Worlds Collide: Madonna Covers Elliott Smith

Madonna shocked the world for the umpteenth time when she performed at the premiere of her short film secretprojectrevolution in New York yesterday. And no, she wasn’t twerking. The pop icon broke out an out-of- left-field cover of “Between The Bars,” from the late, revered 90’s singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Madonna literally sang the song with one hand behind her back, as she was chained up and flanked by a hooded dancer/captor as part of her theatrical performance. Her rendition of “Between The Bars” sounds more like a show tune from Evita than it does a whispy indie folk tune, but that’s to be expected.

The cover is less odd when you consider that Madonna once appeared on a tribute record for Vic Chesnutt, another brilliant songwriter who is no longer with us. Madonna sang backup vocals on “Guilty By Association” with her brother-in-law Joe Henry on the 1996 Sweet Relief II album.