My Curse is a song the Afghan Whigs originally recorded in 1989. Greg Dulli sang the original version. The band sat on the song until The Gentleman album. Marcy Mays sang the album version. Her voice served as the female character involved with Dulli's Gentleman. The album is about a disintegrating relationship between two lovers. Think of the album as the male version of Liz Phair's Exile In Guyville.
Mays only live performance, with the Whigs, of My Curse was at Reading in 1994. Is it me or is Mays and Dulli really taking on shine to each other. Besides the whole kissing onstage thing.
Mays was playing in Scrawl before there was such a thing as riot grrl bands. I saw Scrawl twice.
Dulli sings My Curse during a 1998 performance. I'm amazed how both Dulli and Mays sing the song with such emotional force.
Update: I have to post a great performance of Blame, etc. The lyrics are amazing.
I reply, that I don't believe
I'm ever gonna die, I don't
Do you?
Blame, deny, betray, divide
A lie, the truth
Which one shall I use?
i hope the MFer who stole my "black love" CD burns in hell. i've missed that beautiful slab of flaming wax.
ReplyDeletei'm sure the library has it, and now that i have the technology to rip CDs as i did not previously - hoohah!
THAT"S SO HOT.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing.
oh, my lil one agreed with you on 'juno' by the way. He seems to feel it was necessary for the plot line.
Also agrees that it was twisted.
THAT"S SO HOT.
ReplyDeleteThe song or the Mays and Dulli chemistry?
song:chemistry
ReplyDeleteJMO.
You've turned me on to some good stuff.
(thanks)
Thank you for posting Mays singing My Curse at Reading. wow. I had never seen this before. I love the Afghan Wigs but I had never heard of Scrawl before. Marcy Mays was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI saw AW in 98 at the Fillmore West. One of the back up singers sang "My Curse" and did it in a very sultry manner. Mays' version is more soulful/hurt manner. It's amazing that the same song can be sung in such different ways by different people!
ReplyDeleteSusan Marshall is the backup singer that sang My Curse at Whigs' shows. Marshall also toured as a backup singer for Cat Power. Another of my favorite artist.
ReplyDeletems marshall was backing lucinda one of the times i saw her
ReplyDeleteLucinda Williams? I know Dulli has jammed with her.
ReplyDeleteOkay so I know this is an old thread but i've tossed this around in my head for literally years.... Some of the lyrics are obviously from the male point of view. But was it originally
ReplyDeleteI have to lie about it
everytime I get obsessed
Everytime you came undressed
??
This would fit better from the pov of a guy with a less-than-perfect self image (ie "fat" Greg dulli) but as written "undressed " could also be less literal (like when he's alone and "I see, I finally see") and the whole double edged tendency of obsession (like, the more he shows his asshole side to try to get rid of her, the more she becomes obsessed)
Anyway,
Thanks for putting this here.
Vic
Oracle junction, az
Vic, that is a good question. I have the 1989 demo with Greg Dulli singing the song. Gentleman needed a song from the female point of view and Marcy Mays filled it brilliantly. Mays made this song her own.
ReplyDelete