"edith and the kingpin" is one of my favorite joni mitchell songs. on herbie hancock's grammy award-winning river: the joni letters, he gives tina turner the honor of singing it.
i first heard his arrangement on a jazz radio station i sometimes listen to during my short ride home from work. i immediately recognized the song--but the voice? i sat in my car as the song neared its end thinking, i should know who that is.... there was no way i could get out of the car without hearing the dj announce the singer. then i thought, "what if they don't say anything?" my heart beat fast with anticipation as a voice said "from river: the joni letters, that was 'edith and the kingpin' by herbie hancock featuring--" COME ON ALREADY! "tina turner." ehr?
tina turner? the closest i'd ever heard her voice sound that remotely understated was on "private dancer"--my favorite song by her. ok, maybe "river deep mountain high" too. it was so nice to hear that tone again. herbie hancock deserved a grammy for that feat alone. it was genius execution on her part and a genius arrangement on his. that song is proof that two brilliant, innovative and influential musicians whose careers have survived for decades in an unstable recording industry, can still find ways to reinvent themselves. the fact that tina turner and herbie hancock did that together is so beautifully explosive.
here's the original:
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