Old subway musician, of whom I wish I knew more - Baby Can I Hold You (1988 / 2012)
Last night, a man entered the Brooklyn-bound G train with a 12-string guitar. I immediately remembered him covering the same Tracy Chapman song a few months ago and started recording with my iPhone. Sorry for the bad quality.
Galt MacDermot - Coffee Cold (1968)
Tom Sharpsteen and His Orlando - Salty Bubble (2009)
Shahar Even Tzur - Valse de Melody (Serge Gainsbourg: 1971 / 2011)
Laura found this awesome singer from Tel-Aviv on Spotify. He recently released an album of Gainsbourg covers in Hebrew and they all are very good.
DJ Boosta - Fly Me To The Moon (1954 / 2011)
Wu Tang vs. The Beatles - Got Your Money (2010)
Johnny Cash - Heart of Gold (1972/2003)
Written by Neil Young, covered by Johnny Cash with Red Hot Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante & Chad Smith. You just can’t miss Smith’s snare drum, nor Frusciante’s melodic guitar solo.
We’re getting close to my fantasy band: just imagine them with Justin Vernon or Fiona Apple to the background vocals and Innocent Criminals’ bassist Juan Nelson, all of them playing Bob Dylan songs.
The Beatles - I’ve Got A Feeling (1970)
This one is from Let It Be… Naked (2003).
Dakesh York - Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (1801/2004)
I find it amazing that York managed to keep the sonata’s soul while adding a 4/4 beat to the 3/4 signature.
Troublemakers - Get Misunderstood (2001)
Jean-Pierre Léaud speech (in French) is from Philippe Garrel’s movie Liberté, La Nuit (1983):
- “Personne ne sait ce qu’il se passe aujourd’hui parce que personne ne veut qu’il se passe quelque chose.
En réalité on ne sait jamais ce qui se passe on sait simplement ce qu’on veut qu’il se passe. C’est comme ça que les choses arrivent.
En 17, Lénine et ses camarades ne disaient pas nous allons faire la révolution parce que nous voulons la révolution. Ils disaient toutes les conditions de la révolution sont réunies la révolution est inéluctable. Ils ont fait la révolution qui n’aurait jamais eu lieu s’ils ne l’avaient pas faite et qu’ils n’auraient pas faite s’ils n’avaient pas pensé qu’elle était inéluctable uniquement parce qu’ils la voulaient.
Chaque fois que quelque chose a bougé dans ce monde ça a toujours été pour le pire.
Voila pourquoi personne ne bouge, personne n’ose provoquer l’avenir. Faudrait être fou pour provoquer l’avenir. Faudrait être fou pour risquer de provoquer un nouveau 19, un nouveau 14, un nouveau 37…”
- “Alors il ne se passera jamais plus rien…”
- “Si, parce qu’il y aura toujours des fous, et des cons pour les suivre et des sages pour ne rien faire…”
The Libertines - Time For Heroes (2002)
Did you see the stylish kids in the riot
We were shovelled up like muck
Set the night on fire
Wombles bleed truncheons and shields
You know I cherish you my loveBut there’s a rumour spread nasty disease around town
You caught round the houses with your trousers down
A headrush in the bush
You know I cherish you my love
Oh how i cherish you my love
Janice Watson & Ruby Philigene with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra - The Flower Duet (Lakmé) (Léo Delibes: 1883)
Recently heard in True Romance amazing scene with Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper and James Gandolfini.
Madeleine Peyroux - La Javanaise (1963 / 2006)
Beautiful cover of one of Serge Gainsbourg’s greatest songs.
Naked Translations explains the song and its title:
The song makes it sound like “la Javanaise” is a dance, when in fact javanais is a form of French slang which sticks “av” between a word’s consonants and vowels. I’ve always loved this song and its undulating alliterations (including, cleverly enough, the sound “av”), which give an excellent idea of Gainsbourg’s mastery of language.
The Tallest Man on Earth - A Lion’s Heart (2010)
Weezer - Photograph (2001)
First song I’ve heard of Weezer, back in 2001 when I discovered other great albums:
What a great year.
(sadly, I didn’t know about Radiohead’s Amnesiac back then.)
