Strange Overtones

Infobox Single
Name = Strange Overtones


Cover size =
Border =
Caption = Digital cover included with the download of "Strange Overtones"
Artist = David Byrne and Brian Eno
Album = Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
A-side =
B-side =
Released = Start date|2008|08|04
Format = Digital, MP3
Recorded = Demoed by Eno in his London home studio through 2006, finished by Byrne and Leo Abrahams in their New York City home studios through 2008
Genre = Ambient, Gospel
Length = 4:17
Label = Self-released
Writer = David Byrne (lyrics) and Brian Eno (instrumentation), co-written with Leo Abrahams
Producer = David Byrne and Brian Eno
Language = English
Audio sample? = Yes
Certification =
Last single = "U.B. Jesus"
(2001)
This single = "Strange Overtones"
(2008)
Next single =
Misc = Listen
filename=David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones.ogg
title="Strange Overtones"
description=The final chorus of "Strange Overtones" discusses the themes of humanity and technology, illustrating the "electronic Gospel" genre of the album with the lyrics:
"Strange overtones in the music you are playing
We're not alone; it is strong and you are tough
But a heart is not enough."
format=Ogg

"Strange Overtones" is a 2008 song by David Byrne and Brian Eno from their album "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today". In September 2008, Jon Yeo created a music video for the track featuring the paintings of Brian Eno.Cite web |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/music/cds/everything_that_happens/video/strange_overtones_dogonaut_video.php |title="Strange Overtones" video |publisher=Dogonaut |date=2008-09-04 |accessdate=2008-09-04]

The first single off the album, the song was released on August 4, 2008 as a DRM-free MP3s digital download only available through the album's website at no cost. This song, like the rest of the album, will be available free for streaming and for purchase as a download.Cite web| url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/music/cds/everything_that_happens/index.php |title=DavidByrne.com - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today |author=David Byrne |accessdate=2008-08-05] This is part of the unorthodox Internet-based marketing scheme the two are using to promote the album [Citeweb |url=http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2008/08/08042008-strang.html |title=David Byrne Journal: 08.04.2008: 'Strange Overtones' Available |publisher=David Byrne |author=David Byrne |date=2008-08-04 |accessdate=2008-08-04] , inspired by the success of Radiohead's 2007 album "In Rainbows".Cite web |url=http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/080808/340/i4kd2.html&e=l_news_dm |title=Eno: "I've stopped buying CDs" |publisher=Yahoo! |date=2008-08-08 |accessdate=2008-08-08"]

Recording and composition

While discussing the 2006 remix of "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" at a dinner party, Eno suggested finishing some songs that he had written but that did not have lyrics. Byrne visited Eno's studio to listen to the demos and the two decided to collaborate to finish writing the songs.Cite web| url=http://www.relix.com/Features/Daily_News/Byrne_and_Eno:_Everything_That_Happens_Will_Happen_Today_200807283059.html |title=Relix -The Magazine For Music - Byrne and Eno: Everything That Happens Will Happen Today |date=2008-08-01 |accessdate=2008-08-05] They continued working on the tracks in in New York City and London, with all collaborations being carried on via e-mail.Citeweb |url=http://www.leoabrahams.com/webdiary/2008/05/18/104/ |title=Pie ‘n’ mash with Brian Eno |publisher=Leo Abrahams |date=2008-05-18 |accessdate=2008-08-06]

Lyrics

Eno has also said the album is about "paint [ing] a picture of the human trying to survive in an increasingly digital world;" themes that are explored in this song. One subject of the song struggles to write innovative music, but is overheard by a neighbor using beats that are "twenty years old." The track has been described as "a song about writing a song."Cite web |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article4479170.ece |title=Brian Eno and David Byrne reunite in the return of the digital masters - Times Online |author=Mark Coles |publisher=The Times |date=2008-08-08 |accessdate=2008-08-08]

Eno also considers the album " [S] omething that combines something very human and fallible and personal, with something very electronic and mathematical sometimes." And they tried to "make that picture of the human still trying to survive in an increasingly complicated digital world... It's quite easy to make just digital music and it's quite easy to make just human music, but to try and make a combination is sort of, exciting, I think."Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080804_eno.shtml |title=BBC - 6 Music - Eno on Byrne |publisher=BBC News |date=2008-08-04 |accessdate=2008-08-05]

Reception

The song was featured on the August 11, 2008 episode of National Public Radio's "All Songs Considered"Cite web |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93434420 |title= NPR's All Songs Considered: Byrne & Eno, Lee "Scratch" Perry, More |publisher=National Public Radio |date=2008-08-11 |accessdate=2008-08-11] and received a positive review from the "Los Angeles Times",Cite web |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/soundboard/2008/08/if-youre-anythi.html |title='Everything That Happens Will Happen Today' for Eno and Byrne |author=T. J. Kosinski |publisher="Los Angeles Times" |date=2008-08-12 |accessdate=2008-08-17] Pitchfork Media,Cite web |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/142771-new-music-david-byrne-and-brian-eno-strange-overtones-mp3 |title=New Music: David Byrne and Brian Eno: "Strange Overtones" [MP3] |author=Mark Richardson |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=2008-08-04 |accessdate=2008-08-17] and "Rolling Stone".Citation |title=Key Tracks |magazine=Rolling Stone |pages=70, issue 1060 |year=2008 |date =2008-09-04]

The song was downloaded over 40,000 times in its first three days of availability.Cite news |title=Together Again in Different Time Zones |author=John Pareles |publisher="New York Times" |date=2008-08-15 |accessdate=2008-08-17]

Personnel

*Leo Abrahams — guitars, bass, Dubreq Stylophone, programming
*David Byrne — vocals, rhythm guitar
*Brian Eno — backing vocals, organ solo, Omnichord piano, keyboards, programming
*Steve Jones — delay guitar
*Mauro Refosco — bongo, conga, tambourine
*Seb Rochford — live drums
*Robert Wyatt — frame drum soloCite web |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/music/cds/everything_that_happens/credits.php |title=Everything That Happens Will Happen Today credits |publisher=David Byrne |date=2008-08-18 |accessdate=2008-08-18]

Release history

References

External links

* [http://everythingthathappens.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.davidbyrne.com/music/cds/everything_that_happens/video/strange_overtones_dogonaut_video.php Music video]