Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 35-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.
A male poet friend of mine recently told me how much he liked this song. Weird. He doesn’t usually like our songs. So I had a listen and tried to figure out what he liked. It’s about art being historically dominated by men, so that wouldn’t be it. It asks where women’s art is. I doubt that would be it. It’s pretty overtly feminist and this particular friend isn’t. I considered various turns of phrase like “I couldn’t be an overachiever if I tried” which I think is funny (for a feminist) or “History reminds me I’m a man. I’m important. Yes I am.” None of my quips seemed like the kind of thing he’d go for. Not really. So I asked.
“What do you like about the song?”
“The piano!” he said. “It sounds like something I’d play!”
“1922” from The Observer (Kill Rock Stars, 2006) (download):
