[ October 2, 2004 ]
Teletext: Paul Heaton Interview
Teletext C4 | p.353
Beautiful Songs for Whoever
Paul Heaton Interview
Courtesy of Darren Leathley
October 02, 2004
Covers albums? The last refuge of the scoundrel and the woefully lazy artist unwilling, or simply unable, to write an album's worth of new material. Try telling The Beautiful South, whose new opus Golddiggas, Headnoddas and Pholk Songs reinterprets standards and obscurities to often moving effect. It's a surprising and spectacular piece of work, so we asked singer Paul Heaton why he immersed himself in the music of John Travolta, ELO and, well, S Club 7.
A large constituency of music lovers is of the opinion that covers albums are usually an indulgence or a total waste of time. Paul Heaton is among them.
"They often tend to be a bit rubbish, don't they?" he agrees. "It had never occured to me to do one before we had the idea of making this one. I'm not sure exactly at what stage of a band's career they're supposed to do one, but I hope we've come at these songs from a different angle."
The Beautiful South's excellent covers album opens with a sublimely melancholy version of Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta's camp meisterwerk You're The One That I Want from 1978 movie Grease.
"I didn't like the song back then as I was getting into punk and was blind to everything else," says Paul Heaton. I never even saw Grease as I'd never have dared ask a young lady to a film. I don't think I saw a movie from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Free Willy."
The first single from The Beautiful South's new covers album is an engaging take on Livin' Thing by much-maligned Brummie '70s rockers the Electric Light Orchestra.
"ELO were a bit like Beautiful South in that nobody would ever admit to being into them, but everyone secretly liked at least one song," muses Paul Heaton. "They looked odd and weren't a band to write on your leather jacket, but they wrote some very good songs."
Amongst covers of The Ramones, Zombies and Willie Nelson, Beautiful South fans may be surprised by a downtempo take on S Club 7's Don't Stop Moving.
"I've always liked the song and we have played a more upbeat version of it live for years," says Paul Heaton. "Can I imagine starting a group called Beautiful South Juniors? I can't see much future in a bunch of 14-year-olds with a dour outlook on life, can you? But maybe we can be S Club Seniors."
Among the gems unearthed by Beautiful South on their covers album is Stone In Love With You by '70s Philadelphia soul merchants the Stylistics.
"They were the first band that I ever saw live," recalls Paul Heaton. "My mum took me to see them at Fairfield Halls in Croydon when I was 14. But it's always hard singing falsetto. You have to get the key right. Too high and you sound like Minnie Mouse; too low, and it's Kermit the frog..."
Golddiggas, Headnoddas and Pholk Songs is an object lesson in making a classy, creative covers album. But which songs would Paul Heaton never attempt?
"The best two ways for us to kill off The Beautiful South would be to black up like The Black & White Minstel Show or sing all Elvis songs," he reckons. "So if we decide to destory the band, maybe we should cover Jailhouse Rock, followed by My Way. And chuck in a bit of Vanilla Ice. That should do it."
After the deeply enjoyable diversion of their covers album, Paul Heaton says The Beautiful South will work on a record of new material next year.
"We're touring the covers from the end of November, then it's definitely time to start writing again," he says. "I've written the lyrics already. Why? Because my partner is going to have our second baby in a week-and-a-half's time so I thought it made sense to get them down before the bedlam arrives..."
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