Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines, was renowned for her extravagance, and her spending habits resulted in the country incurring billions of dollars of debt during her husband's 20 years in power.
Back in the spring, David Byrne and Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) revealed that they were working on a collaborative concept album about Marcos's life, detailing her rise from poverty to becoming the country's most powerful woman. Now, the details of the project, entitled Here Lies Love, have finally been released.
Here Lies Love is a double album, featuring 22 tracks, with almost every song featuring a different guest vocalist. The star-studded line-up includes (take a deep breath) Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine), St. Vincent, Tori Amos, Martha Wainwright, Steve Earle, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Pierson (the B-52's), Santigold, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Sharon Jones and Natalie Merchant, among others. Byrne contributes vocals to two tracks.
The songs will involve Imelda reflecting on key events in her life, and will also touch on her relationship with Estrella Cumpas, a nanny who played an important role in many key moments of the first lady's life. According to a message posted on Byrne's official website, he explains that "The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person - what makes them tick?"
The album will be released on February 23 via Todomundo/Nonesuch. Naturally, given the lavish spending habits of the album's protagonist, the two-CD package will also include a DVD, plus a 100-page book.
Here Lies Love:
Disc 1:
1. "Here Lies Love" (ft. Florence Welch)
2. "Every Drop of Rain" (ft. Candie Payne & St. Vincent)
3. "You'll Be Taken Care Of" (ft. Tori Amos)
4. "The Rose of Tacloban" (ft. Martha Wainwright)
5. "How Are You?" (ft. Nellie McKay)
6. "A Perfect Hand" (ft. Steve Earle)
7. "Eleven Days" (ft. Cyndi Lauper)
8. "When She Passed By" (ft. Allison Moorer)
9. "Walk Like a Woman" (ft. Charmaine Clamor)
10. "Don't You Agree?" (ft. Róisín Murphy)
11. "Pretty Face" (ft. Camille)
12. "Ladies in Blue" (ft. Theresa Andersson)
Disc 2:
1. "Dancing Together" (ft. Sharon Jones)
2. "Men Will Do Anything" (ft. Alice Russel
3. "The Whole Man" (ft. Kate Pierson)
4. "Never So Big" (ft. Sia)
5. "Please Don't" (ft. Santigold)
6. "American Troglodyte"
7. "Solano Avenue" (ft. Nicole Atkins)
8. "Order 1081" (ft. Natalie Merchant)
9. "Seven Years" (ft. Shara Worden)
10. "Why Don't You Love Me?" (ft. Cyndi Lauper & Tori Amos)
Back in the spring, David Byrne and Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) revealed that they were working on a collaborative concept album about Marcos's life, detailing her rise from poverty to becoming the country's most powerful woman. Now, the details of the project, entitled Here Lies Love, have finally been released.
Here Lies Love is a double album, featuring 22 tracks, with almost every song featuring a different guest vocalist. The star-studded line-up includes (take a deep breath) Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine), St. Vincent, Tori Amos, Martha Wainwright, Steve Earle, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Pierson (the B-52's), Santigold, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Sharon Jones and Natalie Merchant, among others. Byrne contributes vocals to two tracks.
The songs will involve Imelda reflecting on key events in her life, and will also touch on her relationship with Estrella Cumpas, a nanny who played an important role in many key moments of the first lady's life. According to a message posted on Byrne's official website, he explains that "The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person - what makes them tick?"
The album will be released on February 23 via Todomundo/Nonesuch. Naturally, given the lavish spending habits of the album's protagonist, the two-CD package will also include a DVD, plus a 100-page book.
Here Lies Love:
Disc 1:
1. "Here Lies Love" (ft. Florence Welch)
2. "Every Drop of Rain" (ft. Candie Payne & St. Vincent)
3. "You'll Be Taken Care Of" (ft. Tori Amos)
4. "The Rose of Tacloban" (ft. Martha Wainwright)
5. "How Are You?" (ft. Nellie McKay)
6. "A Perfect Hand" (ft. Steve Earle)
7. "Eleven Days" (ft. Cyndi Lauper)
8. "When She Passed By" (ft. Allison Moorer)
9. "Walk Like a Woman" (ft. Charmaine Clamor)
10. "Don't You Agree?" (ft. Róisín Murphy)
11. "Pretty Face" (ft. Camille)
12. "Ladies in Blue" (ft. Theresa Andersson)
Disc 2:
1. "Dancing Together" (ft. Sharon Jones)
2. "Men Will Do Anything" (ft. Alice Russel
3. "The Whole Man" (ft. Kate Pierson)
4. "Never So Big" (ft. Sia)
5. "Please Don't" (ft. Santigold)
6. "American Troglodyte"
7. "Solano Avenue" (ft. Nicole Atkins)
8. "Order 1081" (ft. Natalie Merchant)
9. "Seven Years" (ft. Shara Worden)
10. "Why Don't You Love Me?" (ft. Cyndi Lauper & Tori Amos)
