"Red Hot + Blue" by Various Artists (1990)

Released at the height of tribute albums vogue, "Red Hot + Blue" was a charity album that invited than biggest names in pop to participate in highly publicised project where all profits would go to Aids benefit funds. Nothing to object to such admirable effort, except that the choice of composer in question seemed a bit strange to me - than and even today - as swanky, sophisticated Cole Porter and his witty, double entendre champagne songs have absolutely nothing to do with any of these artists whatsoever. In fact, Porter's music thrived in 1930s and 1940s because mainstream audience accepted them as pretty pop songs, their gay subtext being largely unrecognised and unnoticed. Perfect case is Ella Fitzgerald who had a smash in the 1950s with Porter's songbook and she performed them as a romantic ballads - it was a huge success but to hear the original knowing wink, you must check out cabaret performer Mabel Mercer who was probably much closer to composer's original idea.

I had the album back in the day and clearly remember that despite all the media attention, I thought it was a bit gimmicky. Only handful of artists approached these old standards as romantic ballads - Aztec Camera, Jody Watley, Lisa Stansfield and Annie Lennox amongst others - which was nothing more than a curiosity, coming from pop artists who usually worked in completely different genres. I couldn't help but thinking how Alison Moyet had unexpected hit with "That Ole Devil Called Love" few years earlier, so this came as too obvious idea. On the other hand, Neneh Cherry, Erasure, Jimmy Somerville and most notoriously U2 decidedly twisted Porter's music beyond recognition - it worked as far as wide audience was concerned but than, who knew the old Porter's music anyway - my girlfriend at the time just assumed that "Miss Otis Regrets" always sounded the way The Pogues performed it here. At the times it almost feels like a contest who can mess around with Porter more. However, I must admit that once I put my reservations aside, occasional pieces (David Byrne, Les Négresses Vertes and delightful, off the wall duet between Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop) are great fun. This project left a deep impression on k.d. lang and Sinéad O'Connor who both explored romantic torch music further (in fact, O'Connor enjoyed it so much that she went on with a complete album of standards right after this).