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.
That Old Feeling
Katharine Whalen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got that old feeling.
When you came in sight,
I got that old feeling.
The moment that you danced by
I felt a thrill.
And, when you caught my eye
My heart stood still.
That old yearning.
And, I knew the spark of love was still burning.
There'll be no new romance for me,
It's foolish to start,
With that old feeling
Is still in my heart.
In Katharine Whalen's song, "That Old Feeling", the singer is reunited with someone from her past; someone who has always had an effect on her. As soon as she sets her eyes on him, she feels that old sensation that she thought she had left behind. With his appearance, comes a flood of memories and emotions. When he dances by, it's as if she's transported back in time, feeling the same thrill she felt all those years ago. As he catches her eye, her heart comes to a standstill for a moment. She recognizes that the spark of love that once existed between them is still burning, even though they have both moved on.
Despite feeling these intense emotions, the singer knows that a new romance is not in the cards for her. It would be foolish to start something new when she still harbors feelings for this person from her past. The nostalgia is so strong that it's difficult for her to move on, but she recognizes that it's for the best. The song is about the power of memory and how it can impact us long after certain people have exited our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you last night and
Upon setting my eyes on you yesterday
Got that old feeling.
The same sensation rose inside me
When you came in sight,
As soon as I caught a glimpse of you
I got that old feeling.
The familiar emotion returned to me
The moment that you danced by
As you passed me in a dance
I felt a thrill.
I was filled with excitement
And, when you caught my eye
When our eyes met
My heart stood still.
My heart skipped a beat
Once again I seem to feel
I am now experiencing once more
That old yearning.
The longing I have felt before
And, I knew the spark of love was still burning.
I realized that the flame of affection was still alight
There'll be no new romance for me,
I won't be engaging in a new love affair
It's foolish to start,
It is unwise to commence one now
With that old feeling
Whilst I still retain this emotion
Is still in my heart.
Which still resides within my heart.
Writer(s): Sammy Fain, Lew Brown Copyright: Fain Music Co., Emi Feist Catalog Inc., WB Music Corp.
Contributed by Katherine D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.