In the song Chuck E’s In Love by Rickie Lee Jones. from the late 70s it contains the lines
How come he don’t come and p.i.p. with me
Down at the meter no more?
What exactly is a “P.I.P”?
Also what is meant by “meter”?
“PLP” as in “Public Leaning Post.” Hanging out nt the street corner.
(I have the liner notes around here somewhere.)
I’m not sure if it’s PIP or PLP, I just went off the lyrics I got when I Google’d around.
She seems to be using whatever that word is as a verb.
I’m sure. I read it on the album back in '79. Same spring that Zappa’s “Dancing Fool” was a hit.
To “PLP” was to hang out at the “public leaning post.” If I can find it in my vinyl any time soon, I can check to see if my memory that “the Meter” was the name of the theatre or diner in her downtown.
They used to print all this stuff on the back of the album or on the paper sleeve for the record.
- I miss album covers.
- That’s a great tune.
- Hey Opal, come PLP with me sometime; christ, I’ll even comb my hair.
I just checked my copy of the LP. There are production notes and lyrics printed on the back (and it says “p.l.p.”), but there’s no explanation of any of the lyrics. Nothing about p.l.p. or the meter. The paper slip cover has nothing on it relevant to the album; it’s solid gray with a small order form you could send in to purchase the Warner Bros “Limo” double-LP sampler album for $2.
[posted to the strains of “Last Chance Texaco”, my favorite cut off that LP]
Then where the heck did I pick up what p.l.p. meant? Maybe an article in one of the magazines at the time…
(And it does say “at the meter.” I’ve been mishearing that as “at the Lido” for thrity years now. Hrmmm.)
If you like this tune, and especially if you like Rikki Lee Jones (and Tom Waits), you really need to hear something from Chuck E. himself - Extremely Cool. You’ll thank me.
bebops off to “do ya know what I Idi Amin Amin, do you know what I Idi Amin…”
You know those gas meters you fnd outside houses and other buildings? Well, that’s where we’ll all go, when she comes 'round the mountain. At least, that was what I thought when I was a kid (“And we’ll all go out to meter when she comes.”)
GuanoLad reminisces upon his youth…
Goes up to friend. “Are you a PLP?”
“What’s a PLP?”
“A Polite Little Person.”
“Oh, then yes, I am a PLP.”
“Are you? You’re a Public Leaning Post? Great!” Leans on friend.
We all need Somebody
To Leeeee-ean On
Has fleetingly vague flashback.
Do you live in the NW of England?
I was looking at her website
but so far I can’t find anything, nor could I find a place to email her
You down wit’ PLP?
Yeah you know me! 
No, I grew up in New Zealand. I believe we shared a lot of silly kiddie stuff from the UK, though (I used to read British comics).
Hmmm…I definitely remember that “You’re a Public Leaning Post?” rejoinder, but I can’t see it coming from a comic, and although I was familiar with “Chuck E’s In Love” - heck, I even liked it! ( Okay, no shame in that, I know!) - but I wasn’t aware I was analysing the lyric’s, and even if I had, I didn’t have the knowledge of the song I’ve gained from this thread! One of life’s mysteries, I guess? 
PLP was “public leaning post” when I was a kid, too (on Long Island).