I Don't Blame You
Encyclopedia
"I Don't Blame You" is a rock song by the American
singer/ songwriter, Cat Power
(also known as Chan Marshall). It is the first song on her 2003 album, You Are Free
.
interview. "They were playing ping-pong and stuff. So I just asked, 'Can I record this song real quick?'" In the same interview, Marshall revealed that "I Don't Blame You" was her favorite song on the album because "it's the freshest in my memory."
Three years later, Marshall's affection for the song had not diminished, and she cited it as her favorite song to perform live, in an interview with Salon.com
.
In an interview with Helter Skelter, Marshall revealed that she wanted "I Don't Blame You" to be a single
. However, no single was released for the song, and a music video
was never made.
A live version of the song, performed by Marshall on electric guitar
in the countryside, appears on the 2004 Cat Power DVD
, Speaking for Trees
.
star who is destroyed by fame. Some have speculated that it was written about Kurt Cobain
. Marshall has neither confirmed nor denied this, though she did sadly discuss Cobain's 1994 suicide in an interview with Nylon
, saying she would deal with fame the same way he did.
When asked who the song was about in an interview with Helter Skelter, Marshall replied, "You'll have to take a guess." When asked specifically if it was about Cobain, Marshall replied, "It could be anybody!" She revealed that she had only told one person who the song was about, and that "they couldn't believe it because they thought it was me…and then [they] saw it in a whole different way!"
"I'll never tell you what that song is about," she told Salon.com
in 2006. "That feeling of not being understood, but supposedly being understood by everyone ... being inside of a spectacle, it's like being a prisoner of war. I don't know if that makes sense. It would be like being in an insane asylum, where you are who you are, and the only person you've ever been is yourself, but then they want you to be someone else."
"Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s" in 2009.
on their 2007 album, Instead
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer/ songwriter, Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
(also known as Chan Marshall). It is the first song on her 2003 album, You Are Free
You Are Free
You Are Free is the sixth album by American singer/songwriter Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power. It was released in 2003 on Matador Records. Dave Grohl of Nirvana and The Foo Fighters plays the drums and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam provides backing vocals on two tracks...
.
Background
"I Don't Blame You" was the last song written for You Are Free. "I remember when I was at the piano and we were mixing and I kept playing it over and over and over while no one was there," Marshall revealed in a 2003 Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
interview. "They were playing ping-pong and stuff. So I just asked, 'Can I record this song real quick?'" In the same interview, Marshall revealed that "I Don't Blame You" was her favorite song on the album because "it's the freshest in my memory."
Three years later, Marshall's affection for the song had not diminished, and she cited it as her favorite song to perform live, in an interview with Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
.
In an interview with Helter Skelter, Marshall revealed that she wanted "I Don't Blame You" to be a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. However, no single was released for the song, and a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was never made.
A live version of the song, performed by Marshall on electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
in the countryside, appears on the 2004 Cat Power DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, Speaking for Trees
Speaking for Trees
Speaking for Trees is a DVD/CD package released by the American singer/songwriter Cat Power on October 26, 2004. The DVD contains footage of Cat Power singing and playing electric guitar in the countryside, filmed by Mark Borthwick in essentially a single, nearly 2-hour static shot...
.
Meaning
The song tells the story of a rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
star who is destroyed by fame. Some have speculated that it was written about Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
. Marshall has neither confirmed nor denied this, though she did sadly discuss Cobain's 1994 suicide in an interview with Nylon
Nylon (magazine)
Nylon is an American magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel...
, saying she would deal with fame the same way he did.
When asked who the song was about in an interview with Helter Skelter, Marshall replied, "You'll have to take a guess." When asked specifically if it was about Cobain, Marshall replied, "It could be anybody!" She revealed that she had only told one person who the song was about, and that "they couldn't believe it because they thought it was me…and then [they] saw it in a whole different way!"
"I'll never tell you what that song is about," she told Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
in 2006. "That feeling of not being understood, but supposedly being understood by everyone ... being inside of a spectacle, it's like being a prisoner of war. I don't know if that makes sense. It would be like being in an insane asylum, where you are who you are, and the only person you've ever been is yourself, but then they want you to be someone else."
Reception
"I Don't Blame You" was ranked # 158 on Pitchfork'sPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
"Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s" in 2009.
Cover versions
The song was covered by OnetwoOnetwo (band)
Onetwo is a synth pop group formed in 2000 by singer Claudia Brücken and keyboardist/singer Paul Humphreys . Their collaboration had no name until 2004....
on their 2007 album, Instead
Instead (album)
Instead is the first album by synthpop duo Onetwo. It was released as a CD and as a download. The album contains two covers: Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" and Cat Power's "I Don't Blame You".-CD: There / TTCDX004:...
.