Jill Sobule Sings 'No' to Grownups in Slutty Costumes


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Halloween reveler at a Heidi Klum party

Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Musician Jill Sobule, one of our new favorite human beings, lobbed the first of her NPR musical essays at the world today.

You'll be happy to note, as we were, that it takes on the searing issue of women whose Halloween costumes are costumes only because they're slutty. No sexy nurse for her--no way.

We think you'll agree that Ms. Sobule's on to something, or is at least a genius.

 

Comments (Send a comment)

OK, Jill Sobule just completely made my Halloween. Jill, you RULE! You totally and completely rule. And the BPP almost made up for their Dooney Da' Priest crap, of earlier this week.

Thank you, Jill. Thank you, BPP.

not a hooker with bunny rabbit ears,
Brent.

Sent by Brent Danzig | 11:04 AM ET | 10-31-2007

It's so wrong that I comment on my own stuff, but I must give props to my pal, Eban Schletter, who did some bad-ass Theremin playing. Don't we all wanna play the Theremin?

Sent by jill | 2:13 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Dear Jill,

As I stated earlier, you rule the known universe, and while I have no doubt your friend Eban is a marvelous human being, no, nobody wants to play the Theremin.

Nobody wants to start talking to someone attractive at a bar and have to explain, "oh, I play the Theramin." Attractive people in bars find that creepy.

Nobody wants to play an instrument that has to be capitalized.

Those are all the reasons I can think of right now, but aren't those enough?

love ya,
Brent

Sent by Brent Danzig | 2:26 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Litle known facts about the theramin, courtesy of wikipedia:

Its inventor, Lev Sergeivich Termen (a.k.a. L??on Theremin) was a physicist, not a musician. Its development was evidently a byproduct of the Russian goverment's research into electronic proximity sensors.

One of the instrument's early devotees was Vladmir Lenin, who was so impressed with the device that he had six hundred of them made and distributed throughout his country, in addition to sending one around the world as a demonstration of superior Soviet musical technology. And he took lessons.

As to attractive vs. creepy, in said wikipedia article, Mr. Theremin himself does look decidedly creepy in a photograph where he demonstrates the instrument. On the other hand, modern day thereminist Carolina Eyck, pictured later in the article, doesn't seem creepy at all. So perhaps modern science has taught us how to live in harmony with theramins and their players without fear of ickiness.

And the instrument is apparently not capitalized, at least not in the majority of the material I found on line.

So, Brent, I fear your thinking on this subject may be based not on fact, but on your latent theremophobia. I'm pretty sure about this, because I have wikipedia on my side, and therefore cannot possibly be wrong.

Sent by Tony Camas | 3:43 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Brent, I guess I may have overplayed the sexiness of the Theremin. Yet, we all have our own kinks.

Sent by jill | 3:46 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Jill Your Hallowwen song is funny, clever, smart and SO TRUE!!!

Great Work!

All The Best

Sent by MaleCrystalBall | 4:40 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Hey, I have a friend who plays the Theremin, and among other things, it's gotten him a series of White Castle commercials!

Sent by Stewart | 4:57 PM ET | 10-31-2007

Attractive people in bars Brent? Is that what life is all about? Attractive people in bars? The theremin is cool, it's great for movie soundtracks, it's interesting. Jill, you did not overplay the sexiness of the Theremin. Get over yourself Brent, you Theremin hating putz. Go Eban, you rock!

Sent by Allan | 1:50 AM ET | 11-01-2007

The theremin IS sexy in a Bride of Frankenstein on her honeymoon type of way. Perhaps that would be a more scary still slightly slutty way to show off one's assets next Halloween? Jill, you are a songwriting goddess.

Sent by Gina | 8:28 AM ET | 11-01-2007

Jill,
You rock! Right on target.
Tracey

Sent by tracey stephens | 9:24 AM ET | 11-01-2007

Steve Nieve (keyboard player for Elvis Costello) is a long time theremin player. He makes a big show out of playing the theremin. He makes it very entertaining.

Sent by Speed | 1:54 PM ET | 11-01-2007

This song is my new favorite halloween anthem!

Sent by Dixie Lou | 11:25 PM ET | 11-02-2007

Jill, my sexy theremin playing goddess..

I LOVE it!! I need an Mp3 of this just so I can play it every year!

Sent by Nicole | 11:51 PM ET | 11-04-2007

Umm....who cares? So what if it's not a "real" costume? I hadn't realized there were "costume police" out there, checking things out and judging what is ok and what isn't. Jeeze...what a bunch of partypoopers.... *yawn*

Sent by blondein_tokyo | 5:20 AM ET | 11-05-2007

Not only are we judging you for dressing like a self-absorbed, classless idiot on Halloween, we're also judging you for your use of ellipses. That's life, babycakes.

Sent by beth | 9:46 AM ET | 11-05-2007

This song is hilariously accurate. I had to sell so many costumes of otherwise innocuous professions modified with the word "sexy" or "naughty" and then shrunken down to toddler-sized. And people pay $80 for this stuff! Jeez. I love the song, Jill!

Oh, and theremin playing? Definitely sexy. I salute Eban and his bad ass theremin magical workings on this excellent track!

Sent by Vivienne | 10:02 AM ET | 11-05-2007

Jill,
Where have you been all of my life?

love,

Jason Evans

Sent by Jason Evans | 4:51 PM ET | 11-05-2007

I was a traffic cone for Hallowenn. Definitely NOT sexy!

Sent by Christie | 5:18 PM ET | 11-13-2007

Another Halloween is on the horizon. Well, okay, maybe not THAT close, but someone who loves Halloween as much as I do starts looking forward to it around June.

Thanks to Jill for turning her considerable talent towards what desperately needed to be said. And with all due respect to Eban and his Theramin, I'd love to hear the Glass Harmonica version of this song.

P.S. - You tell 'er, beth! LOL!

Sent by Kathy | 9:00 AM ET | 07-29-2008

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