Fantasy covers
Christopher Owens picks his own beyond-the-grave dream covers… plus Beyoncé
In anticipation of his second solo album release next week, we’ve invited singer-songwriter and Girls founder Christopher Owens to take over HERO online. Over the coming days, watch out for exclusive content and insights into the San Francisco based musician’s influences, experiences and obsessions…
You’d be hard beat to find an interview with Christopher Owens in which he doesn’t rave about his music idols. Owens influences are deep rooted to honest songwriting (Randy Newman’s influence cuts across many of his tunes), grassroots country and RnB (Buck Owens is a favourite) and gospel, so intrinsically that he says you’re more likely to find Mandy Moore in his record collection than country contemporaries like Ryan Adams.
“There’s this great guy, Lawrence, who was a singer and songwriter in a band called Felt who sing this song called All The People I Like Are Those That Are Dead [laughs]. I don’t like to think like that but it’s one of those lines where I know what he’s talking about. I could make you a great list right now of people I’d like to cover songs but they’d all be either dead or way too old. There was a time when I wrote a song and had Taylor Swift in mind to sing it, but now… I mean, I’d never. Like, back when she was singing songs like Teardrops On My Guitar or Stephen, White Horse, those country ballads, but yeah she’s changed.”
Here, Owens curates his own fantasy playlist of artists on the other side, plus two or three more superstars who are alive and kicking.
Stephen, covered by Mahalia Jackson
“She’d be incredible singing this,” says Owens.
Saying I Love You, covered by The Everly Brothers
My Ma, covered by Chris Bell
Magic, covered by The Kinks
“It would be been so great to hear them cover this.”
Broken Dreams Club, covered by Elliott Smith
“Elliott Smith singing Broken Dreams Club would be awesome.”
Solitude, covered by Chet Baker
Love Life, covered by Lou Reed
“I tried to copy his vocals, so he might has well have sung it!” [laughs]
Thee Oh So Protective One, covered by David Bowie
“I had him in mind when I was writing it. He could do it better than I could.”
Alright, covered by Matt Fishbeck
“This song was really influenced by my time playing with Holy Shit and the way they sounded. I’d love to hear Matt Fishbeck cover it.”
Love Like A River, covered by Beyoncé
“I would love to hear Beyoncé sing this. When I wrote it I could hear that type of vocal and she’s the best around for that. She could make it so much better than it is.”