Imogene

Album: Halcyon (2004)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Imogene is really a figment of my imagination, but I guess when you go all the way down to the heart of it, she's every girl - and I'm including myself in this - that wasn't part of a clique in high school. She's kind of every girl that sort of didn't turn out, didn't peak in high school, let's say. Let me put it that way," Peters told us. "She was one of those people that was sort of a wallflower in high school, and ended up peaking a little bit later, which is I think how it really works for a lot of us." Peters places the character of Imogene in the sort of heroic position of evening the score with those high school characters who place themselves above the rest. It's a sort of revenge story that millions can relate to.
  • Peters' says the character Imogene is one of her favorite creations: "She's just sort of an every-girl, the one that's not the homecoming queen, the one that's not the cheerleader, the one that was just sort of invisible in high school. And I guess that's why I loved her so much, because I related to her. I think all of us that didn't feel like we were in that crowd felt like we were invisible. And of course at that point you think that's the way it's going to be for the rest of your life. But then you look back 20 years later and you realize those people peaked in high school, and we're just getting started. And she gets revenge. It was fun to write that, because she kind of gets a revenge on the cute-guy football player in the end. So it sort of holds a little bit of a revenge fantasy at the same time. A mild revenge fantasy. Mild. She doesn't murder him or anything. Put it that way."
  • "It's one of the few songs I've ever written from a drum track, a loop," Peters said in a Songfacts interview. "I just had this drum loop that I really, really liked, and I wanted to use it somehow. I didn't quite know how to use it or what to use it on, and I started with the verses, just talking the verses, which are spoken, they're not really sung. There's no actual melody for the verses. And this sort of little character started to develop, and I loved her."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.