Music for Misanthropes

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by Katie

Sometimes singing, humming, whistling, talking, screaming, and rapping just aren’t enough in a song. Sometimes, you need to add some animal sounds to really convey that you’re talking about animals. Or something.

Regina Spektor – Folding Chair

Regina is the reigning queen of idiosyncratic pop songs, whether she’s drumming on a wooden chair or, as in “Folding Chair,” barking the dolphin songs she plans to listen to with her sweetheart. It works because it’s Regina, and we know better than to expect the expected from her.

The Flaming Lips feat. Karen O – I Can Be a Frog

Well it seems like she can be anything/Any kind of creature she wants to be.

I don’t listen to the Flaming Lips much, but there’s something about this song that really gets me.

Nellie McKay – The Dog Song

A vegan and animal rights activist, McKay invoked lovable animal companions more than once on her debut, “Get Away From Me.”

Ben Folds Five – Cigarette

I believe Folds recorded the vocals to this track on his front porch, which explains the gentle cricket chirping heard in the background.

Redman – Let Da Monkey Out

I asked my coworker, who listens to “contemporary indie rock” but is “based in hip-hop,” if he knew any songs for this list, and he recalled some Redman songs with monkey noises. Honestly, I expected “let da monkey out” to mean something much dirtier.

What’d I miss?