That’s A Cover? explores cover songs that you may have thought were originals.
Norah Jones’s musical rise was swift after the release of her debut album, Come Away With Me. The album won two Grammys, one for Album of the Year and one for Best Pop Vocal Album. Jones was nominated for eight Grammys in 2003 and won five, tying Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill for the most awards received by a female artist in one year. Since its release and its Diamond certification, Come Away With Me has sold over 20 million copies, surpassing Carole King’s Tapestry, Britney Spears’ … Baby One More Time, and Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP, among others.
As Valentine’s Day swiftly approaches, you might want to revisit this album. Its songs have permeated rom-coms, most notably Love, Actually, where Jones’s sultry voice provides the subtle soundtrack to (no spoilers) a turning point for Laura Linney’s character. The acoustic pop album has heavy jazz and blues influences, making it the perfect backdrop for a rainy afternoon or a laid-back dinner party.
Beyond hits like “Come Away With Me,” the album also features covers of Hoagy Carmichael’s “The Nearness of You” (covered by other greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong) and Hank Williams’s “Cold, Cold Heart.” But did you know that the album’s first single, “Don’t Know Why,” is a cover as well? Jones’s guitarist, Jesse Harris, wrote “Don’t Know Why” and recorded it three years earlier on his album Jesse Harris & The Ferdinandos.