Saturday, January 14, 2012

Roseanne Cash - "Seven Year Ache" (forgotten song)

This has been driving me crazy for quite some time... Katy Perry songs are featured regularly at the Y (about the only place where Danette and I hear pop music). Although it makes me a little ashamed, I have to admit Perry writes some strong hooks, with her 2010 single "Teenage Dream" probably being my "favorite". But the thing that always struck me was part of the song reminded me of what I thought was a 70s song; specifically how she sang the following lines, first occurring at 2:27--2:43 and repeated again at 3:23--3:40:

I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight
Last night at the Y I think I figured it out: I believe I'm thinking of "Seven Year Ache", the country/pop cross-over single from the 1981 LP of the same name by Roseanne Cash. Yeah, so 1981 isn't quite "70s", but it is close enough. I'm not claiming a copy or ripoff, just similarity: listen to the phrasing and structure of lines like (0:32--0:48):
Girls in the bars thinking who is this guy
But they don't think nothing when they're telling you lies
You look so careless when they're shooting that bull
Don't you know heartaches are heroes when their pockets are full
as well as the chorus:
Tell me your trying to cure a seven year ache
See what else your old heart can take
The boys say when is he gonna give us some room
The girls say, God, I hope he comes back soon
and then compare to the Perry lines. Danette confirmed that they were similar and said it was a good pull, but she may have just said that so I would shut up about it. Anyway, I think I've uncovered the similarity that's been a pebble in my shoe every time we'd hear this song while working out. And while it has been probably 10 minutes since you've heard a Katy Perry song, when was the last time you heard a Roseanne Cash song?

Roseanne Cash -- "Seven Year Ache"
Katy Perry -- "Teenage Dream"

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