Metal Heart
"Metal Heart" is a song by Cat Power originally released in 1998, and also on the album, Jukebox, released on January 22, 2008. It was covered by Dave Gahan and Soulsavers and was released as a single and is the sixth track on Imposter.
Lyrics
(from original recording)
Losing the reasons why
You're losing the calling that you've been faking
And I'm not kidding
It's damned if you don't and it's damned if you do
Be true, 'cause they'll lock you up in a sad, sad zoo
Oh, hidy-hidy-hiding, whatcha trying to prove?
By hidy-hidy-hiding
You're not worth a thing
Sew your fortunes on a string
And hold them up to light
Blue smoke will take a very violent flight
And you will be changed and everything
And you will be in a very sad, sad zoo
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see you
How selfish of you
To believe in the meaning of all the bad dreaming
Metal heart, you're not hiding
Metal heart, you're not worth a thing
Metal heart, you're not hiding
Metal heart, you're not worth a thing
Dave's Take
"It's probably my favorite at the moment. It was really such a great performance to record because it had this arc, starting as just this little thing which by the end grows into a monster, and to me that same arc also reflects the sentiment of the song."1
My Take
This song is going to be right at home within the Soulsavers repertoire as the organic piano and guitar sound exactly like something they would come up with on their own. The vocals are also going to be well-suited for Dave's soulful singing, as Chan Marshall sings this with a blues-and-gospel-like fervor, her hard and raspy voice giving me strong Janis Joplin vibes. The lyrics also seem like something Dave would write, as they appear to explore a very similar theme to an earlier Soulsavers song, "Gone Too Far." Both seem to voice a lecture or warning of sorts to an unfortunate second person exhibiting destructive tendencies or behavior- a warning which could very well be directed at the singer, themselves. Chan also seems to honor her gospel roots by littering a line from "Amazing Grace" here. And finally, what is the "metal heart" that this song seems to be warning against? Perhaps it is referring to a heart so cold and hardened that it can no longer feel or love- basically "not worth a thing."
Dave's version sounds even more stripped down than the original if you can believe it...at least, that's the way it starts out. But as it goes on, the sound builds, and the backup singers come in, and it builds and builds until the guitars start wailing and Dave is shouting his (not metal) heart out. His vocals sound so big and lofty during these parts that it's almost as if he's exclaiming them from on top of a mountain. And they all go on for quite a bit after singing the original tune, extending its longevity and impact. Soulsavers has this wonderful ability to turn any piece of music into a big production, and they have definitely done that here.
Music Video
The video includes black-and-white motion and still footage recorded from the November 2019 Imposter sessions at the Shangri-La studio in Malibu, California.
My Take
I love seeing studio footage of my favorite bands and seeing them at work, so I'm really glad that someone went in and got this all on camera. And the studio, itself, is beautiful, looking like a cute little house situated right by the beach. And it actually was a house at one time before becoming the filming site for the TV show, Mister Ed, in the 1960s, and then it was used as a recording studio by many big-name artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, and of course, Dave Gahan, himself! Finally, I guess it's because of the style of music and filming in this video, but I got major The Wonder Years (the original) vibes from it, as well. See the opening for this show to see what I mean.