Jill Sobule's I Kissed a Girl: That Cursed Song and Katy Perry

Last night, watching the Grammy's, I finally got an earful of I Kissed a Girl, the hit song penned in 1995 by singer-songwriter Jill Sobule (awesome website, by the way!), and covered recently by 24-year-old poptart Katy Perry. Perry has a good voice and, perhaps more importantly, amazing quirky pinup style that often results in dresses I would die for. Last night's show was no exception, when Perry emerged from a giant banana -- or was it a rocket? -- to cut a swath through an all-female dance crew dressed in slightly androgynous white suits and fedoras. Perry was wearing a sequined fruit bowl minidress that I thought was fabulous, being a fan of fruits, bright colors and sparkles (I'm kind of like a raccoon that way).

Hearing the song reminded me of an article in the June 2008 issue of Performing Songwriter, in which Jill Sobule explains the origin of what she calls "That Cursed Song": It wasn't a soft-p-word* scenario nor a coming-out anthem (for her, anyway), it just was "a song about the excitement and nervousness of a first kiss, but from an adult perspective." Here's what she has to say about its enduring fame:

It's been over 10 years, and I am still, for many, the "Kissed a Girl" girl. And as annoying as that has been, I've recently come to embrace it. "I Kissed a Girl" was the first song to break that barrier on radio and MTV, and I am very proud of that. ... One time, a big-boned gal came up to me after a show and told me that when she was in the Army they would whistle that song as a secret sign of who was gay or not gay. (I was happy to help our girls in the service but thought they could have chosen a less conspicuous tune.) I also had one angry drunk man try to engage me in a fistfight. He said his girlfriend left him because of the single. I would have loved to take credit, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was more than just the song.

More interesting facts about Sobule: She launched the site jillsnextrecord.com in January 2008 to raise funds for her next album (due out April 2009), and apparently raised $75,000 in 53 days. At the recent MIDEM conference in France, Sobule used her own impressive experience to illustrate emerging music business models in the Internet era. In fact, she exceeded her goal because the donations kept coming in and she's now at $90,000. The things I could do with $90,000!!! Frankly, I don't need that much for an album. I could do a lot with half that. Stay tuned...

* Sorry for the inconvenience, but I avoid the four-letter p-word in the blog** to keep the freaks from finding it. I don't know if this is effective, so I also always wear a heavy garland of braided garlic around my neck.

** Because I am constantly discussing topics that relate to the p-word. It comes up all the time -- dinner, business meetings, with other moms at the PTA...