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It’s not easy, is it? Well, I had already planned this post a few weeks ago and had to come to a conclusion quickly. Since it was difficult, I chose, from a selection of 11 songs, the one that impacted me the most: “Song to the Siren.”
The reasons for my choice are personal and partly stem from the song’s meaning. In addition to its meaning, there’s undoubtedly the milestone this song represented in the music industry—with the label 4AD, responsible for shaping my generation by introducing bands like: This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Pixies, The Breeders, Bauhaus, among many others.
A melancholic love song inspired by Larry Beckett’s universe, Greek mythology, and the ancient tale of the enchanting sirens who lured sailors to their deaths, from Homer’s literary work “The Odyssey.”
This song is a mix of desire, vulnerability, frustration, and transcendence. A love that calls, but never materializes. The feeling of total surrender that leads to loss. The irresistible desire that borders on emotional danger, or even a spiritual quest.
The song was written by Tim Buckley and his collaborator Larry Beckett in 1967, but it wasn’t released until it appeared on his 1970 masterpiece, “Starsailor”. This meant that pop star Pat Boone’s 1969 version, from his album “Departure”, was the first actual recording to see the light of day. However, by that time, Buckley had already recorded the song for the final episode of the series The Monkees in 1968.
But it was with the voice of Elizabeth Fraser, then with This Mortal Coil (1983), that this song became quite famous. In an ethereal/dream pop style, it was used in the film Lost Highway and stayed on the indie charts longer than many iconic songs of the 1980s.
It is one of the most reinterpreted songs in alternative music, with dozens of different covers. There are 24 official cover recordings. If we include remixes, samples, and unofficial versions, the number likely reaches a hundred different interpretations. I’m sharing with you the versions that stand out most to me.
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Buckley’s talent—and, when considered alongside the innovation underlying some of his other works—leads us to wonder what his career might have been like had it not been for his overdose of heroin and morphine.
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A maximalist take on the folk classic, this rendition was tailored for the bright lights and glamour of Las Vegas and the lively crowds Boone was already accustomed to.
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Accompanied only by the sparse, reverberating guitar of Cocteau Twins member Robin Guthrie, this cover remains the most effective ever and is, by far, the most important track on the 4AD collective’s 1984 debut album, It’ll End in Tears.
Fun fact: Fraser was in an intense romantic relationship with Jeff Buckley, whom she had charmed ever since he first heard this version.
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Supported by shimmering synthesizers and an intoxicating, repetitive beat, all the elements envelop the listener in this version. This cover builds to a massive climax, which proves to be the icing on the cake.
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Included on Plant’s 2002 album, Dreamland, this cover draws heavily on the intoxicating feeling of the sirens in the title and the original song, through its introspective interpretation, the gliding guitar line, and, above all, the sweeping strings.
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Unlike Buckley’s raw emotional intensity or Elizabeth Fraser’s ethereal fragility, Bryan Ferry’s more restrained tone evokes a sense of mature nostalgia—a more controlled and subtle emotion. It feels less like a cry of pain and more like a melancholic reflection. Brilliant!
