k.d. lang: Thread

It’s Feminine Friday and today we honor the voice of k.d. lang an artist who eschews capital letters. I’ve always liked her voice, but really have only one of her CDs. I don’t know why – I just never bought any others and I really should. Today’s feature song came to me as I was listening to “Prairie Home Companion” one Sunday afternoon while waiting on a pizza at Little Caesars.

It was a live version of the song “Thread” that was fantastic – in fact, it was better than the terrific studio version that I am featuring here. That particular rendition, performed live at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on June 6, 2009, utilized a baritone guitar. I was drawn to it as the instrument really made the song more haunting than the strings which are featured on the studio version. This was from an encore presentation that I heard earlier this summer.

Unfortunately, the live performance isn’t on YouTube, but it is online. You'll find it here http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=phc/2009/06/06/phc_20090606_64&starttime=00:26:24&endtime=00:30:19.  It is worth it – I wish she had issued this version on CD as well. Check it out.

The studio version of “Thread” appeared on lang’s 2008 album “Watershed” and was penned by lang and her co-producer and bassist David Piltch. Lang has such an expressive voice that is rarely equaled today. I hope you enjoy both versions as much as I have.