Chrissie Hynde has today announced details of her brand-new album of Bob Dylan covers, Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde sings Bob Dylan. The songs were recorded in lockdown by Chrissie and her Pretenders bandmate James Walbourne, almost entirely by text message. James would record an initial idea on his phone and send it off to Chrissie to add her vocal, before the tracks were mixed by Tchad Blake (U2, Arctic Monkeys, Fiona Apple). The nine-track album will be released via BMG on 21st May.
Speaking about how the album came together and its inspiration, Chrissie says:
‘A few weeks into lockdown last year, James sent me the new Dylan track Murder Most Foul. Listening to that song completely changed everything for me. I was lifted out of this morose mood that I’d been in.
I remember where I was sitting the day that Kennedy was shot – every reference in the song. Whatever Bob does, he still manages somewhere in there to make you laugh because as much as anything, he’s a comedian. He’s always funny and always has something to say. That’s when I called James and said, ‘let’s do some Dylan covers’ and that’s what started this whole thing.’
Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde sings Bob Dylan includes Chrissie and James’ versions of In the Summertime, You’re a Big Girl Now, Standing in the Doorway, Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight and Tomorrow Is a Long Time. The full tracklist is detailed below.
The new film, Tomorrow is a Long Time, produced by White Light Film Productions and directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, looks at the recording process of the Bob Dylan covers and features specially filmed exclusive performances of nine songs. The film will air on Sky Arts on Monday 24th May, the day of Bob Dylan’s 80th birthday.
Chrissie Hynde’s new album Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde sings Bob Dylan is released on 21st May. The Sky Arts documentary, Tomorrow is a Long Time, airs on 24th May.
