Norah, Bono Jam With Jools

Keyboardist Jools Holland has again used his British TV show, Later With Jools Holland, to recruit a strong group of guests for an album. Holland, a former member of Squeeze, will release Small World Big Band Volume Two: More Friends on May 27th.

Holland's guest list is predictably varied: Bono, Norah Jones, Robert Plant, Badly Drawn Boy, Tom Jones, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Sam Moore, Jimmy Cliff, Bryan Ferry, Ray Davies, Chrissie Hynde, Dionne Warwick and Jeff Beck are among those who contribute to the twenty-two-song set.

The album follows last year's Big Band Rhythm and Blues, which featured Eric Clapton, George Harrison and others joining Holland.

Track list for Small World Big Band Volume Two:

"Together We Are Strong," with Sam Moore and Sam Brown
"In the Dark," with Norah Jones
"Snowflake Boogie," with Edwin Starr
"The Only Face," with Bryan Ferry
"What Goes Around," with Dionne Warwick
"Don't You Kiss My Cheek," with Tom Jones
"Out of This World," with Chrissie Hynde
"Rock Me," with the Blind Boys of Alabama
"First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," with Stereophonics
"Fly Me to the Moon," with Huey from Fun Lovin' Criminals
"The Can Is Open," with Badly Drawn Boy
"Yours Truly, Confused N10," with Ray Davies
"Tuxedo Junction," with Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra
"Let the Boogie Woogie Roll," with Robert Plant
"Drown in My Own Tears," with Jeff Beck
"Count Me In," with Ruby Turner
"You Got to Serve Somebody," Marianne Faithfull
"Anglegrinder Blues," with Chris Barber and Guy Barker
"Change Is Gonna Come," with Beverley Knight
"Teardrops From My Eyes," with George Benson
"Dreams," with Jimmy Cliff
"If You Wear That Velvet Dress," with Bono

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Song Stories

“I'm Yours”

Jason Mraz | 2008

Jason Mraz re-emerged after his disappointing second album with this lead single, a Jack Johnson-esque ditty about giving yourself fully to someone else. The success of the reggae-tinged song (it earned two Grammy nods and a spot on the Billboard singles chart for well over a year) was something the folk-pop singer never predicted when he wrote it in 15 minutes at home. "I played a happy-hippie chord progression that would probably work without 50 different Bob Marley songs," he told Rolling Stone. "I thought, 'It's too novelty. This is a nursery rhyme,'" concluding that "you can never guess what's gonna be a hit."

More Song Stories entries »

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