Hey Eugene! – Nellie McKay & Pink Martini – The Importance of Not Forgetting To Be Humorous . . . Oh, & P.S. I Love You

Today on Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviewed musician Nellie McKay.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16503513

“Basically, I like music by dead people.” – Nellie McKay.

Terry Gross:  Your mother carried around a dummy wallet for muggers?

Nellie McKay:  Oh, yeah.

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Pink Martini:

(The photo above is a marquee from Portland, Oregon, the home base of the band.)

“Hey Eugene” lyrics by Pink Martini

Hey Eugene?
Do you remember me?
I’m that chick you danced with two times through the Rufus album Friday night at that party

On Avenue A
Where your skinhead friend passed out for several hours on the bathroom floor
And you told me
You weren’t that drunk
And that I was your favorite salsa dancer you had ever come across in New York City

Eugene
Eugene
Eugene
I said hello Eugene
Are you there Eugene?

Hey Eugene
Then we kissed
Once we lugged your friend into the elevator and went to write my number on a soggy paper towel
And the car went down
And when we were finished making out, we noticed that your skinhead friend was gone Long gone
And you looked into my bloodshot eyes and said, “Is it too soon if I call you Sunday?”

Eugene
Eugene
Eugene
I said hello, Eugene
Are you there, Eugene?

I said hello (Hello)
Eugene (Eugene)
Eugene (Eugene)
Eugene (Oh yeah)

I said hello
Eugene
Are you there, Eugene?
(Tell are you there?)
I said hello
Eugene
Eugene
I said hello
Eugene

Does any of this ring a bell Eugene?

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The song can be heard here:

http://www.myspace.com/pinkmartinionmyspace

http://www.pinkmartini.com/

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Nellie McKay:

Photo of Nellie McKay by Scott Gries.

“I Wanna Get Married” lyrics (excerpt) by Nellie McKay

I wanna get married
Yes, I need a spouse
I want a nice Leave it to Beaverish
Golden retriever and a little white house

I wanna get married
I need to cook meals
I wanna pack cute little lunches
For my Brady bunches
Then read Danielle Steele
I wanna escape
This rat race I’ve created
I’m feelin’ enervated
I don’t care if I make it
I just want to bake a sugar cake for you
To take to work in the morn
And I’ll stay home cleaning the dishes
And keeping your wishes all warm
I wanna get married
That’s why I was born

Terry Gross:  What were you thinking about when you wrote the song?

Nellie McKay:  It was a lament.  I . . . I wanted to get married.  But I realized no matter what you want . . . it’s kind of a fantasy.  You can criticize something you strive for . . . and you can avoid something you dream about.

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“P.S. I love you” lyrics by Johnny Mercer & Gordon Jenkins

Dear, I thought I’d drop a line
The weather’s cool   
The folks are fine
I’m in bed each night by nine
P.S. I love you

Yesterday we had some rain
But all in all
I can’t complain
Was it dusty on the train?
P.S. I love you.

Write to the Browns just as soon as you’re able
They came around to call
I burnt a hole in the dining room table
And let me see-
I guess that’s all.

Nothing left to tell you dear
Except each day seems like a year
Every night I’m thinking of you
P.S.  I love you.

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http://nelliemckay.com/

http://www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead

“I think there are nice things about every era.  I wish we could just take the nice things.” – Nellie McKay.

(Click on images to view them individually.)

© All rights reserved by the respective artists.

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Happy Holidays everyone and safe travels! 

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