Song Of The Day//Hot Like Fire//Aaliyah cover by The XX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaCnHl0XAVk

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to blog about the original Hot Like Fire track sung by Aaliyah and written by Missy Elliot and Timberland by listening to this cover by The XX. So I thought it fitting to give much deserved kudos to the London born Indie Rock band. Along with playing most every notable festival in the U.K., U.S., and abroad, The XX went on to win the Barclaycard Mercury Prize in September of this year.

Covers by bands of other bands is generally a treacherous endeavor that either fails, or at best pales in comparison to the original, in my opinion. However, the slow sexy deliberate delivery of the 90's R&B lyrics create an orgasmic trippy listening experience that parallels the yumminess of Aaliyah's original...but firmly juxtaposed in style owns the 3 minutes and 26 seconds of listening time before you go, "wait isn't that an...Aaliyah song?!"

Thank you Romy Madley, Croft Oliver Sim, and Jamie Smith//The XX for demonstrating such artful ability to recreate whilst maintaining the truth and intention. Your work has shown great respect and appreciation to one of my favorite R&B tracks.

Rapt in Beats and Love,

Benna

Song Of The Day: Ring of Fire//Ray Charles covers Johnny Cash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhGZdSkX6IM&feature=related

Keeping with the inspiring theme of cover songs that judiciously recreate a tune rather than recklessly aggravate listeners...I give you Ring of Fire written by Johnny Cash and June Carter.  Opposed to the film version of events, June Carter first wrote the song as "Love's Burning Ring of Fire", and her sister Anita recorded it in 1963...Johnny graciously gave her unnoticed rendition 6 months before he recorded it Cash style.  It stayed at number one for 7 weeks and became his biggest hit... :( sorry Anita.

Ray Charles covered Ring of Fire on his album "Love Country Style".  The High Priest of soul baptized this country hit with soul serum and styled it his.   On Ray's 40th birthday he played his high compliment cover for the originator on the Johnny Cash Show.  Ray Charles' raw, soulful delivery invites a sexier illustration of the lyrics than Cash's.  And I do love sexy, but at the end... just after he goes close to falsetto then shifts back to his earthy chest voice...then whispers "burns burns burns, the ring of fire, your ring of fire" he inserts a pregnant pause and whispers "burns" sounds a little more unclean than sexy…better keep it in check Ray Ray.

 Thank you Ray Charles and Johnny Cash for the honesty of your work. Remaining aware, truthful to the frailty of existence, and publicly battling demons in less forgiving times has given your hugely successful bodies of work incomparable integrity.

 Rapt in Beats and Love,

Benna

Song of the Day: I Hold No Grudge//Nina Simone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od0jO5_ltPM&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Heart felt and defiant in this bitter sweet anthem Nina Simone speaks of her relationship with America. When she recorded this song she had been living in Europe for some time, and as told in the liner notes, "In Europe, Simone says, she has finally found peace."

Nina Simone you provided decades of inspired work blending of classical, blues, and jazz genres with assured versatility and boldness only matched by the sound of your earthy brown voice. Thank you Miss Simone.

Rapt in Beats and Love,

Benna