https://www.instagram.com/p/BbQnVGOhKAE/?hl=en&taken-by=madonna
People love Elliott Smith. Across the last decade and more since his tragic, untimely death, Smith has transformed from a niche artist, beloved by indie rock-adoring fans the world-over, to an actual cult icon. His fanbase is incredibly wide and amazingly diverse, and apparently includes one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, Madonna.
While most America was soundly tucked away in their beds last night, Madge decided to bust out an acoustic guitar and a camera and whip together a quick rendition of Smith’s immortal ballad “Between The Bars.” In the caption she noted the special place that the song hold in her heart. “Strumming my favorite song when everyone else is asleep.”
While it’s impossible to know what Elliott might think about someone like Madonna tackling one of his songs, Smith himself was no stranger to giving his own spin to classic tracks by other artists. Covers were a regular part of his live show throughout his career, and he often performed tender takes on songs like “Jealous Guy,” by John Lennon, “Thirteen” by Big Star, and “Ballad Of A Thin Man” by Bob Dylan.
You can watch Madonna’s spin on “Between The Bars” above and check out Elliot’s own performance of it below.
