Sometimes, the poetry of our day could use just a pinch more… gravitas, we’ll say. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with the current bards of today, obviously Taylor Swift is doing just fine. But if the opportunity presents itself for a rustic, almost-grizzled Southern-voiced angel like Sam Elliott to dramatically read one of your songs, you’ve definitely got to take it.
While stopping by RedEye in Chicago to promote his new film Grandma, the gravelly baritone was asked do to a dramatic reading of T. Swift’s enormous hit “Bad Blood,” not too unlike the one done recently by Sir Ian McKellen. Quickly asking before if he would get into trouble for doing it, he then launches into a fantastic spoken word rendition of the tune with that molasses thick and sweet voice.
To be perfectly honest, if we’re letting Ryan Adams cover all of Taylor Swift’s 1989, there’s no reason not let people like Sam Elliott, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, James Earl Jones and Alan Rickman do an all bass-y dramatic reading version. It couldn’t be any worse than half of the Swift covers on YouTube, and it would make it seem like you were listening to some incredibly complex book on tape. Patent pending, you vultures!
(via RedEye)
