Chuck E. Weiss, the songwriter name-checked in the Rickie Lee Jones classic ‘Chuck E.’s In Love’, has died at age 76 from cancer.
Jones was living with Tom Waits in Los Angeles when their friend Chuck E. Weiss (Jones referred to him as Chuck E.) called from Denver. Waits took the call and when he hung up told Jones’ “Chuck E’s in love”.
The final line of the song “Chuck E.’s in love with the little girl singing this song” suggested Weiss was in love with Jones but that was just a fictional twist Jones put into the lyric.
Chuck E. Weiss was one of Hollywood’s colourful characters. He was born in Denver and became a disc jockey on KFML-FM Denver in the 70s.
In 1981 he released his first album ‘The Other Side of Town’. He also featured on P’s only album of 1985 together with Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols. P was Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers and Johnny Depp.
Weiss also appeared in the occasional TV show. He was in a 2002 episode of Gilmore Girls and was in two episodes of ‘Married … With Children’.
Weiss is credited as co-writer of Tom Waits’ ‘Jitterbug Boy’ from ‘Small Change, 1976) and ‘Spare Parts’ from Waits’ ‘Nighthawks at a Diner’ (1975).
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