Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses

Peter first met Don Covay while with the J. Geils Band, and he called him for a meeting years later to cowrite a song during his solo career. Don was enthusiastic about the idea, as he always was about music. Peter recalls how whenever they were together, Don talked about music, sounds, and everything he appreciated about it all. Peter and Don wrote the song “Lights Out,” originally titled “Dancing in the Dark” but changed because Bruce Springsteen released a song with that name around the same time. Don told Peter a story about how, if he followed a top act at a show, he would have to “pink ‘em” (the audience) in order to capture their attention. This meant dressing from head to toe in pink, because as Don put it, “women just love pink!” (296). In 1992, Don had a serious stroke and required a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He could not speak as well as he did before, but he and Peter remained close friends.