"Under Your Skin" deserved to be as big a single as "Naked Eye" and maybe bigger. It sounds so sunny and fun. It has a slightly more organic or traditional formula than "Naked Eye." Guitars that sound like guitars are brought to the front of the mix periodically throughout the song. There is a difference between hearing a song you like and hearing a "hit." Not every song I like has the sound of a "hit." While "Under Your Skin" does not have "smash" written all over it, it should have caught on more than it did. I don't remember if it was released as a single. It should have been if it wasn't. It deserved to be moderately huge.
The other song you might be likely to have heard is "Why Do I Lie?" It was used in the film Good Will Hunting and was one of a handful of tracks not by the late Elliott Smith. The song features some of Lanois' great slide guitar work. The effects he used on his guitar create a haunting, mournful sound.
The special thing happens with the combination of the vocal and the lyric. Cunniff's sad, detached vocal work to magical effect. These lyrics, had they been delivered in emotive, overwrought, overheated, pop-diva emoting the song would have been sunk.
I would love to be better
I would love to be free
I would love to be perfect when you look at me
But instead I'm still crying
Yes, instead I'm still lying
Sad to say I'm still trying not to be me
The protagonist in the song wants to change. Change is not something most of us make for change's sake. It usually comes about as a result of experiencing some sort of emotional pain. Rather than drowning in a sea of self-pity, Cunniff's voice sounds a little sad but also maintains an edge of cool.
The temptation would be to get into some dimestore psychology. Did I listen to this song on repeat 10,000 times in the dark of night on the road to Colorado Springs because I have always liked the sad songs about "how my baby done me bad?" Or was it because somewhere in the recesses of my mind I knew I was in a relationship that was fucking doomed from the start and I was in denial about it the whole time? Is it ever really that simple?
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Here I was under the impression that Luscious Jackson was a type of apple.
2 - DJRadiohead
I could take this conversation straight to the gutter if I was of a mind but I think I will resist the temptation.
3 - DJRadiohead
If only my powers of summoning were always this potent: this weekend, after having searched on multiple occasions, I saw LJ's first two CDs in a used bin. I hadn't seen them new in I don't know how long. So I got both In Search of Manny and Natural Ingredients for under $10.
It's the Circle of Life, Simba.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
How'd wifey end up liking the column?
5 - Mark Saleski
very nice. love this record. Lucious Jackson was one of the performers at the Lilith Fair show i went to. they totally rocked the joint. between them and Emylou Harris, the show could not have been better.
6 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, Saleski, for finding, reading, and commenting this.
We didn't have the greatest Lilith Fair set. I can't believe Emmylou Harris wasn't booked for Nashville. I guess they thought that was too obvious. I wanted Luscious Jackson, Sheryl Crow, or Shawn Colvin. Got none of them. Sarah Mc was fabulous, though. Never got to see LJ live. Would have liked that.
7 - DJRadiohead
In fairness, I told her I had finished it. When I said she is too busy to read/listen to my stuff I was not kidding. She just doesn't have the time. That's how I get away with things like this. Although, she did tell me she went trolling around Blogcritics last week. I may yet find out what she thinks.
I'm still married, anyway.
8 - Scott Butki
I heard Luscious Jackson open for REM. They rocked the house. They had a great frunk groove thing going.
Quick question: is it offensive to call someone a "fanboy"?I've heard mixed reports on that.
9 - Matthew T. Sussman
"When I said she is too busy to read/listen to my stuff I was not kidding"
Yeah, she's too busy reading MY stuff. Oh snap!
But in all honesty, I know that situation all too well. Chelsea is in fact a busy girl and has too many more important things to do than read my goofy little posts.
10 - Mat Brewster
I don't think my wife has ever read anything of mine. Same reason, just way too busy. When she has a free moment I'd rather her pay attention to me anyway instead of what I wrote.
My long distance commute story turned into a good one. Premarriage I traveled some 350 miles from Tennessee to Indiana every few weekends to see the girl who is now my wife.
11 - Mark Saleski
not only did we have Emmylou doing a set with her band, Spyboy....but when we first walked in, on one of the small stages, we heard Syd Straw doing a set with Emmylou and Buddy Miller. they did a version of the Stones' "Some Girls". incredible.
12 - DJRadiohead
Scott, like with a lot of things the term "fanboy" can be used in a derogatory manner. I know what I mean when I use it in referring to myself so I just go with it. Other people wouldn't like it. I guess caution is the word when flinging it.
I never got to see LJ live. I do remember them opening for R.E.M. It would have been very cool to see both bands.
13 - DJRadiohead
Suss, I'll give you that. That was good, man. That was good.
The Wife to Whom I Am Married loves that I write and when she reads what I write she usually likes it, too. When I test material designed for my podcasts she usually laughs. She just doesn't have the time and she really doesn't like sitting in front of the computer very much. Plus, my fanboy tendencies go well beyond her musical interests.
That said, Suss, the sports area might be the area she is least likely to travel.
14 - DJRadiohead
Brewster, The Wife to Whom I Am Married and I commuted from a distance a good deal less than that but still at a bit of a distance. I think it was probably an hour-ish. It worked out ridiculously well for me, too.
15 - Scott Butki
I just pulled out my copy of their cd.
I was trying to remember which song of theirs I most like and it is... "City song."
It has that great comination of fun, sultry voice and is damn catchy.
16 - DJRadiohead
Scott, "Citysong" is on Natural Ingredient which is the album that preceeded this one. It is damn catchy. I love that one.
17 - Scott Butki
Ah heard Naked Eye that one is good too.
18 - Joanie
I think we covered this before, but I used to live in Westminster (and made that same drive, for different reasons).
I have many songs/artists that remind me of that time in my life, as I do every period. I call them memory songs, and regardless of the emotions evoked, they're all there...waiting to be activated.
19 - Scott Butki
For some reason their songs make me think of New York City.
20 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
this may be my favourite of these beautiful pieces thus far. I'm with you a hundred percent, with regards the portkey. Sometimes it's a swell ol' place we end up in, like when i fling on "Basket Case" for example. Other times it's a horrible horrible place, and that's why i cannot listen to "24 Hour Party People" by Happy Mondays, which sucks, since it was one of my favourite songs.
this series of dreams, recollections, melodies, you'd do well to look on this, Sir DJ, and say aye, somethin mighty beautiful i've created. and am creating...
21 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, Duke, you are much too generous with your praise but I sure as fuck appreciate it. I thought about you and some of your magnificent sagas when I was writing this one. Fortunately, I am still able to love the music aside from the occasional horrible regurgitation of the wretched past. Maybe I'm lucky enough not to have experienced anything too awful or I am just a glutton for punishment. I guess, too, I like the process of being transported even if I don't always like where I end up in the end.
In fact, you and Sir Saleski have both had a profound impact on this series and I give a tip of the cap to you both.