After dropping out of high school, Marshall started performing under the name Cat Power, while in Atlanta, backed by musicians Glen Thrasher, Mark Moore, and others. She soon moved to New York City, New York, United States in 1992, then later opening for Liz Phair in 1994, she met Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Tim Foljahn of Two Dollar Guitar, who encouraged her to record, and played on her first two albums, 1995's Dear Sir and 1996's Myra Lee. In 1996 she was signed to Matador Records, and released her third album, What Would the Community Think, which spawned a single and music video, "Nude as the News".
Shortly following the release of What Would the Community Think Marshall disappeared from the musical scene, initially working as a baby sitter in Portland, Oregon and then moving to a farmhouse in Prosperity, South Carolina with boyfriend Bill Callahan (who performs under the name Smog). The plan was to permanently retire from music but during a sleepless night resulting from a nightmare, Marshall wrote several new songs. These songs would make up the bulk of Moon Pix. The album was recorded at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne in eleven days with backing musicians Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty Three. The album was well-received by critics, and gained her recognition in the indie rock scene. However, during the subsequent tours she grew tired of her own material. This resulted in a series of shows during 1999 involving Marshall providing musical accompaniment to a series of screenings of the silent movie The Passion of Joan of Arc. The shows combined original material and many covers, many of which would later see release on The Covers Record, a collection of cover songs recorded at various sessions in 1998 and 1999. A selection of covers that didn't make it on to the album were recorded at Peel Acres, home of the highly influential and legendary British DJ John Peel. The session was broadcast on his BBC Radio 1 show and featured Marshall's own interpretations of Bob Dylan's "Hard Times in New York Town" amongst others.
In 2003 she resumed releasing original material with You Are Free, a diverse and critically acclaimed album that featured guest musicians such as Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, and the Dirty Three's Warren Ellis.
2004 saw the release of Speaking for Trees, a critically polarizing DVD which featured a single two-hour static shot of Marshall performing in a woodland. It was accompanied by an audio CD containing the 18-minute song "Willie Deadwilder", which featured M. Ward on guitar. 2005 found Cat Power out on the road again, touring the world and playing sold-out solo shows, including an Australian tour supporting Nick Cave. The shows largely consisted of material for her next album.
Cat Power's seventh record, The Greatest, was released in January, 2006. This was not a "Greatest Hits" record but rather a collaboration with Al Green's guitarist Teenie Hodges and many other well-known R&B musicians. A tour followed in the fall of 2006.
Early in 2006, Marshall announced the cancellation of her upcoming United States tour, citing "health-related issues". A few days later, Matador announced the cancellation of her two shows in London and Paris. She resumed touring in April 2006, playing some of the most well received shows of her career both with the Memphis Rhythm Band and as a solo performer.
In 2007, she played live music for the spring/ summer Chanel Haute Couture collection in Paris and appeared in Wong Kar Wai's film My Blueberry Nights as Katya. Also in 2007, she became the first female ever to win the Shortlist Music Prize when The Greatest was voted album of the year in June. Earlier in the year she was nominated in the Best International Female category at the annual Brit Awards, alongside more mainstream artists like Christina Aguilera and Nelly Furtado.
On January 22, 2008, Cat Power released a second collection of covers called Jukebox--her eighth LP overall. It included versions of songs by artists such as Hank Williams, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin.
Since then, she has released an EP called "The Dark End of the Street" on vinyl, only.
Cat Power released her first original song since 2008 just before Christmas 2011 when an MP3 of "King Rides By" was made available on her official site, in exchange for a donation of at least $0.99 to the Festival of Children Foundation and the Ali Forney Center charities. (King Rides By Songfacts).
In 2012, Cat Power released her 9th studio album, Sun which received generally positive reviews from critics. The album was included in several year-end lists by music critics and publications. Rolling Stone magazine, in their list of the "50 Best Albums of 2012", ranked it at sixteenth place, writing "the idea of the brilliantly morose Chan Marshall making a dance-rock record is almost absurd. Yet the groove-powered Sun is a perfect fit." The A.V. Club placed the album at number twenty-two on their list of the "Best Albums of 2012." Billboard also placed the album at number nine in their list of the "10 Best Albums of 2012."The L.A. Times and Filter magazine both placed the album at number six in their lists of the best albums of 2012. Sun was also included on two separate "Best Music of 2012" lists compiled by NPR, appearing at number five on the list compiled by Bob Boilen,while topping the list compiled by Robin Hilton. The album was also listed twenty-eighth on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012. Thus, becoming Cat Power's most successful original album.
In April 2015, Marshall announced that she recently had a baby.
In February 2016, Marshall had to cancel her New Zealand shows due to health reasons. According to an official press release, this is the first time in Marshall's 18-year touring history she has been forced to postpone, but is "determined to make it back ASAP, and in good health".
Bully
Cat Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the grass and the river you chase
You were cruel, you were so mean
Laughing right in my face
All the while you had my back, my best friend
I can still feel that smile on my face
27 was a good year, the best
The back of the bar watching me dance in a dress
You and all the alcohol
Sleeping on the street, sleeping on a ...
Looking like a crook for trying to come back home
With a twist of your tongue and a devilish smile on your face
When you get sick
You were through with fun and games
Now that the times have all changed
I can’t find you,
I can’t put you back into place
Nothing could be done
For this young, wild son
Standing on the street in a hoswital sheet
All on the run from the police
Dumb girl on your arm
That look on your face
And all those crazy things you said to me
I can never forget
Everything you have to go through
With a smile on your face
Everything we now know, with a smile on our face
I, I can never forget
The song Bully by Cat Power is a track that explores themes of aggression, violence, and power dynamics in relationships. The first verse highlights the tumultuous relationship between the singer and their partner. The singer acknowledges that they have been the victim of verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of their partner, who is described as a 'bully'. The lyrics suggest that the partner had been both supportive and hostile at times, which made the abuse more confusing and harder to leave.
The second verse of the song details a time in the past where the relationship was more positive. The singer recalls a night in Paris where they were happy together. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that things have changed. The partner has become addicted to alcohol and drugs and is now in trouble with the law. The song ends with the singer reflecting on the past and expressing sadness at the loss of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy, you’re a bully
You are a person who intimidates and hurts others, typically those who are weaker than you.
Through the grass and the river you chase
You relentlessly pursue and chase your victims through any obstacle, be it grass or a river.
You were cruel, you were so mean
You were malicious and unkind to me.
Laughing right in my face
You took pleasure in mocking and ridiculing me while looking at my face directly.
All the while you had my back, my best friend
Despite being cruel at times, you were still my closest friend who had my back.
I can still feel that smile on my face
I remember the kind and genuine moments when you made me smile.
27 was a good year, the best
The age of 27 was the happiest year of my life.
The back of the bar watching me dance in a dress
You were watching me dance in a dress from the back of a bar.
Remember that night in Paris, all those candles you lit
I still remember the intimate night we spent in Paris with you lighting candles to create a romantic ambiance.
You and all the alcohol
You were drinking alcohol that night.
Sleeping on the street, sleeping on a ...
You slept on the street and perhaps on other uncertain places.
Looking like a crook for trying to come back home
You appeared suspicious while attempting to return to your residence.
With a twist of your tongue and a devilish smile on your face
You had a manipulative and sly expression on your face while speaking cunningly.
When you get sick
When you become unwell or weak.
You were through with fun and games
You were no longer interested in engaging with others or having a good time.
Now that the times have all changed
Times have changed and things are different now.
I can’t find you, I can’t put you back into place
I cannot locate you and return you to the way you used to be.
Nothing could be done
I was helpless and could not change the situation.
For this young, wild son
For a young and untamed individual like you.
Standing on the street in a hospital sheet
You were standing outside of a hospital in a sheet, perhaps due to a hospital gown.
All on the run from the police
You were on the run from law enforcement.
Dumb girl on your arm
You had a foolish girl accompanying you.
That look on your face
The expression on your face was questionable or suspicious.
And all those crazy things you said to me
You said multiple insane or irrational things to me.
I can never forget
I will never be able to forget those moments.
Everything you have to go through
All of the struggles and hardships you must face.
With a smile on your face
Despite your challenges, you face them with a smile on your face.
Everything we now know, with a smile on our face
Despite the harsh truths we have come to learn, we face them with a positive attitude.
I, I can never forget
I will always remember.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gpeddino
Boy, you’re a bully
Through the grass and the river you chase
You were cruel, you were so mean
Laughing right in my face
All the while you had my back, my best friend
I can still feel that smile on my face
27 was a good year, the best
The back of the bar watching me dance in a dress
Remember that night in Paris, all those candles you lit
You and all the alcohol
Sleeping on the street, sleeping on a train
Looking like a crook with a cane
You come back home with a twist of your tongue
And a devilish smile on your face
When you got sick
You were through with fun and games
Now that the times have all changed
I can’t find you
I can’t put you back into place
Nothing could be done
For this young, wild son
Standing on the street in a hospital sheet
On the run from the police
A dumb girl on your arm
That look on your face
And all those crazy things you said to me
I can never forget
Everything you have to go through
With a smile on your face
Everything we now know
With a smile on our face
I can never forget
@nnnnnnnnnnnnmmm
After years, I just can’t help coming back to this to rewatch and read the comments to see if anyone still feels as touched by this as I do. It’s really remarkable how she makes you feel all she’s feeling through those facial expressions. It’s really gotten stuck with me. I think I’ll be coming back to this until the end of my days. It cuts really deep for me.
@williamhobbs7693
Very beautiful & touching song. I love Cat Power. Lovely Voice , full of emotion.
Looks like she means all she's singing.
@jasperdrak
Me too. It breaks my heart. Every time I come back the song resonates with me even more, deeper.
@kiaibi
Same.
@wilyinfidel1091
@Rafael a
You have perfectly expressed it’s affect on me too.
@steveboyd3551
She's unique, authentic, passionate
@timinno
Whenever I'm feeling a little lost I like to return to this performance. Beautiful.
@LucidDream
That made me cry. She's tough to be able to go up there and share a piece of her like that, I think. I've always admired her. Her honesty and realness. I love her writing too...she has a profound way with words.
@jessicariccio0
I got to witness her perform Bully live in Montreal. It had to be one of the most captivating performances I ever witnessed. I never heard a room get so quiet. The entire audience was captivated and lost in her voice and the words of this song. Kudos Chan! We love you.
@SuperMickyChow
I've watched this video hundreds of times over the years and yet I still find myself breathless with anticipation, awaiting her first line to be breathed into life. She's a true artist.