Nellie!

Singer to serve up satire in Ridgewood

Friday, April 25, 2008
Last updated: Friday April 25, 2008, EDT 10:20 PM

BY EVELYN SHIH

STAFF WRITER

Feminists don't have a sense of humor (poor Hillary)

Feminists and vegetarians

Feminists spread vicious lies and rumor

They're far too sensitive to ever be a ham

That's why these feminists just need to find a man

— Nellie McKay

Sung with a straight face, these are the last lines of Nellie McKay's post-feminist send-up, "Mother of Pearl."

"For the longest time, I didn't find the song any good," said the vegan singer and songwriter. "I would introduce it at my show like, 'I wrote a song called "Feminists Don't Have a Sense of Humor," but it's not very funny. So I'm not going to play it.' "

McKay decided to dust the song off and include it in her newest album, 2007's "Obligatory Villagers." In concert, it's one of the songs that gets the best laughs from the audience, she said.

What was she worried about?

"I think anytime you even mention a serious theme, it's like, 'Maybe I'm thinking this sarcasm is funny, but maybe it's just coming across as predictable and preachy,' " she explained. "It's so easy to think to yourself, 'Oh, I'm amusing.' But sometimes you're not."

McKay — who also does a tune called "Zombie," where she exhorts listeners to "Do the Zombie" — will bring her floating Judy Garland vocals and sharpest satire to Blend in Ridgewood on Saturday night.

No prizes for holding in the giggles.

"I think [humor] is a great way to talk about serious things," said McKay. "Music and comedy go together like music and film. Everything is helped by music, and everything feeds into it, too."

She should know. McKay debuted on Broadway as Polly Peachum in "The Threepenny Opera" and appeared in "P.S. I Love You," a movie starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler.

And despite her self-deprecation, her rise in the music world has been fast and furious. At 21, she released her debut, "Get Away From Me" — one of the few, if not only, double discs released by a new artist. Her subsequent release, "Pretty Little Head," continued to receive critical favor.

Although there were some bumps in the road — disagreements with Columbia Records led to a temporary split between company and artist — McKay went on to create "Villagers."

All this has led to some real quarter-life fatigue.

"Once you pass that quarter-century — eh, leave it to the kids," joked the 26-year-old.

McKay has dabbled in music genres from folk to jazz and even rap, using different motifs to play off her lyrics.

"I was just listening to 'London Calling' in the car with a friend, and he was talking about how he loved the bass line in that," she said. "I thought about using the bass line, but then I thought, 'Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe I should just leave it alone!' "

Nevertheless, McKay still enjoys performing, because "it's a good way to spread vegan propaganda," she deadpanned.

"Some people laugh enormously at the littlest thing, and some just keep it all inside, even with someone like Wanda Sykes, when you'd think they'd be roaring," she added.

"And I just, uh" — she paused, switching to the voice of a Southern belle.

"Ah aim to please."

E-mail: shih@northjersey.com