Song of the Day 9/19: James Hill, “Billie Jean”
I love cover versions that give familiar tunes a makeover. You won’t find a more radical yet faithful reinterpretation of a classic than James Hill’s solo performance of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” on electric ukulele.
Yes, kids, crazy as it sounds, there’s an enormous ukulele underground out there featuring players who can do things with the instrument you wouldn’t think possible. Hill, a Canadian who’s been touring for 20 years, is one of the best. He not only coaxes a credible rendition of an R&B song with only his fingers for rhythm, he gives the vocals a reading that puts an emphasis on lyrics that Michael Jackson skates over: “She came and stood right by me/Just the smell of sweet perfume/This happened much too soon/She called me to her room” — and adds, for emphasis, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” In all those thousands of listens over the years, I never realized that what amounts to a confession is there in the last verse.
Bonus tunes: The late, great Chris Cornell frequently gave “Billie Jean” a slow, grungy reading in concert, a version that highlighted the menace in the lyrics while showing off his amazing voice. The Civil Wars also tackled the song, though it’s a little weird to have a duet on such a misogynistic tale. And for the dance fans, here’s Michael Jackson’s live TV version from “Motown 25,” where he busts out the moonwalk for the first time in public (at 3:43 of the video). The crowd reaction is priceless.
