McPherson grew up in rural southeastern Oklahoma, on a cattle ranch near the town of Talihina. His father was a farmer and ex-army while his mother was a church minister. He took up the guitar at age 13. In high school he played in a number of local punk rock bands and began writing his own songs. He has stated that he has never not been in a band of some sort since he was 16 years of age.
During this time, McPherson also developed a strong interest in 1950s rock and roll after being exposed to the music of Buddy Holly. This went on to shape his song writing and sound for bands he was in such as The Poison Okies and The Starkweather Boys.
He studied visual arts in college, earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Tulsa, and later worked as an art and technology teacher. After deciding to pursue music more seriously, McPherson sent a demo to Jimmy Sutton of the small independent record label Hi-STYLE Records, which specialized in roots music. Sutton agreed to produce McPherson's debut album: this became 2010's Signs and Signifiers. On 19 November 2012, Rolling Stone labelled McPherson an "Artist to Watch" in a 3½ star (out of 5) review of Signs and Signifiers after its wider release through Rounder Records.
The band played the acoustic stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2015 on Friday June 26, before continuing their European tour in the Netherlands.
In October 2015, JD McPherson and band appeared (in animated form) as musical guests performing a new and original song "Crazy Horse" for the DreamWorks animated TV series, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show on Netflix.
Scandalous
JD McPherson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See how she shimmies in them high heeled shoes
That crazy woman's got savoir-faire
Walkin' with her nose way up in the air
Scandalous
What they say when they look
When they look
Look at that daddy in them gator shoes
Comin' in that caddy with the rag top blues
Garnier watch and a long gold chain
A tailor made suit and an ivory cane
Scandalous
What they say when they look
When they look
When they look at us
They'll talk about us
We got no care
Walkin' like some new born millionaires
There ain't nobody finer bother you and me
Baby we can keep our own company
They'll talk about us
We got no care
Actin' like some new born millionaires
There ain't nobody finer bother you and me
Baby we can keep our own company
Look at us mama we got the style
A high school caesar and the queen on the nile
The two of us got savoir-faire
Walkin' with our nose way up in the air
Scandalous
What they say when they look
When they look
When they look at us
Scandalous
What they say when they look
When they look
When they look at us
The lyrics of JD McPherson's "Scandalous" explore the idea of people judging and criticizing others based on their appearance and lifestyle. The song celebrates the proud and confident attitude of a couple who are dressed up in fancy clothes and accessories, and walking around with an air of superiority. The poetic imagery of the gold-capped tooth, high-heeled shoes, and rag-top caddy with gator shoes creates a vivid picture of the stylish couple, who are not afraid to flaunt their wealth and stand out in a crowd.
The chorus "Scandalous, what they say when they look, when they look, when they look at us" emphasizes the theme of judgmental attitudes and the idea that people will always have something to say about others. However, the couple in the song remains unfazed by the criticism and revels in their own luxurious lifestyle. They don't care what others think because they are happy together and can keep their own company.
The song is not only a celebration of confidence and style, but it is also a commentary on social class and inequality. The high-school Caesar and the queen on the Nile are symbolic of the power dynamics that exist in society, and the couple's refusal to be ashamed of their wealth is a statement on the importance of self-love and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at that mama with that gold-capped tooth
Observing a woman with a gold cap on her tooth
See how she shimmies in them high heeled shoes
Noticing her ability to move in high shoes
That crazy woman's got savoir-faire
The woman has confident and stylish behavior
Walkin' with her nose way up in the air
Walking with great pride and dignity
Scandalous
When people gossip and make negative comments about others' behavior or appearance
What they say when they look
People's negative opinions when they observe us
Look at that daddy in them gator shoes
Noticing a man wearing alligator shoes
Comin' in that caddy with the rag top blues
Driving a Cadillac convertible with a blue roof
Garnier watch and a long gold chain
Wearing a watch and a gold chain as accessories
A tailor made suit and an ivory cane
Wearing a tailored suit and carrying an ivory cane for style
They'll talk about us
Expecting others to gossip about how we behave or dress
We got no care
Not being concerned with the opinions of others
Walkin' like some new born millionaires
Walking confidently like a millionaire who just got rich
There ain't nobody finer bother you and me
We are the most fashionable and attractive couple
Baby we can keep our own company
We don't need anyone else's approval or companionship
Look at us mama we got the style
We have a great sense of style and fashion
A high school caesar and the queen on the nile
A confident and stylish young couple
The two of us got savoir-faire
Both of us have great confidence and style
Scandalous
Others will still gossip and criticize our appearance or behavior
What they say when they look
People's negative opinions when they observe us
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
crunchyballs
This record is amazing! The track order is backward here compared to my copy. Heed!
crunchyballs
Backward or forward this record is good from start to finish.