New CD celebrates ‘Universal Love’ “H
E’S Funny That Way.” Don’t take my word for it. Take it from Bob Dylan.
Dylan has re-recorded an all-inclusive version of “She’s Funny That Way” on the new release “Universal Love,” a collection of six newly recorded love songs that have been adjusted for same-sex couples.
The release is the vision of MGM Resorts International, which has produced the mini-album (or EP, if you prefer) in partnership with the global advertising agency Mccann. The music is distributed by Legacy Recordings, which is part of the Sony Music empire. Samples of all six songs can be found on universal-love.com, and full songs are available on all streaming platforms as of Thursday.
The new tunes are designed to give couples in the LGBTQ community their own re-imagined wedding songs.
“We believe projects like this will help all of us reach a point where seeing the world through the lens of people who happen to be different from us becomes natural and commonplace,” Phyllis James, MGM Resorts’ chief diversity and corporate social responsibility officer, said in a statement. “It is an immense honor for MGM Resorts to spearhead this inspirational project, which celebrates LGBTQ dimensions of the universal emotion of love.”
For Dylan, it’s “He’s Funny That Way,” an alternate take on the 1931 “torch” song composed by Neil Moret, with lyrics written by Richard Whiting. The song has been covered with alternative lyrics by several artists, including Billie Holiday in 1937.
In the new version, the Nobel laureate and rock ‘n’ roll legend sings, “I’ve got a man crazy ‘bout me. He’s funny that way.”
Elsewhere, the album features five artists representing a wide assortment of styles: Ke$ha with “I Need a Woman to Love Me,” St. Vincent with “And Then She Kissed Me,” Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie with “And I Love Him,” Kele Okereke of Bloc Party with “My Guy” and Valerie June with “Mad About The Girl.”
For those who love an actual, physical piece of music, a “Universal Love” CD will go on sale April 21, which is national Record Store Day. An MGM rep said the price was expected to be around $20, but discussions about pricing were still underway.
Channing’s plight
Channing Tatum’s statue is suddenly a hot draw at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian. The attraction has posted a photo of the wax version of the Hollywood heartthrob on Twitter, surrounded by a quartet of adoring ladies. The succinct message, “Stop by @shopgrandcanal and say hi to the newly single #Channingtatum!”
ICYMI, Tatum and his wife, Jenna Dewan, announced Monday they plan to separate.
This dissolving relationship has not quelled Tatum’s business interests in Las Vegas, where he remains co-producer of “Magic Mike Live” at the Hard Rock Hotel/ Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. That show figures prominently in redevelopment plans by the incoming ownership group, led by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and hotel Chief Executive Officer Richard “Boz” Bosworth.
The hotel’s next phase will include a new nightclub near the Magic Mike Theater in addition to the previously announced club openingin an expanded, and renamed, Vinyl next year.
Bosworth says two other nightlife concepts are in development, aside from the Vinyl space. Of “Magic Mike Live,” the Boz says, “I’m thrilled with the show and its presence. It is a great fit with Virgin, and we want to complement it with bar entertainment concepts.”
Big idea at the Big Apple
Comedy Cellar, a famous Greenwich Village destination, has just opened its first Las Vegas outpost at the Rio, in the former Kings Room space.
But about five years ago, club co-owner Noam Dworman originally envisioned Comedy Cellar somewhere else: New York-new York.
“I was walking through
New York-new York, and it had all these businesses from the Village,” Dworman said during a chat Wednesday morning at the new club. “The only thing they didn’t have in the whole casino was Comedy Cellar.”
But NY-NY is owned by MGM Resorts, whose premiere comedy club is Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at the MGM Grand and which also stages the popular Aces of Comedy lineup at The Mirage. Dworman and Comedy Cellar founder Bill Grundfest also surveyed the old Improv Comedy Club venue at Harrah’s (home of “X Country” and “Menopause the Musical”) before making a deal to overhaul the Kings Room.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @ Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday:
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