This season on True Blood, Sookie has plenty of problems on her hands. Her vampire ex-boyfriend, Bill, has become something of a religious evangelist who now sees humans as little more than food. Another vamper ex, Eric, is on the run from the first ex, Bill. And, Alcide, the werewolf who she was about to hop into bed with, is now under a spell that causes him to find her repulsive.

But on this week’s episode, Sookie showed a new side to her character by playing “for or against” with one very old fairy.

When addressing the Faerie Elder she had to answer questions about contemporary musicians, starting with a certain pop star. “Ke$ha: for or against?”  

She is apparently barely a blip on the Sookie radar. Sookie’s response was, ”I’m not that familiar with her music.”  

Echoing the sentiment of some of the singer’s critics, the elder exclaimed, “She doesn’t really sing, does she? She talks. I suppose that makes her some sort of poet. Which is alarming. Her spelling is atrocious!” 

Whatever your opinion of Ke$ha, the exchange gave some clue to when the show takes place. Ke$ha’s debut album came out in 2010, which definitively sets the events of the show in the current era. 

The next musician to come up for Sookie’s judgement was Indiana rocker John Cougar Mellencamp.

“Against!” was Sookie’s response and an ungrateful one at that because episode two of this season featured Mellencamp’s “Authority Song,” covered by Bosco Delrey. 

Not all acts fared as poorly as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer/songwriter: when asked “Boyz II Men: For or against?” Sookie surprisingly responded “For!” 

Some lesser-known artists got airtime this week: Gayle Lynn and the Hired Hands’ “Rodeo Queen” played during a scene at Merlottes, Derrick Stout’s “Little Girl Wandered Off” was on the radio during a segment at Alcide’s father’s house, and the Heavy’s “What Makes A Good Man” was heard in Fangtasia while fan-favorite Pam was arrested.

The episode, titled “Sunset,” featured an obscure Stevie Wonder song also called “Sunset” during the credits. Released on the 1962 album Tribute To Brother Ray (i.e. Ray Charles), it was recorded when Wonder was just 12-years-old. 

True Blood Music Supervisor Gary Callamar tells CBS Local that “We originally had a different song and a different title for the episode but the song wasn’t quite working…The writer/producer of the episode Angela Robinson played us this obscure Stevie Wonder song. We all agreed that it was right for the vibe and atmosphere, and it was right to close the show.”   

– Brian Ives, CBS Local