"No Pussy Blues" is the second single by alternative rock group Grinderman from their debut album of the same name. Released on 19 February 2007, the song - like the previous single " Get It On" - received a positive reception from critics. Unlike the previous Grinderman single, this one charted, peaking at UK #62. "No Pussy Blues" was also the first song available on the band's MySpace page.

Background and meaning

The lyrics address the narrator's frustration at constant rejection as he attempts several different tactics to seduce a woman and sleep with her. When asked during an interview whether the song had a deeper meaning,

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...

replied "no, it's just about not getting any pussy when I grew my mustache." The single's

b-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

, "Chain of Flowers", was first available on the leaked version of the album from 2006, yet it failed to make the final track list.

Critical reception

The song, alike the album itself, received very positive reviews, with BBC Music describing it as:Lucas, PJ. ''BBC - Music - Review of Grinderman - Grinderman'' https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/mmgb Published on March 8, 2007. Retrieved on June 6, 2010.

a fierce dirge about getting no loving from some frigid Chihuahua-toting starlet - despite Cave's best entreaties: 'I read her Eliot, I read her Yeats, I tried my best to stay up late, I fixed the hinges on her gate, but still she just never wanted to...'

During an appearance on the late-night

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variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...

'' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' on October 5, 2007

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

said that he is a fan of the song, noting he is a fan of a song on Nick Cave's album, ''Grinderman'', however "I can't say the name on the air."

Track listing and formats

*UK and European CD singles (MUTE 373, ICD MUTE 373) #"No Pussy Blues" - 4:23 #"Chain of Flowers" - 3:35 *UK 7" limited edition single (MUTE 373) #"No Pussy Blues" (radio edit) - 4:16 #"Chain of Flowers" - 3:35 *Digital download remixesMute Records, ''Mute.com: Grinderman - No Pussy Blues Remixes'' http://www.mute.com/releases/viewRelease.jsp?listFormatTracks=8888595&showPrices=false&id=8888593 Retrieved on June 6, 2010. #No Pussy Blues ( Adam Freeland remix) – 5:41 # No Pussy Blues (

Midfield General Damian Harris, also known by his stage name Midfield General, is the original founder of the Skint Records label. Midfield General is the recording alias of Skint label boss Damian Harris. A prime architect of the sound of big beat, Harris g ...

remix) – 7:59 # No Pussy Blues (

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vox edit) – 4:11 # No Pussy Blues (G.e.R.M. remix) – 4:46 # No Pussy Blues (Electronic Periodic radio edit) – 3:57 * The digital download remixes were released on 5 December 2008 via both the

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

and Mute Download Store.

Music video

A promotional music video for the song was released in May, 2007. It features the band performing the song at a house party and other shots of the Grinderman monkey,

animals mating Animal sexual behaviour takes many different forms, including within the same species. Common mating or reproductively motivated systems include monogamy, polygyny, polyandry, polygamy and promiscuity. Other sexual behaviour may be reproduc ...

and a couple having sex. The video was directed by John Hillcoat and the band's performance portion of the video was shot in black and white, with other shots being shot in colour.

Musicians and personnel

– lead vocals, electric guitar, organ, piano, artwork *

Warren Ellis Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...

– acoustic guitar, viola, violin, electric bouzouki, electric mandolin, backing vocals *

Martyn Casey Martyn Paul Casey (born 10 July 1960) is an English-born Australian rock bass guitarist. He has been a member of the Triffids, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Casey plays either his Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Bass. Biograp ...

– bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals *

Jim Sclavunos James Sclavunos is an American drummer, multi-instrumentalist musician, record producer, and writer. He is best known as a drummer, having been a member of two seminal no wave groups in the late 1970s ( Teenage Jesus & the Jerks and 8 Eyed Spy, ...

– drums, percussion, backing vocals * Nick Launay – producer, engineer * Grinderman – additional production * Tim Young – mastering *Tom Hingston Studio – design/artwork * Polly Borland – photography

References

{{authority control 2007 songs Songs written by Nick Cave Song recordings produced by Nick Launay Mute Records singles