Some may consider such a subject beneath them (or contempt). I respect that attitude, but ask that in that instance you just stay out of the conversation. You are of course free to ignore that request. There is a place for sacred music, but also profane. ;-)
While still in elementary school, one of the first albums I heard was Naughty But Nice by Pearl Bailey. It was my mother’s, who also had albums by Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. She was not your average suburban mother: she liked to go up to San Francisco to take in the burlesque and female impersonator shows in North Beach. She also sunbathed by our backyard pool, nude. She was of the WWII generation (born in 1923), but I think if she had been born ten years later would have been a beatnik, or at least bohemian. I considered her a delightful role model; my father (whose musical taste ran to Andy Williams and Perry Como) disagreed. ;-)
With that prologue, the first overtly sexual singer and song that caught my attention was Maria Muldaur and her hit "Midnight At The Oasis". I was quite envious when a San Jose acquaintance of mine got a job in her band. Slightly later was Maryann Price (Dan Hicks And His Hot Licks) with her seductive performance on the classic Johnny Mercer song "I’m An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande)". I don’t know what’s sexy about, I just know it is. More recently there was Joan Osborne’s smokin’ version of Slim Harpo’s "Shake Your Hips"; ironically, Jagger’s tame performance of the song makes him sound like the p*ssy.
But all of the above pale in comparison to Lucinda Williams’ utterly salacious song and likewise singing of: "Essence" (with double entendre lyrics). My God, what woman. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she has great wide hips, and a very lanky frame, both of which I’m a sucker for.
Anybody else? ;-)
