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".
Faces
Cat Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never take what you say seriously
You're on the bay
You're on the late of things
You've got it made
And when you wake
It's all in there
You made excuses for your mind
Objected core the collective
Don't you dare forget it
Don't you forget it
Don't you forget
Don't do it
In the age of the military
You are engaged with such fanfare activity
Let them do things as they please
In our grace you now can afford
If you were red, you'd be spoken for
Your color blue it's great
In the arms of the one you love
You feel safe, your feel so above
The hunger of the streets
With your safe and your document
In its place your money, your gun
Your conscience sweet like honey
You forbid yourself to things
See where you are as you begin to sink
In your mirror, in your mirror
In your mirror, in your face
In your mirror, in your face
The lyrics to Cat Power's song "Faces" are deeply introspective and suggest a sense of isolation and resignation from the singer. The opening lines of "Looking out across the next few days, I can see nothing" set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer seems to be in a state of apathy, unable to conjure up any excitement or hopefulness for the future, even when looking ahead to years to come. The repetition of "I'm not made of successful things" further highlights this lack of motivation or confidence, and the singer seems to be resigned to simply "resting" rather than striving for success or achievement.
The second half of the song shifts slightly in tone, as the singer turns to reflection on their past and the people they've known. The line "Looking across the faces I've known, I can see nothing" suggests a sense of detachment from others, perhaps due to the singer's own sense of apathy or resignation. However, when the singer considers their family members, there is a sense of guilt or regret, as they feel they may have let them down in some way.
Overall, the lyrics to "Faces" depict a sense of emotional detachment and apathy, with occasional moments of guilt or regret. The repetition of certain phrases throughout the song (such as "looking out across") helps create a hypnotic, almost dreamlike quality to the music, adding to the song's overall sense of introspection.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking out across the next few days
Anticipating what the next few days hold, but without any clear expectations or predictions
I can see, nothing
Despite looking ahead, there is no clarity or certainty
Looking out across the next few year
Contemplating the future over a longer timespan
I can see, they're gonna go by fast
Feeling a sense of urgency, as time seems fleeting and will pass quickly
Smoke's gonna clear slowly
Things will eventually become clearer, but it will take time
They're gonna go by
Time will pass regardless
Lying for, me
Others may try to shield or protect the singer from the truth
So I won't hear a thing
This protection may involve hiding unpleasant or difficult truths
To bat me back
This protection may also involve deflecting attention or criticism away from the artist
So I'll notice some grave thing
Without this protection, the artist fears they may be confronted with harsh realities
I'm not made of successful things
The singer does not define themselves by material success or achieving conventional concepts of success
I've got what it takes
The artist feels confident in their ability to handle challenges or obstacles
To rest
Despite this confidence, the singer desires a break or time to relax
But I'm still around
Despite feeling worn down or tired, the singer persists
Looking across the faces I've know
Reflecting on memories and relationships with people the singer has known
I can see
These memories do not provide clarity or comfort
Nothing
The artist feels disconnected or dissatisfied with these past experiences
Looking out across my family members
Examining the relationships with those closest to the singer
I know they miss me
Recognizing that the singer's absence has an emotional impact on their loved ones
I know they must miss me
These relationships hold significance to the artist
Never had a lot of fun
The artist did not prioritize leisure or frivolous activities
Better things to do around the house
The artist found fulfillment in taking care of their home and surroundings
Never had a lot of fun
Again acknowledging that the singer did not prioritize personal enjoyment
Better things to do without
Despite not having much fun, the artist does not dwell on it and finds meaning elsewhere
I'm not made of successful things
Reiterating that the singer does not define themselves by conventional measures of success
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Chan Marshall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on He-War
i love the cats