Trey Songz – “Life On Mars?” (David Bowie Cover)
It’s Mr. Steal Your Beloved ’70s Rock Classic! As Complex points out, the producers of HBO’s Vinyl have pulled the masterful troll move of recruiting R&B loverman Trey Songz to cover “Life On Mars?,” David Bowie’s 1971 Hunky Dory all-timer. And while the mere existence of this cover will probably send some people into sputtering rages, it’s honestly not a bad version of the song at all. On his version, Trey Songz sings over a bare piano and nothing else, and he absolutely sings the shit out of the chorus. I don’t know how much time he’s spent thinking about what the song means, but as a pure vocal display, it’s deeply impressive. Below, listen to the cover and read some words about it from Trey Songz.
Trey Songz writes:
When I was approached last summer by the producers of Vinyl, the first thing I thought was, “Damn thats a David Bowie song!!” I was honored that the producers thought of such a legend and myself in the same breath. I had to do what I do best, because Icons like David paved the way. After learning of his passing I knew that this was a special moment in time and this cover became my personal tribute to David. Experiences like this have helped to shape my future and respect the past of others before me. This has become a very special moment in my career and I am blessed and grateful to be apart!
Version 1.6 of the Vinyl soundtrack is out tomorrow, and this week’s episode airs Sunday on HBO.