Billie Jean | 5th and Mad | Jackson Hole | The Cask | MLB Playoffs | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
I heard Billie Jean by Michael Jackson on in the background while drinking one of these pints and figured it’d be a good song to do a bit of research on. Michael Jackson is obviously one of the most famous artists of the 20th century and had an unparalleled career for his time. For disclosure, I wasn’t around for his King of Pop era, my first real memories of Michael Jackson as a kid were from him getting spoofed about in Scary Movie 3 (which was scarring). It’s tough to look past all the allegations he had about him. No matter how you spin it, he clearly had a pretty disturbing downfall, but when Billie Jean came out in 1983, Jackson was at the peak of his powers so I’ll just focus on that for this song. This song hit the Top of the Billboard Charts in the US, Ireland, UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, and Spain.
The first verse is about how Michael Jackson is out clubbing and is mesmerized by Miss Billie Jean on the dance floor.
Michael Jackson first performed his signature moonwalk while singing Billie Jean on March 25, 1983, to a live crowd during a TV Special called Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. It wouldn’t air on NBC until May 16, 1983.
The chorus is about how he was taught to be careful with Billie Jeans from a young age.
This was one of Jackson’s favorite songs, “A musician knows hit material. It has to feel right. Everything has to feel in place. It fulfills you and it makes you feel good. You know it when you hear it. That’s how I felt about ‘Billie Jean.’ I knew it was going to be big while I was writing it. I was really absorbed in that song.”
The premise of the entire song is about how a girl, Billie Jean, claimed Michael Jackson was the father of her child. Jackson based it on a woman who used to stalk him. There was even one instance where the woman was lounging by his pool with a bathing suit and sunglasses on. She accused Jackson of being the father of one of her twins. (Songfacts) What a wild and creepy story.
One major positive takeaway from this song is that it broke the color barrier on MTV. This song’s music video paved the way for more Black artists to be featured on MTV when MTV was king.
So apparently Billie Jean wasn’t just about MJ’s stalker, "There is a girl named Billie Jean, but it's not about that Billie Jean. Billie Jean is kind of anonymous. It represents a lot of girls. They used to call them groupies in the '60s. They would hang around backstage doors, and any band that would come to town they would have a relationship with, and I think I wrote this out of experience with my brothers when I was little. There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed that their son was related to one of my brothers."
Considered to be one of the greatest pop songs of all time, it is pretty wild that this, Beat It, and Thriller came out on the same album.
On to the pints…
#GuinnessChallengeSeason
@Kids don’t try this at home. Not just because you’re underage and will have plenty of pints to drink if that ends up being your thing when you’re older but also because Guinness is actually best served in a pint glass from a tap. A pint of Guinness varies depending on the drinking establishment. If the keg it sits in is rarely poured, it can lead to some underwhelming taste. Rather than stealing gimmicks, I’d like to start taking Notes while drinking Guinness. My grandfather from Connemara, who I never got the chance to meet, Thomas Davis, used to drink pints and by all accounts was a self-taught thinker. The one rule I’ve imposed on myself is that I will only have 1 pint per sitting from each establishment I review, so @AnyoneWorrying, don’t worry about my drinking habits. The Guinness Challenge is to “cut the G” on your first sip (more like a gulp and a half). If this is your first time hearing about it, I didn’t come up with the fun challenge @YouTheReader can try the next time you have a Guinness. The 0.0 to 10.0 scale will be extraordinarily nuanced but as a reference point, the only perfect 10.0 I plan ever to give out is at the Guinness Factory in Dublin one day.
Song On In The Background: Spin Bout U by Drake & 21 Savage
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Stu from Coney Island is the bartender. Anthony Rizzo is up with bases loaded and he strikes out (I think he might’ve been concussed at this point). Today is the Belmont Races. Black marble countertop, the corner down the street from here is 5th and Madison Avenue. The bar has 2 levels with a large TV projection screen. After work spot. They have recommended the wings, penne vodka, and Brussels sprouts. Midtown Heat would be the drink of choice. Stu is a Jets fan, “I’m cautiously optimistic.” His favorite players were Curtis Martin, Bryan Cox, and Vinny Testeverde.
5th and Madison is located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The joint is fully renovated and has a modern classy feel to it. They have multiple spaces to hang out is it truly lives up to the Sports, Lounge, and Nightlife description. Their drink menu has been curated by one of New York’s leading mixologists. They also have a fantastic food offering with a focus on new American Cuisine using all fresh ingredients. The meals are fun and flavorful. I look forward to grabbing another drink at 5th & Mad again soon!
Song On In The Background: Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Odalias is bartending, she is from the Bronx. “I love New York, I’m a Yankee fan, I guess so.” She’s been working at Jackson Hole for 4 months and recommends the Mac & Cheese sliders. They have a brunch special where during the summer they do half-off mimosas every day from 11 to 4 p.m. Jackson Hole has outdoor street dining, spots in the back of the restaurant, as well as a bar. They have Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays. There are multiple Jackson Hole restaurants in the City. Bartender’s favorite drink to make off the menu is the Rogie Margarita and the top seller is the Brooklyn Lager. Yanks won this game on TV.
Jackson Hole was established in New York City in 1972. They have been a part of the Murray Hill Community since 1983. They have some of the best burgers in the country, since long before it was cool to say grass-fed. Some of their celebrity customers that have eaten at Jackson Hole include JENNIFER ANISTON, Derek Jeter, Jerry Seinfeld, Denzel Washington, President Trump, President Clinton, Ed Sheeran, Wyclef Jean, and most importantly Jennifer Aniston. Rachel from Friends actually used to waitress at Jackson Hole Burgers during the beginning stages of her acting career and Jackson Hole will always be proud she was a part of their family. I look forward to grabbing a burger and another pint at Jackson Hole again soon!
Song On In The Background: Hold Back the River by James Bay
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Rachel from Sligo is bartending. The Walsh Village Inn is her favorite spot back home, her aunt owns it. Rachel loves it here in New York. “When I first got here I was walking through Grand Central saying hello to everybody.” She especially loves the New York pizza. In terms of The Cask, she highly recommends their steak and eggs. The Blood and Spice margarita is the most popular drink on the menu. “Brunches here are crazy (in a good way). You just missed one.” The Cask is 1 of 3 pubs in NYC to have a hand-drawn Cask ale. It is an older form of pour that isn’t carbonated. Rachel mentioned she went to Galway for Uni, but unfortunately does not know any Davis from Galway.
The Cask Bar & Kitchen is your local Murray Hill bar. No, not that one. The other one, as they put it, is the one you love! They put a ton of emphasis on the details, focusing on all things crafted from the booze and brews to the finest fare. It’s dimly lit and filled with conversations. Cask ale used to be the way everybody would get their beer, pumped out of a cask called a beer engine instead of pushed out of a keg using CO2. like today. Cask ale differs from most beers today in that it is much more delicate and highly perishable, which is why it is rare. Make sure to try the cask ale the next time you’re at Cask. I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness at Cask again soon!
MLB ‘23 Playoffs
Divisional Round Series
Houston Astros @ Minnesota Twins
Game 4: Jose Urquidy vs Joe Ryan
The Houston Astros are a win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series after their 9-1 victory in Minnesota. The team hit 4 homers off the Twins, including two from the bat of 1B Jose Abreu. Astros SP Cristian Javier in 3 postseason starts is now 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, striking out 23 batters in 16.1 innings.
In Game 4, Houston is starting Jose Urquidy who is coming off of a 5.29 ERA season and since ‘17 has a 6.18 playoff ERA. The Twins in a do-or-die scenario have Joe Ryan on the mound. Ryan, who has never pitched in the playoffs, gave up 9 earned runs in 10 innings pitched against Houston in ‘23. It is safe to say, this game won’t be a pitcher’s duel.
Texas Rangers Sweep Baltimore Orioles
The Texas Rangers have advanced to the American League Championship Series. They will take on the winner of the Astros and Twins. In Game 3, SS Corey Seager got the Texas bats going early as he hit a solo shot in the 1st inning, his 14th career playoff homer. In the 2nd inning, the Rangers blew the game open putting up a 5-spot. The O’s wouldn’t respond until the 5th inning, squeaking a run on a 2-out RBI single off the bat of Gunnar Henderson, but the game was already out of reach. Rangers’ SP Nathan Eovaldi went 7 innings allowing just 1 earned run off 5 hits while striking out 7.
Atlanta Braves @ Philadelphia Phillies
Game 3: Bryce Elder vs Aaron Nola
Game 2 of this series had one of the most exciting ways to finish a ballgame. The Braves bats woke up in the 6th inning as they made a comeback down 4-0. 3B Austin Riley launched a high towering homer in the 8th inning to give Atlanta the lead. With 1 out in the top of the 9th and Bryce Harper on 1st base, Nick Castellanos nearly got a hold of one that sent CF Michael Harris to the warning track. Harris made a great catch against the wall and then was able to double off Harper who had plans on scoring. Just like that, this series is knotted up at 1 a piece.
In Game 3, Atlanta has not yet announced officially who they plan to start but odds are it will be ‘23 All-Star SP Bryce Elder who went 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA this season. Elder has never pitched in a playoff game before but has faced the Phillies twice in the regular season. He threw a 7 inning gem in June but got rocked by Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos in September, giving up 2 dingers. Philly’s SP Aaron Nola had a down regular season by his standards (12-9, 4.46 ERA), but has a playoff track record against the Braves last year when he threw 6 innings of shutout ball. Whoever Atlanta decides to go with, the Phillies should hold the advantage in the matchup.
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Game 3: Lance Lynn vs Brandon Pfaadt
The Arizona DBacks took a commanding lead in the series on Monday night when they went up 2-0. It was deja vu in LA as Arizona once again got off to a hot start in the 1st inning, plating 3 runs. Diamondback’s rookie OF Corbin Carroll was an absolute pest, reaching base safely 4 times as the Dodgers’ young righty Bobby Miller couldn’t get out of the 2nd inning. SP Zac Gallen got the job done, allowing just 2 earned runs as this series now shifts to the desert.
The Dodgers will be giving the ball to veteran SP Lance Lynn. The 12-year pro was traded to the Dodgers this past summer and went 7-2 with a 4.36 ERA. Lynn has made plenty of postseason appearances (27) but has never been a great playoff performer (5.28 ERA). The Diamondbacks’ SP Brandon Pfaadt is a rookie making his 2nd playoff start. After struggling in the 1st half of the season (9.82 ERA), Pfaadt was able to turn his year around pitching to a 4.22 ERA in the 2nd half. In Pfaadt’s 2 Dodger starts this season, he allowed 10 earned runs in 8.2 innings pitched. I have no idea who to give the edge to in this one, playoff baseball is something else.