A Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop duet is something out of a Hollywood glamour agent's worst nightmare. Their version of "Well Did You Evah!", Porter's very gossipy, semi-satirical take on the world of bored socialites, takes it to the extreme edge of reason. The world may be burning but it's far more important to talk about the parties you've gone to, or maybe should have gone to.
Taken within the context HIV/AIDS this song, and all the other Porter songs chosen take on deeper layers of meaning. The videos accompanying the songs either act as a stage for the performer, tell a story that furthers the change of the song's emphasis, or work as performance art that augments certain themes.
What I find most impressive is the attempts by the producers to be as international in flavour as possible, and diverse in the musical genres represented. Everything from the hard-core urban rap of The Jungle Brothers' version of "I Get A Kick Out Of You" to Lisa Stansfield's very straight jazzy approach has been used to try to reach as diverse an audience as possible.
One of the more poignant moments is the performance by African Salif Keita of "Begin The Beguine". When this recording was made there was no way of knowing that in the course of the next 15 years Africa would become the continent most severely affected by the disease. Our knowledge of today's circumstances only increases the implied irony of the song's title.
One of the great things about international compilation albums is hearing a group for the first time. Red Hot + Blue gave me my first introduction to Les Negresses Verte. Their music is infectious, fun, and has the slightly crazy air to it of good gypsy music. "I Love Paris" is turned into a funny, boisterous romp laced with a sensual leer that the original never contained. I was immensely saddened to read that their charismatic lead singer, Noël Rota, better known as Helno, had died of a drug overdose only three years after this recording was made in 1993.
The most overtly political video on the disc comes from the band Erasure's version of "Too Darn Hot". The lyric "too darn hot" is used throughout the song as a means for introducing visual political statements. Sometimes news clips of demonstrations demanding funding, hand-lettered signs listing statistics, (which are chillingly low in their predictions), and denunciations of a system which prices lifesaving drugs out of the reach of those most in need.
I have to confess that I'm not much of a k.d. lang fan any more. Ever since she switched over from her cow punk to Celine Dion-type torch songs I've lost interest. But her rendition of "So In Love" was beautifully sung, and the video was heartbreaking. Watching her go through the simple motions of washing the clothes of a dying partner, wearing rubber gloves to minimise the risk of contact with bodily fluids, brought home the reality of those who are the primary caregivers.
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