Q. When is a tribute album not a tribute album? A. When the object of the tribute is also its producer, and when it's owned by his production company.
To be fair, I remember Van being adamant at the time that No Prima Donna was not a tribute album. Some of the artists might have taken a little more licence with the songs had it not been for their author being sat behind the mixing desk. And only a prima donna would call their self-worship album No Prima Donna, right? Sorry, I'm teasing unkindly, but he does leave himself open to it and, well, to use the standard excuse of the bully to the bullied, everyone else does…
The most interesting piece is Elvis Costello's a capella gospel take on Full Force Gale. Marianne Faithfull's Madam George threatens/promises to go into a ltitle rap towards the end, but then pulls back. Most of the others — especially those who have done time in Van's touring band and/or family — stick fairly close to the template.
But Coney Island, eh? I remember thinking the original was a bit of a throwaway, and I remember thinking Liam Neeson's reading was just a carbon copy of the original. But the more you hear it, the more profound and touching it gets.
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