Cross Bones Style
Encyclopedia
"Cross Bones Style" is a song by the American singer/songwriter Cat Power
(also known as Chan Marshall). It is the tenth song on her 1998 album, Moon Pix
.
nightmare
while alone in the South Carolina
farmhouse she shared with then-boyfriend, Bill Callahan. "My nightmare was surrounding my house like a tornado," she explained. "So I just ran and got my guitar because I was trying to distract myself. I had to turn on the lights and sing to God. I got a tape recorder and recorded the next sixty minutes. And I played these long changes, into six different songs. That's where I got the record."
, a music video
directed by Brett Vapnek was made for the song. Marshall has cited the video for Madonna's "Lucky Star" as an influence. In a 1998 interview with Index
, she explained, "I'm thinking of making that the single and doing a full-on "Lucky Star" style video. Like Madonna, dancing in a white room. I'm sure I'll chicken out though."
The Pitchfork 500. In 2010, it was ranked #129 in Pitchfork's "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s"
In 2006, the music video was ranked #44 in Stylus'
top 100 music videos of all time list.
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
(also known as Chan Marshall). It is the tenth song on her 1998 album, Moon Pix
Moon Pix
Moon Pix is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Cat Power . It was released in September 1998 on Matador Records....
.
Background
According to Cat Power: A Good Woman by Elizabeth Goodman, Marshall wrote "Cross Bones Style," along with five other songs from Moon Pix, one night in the fall of 1997, after awaking from a hallucinatoryHallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
while alone in the South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
farmhouse she shared with then-boyfriend, Bill Callahan. "My nightmare was surrounding my house like a tornado," she explained. "So I just ran and got my guitar because I was trying to distract myself. I had to turn on the lights and sing to God. I got a tape recorder and recorded the next sixty minutes. And I played these long changes, into six different songs. That's where I got the record."
Music video
Though never released as a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
directed by Brett Vapnek was made for the song. Marshall has cited the video for Madonna's "Lucky Star" as an influence. In a 1998 interview with Index
Index Magazine
Index Magazine was a prominent New York City based publication for art and culture. It was created by Peter Halley and Bob Nickas in 1996. The publication featured a mix of interviews with famous arty folks like Björk with not so-famous New York personalities like Queen Itchie or Ducky Doolittle.It...
, she explained, "I'm thinking of making that the single and doing a full-on "Lucky Star" style video. Like Madonna, dancing in a white room. I'm sure I'll chicken out though."
Reception
In 2008, the song was included in Pitchfork Media'sPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
The Pitchfork 500. In 2010, it was ranked #129 in Pitchfork's "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s"
In 2006, the music video was ranked #44 in Stylus'
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
top 100 music videos of all time list.