By: Michael Bird

Michael Bird — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:06:41 +0000

I would just like to say that your grandmother had something rightly to proud of.
Robinson’s lyrics for ‘The Other Woman’ are still very powerful and sound fresh, exciting and relevant today.
In so few words they sum up the good and bad sides of having an affair, yet at the same time the song is sung from the point of view of the wronged woman – the wife.
While the first verse has a bitter undercurrent to the lyrics, the second verse is pure fantasy – the wife’s hope that this woman will spend the rest of her life alone – which she cannot, of course, be certain of.
Nina Simone captures this so well by singing the song with a sense of joy in her voice – especially the last line, where the tempo speeds up, even though the sentiment (on the surface) is maudlin, almost miserable.
Few songs manage to capture this complexity in theme while using such simple sentiments.
In short – it’s great.

Comments on: Happy Birthday Olivia

By: Michael Bird