# Starbuck's "Moonlight Feels Right"- what's a tricky french connection? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814 "2007-07-07T04:31:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/41 "2007-07-14T21:02:17Z")
It’s a cocktail combining amaretto and cognac. > **[Amaretto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaretto#French_Connection)** > > Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a sweet Italian liqueur that originated in Saronno. Depending on the brand, it may be made from apricot kernels, bitter almonds, peach stones, or almonds, all of which are natural sources of the benzaldehyde that provides the almond-like flavour of the liqueur. It generally contains 21 to 28 percent alcohol by volume. > When served as a beverage, amaretto can be drunk by itself, used as an ingredient to create several popular mixed drinks, or added to ... Obviously she liked the drink, hence the wink and “OK”. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/42 "2007-07-14T21:21:39Z")
How [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8vzIGqaJy8) classic only hit #81 in the states, is one of the mysteries of 70’s pop- “Arms of Mary” Sutherland brothers. Dig that beret, and anyone know what kind of guitar that is (close up at 1:14)? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/43 "2007-07-14T22:16:44Z")
“Arms Of Mary” is a US cover by the above group. The original is by the Canadian group Chilliwack, whose version is quite a bit better than the Sutherland Bros. one. They’re probably still playing it on the radio up there. I can’t tell you what chart number it hit, because there is no national chart website for Canadian music, and oddly, it didn’t get on the CHUM (Toronto) playlist, as it’s not in the CHUM Chart Book. Incidentally, it’s one of several songs Bill Henderson wrote about his Mary over the years, and included her in the title and/or lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/44 "2007-07-14T23:12:05Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] “Arms Of Mary” is a US cover by the above group. The original is by the Canadian group Chilliwack, whose version is quite a bit better than the Sutherland Bros. one. They’re probably still playing it on the radio up there. I can’t tell you what chart number it hit, because there is no national chart website for Canadian music, and oddly, it didn’t get on the CHUM (Toronto) playlist, as it’s not in the CHUM Chart Book. Incidentally, it’s one of several songs Bill Henderson wrote about his Mary over the years, and included her in the title and/or lyrics. [/QUOTE] Interesting! Is there a link online for the original anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/45 "2007-07-14T23:23:08Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Interesting! Is there a link online for the original anywhere? [/QUOTE] Not that I’m aware of. I’d send you a PM, but it looks like you have that function disabled. You could send me one, if you like. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/46 "2007-07-15T00:38:49Z")
I’m loving ALL of these songs, the one-hit wonders, they all take me back to the early teens. Og, I feel old! ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/47 "2007-07-15T00:43:06Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Not that I’m aware of. I’d send you a PM, but it looks like you have that function disabled. You could send me one, if you like. [/QUOTE] Done, I think I did it right… ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/48 "2007-07-15T00:56:32Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Do not be bagging on Cher in my presence. \ [/QUOTE] I like _Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves_, but it’s not a good fit on the CD I listed. The other song that doesn’t work on that particular CD is the Grand Funk Railway. If I was re-doing it (and I may someday) I’d replace those two with _Ventura Highway_ (America) and _Cool Change_ (Little River Band) (Great song, possibly one of the worst lyrics ever: “The albatross and the whales, they are my brothers.”) I think those replacements would make it more of a light, summer drive CD, which is the feel I was going for. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/49 "2007-07-16T01:49:43Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] I like _Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves_, but it’s not a good fit on the CD I listed. The other song that doesn’t work on that particular CD is the Grand Funk Railway. If I was re-doing it (and I may someday) I’d replace those two with _Ventura Highway_ (America) and _Cool Change_ (Little River Band) (Great song, possibly one of the worst lyrics ever: “The albatross and the whales, they are my brothers.”) I think those replacements would make it more of a light, summer drive CD, which is the feel I was going for. [/QUOTE] I do this often as well- compile a 70’s CD that I think goes together, but invariably one or two won’t gel with the others… ---
**Author:** ![skaizun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@skaizun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaizun)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/50 "2023-09-29T19:52:30Z")
The woman is the actual singer’s (R.I.P.) wife! It may be as simple as a French (tongue) kiss, or a drug buy (a la the eponymous, 1971, movie, starring Gene Hackman), or it has to do with a sex act (ref: [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20French%20Connection](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20French%20Connection)). ---
**Author:** ![skaizun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@skaizun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaizun)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/51 "2023-09-29T20:33:40Z")
_(part 2 of 3; the site screwed-up my edits!)_ Third, if you don’t like that explanation, we can get a little raunchy by saying that it may be as simple as a French (tongue) kiss _(but, why would he kiss her, and then get a wink and “okay”?),_ or a drug buy _(a la the eponymous, 1971, movie, starring Gene Hackman; which may be “proven,” if you believe that “dose a potion” refers to taking drugs, though it may be nothing more than champagne or such),_ or it has to do with a sex act _(ref: [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20French%20Connection](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20French%20Connection); but, if it took three times just to get her to go out with him, why would she agree to such an act, and, pre-gangsta rap, who would write such about his own wife?_). ---
**Author:** ![skaizun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@skaizun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaizun)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/52 "2023-09-29T20:34:36Z")
_(part 3 of 3)_ And, nothing of nothing, but, some, here, have implied that this was a disco song. Although it, originally, aired in the late 70s during the disco era, its genre was pop rock, and devoid of the staccato music and thumping bass usually associated with disco. So, there’s my take on the song, which is one of my favorites (I was in college when it aired). ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814/53 "2023-10-04T15:00:04Z")
…that weird feeling when you unknowingly click on a zombie thread, not noticing dates, and see the first reply to the OP is a doper who’s been dead for over a year 😲 (RIP, dropzone) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starbucks-moonlight-feels-right-whats-a-tricky-french-connection/410814.md?page=2)