Chet Baker Archives

Matilda Mann Covers Chet Baker for New Tribute Album

Posted by Mike Tobyn at 12:00 pm No Responses »

Apr 152025

Chet Baker was an outstanding trumpet player, but it was his voice that immortalized him. His speaking voice was able to convince lovers, partners of lovers, concert promoters, fellow musicians and people he had borrowed money from of the plaintive platitudes that accompany the life of the hopeless dope fiend. His singing voice was a unique thing of exquisite beauty, apparent simplicity and, crucially, vulnerability. His love songs are timeless, and retained their punch long after Baker’s trumpet playing lost its shape, due to a drug dealer ruining Baker’s embouchure with some vicious dental work. At one of his final recordings in 1988, his “I Fall In Love Too Easily” is poignant, emotive and, almost, optimistic. You could, almost, believe that all would be all right. Those times are captured so well in the elegiac, poetic film Let’s Get Lost.

Blue Note is about to release a new tribute album to Baker’s songs, titled re:imagined, and Matilda Mann has contributed her version of “There Will Never Be Another You” to the compilation. Continue reading »

dodie Covers “Old Devil Moon” for Chet Baker Tribute Album

Posted by Aleah Fitzwater at 12:00 pm No Responses »

Dec 102024

Meet dodie: Aka Dorothy Miranda Clark. This English author and singer-songwriter found her audience on YouTube, and fans have been dazzled by her soft and alluring vocal performance since. Late last month, Decca Records announced their compilation album of Chet Baker tunes: Chet Baker, Reimagined, And Dodie’s contribution to the collection is the icing on the cake.

The original “Old Devil Moon” was penned by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg for a 1947 musical about a stolen pot of gold. The song was later redone and popularized by both Sinatra and Baker. Chet Baker’s version was recorded in 1958 and features hand percussion at the forefront, and a bossa-nova-type beat. Dodie’s version recreates that exotic feel and bold percussion.

The vocal delivery is honest and reminds me of Laufey’s album Bewitched. And as it continues, it builds and builds. We get tasty harmonies, mystical clarinet tremolos, and coy panned licks of woodwinds. The best part is how intimate and fun this rendition feels.

“How lucky am I to get to live in the world of Chet’s soft playful croons for this gorgeous collection?,” Dodie said. “So fun to marry our styles and lean into a jazzier side. Chet Baker was my number one artist in 2023 (apparently a top 5% fan) so I was just thrilled to be asked to pick a favorite – (although that part was difficult) and spend time with his gorgeous version of ‘Old Devil Moon’ and dream up how we could team up.”

For more great Chet Baker covers, check out this link

Five Good Covers: “These Boots Were Made For Walking” (Nancy Sinatra)

Posted by Seuras Og at 12:00 pm 3 Responses »

Nov 152024

Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.

Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made for Walking” first broke free as 1965 broke into 1966, becoming a worldwide smash in the January of ’66, at least in the world as then existed, the USA and the UK. In truth, it did pretty well everywhere else as well, with Europe, Australia, Singapore and Mexico all loving the sentiment. Writer Lee Hazlewood had based “Boots” on a line of dialogue Nancy’s Dad, Frank, had spoken in the comedy western 4 For Texas, so who better than her daughter to sing it? With the Wrecking Crew team of crack session players in attendance, the song is chiefly notable for the quarter tone walking descent of the bass line, provided by Chuck Berghofer. Indeed, most of the well over 300 covers replicate and repeat this, such is the shorthand of the song.

The Best Cover Songs of September 2024

Posted by Ray Padgett at 10:10 am 3 Responses »

Oct 012024

Andrew Bird & Madison Cunningham – Crying In The Night (Buckingham/Nicks cover)

Armored Saint — One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison) (The Four Tops cover)

Fontaines DC Pitch Chet Baker’s “Let’s Get Lost” Between Triumph and Disaster

Posted by Mike Tobyn at 4:56 pm No Responses »

Sep 192024

Fontaines DC come from a land of poets and met at musical school, so they bring literacy and technical depth to their post-punk anthems. Their subtle line in covers makes them popular here, and their celloless Nick Drake cover “Cello Song” was one of our favorites of 2023. Their recent appearance on the Jo Whiley radio programme on the BBC saw them showcase one song from their new album and a classy new version of “Let’s Get Lost,” popularized by Chet Baker. Continue reading »

Five Good Covers: “A Taste of Honey” (Scott/Marlow)

Posted by Tom McDonald at 2:00 pm No Responses »

Jan 132023

Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.

Hundreds of covers of “A Taste of Honey” exist, but only a few people will recognize it if you hum a few bars. The folks who recognize it may not be able to name the tune, and no one will be able to name its composer.

It was Robert William Scott. He wrote the piece initially as an instrumental, a motif for the 1960 Broadway production of A Taste of Honey, the notorious British play. Bobby Scott was known mostly as a pianist, singer, and producer, but he did have another songwriting win with “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” a modest hit for The Hollies in 1969.

Luckily for Bobby Scott, someone had the idea to put words to his tune, so that they could get rising star Tony Bennett to record it. Enter Ric Marlow, a struggling singer/actor/writer/fabric salesman, who turned in a poetic lyric that clicked with the music. With that, a hit was born, though it took the public a few years to realize it.
Continue reading »