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".
Willie
Cat Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They knew that they loved one another
Gonna have a real good time
No more sad sad bad times
It's all they've been waiting for
Someone to knock at that door
Willie was shot once in his mind
The second time was through the heart
The doctors pulled the bullet from inside
He had a job to do he said
That's his way of life
Please don't bring him down
Please don't let him go
He's on the same side as you
He's just a little behind
I tell ya there are some people living alone
I tell ya there are some people with nowhere to go
There are some people who don't believe in love
But Willie and Rebecca prove 'em all wrong
A man named John wrote a song for me to sing
And the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen
He is a very good man
And he has been an even very good man to me
I hope one day his song I will sing
Another love I still love
Familiar face to me
A standing arch above my heart
I've never been to reach
He's laid my head on the bed
And told me sweetly I am not
Crazy like all the others said
No he's not crazy like me
Please don't bring me down
Please don't let me go
My heart is a worried thing
Memories have planted seeds of a field I now
Want to reap and sow
I'm on the same side as you
I'm just a little bit behind
(have you seen him)
The lyrics of "Willie" by Cat Power describe the love story of two people named Willie Deadwilder and Rebecca. The song talks about how they both knew that they loved each other and how they wanted to have a good time without any more sad moments. The song depicts how they were waiting for someone to knock at their door and bring happiness into their lives.
However, the song takes a sad turn when it reveals that Willie was shot twice, once in his mind and later through the heart. The doctors were able to remove the bullet from the latter injury, but the song suggests that it was the cry he let out during the first shooting that saved his life. Despite this, Willie says that he had a job to do and that his way of life was important to him. The song also speaks about how Rebecca and Willie proved those who did not believe in love wrong through their own love story.
Line by Line Meaning
Willie Deadwilder and Rebecca
The names of two people, Willie and Rebecca, who are together and in love.
They knew that they loved one another
They were both aware of their mutual love for each other.
Gonna have a real good time
They are planning to have a great time together.
No more sad sad bad times
They have had unpleasant experiences in the past, but they hope to move on from that and only have positive experiences going forward.
It's all they've been waiting for
Finding love and happiness was what they had been longing for.
Someone to knock at that door
Both Willie and Rebecca were waiting for someone to come into their lives and bring them happiness.
Willie was shot once in his mind
Willie has been through a lot of mental stress and trauma.
And his cry out saved his own life
Willie found a way to cope with the mental health issues he was experiencing and was able to overcome the struggles that he was facing.
The second time was through the heart
Willie was shot twice, once in his mind and the second time in his heart.
The doctors pulled the bullet from inside
Willie was fortunate enough to not have the bullet still inside him and was able to recover from his wounds.
He had a job to do he said
Willie was determined to do what he had to do, no matter the circumstances.
That's his way of life
Doing everything to the best of his ability was normal for him and he always aimed to succeed.
Please don't bring him down
Don't discourage Willie from pursuing his goals.
Please don't let him go
Don't let him stray from the path he wants to follow.
He's on the same side as you
Willie is just like everyone else and has similar goals and aspirations.
He's just a little behind
Willie may not have things in life that other people already have, but he is doing his best to get there.
I tell ya there are some people living alone
There are people who are single and living their lives solo without any significant other.
I tell ya there are some people with nowhere to go
Some people are lost and have no direction in life, and nowhere to look for answers.
There are some people who don't believe in love
There are people who are pessimistic about the idea of love and possibly never finding it.
But Willie and Rebecca prove 'em all wrong
Despite facing previous obstacles in love, Willie and Rebecca found each other and are able to create the love story that other people may have thought impossible.
A man named John wrote a song for me to sing
The song Cat Power is singing was written by someone named John.
And the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen
John gave Cat Power some flowers that she considered to be very beautiful.
He is a very good man
John is a kind-hearted and sincere person.
And he has been an even very good man to me
John has shown Cat Power kindness and support in many situations.
I hope one day his song I will sing
Cat Power is eager to perform John's song for others to hear.
Another love I still love
Cat Power has affection for someone other than John, even though she still values their friendship.
Familiar face to me
The person Cat Power is still in love with is someone with whom she is acquainted.
A standing arch above my heart
The person that Cat Power still loves can influence her emotions and actions, much like an arch that stands above her heart.
I've never been to reach
Cat Power acknowledges that the situation with the other person is unlikely to change and it is something she can't have.
He's laid my head on the bed
The person that Cat Power loves has been intimate with her and they shared a bed.
And told me sweetly I am not
The person Cat Power loves comforted her and reassured her that there is nothing wrong with her, despite her feelings.
Crazy like all the others said
People around Cat Power have been insinuating that she is being irrational with her feelings.
Please don't bring me down
Cat Power pleads with others to not make her feel bad about her feelings and desires.
Please don't let me go
Cat Power hopes that the person she is singing to does not give up on their relationship or connection.
My heart is a worried thing
Cat Power is feeling nervous about the state of her emotions and the situation she is in.
Memories have planted seeds of a field I now
Cat Power cannot help but think of the past and the memories she has associated with the person she still loves.
Want to reap and sow
Cat Power wishes she could experience similar happiness and contentment again.
I'm on the same side as you
Cat Power is not trying to shun or isolate herself, but wants others to know that she is just like them in terms of her emotions and desires.
I'm just a little bit behind
Cat Power has not given up on the pursuit of love but may be a little behind others on the journey to reach it.
(have you seen him)
A phrase that Cat Power sings as a question, hinting at the idea that she may be searching for someone that could complete her.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: MARSHALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on He-War
i love the cats