Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCXL--Donnie Iris: Ah! Leah!

There are any number of artists that I've enjoyed a song or two by...and then because of time and circumstance never delve much deeper into their music catalog only to be surprised years later that they actually had a bit more success than I had noticed.  Such was the case with this week's artist--who went on to release ten albums after his solo debut and have a number of top 100 singles after I'd enjoyed the hell out of what I thought was his one hit.

Donnie Iris was born Dominic Ierace in New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1943, took up music at a young age, and hasn't stopped making it since.  He was in a number of local bands before helping to form The Jaggerz in 1964, and in 1970 the band had a #2 hit with "The Rapper," written by Iris (I actually gave it a listen, and if you're a fan of 70's style pop--as I am--it's definitely worth your time).  Alas, future success eluded the band and Iris would join up with white boy funk band Wild Cherry (of "Play That Funky Music" fame) for their final release.  Through Wild Cherry Iris met Mark Avsec, and in 1980 Iris would form Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, of which Avsec was the chief Cruiser.  While big success never materialized for Iris, he did go on to release 11 albums, the last of which was released in 2010.  His first five albums all reached the Billboard 200, and between them had seven singles hit the Billboard Hot 100.  Donnie Iris and the Cruisers continue to tour, mostly in his native Pennsylvania up through Cleveland.  All in all, one would have to say for a minor player on the music scene, Iris ended up having a hell of a career.

"Ah! Leah!" was the first single released from Iris' first solo effort, Back on the Streets, in 1980.  It would eventually reach #29 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, though surprisingly to me the song wasn't Iris' biggest hit.  His single "My Girl" charted at #25 a few years later.

Fun Fact:  Iris certainly hasn't been afraid to capitalize on the success of "Ah! Leah!"--in the years since its charting, Iris has released a live album entitled Ah! Live! and a Christmas album called Ah! Leluiah!  Nothing like a hit single to help your Ah! Livelihood!

Iris has been nothing if not versatile in his music throughout the years--"The Rapper" is a War influenced funk pop hit, "My Girl" is a throwback to fifties doo wop groups (Iris once led a doo wop band), and "Ah! Leah!" is pure power pop.  Opening with some forceful power chords, "Ah! Leah!" tells the story of a man and a woman who despite their having a volatile previous relationship can't overcome their intense desire for each other when they're in close proximity.  Iris evokes the man's passion with compelling vigor and the band's choral backing through the chorus makes for a dynamic interplay.  There's a nice guitar solo, the drums highlight the narrative's intensity, and Iris hits some octaves in the song's coda that are beyond us mere mortal singers.  It's a hell of a single--especially for a guy whose persona at the time was a cross between Buddy Holly and Steve Urkel....

Lyric Sheet:  "It ain't no use!  We're headed for disaster/Our minds said "No!" But our hearts were talkin' faster, Leah!...

Enjoy:

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