Eddie Vedder – “Ukulele Songs” (2022 Re-Issue) (Released 6th May 2022)

Description

//UMC/Island//

£27.99 – 1xLP

The first pressing of Eddie Vedder’s ukulele songs on vinyl since the initial release in 2011.

Eddie Vedder’s second studio album, including 16 original songs & new arrangements of classic standards. featuring a number of songs that Vedder penned and first played live, ukulele songs also includes a ukulele version of pearl jam’s 2002 track “can’t keep” and guest vocalists on two tracks: Glen Hansard on “sleepless nights” and cat power on “tonight you belong to me.” Ukulele songs comprises a fine mixture of original material penned by Vedder that he initially performed live, alongside vintage classics and standards. a recast, uke-driven version of “can’t keep,” which originally appeared as the opening track on pearl jam’s hard-charging November 2002 album riot act, opens the proceedings, while newer-bred original songs like the resigned lament of “sleeping by myself,” the charming love orbit of “satellite,” the hopeful brightness of “light today,” and the instrumental interlude “waving palms” all set the table for the 35-minute album. guest vocalists appear on a pair of key ukulele tracks, both of them fine covers of notable standards.

First, Glen Hansard (the frames, once) adds his Irish folk DNA to “sleepless nights,” which was written by Felice and Boudreaux Bryant and remade by the Everly brothers in 1960, in addition to later being covered by the likes of Emmylou Harris, patty loveless, and Elvis Costello. Second, cat power lends her passionate tone to “tonight you belong to me,” a jazz standard written in 1926 by lyricist billy rose and composer lee david. this track has also been subsequently covered by the likes of Frankie Laine, patience and prudence, and Dottie West. Versions of “you belong to me” were also recently featured in the acclaimed 2019 film drama blackbird and in an episode of the 2020 HBO horror-drama series Lovecraft country. The lp’s other noteworthy covers include stirring takes on billy rose and Edward Eliscu’s “more than you know,” Michael Edwards and bud green’s “once in a while,” and the album-closing reading of Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, and Gus Kahn’s “dream a little dream.”

Tracklisting:

can’t keep
sleeping by myself
without you
more than you know
goodbye
broken heart
satellite
longing to belong
hey fahkah
you’re true
light today
sleepless nights
once in a while
waving palms
tonight you belong to me
dream a little dream