Cover versions of songs are plentiful in the music industry. A truly great reworking of an already popular song is hard to come by. The trick for most is in making the song their own while maintaining and respecting the original. Beck’s fresh take on “I Only Have Eyes for You” succeeds in updating the song while carrying on its legendary feel. Reworked for a purpose, Beck and others have submitted their covers and time for the benefit of art.
From May 11 through May 13, The Hirshhorn Museum of Washington, D.C. will be transformed into a revolving outdoor theater. Those lucky enough to be on the National Mall at the time will be able to take in artist Doug Aitken’s vision incorporating architecture into live concert performances, video shorts and audio recordings. Centered upon the 1934 song “I Only Have Eyes for You” made famous by The Flamingos in 1959, the event will feature motion picture projected directly onto the concrete circular exterior of the museum. A ticket to the show will reveal musicians in front of the makeshift screen who Aitken says will be “seamlessly improvising and creating versions of the song to this moving building behind them.” The task assigned to a number of modern artists resulted in six distinct tracks; each as powerful and recognizable as The Flamingos’ version, while all completely unique.
Officially titled Song 1, next weekend has already been described as “a happening.” With renditions like Beck’s, it won’t be hard to please audiences in the nation’s capital. The echoing, distant vocals will float perfectly over the open air event, and the un-tampered-with, sauntering, slow pace of the keys and percussion driving the beat are just as powerful as those of the original tune. The passion in Beck’s guitar and voice make this cover worth a listen, and Song 1 an exhibit worth our time.