Cat Power and Iggy Pop have joined forces once again for a cover of Marianne Faithfull's cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero," featured on a new benefit album called The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull, the proceeds of which are going to support Faithfull as she struggles with long COVID.
Faithfull's rendition of "Working Class Hero" — from 1979's seminal Broken English — is the defining version of the song IMO, so Chan Marshall and Iggy Pop take it totally sideways rather than try to capture its ice-cracking intensity.
Over what sounds like a sample of U2's "With or Without You," Marshall warbles and lurches under some twitchy Auto-Tune, and Pop uses his deep, end-times groan to pull the whole thing into the dark. It's a strange cover, but the strangeness feels in line with Faithfull's rebellious spirit.
In a statement about the song, Marshall said:
Marianne has lived a life!! She is a queen to all who know her, and all who adore her! Her framework of contributions to the world of music is unmistakable! Every time I hear her gorgeous vocal sway, I am moved, I am closer to permanence. In a world of dizzying, new fizzling arrows of song and voices, Marianne has always struck the bullseye of my heart and soul. I adore her like no other. A true Dame, beyond words. Royalty forever.
The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull — which features original artwork by Jill Emery — includes 19 cover songs from artists like Shirley Manson, Peaches, Lydia Lunch, Tanya Donelly, Bush Tetras and more. The full album will be available to stream on December 8, with special edition vinyl variants available for pre-order.
"The thing about being an icon or a muse is that it doesn't pay the bills — even if you have over 50 records under your belt," said Tanya Pearson, founder of Women of Rock Oral History Project. "Even if you were the It Girl of the swinging sixties. Even if you're Marianne Faithfull."
The last time Iggy Pop and Cat Power collaborated was on "Nothin But Time," from Cat Power's 2012 album Sun.
Listen to their cover below.
Faithfull's rendition of "Working Class Hero" — from 1979's seminal Broken English — is the defining version of the song IMO, so Chan Marshall and Iggy Pop take it totally sideways rather than try to capture its ice-cracking intensity.
Over what sounds like a sample of U2's "With or Without You," Marshall warbles and lurches under some twitchy Auto-Tune, and Pop uses his deep, end-times groan to pull the whole thing into the dark. It's a strange cover, but the strangeness feels in line with Faithfull's rebellious spirit.
In a statement about the song, Marshall said:
Marianne has lived a life!! She is a queen to all who know her, and all who adore her! Her framework of contributions to the world of music is unmistakable! Every time I hear her gorgeous vocal sway, I am moved, I am closer to permanence. In a world of dizzying, new fizzling arrows of song and voices, Marianne has always struck the bullseye of my heart and soul. I adore her like no other. A true Dame, beyond words. Royalty forever.
The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull — which features original artwork by Jill Emery — includes 19 cover songs from artists like Shirley Manson, Peaches, Lydia Lunch, Tanya Donelly, Bush Tetras and more. The full album will be available to stream on December 8, with special edition vinyl variants available for pre-order.
"The thing about being an icon or a muse is that it doesn't pay the bills — even if you have over 50 records under your belt," said Tanya Pearson, founder of Women of Rock Oral History Project. "Even if you were the It Girl of the swinging sixties. Even if you're Marianne Faithfull."
The last time Iggy Pop and Cat Power collaborated was on "Nothin But Time," from Cat Power's 2012 album Sun.
Listen to their cover below.
