Here Lies Love, a double-disc song cycle, explores the life of Filipino first lady Imelda Marcos, pairing David Byrne with a who’s who of indie rockers, dancefloor divas, and established stars, including Tori Amos, Steve Earle, Cyndi Lauper, Natalie Merchant, Kate Pierson, Santigold, and St. Vincent. The effervescent disco melodies and tropical rhythms were created in collaboration with iconic deejay-composer Fatboy Slim. The Wall Street Journal calls it "a fountain of funk and dance music that's entirely accessible."
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim have paired up for Here Lies Love, a 22-track song cycle about the life of former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos and her childhood servant, Estrella Cumpas. Released April 6, 2010, on Todomundo/Nonesuch Records, this standard version of the album includes a 24-page book with essays and photos detailing the project. In addition to Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Here Lies Love features performances by Santigold, Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Sia, Steve Earle, St. Vincent, Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Sharon Jones, Nicole Atkins and many others. Along with the recording, The Public Theater in New York City is developing a theatrical version of Here Lies Love for a future production.
Here Lies Love came into being when Byrne approached Norman Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) about collaborating after reading of Marcos’ affinity for the clubs and discos of the late 1970s and early 1980s. “The world of a royal court [is] surreal and, to my sensibilities, very theatrical,” Byrne notes, “but now there was an added soundtrack!” Byrne further elaborates: “The story I was interested in was that of Imelda’s rise alongside the tragic parallel story of Estrella, the woman who raised her as a child. I felt that this story was more universal, revealing and profound than that of the shoes—which anyway weren’t discovered until the mobs descended upon the Manila palace after the Marcoses fled. For me the Marcoses’ departure from the palace was the end of the story.”
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Fatboy Slim, David Byrne, and Patrick Dillett (CD1: 1-3, 5-7, 10, 11; CD2: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7); Cagedbaby, David Byrne, and Patrick Dillett (CD1: 4, 8, 9, 12; CD2: 3, 8-10); Los Amigos Invisibles, Fatboy Slim, David Byrne, and Patrick Dillett (CD2: 6)
Recorded by Simon Thornton at HMS House, Brighton (CD1: 1-3, 5-7, 10-12; CD2: 1-5, 7, 8, 10); Mark Rankin at Miloco Studios, London (CD1: 1; CD2: 1); Patrick Dillett at Avatar Studios (CD1: 1, 4; CD2: 3, 7-10) and Kampo Studios, NYC (CD1: 4, 5-10, 12; CD2: 1, 4, 5, 7-10); John Reynolds at New Air Studios, London (CD1: 2, 10; CD2: 2); Mark Hawley at Martian Engineering Studios, Cornwall (CD1: 3; CD2: 10); MaJiKer (CD1: 11); Los Amigos Invisibles at Gozadera Studios, NYC (CD2: 6)
All songs mixed by Patrick Dillett at Kampo Studios, NYC
All songs mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, NYC
Most DB vocals and guitars recorded at South Hell Studio, NYC
Production Coordination by Frank Hendler
Songs by D. Byrne (CD1: 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12; CD2: 3, 5, 8, 9); D. Byrne, N. Cook (CD1: 1, 2, 5, 7, 10; CD2: 1, 2, 4, 7); D. Byrne, T. Gandey (CD1: 8, 10); D. Byrne, N. Cook, J. Pardo (CD2: 6)
Orchestra arrangements by Tony Finno (CD1: 1; CD2: 7-10), Gil Goldstein and Tony Finno (CD1: 4); horn arrangements by Dan Levine (CD1: 10)
Graphic Design by Danielle Spencer & DB
Image Research & Licensing by Jane Shaw
Cover image by Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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MUSICIANS
Cagedbaby, keyboards (CD1: 1, 7-9, 12; CD2: 2, 3, 8-10); Hammond (CD1: 2); upright bass loop (CD1: 4); programming (CD1: 8, 9, 12); Wurlitzer, pad (CD1: 11); synth (CD2: 6)
David Byrne, guitars (CD1: 1-3, 6-12; CD2: 1-3, 6-10); backing vocals (CD1: 3, 11; CD2: 4, 8); synth (CD1: 7; CD2: 4, 5); organ (CD1: 11); electronic percussion (CD2: 3); cavaquinho (CD2: 4); programming (CD2: 4); percussion programming (CD2: 5); troglodyte (CD2: 6)
Fatboy Slim, programming (CD1: 1; CD2: 6); synth bass (CD1: 1); keyboard bass (CD1: 3, 7); bass (CD1: 5; CD2: 1, 7); loops, synths (CD1: 5; CD2: 7); piano (CD1: 9); clavinet (CD1: 9); brass loop (CD1: 9; CD2: 1); organ (CD2: 2); sequencer (CD2: 6); keyboards (CD2: 7)
Amy Kimball, Galina Zhdanova, Hiroko Taguchi, Pauline Kim, violins (CD1: 1, 4; CD2: 7-10)
David Gold, viola (CD1: 1, 4; CD2: 7-10)
Garo Yellin, cello (CD1: 1, 4; CD2: 7-10)
CJ Camerieri, trumpet (CD1: 1; CD2: 7, 8)
Greg Smith, French horn (CD1: 1; CD2: 7, 8)
Michael Seltzer, trombone (CD1: 1; CD2: 7, 8)
Jay Hassler, clarinet (CD1: 1, 4; CD2: 8-10)
Rick Heckman, flute, oboe (CD1: 1; CD2: 7, 8)
Mark degli Antoni, marimba, Mellotron (CD1: 2); toy piano (CD1: 4), organ (CD2: 1)
Mauro Refosco, percussion (CD1: 2); woodblock, udu, rods & bells (CD1: 4); shakers (CD1: 4; CD2: 5); clang, chorus percussion (CD1: 10); tambourine (CD2: 2); congas (CD2: 5)
Paul Frazier, bass (CD1: 2, 6, 8, 10, 12; CD2: 2, 3)
Thomas Bartlett, piano (CD1: 2, 6); clavinet(CD1: 3); Wurltizer (CD1: 3, 7, 10; CD2: 5); keyboards (CD2: 4); clavichord (CD2: 5); organ bass (CD2: 5)
Graham Hawthorne, cajón (CD1: 3), drums (CD1: 6)
Mauro Refosco, shaker, pandeira, cajón (CD1: 3)
Tony Finno, Rhodes piano (CD1: 4; CD2: 10)
Cyrus Beroukhim, viola (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
Arthur Cook, cello (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
Kenneth de Carlo, John Sheppard, trumpets (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
Chad Yarbrough, Theodore Primis, French horns (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
David Young, flute, oboe (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
Kenneth Finn, Euphonium (CD1: 4; CD2: 9, 10)
Ganda Suthivarakom, backing vocals (CD1: 9; CD2: 8)
Barry Danielian, trumpet (CD1: 10)
Dan Levine, trombone, bass trombone (CD1: 10)
David Mann, tenor saxophone (CD1: 10)
Paul Shapiro, baritone saxophone (CD1: 10)
Camille, vocal beatbox, vocal arrangement (CD1: 11)
MaJiKer, vocal arrangement (CD1: 11)
Paul Sandrone, bass (CD2: 4, 10)
Armando Figueredo, Rhodes piano (CD2: 6)
José Luis (Cheo) Pardo, guitar (CD2: 6)
José Rafael Torres, bass (CD2: 6)
