Come Together

A Night For John Lennon's Words And Music

Eagle Rock Entertainment

Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

11/11/2008 2:16pm

This tribute concert was originally held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall in the days following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. It's amazing what a difference seven years makes, because many of the performers and presenters at this show would have been considered big names at the time, but have since fallen into obscurity. Leelee Sobieski (who introduces a performer) deserves a "what the fuck?" since it's hard to remember anything she was recently in. This show was supposed to honour Lennon's peaceful message, but why pick people who screw up the songs and take all the life out of them? Marc Anthony's vibrato-filled rendition of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is near gag-inducing, while Craig David's (yeah, remember him?) version of "Come Together" is... there just are no words for that level of shittiness. Shelby Lynne unfortunately turns "Mother" into a gospel-and-country-laden mess that's devoid of any of the original's pathos. And Nelly Furtado doing "Instant Karma" with ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart? What the fuck? Even Lou Reed's cover of "Jealous Guy" is terrible, since Reed spends more time yelling the lyrics than singing any kind of recognizable melody. The only saving graces here are audio and video clips from Lennon throughout, and Moby, Rufus Wainwright and Sean Lennon's version of "Across The Universe," which is done in a beautiful three-part harmony. Please, for the love of whatever deity you worship (or don't), skip this one.