There’s a lot of talk right now about Kate’s superb cover version of Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man‘ (from the Two Rooms tribute album in 1991). It’s about to be named the Greatest Cover of all time by reader’s of the Observer newspaper in the UK. The single came out between the releases of The Sensual World and The Red Shoes albums and shifted more copies than any singles from either of those two albums. Backed by a memorable appearance on the Wogan BBC TV show and by an exuberant monochrome video, Kate truly made the track her own.
Lists, as we know, are controversial things, so you can read comments on this result at the Observer Music Monthly blog here ranging from ” marvellously mad” to “nasty Eighties-style plastic white reggae”. One witty poster said: “Is Gordon Brown playing the accordion in the video? Never thought I’d ever like seeing our PM right behind Bush.” [It’s actually Alistair Anderson] All in all it’s a great excuse to re-listen to a delightfully inspired piece of work from Kate which she turned into her own personal tribute to the late Alan Murphy.