Morrissey unveiled a fittingly dramatic rendition of Roy Orbison’s 1964 track, “It’s Over.” The song will appear on the musician’s upcoming covers album, California Son, out May 24th.
Morrissey’s arrangement is fairly faithful to the original, blending orchestral elements with marching drums and dreamy guitars, though he still injects the track with his own distinct style of grandeur while guest singer LP lends the track an operatic edge. Most striking is Morrissey’s vocal performance, his baritone quivering in that quintessential Orbison way as he sings, “But oh what will you do, when she says to you/There’s someone new, we’re through, we’re through/It’s over it’s over it’s over.”
Along with his Oribson cover, Morrissey’s California Son will feature renditions of songs by Joni Mitchell (“Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow”), Bob Dylan (“Only a Pawn in Their Game”), Dionne Warwick (“Loneliness Remembers What Happens Forgets”) and Carly Simon (“When You Close Your Eyes”). The record will also boast guest appearances from Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Ariel Engle of Broken Social Scene, Petra Haden and more.
California Son is available to pre-order and follows Morrissey’s 2017 album, Low in High School.
California Son Track List
1. “Morning Starship” (Jobriath cover) [feat. Ed Droste]
2. “Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow” (Joni Mitchell cover) [feat. Ariel Engle]
3. “Only a Pawn in Their Game” (Bob Dylan cover) [feat. Petra Haden]
4. “Suffer the Little Children” (Buffy Sainte-Marie cover)
5. “Days of Decisions” (Phil Ochs cover) [feat. Sameer Gadhia]
6. “It’s Over” (Roy Orbison cover) [feat. LP]
7. “Wedding Bell Blues” (The Fifth Dimension cover) [feat. Billie Joe Armstrong and Lydia Night]
8. “Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets” (Dionne Warwick cover)
9. “Lady Willpower” (Gary Puckett cover)
10. “When You Close Your Eyes” (Carly Simon cover) [feat. Petra Haden]
11. “Lenny’s Tune” (Tim Hardin cover)
12. “Some Say I Got Devil” (Melanie cover)