When today’s song popped up as my Random Weekend selection, my first thought was to write about Sara Bareilles’ Little Voice as a great debut album. I’ve been meaning to do a series of posts on my favorite debuts, and this one would certainly make the cut.
But when I called up Bareilles’ discography, I learned that while 2007’s Little Voice was the singer-songwriter’s major label debut, it is actually her second album.
Today we have another installment of “stuff my daughters like to listen to in the car.” I could really do a whole theme week on that topic, and maybe I will one of these days.
The good news is I’d wind up with a week of songs I really like as well. They started off with Neko Case and M.I.A. and now are partial to Sara Bareilles and Rihanna (and I don’t think they appreciate Rihanna for her looks, so there!). Just recently they’ve reintroduced Laurie Berkner to the rotation, and as kids’ music goes, she’s as good as it gets.
I remember a cartoon that ran in Rolling Stone in 1990. Called “Mr. Guthrie’s Homeroom,” it depicted a classroom with Woody Guthrie standing at the blackboard. In the front row taking notes sits Bob Dylan. Behind Dylan, and leaning over to copy off Dylan’s paper, is Bruce Springsteen. And copying from Bruce Springsteen’s paper is John Mellencamp. (I was hoping I’d find it through the magic of the Web, but all I found was a reference to it and details of the issue in which it ran.)
This cartoon came to mind recently when I picked up Little Voice, the debut CD by Sara Bareilles. Only in this version it would be Joni Mitchell teaching the class, Tori Amos in the first seat, Fiona Apple behind her and Sara Bareilles in the back row. Throw in Nellie McKay and Rachael Yamagata while you’re at it.
Meet Me In Montauk 