Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Various Artists, ArtistsCAN/Sony Music 2020.
Last week I brought you a BBC 1 fundraiser single of many artists doing a version of the Foo Fighters song Times Like These.
This week I have a similar effort by Canadian artists with all profits going to the Canadian Red Cross.
The idea was developed by Tyler Shaw and Fefe Dobson who set about gathering more than two dozen Canadian singers to record a version of the Bill Withers song Lean On Me.
The line-up features most of the big names you’d expect including Avril Lavigne, Bryan Adams, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Sarah McLachlan, Tyler Shaw, Fefe Dobson and the list goes on.
All of the artists recorded their contributions from their homes and the single was produced by Jon Levine (Celine Dion, Alessia Cara, Avril Lavigne) and mixed by Jason Dufour (The Trews, Lights, July Talk).
The choice of this song is particularly pertinent given that the songwriter, Bill Withers, passed away in late March just as the pandemic was taking full hold.
Withers died of heart failure, unrelated to coronavirus.
Lean On Me is a beautiful song that has become a modern standard and its lyrics are readily relatable to our recent experiences, “lean on me if you’re not strong and I’ll give you strength to help you carry on”.
It’s a song that’s been recorded by thousands of performers and along with ‘Aint No Sunshine (When She’s Gone) is one of two Bill Withers songs that are in most performers play lists.
If you’re compiling your pandemic mixed tape may I recommend this track.
It’s a good version of a classic track with contributions from well known artists and absolutely appropriate to our times.
And you’ll be helping out a good cause.
