When I was a tween, my favourite movie was “Troop Beverly Hills.” Probably not something most people admit, but I once took the Wildnerness Girl cookie song and reworked the words for a project in the 8^th grade and sang along to it in front of the class. Despite my penchant for the dramatic, it was the first time I really questioned my abject need for positive attention.

Jenny Lewis was in that movie. She played Hannah Nefler – Shelley Long’s daughter. Shocking to discover that little tidbit, but I did the first time I started listening to Rilo Kiley. Interesting that a bit of a fluffy/cute film you loved as a kid comes back into your life later, now represented in musical form.

I only noted Jenny Lewis’ solo efforts recently. Specifically her album, Rabbit Fur Coat, where she the Watson Twins (an alternative “country” group out of LA). The title track is my song for today.

Generally speaking, the album is a bit more “country” than my usual style. And I don’t love all of it. However, Rabbit Fur Coat is a song so honest and biographical, you can’t help but like it for its simplicity. It leaves behind a need for a lot of instrumental, focusing on a uncomplicated acoustic sound, which allowed me to hear more of the meaning behind the lyrics. Of course, I’m making wide presumptions of the self-biographical nature of the song (i.e. Lewis’ childhood acting career, the idea that a rabbit fur coat is the height of status), but it made me think. And consider Jenny Lewis’ story.

So, today, when faced with rain and gloom and a crushing political defeat to swallow (forgive the continued political posturing), the song was one that easily led to a bit of self-reflection.