I Enjoy Being a Girl (album)

I Enjoy Being a Girl is an album by the American musician Phranc, released in 1989.[1][2] She supported the album with a North American tour.[3]

I Enjoy Being a Girl
Studio album by
Phranc
Released1989
Recorded1989
GenreFolk, folk rock
Length34:56
LabelIsland
ProducerVictor DeLorenzo
Phranc chronology
Folksinger
(1985)		 I Enjoy Being a Girl
(1989)		 Positively Phranc
(1991)

Production

The album was produced by Victor DeLorenzo.[4] "I Enjoy Being a Girl" is a cover of the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein composition from Flower Drum Song.[5][6] "M-A-R-T-I-N-A" is about Martina Navratilova.[7] "Bloodbath" criticizes Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.[8] "Myriam and Esther" is dedicated to Phranc's grandmothers.[9] "Rodeo Parakeet" is about Phranc's bird that enjoys riding on dogs.[10] "Toy Time" is a tribute to Toys "R" Us.[11]

The album cover art was in part inspired by a photo of Alice Faye.[12] Orson Bean wrote the liner notes.[13]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Robert ChristgauB[15]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[16]
Houston Chronicle[17]
Orlando Sentinel[7]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[18]

The Calgary Herald determined that the "heavy-handed protest anthems are the album's weaker entries."[19] The Globe and Mail deemed the album "a delightful piece of work: funny, committed, romantic and charming."[20]

The Washington Post wrote that Phranc "has a warm but not particularly lovely voice, and her strumming is basic at best, but she's a folk singer in the true sense of the word—she seizes her inspiration of the moment and makes music about it."[21] The Houston Chronicle praised the "earnest, endearing quality not unlike Jonathan Richman."[17]

AllMusic wrote that "'Myriam and Esther', a traditional folk ballad with a distinctly female perspective, is the type of earnest song that only Phranc seems able to pull off in post-modern times."[14]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Phranc; except where indicated

  1. "Folksinger" – 2:05
  2. "I Enjoy Being a Girl" (Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rodgers) – 3:16
  3. "Double Decker Bed" – 2:02
  4. "Bloodbath" – 2:54
  5. "Individuality" – 2:31
  6. "Rodeo Parakeet" – 3:01
  7. "Take Off Your Swastika" – 3:30
  8. "Toy Time" – 2:34
  9. "M-A-R-T-I-N-A" – 2:36
  10. "Myriam and Esther" – 3:41
  11. "Ballad of Lucy + Ted" – 4:19
  12. "Moonlight Becomes You" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 2:27

Personnel
  • Phranc – producer, vocals, guitar
  • Victor DeLorenzo – producer
  • Connie Grauer– backing vocals, arranger, keyboards
  • Jimmy Eanelli – bass guitar, 12-string guitar
  • Brian Ritchie – mandolin
  • Kim Zick – percussion, drums
  • Scott Leonard – engineer

Release details
Country Date Label Format Catalog
1989 Island CD 422–842 579-2
LP 422–842 579-1
Cassette 422-842-579-4
1990 PolyGram CD 842579

References
  1. Heim, Chris (2 June 1989). "Feminist-folkie Phranc...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 50.
  2. Potter, Mitch (23 June 1989). "A Phranc, fearless addition to neofolk set". Toronto Star. p. E8.
  3. Hoekstra, Dave (December 1, 1989). "Dave's Dawn Patrol". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
  4. Hochman, Steve (26 Feb 1989). "Phrancly Speaking". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 69.
  5. Cromelin, Richard (22 July 1989). "Folk Singer Enjoys Being Phranc at Last". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  6. Erskine, Evelyn (15 Nov 1989). "Phranc talk with your average punk folksinger". Ottawa Citizen. p. H2.
  7. Gettelman, Parry (2 July 1989). "Music". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 6.
  8. Heaton, Michael (July 28, 1989). "Women for everyone's taste". The Plain Dealer.
  9. Ploetz, Elmer (August 11, 1989). "If in music, as in physics, there's an equal and opposite reaction...". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 41.
  10. DeVault, Russ (September 21, 1989). "Phranc-ly, She's a Unique Folk Singer". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D3.
  11. "Phrancly, My Dear". Scene. Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. May 8, 1992. p. 1.
  12. Morrison, Sheila (28 Jan 1990). "Phranc's motley musical blend". Entertainment. The Province. p. 87.
  13. Stout, Gene (January 26, 1990). "Gender-Bending Phranc Mixes Hip Humor with Folk Tradition". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. What's Happening. p. 7.
  14. "I Enjoy Being a Girl Review by Denise Sullivan". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  15. "Phranc". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  16. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 528.
  17. Racine, Marty (August 20, 1989). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 8.
  18. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 299.
  19. Mayes, Alison (3 Aug 1989). "Phranc: I Enjoy Being a Girl". Calgary Herald. p. F5.
  20. Dafoe, Chris (3 Aug 1989). "I Enjoy Being a Girl Phranc". The Globe and Mail. p. C6.
  21. Brown, Joe (11 Aug 1989). "Feminine Folk, Rockin' Proud". The Washington Post. p. N23.
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