A year or so I was riffling through the CD racks at the Public Library - I usually limit myself to classical music CDs these day - when my fell upon an CD cover with the photo of an atypically beautiful woman, i.e., no manufactured beauty a la JLo or Britney Spears, on a stool singing in one of those MTV Unplugged sessions. So I checked the CD out, and for a few nights gave my ears to the highly enigmantic voice of Ms. Merchant.

Since I am rooting around YouTube (it is addictive!) after a difficult morning, I present to you another bauble: Merchant's cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Because The Night". Watch out for the orchestra!