Heartbreak Hotel: John Cale, Shawn Colvin & Richard Thompson

[33rdPatriot]

Heartbreak Hotel, Elvis' first big hit, was written by Hoyt Axton's mother. Hoyt's dad was career military. See Dave McGowan's research into LAUREL CANYON MUSIC scene to understand the connection, magnitude and implication. ( davesweb dawtt cnchost daughtt komme ). The song was inspired by a suicide of man who attempted to eradicate his existence before leaping from a hotel window. This extremely dark interpretation is probably most accurate to the spirit behind this song.

[JohnnyJazz365]

Very interesting and unique adaptation.

[mikewarns]

This may make up for "Junkfood Junkie."

[djlegand]

nothing better than hearing a song you like played the way the band likes. this is what makes grow

[babashee]

Night Music was vastly cool.

[CescaJanece]

This is utterly fantastic. The arrangement is chilling and brilliant, but the mix of musicians is also fantastic. This particular version continues to make my spine tingle. It's d:a:r:k: Side note: whatever Shawn did or stopped doing that resulted in her returning to a healthful weight, good news. She is dangerously skinny in this video.

[kelime]

Fantastic. A marvelous and haunting arrangement.

[ibgkneil]

Cool...our band is playing Heartbreak Hotel Halloween so I was running through some covers on YouBoob.  I think we will play the INTRO and OUTRO like this and put the pedals to the metal in between...thanks for posting...hauntingly magnificent musical emotion...

[ibgkneil]

Ok...we played HBH on Halloween as our first song. We did the INTRO like this (frist two verses and chorus only) and then we stoped for 4-beats of complete silence and then the whole band jumped in.with the up-beat Elvis version repleat with our lead guitarist as Elvis - AWESOME !!!

[michrigan]

The best version of all time of this song is on Cale's album Guts. It's how a real heartbreak hotel would sound. It isn't sweet, which the sax on this arrangement is at times.

[KEITHS135]

Brilliant rendition, and eclectic mix of muso's.

[ekku3]

Can't you just listen!

[sherriffofhongkong]

I believe the 80's synth would actually be called a steel guitar in any year.

[hclee]

This is a brilliant performance, thank you from the bottom of my heart for posting this clip.

[SeansCafe]

I have wanted to hear this song ever since I saw it on Television in the early 90's. Still gives me goose bumps. YouTube shines with gems like these... thanks for posting!

[greywirral]

Absolutely outstanding - and what youtube is all about. Whenever would people get a chance to experience something as good as this?

[sbilts]

great version of a great version of a great tune (if that makes sense) Haunting to boot...

[colbybelk]

That's Cajun great Jo-el Sonnier on the accordion.

[smartalek1]

@ colbybelk

No way -- Superman's Dad was a Cajun?!

[rafaeleivissa]

It reminds me at his concert at "Rockpalast" (1984) - a great performance!

[SadLisa777]

Oh, I like John very much!

[murgatroydfl]

Cale's arrangement enhanced is truly a marvel. The additions of Thompson and Colvin are strokes of brilliance. Nightmarish! and Classic!

(iamathatiam...grow a set of ears...)

[iamthatiam]

first degree murder this one, they may be good but they killed this, where's the energy, the groove yuk hate it

[donnyoh]

David Sanborn Rules...

[gobo0m]

This really is an incredible version. They took it as far in the other direction as they could. Brilliant instrumentation and vocals, I love this trio.

I can't emphasize it enough. Brilliant.

[jackhillty]

night music was such a great show - of course, the dipshit network killed it asap

[janetathensbay]

Wonderful. The voices and notes echoing the sounds of real loneliness.

[JFROXY]

Magnificent version...best yet.

[elflopso]

plus the great B.J. Cole on pedal steel!

[clouseau62n]

I grew up in the hey-day of Elvis, I really like this version.  Very nice interpretation. Of course Shawn Colvin adds a great vocal to it.

[bobbisen12]

This shows that there are more than 2 ways perform a good song! There is the one that anybody could do, like Elvis who the f-ck is Elvis, and there is this fantastic way wich is beyond my fantasy and more than fantastistic. And, are there more ways?

[Gev1]

its supposed to be depressing, great song.

[yogoshun]

boooooooooooooooooooooooring!!­!

[yogoshun]

nevermind that last comment of mine.

I actually really enjoy listening to this version.

[pathis56]

I have seen Cale perform this,alone on the piano and it is truly one of the most evocative versions of this bleak classic. Hearing him perform with the great Richard Thompson, as well as the beaytiful sax work by David Sanborn makes this a special performance indeed.

[Elvissivlelives]

You can´t treat a great song like that.

this is a terrible version of Heartbreak Hotel.

[audible67]

that's the way it was supposed to be played in the first place.

[DingDangDo12345]

Terrible version. It shouldn't be played like this.

[audible67]

idiots on the other side please...

[issue89]

This is the best i've heard so far. This is really a depressing song. The composition of this song clearly speaks for the lonliness of this song. Totally Moving!

[Pwecko]

I bought Slow Dazzle by John Cale in about 1973/4 and this was the first track on side two. Remember when records had two sides? The version on the album was slow but it worked up into a great, screaming climax. This version doesn't and is all the more depressing for that. Excellent performances all round.

[gregspencewolf]

this is kind of a depressing version

[Grovetussen]

that's the point, it's a depressing song, about the singer's girl that left...

[Toyboy789]

Just goes to show how you can interprit a song!

When Elvis sang this, he was referring to booze. When Cale handles it, he's singing about heroin.

I agree with the previous 'bleak' comment! Spot on!!

I've seen him perform this twice in Sydney - and both performances were simply stunning!

[cave82]

cheese sandwich

[quelian]

Gosh this is bleak. John Cale has a unique style to Heartbreak Hotel, but the sax and steel guitar take it to a new level. Makes you wonder how anyone took it seriously as a Rock and Roll song. 5 stars

[gruniona]

Good for you, Lisarata. You were willing to listen to the performance as it was, not as you thought it should be.

[fantasticvoyages]

is that BJ's pedal steel guitar that sounds like a synth?

[brencz]

The "80's sax" is kinda what you get in an 80's video (I'm guessing late 80's, judging from Richard Thompson's appearance). And David Sanborn was really more of a seventies sax player.

[charizardag]

neat

[mrgb46]

Goosebumps...love it!

[Lisarata]

What's the meaning of this?! Oh well, might as well try it. Artistic license, nobody said you had to do it the same way as Elvis, right? Hm.

[RTFan52]

Elvis who ?

[pang5]

I wanted to hear the music and not the synth or 80's sax. :(

[scmm42]

>> I wanted to hear the music and not the synth or 80's sax. :(

Well, there is no synthesizer used, and I'm not sure what makes a sax sound like the 80's, so I don't really see the point of your comment. Maybe you mean you just don't like this version, which is fine with me.

I like this version. It typifies why Night Music was a great show. It took musicians you would not normally see performing together and let them create interesting art.

[pang5]

Perhaps it was the cheesy sax that dominated in the 80's that sounds far too much like a synth. Unfortunately, for me the stellar line up was marred by the lightweight jazz.

I'm glad you like this version. As the world of taste goes, vive la difference (sp?)

[shandling]

cheesy sax owns. how would of the majority of chicago cop tv series be invented without it?

[pang5]

Hehehe. Point taken. :D

[daelvo]

@scmm42 i think pang5 mistakenly refers to the lap pedal steel guitar being played as a synth, an understandable error considering its otherworldly quality. this performance blows my mind--guess i'll be tracking down the rest of Night Music...

[cruiserc57d]

I would never had believed this. I have been looking for this one for about a year now. Of course, You Tube has it! Not since it was on T.V. have I been able to enjoy this version. Thanks for posting!

[dsf2378]

This was a Sanborn tv show that aired for only a few years. If i'm not mistaken Hal Willner helped produce it also. I'm not big on Sanborn...too easy listening, but we can't forget he probably cordinated this coming together of some greats and he's been on enough great albums to warant us not to bad mouth him. He is not Kenny G by a long shot.I write this not having read more than one page of comments. Perhaps someone addressed this already.

[walkerbear]

I loved this arrangement of the song (as adapted from the version on Cale's 'Fragments from the rainy season' the Chopinesque piano got to heart of the song, more than any other version. Thankyou.

[vidfan2006]

Fantastic clip and yes, an odd matching of musicians. I always associate Sanborn with the worst kind of frothy, latte jazz, but he sounds suitably avant garde here. Shawn Colvin sings powerfully and Thompson provides subtle, understated licks. Eerie, strange reconstruction of a classic song.

[flash418]

Thats fuckin great  LOvet it Thanks

[lyletuck]

Yeah, just ignore the fact that David Sanborn is there, too. Jeezalou.

[angelagunn]

Jeriblank trembles at the cosmic alignment on my behalf. Holy fsck. Gotta love YouTube; not only did I not know this had happened, it was beyond me to *imagine* it had happened. (Thanks scmm42!)

[dogbreath3000]

wow!!! does not seem to do this justice

[jeriblank]

John Cale and Richard Thompson on the same stage? I wonder which planets the gods had to readjust in order for that to happen...

[aaronprice]

the outer ones

[markdcarter]

The same cosmic alignment which produced Nick Drake's _Bryter Layter_ and John Cale's _Fear_. Cale and Thompson have a longtime shared history....

[markdcarter]

Actually, Cale appeared very memorably on _Bryter Layter_, Thompson distinctively on _Five Leaves Left_ (and the alternate take of Drake's "The Thoughts of Mary Jane"). Richard Thompson's one of the barrage of guitarists on _Fear_'s "Momamma Scuba". Cale & Thompson: an inspired pairing! (Did John Cale ever work with David Bowie? Lou Reed with Brian Eno? Odd if not.)

[demarconia]

John Cale & Brian Eno recorded an album called 'Wrong Way Up', which is one of the best by both of them. Highly recommended.

[markdcarter]

Yeah, it's fantastic, agreed! A favourite of mine: warm, mysterious, irresistible. God's electro-artpop!

[demarconia]

oops, I misread that last line. Lou Reed and Brian Eno SHOULD work together.

[thjinxter]

does anyone have that song She Hasnt Got A Bone thru Her Nose?

[BobCrain]

Fan-fucking-tastic!