Norma Tanega

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Norma Tanega (born November 30, 1939 in Vallejo, California ; died December 29, 2019 in Claremont, California ) was an American folk singer, composer, and lyricist. She became known in 1966 for her hit Walking my Cat named Dog, which was later covered several times . As a result of the use of their title You're Dead as the soundtrack of the New Zealand comedy series What We Do In The Shadows (previously 5 room kitchen coffin) it gained international fame again from 2014.

Life

Tanega was born on November 30, 1939 in Vallejo, California . She grew up in Long Beach . Her father was a musician in the US Navy . Tanega was already interested in art as a child, painting, playing the piano and teaching himself to play the guitar . She graduated from the Claremont Graduate School with an art degree and then moved to Manhattan . Her single , Walking my Cat named Dog , released in 1966 , peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song became the title track of the album of the same name.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Tanega had an extended relationship with Irish-British singer Dusty Springfield . During this time she lived in London . Tanega wrote songs for Springfield, such as Go my love , No stranger am I or Earthbound Gypsy, and recorded her album I Don't Think It Will Hurt If You Smile , which was released in 1971. After five years, she ended the difficult relationship and returned to the United States.

In 1972 Tanega bought a house in Claremont together with cultural scientist Diane Divelbess. After her return to California, Tanega devoted herself mainly to painting and taught music, English language and art, including at California Polytechnic State University , where Develbess also taught. She also realized projects with other musicians. During the 1980s she was a member of the experimental music group Ceramic Ensemble , which played on ceramic instruments. In the 1990s she formed the duo Hybrid Vigor with Mike Henderson , which released an album in 1996 and became a trio when Rebecca Jamm joined the group in the 2000s. From 1998 she appeared together with keyboardist Robert Grajeda as Latin Lizards . The duo combined folk elements with jazz and pop, with Tanega limited to percussion and singing.

Tanega died in Claremont on December 29, 2019. According to her lawyer, Tanega suffered from colon cancer .

music

Tanega's musical style was more influenced by the blues than by the folk performers of her time. In their interpretation, haunting vocals dominated in the early years, interrupted by the occasional harmonica play . The guitar she played herself had a strongly percussive, almost rocking and no melodic character. Unlike other folk performers, Tanega also used electric guitars. She incorporated powerful guitar runs into her compositions, but refrained from elaborate fingerpicking or solos. In later years she increasingly incorporated experimental elements into her music. Tanega commented ironically on her position in the music scene in the 1960s and 1970s: “The folks don't like me and the rock'n rollers don't like me”.

reception

Tanega's hit single Walking my Cat named Dog has been covered by various artists, such as the indie rock band Yo La Tengo , who added the piece to their repertoire. The pop country band Dr. Hook recorded the song for the three-part album Pleasure and Pain: The History of Dr Hook , which was released in 1996. The adventurous folk-jazz band They Might Be Giants covered Walking my Cat named Dog in 2013. The piece is part of the album Why? , which was released in 2015 and is specially designed for children. The use of her song You're Dead by Taika Waititi in the title sequence of his 2014 comedy film What We Do In The Shadows (German: " 5 room kitchen coffin ") about a vampire flat share in what is now Wellington stimulated interest in Tanega's music again. A remix version of the piece was also used for the subsequent American series of the same name What We Do in the Shadows , which was released in 2019.

Works (albums)

  • Walking My Cat Named Dog (1966)
  • I Don't Think It Will Hurt If You Smile (1971)
  • Hybrid Vigor (with Mike Henderson, 1996)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Norma Tanega, 'Cat Named Dog' singer, dies in Claremont. In: Daily Bulletin. January 2, 2020, accessed July 24, 2021 (American English).
  2. ↑ a b c d Norma Tanega, who sang about a Cat named Dog, dies at 80 articles from January 17, 2020 in The New York Times , accessed July 24. 2021
  3. ↑ The Irish LGBTQ diaspora: Dusty Springfield, Eileen Gray, Fr Bernárd Lynch , article from June 25, 2019, in The Irish Times (online), accessed June 24, 2019
  4. ^ Entry Dusty Springfield on San Diego LGBT news (online), accessed July 24, 2021
  5. ↑ The story of Dusty Springfield Part three , October 25, 2019 article in The Sunday Post , accessed July 24, 2021
  6. ^ Entry The Latin Lizards , August 17, 2003, on CalPolyPomena (online), accessed July 25, 2021
  7. ^ Report on the concert of Yo La Tengo from December 9, 2010 on villagevoice.com, accessed on August 1, 2021
  8. ^ Entry Pleasure and Pain on secondhandsongs.com, accessed on July 31, 2021
  9. ↑ Meet They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh's Murderous Cats , March 4, 2013 article, accessed July 31, 2021
  10. ↑ Entry Why? on tmbw.net (They Might Be Giants Wiki), accessed July 31, 2021
  11. ↑ obituary Norma Tanega invoked article of 22 January 2020 Scotland Herald (online), on July 31, 2021
personal data
SURNAME Tanega, Norma
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American folk singer
BIRTH DATE November 30, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH Valejo , California, United States
DATE OF DEATH 29th December 2019
PLACE OF DEATH Claremont , California