Squirrel Nut Zippers met with worldwide success with their second album, Hot, which sold more than a million albums on the strength of the hit single “Hell.” Riding high on that success, Whalen found she wanted to explore her inner jazz chanteuse, forming Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad. She enjoys this opportunity to showcase her jazzier side, but comparisons to the legendary Billie Holiday, while favorable and flattering, made her realize that she still hadn’t achieved what she set out to do: to find her own, true inner voice.
After the demise of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and, more importantly, the birth of her daughter, Cecelia Mae, the North Carolina-based artist says her focus turned more personal, more inward, and in becoming a mother, she found her voice.
Download.com describes the new album thusly: “A luscious array of jazz crooning over trip-hop beats and cabaret sensuality, Katharine Whalen drafts the script for a futuristic burlesque show that never stops. Dizzying and dazzling, Whalen dreams up masterpieces of exotica for decadent nightclubs with her eccentric and seductive charm. Picture the Squirrel Nut Zippers crossed with Portishead, then grab a martini for this mélange of the neurotic and erotic.”
Producer/musician David Sale (of the band Camus whose 1997 Atlantic recording won critical notice) produced the album. David also added his musical talents on the piano and guitar among other instruments to the project, which was recorded in Hillsborough and Efland, North Carolina, and in San Diego.
Katharine further stretched her musical wings on Dirty Little Secret by co-writing lyrics with David on the songs “The Funnest Game,” “Angels Coming Home,” “Meet Me By The Fire,” “Blur,” “The Garden,” “3 Blind Mice” and “Follow.”
“When we sat down to write,” Katharine said of her creative sessions with David, “we were telling each other stories we thought were interesting. We are both fans of songs that introduce you to a character…maybe someone you know, maybe yourself!”
Katharine will tour this summer in support of the album.
My Baby Just Cares For Me
Katharine Whalen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My baby don't care for clothes,
My baby just cares for me.
My baby don't care for cars and races,
My baby don't care for high-town(?) places.
Liberace is mighty style,
And, even Lana Turner smile(s)
It's stuff he can't see.
My baby just cares for me.
My baby don't care for shows,
My baby don't care for clothes,
My baby just cares for me.
My baby don't care for nothin'
My baby just cares... for me!
The song "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Katharine Whalen is a love song about a man who does not care about material things, but only cares for the woman singing the song. The lyrics list the things that the man does not care about - shows, clothes, cars, races, and high town places. Even famous people like Liberace and Lana Turner do not impress him. The man's love is so strong that he is not concerned with anyone else's opinion about him - he only cares about making his partner happy. The repetition of the phrase "My baby just cares for me" emphasizes the importance of the singer's relationship with the man who is the subject of the song.
The lyrics can be interpreted in a few different ways. On one hand, it can be seen as a celebration of a selfless love - a love that is not based on material things or societal expectations. On the other hand, it can also be seen as a critique of consumer culture and societal pressures to conform to certain standards of wealth and success.
Overall, the song is a testament to the power of love to transcend material things and societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby don't care for shows,
My partner is not interested in attending entertainment events or performances.
My baby don't care for clothes,
My partner is not swayed by fashion or material possessions.
My baby just cares for me.
My partner's sole concern is my well-being and happiness.
My baby don't care for cars and races,
My partner has no interest in automobiles or competitive driving events.
My baby don't care for high-town(?) places.
My partner is not drawn to or impressed by fancy and lavish locations.
Liberace is mighty style,
Even the flamboyant style of Liberace doesn't impress or interest my partner.
And, even Lana Turner smile(s)
Even the beauty and charm of a Hollywood starlet like Lana Turner doesn't captivate my partner.
It's stuff he can't see.
These flashy and superficial things hold no value or importance to my partner.
My baby don't care who knows him,
My partner has no interest in being known or recognized by others.
My baby just cares for me.
My partner's love and devotion is solely directed towards me.
My baby don't care for nothin'
My partner is not bothered by or desires anything outside of our relationship.
My baby just cares... for me!
My partner's affection and attention is focused solely on me and my happiness.
Writer(s): Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn Copyright: Gilbert Keyes Music Company, Larry Spier Music LLC, WB Music Corp.
Contributed by Aaron O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.