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Orla Gartland, 'You're Not Special, Babe'

By Bob Boilen

Published July 7, 2021 at 12:52 PM EDT

My initial reaction to "You're Not Special, Babe" from London-based, Dublin-raised musician Orla Gartland was that it felt mean-spirited and sounded overly pop-y, two things I'm allergic to. But I was reminded of Laurie Anderson's Harmonizer-sounding vocals at the start. Then my curiosity regarding the lyrical refrain (also the song's title) had me listening deeper; I realized, by the chorus, that she was singing "you're not special" to herself. I was hooked.

Bob Boilen

In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.

See stories by Bob Boilen