Our 2,000th post! 
Welcome back, readers to Under Cover: Annie Lennox. Some kids played with Barbie and Ken dolls, dreaming up scenarios of them living together as husband and wife in the Barbie dream house. But if you were like me, you used to fantasize about David Bowie and Annie Lennox teaming up and becoming the most badass husband and wife music team since, well, no one? Ever the rock and roll match-maker, I always thought they belonged together. I mean, both are legendary blue-eyed soul singers, British, dynamic stage performers, the de facto King and Queen of androgyny, and are practically gay icons for LGBT music lovers everywhere. They sang duets together (although not nearly as often as I’d have liked), they could have easily shared clothes, applied each other’s make-up and provided each other with fashion tips… so why didn’t it happen!? Alas, it wasn’t in the stars and I realized long ago that it was just another musical fantasy I had to tuck away in my hope chest. But whether or not David Bowie is by her side, Annie Lennox is still one of the most exciting female singers and one of my personal favorites. Whether she’s begging “Why?” or “Walking On Broken Glass”, this Diva is “Honestly” a tribute to music “Womankind” and I would rather look Medusa in the eye before giving up her unique discography. I know Annie said “No More I Love You’s” but I can’t apologize for loving her so much when clearly it’s all her fault!
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.The Lover Speaks – “No More I Love You’s” (original 1986)
I’m usually a huge fan of British new wave, but The Lover Speaks‘ original version of “No More I Love You’s” is slightly irritating and unremarkable at best. The male vocals are grandiose and dramatic in the vein of a cheap Erasure imitation, the tempo is slow and unmoving and stagnant, and even the saving grace – the female background singer with her do-do-do-do-do-ohh’s – can’t seem to to wake this song up from its overwhelmingly languid manner. I’m not quite sure what they’re trying to sell here, but I sure as hell ain’t sold on anything. Lead singer David Freeman alone sings in a less than compelling style that may mesh well with the overall monotonous sound yet still makes the listener feel like he doesn’t even want to be there. This version doesn’t exactly save the Queen… instead, it puts her to sleep.
.Annie Lennox – “No More I Love You’s” (cover, 1995)
Wow! Leave it to Miss Lennox to make a diamond out of a lump of coal. She took the limp original and completely breathed fresh new life into this cover tune that is quite simply a musical triumph. Her operatic vocals soar above the music, the background vocals are soft, innocent, and pure, and she manages to communicate the beautiful lyrics a zillion times better than the original by virtue of the fact that you can actually hear what she’s saying. Plus, her vocal delivery is so genuine, sincere, and aurally pleasing that it only matches the simple message of this love song gone awry. And when she sings “No more I love youuuuuuu’s, the language is leaving me in silence” you actually can tell she means it. The originally could barely create a single goosebump, but this song gives me chill upon chill everytime I hear it.
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.Neil Young – “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” (original 1970)
Gotta love a song called “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” that actually has a way of bringing you down whenever you listen to it. Neil Young would be the genius behind this bluesy rock anthem for anyone in the throes of cognitive dissonance. This song is downtrodden and mellow, manages to be therapeutic while simultaneously perpetuating the blues, and just sways back and forth like a couple slow dancing. While Young’s vocals always sound stung out and strained, he manages to lull listeners into this lingering state of listlessness and ennui that almost seems like a desirable destination. But don’t get excited- the song starts and ends in the same somber place with no resolution in sight. I can’t stand this track as much as I actually kinda sorta of love it. It’s the perfect musical paradox.
.Annie Lennox – “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” (1995)
Some of you may recognize this track from that climactic scene in American Beauty when Kevin Spacey‘s character almost succumbs to the temptation of his 16 year old daughter’s best friend (Mena Suvari), who just so happens to turn this song on the stereo. I absolutely love Lennox’s creative attempt to revamp Neil Young’s sullen version into something that starts of decidedly blue but somehow manages to end on a positive note. The synth is full-bodied, moody, and definitely contributes to this overall feeling of tension and heaviness, yet her vocals almost sound like tiny churps that take the listener to a place beyond the gloom. I like how the music swells and the background vocalists fill out the song as Lennox comes at you with much more fortitude as the song progresses. This cover version is the kind of mood music that helps listeners lose the ‘tude. Keep them coming, Annie!
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