The Price of Love…Under the Covers
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By popular demand, I'm trotting out British singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry's stirring, downright hair-raising rendition of the Everly Brothers' song "The Price of Love" to spark your synapses and shake your complacency on what might otherwise be a sedate Sunday.
Actually, the demand was more of a request from estimable MOGger ivylander who recently laid down a noteworthy post on Don and Phil Everly's part in developing the style that came to be known as country-rock. The original 1965 version of the Everlys track - a hit single in the U.K. also included on the harmonizing Kentucky-born siblings' groundbreaking 1966 album In Our Image - was attached to ivy's essay, which provoked me to seek out Ferry's cover from his 1976 album Let's Stick Together.
Ferry - the iconic leader of the eclectic, sophisticated art-rock ensemble Roxy Music - was taking one of his intermittent sabbaticals from the band when he recorded his take on the Everlys' composition.
Marked by his quavery, unmistakable voice, Ferry's early solo work in the 1970s concentrated on unique and sometimes jarring covers of classic tunes: Tin Pan Alley warhorses, R&B chestnuts, Motown hits, and seemingly untouchable signature numbers from the likes of the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan. He proved to be a masterful, if idiosyncratic interpreter.
In keeping with the typical Ferry flair, his swaggering appropriation of "The Price of Love" came complete with a bull-ring trumpet fanfare, Chris Spedding's guitar in full Duane Eddy-twang mode, a bone-rattling rhythm section, castanets, handclaps, and wailing female back-up singers. It's a "wow," by any standards.
The cut, as found on Let's Stick Together, is on the MOG Player. And, as a special treat, the promo video for the song, its tempo slowed a bit for extra sexy-sexy effect, is also here. Note the appearance in the clip of Ferry's paramour at the time - Texan supermodel Jerry Hall, the woman who inspired the bombastic Roxy Music number "Prairie Rose." She's the first beauty you see, and she shows up most of the other babes in the vid. Of course, this was shot before Hall left Ferry for Mick Jagger. But that's one for the gossip-and-tabloid-minded. The price of love, indeed.
Comments (32)
Mike...I almost took a pass on this....Brian Ferry? not so much, u know? But I'm glad i pushed the button. Great track.
Cool, dmdm. It does roar. And there's definitely something to be said for the glam gals haunting the video.
Much different from what I imagined it would be. As lush as the Everlys' version is spare. But by damn, it works. It really works....
The triggerman cometh! Not bad, huh? Thanks for pointing me back to this one, ivy. Like many of Ferry's tracks (with or without Roxy), it's a favorite of mine and stands the test of time.
Have you heard anything from his latest collection of Dylan covers? Got wildly divergent reviews - which is sometimes an indication that a musician is onto something....
I really enjoyed most of the Dylan thing, especially his versions of "Positively 4th Street" and "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues." (I actually did a review of it here at MOG - http://mog.com/Mike_the_Knife/blog/63287). But I'd guess that a certain deadman and Dylan fan would not be so favorably inclined.
Boy that Jerry Hall sure made the rounds eh? Then again, I'm sure Ferry did his fair share as well. The price of fame, for sure. Good song, I'm diggin' it, thx. Always loved his voice but didn't get into Roxy all that much but did enjoy a song from time to time. Early Roxy is so different & rocking from later stuff they did that was so lush, gorgeous & slower paced(which is what I knew). If I'd been turned onto their earlier stuff, well, earlier than this decade I might've been a bigger fan. I have the movie 'Velvet Goldmine' to thank for that.s Oh well, it happens when it happens.
Btw, I just yesterday bought me a new, shiny laptop w/lots of bells & whistles so I'll be around much more now!
Don't generally care for Ferry, so like DMDM, I almost didn't push the button. But, I did, and it was good.
August: Excellent news. It'll certainly be a livelier MOGiverse with your increased presence. As ever, happy to boost a killer track and a fave artist. And that Jerry Hall sure was foxy back in the day.
MusicRX: Verily! 'Twas good!
A most worthy cover
Thanks Mile!
Oh, you got that reference, Mike. Wasn't sure anyone would get that. Verily I say, well done :)
was just readind an article on the upcomming dj hero and thought of you mike. The sound track is going to have a bunch of mash ups on it, a lot done by DJ Spooky to boot. The one that caught my eye, and soon to be ear was the Gorillaz vs. Marvin Gaye. Feel good inc. mixed with heard it through the grapevine..........any chance you got that mike?
inrumford: I am honored by your favorable response, sensei.
MusicRX: Heh, heh.
Rawk: I believe so. I'll try to hunt it up. But be forewarned! I have a far more sinister mash-up in store for my next mashy post.
Don't hold back on them mash-ups Mike! Gotta hear more.
see if you can scare my hair back to its original color
MusicRX: I'm on the case.
Rawk: That's a mighty tall order.
Just got to this.
I'll be the contrarian here- I like a lot of Bryan Ferry- and his willingness to try new things (in more ways than one, I guess) but I'm not into country music- yet he does make it work here with a just touch of the twang.
Nice pick, Mike.
Thx Mike. great to be back! And amen to Jerry being quite a foxy lady.
Fasted: I never thought of the song as as country music per se, especially with the Ferry touch. Too ROCKIN'!!! But I am satified that it struck a chord with you.
August: Were he alive, even Hendrix would acknowledge the young Jerry's foxiness.
Knew you'd pick up on that song reference! Good man. Maybe Hendrix was talking about Jerry!
She'd have been maybe 12 years old at the time. He was a legend, but I don't think he was the Nostradamus of foxiness.
You have a point there. . . .
Nostradamus of Foxiness - now that would be a job title to have on your business card!
This brings back memories of hearing it pumping out of the radio back in the day. Nice!
Jonh: Coincidentally, that is what's on my business card. And I can only imagine what it would've been like hearing this on the car radio while barreling down the M1. If I'm not mistaken, it was originally released in the U.K. on a 4-song EP with some other cool stuff including Ferry's version of Gallagher & Lyle's "Heart on My Sleeve." Choice!
Don't remember the EP (and I might even have it!) but he was very popular with his reworkings of "oldies", several of which became hits alongside the Roxy tunes.
I was wondering how you were so chatty with the ladies....the business card - of course!
Jonh: It was a 7-inch called, creatively enough, Extended Play - and I do believe the title was also a coy sexual reference. For the record (heh), it also included versions of Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame" and The Beatles' "It's Only Love." Oh that Ferry! Loads of chutzpah, but he delivered.
Now I remember it. Good versions of both those songs as well. Thinking back, he and Roxy really dominated the local landscape in those days.
Yep, Roxy and Ferry were gigantic in the U.K. early on, even when they were at their most radical and experimental, but only got heat beyond hip/underground/cult status in the U.S. later in the band's existence with the stately rock elegance and smooth love groove of Avalon. A pity that their most creative stuff didn't strike a chord with more Americans, and I say that as someone who thinks Avalon is one of the most gorgeous albums of the rock era.
I think my favorite Ferry cover is "The In Crowd." Elegance, social commentary, and a guitar solo that will make you poop yourself.
Ah, yes, ivy. The controlled chaos of the amazing Davy O'List on guitar - originally, the fourth member of The Nice, Keith Emerson's band before Emerson, Lake & Palmer. One of my favorite Ferry follies, too. As much as I dig the versions of "The In Crowd" made famous by Dobie Gray and, then, Ramsey Lewis, Ferry's was in a class of its own. I always wondered what Gray and Lewis thought if and when they heard the Ferry cover. They probably did poop themselves.
Late to the party, but hey at least I came...
OMG ok I confess ... I had every Roxy Music album... he was his very own King of Cool back then..lol..
Ah the memories of many a night, most off my face.. being cool with Bryan...
Aw now Im getting all nostalgic... :-)
Always welcome at the soiree, Z.R. - even way past midnight. Speaking of nostalgia, I still do own every Roxy and Ferry album (on vinyl), many on CD, and most of my favorites in mp3 form. Which makes me wary of selling off my vinyl record collection (a current plan) without first cherry-picking the rare and cherished stuff that I don't own on CD. Damn. Another conundrum. Ah well. Think I'll just listen to a few more tunes.