(This piece is intended to be read while this song below plays in the background).
Sometimes it is the lyrics of a song that pulls a listener in. Other times it may be the melody and tone, and often it is a combination of the song on its own and the singer who performs the work. Leon Russell, an American rock singer, wrote this song, titled “A Song For You,” in the year 1970.
Donny Hathaway, an American soul musician from Chicago who became well known not only for his own take on music, but also for his collaborations with Roberta Flack, is often attributed to singing this song, as it became one of his most well known tracks.
The first time I heard this song was when American Idol contestant, Elliott Yamin, sang it during season 5 of the television show. His rendition gave me chills. I thought it was his voice, convinced that this man could sing this song unlike anyone else. Then I heard the original and I was convinced that only those with soul could sing this song. I still hold that belief.
It was Amy Winehouse, however, who added the most feeling to the song. Her rendition does not follow the original lyrics verbatim, and when I listen to her raspy, cockney accent I feel as though she sings from within. I always knew that I felt a connection to this song, but what I love about the way she sings it is that I can feel her connection, as well.
Everyone from Whitney Houston to Christina Aguilera to Michael Bublé and Ray Charles has covered this song. I didn’t hear Amy Winehouse’s version until the release of her album Lioness: Hidden Treasures, which came out after her untimely death. In fact, her music prior to her death did not interest me. I could not connect with songs like “Rehab” or “Back to Black” and her public persona dissuaded me from trying to connect to her as the artist. I could admire her obvious interest in a previous era-- from her beehive hairstyle to her winged eyeliner -- but the tabloids showed her as a coked-out matchstick, ready to ignite at any moment; saving her voice for her songs while her fists did the talking.
And yet, perhaps her public persona is what enthralled me after her death. It was the 23rd of July, 2011, and E! News, along with every other entertainment channel, had breaking news: Winehouse had died in her home in Camden, London. The report said the following: “While the 27-year-old Back to Black crooner has faced a very public battle with drugs and alcohol, the official cause of her death has not yet been announced.”
“...but the tabloids showed her as a coked-out matchstick, ready to ignite at any moment; saving her voice for her songs while her fists did the talking”
And yet, immediately everyone assumed it was an overdose. Beyond the shock of her death, it was her music I could hear on the television and radio stations. Everyone from other musicians to music journalists and public opinions agreed that Winehouse had a unique sound, a voice unmatched, and a talent that would not be forgotten. Only a few days later, I bought my first Amy Winehouse track. Soon after, I had accumulated songs from different albums, and was beginning to see the vocal transformation and how her music style had evolved.
This particular version of the song is an uncut, studio version, and when Winehouse stops singing, she remarks on the influence of Donny Hathaway. She says, “You know what, I think Donny Hathaway is like my Carleen Anderson, like Marvin Gaye is great, but Donny Hathaway, like, he couldn’t contain himself. He had something in him, you know.”
Amy Winehouse had something, too. She was a powerful vocalist who opened doors for artists who felt they had to conform to popular music. She made soul music relevant to the masses. She made her music distinguished from who she was as a celebrity. She was respected by musicians whose songs constantly rank at the top of music charts today. Her legacy and voice will be anything but forgotten.
Perhaps the lyrics to “A Song For You” resonate with Winehouse’s struggle with drugs and the media:
“I’ve been so many places in my life and time/ I’ve sung a lot of songs I’ve made some bad rhyme/ I’ve acted out my love in stages/ with ten thousand people watching/ But we’re alone now and I’m singing this song for you…
But now I’m so much better and If my words don’t come together/ Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding...
And when my life is over, remember when we were together/We were alone and I was singing this song for you”
“A Song For You” is about forgiveness and about love, two aspects of Amy Winehouse that deeply affected her in the course of her short life.
She may not have been the first artist to sing this song, but she was one of the most talented.