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We're Not Who You Think We Are

Aimee Mann

Certain Songs: Aimee Mann – “I Should’ve Known”

October 29, 2014 by Jim Connelly

image

Album: Whatever.

Year: 1993.

When Aimee Mann put out her first solo album, Whatever, in 1993, most people only knew her – if they did at all – as the girl with rat tail in the incredibly cheesy video for ‘til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry,”  one of the most one-hit of all 1980s one-hit wonders.

Even worse, in the music snob community, she was known as one of those women who would write songs about their ex-boyfriends, kind of a proto-Taylor Swift.

Speaking of which, the whole “I wouldn’t want to date her, cos she might write a song about me” put-down is incredibly sexist. I mean, was there ever a narrative telling 15-year-old girls to not have threesomes with Mick Jagger or Red Lobster waitresses not to bang LL Cool J after work because Mick and LL might write songs about those encounters? No. Double fucking standard.

ANYWAYS, the musical point is that the ’til Tuesday records always seemed very weighted down by 1980s production values,  and there didn’t seem like much hope that a solo album by their lead singer would amount to very much. 

It takes about 30 seconds into “I Should’ve Known”  to dispel that theory, and by the time it gets to the chorus, Aimee Mann has fully reinvented herself as a writer of smart, sophisticated, rock-oriented pop songs..

The proof is how the background singers are singing the ellipses in the chorus as she’s listing the various things she should have known … 

I should’ve known (dot dot dot) it was coming down to this.

I should’ve known (dot dot dot) you’d betray me but without the kiss.

I should’ve known (dot dot dot) the kind of set-up it is.

“I Should’ve Known” Performed Live on the Jools Holland Show, 1993.

My Certain Songs Playlist on Spotify

Every “Certain Song” Ever

Filed Under: Certain Songs, Hot Topics Tagged With: Aimee Mann, i should've known, whatever

18 Musical Moments to Die For

April 20, 2009 by Jim Connelly

The Hold Steady, Wiltern, Los Angeles, Nov. 25, 2008

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done one of these, but I’m back!! In black. (Which is a terrible choice, because it’s, like, 150 degrees today.)

This time, on Musical Moments to Die For, we have two of the greatest cover versions of two of the greatest songs ever recorded; druggy people writing songs about their drug problems, and casual rockstar sexism.

We also have the usual 80’s indie obscurity, and run the gamut from catchy artsy sophistication to catchy dumb-ass stomping crapola.

This is the eighth in a series: The first one had 25, the second one had 24, the third one had 23, the fourth one had 22, the fifth one had 21, and the sixth had 20, and the seventh had 19.

[Read more…] about 18 Musical Moments to Die For

Filed Under: Music, Musical Moments To Die For, That's What I Like Tagged With: Aimee Mann, Byrds, English Beat, Gomez, Grand Funk, Husker Du, Jonathan Richman, Lemonheads, LL Cool J, Radiohead, Smokey Robinson, The Hold Steady, The Jam, The Libertines, The Smiths, The Sweet

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2580: Supertramp – “Even in the Quietest Moments”
  • Certain Songs #2579: Supertramp – “Bloody Well Right”
  • Certain Songs #2578: Supergrass – “Sun Hits The Sky”
  • Certain Songs #2577: Supergrass – “Alright”
  • Certain Songs #2576: Superchunk – “If You’re Not Dark”

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