Mixtape: Weill

There was a 1985 album that had far more influence on me than I've probably given it credit for. Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill was one of the first tribute albums, and it featured several of my favorite musicians (Lou Reed, Todd Rundgren, Tom Waits and – at the time – Sting) interpreting the work of the German-born composer. Lost in the Stars was almost insubordinate in its wide range of styles. It showed me, a fluctuating teenager who never settled on a musical clique, how connected rock secretly was to erudite composers like Berlin, Gerswhin and Porter.

While preparing for an upcoming episode of Status Update: (second season premiere August 3!) I spent a few dedicated minutes listening to Ute Lemper, one of the most renown interpreters of Weill's work, and found myself wholly spellbound. At that moment I had an inspiration to drop the Status Update: I was working on and fashion a semi-sequel to Lost in the Stars for a newly fragmented media generation.

Even with my history of reckless artist-mingling, the roster on this one's pretty wild: the Miracles, David Bowie, Nina Simone, Steeleye Span, Bea Arthur. I've alternated their transformative works with more traditional renderings of Weill from Lemper, Lotte Lenya, Anne Sofie van Otter, and theatrical companies.

(That's correct, I left "Mack the Knife" off this mix. You shouldn't have trouble finding that one on your own.)

Tracklist:

Lotte Lenya - Pirate Jenny

Lindsey Buckingham - September Song

Max Raabe - Bilbao-Song

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Speak Low

Original Cast of "Happy End" - Mandalay Song

Mona Mur - Surabaya Johnny

Suzanna Salles - Havana Lied

William S. Burroughs - What Keeps Mankind Alive?

Bea Arthur - Barbara Song

Philip Chevron - Song of the Big Shot

David Bowie - Alabama Song

Ute Lemper - I'm a Stranger Here Myself

Steeleye Span - The Black Freighter

Nina Simone - Mr. Smith

Scott Walker - Lost In the Stars

Tom Waits - Cannon Song

Teresa Stratas - Es Regnet

Anne Sofie von Otter - My Ship