Charlie O'Neill

There ain't no quick maneuver, you can analyze
There ain't no sign post pointing that you recognize.

There ain't no way out of here tonight
Pickle in the Middle, love's a funny riddle
When it's a game of keep away

There ain't no words of wisdom, that you can believe
There ain't no easy answer that you can conceive

Could you wire me some love? And call me on the phone?
And send you word long distance when I'm far away from home

NOTES ON SONG WRITING

Pickle in the Middle was written about 1980 after I had returned to Buffalo from Los Angeles. The mood of this very unsettled period in my life was captured in the lyric and feel of this song.
Pickle in the middle is a taunting, sometimes cruel playground game. It can be fun as the one who taunts, but no one likes being the pickle. Sometimes love plays a more serious game of pickle with you, and like it or not, there is no amount of analyzing or maneuvering that can help wiggle you loose. So when help won't be arriving anytime soon, better just live try to play the game and live through the night...
As with 'Down on Chippewa' and 'Hard Earned Dollars', this version of' Pickle in the Middle' was recorded in 1983 by The Thirds at The University at Fredonia NY as part of a recording engineer's term paper (thank you students Guy Kirchoff and Maury Rosenfeld).
The University of Buffalo's Zodiac Dance Theatre included Pickle in the Middle in a musical production in November 1987. I thought the choreographed dance was great and I felt honored to have them interpret the music and feel of the song so beautifully.

CHORDS WITH LYRIC

Intro;     Bm11   Bb9 b13   Am7   D7   Dm  G  E7/G# Am  E7sus Am E7sus
                               Am7                                Bb9b13
Verse;         There ain't no quick maneuver, you can analyze
                        Am7                                 D9
             There ain't no sign post pointing that you recognize.
                        
                               Dm7       G   E7/G#  Am7  Bb9b13
Chorus;        There ain't  no way out of here tonight
               Bm11          Bb9b13  Am7                D7 
               Pickle in the Middle   love's a funny riddle
               Dm          G     E/G# Am E7sus Am E7sus
               When it's a game of keep away

                                Am7                                  Bb9b13
Verse;          There ain't no words of wisdom, that you can believe
                         Am7                           D9
              There ain't no easy answer that you can conceive

Solo;            E7#9 F6/9  E7#9 Eb6/9 D7#9 Eb6/9 D7#9
                    Am7   E7sus  Am7  E7sus



                                        Am7                                 Bb9b13
Verse           Could you wire me some love? And call me on the phone?
                       Am7                                                      D9
              And send you word long distance when I'm far away from home


Outro Inst.     Am7      E7sus  Vamp to fade