Origin: I Gotta Find a Woman with a Chainsaw

Subject: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 05:56 PM

I am working on a CD. I would like to record a song I know as "Gotta Find a Woman with a Chainsaw." I need the writer's name and address and/or publisher so I might apply for a mechanical license. You can post the name here. I would prefer you send me the address in a personal message, for the writer's privacy.

The first verse and chorus are:

Woke up this mornin', frozen nearly dead.
Was so damn cold I couldn't get out of bed.
As I lay there shiverin' as cold as can be,
Suddenly this revelation occurred to me.

I gotta find a woman with a chainsaw,
To spend the winter with me.
If I could find a woman with a chainsaw,
Then all night long I would stoke her fire, yes, indeed.

Roger in Baltimore (on the library's computer)

---

I saw Peter Krug at San Francisco's Camp New Harmony this last week, and he confirmed that he is the author of "I Gotta Find a Woman With a Chainsaw." If you want to obtain permission to record this or any other Peter Krug song, you can contact him at this e-mail: [e-mail] (leave out the dashes). Peter gave me permission to post his e-mail address.
-Joe Offer, January, 2010-

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 06:21 PM

I found a name.....Dave Utter, but I don't know if he is artist or writer or both. Site gave no more help at all.

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 07:56 PM

Thanks for looking Sorcha.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Genie
Date: 28 Jan 02 - 08:34 PM

Well, I've heard Motherlode sing it here in Portland, and for some reason I thought one of the members of that group wrote it. Am I wrong?

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 02:16 PM

Genie, I don't know. I have only heard the song on a tape from a friend. It was an all woman group. I was once given the male writers name, years ago. So I know the writer is male.

Thanks for trying to track this down. If Motherlode has a CD with the song on it, it would have publisher or writer listed.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Genie
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 02:48 PM

It's interesting to know the writer is male, Roger. Hearing it sung by a guy would the song an amusing new slant (reminiscent, perhaps, of "Put Another Log On The Fire"?).

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 09:24 AM

Dave Utter is definitely the composer of this song and he's also a fine singer and guitar player. I heard him sing this song some five years ago and at that time he was living in the Albany area of NY. Dave is one of those big friendly giants, and with a warped sense of humor.

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 10:15 AM

Oh, I was getting a Carrie Nation sort of flash on it and thought, "I understand the impulse ..."

When you say "would be an amusing new slant," Genie, do you mean it was originally "I Need a Man with a Chainsaw?"

Are there other verses? And what are the chords, d'ya know, Roger?

ww

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Genie
Date: 30 Jan 02 - 10:20 PM

No, Wyo, it was sung by Motherlode as "Gotta find a woman with a chainsaw," and I thought it was a song written for women, by women, and about women. It was amusing as such, with the double entendres, utilitarian theme, etc. But when sung by a man it has the added counter-stereotypical aspect, much like "Put another log on the fire. (Contrast a guy singing this song with the themes of traditional folk ballads or something like "The Girl That I Marry," from "Annie, Get Your Gun," for example.) I've known a lot of women who view it as an enhancement of a guy's sex appeal if he's good with power tools. Don't know too many men who are more attracted to a woman because of it, though.
This is not meant to be a statement about what oughtto be, just an observation.
Anyway, I saw the song in a new light when I found out the author was male.

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 12:19 AM

Ah.

Right now I"m thinking a guy with a snow shovel, who knew how to use it (other than just handing it to me), would be mighty sexy ...

ww

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 01:50 AM

WW, there's a song in here somewhere... Hmm, "clear a path to your door", "Big Scoops", "Big wide blade", "mounded up on the sides", aagghhh, brain not working. "The ski-doo to your heart."

Thread creep.

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 03:05 AM

Hi, Roger - I cajoled you into posting the lyrics in this thread. In that thread, a number of us from Northern California said the song was written by Peter Krug. I swear I heard Peter sing it and I'm almost sure he said he wrote it. DADGBE (Ray Frank) or the Holdstocks should know - I'll e-mail them.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST,dadgbe
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 11:22 AM

Hi all,

Joe Offer sent me a private e-mail to help clear this up. Sorry to disagree with you Charley, but it was written by Peter Krug. Rodger, send me a private message and I'll shoot you back Peter's address.

Best, Ray

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST,dadgbe
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 11:40 AM

Oops!

Sorry Roger. My cookie seems to have expired so you can't leave me a message. try

Best, Ray

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 04:53 PM

Thanks for clearing up the composer. I guess Dave Utter just picked up a memorable song. Could have sworn he said he wrote it but he certainly had fun singing it.

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Jan 02 - 05:12 PM

Dick Holdstock e-mailed me a phone number for Peter, and I forwarded it to Roger and sent DADGBE info on resetting his cookie.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 09:57 AM

Thanks to everyone and especially thanks to the Mudcat Elf, Joe Offer. Charly, it is not unusual when a singer/songwriter performs a song for everyone to assume the singer wrote the song. I have made that assumption in error many times.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Help: Who wrote 'Woman with a Chainsaw'?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 07 - 04:48 PM

Trying to locate music for song "Woman with a Chainsaw"