1. A ‘brief’ look at the history behind the legendary final song at Sal’s
1WEEKEND
BEST BET
What: MusiCollage
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: O’Connell’s, CSB
Description: This is a
concert with a twist. Students
will have only 72 hours to
prepare with each other
before performing.
Cost: Free
2PERFECT
FOR TWO
What: The Stella Maris
Formal Ball
When: 6-10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Great Hall, SJU
Description: After
enjoying dinner and a tango
lesson, dance the night away
at this event sponsored by the
Ballroom Dance Club. Tickets
are available Friday from 1-3
p.m. in Gorecki.
Cost: $12 for dinner and
dance, $3 extra for mask
3MOVIES
TO SEE
“Catching Fire”
Showing daily: 11:20, 11:50,
12:40, 1:30, 2:40, 3:10, 4,
4:50, 6, 6:30, 7:20, 8:10, 9:20,
9:50, 10:40 and 11:30 p.m. at
Parkwood Cinema.
Rated: PG-13
“The Best Man Holiday”
Showing daily: 11:15, 2;05,
5:05, 8 and 10:50 p.m. at
Parkwood Cinema.
Rated: R
“The Christmas Candle”
Showing daily: 11:45,
2:15, 4:35 and 9:30 p.m. at
Parkwood Cinema.
Rated: PG
CAMPUS
COMMOTION
Today
Senior Class Happy Hour
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Sal’s Bar, St. Joseph
21+ only, senior cohort event
Monday
Brass and Woodwind
Chamber Ensembles
Concert
When: 8 p.m.
Where: SBH, SJU
DID YOU
KNOW?
Before thermometers were
invented, wine brewers would
dip a thumb or finger into the
liquid to determine the ideal
temperature, neither too hot nor
too cold, for adding yeast. From
this we get the phrase ‘rule of
thumb.’
Source:
www.800wine.com
SONG OF THE
WEEK
“CLOSING TIME”
SEMISONIC
The Stack
csbsjurecord.com • Nov. 22, 2013Page 4 • The Record
VARIETY Editors
Kim Borgerding • Maddy O’Brien
kmborgerding@csbsju.edu • maobrien@csbsju.edu
REED OSELL • REOSELL@CSBSJU.EDU
Pants off to tradition
Humor-scopesBy Molly Horton and Luke Muyskens
Students of Zodiacal Forecast
mjhorton@csbsju.edu • ljmuyskens@csbsju.edu
By Molly Reger
mereger@csbsju.edu
If you think swaying back and
forth with your pants around your
ankles while belting out classic
lyrics is out of the ordinary, you
are not alone, unless you talk to
Bennies and Johnnies.
Marcellus (Sal) and Margaret
Schneider opened Sal’s Café on
Minnesota Street in 1946. Their
son, Dale, and his wife Diane took
over the establishment in 1971
and have been providing a social
hot spot for Bennies and Johnnies
ever since.
Not only does Sal’s offer the
opportunity to practice your best
dance moves, but it also lends
itself to tradition. One tradition
that continues to stand the test of
time is the history of Billy Joel’s
“Piano Man.”
The tradition started in the late
1980s when a group of women
used to play Piano Man on the
jukebox at Sal’s. Dale noticed
that many students did not want
to leave the bar at 1:00 a.m. each
night and was having a difficult
time clearing the bar. Dale had an
idea. He would play “Piano Man”
as the last song and soon students
enough understood that “Piano
Man” indicated that it was time to
leave.
In 1999, a group of men did
not want to leave after “Piano
Man” and decided to rebel. The
men pulled down their pants and
began dancing around singing
along to the song and creating a
scene. Little did they know that
a simple staged rebellion would
soon turn into a long-lasting
tradition.
In recent years, Dale noticed
that he still faced the challenge
of getting students to leave the
establishment after “Piano Man”
and decided to add one final song
to end the night. The signature
song is “Still the Night” by the
BoDeans but sometimes “Shout”
also is played.
The Sal’s bar logo has evolved to
pay tribute to the tradition. “Piano
Man” continues to be played at
reunions and weddings alike.
Dale’s son, Kyle, had the song
played at his wedding.
“We played ‘Piano Man’ at Kyle’s
wedding and my sister, who was a
nun, didn’t realize that taking your
pants off to the song was a tradi-
tion here,” Dale said.
Pants were also dropped at
2009 graduates Ryan and Abby
Turbes’ wedding in the summer
of 2012. Abby and Ryan met their
senior year at CSB/SJU playing
intramural softball together.
“We didn’t talk much at softball
but one night Abby approached
me at Sal’s and I felt bad because I
didn’t remember her name,” Ryan
said. “I ended up asking her out
via text at 3:00 a.m. one night.”
After much persistence Abby
finally agreed to date Ryan and
the rest was history.
When the couple met with the
DJ for their wedding they insisted
that their wedding night would
end with Piano Man and the
BoDeans.
Reflecting on their time at CSB/
SJU Ryan and Abby urge students
to take advantage of opportuni-
ties to build relationships and
embrace every moment.
“If we are at a bar and hear
‘Piano Man’ all we can think is
‘I want to be back at Sal’s’,” Abby
said.
“Dropping your pants is a great
bonding experience between your
classmates,” Ryan said.
Besides the “Piano Man” tradi-
tion, Sal’s displays several hundred
decorated dollar bills above the
front bar. This started in ’05 when
a bouncer had the idea of writ-
ing on dollar bills and the tradi-
tion stuck. After graduation many
students visit the bar and attempt
to find their decorated George
Washington.
“When the dollar bills are gone
then you know that I’m done and
have retired,” Dale said.
Aires (March 21-April 19)
Due to the Butterfly Effect, being one minute
late to class will eventually result in ten thousand
Monarch butterflies breeding in your home.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Your splintered femur will demystify the old myth
that you can’t break a bone in the same spot twice.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
You say you have no regrets, but that reoccurring
dream of your boss’ dead dog begs to differ.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
The cosmos understand you sprayed the fire
extinguisher because you wanted a winter wonder-
land, but your roommates aren’t as understanding.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Remember when you threw that penny in the
Trevi fountain? She out bargained the Cosmos with
her dime—you will never find love.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Getting kicked out of your apartment might be
difficult to swallow, but that brief foray with your
roommate’s ferret will surely be worth it.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
This will be a good week to ask yourself important
questions, like “why am I reading this?” and “don’t I
have better things to do?”
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)
It’s time to take care of that mysterious rash on
your face—ask your roommate to please use his own
clippers to trim his body hair.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
At first the cosmos thought it was a spelling error,
but no, you will indeed find yourself inside a beauti-
ful, brand new horse.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
In an effort to shelter you from the inevitable trag-
edy and pain, the cosmos advise you not to call the
doctor back.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is the week to make your dreams a reality.
Except that one you had about your ethics professor.
Leave that one alone.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
You will face serious responsibility in your near
future, but don’t fret, Child Protection Services will
soon take care of that.
SUBMITTED BY RYAN AND ABBY TURBES
Ryan and Abby Turbes pose in front of Sal’s in St. Joseph.
The CSB/SJU alums continued the “Piano Man” tradition at
their wedding dance in 2012 after meeting senior year.