The Devil You Know

The Devil You Know

Rickie Lee Jones is no stranger to covering other people's songs. Girl at Her Volcano, Pop Pop, and It's Like This found the singer/songwriter backing off the writing desk and letting her expert phrasing and interpretive abilities run the table. The Devil You Know features Jones bending a number of classic rock songs to her will. Ben Harper produced the sessions, and Jones returns the favor by covering his "Masterpiece," alongside The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Play with Fire," Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," and The Band's "The Weight." These are slow, measured takes with an autumnal pull. The classic blues "St. James Infirmary" sounds like it's leaked from a nightclub, with upright bass and a tinkling piano providing the background and Jones letting loose with no interest in polishing the results. Songs were chosen with obvious care. Van Morrison's "Comfort You," Tim Hardin's "Reason to Believe," and Donovan's "Catch the Wind" weep more than the younger Jones could have understood.

Other Versions

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada