After exploring the flute (elementary school) and the tuba (junior high), Jenny finally stepped up to the guitar at the age of fourteen.
She graduated from State University of New York at Purchase with a degree in studio composition.
Her album Batten the Hatches was self-released in 2005. In 2006, a song from that album, Fuck Was I, appeared in the second season premiere of Showtime's Weeds, resulting in Batten the Hatches being re-released on April 10, 2007 with new artwork and an extra track, Drinking Song on the Canadian indie label Nettwerk. "Fuck Was I" was also released on the soundtrack album Weeds: Music from the Original Series, Vol. 2.
In addition to her solo career, she is in the band The Robot Explosion, a side project with fellow musicians and friends Bess Rogers, Andrew Futral, and Saul Simon-MacWilliams. She also takes part in an online podcast through MySpace with Bess Rogers and Andrew Futral, titled 'Once More With Feeling' (named after the musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer).
Youngs released her second album, Transmitter Failure, on May 26, 2009. Youngs' third album An Unwavering Band of Light, was released on February 7, 2012.
She recently toured with Regina Spektor (whose phone message also appears on Voice on Tape) and has opened a few shows for Amanda Palmer.
Youngs covered Have You Forgotten by Mark Kozelek for American Laundromat Records' upcoming charity CD Sing Me To Sleep - Indie Lullabies due out in Spring 2010. Tanya Donelly, Dean & Britta, Say Hi, Julie Peel, Stars, The Real Tuesday Weld, and others are contributing to the project which helps children with cancer and rare blood disorders.
P.S
Jenny Owen Youngs Lyrics
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One shoe on and one shoe off
And I can't pick a position
I set the VCR to record, rewind, and fast-forward
I cut out all the bad parts
I don't want to watch anything that hurts
Anything that
I can't build real love out of paper cuts and plastic
Couldn't decide what to give
So I left you the facts, and that's it
Now you know what's in me
How to go from girl to steel
I set the VCR to record, rewind, and fast-forward
I cut out all the bad parts
I don't want to watch anything that hurts
Anything that...
In this song, Jenny Owen Youngs compares her real life to television, admitting that she can't make her life as good as what's portrayed on TV. She feels incomplete and unable to make decisions, as shown in the line "One shoe on and one shoe off, and I can't pick a position." She tries to control her life by manipulating her perception of reality through technology, setting the VCR to record and manipulating the footage by cutting out all the bad parts. However, this only leads to numbness and avoidance, as she doesn't want to watch anything that hurts.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of building real love. She admits to not being able to create love out of "paper cuts and plastic," indicating that she may have a shallow perception of love. Instead, she leaves behind the facts about herself for her lover to know her better. The final line, "How to go from girl to steel," suggests that she is trying to become stronger and less vulnerable.
Overall, the song delves into themes of trying to control one's life through technology and avoiding pain, while also acknowledging the limitations of perception and the need for genuine human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't make real life as good as television
I cannot create a life that is as perfect as television shows.
One shoe on and one shoe off
I am disoriented, and my state of mind is off-balance.
And I can't pick a position
I am indecisive, and I find it challenging to make a firm decision.
I set the VCR to record, rewind, and fast-forward
I want to control the outcome of what I see, and I am always looking for ways to edit and modify things.
I cut out all the bad parts
I only want to see the good things and avoid any negative aspects of my life.
I don't want to watch anything that hurts
I avoid watching anything that may cause me emotional pain because it is too difficult to handle.
I can't build real love out of paper cuts and plastic
I cannot create true love out of superficial, artificial things.
Couldn't decide what to give
I am uncertain about what to offer and how to express my feelings.
So I left you the facts, and that's it
I shared only the practical information without revealing my emotions or desires.
Now you know what's in me
I have divulged the facts, and you know the details, but you don't know how I feel about them.
How to go from girl to steel
I can transform from being vulnerable and emotional to being strong and unemotional.
Anything that...
I am still avoiding anything that may hurt me emotionally.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JENNIFER OWEN YOUNGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind