Charlotte Gainsbourg Feat. Beck: Hey Joe

Charlotte Gainsbourg Hey Joe Beck
Photo Credit: Autumn de Wilde

Longtime studio partners Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck broke out this one-off cover for Lars Von Trier’s new film Nymphomaniac the other day. While it’s notable in a number of respects, from their reworking a classic murder ballad into a sultry slow-burner to Beck’s estimable skills as a backup musician/producer, it most caught my attention by invoking Gainsbourg’s own lineage. There have been moments in her work that recalled Serge before, but this one points to the influence even more directly. It will be interesting to see how “Hey Joe” works within the film’s narrative, but regardless, the take works very well on its own. Hear it above.