The Chattanooga sister trio talks about mixing music and motherhood, and shares the story behind their tune “Toes Are Soiled.” (Story initially aired on Weekend Version on April 21, 2024.)
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
A few of life’s huge adjustments, even when they’re good, can go away you feeling greater than just a bit bit overwhelmed. Like, what did I get myself into?
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I WENT DOWN”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) I noticed you bathing by the pool. The home behind you was on hearth.
RASCOE: Getting married, having kids, and what that does to your identification – the three ladies within the band Name Me Spinster will not be afraid to go there. Their lives have already had some twists.
ROSIE GRABER: I undoubtedly didn’t suppose that I might be in a band with my sisters. My identify is Rosie Graber.
RACHEL GRABER FORTIN: Rachel Graber Fortin.
AMELIA GRABER JACOBS: Amelia Graber Jacobs.
RASCOE: And as little sister Rosie simply mentioned, making music collectively did not begin out as a household aim. All three have been academics on their very own paths, dwelling elsewhere when the oldest, Amelia, settled down in Chattanooga. Rosie and Rachel quickly adopted her there.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I WENT DOWN”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) Each drained story is similar.
RASCOE: It has been a mixture of motherhood and music for every of them ever since. In April, once we talked to them about their first full-length album, “Potholes,” there have been 4 kids. As we speak, the entire is 5. Again in spring, we requested the sisters to inform us the story behind one among their songs, “Toes Are Soiled.” Their dialog was charming and one thing numerous us can relate to. Right here it’s once more.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GRABER JACOBS: That is Amelia. And I used to be the brand new mother. I used to be actually moving into my newly clear sheets, which felt like a miracle in and of itself.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) Our toes are soiled, and the sheets are clear.
GRABER JACOBS: I believe I did actually have soiled toes or dirtier than I might have favored. It is undoubtedly one among my issues. My husband has perpetually soiled toes. And I believe it was partially simply laughing at myself that I used to be the perpetrator and was in all probability too drained to get off the bed and take a shower. However I used to be simply, I believe, narrating.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) Air is heavy, and your tooth are clear.
GRABER JACOBS: And I simply stored following it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: The place have you ever been, boy? Darling, the place have you ever been? (Vocalizing).
GRABER JACOBS: The little (vocalizing) half began to observe.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Vocalizing).
GRABER FORTIN: That is Rachel. And this was in our early songwriting, the place our approach that was working for all of us in our personal methods was discovering a quiet area and making whale noises. The bath was a normal place. We might begin out by simply type of going (vocalizing) after which type of narrating what we have been considering.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) I need to be free. (Vocalizing).
GRABER: That is Rosie leaping in. This tune has turn into fairly electronified (ph), and one of many acoustic issues that stayed in is Rachel’s voice going (vocalizing).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) Slicing you clear, boy. Yeah, I am reducing you clear. Yeah, reducing you clear.
GRABER JACOBS: From the get-go, I had this kind of (vocalizing) synth-y (ph) bassline in my head. We have been listening to numerous Robyn.
GRABER FORTIN: A timeless synth pop legend – so we had this ritual of dance church. Each time we have been feeling notably caught, we might give ourselves possibly two songs, three songs, to only dance it out. Typically we might have the child round. Typically we might have the canine round, I believe type of tossing the canine and the child forwards and backwards.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) It is time we burned the olive tree. It is time we burned it.
GRABER JACOBS: I keep in mind very distinctly sitting on our porch and taking a look at this actually brittle, brown Christmas tree that had been simply sitting there, as many issues had in my yard. I imply, it simply was kind of – represented this home chaos. So it began out as it is time to burn the Christmas tree.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) It is time we burned it. Once more is within the air at this time, I believe we have turned it. I need to be free.
GRABER FORTIN: All three of us, I believe, have had the breakup that takes numerous breakups. This concept of many olive branches prolonged – I believe that stands out to me as kind of the ultimate straw of claiming, no extra. No extra take threes, take fours. That is it. I am not even going to permit the olive department to be accessible. That is over. That odor of – it is burned. It is finished. And we’re prepared to maneuver on, and it may be a celebration for everyone.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Vocalizing).
GRABER: In any scenario the place you are in love, I believe, together with your youngster or your companion, and you might be giving quite a bit, then there’s all the time a second the place you cease remembering to make your self really feel good. I believe it is a second the place we’re saying, nope, it is time for me to really feel pleasure and good, and I would like to consider me for a minute. You’re feeling such as you’re burning all the things down round you for that generally. And though that is usually not the case in any respect, it normally helps all the things else (laughter).
GRABER JACOBS: A lot of songwriting does really feel so unconscious. From the skin, it is this kind of thinly veiled exploration of very actual feelings, oftentimes darkish ones. And I believe I used to be exploring this sense of launch and might I give up motherhood? Is that this a factor that I may do? Which, in fact, I do not truly need to do, nevertheless it’s like – enjoying with these feelings that, you realize, pop up occasionally, coming kind of to the sting of the cliff and looking out down after which scaling it again. And I believe this tune was possibly a secure approach for me to play with that.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Singing) Ashes within the air at this time. I believe we have earned it.
RASCOE: That was Amelia Graber Jacobs, Rachel Graber Fortin and Rosie Graber of the Chattanooga-based band Name Me Spinster speaking final April about “Toes Are Soiled,” one of many songs on their album “Potholes.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FEET ARE DIRTY”)
CALL ME SPINSTER: (Vocalizing).
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