WOW, NELLIE! If you dig dogs, you'll love this musical ecard of Nellie McKay's "The Dog Song."

The other day, I planned to buy the OutKast double CD Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Instead I left Tower Records with another double CD: McKay's Get Away from Me, which cost half as much (but is probably half as long, lasting about an hour). I guess I can't resist a bargain. And a bargain it was—a gift (for myself) that keeps on giving.

You see, McKay's catchy tunes seem to have implanted themselves between my ears. I wasn't impressed by her recent performance on the Late Show with David Letterman, but on CD this young singer-songwriter fuses the considerable charms of jazz chanteuse Blossom Dearie and songwriting satirist Dave Frishberg with an edge that can cut like a rapper—if you pay attention to her angry-quirky-witty lyrics.

I'm particularly fond of one verse in her song "David" (no relation):

mister bushie says
I'm your president
I have lots to say
hey hey hey
and click goes the remote
there you have my vote
catchin' the next boat out of here

Needless to say, I've secured a spot for McKay alongside Ben Yarmolinsky and Bryant Kong in my imaginary musical tribute to the Bush administration. [See April 22, 2004.]

You can find versions of "David" at the NPR website and also at McKay's site. You can check out a bunch of McKay lyrics at her website, too. They're best appreciated with her music, though.