The Live Lounge All-Stars — a group of 25 performers — have come together to create a new version of the Foo Fighters’ “Times Like These.” The recording benefits the groups Children In Need and Comic Relief to help those harmed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The song, which is an appropriate choice for our current times, features artists such as Dua Lipa, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Elle Goulding, and Hailee Steinfeld. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, who reports the effort made him emotional, also makes an appearance.
It’s times like these you learn to live again; It’s times like these you give and give again; It’s times like these you learn to love again; It’s times like these time and time again.
The recording has already gone to number one on the U.K. singles chart. Check it out.
This video of a live performance combines one of my favorite Foo Fighters songs with one of my favorite singers, Ryan Adams. On July 21, 2015 at the Sydney Opera House, Adams busted out an acoustic version of “Times Like These” as a tribute to Foo Fighters lead singer David Grohl, who has had some recent injuries while still being devoted to his music.
Earlier this year, Grohl announced he had broken his rib after performing at Sasquatch! Music Festival. He continued touring only to break his leg mid-set last month. Adams noted his admiration for Grohl, who even finished the concert where he broke his leg. And then Adams gave a moving acoustic rendition of “Times Like These.” Check out his cover of the song from the Foo Fighters 2002 album One by One.
What is your favorite cover of a Foo Fighters song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
One of the highlights of this year’s Grammy Awards was Paul McCartney closing the show by singing the Beatles’ classic “Golden Slumbers”/”Carry That Weight”/”The End” set from Abbey Road (1969). Sir Paul also had some help on vocals and guitar from some other great artists, including Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, and Grammy-winning Foo Fighter Dave Grohl.
The guitar work at the end is a treat, but the best part is the final strains of the lyrics where Grohl is standing behind McCartney singing. Grohl has no microphone, but with a smile on his face he sings anyway for the joy of it, the way many of us have done in our bedrooms as kids listening to the album. But Grohl gets to do it onstage with a look on his face that shows he is thinking, “I can’t believe I’m playing with Paul McCartney!” On a night tinged with sad tributes to Whitney Houston and Glen Campbell (who gave his final Grammy performance on stage as he succombs to Alzheimer’s disease), that image of Grohl captures perfectly the point that host LL Cool J made at the opening of the show: It’s all about the music.
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
[February 2013 Update: The entire performance is no longer available, but in the short clip below you may see Grohl singing behind McCartney.]
What did you think of last night’s Grammy Awards show and this closing set? Leave your two cents in the comments.
