Vintage Music: Paper Doll

A couple of days ago I was watching some show and in the background there was this little rhythm snip-it from a song I used to love back in the 90’s. Yes, 90’s music is now vintage. I am that old I am sorry to say. Kurt, Eddie & Axel are vintage or old school. The song that was sampled in that show was “Paper Doll” and no I am no talking about Lina Horne’s version from 1944. Which by the way, I love that song and Lena! 

The song was “Paper Doll” by PM Dawn. The duo behind PM Dawn are brothers Attrell & Jarrett Cordes. They are still together as a group and still performing their melodic and poetic songs today. I loved “Paper Doll” but first fell in love the group because of an earlier that same year, “Set Adrift on Memory Bliss” which was on the same album. Bliss was their only #1 hit but they did however have several top 10 hits in the 90’s. Oddly enough Paper Doll never made the top 10, cresting at #28 in the US. Another song that I love is “Looking Through Patient Eyes” which came out my SR. year in high school. Painted Eyes was the great example of mixing wonderful songs into a whole new song. The PM Brothers sampled George Michael’s “Father Figure” and even referenced their passion for Joni Mitchell in the lyrics. 

PM Dawn sampled a lot of George Michaels work through out their career. The verses in the song were influenced by Joni Mitchell’s “Boho Dance” and they sampled George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”. The duo sadly haven’t produced any new material since 2000 but really their first two albums were the only two albums to create chart material. “Paper Doll” was heavily on the runways of the fashion capitals back in 91 & 92. I think I used it in my high school fashion show my Sophomore year. Do you remember these songs?