"Untouchable Face" is the opening track on Ani DiFranco's eighth album, Dilate, released on May 21, 1996. It clocks in at four minutes thirty-eight seconds, and features Ani on acoustic guitar, Hammond organ, bass, and vocals; Andy Stochansky on percussion; and David Travers-Smith playing the trumpet. It was released independently on DiFranco's own label, Righteous Babe Records.

It is widely thought of as one of the most revolutionary folk songs in the last decade or more, mostly because it in no way conforms to what are commonly held to be the conventions of folk music -- that is, mellow and poetic acoustic numbers, or songs rife with political intent and meaning.

Think I'm going for a walk now
I feel a little unsteady
Don't want nobody to follow me
Except maybe you
I could make you happy
If you weren't already
I could do a lot of things, and I do

"Untouchable Face" is none of these. DiFranco's acoustic guitar is distorted almost beyond recognition through the magic of reverb, and the Hammond organ adds another dimension almost reminiscent of a second guitar saturated with effects processing. Where the lyrics would suggest that the vocals should be snarled and dripping with self-righteous vitriol, they are instead soft, almost whispered at times, gentle, and soothing. A strong melody line is sacrificed in favour of a strong message, poignant lyrics, and a catchy if somewhat understated guitar-and-organ hook. All of these are in stark contrast to much of her earlier work as well as to the rest of the album.

Secondly, the song and the album describe a love affair between Ani DiFranco and a man -- an affront to the cult following that she had groomed among the gay and lesbian community. Also, both are a departure from DiFranco's politically charged lyrics of earlier times, netting her heated criticism from nearly all corners.

Tell you the truth I prefer the worst of you
Too bad you had to have a better half
She's not really my type
But I think you two are forever
And I hate to say it
But you're perfect together

In a disarmingly honest interview with The Onion, by way of response to her critics:

Sometimes, I've been criticised for putting out a record without enough overtly political material. But that's because I got my fucking heart broke. As human beings, we all go through different landscapes of what is compelling to us emotionally. I'm not going to sit down and calculatedly try to write a political song when all I can think of is, "Come back. Fuck you."

Despite the criticism, Dilate debuted in the Billboard Top 100. Pretty damned impressive for any independently-released album.

So fuck you and your untouchable face
Fuck you for existing in the first place
Who am I, that I should be vying for your touch
Who am I, bet you can't even tell me that much

Its triumph lies in its ability to transcend genres and fit perfectly into more than one niche at a time. DiFranco's punk-infused instrumental stylings, folksy open tunings and acoustic fingerpicked melodies cause headaches for people trying to classify her music, and this song particularly, into a single genre; for the rest of us, it is easily relatable without being cheesy and overdone, and a joy to listen to.

Sources:
http://www.allmusic.com
http://www.scribbling.net/untouchable_face
Lyrics for Untouchable Face from Dilate and copyright Ani DiFranco, 1996.