The Song:Beck had originally attempted to record "Debra" with the Dust Brothers for
Odelay, but was either not happy with the recording, or felt it didn't fit on the album, or both. ("I thought it was too jokey," Beck once admitted.) But the song was a natural for the stage: "What happened is we started playing it live and it became the centerpiece of the whole set. It was the song that people would react to more than the songs that they'd heard on the radio. So we kept playing it and playing it." It took on a life of its own, and the energy that was breathed into the song was clearly noted. "I think its life began as being tongue-in-cheek and silly, but somewhere along the way, like the way we performed it every night, it acquired some other dimensions," Beck explained.
When Beck put together the Deluxe version of
Odelay in 2006, he mentioned including the original recording of "Debra" as a bonus treat. However, it did not end up there: whether he could not find it or what happened to it, I do not know. Hopefully, he still has it and it can be released sometime.
Anyway, after playing the song live for a few years, Beck went and recorded the song again for
Midnite Vultures. In fact, I would not be surprised if the live success of "Debra" drove the direction of
Vultures: both the song and album are melanges of soul, funk, humor.
Still, in many ways, the album version does not compare to the excitement of live versions, which could and would go off on tangents on Beck and the band's whims. Nonetheless, "Debra" still shows off many dimensions, including Beck's "seventeen-octave vocal range," his humor, his natural ability with melody, his ease at absorbing influence. The song, as often thought, isn't a mockery either, but a tongue-in-cheek ode to the R&B phenomenon. Maybe it was borne as a bit of a joke, but it ended up more a tribute. As Beck explained, "It's fascinating to me, these guys singing R&B with a very sweet, smooth groove, but they're singing about how they want to get some girl's panties off and do them real good. Very explicit, but very sensitive at the same time. It's a really weird juxtaposition." Musical juxtaposition is basically Beck's main goal (especially on
Midnite Vultures), so the song fits perfectly.
"Debra" has grown a lot over the years. One constant (besides the lyrics) is the skanky bass riff, which was lifted from a Ramsey Lewis track called "My Love For You" on his album
Funky Serenity. On record, Justin Meldal-Johnsen plays the lick on his upright. I have a feeling that David Bowie's own
Vultures-soul record,
Young Americans, was a big influence on the sound here, especially the song "
Win." Beck has mentioned numerous times R. Kelly's song, "I Like The Crotch On You" being an inspiration, and lo and behold, one of the first lines of that song is "I wanna get with you." Not there originally, the "Lovely lady / Girl you drive me crazy" coda developed on stage, and was lifted in from Kool Keith's "Lovely Lady." Beck of course uses all of these as launching points for his own tale of seduction, and over time, it surely has become one of the classics of Beck's career.
Live:Played live 357 times:
November 11, 1995June 5, 1996July 16, 1996July 21, 1996August 16, 1996August 21, 1996August 27, 1996August 31, 1996September 2, 1996September 27, 1996...and
347 more.
Earliest known live version:
November 11, 1995Latest known live version:
May 12, 20241995-1996 PRE-ODELAY
The live odyssey that is "Debra" began on November 11, 1995. Beck was playing a smaller club in Silverlake. "I'm a little bit uneasy about this," Beck announced, "but I'm gonna try something. It could be a disaster, so I'm just warning you! How many of you here are down with the slow jams? Who's got the
get fresh flow? This is straight-up soul for real. Jodeci. Men2Men." Beck then spent a few minutes getting his corny Casio beat pumping correctly, as well as applying an echo to his mike. "Alright, this is called 'I Want To Get With You And Your Sister, Debra'," he finally announced. With that, he began the first ever "Debra"! Instead of Zankou Chicken, he name checked Kentucky Fried Chicken, but otherwise, lyrically, the song was not far from how it is now. This version is pure, the core of the song with little arrangement or work. PURE. Afterwards, Beck apologized to the audience. There's no way he could have imagined that this song would become a showstopping centerpiece of his concerts for years to come!
Beck does another early, Casio-based version on June 5, 1996. After a rowsing drum machine medley of "
Diskobox" and "
High 5," Beck busted out some soul, asking, "How many people in the house are down with R. Kelly?" This was one of the first real appearances of Beck's great falsetto that I've heard, and it got much applause. He only did one verse (the first, and it's "cold chicken," still not yet Zankou) and chorus before deciding to cut it. He felt the need to excuse his indulgence, "I apologize if we freaked anybody out there. It was a nice pleasant gathering and I don't know what happened." He blamed it on his drum machine. At this point, Beck seemed eager to share "Debra," but maybe a little unsure on how to do so.
1996-1997 ODELAY TOUR SHOW-STOPPER
Early on in the
Odelay tour, "Debra" was not a regular in the setlist, though it was rotated in and out.
One of the finest examples of the early band "Debra" was on July 21, 1996. The song's familiar characteristics were now in place: the Ramsey Lewis bass lick, Beck's soaring falsetto, and a full band arrangement. Zankou Chicken was finally mentioned. The coolest thing about this version was the way the rhythm does not change, it hung on one funky groove the whole time. It was also highlighted by a lot of entertaining backing vocals from Smokey and Justin. The band was still not sure how to end the song, and Beck just sort of expanded on the theme through to the end: "Nobody has to know / We'll keep it on the down low / Ain't no use in wastin' no time in gettin' to know each other."
The crazy show on January 12, 1997 had a similarly wild "Debra." The band jammed for a good minute before Beck started singing. And sing he does! He blows this one out. Seriously. WOW, what a version.
Another landmark "Debra" was played on the final show of the
Odelay tour, which was filmed for the PBS television show Sessions on September 6, 1997. "Oh yea, I need a cold beverage. This is a song about a lady I met in Glendale, California," Beck began. This version was very layered, with a lot of effects, horns, and background vocals. Beck's falsetto was never stronger. The song ended quietly, after the second verse. No long improvisations on a TV schedule, but that made the performance much tighter.
These
Odelay tour versions were what made the song famous. People taken with the the album went to the show, expecting alt-rock or maybe folk or even some hiphop. That Beck showcased a huge Prince-style soul-bearing epic of seduction that wasn't on record was tantalizing in and of itself. A huge mirrorball would spin as the lights went out. Beck's falsetto blew minds. Nobody knew what "that one song" was. A few bootlegs surfaced, calling it "Slo-Jam" or "I Wanna Get With You." What kind of chicken is he talking about? Who is Debra? The mystery behind the song was a big key to its success, I think. People familiar with the song were part of the secret club: fans who had been rocked by Beck in concert.
1998 Mutations tours
After recording
Mutations in March 1998, Beck took some time, did a short tour, and then jumped into recording
Vultures in July 1998. That short tour does accurately display the full, sexy funk and soul sound Beck would take into the studio for his next album.
Especially on the "Debra." The song's
Vultures arrangement has been set at this point, as the "lovely lady / Girl you drive me crazy" choir was finalized on this tour.
The "Debra" on June 10, 1998, was quite an odyssey. He began by shouting "Rock and roll orgy!" before a little seduction: "But you know today has been a good day. Had a nice piece of salmon for dinner and some ribbon bow pasta. Played some basketball with some kids from around the way." He went on and on. The long intro of the song was new, and would of course become a regular concert highlight for the next few years. On this night, he goes off on a bit about getting the gentlemen to cry realistic tears, which of course later shows up in "
Hollywood Freaks."
"Debra" really become epic on this tour.
THE GREATEST "DEBRA" EVER
On November 28, 1998, Beck stopped in for his annual KCRW appearence. It was right after
Mutations had come out, and he had already been working on
Midnite Vultures for a few months. I believe it was the first time in awhile that he was playing with his regular band, and their chemistry during the whole show was just incredible. At the end of the show, a spontaneous, unplanned "Debra" busted loose. There was still the familiar bass, horns, and falsetto, but Roger's piano really filled the song out, and Smokey's acoustic guitar was a
gorgeous touch. The whole thing seems to me to be the perfect mix of humor and sleaze, structure and feel, tight but loose. At various times in its life, the song has leaned towards one side of these dualities...but tonight, it really rode the fine lines between them. At the time, a lot in this version was a surprise, but it turned out to be a preview of the
Midnite Vultures arrangement. Unfortunately, the acoustic guitar and piano didn't last. "Is this the same song?" Beck remarked afterwards.
1999-2001MIDNITE VULTURES tour
Out of all the songs on
Midnite Vultures, I think "Debra" was the one played at EVERY concert on the long tour. The stage performances almost became like musical theater... Beck even occasionally had a gigantic bed descended from the ceiling from which he could seduce the audience. Ad-libs were frequent, and Beck's so good at it, he could tell different stories every night, improvising and being smooth (December 9, 1999, in Seattle was a great one for this). Inspiration would come and go, of course. Sometimes he would go to the extreme, crawling around the stage in mock-heartbreak. Other times, the band would play it straighter, much like the record.
One fun example of his improvisational story-telling skill was on February 1, 2000, in Columbus, OH. Beck crooned and whispered, all the while staying within the general frame of the song/lyric:
You got something that I just got to get with
That quality a man looks his whole life for
That quality that makes him break down and...
You know what I'm gonna do for you?
I'm gonna pick you up after work
I know you been working hard all week
But I got a little bit of sympathy for you, girl
You come walking up through the parking structure
You got a run up your stocking
And your high heels are hurtin' your feet
I said, "Lady, step inside my Hyundai!"
I just had the hydraulics hooked up last Tuesday
Flippin' switches, shit's goin up and down and up and down and down and up
Throwin' it back in reverse and it's goin' back and forth
Goin' up and down and all around
Mmm, you like Italian food?
Too bad! I'll take you to the Burrito House
Yea, carne asada!
'Cause when our eyes did meet
Girl, you knew I was packin' heat...
This is the kind of thing Beck did throughout the
Vultures tour. Some days he spun elaborate tales with this framework, other times maybe he just did the "usual." Once he even went so far as to croon "I'm gonna take you to 2-for-1 Tuesdays to see Julia Roberts movies" (on March 11, 2000). Beck had his stock phrases he could repeat night in and out, but also the ability to never do it exactly the same every time.
AUGUST 2002 Sea Change tour
Throughout the tour of August 2002, people kept shouting out requests for "Debra." Beck kept admitting he "hated" the song, though in NYC he finally gave in and played it. It was alone on the keyboard, played slowly, and sounding very much like a sad dirge. Here's the August 18, 2002 version... it's quite absurd, really:
I wanna get with you, only you...I think her name was Debra
Sally had a sister named Debra living on the East Side
Living in a town on the East Side in a chateau, in a two-room shack
In an apartment building, mansion on the East Side
Living on the high side, riding on the low side, living on the other side, other side
Me and Debra, we got a thing goin' on... we got a thiiiing... and the midnight fire was burning!
Debra played football for the...Debra was a girl looked good in shoulder pads
Running with the big boys on the local team
She started by bringing water to the men on the field
Then she was running and playing tight end on the local team
People in the stadium cheering for the lady in the shoulder pads and the helmet
But Coach McKinley wouldn't give the girl a chance
"Give the girl a chance, take her off the bench. Let her show what she is made of."
It was steel mill town in the rain and the fall and the turbine engine
Standing in the frost of the heat wave, midnight fire! Ohhhhhhhhhhhh yea!
I wanna get with you ooh ooh ooh
Debra was running on the team...shit, you know the story
The best player = neck injury, send in Debra, two minutes left in the game, three downs
She's going wild, she's going wild, she's going wild
I said she's gonna go real wild, she's gonna go even wilder than that
Meanwhile Debra... she had a little dream to play football and she's playing for the local team
Needless to say, she won a big game, she caught a big pass
She made the big move, she made the touchdown
All the fans run around and the cameras and the flash bulbs flashing
What about me? Sitting in the bleachers wondering if she remembers me
And her sister, Jenny... don't forget about Jenny
Even though you got sidetracked into the game and the championship
And the trophies and the all big endorsements - Gatorade and Fila!
Don't forget about me and Jenny
I was standing in the parking lot waiting for her
Wind was going down, my shirt was sticking, ripped abs
Cut to a shot, she's coming back, she's still got the grease paint on her eyes
"Hey baby, I know you made it in the big time
Remember the steel mill town, remember the way we used to live
Don't you want to go fooling around in a big black pick-up truck?
And take it to the East Side 'cause this is how we do it..."
All the neighbors, we got much flavor
Doesn't need a driver, take the keys to my truck
I said "I wanna get with you, but do you want to get with me?"
Do you even know how to get with me? Let me spell it out to you
J-E-N-N-Y and Debra, take a little ride
I wanna get with you ooh ooh
I wanna get with you, only you and your sister
I think her name is Sally
A few nights later, he did a similar thing in Dallas. It wasn't as long or as focused as the "Big Game" one, but Beck takes her through Dallas, the pilates center, her late night flights to Cairo, 2-for-1 Thursdays, and Jenny being on the Dallas hockey team. Another surreal version was on March 31 2003, where Debra likes to arm wrestle, grows a mustache and changes her name to Byron. Beck then sings about the farm he works raising crops.
In the end, Beck played these lengthy, absurd "Debra"s about 6 times of the 20 shows in August 2002.
Beck toned the absurdity after that, in 2003.
2003 Sea Change summer tour - THE FOLK SONG
Then on June 22, 2003, Beck heard someone shout out "Debra" as a request during his acoustic set. So he did it. While some of the absurd ones were also solo, this one is performed straighter--as more of a folk song. He wouldn't do this regularly until a few years later on the
Guero/Info tours.
2005-2007 Guero/Info tours
I don't think there were many (if any) band versions during this time, but Beck did take to playing it acoustically fairly often.
2008-2009 Modern Guilt tours
After resting the song for all of 2008, Beck played it a couple of times with his band right at the end of the tour (the Japanese leg of 2009). The first was at the request of fans, and was not on the setlist. The band hadn't even rehearsed the song, they just went for it anyway.
2011-2013 pre-Morning Phase tours
Beck toured sporadically between 2011 and 2013, doing various small tours. Beck did not do "Debra" in 2011 or 2012, but in 2013 the song crept back into his sets. A few were acoustic (but with light accompaniment, just bass and piano). Then near the end of 2013, he started to include in some festival encores, which led to it being a regular on the 2014 tours.
2014 Morning Phase tours
Beck performed "Debra" at most shows in 2014. Overall, it was strangely inconsistent, but always fun. Sometimes Beck would skip sections, move sections around, forget to sing the chorus, etc. It was all sort of mad, but super fun. This allowed the band to really show its chops too, following Beck's moods and tales.
2015-2017 post-Morning Phase tours
After the
Morning Phase tours, Beck went out sporadically for a few years. "Debra" carried over from the 2014 tour into 2015, where it was played most nights in a similar band arrangement as 2014. Beck did do it acoustically also at a small charity gig in September.
However, the song slipped out of the setlists in 2016, where it was just played twice - once at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan (where Beck regularly seems more willing to dive into
Vultures) and then again in New Orleans.
2017 was similar, with only three "Debra"s - the song seemingly only nowadays popping up every so often. I do not know what leads to its inclusion. At the show in Los Angeles in October, Beck dropped "Debra" spontaneously into a "Where It's At" medley, it was not on the setlist.
2018 Colors tours (acoustic medley with "Raspberry Beret")
During the
Colors tour of 2018, Beck took to playing "Debra" pretty regularly again, esp. after the first couple legs. I think every time it was done solo acoustic, as part of his mini-acoustic sets in the middle of shows. The vast majority of these "Debra" would start with him acoustically walking through the "Debra" storyline, getting her into his car, where he turned on the radio (or Sirius), where he and Debra would hear Prince's "Raspberry Beret" - this then turned "Debra" into a crowd singalong of "Raspberry Beret."
-
OK so this is long and could use a quicker summary. "Debra" goes far back to 1995, pre-
Odelay. On the
Odelay tours, it took off and become a popular secret song for Beck fans paying attention to shows/bootlegs. It then remarkably ended up on
Midnite Vultures. Since then, Beck has done it in numerous styles: full funk/soul epics, alone at his piano, alone at his guitar. He will drop it from his set for extended periods, but seems to always happily return to it eventually. If "Loser" did not exist, I'd reckon this would be Beck's signature song, and that's even more apparent on stage.