Songs About Artists

Since seeing Jonathan Richman perform in Calgary in June, I haven't been able to get Pablo Picasso out of my head, even though he did a fairly mediocre version of it. I first heard the song by the LA band Burning Sensations, on the soundtrack to Alex Cox' debut film Repo Man, which I haven't re-watched in ages because the DVD comes in a license plate box and sits atop a shelf, away from my other disks. I was wondering how the film held up and checked its Rotten Tomatoes rating. It gets a near-perfect 97%. Cox followed this film with the higher-profile Sid and Nancy, and then pretty much disappeared. Last I heard of him was the time he got fired from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, to be replaced by Terry Gilliam. You know your career is in trouble when studios think that Gilliam will be more bankable.

Anyway, here's a live version of Pablo Picasso by Jonathan Richman, followed by covers from David Bowie, the Television Personalities and John Cale. Coincidentally all three have written their own songs about artists. Here are the Youtube clips:

Hello It's Me by Cale and Lou Reed from their Warhol tribute Songs For Drella

David Bowie performing Andy Warhol (not to be confused with Bowie performing as Warhol, which can be seen here)

and Lichtenstein Painting by the Television Personalities.

Lastly, the original Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers version, without any video footage, is here.