Martha Wainwright

My newfound love of all things Rufus Wainwright allowed me to make this new, brilliant discovery: his sister, Martha Wainwright.

For the little I have been able to devour about the Wainwright/McGarrigle clan, it seems that everyone is so musically and artistically inclined. Even though Martha Wainwright has several albums of her own, Martha sang "Stormy Weather" on her brothers album/concert, Rufus Does Judy, and before this, she had been featured on a number of McGarrigle albums.

I haven't had much time to listen to a number of songs, but one in particular that I have fallen in love with is "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole." My own proclivity for cursing is not the only reason that I like the song. I love how her voice combines this weird conflation of Alanis Morissette and Dar Williams vibes. Thanks to YouTube, I can share this video of a live performance of the song:






While I hesitate to label the song as a feminist one, I do love how the speaker of the song asserts her own presence to forcefully. I mean the lyric "I will not pretend / I will not put on a smile for you" stands out so much on the song. Also, the lyric, "Oh I wish I were born a man," makes me recall Beyonce's latest single, "If I Were a Boy."

I hope you enjoy this song. I look forward to listening to more Martha Wainwright and hopefully sharing some more about her and her music, too.

Lyrics:
Poetry is no place for a heart that's a whore
And I'm young & I'm strong
But I feel old & tired
Overfired
And I've been poked & stoked
It's all smoke, there's no more fire
Only desire
For you, whoever you are
For you, whoever you are
You say my time here has been some sort of joke
That I've been messing around
Some sort of incubating period
For when I really come around
I'm cracking up
And you have no idea
No idea how it feels to be on your own
In your own homewith the fucking phone
And the mother of gloom
In your bedroom
Standing over your head
With her hand in your head
With her hand in your head
I will not pretend
I will not put on a smile
I will not say I'm all right for you
When all I wanted was to be good
To do everything in truth
To do everything in truth
Oh I wish I wish I wish I was born a man
So I could learn how to stand up for myself
Like those guys with guitars
I've been watching in bars
Who've been stamping their feet to a different beat
To a different beat
To a different beat
I will not pretend
I will not put on a smile
I will not say I'm all right for you
When all I wanted was to be good
To do everything in truth
To do everything in truth
You bloody mother fucking asshole
Oh you bloody mother fucking asshole
Oh you bloody mother fucking asshole
Oh you bloody mother fucking asshole
Oh you bloody mother fucking asshole
Oh you bloody...
I will not pretend
I will not put on a smile
I will not say I'm all right for you
For you, whoever you are
For you, whoever you are
For you, whoever you are