Cover version of the month #114
Primal Scream & Kate Moss cover Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra
Primal Scream's Evil Heat album, released in 2002, was a bit of a messy affair. The band were possibly a little burnt out from recording and touring 2000's extraordinary XTRMNTR, where they recorded and produced with the help of an exceptional array of guests including Kevin Shields, The Chemical Brothers and David Holmes. Their live XTRMNTR shows were a sonic kaleidoscopic exploration, with Shields joining them on stage to create all kinds of glorious white noise over techno beats.
Looking back, the Scream's run from 1991's Screamadelica, taking in Give Out But Don't Give Up, Vanishing Point and through to XTRMNTR is pretty astonishing. They knew no boundaries, pushed themselves to new levels, collaborated with Weatherall, Holmes and the Chemicals, went to Memphis to play country soul and rock n roll, benefited greatly from the addition of Mani on bass and partied harder than most.
What goes up, must come down.
Evil Heat was a bit disappointing for me. I only really revisit 2 songs from the album; the sublime and dreamy Autobahn 66 and their cover of Some Velvet Morning with Kate Moss. Truth be told, I rarely listen to much of the Scream's work post XTRMNTR. Maybe 6-8 songs or so? The band rarely play much from their post 2000 albums either.
Back to the cover version though. There is added zip and electro sleaze on the extended version of the song with Gillespie singing in a menacing whisper and Moss's vocals sounding dreamlike at times and beautifully seductive at others, especially at the end when she is purring look at us but do not touch.
Then there's the video. A masterclass in lo-fi psychedelia and effortless cool. Bobby Gillespie, all rock 'n' roll swagger, looking good, great hair, sharing the screen with the iconic Moss, wearing a babydoll dress, all sultry and seductive. Both start in seated positions, but are seemingly brought to life by the songs pulse and the psychedelic light show going on behind them.
Before long, Gillespie is up at a mic, a modern and cooler take on Sid Vicious's look while singing My Way and Moss is prowling and dancing to the beat, looking effortlessly gorgeous. It's simple, yet utterly captivating. Surreal and beautiful.
The original Some Velvet Morning isn't just a song; it's a legend, created by whispered awes in the decades since it was released. In pre-internet and social media times, this was a song that was passed down and around via mixtapes, often mentioned by bands I followed in interviews.
Hazelwood and Sinatra's Some Velvet Morning is kind of psychedelic folk by way of a western. It’s a dreamlike, almost unsettling duet, full of cryptic lyrics and a haunting, ethereal beauty.
The contrast between the two singers creates a masterpiece of tension and seduction, a truly one-of-a-kind creation. Hazlewood's gruff baritone weaving around Sinatra's innocent, almost childlike delivery;
Flowers growing on a hill
Dragonflies and daffodils
This becomes super trippy around the 3-minute mark, when the song is cut up to have Hazelwood and Sinatra singing line about, with the music completely different for each line. It's the kind of song that sounds like it came from another dimension, existing outside of time. No wonder it is still talked of in wonder.
Primal Scream's electronic transformation of the song is super cool. Hazlewood and Sinatra's version feels like a hazy journey through a fever dream. The Scream Team take it on a shimmering, swirling sonic adventure - creating a pulsing groove, synth soundscapes and swirling texture. Both have a dreamy quality that isn't easy to capture on record.
Gillespie and Moss will have shared a few velvet mornings in their time. It's a great cover version.
Hazelwood and Sinatra's original and the Primal Scream cover of Some Velvet Morning (I've opted for the version on their Dirty Hits album) are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE
Previous covers of the month blogs
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U
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