A Conversation with Elizabeth Cook (continued)

PM: So my favorite cut on the record, though, as much as I like all the songs we've talked about, is the Velvet Underground cover, written by Lou Reed and John Cale, "Sunday Morning." That's amazing.

EC: Thank you.

PM: How did that come about?

EC: Tim has a vast music collection from years and years and collecting like cassette tapes and stuff. And once in a while we'll dig something out. And it's probably been, I don't know, three or four years ago, he dug out a Velvet Underground tape and put it in. And I heard that song, and it just spoke to me, and I just wanted to sing it.

PM: Wow. Because I went to iTunes and checked out the original a couple of mornings ago, and was really knocked out. That's the most prominent glockenspiel track I think I've ever heard in a pop song.

EC: Yeah. I heard it, and then I didn't hear it for a long time. And then I sort of was singing it in my head how I thought it went. So I think that's sort of how I came up with my different little version, I guess. And I started doing it live. And the first time David saw me--I think he wasn't really sure what to expect. And I played some songs I'd written, and then I covered Linda Thompson and Velvet Underground. [laughs] And he was like, "Okay. That's interesting."

PM: So I'll bet that song has seen a lot of air play.

EC: Yeah, it's doing well. In fact, that's the one that Rolling Stone really picked up on, and USA Today picked up on. So I think that's the one we're going to do a video for, probably in October.

PM: Yeah, and just getting picked up by sources like that on a song like that, that just shows what a smart artist you are. That's a really good idea.

EC: A lucky accident, I guess.

PM: Tell us what your talented husband Tim Carroll has been up to lately?

EC: He's amazing. He's brilliant. I've been keeping him pretty busy playing with me, but he's always writing and recording. He's got a new project. He's sort of looking for a home for "The Devil is a Busy Man." I'll have to drop you a copy. It's so funny.

PM: [laughs] That's a fantastic title.

EC: Yeah. And then he's almost got a new record. He's sort of in the throws of working on a lot of new stuff now. He plays a lot of blues punk guitar, and he's sort of got this almost hip-hop thing with it, he does this sort of ghetto version of "Old Man Tucker," and it's really interesting cool stuff. He's so cool.

PM: He's an interesting cat.

EC: Yes, he is.

PM: I was really happy that they did such a great job on your look this record.

EC: Oh, thanks.

PM: I thought the photos are really sexy in a good way. Let's give a shout out to the photographer and the art director, designer. Who was that?

EC: Yes, Kristin Barlowe took the pictures. An amazing photographer. And Heather Dryden did the packaging.

PM: Boy, those gals just did an amazing job.

EC: I've got this collection of vintage aprons. And Heather took them and scanned the fabrics, and scanned some of like my crazy costume jewelry, and then took the pictures that Kristin had taken, and made collages for the little booklet and stuff on the inside.

PM: Wow.

EC: She's very, very gifted. And she's one of my closest friends. I'm very lucky to have her. Yeah, she's just brilliant. I thought they did a really good job, too. I don't like coming across like I'm trying to be a hot babe or whatever, all the time, but I love clothes, and I love makeup.

PM: Yeah, right.

EC: So it's sort of like this contradiction, this inner conflict.

PM: I mean, you can't help it if you're hot.

EC: Whatever. But I don't see myself that way, but I like to dress up and stuff. So it's all very confusing, I've yet to work through it.

PM: Well, I'm just glad that they got you the cover right, because it really worked. In fact, I was hoping--there's a poster in here somewhere, right, no, dang it, there's not a poster. But I think there ought to be one.

EC: Yeah, we did a poster that's got the cover.

PM: Oh, really?

EC: Yeah, yeah. David has got a bunch of them.

PM: Because I want one for my refrigerator.

EC: Of course, yeah.

PM: So Balls is doing pretty well, right?

EC: Yes.

PM: What's going on at iTunes and with the Americana Chart, you mentioned?

EC: I think it peaked at number 5. It is nominated for Song of the Year.

PM: Which one?

EC: "Balls to Be a Woman."

PM: Oh, great.

EC: Along with Patty Griffin and Lucinda Williams and Jesus Christ, that I'm nominated with.

PM: [laughs]

EC: So that's that. But I'm proud of--it's an honor just to be nominated, is the cliche that--

[laughter]

PM: But it's true. But there was something cool going on at iTunes. What was that?

EC: The month of July, I was part of their Next Big Thing feature, when they offered the album for download at a reduced rate, along with a group of other things that they're touting as, whatever, the next big thing, I guess.

PM: Well, I think, yeah, that's at least what you are.

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