Here is the world premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s first music video to “Falling Down,” off her debut studio album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head”.
The cover song, which has David Bowie also on vocals, is originally on Tom Waits‘ album “Big Time”.
The album is set for release through Atco/Rhino Records on May 20. Watch the music video below or click here to view!
The promotion for Scarlett’s album “Anywhere I Lay My Head”, to be released May 20, 2008, seems to be in full speed now and several promotional websites have opened this past week. Be sure to check out Scarlett over at ScarlettAlbum.com, MySpace and Imeem. You can listen to her songs and podcast, browse pics and download her first single, “Falling Down”. Make sure to spread the word on her music!
Big thanks to everyone who emailed and posted about these!
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Check out the newly released cover for Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head”. Reports People.com:
She’s calling her debut album “Anywhere I Lay My Head” – and it looks like Scarlett Johansson is taking a literal approach to her album art. Due May 20, the album features covers of alternative troubadour Tom Waits’s music, plus one original composition. Johansson was joined in the studio by David Bowie, who lends guest vocals on “Falling Down” and “Fannin Street.” Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, the album marks the actress’s recording debut. And Sitek does double duty. A label rep confirms he snapped the cover photo, taken in Louisiana, where they recorded the disc.
What do you think of the cover? Feel free to post your comments!
GALLERY LINKS:
- “Anywhere I Lay My Head”: Album Covers
As a rule, we’re as suspicious of actors making records as we are of, well, rock stars appearing in movies. But Scarlett Johansson’s previous, if brief, forays into music have at least demonstrated both flashes of talent and an unnerring grasp of cool. There’s an abiding memory of her in a pink wig singing karaoke to The Pretenders’ “Bass In Pocket” in Lost In Translation, or seen in fuzzy Youtube clips providing backing vocals for “Just Like Honey” at the Jesus & Mary Chain’s comeback show at last year’s Coachella festival. She also recorded the Geshwin standard “Summertime” for a US compilation and even starred in a Bob Dylan video, “When The Deal Goes Down…”, to support his Modern Times album.
Now she’s recorded her debut, an album of Tom Waits’ covers (and one self-penned track), produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek and featuring guest spots by Yeah Yeah Yeah’s guitarist Nick Zinner and, on two songs, David Bowie, with whom she co-starred in Christopher Nolan’s movie, The Prestige. Although the songs here run as far back as 1976, most of them actually come from the later part of Waits’ career; only one song pre-dating 1983’s Swordfishtrombones.
Here, then, is our track by track preview at what you can expect…
TRACK BY TRACK: Scarlett Johansson: Anywhere I Lay My Head
1. “Fawn”
(Taken from Tom Waits’ 2002 album, Alice)
A bit of a cheat, this, as it’s an instrumental track. But, it does efficiently set out the album’s sonic template – loosely, late period Cocteau Twins, with touches of Mercury Rev’s Deserter’s Songs and Marianne Faithfull. A gentle organ intro before a wave of brass comes crashing in, then straight into…
2. “Town With No Cheer”
(Swordfishtrombones, 1983)
Scarlett privileges the storytelling aspect of Waits’ original, recalling here Marianne Faithfull as she half-sings, half-speaks the lyrics. Waits’ version is pretty sparse – just his voice recounting the lyrics accompanied by keyboard and accordion. Initially, this version doesn’t stray too much from that: the backing is organ, and keyboards with the occasional burst of guitar, but gradually Sitek layers on sax and drums and pushes the organ further up in the mix.
A promotional photoshoot has been released for Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head”, due out in May. I think the shoot is absolutely fantastic and Scarlett looks very natural, yet simply radiant. Be sure to check out the stunning pics!
GALLERY LINKS:
- Anywhere I Lay My Head Photoshoot
David Bowie has spoken about his work on Scarlett Johansson’s debut album, a collection of covers of Tom Waits songs.
The rock legend added backing vocals to two tracks on “Anywhere I Lay My Head” – ‘Falling Down’ and ‘Fannin’ Street’.
Posting on his official site BowieNet, the singer said: “The songs are great, really good Tom Waits stuff, and Scarlett’s performances are mystical and twice cool. She creates a mood that could have been summoned by someone like Margery Latimer or Jeanette Winterson.”
However, the veteran artist played down his contributions to the record, saying: “I’ve seen the press on this and I suppose the record company wanted to spin my involvement a little more than it actually warrants. All I contribute are these oo’s and ah’s on a couple of tracks.
A quick update for today. The Telegraph published a great new interview with Scarlett regarding her album. You can read it here. Check out this funny quote:
“I first realised I was a sexual being listening to David Bowie, like, oh my God, what are these tingling feelings?”, she giggles self-consciously, then adds, “I mean, when I was young” to quell speculation about late-night studio sessions.
I’ve added many new shots to the The Other Boleyn Girl press conference album. Big thanks to nolarice for some of these!
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The press archive has been updated with three new articles, two from USA Today and the third from ComingSoon.net. Like the recently added Cinema Blend interview, the ComingSoon.net one is also from the Boleyn press conference so it contains some comments you may have read before. There’s also some additional quotes that were not published by Cinema Blend, such as Scarlett and Natalie discussing The Horse Whisperer. A very interesting read! In these articles Scarlett also confirms that Mary Queen of Scots will be her next movie.
• The Other Boleyn Girl: Natalie vs Scarlett!
• ‘Boleyn’ girls Portman, Johansson share a sisterhood thing
• More from the ‘Boleyn’ girls
Here’s an interesting quote from Scarlett regarding her upcoming album. Speaking of, I’ve updated the music page with additional info on “Anywhere I Lay My Head”.
Johansson, meanwhile, has an album of Tom Waits covers out in May. With her distinctive husky voice, Johansson relished getting into the studio and isn’t worried whether the album tops the charts.
“How it does is ineffective for me. You can’t reverse the process,” Johansson says. “The people I care about are very excited about it. Who knows? I don’t have any kind of expectation. I love to sing.”
Last but not least, I’ve added a beautiful pic of Scarlett and Natalie. This came along the USA Today article and it was taken at the press conference.
GALLERY LINKS:
- Photoshoots: USA Today
Scarlett Johansson unveiled her debut album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head,” for journalists today (Feb. 12) at New York’s Joe’s Pub. As previously reported, the album includes 10 Tom Waits covers and one original (“Song for Jo”), and will be released May 20 via Atco/Rhino.
“Anywhere” was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, who told the crowd he was going for a “cough medicine/Tinker Bell” vibe, sound-wise. David Bowie, whom Johansson met a party just prior to beginning work on the album, lends his distinctive vocals to the tracks “Falling Down” and “Fannin’ Street,” while Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner and members of the band Celebration contribute throughout.
Johansson said she initially considered making an album of standards, but that the project slowly morphed into a Waits-dominated affair. “His melodies are so beautiful and his voice is so distinct,” she said.
The result, according to Johansson, has met with the notoriously persnickety Waits’ approval. “I sent him some of the early, early recordings, and he said, ‘Go ahead,’” she said. “I’ve heard he’s very pleased.”
