I’ve always liked Queen Latifah. Her looks are appealing, her spirit is appealing, she can act... she’s an entertainer. When “Chicago” kicked her Hollywood career to a higher level, I went “Yay!”All that said, I didn’t run out and buy her “Dana Owens Album” in 2004, when she repackaged herself as a pop-jazz songbird. Just didn’t feel the need to go there with her.
Same is true with her new CD, “Trav’lin’ Light,” which hits the street tomorrow.
But I would download a FREE track off of “Trav’lin’ Light.” In fact, I did. It’s a cover of “Poetry Man.” Follow this link and you can get that MP3 – nice and legal – from Download.com.
Now here’s the thing. Phoebe Snow sang that song as well as anyone could possibly sing it. I don’t think it was a good idea for Latifah to record it... especially with an arrangement nearly identical to the original.
It’s a pleasant version, I guess. And Latifah enunciates such that I can understand a few lyrics I didn’t get before (like “sultry vamp”).
But... well, ummm... you know, like... who cares?
Click here to check the song out on my Vox blog.
lol. to me, there's only one version and that's phoebe's. kudos to the queen for evolving, but i'd rather hear unity or just another day myself.
ReplyDeleteI'll trade. On my vox I just put up Zap Mama's verion of Poetry Man.
ReplyDeleteThis past Monday, 9/24, I hosted a special with Phoebe Snow as my guest. I opened the program with both Queen Latifah and Zap Mama's versions of "Poetry Man."
ReplyDeleteYou could find the archived program at http://archive.wbai.org for the next 12 days.
Peaceness,
J.
Oops! It's under "Home Fries" starting 9:00 p.m.
ReplyDeleteJ.
Bill: I like this Vox call-and-response action. And the Zap Mama track has a lot of flavor. Thanks for putting it up.
ReplyDelete