I’m taking another break between Elvis Costello weeks, but he’s managed to sneak in anyway. Today’s song, a snappy number from Jenny Lewis’ latest album Acid Tongue, is a duet with Costello. And today’s video is a live version of the song from The Late Show with David Letterman, where Costello has always found a home.
I haven’t returned to Acid Tongue (or Lewis’ last album Rabbit-Fur Coat) much since I bought them, but when I do it’s always rewarding. She’s a talented writer and an expressive singer with a sensibility that spans genres and ends up very much her own thing.
This is a pretty straight-forward country-fueled spark plug of a song about carnivorous women. Lewis draws a line from wartime women who screw then steal from soldiers to a modern domestic scene of a man who’s a slave to his wife.
In a prurient way, Lewis reminds me a lot of Neko Case, another pretty redhead with a great voice and mad songwriting skills (though Lewis definitely takes a backseat to Case in my estimation). This might be a silly or obvious question, but why is it so many talented musicians are also very attractive? The most obvious answer is that only the attractive ones get a chance to reach a broader audience because everybody’s fate is in the hand of marketers who want to present a “full package.” That seems especially true of women.
So who is the least attractive popular female musician? With men, you can tick off Lyle Lovett, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop… I’m having a hard time coming up with even one equivalent woman. Bjork? Amy Winehouse? Are there a bunch of ugly mega-talented women somewhere whose music is going unheard?
Dirty boots in the middle of the night
Trolling the bars, hitting on the soldiers
Boys give it up without a fight
They say, “Hey, boy, how about your place?
I know you really want to take me home”
Drop the bags off on the bedroom floor
They make love with the lights on, saying
“I’m a carpetbagger, baby
I’m coming to your town
I’m going to treat you kind (woo-hoo)
I’m going to rob you blind (woo-hoo)
I’ll smile all the time
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah”
Sally could have had any one of the boys
But she couldn’t love no one she could not control
Friend of mine and her got married
I don’t hear too much from them anymore
Last I heard, he had a rope around his neck
Dragging around the grocery store
Carrying her bags and pushing down the aisles
Saying, “I ain’t got no home in this world anymore”
“I’m a carpetbagger, baby
I’m coming to your town
I’m going to treat you kind (woo-hoo)
I’m going to rob you blind (woo-hoo)
I’ll smile all the time
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah”
They come to town when the party’s over
Books been written and truths been tried
They’ll take it all if the door’s left open
Steal the nose right from under your eyes
Singing, “I’m a carpetbagger, baby
I’m coming to your town
I’m going to treat you kind (woo-hoo)
I’m going to rob you blind (woo-hoo)
I’ll smile all the time
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah
Whoa, yeah”
Meet Me In Montauk 
Tracy Chapman? Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls? Natalie Maines? Artists such as them, and their predecessors Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Carole King and so on, are not unattractive, but they certainly didn’t “make it” based on their looks.
My guess is it’s a combination of the superficiality of the industry and the likelihood that many people in general, but likely girls in particular, are reluctant to pursue a career that would find them in the spotlight if they have believe, or have been led to believe, that their looks are less than appealing. Still, the true singer songwriter, like the character actor, will go forth just the same, knowing that there will ultimately be an audience for her music.
I mean Natalie Merchant above. Not Natalie Maines. Both are talented and attractive, but Maines is certainly the more traditional “package” than Merchant.
I find Natalie Merchant pretty hot in a crunchy granola sort of way. And Carly Simon was a babe in her day. I’ll give you Chapman and the Indigo Girls. 🙂
Don’t think Bonnie Rait is much of a looker Can’t immediately think of others that you haven’t already named. Clearly, the record industry for years–certainly through the 70’s, but I would say beyond that and even to today, places a value on looks, particularly for female artists. So, yes, I would say it is probably harder for the overweight acne faced woman with mad song writing skills to get a record deal, although she may certainly be writing the hits for the likes of Britney Spears:)(
My apologies to Jenny Lewis, whose song was hijacked by the discussion of ugly female singers. 🙂 But at least she’s lined up with the lookers.
How about Janis Joplin? I don’t recall her being a beauty.
Okay. I admit it. I’m just now listening to the song for the first time, and I’m shocked by how country it is. I guess the title should have been an indication, but I wasn’t expecting such twang to start emanating from my little laptop speakers.
Can’t say that I love it, despite the inclusion of Elvis Costello. I likely would not listen to much of this music, though I do love some country songs (Mary Chapin-Carpenter comes to mind immediately). This one is just a bit too… bouncy?
Yes, Janis Joplin is indeed ugly. 🙂
This sound isn’t typical of Jenny Lewis. It’s not necessarily atypical of her either but I wouldn’t write her off based on this song. Elvis generally has good taste. 🙂
Elvis may have good taste, which likely includes opera and some pretty out there punk music that I wouldn’t gravitate toward either. I didn’t hate this song, but, as I have often said, it ain’t my cup of tea.
Here’s another song of hers I featured awhile back:
yeah, didn’t care much for that song either.
Is that why you said “Like her sound” in the comments? I said good day!
Well, I admit I liked it well enough on first listen because I heard a bit of Bonnie Raitt in her, but, just now I went back to hear it again, and it didn’t do as much for me. What can I say?
Bjork isn’t necessarily bad-looking: http://www.last.fm/music/Bj%C3%B6rk/+images/16345887, but she can look a lot like MJ: http://www.last.fm/music/Bj%C3%B6rk/+images/3759730.
I don’t think Jenny’s all that hot in some photos, but because I love every song she is a part of, therefore she is hot. I’m sure the same goes for male actors/singers. Did anyone think John Mayer was good looking before your body was a wonderland?
What about Adele? not exactly full-body album jacket photogenic.
I think John Mayer is one of those people who looks good from certain angles and hideous from others. Adele is pretty but, yes, her body type is certainly not that of your typical pop star.
I didn’t put those two songs together AT ALL. I just went back to listen to the other one, and I really do very much like that song. So… I’m officially intrigued now.