Cat Power and Iggy Pop have teamed up for a new cover of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.”
The cover arrives as a single from an upcoming compilation album titled The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull, organized by In The Q Records, BANDBOX, and the Women of Rock Oral History Project to help raise funds for Faithfull as she “recovers from Long COVID.” Thus, the version of the song that Cat Power’s Chan Marshall and Pop have delivered pays homage to Faithfull’s 1979 version of the song, with a driving beat and an ambient sense of tension.
Overtop, Marshall’s multi-tracked vocals carry Lennon’s powerful words, while Pop dips in throughout with spoken word lines, sounding almost like a late-career Leonard Cohen, proclaiming a solemn truth with a low, commanding growl. Listen to the single below.
In a statement, Marshall expressed her excitement to be part of the project. “Marianne has lived a life!” she said. “She is a queen to all who know her, and all who adore her! Her framework of contributions to the world of music is unmistakable! Every time I hear her gorgeous vocal sway, I am moved, I am closer to permanence. In a world of dizzying, new fizzling arrows of song and voices, Marianne has always struck the bullseye of my heart and soul. I adore her like no other. A true Dame, beyond words. Royalty forever.”
Joining Marshall and Pop on The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull will be Shirley Manson, Peaches, Lydia Lunch, Bush Tetras, Donita Sparks, and more. Last month, another single from the project arrived: Tanya Donelly (Belly, The Breeders) & The Parkington Sisters’ rendition of “This Little Bird.”
The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull is due in full on December 8th, and will be available on digital and 2xLP formats. Pre-orders are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Marshall is gearing up to embark on a lengthy 2024 tour in support of her new live album, Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert, which will feature her recreating Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 concert. Check out the full list of her upcoming dates, and grab tickets here.
As for Pop, he was recently joined by Tom Waits on a new episode of his radio program, The Confidential Show, where the two shared stories and took turns spinning records by Alex Chilton, Captain Beefheart, Jerry Lee Lewis, and more.
