Ferry, Ferry good: Bryan’s blockbuster box set
Jeff Jenkins
STACK Writer
No bones about it, Bryan Ferry is a music legend. Like Bowie, the sophisticated and suave style icon influenced a generation of stars after he burst onto the scene with Roxy Music in the ’70s. Today is Bryan Ferry’s birthday. He’s 79.
To celebrate, Ferry is releasing one of the year’s biggest box sets. Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023 gathers 81 songs from 16 solo albums. The deluxe edition features five CDs – The Best-Of, Compositions, Interpretations, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, and Rare and Unreleased.
It will be officially released on October 25.
As the Retrospective reveals, Ferry is a masterful song interpreter. “It’s very nice as a singer to do great songs, which have wonderful lyrics and strong feelings underneath the song,” Ferry says.
Here are our ten favourite Bryan Ferry covers, from standards to surprises:
Let’s Stick Together
“I want my music to be timeless, to have a lasting impact and resonate with people across generations” – Bryan Ferry
Original artist: Wilbert Harrison, 1962
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1976
Fun fact: The video features Jerry Hall, who was then Ferry’s girlfriend and would later date Mick Jagger and marry Rupert Murdoch.
As Time Goes By
“I’ve always been inspired by the past, by the sense of nostalgia and the idea of reinventing classic styles.”
Original artist: Written by Herman Hupfeld for the musical Everybody’s Welcome, it was first recorded by Rudy Vallée in 1931.
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1999
Fun fact: The song became famous when it was featured in the 1942 movie Casablanca.
Crazy Love
“Music should be about creating a mood, an atmosphere, and tapping into emotions.”
Original artist: Van Morrison, 1970
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1988
Fun fact: Ferry covered the song for the movie She’s Having a Baby.
I Put a Spell on You
“To me, style is about expressing your individuality and having confidence in your own unique version.”
Original artist: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, 1956
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1993
Fun fact: I Put a Spell on You was the opening track on Ferry’s Taxi album, which featured all covers, apart from the final track, Because You’re Mine.
The Price of Love
“I’ve always been drawn to the duality of life, to the contrast between light and dark, love and loss.”
Original artist: The Everly Brothers, 1965
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1976
Fun fact: Ferry’s cover was a Top 10 hit in Australia. It was also covered by Wham’s Andrew Ridgeley on his one and only solo album, 1990’s Son of Albert.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
“A lot of my songs are based around the idea of creating your own reality and living in a dream world.”
Original artist: Written for the musical Roberta, it was first recorded by Gertrude Niesen in 1933.
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1974
Fun fact: A Russian proverb was believed to be the inspiration for the line “When your heart’s on fire, smoke gets in your eyes.”
Make You Feel My Love
“Music has the power to heal, to provide solace during difficult times.”
Original artist: Bob Dylan, 1997
Bryan Ferry’s version: 2007
Fun fact: Make You Feel My Love was on Dylan’s 1997 album Time Out of Mind, but a month before that album was released, Billy Joel released his cover of the song, To Make You Feel My Love.
A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall
“The best songs are those that capture a specific moment in time, that make you feel something deeply.”
Original artist: Bob Dylan, 1963
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1973
Fun fact: This was Bryan Ferry’s first solo hit, reaching number 10 in the UK and number 23 in Australia.
These Foolish Things
“I believe in the power of simplicity and the idea that less is often more.”
Original artist: Written by Eric Maschwitz and Jack Strachey in 1935
Bryan Ferry’s version: 1973
Fun fact: These Foolish Things was the title track of Bryan Ferry’s first solo album.
Johnny and Mary
“I believe in the power of collaboration and the idea that great art can be created through collective efforts.”
Original artist: Robert Palmer, 1980
Bryan Ferry’s version: 2014, a collaboration with Norwegian DJ Todd Terje
Fun fact: Bryan Ferry was born on September 26. Sad fact: Robert Palmer died on September 26.
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