‘Say No To Joe … Take A Hike, Hit The Road’–The Song

say no to Joe
Sing along to Just Say No To Joe.

On the day former Mayor Joe Ganim officially opens his headquarters, he’s serenaded with the ode, Say No To Joe by the legendary late musician Charlie The Bum, a lovable character who strolled the streets of the East Side more than 50 years ago. Hmmm, who really produced this ditty? Hey, throw a fundraiser, play the song. Check out the song here. Lyrics below:

Charlie the bum
The legendary Charlie The Bum returns with a love song to Joe. Photo by Ed Brinsko.
Ganim speech German Club
Will Joe Ganim sing along?

JUST SAY NO TO JOE

Are you people nuts?
Have you lost your mind?
Not long ago
This bum robbed you blind

So now he’s back
And he wants your vote
Wake up my friends
And just say no to Joe

Say no to Joe, adios my friend
See ya later, sayonara, goodbye again
Just take a hike, go on, hit the road
See you soon, so long, bye bye
Say no to Joe

I know, I know
He paid his debt
But there’s some things
You just cannot forget

So, shame on him
He fooled you once
Shame on you if you bring him back
And he fools you twice

Say no to Joe, adios my friend
See ya later, sayonara, goodbye again
Just take a hike, go on, hit the road
See you soon, so long, bye bye
Say no to Joe

Well, he’s barely five foot three
He ain’t the biggest guy in town
But man, he’s got some onions
The biggest ones around

Say no to Joe, adios my friend
See ya later, sayonara, goodbye again
Just take a hike, go on, hit the road
See you soon, so long, bye bye
Say no to Joe
See you soon, so long, bye bye
Say no to Joe
Wake up my friends
and just say no to Joe

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30 comments

  1. Charlie the bum was dead long before Ganim was mayor. One of Finch’s minions wrote this. Bill, if you gave a damn about the residents of Bridgeport you could have been mayor forever. Instead you brought in out-of-towners like Nunn and Wood and you allowed them to treat the residents like dirt. You wants some advise? Get rid of both of them and put Maria Pereira in their place.

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    1. If Mayor Finch or any other candidate for that matter thinks this type of campaigning will get them elected, it will not. I hope the citizens Bridgeport let them know it!

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      1. Straight Arrow, only Lennie Grimaldi knows where this Grammy contender came from. Whether it came from Finch or any of the other candidates, one thing is for sure, Ganim will not gain votes because people feel bad for him. This just sucks, that’s all.

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  2. I too find this song offensive and whether it’s true or not, it dirties the election pool. Having said that, I find it equally, if not more offensive, Maria Pereira called Mary-Jane an elitist. This was done to inflame the black, Latino and poor community of Bridgeport and to muddy the election waters. I’ve known Mary-Jane for a few years and there is absolutely nothing elitist about her or her husband. Since when has working hard and attaining the American dream made someone an elitist? I love Joe like a play cousin and he has never been anything other than good to me and my organization, The Firebird Society, but let you not forget Maria that Joe moved to Bridgeport from Easton to run for Mayor where there a very few blacks, Latinos or poor people. Joe, please tell me this wasn’t done under your direction. Let us not forget, Joe lived a privileged life prior to moving to Bridgeport and when he won his election he didn’t move to the North End, the South End or the East End, he moved to a big house in Black Rock. Joe, please tell me this wasn’t done under your direction. If elitism is having access to money or living well, then Joe would be the poster boy for elitism.

    Mary-Jane attends my church, Mt. Aery Baptist numerous times a year, not when there is an election or some other function, and she stays for the whole service, unlike Joe Ganim and every mayor since him who makes a cameo appearance and leaves. Mary-Jane attends service at my church so much, Rev. Bennett told her she can’t stand anymore when we ask for visitors to stand because while she’s not a member, she is certainly not a visitor. There are several thousand members of Mt. Aery Baptist Church who will attest to the fact Mary-Jane may be a lot of things, but an elitist is not one of them. Joe, please tell me this wasn’t done under your direction.

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    1. I called MJF an “elitist,” not an axe murderer.

      Joe Ganim was born and raised in Bridgeport and lived on Frenchtown Road until the age of 13. Joe Ganim has true roots in Bridgeport unlike Finch and MJF. I don’t think most people living on Frenchtown Road consider themselves as leading a “life of privilege.”

      MJF moved to Black Rock from Easton. She had her house on the market for sale right before she ran for Mayor in 2011. After she lost she put it back on the market. When I asked her why she was selling her home she told me they couldn’t afford the taxes. I remember thinking poor MJF can’t afford the taxes on her waterfront home which is one of the top 20 taxed residential properties in Bridgeport, and she has absolutely no idea, and probably never will be able to relate to the average homeowner struggling to pay taxes on a small condo, trying to keep their lights and the heat on, food on the table, etc.

      I truly walked away thinking she just doesn’t get it.

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      1. You should be as accomplished as MJF and Carmen Lopez. The Frenchtown Road Joe grew up on was considered a wealthy part of town. His family did very well and is a success story with major real estate holdings.

        You are a quick study but you diminish yourself and your candidate with your rants against Mary-Jane.

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        1. I would love to be as accomplished as Judge Lopez. She has done so much good for the community she was raised in. I have absolutely no interest in being anything like MJF.

          I was born and raised in Bridgeport and Frenchtown Road has never been considered “a wealthy part of town” in my lifetime. Upper middle class at one time, yes. But wealthy, no.

          I didn’t “rant” about MJF. I just posted facts about her previous and current residency and a conversation I had with her directly.

          I speak for myself, not Joe Ganim.

          So based on your point of view, all the MJF and Finch supporters who repeatedly write disparaging remarks about Joe are clearly diminishing their candidates. Is that correct?

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  3. I truly believe Maria Pereira does not speak for Joe Ganim on this issue. As on all subjects, Maria Pereira speaks of her own opinions.

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  4. It’s refreshing to read the comments regarding this mockery. I agree, any reasonable voter will find this offensive and it will not change one mind. BTW, Jennifer B, “go pound sand.” Your trashy side is showing.

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  5. Joe may be short in stature but he has it all over Finch (the angry inch) in every other way. If you want to talk about someone with a little man’s complex, look at Adam Wood.

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    1. Harvey Weintraub,
      Where do you get off accusing the Finch Campaign of this? This whole post is silly and the reactions are even more ridiculous.

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    2. Harvey, a gentleman who has no word is no gentleman and will stoop, along with those who believe its okay to lie, to the lowest of levels. I wouldn’t be surprised by anything that comes from the Wood/Finch team.

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  6. Attention, readers. This is the first in a series of posts entitled Cracking the Ganim Code. Here, I will concentrate on taxes during 1991-2003. I will focus on policy and avoid the laundry.
    It’s the story of two bank failures/bailouts. Before he was elected, Bridgeport banks were failing. The Savings & Loan restructuring was a huge tailwind that put downward pressure on taxes, benefiting Mayor Ganim.
    Immediately following his election, Mayor Finch saw Bridgeport and the entire economy go through its worst recession in history. The subsequent TBTF bailout hurt Mayor Finch and put upward pressure on taxes. Today, Bridgeport still has hundreds of foreclosed properties in a state of suspended limbo. It’s been a huge headwind. Details to follow.
    Bonus: www .MetroCrops.com <– grown in Bridgeport

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  7. Local Eyes where is the Federal monies allocated for the Tornado, they sure as hell didn’t go into the East Side adjoining “steal point.”

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  8. This had to be one of Finch’s redneck friends. Birds of a feather and all that. How dare they use Charlie the Bum in this manner? Some of us remember Charlie as a harmless old man, down on his luck. Wonder what his family would think abut this misrepresentation. Finch hasn’t got a speck of decency in his entire body.

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  9. I agree with one of Steve’s comments, “I do not find this at all funny …” I also agree with city hall smoker. And I also find something else not funny.

    My uncle, Ed Brinsko, made the photograph of Charlie DeStasio that is on the right-hand side of the homepage header on the Reverbnation website page to promote the “Just Say No …” song.

    No one has requested or has been licensed to use the copyrighted image of Charlie.

    This comment is for the people who misused my uncle’s work. Please respect my uncle’s work as he respected Charlie. Please respect the memory of Charlie DeStasio. And please remove Uncle Ed’s photo from the Reverbnation website.

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    1. Jay,
      In case you haven’t already done this, there is a legal procedure to get material you own taken down, through the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). Their ISP must respond even if the website doesn’t. There are organizations who will do it for you for a fee, but you can do it yourself. The procedure is here:
      nppa.org/page/5617

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