The third song we recorded was actually the first song I wrote. I mean, the first song I wrote to sing with the band, because I actually wrote another one before that, but that's another story for another time.
I wrote Bad Girl before I had even joined the band. It is semi-autobiographical. But the initial inspiration actually came from a TV show called Redemption Song, about these women with troubled pasts competing to win a recording contract. As I was watching it, I was just sort of thinking how there's a little "bad girl" in us all, in some way or other, and I was thinking about how it would be funny to write a song about that, to play with that concept a little bit. About how I'm so bad because I don't always keep up with my dishes, or balance my checkbook, or remember to shut the back door even in the winter (hey, I'm from California!)... that sort of thing. But how none of that matters to Bob--it's all good with him.
I say it's "semi-"autobiographical because a couple of things in the song are not based on me. I'm actually pretty good about RSVPing. In fact, I throw a lot of parties myself, and it's kind of a pet peeve of mine when friends don't bother to RSVP. (You know who you are, people!!! LOL). Also, my mom doesn't really think I'm a jerk. Plus, I would never leave the cap off the toothpaste. The rest of it's all me, though!
I wrote the words in the late fall of 2008. I think I was already singing a couple of songs with the band, and had been coming to practices, but I hadn't officially joined. Bob and I were married but weren't living together yet (we were taking it slow! Ha!); we were at his house and he picked up his guitar and we came up with a melody together. I remember we were rushing at the end because we had to drive back here for band practice. I'm pretty sure we were putting the finishing touches on the song in the car-ride back here. When we got to practice we told everyone we'd written a song, and we worked it up with the band right then.
We debuted the song in May 2009, at the first gig we did with me as a full-fledged band member, at a neat little cafe (that has since closed, unfortunately) called the River Muse. It got a great reaction from the crowd (most of whom were our friends); I was totally thrilled.
It got a slightly different reaction when we played it at a party where I didn't know any of the guests. It was clear that they hadn't really been listening to the lyrics during the verse, because when we got to the chorus ("I'm a bad, bad girl, now, Baby/What they say is pretty much true/I'm a very, very bad girl/but I'm oh so good... with you"), everyone looked sort of shocked and some people even looked a little uncomfortable. A few of the women even left the dance floor. I wanted to stop the song and tell them to listen more carefully to the lyrics! That I'm a bad girl because I don't balance my checkbook! Because I eat too much chocolate! I mean, yes, the song is definitely meant to have a sexy edge to it. But it's not a song about sleeping around.
After that I was careful to introduce the song properly--either by saying something along the lines of, "Before I sing this song I want to state for the record that I am a fine, upstanding member of this community" or by asking the crowd if there are any rebels out there, and then saying this song is for you. Or sometimes Sue, our keyboard player, will joke around before we start about how she has no idea why such a nice girl like me would write a song like this. Any one of those seems to do the trick! Because apart from that one time, this song has pretty much always scored big with the crowd....
So, all you rebels out there... give it a listen. I hope you like it.
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Hi Voodoomama, I like the song! I found your blog googling band rehearsal and baby because I am in a band and planning to have a baby in the next couple years. Do you ever bring baby to rehearsal? Have you tried using earmuffs to protect his infant hearing? Just curious if it is possible to bring babies to rehearsal or if you always have to hire a sitter. Thanks!
ReplyDelete--Molly
So glad you like the song. And what a funny way to find the blog!!
ReplyDeleteBaby+Band=Challenge, but not impossible. The timing for us worked out to be recording right now, so it's not so much of an issue. Since the baby has been born we've mostly been focusing on recording songs where I play only a small part. Plus we mostly record in bits and pieces anyway, one track of a song at a time, so I just wait to record my parts until the baby is cooperating/sleeping.
What I've been doing when I'm working on band stuff is to leave the baby upstairs from us (we rehearse in the neighbors' basement) with one of the older kids. I do have to keep running upstairs to check on him, though, and sometimes have to stop to feed him. So it's not totally smooth sailing. But it is possible! My stepdaughter is with us all summer, and she's great with him, so that's a huge help.
I'm a bit more worried about when we start gigging again, but that won't be until the end of August. Plus, our first two or three gigs we have lined up are one-set gigs, so even if the baby decides he wants me one song into it, it's not like he'll have to wait for hours.
You would need to take at least a bit of a break from gigging to do this. I performed through my seventh month, and even though I felt pretty good even after that, I don't think I would have been able to handle a gig in the last two months. I was at rehearsals all the way through, though, even until the night before I went into the hospital for the birth. And I think I took about a two-week break from recording after he was born. (But when I've been back recording/rehearsing, again, it's just been for very short stints.)
I like the idea of earmuffs for rehearsal, but haven't looked into it yet. I think I will, though, because I'd rather be able to see him--especially in the fall if we're practicing when my built-in-baby-sitter isn't around!
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!