Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Amy Winehouse - Following the tragic passing of Amy Winehouse, this new 12-track memorial collection includes previously unreleased outtakes, interesting covers and alternate versions from the sessions of her two studio albums -- Frank and Back To Black -- as well as a couple of new songs recorded for what was to be her "comeback" third long player // Release: Lioness: Hidden Treasures (December 6, Island/Universal) // Sounds like: it's sad that four years after the release of the 2.5 million-selling Back To Black that there wasn't more new material to be included in this collection - 2/3 of the songs were recorded in 2006 or earlier -- but that's not to say that Lioness doesn't offer some fascinating (and exceptionally good) material to the Winehouse catalog...includes Amy's last studio recording: the classic "Body and Soul" recorded for Tony Bennett's Duets II album...Trivia: 80's Canadian pop/rock singer (and photographer) Bryan Adams befriended Winehouse, invited her to stay at his Caribbean home and shot the album's cover (along with the pics included here)...

Quote: "When I listened back you would hear some of the conversations in between — that was emotional. It has been hard, but it has also been an amazing thing. Amy was a gifted girl. I believe she has left something beyond her years. She has put a body of work together that will inspire an unborn generation. I'm blessed to be part of that process, to have known that person and to continue her legacy with this album." - Producer Salaam Remi // What we like: to say that listening to Lioness is a bittersweet affair would be the understatement of the year..."Our Day Will Come", recorded nearly a decade ago when Winehouse was just 18 years old...her stunning interpretation of the Goffin/King chestnut "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and Leon Russell's "A Song For You" remind us of what drew us to Amy in the first place...new song "Between the Sheets" continues the retro-styled doo-wop and R+B with a rolling bass line and nostalgic 60's production..."Had she survived, Winehouse might have had new insights into private turmoil, and a voice with eloquent scars. Lioness is just the scraps of what might have been." -- John Pareles, The NY TIMES

Amy Winehouse - "A Song for You" (from Lioness: Hidden Treasures)

Amy Winehouse - "Tears Dry" (from Lioness: Hidden Treasures)

Our streams are for sampling only -- please support the Amy Winehouse Foundation by purchasing the album.

Lioness: Hidden Treasures Track Listing:

“Our Day Will Come (Reggae Version)” – reggae re-working of classic 60’s doo wop song produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded May 2002.

“Between The Cheats” – new Amy composition recorded in London in May 2008 for potential inclusion on album three produced by Salaam Remi.

“Tears Dry” – originally written by Amy as a ballad, this is the original version she recorded in November 2005 in Miami with Salaam. The later uptempo version  appears on “Back To Black”.

“Wake Up Alone” – the first song recorded for the “Back To Black” sessions. This is the one-take demo recorded in March 2006 by Paul O’Duffy.

“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” – Amy’s beautiful reading of the Carole King written Shirelles classic. Produced by Mark Ronson and featuring the Dap Kings with string arrangements by Chris Elliott who did all the strings for Mark’s tracks on “Back To Black”. Recorded in September 2004.

“Valerie” - one of Amy’s jukebox favourites. This is the original slower tempo version of the Mark Ronson produced post “Back To Black” single. Recorded in December 2006.

 “Like Smoke” featuring NAS  – Amy and Nas became really good friends after Amy name checked the New York rapper on “Back To Black’s” “Me & Mr Jones”.  “Like Smoke” is finally Amy doing a song with one of her favourite artists. Produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded in May 2008.

“The Girl From Ipanema” – the first song the 18 year old Amy sang when she first went to Miami to record with Salaam. Salaam remarked that “the way she re-interpreted this bossa nova classic made me realise that I was dealing with a very special talent. Her approach to the song was so young and fresh, it really inspired the rest of our sessions.” Recorded in May 2002.

“Halftime” - Amy had talked to Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson of the Roots about working together. “Halftime” is a song that Amy and Salaam had worked on since the Frank sessions.  The result is beautiful. Recorded in August 2002.

“Best Friends” – “Frank” era live set opener produced by Salaam Remi. Probably the first song that early Amy fans would have heard live. Recorded in February 2003.

 “Body & Soul” with Tony Bennett - cover of 30’s jazz standard with hero Tony Bennett. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios London in March 2011 and produced by Phil Ramone. Amy’s final studio recording.

“A Song For You” - heartbreaking and emotional version of the Leon Russell classic made famous by Donny Hathaway. Hathaway was Amy’s all-time favourite artist and the song was recorded in one take, just Amy and her guitar, at her home in London during the spring of 2009 as she battled her demons. Produced by Salaam Remi.