By Suzi
If I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet,
Or ask if all be right
From mirror after mirror,
No vanity's displayed:
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made.
What if I look upon a man
As though on my beloved,
And my blood be cold the while
And my heart unmoved?
Why should he think me cruel
Or that he is betrayed?
I'd have him love the thing that was
Before the world was made. – W. B. Yeats, Before The World Was Made
I'm tempted - very tempted - to let my write-up consist solely of Yeats's beautiful and perceptive poem.
However, to begin with and to sum up the topic, here's Big Joe Turner, bewitched by Lipstick, Powder and Paint. From 1956, the year that rock'n'roll really kicked off.
Moving forward a quarter of a century, Prince describes someone meticulously putting on their Make-Up. And a camisole.
Next, a lovely, giggly song from Japan and a group named Chai. There's such a thing as too much make-up, they claim. You might end up looking like an over-decorated cake. 'No More Cake!' they plead, still giggling and throwing in a recipe for chocolate cake, although as it's in Japanese I can't pass it on.
When I put on my make-up
The pretty little mask not me
That's the way a girl should be
In a consumer society
So sings Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex. Today, everything is artificial or rather, Art-I-Ficial. Does she really want to be a frozen pea, though?
Next, Soft Cell describe a woman who's a Walking Make Up Counter. She's clearly overdoing it. 'Don't you envy her?' they ask. Well, no.
Californian band No Doubt have a question. The Magic's In The Make-up, they say. But is the image created by the make-up the real person, or is the real person the one yet to apply the make-up? (See Mr Yeats, above.)
Make-up seems to be working its magic on R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, as he sings of a Crush With Eyeliner. Has the eyeliner made a significant difference, I wonder?
'Your face when sleeping is sublime,' is the opening line of Lou Reed's song, in which it soon becomes clear that his companion, who's woken up and is carefully applying Make Up, is not a 'slick little girl,' but a cross-dressing man. 'We're coming out, out of our closets,' Reed continues. From 1972, a brave song for those times.
Caro Emerald, a Dutch singer who mainly performs in English, echoes the theme of Connie Francis's 50s hit. She can't help noticing The Lipstick On His Collar, and it doesn't seem to match her own.
Suzi Quatro has noticed that her partner smells of someone else's Lipstick and she doesn't hesitate to let him know that their relationship is over.
Siouxsie Sioux, of Siouxsie and the Banshees, stresses the importance of putting on Make Up To Break Up, although it seems to be a bit of a struggle. 'My face is cracking up!' she sings, despairingly.
The Replacements tell a single mum that she made a bad choice and picked the wrong guy for the wrong reasons. He's gone, and he's no loss. She's crying, but all she's really losing is Little Mascara.
Put on your make-up
Apply it with care
Use your imagination
We can go anywhere
Black Box Recorder, 'bored with just love,' namecheck a string of places around the English coast where adventure might be found.Then, after a good night out, and a taxi at five in the morning, it's time for a Goodnight Kiss.
Add A Layer And A Line A-List Playlist:
Lipstick, Powder and Paint - Big Joe Turner
Make Up - Prince
No More Cake! - Chai
Art-I-Ficial - X-Ray Spex
Walking Make Up Counter - Soft Cell
The Magic's In The Make-Up - No Doubt
Crush With Eyeliner - R.E.M.
Make Up - Lou Reed
The Lipstick On His Collar - Caro Emerald
Lipstick - Suzi Quatro
Make Up To Break Up - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Little Mascara - The Replacements
Goodnight Kiss - Black Box Recorder
Blusher and Beyond B-List Playlist:
Lipstick In The Night - Joe Ely
False Eyelashes - Dolly Parton
Mascara - Jazmine Sullivan
Unpretty - TLC
Run Mascara - The Exciters
Mascara Tears - Richard Thompson
Maquillaje - Mecano
Double Decker Eyelashes - Cornershop
Painted Lady - Abbey Lincoln
L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K. - Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Her Mystery Not Of High Heels And Eyeshadow - Jonathan Richman
Painted Face - Glen Lewis
Guru's Wildcard Picks:
Carla Bruni - Before The World Was Made (W.B.Yeats poem)
If you know and love the Yeats poem Before The World Was Made (see above), you may have wondered, as I did, whether it had been set to music. It has, and there are also songs inspired by or referencing it. Here's Carla Bruni's version of a setting of the original poem.
Dixie Chicks - Pink Toenails
I'm slightly surprised that this one wasn't nominated - it would've very likely made the A-list. The Chicks never seem to have time to paint their toenails.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Kiss and makeup: songs about cosmetics. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
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