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Swati — Blackjack
Album: Small Gods
Avg rating:
6.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 349









Released: 2007
Length: 4:49
Plays (last 30 days): 0
I got a prostitute
In an atlantic city bar
She said what would you like to do
You look kinda normal but you still got NYC all over you

Just hold my hand when the six card drops
Hold my hand when the money runs out
Dealer's got blackjack

She said don't you got no friends
I said yes ma'am but today i'm sick of them
Well don't you got no lovers
I said no ma'am i'm always chasing the hearts i can never have

So just hold my hand when the six card drops
Just hold my hand when the money runs out
Dealer's got blackjack

Monday i called my summer love
I said please see me i need to talk about stuff
She blamed it on the dopamine weirdy
And gently sent me on my way
Tuesday i called my first love i said please see me i need to remember who i was
She said you're definitely not the same person today
I love you anyway
So now here i am sitting with you at the all you can eat buffet
You got your hand resting gently on my knee and i'm pretending that i've found me
An unconditional love from a stranger

At the end of the night
I said i'll drive you home
Please say mexico
She said you're driving real fast
I said i'm sorry ma'am am i making you nervous
She said oh no oh no
Drive faster faster faster

And hold my hand when the six card drops
Hold my hand when the money runs out
Just hold my hand when the six card drops
Hold my hand cause the money's run out
Baby's got blackjack.
Comments (86)add comment
 Crawlmeister wrote:
No, Jewel :)
 
I can hear both, both in their early career before their 'next level' material

Really liking this!


I like this very much.

Subversively good.


Quite pleasant with interesting lyrics


Wow, the words... She reminds me a bit of Rickie Lee Jones. I like this song a lot - might check into more of her music. Thanks, RP!
...ahh, this is so nice to hear again...
 twitterpated wrote:

I think the guitar is very nice, too.  Her singing style, however, is that babyish wail that is so overused by female singers these days {sigh}.  It seems incongruous for such a childish voice to be singing about such sophisticated notions.  Gong!


 

I think that is just the way she sings as most of the baby voiced girls out there. I don't like it either, but I don't think it is contrived.
 twitterpated wrote:

I think the guitar is very nice, too.  Her singing style, however, is that babyish wail that is so overused by female singers these days {sigh}.  It seems incongruous for such a childish voice to be singing about such sophisticated notions.  Gong!


 
Agreed - I thought at first this might be Taylor Swift. . .

{#Eek}


I think the guitar is very nice, too.  Her singing style, however, is that babyish wail that is so overused by female singers these days {sigh}.  It seems incongruous for such a childish voice to be singing about such sophisticated notions.  Gong!


A current favorite artist.

She's SO *good*!! 

i got a prostitute
in an atlantic city bar
she said what would you like to do
you look kinda normal but you still got NYC all over you

just hold my hand when the six card drops
hold my hand when the money runs out
dealer's got blackjack

she said don't you got no friends
i said yes ma'am but today i'm sick of them
well don't you got no lovers
i said no ma'am i'm always chasing the hearts i can never have

so just hold my hand when the six card drops
just hold my hand when the money runs out
dealer's got blackjack

monday i called my summer love
i said please see me i need to talk about stuff
she blamed it on the dopamine weirdy
and gently sent me on my way
tuesday i called my first love i said please see me i need to remember who i was
she said you're definitely not the same person today
i love you anyway
so now here i am sitting with you at the all you can eat buffet
you got your hand resting gently on my knee and i'm pretending that i've found me
an unconditional love from a stranger

at the end of the night
i said i'll drive you home
please say mexico
she said you're driving real fast
i said i'm sorry ma'am am i making you nervous
she said oh no oh no
drive faster faster faster

and hold my hand when the six card drops
hold my hand when the money runs out
just hold my hand when the six card drops
hold my hand cause the money's run out
baby's got blackjack.
The more I hear this, the more I like it.
I just love the acoustic guitars in it.
I like the story in this song. I'd like to see this movie. It sounds like something unpredictable, gritty, funny, sad and real.

 j7 wrote:
It seems like there are so many women and wimpy dudes with acoustic guitars and recording contracts these days, that they all kinda start to blend into the same song or three.

 
I agree

I'll have to check, but I think she uses "dopamine" in lyrics of two songs that are played on RP.
Interesting song. Excellent recording of the acoustic guitar.
It seems like there are so many women and wimpy dudes with acoustic guitars and recording contracts these days, that they all kinda start to blend into the same song or three.

 Exene wrote:
I hate to harsh the vibe here and I usually keep my negative comments to myself but my God, this is really, really awful.
 
Agreed... needs to be taken down a couple of notches.

Initially I wasn't too pleased with it either, but now or at least tonight I likey.  Exene wrote:
I hate to harsh the vibe here and I usually keep my negative comments to myself but my God, this is really, really awful.
 


I hate to harsh the vibe here and I usually keep my negative comments to myself but my God, this is really, really awful.
A Rickie Lee Jones/Edie Brickell kind of sound to her voice.  Not Bad  7
 lmic wrote:
Maybe trying to tell a story a la Rickie Lee Jones? I'm not yet sold. 5 for now.
 
Now I'm thinkin' Suzanne Vega + Tegan and Sara. Growing on me, 6.

Vegan and Sara?


It's fresh, I like it.
the guitar reminds me of a kinder Ani Difranco. i like the sound. i'd like to hear other stuff from Swati, not sure I like this song but I could really like her.
Good stuff.
Jelani wrote:
Adolescent Sheryl Crow.
No, Jewel :)
Hitchhiking about 25 years ago (when it was safe-Ha!) and this older guy picks me up in his mid seventies Thunderbird. Pegs the needle past 120 and asks me if "I'm nervous or scared?". Me? No fuckin way, I say. It's when he tries to stop and the car is careening all over the road for about 1000 feet before coming to a rest in a cloud of dust, rubber, and human sweat. Ended up walking for another 10 miles before my next ride (and not for lack of trying). I miss hitchhiking but love driving my little subaru wrx faster! Thanks for the memory Swati!
MsJudi wrote:
I love this.
My first time hearing it and I do too!
I love this.
She is SO growing on me! Yummy, thank you!
Watch out Sheryl Crow...you have comppetition...
Bought the album. About twenty seconds ago. That's the first time RP's made me do that.
I like, I hope she turns more towards Ani diFranco than the Sheryl Crow musical spectrum,
Maybe trying to tell a story a la Rickie Lee Jones? I'm not yet sold. 5 for now.
cchris_47 wrote:
where can i find more info about swati. i tried google and couldn't find anything.
Click on the link above where it says Artist Website.
where can i find more info about swati. i tried google and couldn't find anything.
long time listener, first time to hear this, likin it.
A nice song, but Bill, you're overplaying it.
coolpeople_rule wrote:
Simply, complex...
just kidding
Simply, complex...
Jelani wrote:
Adolescent Sheryl Crow.
If the girl is lucky! Reprise that comment, I'm reminded of Suzanne Vega, which ain't no bad thing......
Adolescent Sheryl Crow.
Or Shawn Colvin...
nate917 wrote:
Or maybe Suzanne Vega.
I was sure I was listening to a new Cheryl Crow CD...
Mari wrote:no 10 here, either. 6 It keeps growing on me though. Up to 7
gonna give this a no.10
gonna give this a no
Catches my ear. 8
Reckon there's a school somewhere to make all female indie artists sound the same? Must be ...
Ooh I'm liking this very much
hi swati luv ya!
Omicron333 wrote:
Interesting article/discussion with Swati here: (click here) (https://expmagazine.com/midatlantic/?p=143) She appears to be very honest about herself.
Id say that article should be labeled TMI from the start. ...and there's no such word as "fakeness".
I kinda like it. a good 6.
this song sucks - the cute girl with the sweet voice "has new york city all over" her and she gets a prostitute. oh my!
...meesa likey...
I think it's OK and the guitar is pretty nice, but she sounds like a lot of other artists to me (I don't remember who because they all sound the same to my ear) ed 11/22: the louder I turn it up the more I like the guitar and the less I like the vocals. Holding at 6 for me
First impression: Wow. Spare, but nuanced sound. Some quirkiness; somewhat in the vein of early Liz Phair. Also some hints of Ricki Lee Jones in the vocal stylings.
This lady has a VERY sexy voice!!
Quite the storyteller, isn't she?
I love this, has anyone heard the rest of the album?
Professor_C wrote:
Is it me or is this getting way too much play lately?
IMHO Great tune, cool story. She reminds me of Jill Sobule.
Is it me or is this getting way too much play lately?
Interesting article/discussion with Swati here: (click here) (https://expmagazine.com/midatlantic/?p=143) She appears to be very honest about herself.
I am SO friggin' glad that is over.
canadapaul wrote:
her voice reminds me a lot of Sheryl Crow...
Or maybe Suzanne Vega.
FeydBaron wrote:
First time I've heard this... My first ranking of this shall be "spiffy".
Great. I'll go tell Wally and Beaver.
First time I've heard this... My first ranking of this shall be "spiffy".
One word for this. Yummy.
mattcol99 wrote:
"Dont you got no" ?
It's Atlantic City!
"Dont you got no" ?
her voice reminds me a lot of Sheryl Crow; not a bad thing at all; I've always like that sultry smoky kind of voice; it works well with the minimal acoustic sound
Never heard this artist before! When something catches my ear for the first time, it's an automatic 7 for me... usually after only a few bars... really like 'the sound'!... will be on the lookout for this one when it comes around next time to listen more carefully...
Nice sound, couple more songs from the album would be nice...
bcorcoran wrote:
I fail to see how this got low ratings (I consider ~5-6 on the low end when they're the full weight), but to each their own. Love the rhythm in this song. 8 from me
the music is good, the singing, however, sounds like its coming through her nose
Agreed, as I really enjoy this song and other songs from the album (I know, I know, its a CD)... the unique tuning/set up of the guitar gives her songs a 'new' sound to old themes. And, she does a great version of Springsteen's "I'm on fire."
I fail to see how this got low ratings (I consider ~5-6 on the low end when they're the full weight), but to each their own. Love the rhythm in this song. 8 from me
From Her Website: Swati ('birth of a star' in Hindu') is a New York City native. Swati's early exposure to music came via the classical world when she was awarded an academic scholarship to study trombone. Her performing debut at Carnegie Hall, however, resulted in abandoning the classical world in favor of exploring her own singing, songwriting and guitar playing. Swati immersed herself in the city's music scene at a young age, managing the popular club Nightingale's. This put her in touch with the fertile music and arts scene in Manhattan's lower east side. Before long Swati was performing and creating a sensation there, attracting musicians and record company execs alike and securing a spot at Lilith Fair. Swati approaches songwriting and performing as catharsis: a way to expose her inner self and connect with others. "Onstage," she says, "its the optimum place I can be in my head. When I see a stranger who feels what I feel, the emptiness and loneliness are completely gone. I'm completely content." As a guitarist, Swati's technique is simultaneously percussive and dreamy, revealing elements of her Indian heritage. Using a twelve string guitar fitted with eight strings, she employs open tunings ala Joni Mitchell and plays through an assortment of effects pedals. The result is remarkable. Swati doesn't sound like anyone else and no one sounds like her; rarely has a solo guitarist sounded as muscular and delicate or gotten such an enormous sound from a simple acoustic instrument. After years of experimentation with different musicians and producers, Swati teamed up with producer Duke McVinnie (songwriter/guitarist with Shivaree) and producer/engineer Brandon Mason (David Bowie, The Secret Machines) to make her independent debut album at Allaire Studios. From the opening guitar salvos of "Big Bang" to the timely lyrics ("Whatever happened to honesty, whatever happened to respect?") of "Dodge," Swati has created a solid work that touches and resonates with people. The record completed, she has been taking to stages throughout the U.S., exposing listeners to what was previously heard only in Manhattan. Influential tastemakers KCRW in LA and Reg's Coffee Shop.com have championed Swati, helping spread the word in the US and from Australia to Britain as well. Swati's songs are direct, honest and powerful and delivered with disarming humor. In the crowded singer/songwriter universe, Swati stands out as a particularly distinct star.
Love her now before she gets a backup band and gets all popular . Like Patti Griffin. More from this cd please.
Not bad... even a little Springsteen 'Reno' theme running through it.
She's got a terrific voice-understated delivery-sexy song.
Her guitar strumming and her voice are pleasant..nice
not a bad start, like to hear more
It's catchy.
so far, so good 6