Elvis Costello’s latest project is a completely Spanish edition of his 1978 classic ‘This Year’s Model’.
Costello embarked on the task with Latin Grammy winning producer Sebastian Krys. Krys went back to the original masters, remastered the early recordings stripping them back to instruments and then overlaying the new line-up.
‘Spanish Model’ features Cami, Draco Rosa, Fito Páez, Francisca Valenzuela & Luis Humberto Navejas (lead singer of Enjambre), Gian Marco & Nicole Zignago, Jesse & Joy, Jorge Drexler, Juanes, La Marisoul, Luis Fonsi, Morat, Nina Diaz, Pablo López, Raquel Sofía & Fuego, Sebastián Yatra, and Vega.
“This Year’s Model is about desire and how that relates to love, fashion and to the male gaze towards women and control, especially in political control over us all,” Costello said. “I don’t think there’s anything that somebody in another language would not have encountered. Some of the lyrics might be a little obscure because I use peculiar English idioms, but I constantly fall in love with records in other languages in which I don’t even know one or two courtesy words. What you respond to is the humanity, the pride, the sorrow, the celebration.”
Extra care was taken in getting the translation right. Luis Fonsi explained: “The lyrics felt really natural. Nothing stuck out, and you can’t just read it. You must sing the lyrics to really know if the song will work or not. From the first time I started singing ‘You Belong To Me,’ it just felt natural. It’s true to the original lyric. It has that same energy.”
“It’s tricky,” Fonsi said, “because you want to respect the original version. I tip-toed my way around it. Do you veer off a little bit? What’s the perfect combination?”
“I had a blast singing ‘Triggers,'” La Marisoul said. “The translation was beautiful. I just love ballads where I can get down and sing.”
1. No Action – Nina Diaz
2. (Yo No Quiero Ir A) Chelsea ((I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea) – Raquel Sofía y Fuego
3. Yo Te Vi (The Beat) – Draco Rosa
4. Pump It Up – Juanes
5. Detonantes (Little Triggers) – La Marisoul
6. Tu Eres Para Mi (You Belong To Me) – Luis Fonsi
7. Hand In Hand – Francisca Valenzuela y Luis Humberto Navejas
8. La Chica de Hoy (This Year’s Girl) – Cami
9. Mentira (Lip Service) – Pablo López
10. Viviendo en el Paraiso (Living In Paradise) – Jesse & Joy
11. Lipstick Vogue – Morat
12. La Turba (Night Rally) – Jorge Drexler
13. Llorar (Big Tears) – Sebastián Yatra
14. Radio Radio – Fito Páez
15. Crawling To The U.S.A. – Gian Marco y Nicole Zignago
16. Se Esta Perdiendo La Inocencia (Running Out Of Angels) – Vega
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