Smart songs, with catchy melodies.

9 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Modern Folk, POP: Folky Pop



Details:
"Douglass has pulled off that hat trick so rare among songwriters these days. She has written smart pop music for smart people that is also really fun to listen to. --Larry Flick, Billboard Magazine

"People say she writes smart songs, and I'd have to agree...in the Loudon Wainwright school...a good songwriter"--Larry Groce, Mountain Stage

"Songwriter in the footsteps of Lucinda Williams and Marianne Faithful...looks with a sharp eye at character"--The New York Times

Poor People On TV is the latest cd from New York singer songwriter Julia Douglass. On this album she continues writing with her astute observations on modern life.

Julia Douglass, the Smirk Records Interview:


Q. Are you making fun of poor people with your song Poor People On TV?

A. No, Iâm making fun of the people who are making fun of poor people. Itâs very post post modern. You know, Iâm making fun of all of those shows, like Jerry Springer, and Cops, and Rikki Lake, and Maury, when they get these disorganized, loud poor people on and their lives are in chaos and we all watch and boo and yell at them to get their shit together. Itâs like âPoor People As Sport,â you know, that sort of thing.

Q. Why donât you have any kids? Are you really scared to have kids like in your song?

A. I canât afford them. And they annoy me. Although they donât annoy me as much as their parents do. Jeez, what happened to parents these days? The kids are definitely calling the shots. My next album is going to be called âJump Daddy, Jump; How High How High?â Parents are always negotiating with their kids, and giving them a million choices. Itâs absurd and just freaks the kids out. There was a woman I saw the other day and she kept asking her son if he wanted his hat on or off, or did he want to go to the store, or would he like a Popsicle? It was overwhelming. The child was really stressing about all the choices in his life at that moment. And she was getting upset with him because he couldnât make a decision, so then sheâd just give him even more choices, and then she started screaming, âWell maybe WE SHOULD JUST GO TO THE PARK THEN, TYLER!!!! MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST GO TO THE PARK!!!! It was this vicious cycle. And he was only two years old.


Q. Are you a curmudgeon?

A. I fear I am becoming one. This is the downside of not having kids. You become W. C Fields. So in order to combat this crabbiness Iâm signing up for yoga, and perhaps tap dancing. You canât be crabby if youâre stretching and dancing around.

Q. How old are you?

A. None of your business.

Q. Why are all of your friends alcoholics?

A. Iâm attracted to eccentrics and real characters. Unfortunately as they become middle aged they are no longer full of that reckless undeniable promise. That, âthey would be so amazing if only theyâd get it togetherâ thing. Instead they didnât get it together and, well they are amazing, but perhaps not in the way that they wanted, and they become drunks.

Q. How does this affect you?

A. They call me up late at night and babble on giving monologues about their tedious lives. And then they get angry with me. Itâs starting to really make me mad. I babble on about my tedious life too, but at least Iâm not drunk when I do it. I hate drunk people.

Q. Do you try to help them? Do you stage interventions?

A. No, I just complain about them behind their backs.

Q. Why did you go to culinary school?

A. I wanted to be middle class.

Q. So you went into food service?

A. Thatâs right.

Q. How did it go?

A. It doesnât pay very well.