Songs They Gave Away

[maccastheman]

2/3, I agree. Somebody for Rolling Stone said Elvis Costello's version of "You Bowed Down" sounded more like the Byrds than Roger McGuinn's version - and it does. It's amazing how well he can channel him. Same for "Complicated Shadows" and Johnny Cash. I wish he had recorded it. It would have been perfect for him.

I read somewhere that Billy Joel wrote "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" for Ronnie Spector. I don't know if he wrote it as a tribute or for her to sing. Anyway, it sure sounds a heck of lot like the Ronnettes.

[2 of 3]

Speaking Johnny Cash, there a hidden track on the last Coldplay album called Till Kingdom Come, that was written for him, but he passed away before he could record it. It really sounds like a Johnny Cash song too.

[BruceMirken]

Just to clarify the record, "You Got It" sounds like a Roy Orbison song because Orbison co-wrote it, along with Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. But the really extraordinary song on that album ("Mystery Girl" -- definitely worth buying if you don't own it) is "The Comedians," written by Elvis Costello. I don't know if it was written specifically for Orbison, but it has the dramatic, almost operatic quality of some of Obison's early classics. And Orbison's vocal on it is just breathtaking.

[EddieV]

John Hiatt wrote Riding With The King which was a big hit for Eric Clapton and BB. King.

[2 of 3]

And Orbison's vocal on it is just breathtaking

No kidding....I was watching him sing with KD Lang,(I think on Letterman) and after the song she started crying, just from listening to him sing.

[chris]

Funny you mentioned kd lang. Not sure what happened to her. I wasn't even that big a fan of hers. But holy crap, batman, did she have some pipes on her or what? She could belt out some notes like no other.

[BruceMirken]

kd lang is very much alive and well, albeit not quite as hot commercially as she was a few years ago: http://www.kdlang.com/music.htm

[maccastheman]

She recorded an album with Tony Bennett a couple of years ago. I thought it was solid. She just did a tour where whe performed with local symphonies a couple of years ago. I missed the show here in Dallas, but I would love to see her.

Speaking of songs written by other artists - although they weren't written for her, she did a great album of covers a few years ago called "Drag." It was comprised of songs related to smoking. She did a fantastic version of "The Air that I Breathe" by the Hollies as well as "The Joker" by Steve Miller. (The only thing that song has to do with smoking is the line "I'm a Joker, I'm a Smoker")

There were more smoking-specific songs like "Don't Smoke it Bed," "Smoke Rings," etc. Great album.

She may have been labeled a country artist early on (and her early work did fit that description), but now she's more like a lounge singer - Sort of like how Lyle Lovett went from country to swing. Both of them are amazing artists.

[2 of 3]

She also did a album of Canadian cover songs.

[chris]

Thanks for gringing up Lyle Lovett, mtm. For a while, I practically thought he was the coolest guy in all of music. He didn't really have a home for radio though. He wasn't country enough for country stations, so they wouldn't play him. And rock stations though he was too country. Does he still have his Large Band?