Tag Archives: Back to Black

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Song of the Day #1,771: ‘Back to Black’ – Beyoncé & Andre 3000

beyonce_gatsbyThe most buzzed-about contribution to The Great Gatsby soundtrack is a cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ by Beyoncé and Outkast’s Andre 3000. I guess you can’t have Jay-Z produce your movie’s soundtrack and not hear from his lovely wife.

The cover generated some controversy when Winehouse’s father (who might be drinking as much as his daughter) took to Twitter to complain that Beyoncé recorded the song without his permission and should donate money to the Amy Winehouse Foundation to make up for it. He later retracted the comment and praised Beyoncé but stated that Andre 3000 should have cut his part.

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Song of the Day #223: ‘Just Friends’ – Amy Winehouse

amy_winehouseSticking with producer Mark Ronson, I’ve selected a song from his most celebrated album, Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black.

This was a perfect match of producer and artist, with Ronson’s gift for modernizing old jazz and big band sounds complementing Winehouse’s old-school vocal chops and decidedly contemporary image. I’m not familiar with Winehouse’s first album, but I’m guessing this is a case where a producer is integral to an album’s success.

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Song of the Day #143: ‘You Know I’m No Good’ – Amy Winehouse

winehouseNot too long ago, artists who drank and drugged themselves to death were viewed romantically. I mean, there are at least two Janis Joplin films in production as I type. But now it’s a different story. It’s hard to be a figure of dark mystery when you’re on the front page of TMZ every day covered in your own vomit.

Such is the fate of Amy Winehouse, a supremely talented train wreck of a musician who appears hellbent on dying young but without any of the accompanying glamor.

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