Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to introduce the high-hat . . .: DML - Siouxsie and the Banshees

Todays musical excursion was the impetus behind this little project of mine. One night, I shared my thoughts about music through video examples with my awesome friend Melissa, using Siouxie.

Jayne Mansfield was a sultry 50s sexpot, platinum hair, hourglass figure, magazines, Playmate, think anna nicole (rip) or madonna of her day, her cleavage was always busting out of her top, her cup overfloweth. She made a few decent films, but was mainly featured in low budget flicks, though she remained a popular figure. Her vibrant life and tragic death at 34 were the inspiration to "Kiss Them For Me" which was also the title from one of her films.

The track itself is a lush bhangra take on hip hop, filtered through the british dance floors. Jayne's lush life is detailed, her Pink Palance, with it's champagne fountains and pepto pillows would have made a steel magnolia envious. "Divoon", Jayne's catch word (i'm assuming anything she would describe as such would be so divine as to make her swoon) South Aisan instruments and Siouxie's catty vocals, meowing and purring like Jayne might. All the attention, all the hype, the paparazzi still gets it right these days.

Tragedy, for the young beautiful mother of three, would take her too soon. Driving "on the road to new orleans" in the middle of the night, Jayne was killed as the car in which she rode crashed into a tractor trailer and underrode it. The three adults in the front were killed instantly, while her three children, Miklós, Zoltán, and Mariska survived with minor injuries. Mariska? Oh yes, Mariska Hargitay, of Law & Order: SVU fame, still carries a zig zag scar on her scalp from the accident that claimed the life of her mother.

anyways, the song is a trippy 80s mess of influences, accidents and insprirations. Jayne's blonde bombshell persona is still echoed today in jessica simpson, anna fabulous anna, who also left the party too soon, and countless other starlets caught up in the hollywood spin cycle. the siouxie sound would also live on, in Shirley Manson, the Cure, and in current voices like Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters.

Following are the song "Kiss Them For Me", Jayne's appearances int "The Girl Can't Help It" and, oh, did that sound familiar? Fergie does a cute tribute in her latest hit "Clumsy" not just quoting the title, but bouncing in a pink choffon mini dress and piling on the blonde hair. Also, the 5678s from kill bill "walk like jayne mansfield" and a few bonus clips, especially Jayne just being "divoon"

May your Firday glitter and gleam!

Siouxie and the Banshees - "Kiss Them For Me"