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Dandy Warhols Cover 'Blackbird' After Michael Jackson's Death

Posted on Aug 3rd 2009 3:45PM by Dan Reilly

When Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor sang "When Michael Jackson dies/ We're covering Blackbird" on the title track of 2003's 'Welcome to the Monkey House,' he didn't expect to fulfill the promise six years later. Alas, the Portland band just released their version of the Beatles hit just over a month after Jackson's unexpected death at the age of 50. As Taylor-Taylor tells Spinner, "The story is exponentially longer than the song."

"I wrote a very short little song making vague references to how gross the business side of making music is," Taylor-Taylor -- who was upset with the band's label over their critique of 'Monkey House' -- continues. The song includes lines about Elastica being sued by Wire for plagiarism, as well as the line aimed at Jackson. "It was because he had outbid Paul McCartney on Paul McCartney's songs," Taylor-Taylor says. "That's the rudest thing you can possibly do. I guess the difference is Paul McCartney is one of the greatest songwriters in history and Michael Jackson is one of the greatest singer/dancers in history, so it's the difference between an entertainer and a writer. Rumor has it that Jackson just said to McCartney, 'I'm a businessman,' so I guess he was, and thus when Michael Jackson is no longer alive to receive publishing money from the Beatles, we'll cover a Beatles song."

For Taylor-Taylor, the choice of 'Blackbird' wasn't because the song is a personal favorite. "It's a bummer because it's a hard song to cover," he says. "'Blackbird' was the only Beatles song that fit into the rhyme scheme of 'absurd' and 'heard.' I don't even know if it was one of the songs Jackson bought. I should have done 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' or something."

Of course, as soon as Jackson died, Taylor-Taylor was repeatedly reminded of the promise. "I was in England and woke up one morning to 18 texts that said 'I guess you're going to cover 'Blackbird' and 'Dude, cover time,'" he says. Warhols guitarist Peter Holmstrom started an arrangement right away and the rest of the band added their parts later on. "It's a little trippier, a little dreamier," Taylor-Taylor says of their version. "We slowed it down and I sang it very high, and then we sped it back up. It actually sounds like Michael Jackson singing it. It's sweet and lullaby-ish but there's something creepy without it being Gothic, which is great."

Despite the anti-Jackson sentiment on 'Monkey House,' Taylor-Taylor holds the late singer in high regard. "Michael Jackson is one of the 10 biggest names in the 20th century," he says. "He's up there with Elvis, Adolf. He's bigger than Mick Jagger." Taylor-Taylor also doesn't see any problem with the incessant media coverage of MJ's death. "He was so important to music and culture and had become an iconic freak," he says. "It wasn't like the media coverage when that Guess jeans supermodel that then became a big jelly donut died. Anna Nicole Smith. They treated her like a true legend, a truly important entertainer died. So, I wasn't horrified by the coverage."

'Blackbird' and 'The Dandy Warhols Are Sound,' the band's newly released original mix of 2003's 'Welcome to the Monkey House,' are available on the band's official website.

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whatever

All this arguing is useless. It's simple. Elvis fans will never agree he was not a true king of music, same goes for MJ's fans. The fact remains that they both were movers and shakers of the entertainment scene in their own times and in their own rights, no matter what anyone else says.

Those who post hateful comments anywhere about anyone they don't personally and deeply know and curse them for going to hell - let them. These same hateful people are the ones who might just go to hell themselves if they carry on this way. Those words are not worth giving weight to.

For the rest who know better - we'll just leave the deceased alone, be it Elvis, MJ or Anna Nicole or whoever. That is simple and basic respect for humanity. If that's how we want to be treated, then that's how we should treat others.

August 15 2010 at 2:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Toluwalase Ojo

What are you people talking about.Michael Jackson is better than Elvis because,Michael helped the World be a better place.By donating money to the people that lack of food ,clothes,schools and parents.Every concert Michael did,hhe donated money.He even made an Amusement Park for disabled children.And your saying Elvis is better than Michael.What did Elvis do, only sang and played guitar.Did he contribute helping make the World a beter place.When Michael was making the World a better place,God blessed him.Thats why he is the best Pop Star in the World.If you want to achieve, you have to believe in the Lord Almighty so you can be the best of what you'r doing.Michael Jackson children,I wish you luck for your life and i'm going to be there being a super star.Continue what your Dad has started,the Foundation and you will be blessed Mighty.Be Kind,Confident,and what talent you have, make use of it and Pray to God to help,provide,care and build you up.AND I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU.I hope you read this Michaels Children,Amen.
By:Toluwalase Ojo,13 Years Old.

August 29 2009 at 10:33 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

ace

u guy don't no much about anything for one thing that blackbird song was the worst thing i ever herd in my in tire life dandy warhols that was sick next thing michael jackson was the number i entertaner in the world elvis copy damm ner every song he song

August 19 2009 at 1:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jim

Elvis sucks says "MICHAEL JACKSON IS WAYYYYYYYYYY BIGGER THAN ELVIS ON A GLOBAL SCALE ELVIS ONLY INFLUENCED WHITE PEOPLE."

Yeah, and why is it that white people don't influence black people? Thats the problem with this MJ thing....why do so many blacks always make it a color issue. Why is it that so many MJ fans know almost nothing about music or music history. Making light of the likes of Elvis and The Beatles shows how ignorant and flat out uneducated some on here are. Bunch of fricken idiots.

August 09 2009 at 11:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Zaphod

Elvis vs. Michael? Who cares? They were both one-trick pony freaks who weren't fit to wipe Paul McCartney's behind.

August 06 2009 at 1:52 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Peekaboo

Who is Dandy Warhols anyway? Taylor-Taylor's (Duh) comments make him sound like a complete douche bag. Can anyone say "wannabe"???

August 05 2009 at 9:56 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Fanof theTRUEKing

In response to the idiots who have questioned Elvis' talents as compared to michael jack-off (his name doesn't deserve to be capitalized): Elvis wrote many songs. He re-wrote the lyrics to a Civil War ballad named "Aura Lee" and it became "Love Me Tender". Which, by the way, was the first of his 33 movies. There are too many songs in which Elvis had a hand in writing or arranging to list here. Plus, the normal vocal range is approx. 4 to 4&1/2 octaves including falsetto. It was reported that Elvis had a vocal range of 7 & 1/2 octaves without falsetto !!!
Teeny-bopper king had, at best, a 2 to 3 octave range. And ONLY in falsetto !
Elvis not an originator ?! He originated the combination of types of music to make a new one ! He could sing in ANY key !
Again, some people shouldn't be permitted to give opinions on music. I am trained in music, are you ? If not, keep your mindless opinions to yourself !

August 05 2009 at 9:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sue R

There is no doubt Michael AND his brothers have had and impact on the music industry, the innovation of music videos and their fans; but make not mistake, a man the calibur of Elvis Presley, faults and all, will over shadow many entertainers for years to come. Time will tell if Michael will still be Celerated 30+ years after his passing. Even John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix only to name a few do not have the widespread mass following after passing that still follows Elvis, and his fan base still grows annually! Icons are built by years, loyalty, and continued fan base not TV coverage and where they are laid to rest. Michael will be remembered for his music and dance by many...bad press, perhaps by more....there are still legends out ther performing for us every day, don't forget their comittment ..."The Show Must Gp On...."

August 05 2009 at 8:15 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David Sparks

First of all, you folks need to study your history before you open mouth and insert foot. Had it not been for great songwriters like Willie Dixon, Muddy Watters, Little Walter, and Chuck Berry,Elvis would have had no early hits that established his career. You think Paul McCartney was insulted by Micheal's decision to buy the Beatles catalog? Ask Chuck Berry about the payola scam that named Alan Freid as a co-writer on one of his biggest hits. Chuck also succesfully sued The Beach Boys for out right stealing Surfin USA from Sweet Little Sixteen. Don't get mad at Micheal for buying the Beatles catalog, get mad at Brian Epstien, who owned all the rights to their songs long before Micheal came along.Had the Beatles dotted their i's and crossed their t's during the time they were writing those great songs, their catalog would have stayed in their control in the first place. LONG LIVE ROCK N ROLL TO THE TRUE ROCKERS THAT ARE DUE THIER JUST.
I.m out baby!!

August 05 2009 at 8:14 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

vanessaannb

Smokin'n'ak first of all you need to learn how to spell. Second those boys admitted that they lied, one of them even said his dad coached him on what to say. It was all about money. And also, MJ did have people screaming AND crying over him back in the 80's at the height of his career.

August 05 2009 at 8:04 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply