As the world was told to stay in and stand still, we turned to things that bring us a sense of nostalgia. If there’s any modern singer who can still bring a sense of the past, it’s Lana Del Rey.
“One of these mornings/You’re going to rise up singing”
‘Summertime The Gershwin Version’, a cover of the 1935 classic, celebrates Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic orchestras. Del Rey raises awareness and encourages her fans to fund to LA’s Play Your Part and NY’s Play On groups. It is no secret how hard the events and music industry industry has been hit by the Coronavirus pandemic.
An ode to live music
On Twitter, Del Rey comments, “I’m so happy to have recorded this song to support the wonderful arts institutions that are the LA and NY Philharmonic orchestras that have faced such difficult challenges this year.. I’ll be donating to both to support them and loved making this video I hope you like it”
‘Summertime’ is a timeless classic that has been covered 25,000 times. Del Rey has put her own twist on it with her trademark sad-girl vocals, almost a nod to the sorrowful atmosphere of 2020 and the lost summer wishes. Her voice is accompanied by 3 soulful backup singers who add a bluesy tone to the track with her acoustic band flowing through.
Summer Days
“It is a song everyone knows from each generation and proves that really, music doesn’t age. It just adapts.”
That hazy, jazzy sound that ‘Summertime The Gershwin Version’ offers reminds me of sunny afternoons, maybe after a day of sitting in a beer garden, feeling a bit sleepy but content with where you are. But then there is the reminder of the affect the pandemic has had on the music and events industry. At the start of the music video, in retro style writing over a grainy image, it is stated that “the gang” all had Covid tests before getting together to perform. To even get a band in the same room now is almost impossible but Del Rey proves, with this cover, why the industry needs support. Music brings people together. It conjures up emotion, memories and daydreams.
At first glance, releasing ‘Summertime The Gershwin Version’ in November seems a little out of place, especially as here in Scotland it hasn’t stopped raining for about 5 days and gets dark at 3. The more I listen to it though, the more I realise it is more of a love letter to performing and music. In the video, Del Rey shows off her powerful lungs. With belts and smiles as she performs in the “hideout”, a more relaxed side to her we haven’t seen before. Maybe because she knows this will be the last time in a while she will get to do this as her latest album Chemtrails Over Country Club has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is a song everyone knows from each generation and proves that really, music doesn’t age. It just adapts.
You can listen to Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime The Gershwin Version’ via Universal Music Operations Limited
Katie Williams
Featured Image courtesy of Julian Myles on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to the image.