- Trevor Rabin on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" from a 2003 interview
Recently Trevor shared a link to this YouTube video on his official Facebook page, featuring the popular Bluegrass family ensemble The Cleverly's performing (a little bit of) "Owner of a Lonely Heart." As Trevor is a fan of bluegrass music I imagine he was charmed by this particular appropriation, especially as The Cleverly's are a funny bunch of guys in addition to their obvious musical talents.
One of the true tests of time for a song is how well it can be translated to other genres/arrangements, and the million-dollar riff sounds as compelling on mandolin as Trevor's famous Strat. And in other genre crossovers, "Weird Al" Yankovic included "Owner" in one of his infamous polka medleys (and you know you've arrived when you've been parodied by "Weird Al"). But I'll save discussion of the other cover versions of the song for another entry.
Another measure of longevity is cultural relevance, and among its many citations, "Owner" has also become a frequently-sampled song in popular music recordings, with over 20 specific inclusions in hip-hop tracks alone. As "Owner" is a song which also utilizes sampling in its construction, this chain of appropriation is a fitting tribute to not only the history of collage methodology but the enduring power of pop culture as a whole. In regards to its own sampling provenance, it's been popularly cited that Questlove of The Roots - musician and journalist among his many talents - has declared "Owner" was the first song to use a sample as a breakbeat rather than a sound effect, and thus a further evolution of the use of sampling in musical collage construction.
One of the more recent samplings of "Owner" was in indie darling Gotye's track "A Distinctive Sound" from the album Like Drawing Blood, which actually reminds me of The Art of Noise (it's rather appropriate when you consider "Owner"'s pedigree).
Another measure of longevity is cultural relevance, and among its many citations, "Owner" has also become a frequently-sampled song in popular music recordings, with over 20 specific inclusions in hip-hop tracks alone. As "Owner" is a song which also utilizes sampling in its construction, this chain of appropriation is a fitting tribute to not only the history of collage methodology but the enduring power of pop culture as a whole. In regards to its own sampling provenance, it's been popularly cited that Questlove of The Roots - musician and journalist among his many talents - has declared "Owner" was the first song to use a sample as a breakbeat rather than a sound effect, and thus a further evolution of the use of sampling in musical collage construction.
One of the more recent samplings of "Owner" was in indie darling Gotye's track "A Distinctive Sound" from the album Like Drawing Blood, which actually reminds me of The Art of Noise (it's rather appropriate when you consider "Owner"'s pedigree).
It is also a calling card which has allowed Trevor to experience further opportunities in regards to his discography. As example, Michael Jackson desired Trevor to perform on the HIStory album because he was a fan of "Owner," which is sampled in the song "D.S." from that same recording, and Trevor appears on the song "They Don't Care About Us." I'll share an anecdote I was told about this session (the source shall remain nameless) but I thought - if it's true - it's a good example of Trevor's sense of humor. When Trevor showed up for the session at The Hit Factory - just him and the Strat - he ran a bit afoul of MJ's security team who weren't willing to take his word in regards to who he was or why he was there. In frustration Trevor finally proclaimed, "I'm Trevor Rabin, I am an African-American, and I'm playing this session!" And as the saying goes...he ain't never lied about that!
A specific value the song's iconic popularity has for me personally is if I invoke it with those for whom Trevor is not a familiar name, it acts as instant clarification. All I have to say is, "He wrote 'Owner of a Lonely Heart'" and the figurative lightbulb switches on. Sure, cultural immortality is potentially something to desire, but recognition in the here and now is pretty darn nifty too.
A specific value the song's iconic popularity has for me personally is if I invoke it with those for whom Trevor is not a familiar name, it acts as instant clarification. All I have to say is, "He wrote 'Owner of a Lonely Heart'" and the figurative lightbulb switches on. Sure, cultural immortality is potentially something to desire, but recognition in the here and now is pretty darn nifty too.
