fluffmoln wrote:Nice to see Neil working with some of the people he's obviously met in Berlin. Alva Noto (one of the two guys in Diamond Version, and by coincidence an architect student) has a great pedigree, especially his work with Ryuichi Sakamoto. I really like this.
Alva Noto and Byetone aka Carsten Nicolai and Olaf Bender make up Diamond Version. I bet Mr Bender's name gave Chris a bit of a chortle.
My Dad is a Church of England priest and I was raised as a Christian, but largely live a secular life out of choice these days.
I checked out other versions of ''Were You There?'' before playing the Diamond Version track. A gospel performer such as Marion Williams is likely to make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck even today even on purely musical grounds. Her religious conviction I think can be in no doubt.
I am not nearly so keen on Diamond Version's version , but no doubt they had their reasons for choosing that song and Neil does a good job with the vocal.
Sage wrote:
Why did he agree to do it? Given the amount of homophobia associated with Christianity it seems odd to me.
Considering Neil's devout Catholic background, and the fact that he's incorporated serious religious themes into other tunes (see: "It's a sin", "Searching for the face of Jesus", "Birthday Boy", and that "Joseph, Better You Than Me" collaboration he did a few years ago...), I don't think it's odd at all. Someone on this forum once theorised that Neil is probably still Catholic to the core, and I gotta say, there's a lot of evidence to support that notion. There are plenty of gay Christians out there, too.
And everything about tonight feels right and so young
And anything I'd want to say out loud will be sung
It's in the music...
territorygal wrote:Someone on this forum once theorised that Neil is probably still Catholic to the core
I think the same, to some extent. Who knows, had Neil been born in an earlier century, he might have chosen to be a priest - and becoming a Pope in the end, of course!!
Nice little tune, love how it drones on and have it stuck on repeat since I first heard it (two hours ago). Like it, really sounds great on a proper system (subwoofer is an obligation!) and Neil's vocal is nice and soothing.
In comparison to other versions, e.g. Johnny Cash, Marion Williams, Willie Nelson, this version to me just works, it's got a rhythm, something to "hold on to" and it just flows. No need in my opinion for over-dramaticizing vocals or else.
That’s the thing about negative energy, about hatred. It can be positive. It throws into relief all the things you know you like. It tells you, by elimination, what you’re about. Sometimes you can only define yourself by what you hate. Hatred becomes an inspiration; it makes you think, “What I’m doing now I totally believe in, and I don’t care what other people say.” Guided by hatred, you don’t have to follow the herd. - Neil Tennant
Sage wrote:Really didn't expect an Easter song from Neil when I went to check the forum today.
This song is a bit embarrassing.
Why did he agree to do it? Given the amount of homophobia associated with Christianity it seems odd to me.
Nice as a little oddity though.
"Were You There?" is a deeply American, deeply African-American, spiritual. It's more of a Good Friday song than an Easter song. Probably the most noted Protestant hymn for Good Friday, which is typically observed more by Catholics than Protestants, at least in America (perhaps only rivaled by The Old Rugged Cross and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross). What I find most interesting about this is that Neil's vocals seem to try to make it sound a little more poppy and less Gospel, and obviously the background is divorcing the song from its origins.
Rock and electronica both have long histories of re-casting, re-appropriating, reinventing, secularizing Gospel songs. I'd be interested to know what the story on it was.
territorygal wrote:Someone on this forum once theorised that Neil is probably still Catholic to the core
I think the same, to some extent. Who knows, had Neil been born in an earlier century, he might have chosen to be a priest - and becoming a Pope in the end, of course!!
We may have had:
New York City (Choir) Boy
You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You Pray
I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Confess it Anymore
Dreaming of the Pontiff
West End Nuns
whoa....did a double take when I heard those lyrics coming out of neils mouth, I think its an amazing track and also agree great timing!I will have to look up more by this group.
even though I know its not there is a certain PSB vibe to it, one of their slower dark tracks
That’s the thing about negative energy, about hatred. It can be positive. It throws into relief all the things you know you like. It tells you, by elimination, what you’re about. Sometimes you can only define yourself by what you hate. Hatred becomes an inspiration; it makes you think, “What I’m doing now I totally believe in, and I don’t care what other people say.” Guided by hatred, you don’t have to follow the herd. - Neil Tennant
