Words in Flight spin a clever yarn in their unreleased new song “The Ravenous Affair,” which we are premiering today. With a sound that like a scene out of a French bistro, the vocalists use vivid imagery (“Lusciously on my lips your taste” / “Buxom curves you’re so sweet and ripe” / “Succulent skin smooth as buffed gneiss) to describe their ravenous appetite for… something?”). A casual listen would have the audience assuming “The Ravenous Affair” was a reference to a steamy romance with another person, but alas it’s intentions are much more innocent.
At the middle of the song, the language changes to French and the narrator reveals the trick: “Pensez que cette chanson sur le sexe” / “Est destiné à confondre, perplexe” / “Doubles sens sur la nourriture” / “Ma recette préférée, la ratatouille.” Those that don’t know French, it essentially says that if you thought this song was about sex, you’ve got it confused because it’s actually a double meaning and a love song about ratatouille!
“The Ravenous Affair is a quintessential example of a song written as a double entendre, having two parallel interpretations,” said Drew Brightbill. “Despite its lyrical layers, it is musically inspired by old traditional French café music and gypsy jazz with a Django Reinhardt flair, and it is meant to bring the listener to another time and place even if the twist is lost. Recommended to be enjoyed paired with great food and wine.”
Brightbill is the main man behind Words in Flight, typically performing with acoustic guitar alongside a standup bassist. However, he is also known to perform with up to a five-piece. “The Ravenous Affair” features Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists on accordion, giving it a bit of its jazzy Parisian flair.