30,000 Pounds of Bananas
Encyclopedia
"30,000 Pounds of Bananas", sometimes spelled "Thirty-Thousand Pounds of Bananas", is a song by Harry Chapin
from his 1974
album, Verities & Balderdash
. The song became more popular in its live extended recording from Chapin's 1976
concert album, Greatest Stories Live
that started the phrase "Harry, it sucks". The song is based on an actual truck accident which occurred in Scranton, Pennsylvania
in 1965.
where he picked up his load. While the exact information is somewhat lost in time, the load was clearly destined for the "wholesale block" on the western edge of Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton, the local A&P Warehouse or to "Halem Hazzouri Bananas", the premier banana purveyor in the area at the time. Seski was driving a 1950s Brockway diesel truck tractor with a 35-foot semi-trailer while and was headed down Rt. 307
when he suddenly lost control. The "two-mile" descent extends from Lake Scranton down to the bottom of Moosic Street41.396005°N 75.648251°W, where the truck eventually crashed at the SW corner of Moosic St and S. Irving Ave. For some reason, the truck cruised into Scranton at about ninety miles-per-hour sideswiping a number of cars before it crashed, killing the driver and spilling bananas everywhere when the rig came to rest. The road was then closed for cleanup as Johnson's Towing Company helped out in the recovery. Trucks over 21000 lb (9,525.4 kg) are no longer allowed to travel that route.
singing the bass line "of bananas". During concerts, the crowd would often shout this verse.
in the accident and 400 yards of the road down the hill is smeared with his load of bananas.
The song's epilogue tells the story how Chapin first heard of the event coming on Greyhound bus
out of Scranton some months later. An old man sitting next to Chapin implores him to imagine "30,000 pounds of mashed bananas."
, Chapin sings two alternate endings to the song he originally had in mind, explaining to the audience that the rest of the band was less than enthusiastic about them (with his brothers Tom
and Steve
each offering the summary dismissal, "Harry, it sucks!"). The first alternate ending uses "Yes we have no bananas" as the punchline of the song. The second ending is described by Chapin as a "country-western" ending about "motherhood" because the song "already had a truck." It deals with a young mother crying while watching her child sleeping. The woman is presumably the truck driver's wife, and because of her sorrow over the accident, and "though she lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania / she never, ever eats bananas." During concerts, Chapin divided the audience during this ending, usually turning it into a contest between men and women with regard to singing skill. The second alternate ending has everyone sing 'of Bananas!' in harmony, swelling to a climax and cutting off.
A third alternate ending surfaced later which Chapin would often introduce with a monologue about Donnie
and Marie Osmond
, and the technical definition of the word 'sucks'. The third alternate ending is a parody of a Chiquita banana
commercial, done in 'Jimmy Buffett
style', with the participation of the whole band. The ending is cut short by Big John singing the first verse of "Taxi
" in the form of an upbeat disco style which concludes with Chapin telling him "it sucks."
The Bottom Line CD features the four endings along with "Final Concert". Other recorded examples of the song with all four endings include performances at Knoxville Memorial Stadium on March 7, 1979, the Coffee Break Concert broadcast on WMMS Cleveland on December 5, 1979, and the Boston University concert on April 1, 1981.
"Harry, it sucks" became a popular catchphrase among Chapin's fans, to the point where T-shirts sporting the phrase would be offered at his concerts.
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
from his 1974
1974 in music
-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
album, Verities & Balderdash
Verities & Balderdash
Verities & Balderdash is the fourth studio album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1974. . "Cat's in the Cradle" was Chapin's highest charting single, finishing at #44 for the year on the 1974 Billboard year-end Hot 100 chart. The follow-up single, "I Wanna Learn a Love...
. The song became more popular in its live extended recording from Chapin's 1976
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
concert album, Greatest Stories Live
Greatest Stories Live
Greatest Stories Live is the first live album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1976. Certain elements had to be re-recorded in the studio due to technical problems with the live recordings. The original LP release featured three new studio tracks, two of which were...
that started the phrase "Harry, it sucks". The song is based on an actual truck accident which occurred in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
in 1965.
Incident
On March 18, 1965, a 35-year-old truck driver named Gene Seski was on his way to deliver a load of bananas to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Seski had been an employee of a man named Fred Carpentier, who operated a small truck line in Scranton, and was returning from the boat piers at Weehawken, New JerseyWeehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
where he picked up his load. While the exact information is somewhat lost in time, the load was clearly destined for the "wholesale block" on the western edge of Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton, the local A&P Warehouse or to "Halem Hazzouri Bananas", the premier banana purveyor in the area at the time. Seski was driving a 1950s Brockway diesel truck tractor with a 35-foot semi-trailer while and was headed down Rt. 307
Pennsylvania Route 307
Pennsylvania Route 307 is a north–south route of the Pennsylvania Highway System that runs for . The southern terminus is Pennsylvania Route 435 in Covington Township and the northern terminus is Pennsylvania Route 92 in Tunkhannock Township...
when he suddenly lost control. The "two-mile" descent extends from Lake Scranton down to the bottom of Moosic Street41.396005°N 75.648251°W, where the truck eventually crashed at the SW corner of Moosic St and S. Irving Ave. For some reason, the truck cruised into Scranton at about ninety miles-per-hour sideswiping a number of cars before it crashed, killing the driver and spilling bananas everywhere when the rig came to rest. The road was then closed for cleanup as Johnson's Towing Company helped out in the recovery. Trucks over 21000 lb (9,525.4 kg) are no longer allowed to travel that route.
The song
The song portrays a fictional account of the incident played to the form of a country-folk song. With each verse, the song gets faster to which Chapin explained is to "build up intensity and excitement." During the chorus, Chapin sings the verse "thirty-thousand pounds" followed by Big John WallaceJohn Wallace (musician)
"Big" John Wallace was a bassist and backup singer for singer-songwriter Harry Chapin. John gained membership to Harry's band by responding to an ad placed in the Village Voice in 1971...
singing the bass line "of bananas". During concerts, the crowd would often shout this verse.
Content
A young male truck-driver is driving "just after dark" during his "second job" to deliver a load of bananas to Scranton, which is described as a "coal-scarred city where children play without despair," the population of which consumes about 30,000 pounds of bananas daily. While approaching Scranton, he passes a sign he "should have seen" reading: "Shift to low gear / a fifty dollar fine my friend" because he is too busy thinking about seeing his girl after his trip. He begins to travel down the "two-mile drop" road to the bottom of the hill. Suddenly, the truck begins to go faster down the hill and driver tries to apply the brakes, only to discover they aren't working. He says, "Christ!" who ironically is "the only Man who could save him now" as the load of bananas push against the truck causing it to pick up speed. Cruising into Scanton at "about ninety miles-per-hour", he almost hits a passing bus. The driver then prays twice to God to make the event all a dream before he "sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars / clipped off thirteen telephone poles / hit two houses, bruised eight trees / and Blue-Crossed seven people." He is decapitatedDecapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
in the accident and 400 yards of the road down the hill is smeared with his load of bananas.
The song's epilogue tells the story how Chapin first heard of the event coming on Greyhound bus
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
out of Scranton some months later. An old man sitting next to Chapin implores him to imagine "30,000 pounds of mashed bananas."
Alternate endings
In the live performance form the album Greatest Stories LiveGreatest Stories Live
Greatest Stories Live is the first live album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1976. Certain elements had to be re-recorded in the studio due to technical problems with the live recordings. The original LP release featured three new studio tracks, two of which were...
, Chapin sings two alternate endings to the song he originally had in mind, explaining to the audience that the rest of the band was less than enthusiastic about them (with his brothers Tom
Tom Chapin
Tom Chapin is a Grammy Award-winning American musician, entertainer, singer-songwriter and storyteller.-Biography:Chapin attended State University of New York at Plattsburgh and graduated in 1966. From 1971-1976, he hosted a TV show called Make a Wish...
and Steve
Steve Chapin
Stephen Chapin is an American singer. He is best known as the youngest of the four Chapin brothers, which include Harry Chapin and Tom Chapin, and is the son of drummer Jim Chapin and uncle of Jen Chapin and the Chapin Sisters. He has frequently toured and performed with both of his musician brothers...
each offering the summary dismissal, "Harry, it sucks!"). The first alternate ending uses "Yes we have no bananas" as the punchline of the song. The second ending is described by Chapin as a "country-western" ending about "motherhood" because the song "already had a truck." It deals with a young mother crying while watching her child sleeping. The woman is presumably the truck driver's wife, and because of her sorrow over the accident, and "though she lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania / she never, ever eats bananas." During concerts, Chapin divided the audience during this ending, usually turning it into a contest between men and women with regard to singing skill. The second alternate ending has everyone sing 'of Bananas!' in harmony, swelling to a climax and cutting off.
A third alternate ending surfaced later which Chapin would often introduce with a monologue about Donnie
Donny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
and Marie Osmond
Marie Osmond
Olive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s...
, and the technical definition of the word 'sucks'. The third alternate ending is a parody of a Chiquita banana
Chiquita Brands International
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is an American producer and distributor of bananas and other produce, under a variety of subsidiary brand names, collectively known as Chiquita. Other brands include Fresh Express salads, which it purchased from Performance Food Group in 2005...
commercial, done in 'Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
style', with the participation of the whole band. The ending is cut short by Big John singing the first verse of "Taxi
Taxi (song)
"Taxi" is a song written and performed by Harry Chapin from his 1972 album Heads and Tales. Chapin debuted the song on NBC's The Tonight Show in 1972 which was followed by many calls and telegrams sent from viewers to NBC demanding that Chapin return to the show...
" in the form of an upbeat disco style which concludes with Chapin telling him "it sucks."
The Bottom Line CD features the four endings along with "Final Concert". Other recorded examples of the song with all four endings include performances at Knoxville Memorial Stadium on March 7, 1979, the Coffee Break Concert broadcast on WMMS Cleveland on December 5, 1979, and the Boston University concert on April 1, 1981.
"Harry, it sucks" became a popular catchphrase among Chapin's fans, to the point where T-shirts sporting the phrase would be offered at his concerts.