|
Lee’s last
recording!
Lee Hazlewoods final recording will be released on December 10th,
2007 but you can hear it now on his myspace profile. Please feel
free to add it to your own profile and to spread the word. The
song, titled 'Hilli
(At The Top Of The World)', is a collaboration between Lee
and Iceland's amiina, who released their debut album Kurr
in June 2007.
Lee was recorded at his home in Las Vegas shortly before his
78th birthday in July, only weeks before he passed away. The
tracks were then passed on to amiina, who adapted the
original version of Hilli to suit Lee's vocals and the text.
It was played in public for the very first time at his Memorial
Party in Phoenix a month after his death. The lyrics are written by Wyndham Wallace.
At the top of the world there’s an island
A place where the sun never shines
But the people don’t care
Because the snow over there
Is so bright they nearly go blind.
They live at the foot of a mountain
Where the flowers last hardly a day
But they live off the land,
Lend each other a hand
On this island where night is their day.
They’d have punished me if I dared tell you,
And if I asked them they’d say they don’t know,
But what keeps them healthy
Even though they’re not wealthy
On this magical island… is snow.
The flakes as they fall look like candy
Children rush out when it snows for a treat
Then they open their mouths
And gulp down the flakes
Because nothing on earth tastes so sweet.
But then one dark day
Smoke blew in their way
And the temperatures got higher
On the horizon they saw fire
And the waters did rise
As the snow started melting away.
And the people weren’t tearful
Not fearful or scared
Because the secret was out there,
At last,
The secret was shared.
They watched as the ice turned to water
And streamed down into the sea
And lit up the ocean
And crept in slow motion
Towards a world that they never did see
And people in lands round the planet
Were in shock as the light came to shore
And lit up their beaches
And even their teachers
Couldn’t say what the bright light was for.
It flowed upstream through the mountains
Burst out through their fountains
Breaking all life’s natural laws
‘Til it lit up the planet
And all who lived on it
Were touched by this magical force.
And they looked all around
At the sky, at the ground
And they realised the damage they’d done
As they started to cry
Their tears filled the sky
And black storm clouds gathered above
And then the heavens opened
And the rain came to show them
That their world needs a little more love.
At the top of the world there’s an island
A place where the sun never shines
But the people don’t care
Because the snow over there
Is so bright that the sun’s in their mind.
|
|
Final CD album by
Lee
Lee Hazlewoods final album was released by the recently founded
BPX1992 label on
December 4th, 2006 (and was released in the US, Australia
and Japan by Ever Records
on January 23rd, 2007). 'Cake or Death' – a reference
to Hazlewood's comic hero Eddie Izzard - is the title of what
Lee has declared will be his swan song, thirteen songs that he
wishes to bequeath to the world before he returns to the shadows
out of which he was dragged in the ‘90s, following his rediscovery
by an extraordinary range of contemporary artists such as Beck,
Pulp, Sonic Youth and Nick Cave.
A CD/vinyl single with the titles 'Baghdad knights'/'T.O.M. (The
old man)' was issued on the same date.
Like all of his albums, 'Cake or Death' refuses to compromise
Lee's own musical choices for any reason, and the result is an
exceptional record that draws together various strands of his
life in a magical, unforgettable way. Rather than pull together
a self indulgent list of admirers with whom to collaborate, Lee
has assembled a cast of musicians with whom he has previously
worked, promised to work, or wanted to work. Full of Lee's trademark
drama, sentiment, lyrical trickery, subtle politics (check the
incredible Baghdad Knights and the wry Anthem), ribald roguery,
dry wit and unforgettable melodies it’s a fabulous curtain
call that, with its final song 'T.O.M.' ('The old man'), will
not leave a dry eye in the house. 
'Cake or Death' sees Lee record the original, far spookier version
(as much as he remembers, he jokes) of 'These boots were made
for walkin'' with Duane Eddy and Richard Bennett (Neil Diamond’s
guitarist); he co-writes two songs with the late Al Casey, an
old pal who has recorded with The Beach Boys, The Carpenters,
Frank & Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, Duane Eddy and Lee himself
(to name but a few); he’s joined by Scandinavia’s number
one jazz singer Ann-Kristin Hedmark – “I like him and
he’s funny”, she jokes in her defence; lifelong friend
Tommy Parsons is given the spotlight on his own 'She’s gonna
break some heart' – “he literally saved my life some
time ago,” Lee explains, “so this is a promise given
and a promise kept”; and 'Some velvet morning' is reprised
memorably by none other than Hazlewood’s grand daughter
Phaedra Dawn Stewart – “Who says nepotism is dead?”,
Lee insists. And there’s more. A trip to Berlin led to two
further collaborations: Bela B, renowned actor and member of
Germany’s legendary Die Ärtzte, fulfilled a lifetime’s
ambition with his contribution 'Lee Hazlewood & the last
song of the day' – “there is a studio god,” Lee
believes, “and his name is Bela B”. Bela in turn  introduced Lee to
the more secretive Lula, whose charming vocals were perfect for
'Nothing'.
Naturally, though, at the heart of the entire album lies Lee
Hazlewood, displaying all of the charm and talent that has made
him one of the most namechecked and influential artists in rock
and roll history. It’s one hell of a swansong. The man has
never done things by halves.
For over half a century, Lee has proven himself to be one of
the most ingenious, inspired and impressively stubborn sons-of-a-bitch
the music industry has ever seen. His career – a word that
Lee himself would scorn – has seen him take on almost every
aspect of the music industry – a word that Lee Hazlewood
himself would choke on – and come out on top every time.
His music has continued to become more and more fashionable,
regularly turning up in films as diverse as The Dukes Of Hazzard
– which saw Jessica Simpson perform 'These boots were made
for walking' for the title track – and the arthouse flick
Morvern Callar – which used 'Some velvet morning' to great
effect.
(Visit BPX1992 and/or
www.myspace.com/leehazlewood
The 'Boots' session for Lee's
new album in Nashville (Thanks to Tony Borgosano) |
Rhino compilation album of Lee's
Reprise recordings
