Tuesday, April 05, 2005
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glisten: FAMILY VALUES SIX
For more info about the FAMILY VALUES series, go here.
Memphis Minnie - "Dirty Mother For You"
Dad: Recorded for Decca in 1935. The discography lists this as saying that the accompaniment is a piano and a guitar, but it sounds like TWO guitars and a piano to me.
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Mom: These had to be gutsy women playing and singing; they were in a man's world back then. They didn't play, they played, yknow?
That's a great line: "Tore up th' neighborhood," but it's kinda sad the way she sings it.
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Sis: The piano sounds great on this track. Minnie's greatest gift is her sincerity; when she sings about a man who does her wrong, you know she knows just what she’s talking about.
It’s great how she can get away with saying “Dirty Mother” in a song made for thirties jukeboxes... although I think you may have it miscategorized as a “family song”! Long live Memphis Minnie!
Buy "The Essential Memphis Minnie", two discs for fourteen bucks(!), from Amazon.
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Listen to another Memphis Minnie track.
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Visit the grave of Lizzie Lawlers.
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Read this excerpt from "Woman with Guitar", the '92 biography of Minnie.
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Buy a limited edition print portrait of Minnie.
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Read a brief bio.
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Frank Black - "Sugar Daddy"
Dad: Too noisy for my taste.
When I saw 'Frank Black' on the playlist, I thought it was 'Frankie Black' AKA Francis 'Scrapper' Blackwell.
This sure ain't him. I wish it was.
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Mom: Yuck! Ugh! White gay rap?!?
I listened to this song a few times while going across the state and it was REALLY loud in the car. Can you imagine driving to Memphis with this on? "Buy me a dress and I'll bring more sugar than you can stand"? I don't know. It's just really histrionic.
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Sis: Who is this person? He's rollicking, I’ll give him that.
This song seems a bit Highway 61-inspired, but I can’t say it grabs me. I like to hear more melodic vocals. I do like the cross-dressing references; gender-bending rock is always nice.
Buy "Wig in a Box", a Hedwig and the Angry Inch cover album, from Amazon.
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Visit Frank Black's official site.
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Read this critical overview of Black's solo work.
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Read this '98 Onion interview.
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Labels: Family Values, music
