Bon Iver Sings Annie Lennox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1VsGyPYMCs

I would think Annie Lennox’s “Why” would be high on the list of most challenging songs to cover. (Ask Justin Bond.) So, much credit to Justin “Bon Iver” Vernon, who took on the 1992 classic at Brooklyn Vegan’s Haitian benefit concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday.

Besides Lennox’ giant church bell of a voice, the scruffy Wisconsinite had to compete with the original’s lush, miasmic production-the chorus of backing vocal tracks, layers and layers of airy synth, plinkling strings and percussion and piano notes. It’s a lot, and it’s gorgeous. Plus, the song is something of a women’s anthem. And Bon Iver is a guy. So, more power to him for pulling it off. With simple four-piece support from St. Vincent, he threw his falsetto out front and really showed how the beauty of the song comes from the basic chords and melody. He even got the audience to help out on the chorus-”louder,” he kept telling them, “even actually louder now!”-so he could get his Annie on for the song’s signature coda. “This is how I feel! Do you know how I feel? You don’t know I feel!”

It reminds me of when Maxwell covered Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work.” (Cake, on the other hand, gets no credit for playing Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” as a droll joke. Boo.) It takes balls to get up in front of an audience and think like a lady.