Never enough Duffy Stuff

Here are 2 really cool covers by Duffy. 

The first is on an awesome new cover album called WAR CHILD - HEROES volume 1.  It's a charity album with proceeds going to help children around the world affected by war.  

15 rock icons pick a younger artist to cover one of their favorite songs.  Cool concept.  Sir Paul McCartney picked Duffy to cover LIVE AND LET DIE.  The album also has covers by Lily Allen (covering The Clash), Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson), Franz Ferdinand (Blondie), and many more!

I first heard the soul song CRY TO ME on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.  Actually it was on the "More Dirty Dancing - Additional Music from the Film" soundtrack.  My sister and I each got one of the soundtracks on cassette for Christmas 1987.  She received the original, but I really wanted the additional music because it contained the pivital song KELLERMAN'S ANTHEM ...which I would perform in my bedroom!   It did also have some great 60's soul tunes, such as this classic by Solomon Burke.  The song was actually used during the climactic scene where Baby is far from being "put in the corner."  During this scene she starts to do the "horizontal tango" with shirtless dance instructor Johnny Castle.  

Here is Duffy's live take on CRY TO ME! 

Does that make her CRAZY (awesome)? ...possibly!

LOVE THIS!!

That Gnarls Barkley cover of CRAZY is by British Soul Diva ALICE RUSSELL.... check out her wonderful new album POT OF GOLD.  Great great cd!  I really love the "60's Soul Revival"  (Amy Winehouse/Duffy/Joss Stone) that has been happening the past few years.

Here's another song HURRY ON DOWN.

She also did a cover a couple years back of The White Stripes' hit SEVEN NATION ARMY with the group Nostalgia 77.

Puttin' on the Brits

Once again British gals are rockin' the music scene.  No I'm not referring to the Spice Girls.  (Though I must admit I once made a Spice Rack out of Spice Girl figurines that was oh so VERY cool!) 

No,  I'm talking about 3 new gals just hitting (or about to hit) US airwaves.

First up is Leona Lewis.  She won "The X Factor" (The british version of American Idol produced by Simon Cowell.)  She has a great pop sound.  I would recommend her to fans of Mariah Carey... or fans of early Mariah Carey (when she had more range to her voice and more material to her dresses.)

Here's a clip of Leona's first single "Bleeding Love" from her debut album "Spirit."

The next two are being hailed as the "New Amy's"  (as in Amy Winehouse.)  I personally love them both.  And they seem a little more stable than Ms. Rehab.

Adele (now 20) recorded her debut album "19" when she was.... wait for it..... 19!  Here is a cool video of "Chasing Pavements"

Finally we have "Duffy."  If you are over Winehouse's stuff-y try Duffy!  Sorry... enough-y!

Seriously, there are some major similarites.  Duffy's first single "Mercy" definitely has a "Rehab" vibe.  In the musical intro she even sings "Yeah, yeah, yeah" instead of "No, no, no."  I REALLY dig the song though.  I actually really like the whole album (I've been listening to the U.K. import version.) Her whole album "Rockferry" comes out May 13 in the US for a pretty low price.  "Mercy" is available now as a single on i-tunes.

Here's the video for Mercy.

There you are.... 3 musical British Babes.

I would also like to give a musical shout out to 2 other great UK gals...  Lily Allen and Kate Nash.  Their albums are full of fun melodies and "cheeky" lyrics.