Seriously though, which sweater?

Jacqueline Taieb – 7 Heures du Matin

New Frontiers

It’s been ages.

But now, following on from Connie Francis’s bubbling cauldron of nascent sexual hunger, here’s a more blasé take on female teen angst (or ennui I guess) from Tunisian-French one-hitter Jacqueline Taïeb (often misread as Taleb). Some Wikipedier wrote that this was “about a teenage girl who fantasizes about Paul McCartney” (amplifying the distortion of some blog). Well, I guess that’s technically true, but grossly misleading. It’s about a teenage girl trying to wake up and get ready for school. That’s pretty much it. That and she can’t find her toothbrush. Notice she isn’t smiling for the photo. McCartney is mentioned in the song (or “rap”), as is Elvis, and the Who get quoted. Which is really the best part. But the grungy pounding blues accompaniment rivals Bowie’s early Mannish Boys or Lower Third, or Jacques Dutronc. (Wonder if he was in on the production.)

It’s seven o'clock in the morning
Must get up
Ah! I’m asleep!

Okay, so a little music
To get going
I don’t know,
Something like
"Talking about my ge-ge-ge-generation"
Yeah! That’s not quite it.

I’m still looking for my toothbrush!
Where did it go, this one?
The blue one is my father
The red is my mother
The yellow is my brother
Haven’t I seen my toothbrush?

Oh hey! Today is Monday
Ah! Tomorrow, I have English homework [due I guess --mwp]
Hm! I’d love to have Paul McCartney
To help me!
I want to put on a record
To annoy the neighbors
Who are snoozing all day
Something like a good Elvis Presley
Ah! This is true, that one, he remained at
"Be bop bam boom boom rock"

A little water on the figure
To wake up
The nighty-night [dodo] is over!
I'm almost ready and it’s much better
I put on my red [Shetland] sweater or my blue sweater?
My red sweater?
My blue sweater?
Hm! My red sweater ...