For the new National Geographic series A Small Light, singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten has combined with Sopranos and White Lotus actor Michael Imperioli to cover the Ink Spots’ iconic track “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire.”
While the original has a haunting quality (perfect for your favorite game about nuclear apocalypses), Van Etten keeps the same tempo but has softened the sound. Her vocal is pitch perfect, and almost strays into the world of exotica or slow surf pop, with swaying guitars and softly wailing vocals. Imperioli lends his voice to the spoken-word portion of the track, bringing a sense of masculine gravity that offsets the sounds surrounding it. All it needs is some vinyl crackle to really bring home the ambience.
Check out the cover below.