Would You Like to Feel Sublime?
By Joe Swift
Ding Dong – Nellie McKay
One of my favorite albums of this century, twelve years in, is “Get Away From Me,” the 2004 debut from singer/songwriter/keyboardist Nellie McKay. Uniquely for a first album, it was a double CD. What ties together the mix of pop and rap and cabaret and more is McKay’s good humor and intelligence. Playful both lyrically and musically, GAFM holds up well today.
It was hard choosing which song from GAFM to use for this post. I landed on “Ding Dong” for its juxtaposition of melancholy lyrics with a bouncy melody and the way its lyrics are open to various interpretations.
Speaking of interpretations, I try to avoid asking musicians what their songs “mean,” as I feel that the best songs mean different things to different people – including the songwriter. Also, it would be like asking a comedian to explain a joke – it’s either funny or it isn’t. A song either works for you or it doesn’t.