Reminding us of the old days when mega-stars would gather together to sing a song to benefit a charity, the BBC is celebrating the launch of BBC Music with a charity single version of the 1966 Beach Boys classic “God Only Knows” to benefit the BBC’s Children in Need appeal. Produced by Ethan Johns, the song is being released by Sony, and Universal, and Warner Music.
The singers include the song’s writer, Brian Wilson. Other stars include Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Lorde, Emeli Sandé, Chris Martin, Kylie Minogue, Sam Smith, Florence Welch, Chrissie Hynde, Brian May, Dave Grohl, and Baaba Maal. The song also features the Tees Valley Youth Choir and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Check out the “God Only Knows” video, which includes some cool special effects.
The video was filmed at the Alexandra Palace theatre in London.
Singer-songwriter Matthew Ryan has just released the official video for the title track to his upcoming album Boxers (2014). The video, directed by Gorman Bechard, displays Ryan performing “Boxers” intercut with black and white images of actress Audria Ayers. Check it out.
Matthew Ryan’s Boxers album is available for pre-order through Bandcamp on his website and will be released October 14.
Innocent Words describes Boxers as being for “those who have been beaten down by everyday life in a blue collar society.” Similarly, Ryan explained to ARTISTdirect, “It’s a brutal hope at a brutal intersection of our story in a world that feels on the verge of something. And that something will be what we make it or allow it to be.”
Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has been dogged through his career by his name’s similarity to singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, sometimes showing his anger at fans requesting Bryan’s song, “Summer of ’69.” A few days ago, though, Ryan Adams embraced the joke, covering Bryan Adams’s “Run to You” from 1984’s Reckless. And Ryan did not just play a few bars, he played the whole darn song.
Ryan Adams is known for playing a wide variety of musical styles, and the fans at Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara, California on Wednesday, October 1, 2014, showed they really love him when he plays some 1980s pop. Check it out.
Now that Ryan Adams has covered Bryan, what Ryan Adams song would you like to hear Bryan Adams cover? Leave your two cents in the comments.
The third of October always makes me think about Matthew Ryan’s wonderful song “3rd of October.” So, I thought it would be a good time to check in and see what Mr. Ryan is up to this October. And he has a new album coming out on October 14 called Boxers.
I like the title track from Boxers. Another great track on the album is “This One’s For You Frankie.” Check out the video with the lyrics.
I like a lot of Ryan’s work, but I tend to gravitate toward his rock songs more than his quieter introspective songs, although many of those are quite beautiful. From the sound of “Boxers” and “This One’s For You Frankie,” as well as the cover directions saying to play the album loud, I am guessing that Boxers has the potential to emerge as one of my favorite Matthew Ryan albums.
In 1981, Squeeze released the single “Tempted,” from the group’s fourth album, East Side Story. Although the song did not become a top-40 hit, the song became so popular you probably can sing along (“Tempted by the fruit of another. . .”). But did you know that Elvis Costello sings on the recording? Costello worked with Squeeze in the early 1980s, producing some of the band’s work, including co-producing “Tempted.” And, on the song, he sings a few lines.
Glenn Tilbrook, Squeeze’s usual lead singer, wrote “Tempted” with the band’s guitarist Chris Difford. But keyboardist Paul Carrack — who was only with the band for one album before a solo career and work with Mike and the Mechanics — sang lead on “Tempted.”
Tilbrook does sing a few lines on the second verse (starting around the 1:19 mark), as does Costello. Although a Rolling Stone article seems to imply that an “almost unrecognizable Elvis Costello” appears in the video, it appears to me that Costello is not actually in the video.
You hear Costello’s voice starting at the 1:24 mark (and elsewhere in backing vocals). But it looks like guitarist and songwriter Difford is moving his lips. Check it out for yourself.
If you were not around in the 1980s, you may still know the song, which has been used in movies, video games, and commercials. Among other places, the song was used in a Burger King commercial. The band recorded a new version of the song for the film Reality Bites (1994), once again joined by Elvis Costello.
After Carrack left the band, Tilbrook took over the lead vocals on “Tempted.”
If you want to know more about what happened to the members of Squeeze in the decades after “Tempted,” check out this 2003 episode from VH1’s show, Bands Reunited below. For more information, check out the Squeeze website.
What is your favorite Squeeze song? Do you know more about Costello’s work on “Tempted”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
