Sharleen Spiteri - The Movie Songbook

Taking a breather from her long-running Scottish pop/rock band Texas, frontwoman and founder Sharleen Spiteri released her fine solo debut Melody in 2008, a very retro collection of 60's-styled original songs co-produced by Bernard Butler (Duffy) that went on to sell more than 300k copies worldwide (and without a U.S. release). When it came time to think about another Texas album, though, Spiteri realized she wasn't quite ready to go back just yet. In what she describes as a "happy accident", she decided that the chance to do a diverse album of classic movie cover songs -- and recording in L.A. with legendary producer Phil Ramone --  was just too tempting. The result is The Movie Songbook, arriving March 1 in the U.K. (again no U.S. release).

 Not surprisingly, Spiteri's choice of material -- and styles -- is wide-ranging, from a pair of pop fluff anthems "Xanadu" and the Bee-Gees' "If I Can't Have You" to the more interesting choices: Tom Wait's "This One's From the Heart", the David Bowie co-write "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", Elliot Smith's "Between the Bars" (from Good Will Hunting) and the Billie Holiday standard "God Bless The Child". On the lead single, a folksy version of the Berlin hit "Take My Breath Away" (from Top Gun), Spiteri finds the sweet spot between expectation -- it is, of course, a well known hit -- and her own special take. Watch a live performance (and see the full track listing) after the jump...

Myspace  Artist Site

Shaleen Spiteri - "Take My Breath Away" and "Xanadu" (excerpts from the album The Movie Songbook)

The Movie Songbook Track Listing (w/ movie and original performer):

Xanadu (from ‘Xanadu’, Olivia Newton John)

If I Can’t Have You (from ‘Saturday Night Fever’, The Bee Gees)

God Bless The Child (from ‘Schindler’s List’, Billie Holiday)

Between The Bars (from ‘Good Will Hunting’, Elliott Smith)

Sound Of Silence (from ‘The Graduate’, Simon & Garfunkel)

What’s New Pussycat (from ‘What’s New Pussycat?’, Tom Jones)

Windmills Of Your Mind (from ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’, Noel Harrison)

Take Me With You (from ‘Purple Rain’, Prince)

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (from ‘Cat People’, David Bowie)

Many Rivers To Cross (from ‘The Harder They Come’, Jimmy Cliff)

Pretty Woman (from ‘Pretty Woman’, Roy Orbison)

This One From The Heart (from ‘One From The Heart’, Tom Waits & Crystal Gayle)

Take My Breath Away (from ‘Top Gun’, Berlin)