ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nellie McKay - Singer/songwriter
Nellie McKay sings, croons, raps, grooves and -- barks? -- to glowing critical acclaim.

Why you should listen

Playful, quirky, hilarious, endearing: not attributes of your typical political agitator. But singer-songwriter-producer-activist Nellie McKay merits the description. Her music is whimsical, colorful, catchy and as engaging as it is restless. Toying with antique genres and yet undeniably contemporary, it flirts with multiple styles of delivery while maintaining a sharp social conscience.

For these and other eccentricities, McKay has gained a devoted fan following. On stage and off, she's an outspoken advocate of animal rights, a friend and ally to any arch political quip and -- lucky for us -- artistically uncompromising. After cutting two major-label records, her own indie label, Hungry Mouse, produced her latest, Obligatory Villagers.

More profile about the speaker
Nellie McKay | Speaker | TED.com
TED2008

Nellie McKay: "Mother of Pearl," "If I Had You"

Filmed:
1,386,342 views

The wonderful Nellie McKay sings "Mother of Pearl" (with the immortal first line "Feminists don't have a sense of humor") and "If I Had You" from her sparkling set at TED2008.
- Singer/songwriter
Nellie McKay sings, croons, raps, grooves and -- barks? -- to glowing critical acclaim. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:25
♫ Feminists don't have a sense of humor. ♫
0
13000
7000
00:32
♫ Feminists just want to be alone -- boo hoo, hoo, hoo. ♫
1
20000
7000
00:39
♫ Feminists spread vicious lies and rumors. ♫
2
27000
5000
00:44
♫ They have a tumor on their funny bone. ♫
3
32000
7000
00:51
♫ They say child molestation isn't funny -- ha, ha, ha, ha. ♫
4
39000
8000
00:59
♫ Rape and degradation's just a crime -- lighten up, ladies. ♫
5
47000
7000
01:06
♫ Rampant prostitution's sex for money -- what’s wrong with that? ♫
6
54000
6000
01:12
♫ Can't these chicks do anything but whine? ♫
7
60000
6000
01:18
♫ Dance break! Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da. ♫
8
66000
5000
01:27
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da. ♫
9
75000
2000
01:29
♫ Woo-hoo! ♫
10
77000
2000
01:31
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da -- ♫
11
79000
4000
01:35
♫ yeah, take it off. ♫
12
83000
3000
01:38
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, dum. ♫
13
86000
5000
01:44
♫ They say cheap objectification isn’t witty -- it’s hot! ♫
14
92000
8000
01:52
♫ Equal work and wages worth the fight -- ♫
15
100000
5000
01:57
♫ sing us a new one. ♫
16
105000
2000
01:59
♫ On-demand abortion every city -- OK, but no gun control. ♫
17
107000
7000
02:06
♫ Won’t these women ever get a life? ♫
18
114000
6000
02:12
♫ Feminists don’t have a sense of humor -- poor Hillary. ♫
19
120000
8000
02:20
♫ Feminists and vegetarians -- make mine a Big Mac. ♫
20
128000
7000
02:27
♫ Feminists spread vicious lies and rumors. ♫
21
135000
5000
02:32
♫ They're far too sensitive to ever be a ham, ♫
22
140000
7000
02:39
♫ that's why these feminists just need to find a man. ♫
23
147000
5000
02:44
♫ Da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da. ♫
24
152000
6000
02:50
I’m Dennis Kucinich and I approved this message.
25
158000
6000
02:56
Thank you.
26
164000
2000
02:58
(Applause)
27
166000
3000
03:01
Thank you.
28
169000
2000
03:03
(Applause)
29
171000
3000
03:06
Thank you.
30
174000
2000
03:09
I asked my mother, you know, should I say anything in support of anyone?
31
177000
4000
03:13
And she said, "Oh no! Just dis everybody, except Ralph Nader."
32
181000
6000
03:19
(Laughter)
33
187000
3000
03:25
♫ I could show the world how to smile, ♫
34
193000
5000
03:30
♫ I could be glad all of the while. ♫
35
198000
10000
03:40
♫ I could turn the gray skies to blue, if I had you. ♫
36
208000
13000
03:53
♫ I could leave the old days behind, ♫
37
221000
6000
03:59
♫ leave all my pals, I’d never mind. ♫
38
227000
10000
04:09
♫ I could start my life all anew, if I had you. ♫
39
237000
13000
04:22
♫ I could climb the snow-capped mountains, ♫
40
250000
7000
04:29
♫ sail the mighty ocean wide. ♫
41
257000
9000
04:38
♫ I could cross the burning desert, if I had you by my side. ♫
42
266000
13000
04:51
♫ I could be a king, dear, uncrowned, humble or poor, rich or renowned. ♫
43
279000
16000
05:07
♫ There is nothing I couldn’t do, if I had you. ♫
44
295000
18000
05:25
Thank you. Well, thank you so much.
45
313000
3000

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nellie McKay - Singer/songwriter
Nellie McKay sings, croons, raps, grooves and -- barks? -- to glowing critical acclaim.

Why you should listen

Playful, quirky, hilarious, endearing: not attributes of your typical political agitator. But singer-songwriter-producer-activist Nellie McKay merits the description. Her music is whimsical, colorful, catchy and as engaging as it is restless. Toying with antique genres and yet undeniably contemporary, it flirts with multiple styles of delivery while maintaining a sharp social conscience.

For these and other eccentricities, McKay has gained a devoted fan following. On stage and off, she's an outspoken advocate of animal rights, a friend and ally to any arch political quip and -- lucky for us -- artistically uncompromising. After cutting two major-label records, her own indie label, Hungry Mouse, produced her latest, Obligatory Villagers.

More profile about the speaker
Nellie McKay | Speaker | TED.com