Tom Waits & Keith Richards – “Shenandoah”
In 2006, the producer Hal Willner put together the compilation Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, on which big-name artists tried their hand at singing old pirate songs. Next month, we’ll get the double-disc sequel, entitled Son of Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys. The list of contributors is long and distinguished, and it includes Johnny Depp, Patti Smith, Michael Stipe, Shane MacGowan, Iggy Pop, Michael Gira, Nick Cave, and Courtney Love. Even with all those people involved, though, the biggest news might be a collaboration between Tom Waits and Keith Richards, who previously worked together on Waits’ 2011 album Bad As Me. Together, they worked up a gravelly, sloppy take on the old ballad “Shenandoah,” and you can hear it at NPR.
Son Of Rogue’s Gallery is out 2/19 on Anti-.