Pure Punk Picks
Frenchette – David Johansen
This song is by the lead singer of The New York Dolls who were America’s finest glam/glitter band- bar none, in the early seventies. And they are also considered one of the most important proto-punk bands, as well.
Though some of you may detest the hair metal of the eighties as much as I love it. (Hey! I could see and hear the big influence glam had on these bands as well as a bit of punk, too.) I believe it’s true that along with Aerosmith, the Dolls were the biggest influence on hair metal.
“Frenchette” starts out like a ballad with no guitars or rhythm section, just an emotional, yearning vocal backed by a delicate, almost classical piano.
But eventually, the instruments roll in and then we’re treated to prime cut New York Dolls punk’n’roll meat- meaning it’s tasty, tantalizing and terrific while also being gutsy, gritty and great.
There’s a part in the bridge that is pure sixties girl group which reflects a huge influence on The Dolls. (And what I consider the most underrated genre- Evah!)
Towards the end of the tune it slips into a kind of blues/boogie groove that is really a throwback to the hippie music but is redeemed by a passionate, exciting climax.
Some of the words in this song are “made up” such as “naturalette” and even the title “Frenchette”. But some other words ending with “ette” refer to small places to eat such as kitchenette, dinette and luncheonette.
But the word that describes best what I think the song is trying to express is “leatherette” which means imitation leather.
“You come on like it’s all natural darling. But you know it’s only naturalette. It’s just like all of your leathers darling, they don’t scare me. I know it’s really only leatherette.”
‘Cause the chorus goes “I can’t get the kind of love that I want or that I need. So let’s just dance.” It implies that he can’t have real love or a fulfilling relationship so in lieu of that, let’s just have a good time and some fun and just dance.
Oh, and keep in mind in early rhythm and blues and early rock’n’roll the word “dance” was sometimes substituted for the word “fuck” to get past the sensors!
The words, “I can’t get the kind of love that I want or that I need” resonated with me back when this song was first released in ’78. Because I knew then that the love I wanted, though of a heterosexual nature, I knew it was also, of a submissive nature, as well. And that in society, this was unlikely to be fulfilled unless I sought out ladies for hire.
So I adapted to society, played my role, failed in all my romantic relationships, miserably, while doing the best I could. You might say, “I just danced.”
But Happy Endings!
I guess I now have the love “that I want and that I need” though it took me my whole life to find it. I now have the kind of relationship I’ve always wanted for three years now.
Maybe the lesson I’ve learned is that you have to be true to yourself and also with others, because if someone cannot accept you for who you truly are, then they are someone you should not “want or need” their acceptance.
But everyone not only needs to accept whatever others feel themselves to be- gay, straight bisexual, pansexual- man, woman, non-binary. More importantly, they need to accept themselves of who they feel they are- because you are definitely correct. As you are the best judge of anyone about how you feel about yourself and who you think you truly are.
Accept and love who you are, because not only are you worthy of love from others- you are more importantly, worthy of love from yourself.
I believe everyone who reads this is a wonderful person and worthy of my love and respect.
So I love The Dolls, I love David Johansen as well as this great song “Frenchette.”
But it’s really not just lovette, when I say, I really love you all.
Now, let’s all dance!
(Slimedog)
