06 August 2025

6 Aug 2025 - PJ Harvey - Dress

I am listening to 1000 albums in a year and I'm going so quickly I'm going to be done in six months.   

Album #331 was Dry, the debut album by Polly Jean Harvey.   And, as I looked back through my drafts, I saw that this, her debut single (although the 2nd one I heard, as it got a rerelease after the success of "Sheela-Na-Gig", which I realize is ALSO in my drafts) was in my drafts.   

The song tells a story of a woman who puts on a dress that is clearly uncomfortable to impress a man.  He was not impressed. Famed DJ John Peel lauded the "urgency" of the song, and yeah, I hear it. 


There was a 2nd video that clearly shows PJ Harvey (the band, not just Polly Jean) playing the song live. I have seen PJ Harvey live, in 1995.  It was one of the most disappointing shows I have ever seen, and part of the reason is that I found it passionless - and she didn't perform this song, and she certainly didn't perform with this much energy. 

This is fantastic. 


But here's the thing.  

This was a week later.  On the same tour.

THIS was fantastic.  


Remembering that this single was released more than 30 years ago, it is incredible to see PJ Harvey - the person, not the band - still performing this song, as she did at the Glastonbury festival last year.  

This is also fantastic.  

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