanking my collar

I am walking tail straight up right next to him

step by step, step by step

straight forward.

 

Harry, together we are gonna make it far

Harry don’t you know?

I bark for you and I bite for you

and you kick my face

if I don’t get it right

the first 65 times –

then I’ll give it just one more on top

 

When the people pass us by

they greet you and say

“My, she nice!” 

– you grin your gold teeth grin

and hold me tight

and I know you

really love me.

 

Harry, together we are gonna make it far

Harry don’t you know?

I bark for you and I bite for you

and you kick my face

if I don’t get it right

the first one-hundred-65 times.

Then I’ll give it just one more on top. “

Josiane Keller “Molly singing MY BELOVED SLEEPS by Berto Wilcox” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing MY BELOVED SLEEPS by Berto Wilcox 5” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly singing MY BELOVED SLEEPS by Berto Wilcox 7” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly the singer” (2016)

(Sadly I couldn’t find the lyrics for “MY BELOVED SLEEPS”, but I will ask Molly to give them to me, I will add them here later on.)

Josiane Keller “Molly” (2016)

Josiane Keller “Molly bowing 3” (2016)

After she bowed and had returned to our table, smiling and blushing at her applause (she blushes very delightfully, our Molly) of course all the patrons came over, trying to look casual and not looking casual at all, but like fools, and asked her holes in her belly. Also, after the mini crowd had a bit dispersed, Mr. Miyamoto the owner came over and brought cups of 地酒 jizake from his home town with him for all of us, assuring us that is was very high grade and special. (So far I had been under the impression he was born and bred here, further, he was 三世 Sansei, third generation immigrant, so a bit odd he has access to his local hometown’s sake, but what do I know?) Anyways, the gesture was clear, Mr. Miyamoto had an interest in making Miss Molly feel welcome at his place and return many happy times more often; he inquired if she was a singer, but once again Molly blushed and insisted with a little laugh, no, not really, instead she was a dancer. We will see, looks like she might end up singing the Saturday amateur-pro night on paid level at MIYAMOTO’s if nothing better comes up.

What do we learn from this experience? Never believe people who state they can do something “only a little bit”.