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Whip-Smart

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The title track from Whip-Smart was released as the album’s second single in 1995, although no commercial single was ever made available. Instead, Matador released two promotional singles which were sent to press and radio stations to help support the album. It’s not clear if both were released simultaneously or if the second version came out later.

“Whip-Smart” was originally one of Phair’s older songs, carried over from the Girly-Sound tapes – specifically from the Sooty cassette. That version used “…they stand tensies” for the repeated chorus instead of “…that’s them dancing.”

For the studio version of the song that ended up on Whip-Smart, Phair took the “…that’s them dancing” lyric from a song called “Double Dutch” by Malcolm McLaren, originally found on his album, Duck Rock, which was released in 1983.

‘Whip-Smart” proved to be successful, but it didn’t gain the same level of buzz that “Supernova” achieved. It peaked at #24 on the Modern Rocks Tracks (Alternative Airplay).


Whip-Smart (Promotional Single #1)

Whip-Smart: Version 1 (1995)

Released: February 15, 1995
Label: Matador (PRCD 6037)
Format: Promotional CD
Country: US
Availability: Somewhat Rare

Written and directed by Liz Phair
Chorus to “Whip-Smart” written by Malcolm McLaren
Produced by Liz Phair and Brad Wood

Recorded at Idful Studios, Chicago and Compass Point Studios, Nassau, the Bahamas.

The first version featured only the album version of “Whip-Smart.” The inside cover features an image of Liz in a white t-shirt while the back cover features a degraded and pink-tinted image taken from the cover of an old pulp novel titled Gutter Girl.

The disc is silkscreened red and pink.

No.TitleLength
01. Whip-Smart (Album Version)4:18

Whip-Smart (Promotional Single #2)

Whip-Smart: Version 2 (1995)

Released: February 15, 1995
Label: Matador (PRCD-6122)
Format: Promotional CD
Country: US
Availability: Somewhat Rare

Recorded and mixed by Brad Wood, Casey Rice
Written and directed by Liz Phair
Chorus to “Whip-Smart” written by Malcolm McLaren
Produced by Liz Phair and Brad Wood

Recorded at Idful Studios, Chicago and Compass Point Studios, Nassau, the Bahamas.

The second version of the single features a remix of “Whip-Smart” which is exclusive to this release, in addition to the album version of the song. The inside cover features the same image of Liz in a white t-shirt while the back cover is identical, but completely desaturated.

The disc is plain, but the jewelcase featured a sticker that referenced the inclusion of the remix.

No.TitleLength
01. Whip-Smart (Remix)4:12
02. Whip-Smart (Album Version)4:18
The back cover of the Whip-Smart single leverages the cover from a pulp novel titled Gutter Girl.

Video

The video for “Whip-Smart” (directed by Liz) premiered on MTV’s 120 Minutes in February 1995.

Lyrics

Whip-Smart

I’m gonna tell my son to grow up pretty as the grass is green
And whip-smart as the English Channel’s wide
And I’m gonna tell my son to keep his money in his mattress
And his watch on any hand between his thighs
And I’m gonna lock my son up in a tower
‘Till I write my whole life story on the back of his big brown eyes

When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing

I’m gonna tell my son to join a circus so that death is cheap
And games are just another way of life
And I’m gonna tell my son to be a prophet of mistakes
Because for every truth there are half a million lies
And I’m gonna lock my son up in a tower
‘Till he learns to let his hair down far enough to climb outside

When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing
When they do the double dutch, that’s them dancing…

Whip-Smart (1994)
Supernova (1994)
Juvenilia (1995)

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