Barnett puts a lot of effort into sounding effortless. Her songs are wild and wooly and wordy, her lyrics plainspoken and delivered like she’s making them up on the spot.
Barnett was originally a part of several bands, including Immigrant Union and The Olivettes before focusing on her solo work. In 2012, Barnett started her own record label, Milk! Records, and recorded her debut EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris in a friend's lounge room and released it later that year. Late 2012 also saw the release of a new single, "History Eraser," which was backed with Jen Cloher's "Mount Beauty" for a split seven-inch release.
In 2013, Barnett released her second EP, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Along with "History Eraser," the EP spawned a second single, "Avant Gardener." Her second EP received international acclaim, taking her and the band, Dave Mudie (drums), Bones Sloane (bass) and Dan Luscombe (guitar) all around the world.
Barnett would later combine those two EP releases into one for The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, which was released internationally on 20 May 2013 via House Anxiety/Marathon Artists. It was named the album of the week by Stereogum.
Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.
In 2017, she released Lotta Sea Lice, a collaborative album with Kurt Vile.
Barnett's second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, was released in 2018.
Ode to Odetta
Courtney Barnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I swing by, and you're not home
Oh, oh, O-detta won't you come home.
I sing plain, you sing pretty.
Everything you say sounds easy
The lyrics of Courtney Barnett's "Ode to Odetta" are open to interpretation, but they can be seen as a call for a loved one - Odetta - to come home, but also an acknowledgement of the differences between the two singers. The first two lines describe how they differ in terms of their singing style and their availability. Courtney sings high while Odetta sings low, and Courtney appears to have swung by but found Odetta not home. Then comes the repeated phrase "Oh, oh, O-detta won't you come home," which can be seen as a plea for Odetta's return.
The next two lines further highlight the differences between the two singers. While Courtney sings plain, Odetta sings pretty, and everything Odetta says sounds easy. Again, there is a sense of admiration for Odetta's singing and communication style. Overall, the lyrics seem to express a longing for connection with Odetta, despite acknowledging their differences in singing styles and perhaps even personality.
Line by Line Meaning
I sing high, you sing low
I vocalize in a higher pitch while you sing in a lower pitch
I swing by, and you're not home
I come to visit but unfortunately, you're not present
Oh, oh, O-detta won't you come home.
A plea to Odetta to return home
I sing plain, you sing pretty.
I sing simply and straightforwardly while your singing sounds beautiful and attractive
Everything you say sounds easy
All of your words appear to be spoken with effortless ease
Oh, oh, O-detta won't you come home.
A repeated request for Odetta to come back home
Contributed by Charlie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nineties Forever
on Untogether
It’s a cover, originally by Belly, written by Tanya Donnelly.