Wanderer

Album: Wanderer (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Running just 1:14, "Wanderer" is the title track and opener to Cat Power's 10th album. "When someone passes, you're here to deal with it in the best way that you can, for the rest of your life," she told Uncut. "That's what that song is about."
  • This was recorded as an a cappella vocal test in the studio. The song is just voices.
  • The last track on the album is a reprise called "Wanderer / Exit." This version has instrumentation, including piano and a trumpet part played by Nico Segal.
  • The song is a sun-through-the-clouds a cappella spiritual that reminded Cat Power of her family; her father sang in church, as did her grandmother. She told Mojo magazine:

    "I think of these ancestors I know didn't have TV and a phone and albums and s--t. My great grandma was a cotton picker and I know when you're singing songs together on your front porch, that's part of the history of humanity. You sing and that's what you do."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.