Nude as The News?

November 17, 2005 6:36 PM

I'm bewildered by the fact that the Cat Power song "Nude as the News," which I always assumed was about the Jesse Jackson child-out-of-wedlock scandal, came out in 1996 when said scandal broke in 2001 (justmonths after the baby was born.) Am I an idiot? Help ease my fevered brain.
posted by juniper to media & arts (9 comments total)

I always thought Elton John's "Candle In The Wind" was about Princess Diana, but it came out in 1973, go figure. Turns out it was about Marilyn Monroe, who knew?

Most songs usually have some of ambiguity within the lyrics. For example, Jimi Hendrix' "Fire" is about the time he was in England recording and they were stuck in a torrential downpour going to Noel Redding's mother's house. He was shivering cold and wet when he came in and the family dog was sprawled about in front of the fireplace. "Move over rover, let Jimi take over."
posted by Mijo Bijo at 7:08 PM on November 17, 2005

What?! You thought that song was about burning passion and sex? Ha!
posted by Mijo Bijo at 7:10 PM on November 17, 2005

So, your mefi question is "am I an idiot"? With the evidence that you've presented so far, I'd say yes. You posted a question and stated that you already knew the answer.
posted by about_time at 7:20 PM on November 17, 2005

Point taken. I phrased my commentary on the coincidence/nonquestion poorly. What I should have added was "Has anyone else noticed this coincidence or read an interview with Chan Marshall that mentioned it?" Apologies.
posted by juniper at 7:27 PM on November 17, 2005

Obviously, Cat Power are time-travelers. Case closed.
posted by luriete at 7:30 PM on November 17, 2005

There are several possibilities.

1. A remarkable coincidence. You seem disinclined toward this scenario.


2. Chan Marshall is possessed of a miraculous clairvoyance and/or the ability to move through time. Unlikely.


3. Jesse Jackson has an earlier, heretofore undisclosed love child of which Chan Marshall was somehow aware while writing the song.
   
   
   
   1. A subsidiary possibility: Chan Marshall is the earlier, heretofore undisclosed love child of Jesse Jackson. This would explain so many things.

posted by IshmaelGraves at 7:38 PM on November 17, 2005

I always thought Elton John's "Candle In The Wind" was about Princess Diana, but it came out in 1973, go figure.

I can't tell whether this is sarcasm, but there was a 1997 version for Princess Diana.
posted by Airhen at 8:20 PM on November 17, 2005

anyone...read an interview with Chan Marshall that mentioned it?

Nope, but I doubt she likes to discuss her songs. (Hell, I saw her live once & she's didn't seem to like to even play her songs.)

but she did tell the website nudeasthenews.com what the phrase they named their website after meant:
NATN: Well, we always liked the name, but we didn't know what it means.

CM: Ah, "Nude As The News." It just means reality, that's all. Like, oops, there it is. That's all. It's just reality.
posted by neda at 1:16 AM on November 18, 2005

I wouldn't be surprised if Chan was aware of a prior Jesse Jackson situation that has yet to become become public. She knows a lot of people; people talk. It's possible. The song seems very inflammatory if it actually wasn't based on Jesse Jackson and some unwed mother. I'd like to hear what other people think the song might be about based on the lyrics if not Jesse Jackson.
posted by pwb503 at 10:21 AM on November 18, 2005