Peak
1
Weeks
25
Score
5,561
Chart Year
1982
///
This song is about a guy who had a crush on a sweet, innocent girl in his homeroom in high school. Years later, he's looking through a girly magazine and sees his homeroom crush as the centerfold, and it rocks his world - no longer is she the innocent girl in a fuzzy sweater that he dreamed about. Rather than being titillated, he is disappointed, as his "memory has been sold." >> The J. Geils Band signed with Atlantic Records in 1970 and made a name for themselves as a great live act with a blues-based sound. "Centerfold" was a musical departure for the band - a new wave sound similar to what The Cars and The Police were doing. It was also their biggest hit, earning them a slot touring with The Rolling Stones, the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and heavy rotation on the new cable network MTV with a video showing the band playing in a classroom surrounded by girls in Catholic school uniforms. This was written by the band's keyboard player Seth Justman, who wrote or co-wrote all the tracks on the Freeze Frame album. He insists that the reason you didn't hear much synthesizer on earlier J. Geils albums is because they couldn't afford them: The band was trapped in the record company debt cycle, constantly owing money despite their success. The video was directed by Paul Justman, brother of the song's writer Seth. Paul also directed the band's videos for "Land of 1,000 Dances" and "Freeze-Frame." Freeze Frame was the band's third album with EMI; they signed with the label leaving Atlantic. In earlier years, the band chose their singles, but EMI picked "Centerfold" as the lead single and were handsomely rewarded when it went to US #1 for a startling six weeks and also helped send the album to the top spot. This was used in The Office episode "Customer Survey." While Dwight and Jim are talking, Dwight blasts it in his car in case customer service is eavesdropping on their conversation. It also appeared in these movies: Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) The Watch (2012) Grown Ups 2 (2013) And in these TV shows: The King of Queens ("Fatty McButterpants" - 2000) My Name Is Earl ("Jump For Joy" - 2006) The Office ("Customer Survey" - 2008) Glee ("Naked" - 2013) The Goldbergs ("The Circle Of Driving" - 2013)
(Come on) Does she walk? Does she talk? Does she come complete? My homeroom, homeroom angel Always pulled me from my seat She was pure like snowflakes No one could ever stain The memory of my angel Could never cause me pain Years go by I'm lookin' through a girly magazine And there's my homeroom angel on the pages in-between My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold My angel is the centerfold Angel is the centerfold My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold Angel is the centerfold Slipped me notes under the desk While I was thinkin' about her dress I was shy I turned away Before she caught my eye I was shakin' in my shoes Whenever she flashed those baby-blues Something had a hold on me When angel passed close by Those soft and fuzzy sweaters Too magical to touch To see her in that negligee Is really just too much My blood runs cold Yeah, my memory has just been sold My angel is the centerfold Angel is the centerfold My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold (Oh yeah) Angel is the centerfold Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na (Now listen) It's okay I understand This ain't no never-neverland I hope that when this issue's gone I'll see you when your clothes are on Take you car, yes we will We'll take your car and drive it We'll take it to a motel room And take 'em off in private A part of me has just been ripped The pages from my mind are stripped Oh no, I can't deny it Oh yeah, I guess I gotta buy it My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold My angel is the centerfold Angel is the centerfold My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold My Angel in the centerfold Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na (Alright, alright) (One, two, three, four) Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na My blood runs cold My memory has just been sold My angel is the centerfold Angel is the centerfold My blood runs cold (oh yeah) My memory has just been sold Angel is the centerfold Angel is the centerfold Na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na-na, na-na-na-na Na-na, na-na-na-na
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 7, 1981 | 70 | 56 |
| 2 | Nov 14, 1981 | 50 | 76 |
| 3 | Nov 21, 1981 | 41 | 85 |
| 4 | Nov 28, 1981 | 35 | 91 |
| 5 | Dec 5, 1981 | 30 | 96 |
| 6 | Dec 12, 1981 | 25 | 101 |
| 7 | Dec 19, 1981 | 23 | 103 |
| 8 | Dec 26, 1981 | 11 | 115 |
| 9 | Jan 2, 1982 | 11 | 115 |
| 10 | Jan 9, 1982 | 8 | 118 |
| 11 | Jan 16, 1982 | 5 | 121 |
| 12 | Jan 23, 1982 | 3 | 123 |
| 13 | Jan 30, 1982 | 3 | 123 |
| 14 | Feb 6, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 15 | Feb 13, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 16 | Feb 20, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 17 | Feb 27, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 18 | Mar 6, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 19 | Mar 13, 1982 | 1 | 125 |
| 20 | Mar 20, 1982 | 3 | 123 |