Yoko Ono Tribute LP To Feature David Byrne, Flaming Lips & More
Yoko Ono will be the subject of a new tribute album celebrating her work, curated by Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard.
Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono will be released on 18 February and will feature 14 new versions of Ono’s tracks performed by a range of artists, including David Byrne and Yo La Tengo who collaborate on a cover of Who Has Seen The Wind?, which first appeared as the B-side to John Lennon’s 1970 classic, Instant Karma.
Elsewhere on the album are covers by Deerhoof and The Flaming Lips, who have both previously collaborated with Ono, plus contributions from Stephen Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Sharon Van Etten, Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som and more.
Speaking of the new album, Gibbard said: “Yoko makes art that teaches all of us that peace is possible. [Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono] was born out of both love and frustration. The ‘love’ part is pretty obvious; It is the seemingly bottomless well of inspiration and enjoyment Yoko Ono’s music has provided me and I must assume everyone else present here on this compilation. The ‘frustration’ part, on the other hand, goes back decades.”
He continued: “As an advocate, the tallest hurdle to clear has always been the public’s ignorance as to the breadth of Yoko’s work. To put it into context; This is an artist whose output has run the gamut from avant-garde to bubblegum pop, often across a single album.
“Some of her best songs have been covered and compiled here by a generation-spanning group of musicians for whom her work has meant so much. It is my sincere hope that a new crop of Yoko Ono fans fall in love with her songwriting due in some small part to this album we have put together.”
Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono will be released on 18 February via Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records, and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to WhyHunger. Ono has supported the non-profit organisation and their efforts in fighting hunger and poverty for decades.
Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono tracklist:
1. Sharon Van Etten – Toyboat
2. David Byrne And Yo La Tengo – Who Has Seen The Wind
3. Sudan Archives – Dogtown
4. Death Cab For Cutie – Waiting For The Sunrise
5. Thao – Yellow Girl (Stand For Life)
6. US Girls – Born In A Prison
7. Jay Som – Growing Pain
8. Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields) – Listen, The Snow Is Falling
9. Deerhoof – No No No
10. We Are KING – Don’t Be Scared
11. The Flaming Lips – Mrs Lennon
12. Japanese Breakfast – No One Sees Me Like You Do
13. Yo La Tengo – There Is No Goodbye Between Us
14. Amber Coffman – Run Run Run