Oh, the wonders of the Internet. Somehow this one is only now hitting my radar, but boy-oh-boy is it good. Kentucky’s Norma Lee ticks off every check box on my list of what makes an outsider artist truly great: creative use of the form, provocative content, and a complete and utter lack of self-awareness. Like the Shaggs or Wesley Willis before her, Norma Lee is trying her darndest, seemingly oblivious to her own lack of talent in a traditional sense—but all the while being incredibly entertaining.
I adore her Kentucky hills accent. She sounds a bit like a brain-damaged Loretta Lynn when she sings in “He’s Swapping His Boat” about her husband being “retard from a factory.” “He’s Swapping His Boat” is Norma’s big hit. It’s essentially about giving up on every bit of joy in one’s life—specifically her poor husband who had to sell his boat to buy a tractor to clear six acres of land. If you only hear one Norma Lee song in your life, IT MUST BE THIS ONE.
He’s a middle-aged man who needs a hand to help him work his land… he’s just a swappin’ all that fun on that boat, ‘cause he done sowed his oats… now it’s time to get down to earth and put his hands to work.
Forget emo or goth. You want monotone music extolling the bleak reality of absolute depression? Here it is.
Your dreams are dead, get to work:
Norma Lee has some other hits on her YouTube channel. Here she sings a song decrying Paris Hilton, where she directs the heiress over and over to “quit flappin’” her jaws. The best part is the intro in which she rhymes “Dr. Phil” and “tell me just how you feel.”
Warning, gratuitous Norma Lee ass shot:
And here’s one more Norma Lee classic. In this video she shows off some of her doll collection and sings along with her own original recording “I am Not an Old Doosh Bag.”
“I’m a star in my hometown. What goes around comes around.”
You tell ‘em, Norma Lee.
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
At first you’ll think this is the SHITTIEST demo ever put on tape, but give it a little more time…