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Lewis was barely a teenager then, fresh off her role inTroop Beverly Hillsand just beginning to write songs.
But that night, a switch flipped.
I walked into Dodger Stadium and sawKim Dealplaying bass, she says.
I want to do that.
But she never limited her ambitions to rock music, either.
Dont Tell the Indie Fans: Jenny Lewis Likes Country Music, read a New YorkTimesprofileheadline around that album.
Now, her fifth solo effort,Joyall, puts her secret out in the open.
Lewis recorded it in Nashville, where shes had a home since 2017.
For all the country legends Lewis name-checks on Love Feel,Joyallis more than just her Nashville album.
If I had called itChain of Tears, it would be a whole other thing.
I hope that people experience some joy.
She spoke to Vulture about the wide, specific influences behindJoyall, from Skeeter Davis to her dog.
I wanted to go to Tisch as a kid, but I didnt get in.
So at 40, I moved to the East Village, sharing an apartment withSt.
Vincent, a rent-controlled spot.
Then the sort of New York dream died for me.
I went and found a place in Nashville in late 2017, so Ive been going back and forth.
ItisMusic City compared to growing up in Hollywood.
But theres also a punk scene and an art scene and a hip-hop scene thats amazing.
Now, I could teach you how to two-step.
Becks pandemic songwriting workshop
It was super fun.
Id like to thank marijuana for getting me through that week.
I did not leave the house, at all.
It was such a great character study.
Youre like,Artists are so cool that we can just make something out of a suggestion.
Its magic.But its also homework, which is part of it.
Puppy and a Truck was the first song.
That was one of my best.
The first assignment was free-form, and I just wrote the whole song.
And everyone was so nice.
Theyre like, Oh my God, we love this so much.
That was so cool, and I dont know if it wouldve happened without the workshop.
After that, Love Feel, Chain of Tears, and Balcony were all from the camp.
Becks coming in your email inbox.
ThenI compiled themwith a couple free-form lines in there.
I had to give Justin Timberlake a shout-out.
I threwJohn Prinein there.
I think in modern times, were a bit in the weeds with so many choices.
Too many choices in Pro Tools, computer recording.
Its like infinite,Just do another pass, well comp it together later.
No, four-tracking is so amazing because its four tracks.
You really have to be economical about what works.
You dont just add shit on top of shit.
Rather than,What am I going to write a song about, what time signature, what key?
Ive just been obsessed with that song and that record since I heard it.
I was 11 or 12.
It is, in a way, a country record.
Its just these incredible stories.
Its like a blues or a country record in its directness.
I wanted my music to be pretty real and not ironic at all.
Those forms are so ready for stories that have a beginning, middle, and end.
Have you listened to the lyrics?
Throwback R&B like Monica and DeBarge
Nate Smith played drums.
Hes one of the greatest drummers in music, period, and hes an incredible jazz drummer.
He can do so much, but we had him do so little.
In my mind, I sound like Monica!
Theres something about this melodic outro so, like, the end of a DeBarge song.
Sometimes you dont have a partner.
I did so many cool weird things by myself.
Trip out and take mushrooms in the living room.
I grew two giant weed plants.
I painted all these rocks in my backyard, so it looks like Salvation Mountain.
I am a runaway.
Theres a Nice As Fuck song about it called Run Away.
I should drink more water.
Dave Cobb saying no to more takes
Cobb is a great leader and a great listener.
I come in with a song in the morning that we were going to cut that day.
We sit on the couch and I play it, and hes like, Lets open this part up.
Maybe well change the chord here.
On the fly, Im changing.
Hes like, Lets speed it up.
Lets put a capo on fret three.
Nate, what are you hearing?
Then we go on the floor, cut it just like that, that fast.
And take one or two is the one you use.
Youre like, Wait a minute!
Can I do it over?
I could do a better job if you let me do it over just right now.
Daves like,Nope, moving on.Hes the producer.
He knows better than I do.
Im haunted by every syllable.
Im a little bit edgy.
I cant believe Im playing these songs for these dudes that Ive never met, and its so intimate.
Im like, Im not a psycho / Im just trying to get laid.
I look over to Nate, who I just met, whos on the drums.
Im like,Ahh!
The things that dont change in your 40s
Ive been writing for so long.
From when I was 10!
So I just mine from my own experience in the moment.
So what else am I going to write about in my 40s?
I cant write about being in my 30s anymore.
I dont think Im going to meet anyone.
However, it is nice to just put yourself in the world.
I think the energy of even being horrified, but still swiping, is somehow productive.
Its better than staying in your home and not doing anything.
Skeeter Davis
The cover of the album, Im wearing Skeeters outfit.
Which is so crazy.
And when they took it down, it said this was Skeeters costume.
She would roll in with a little 60s box and these mixed CDs that she would DJ with.
They all have the song titles on the front.
Then Skeeters cover was one of the references, and suddenly Im wearing her outfit.
I dont even think I picked Skeeter Davis.
I think she somehow came down and was like, Wear my outfit.
Its hanging on the wall down the road.
There was one outstanding line that I didnt write, on Cherry Baby.
I had some filler in there that wasnt very good songwriting.
It felt lazy to me.
Im going to write something better.
Theresa little French restaurantin Nashville on Gallatin, and its basically in a Publix parking lot.
Is she going to finish?
Is the line done?
Im just like,Ahh!
The line!I had 40,000 options for that.
Oh, God, I had a couple ridiculous ones that I didnt use.
A couple of overtly sexual lines.
The most obvious thing is the thing.
I think when youre open to the process, it happens.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
