Anywhere I Lay My Head (Scarlett Johansson)

I'd like to say something pithy and articulate, but hearing this robs me of words. Listening to Johansson sing Tom Waits is simply painful. Let me try again.... Its a fucking travesty. Judge for yourself. Here is Tom singing "Falling Down" followed by Scarlett's version. The visuals in Scarlett's video are the best thing about it.

Covering Tom Waits should only be undertaken by someone of considerable skill as an interpreter of off the beaten path songs. Scarlett doesn't make the cut. Not by a long shot. I listened to it, wanting to at least give her credit for the effort. But the end product is William Shatner/Leonard Nimoy bad. In the interest of disclosure, it should probably be noted that my RIA handle is the title of a Tom Waits album.

Anywhere I Lay my Head, Scarlett Johansson's debut album, is quite indescribably awful, bordering on hilarity. Not that I had particularly high expectations for ms. Johansson's singing career, but I never expected something quite this bad, especially considering most of the songs are Tom Waits covers. The musicians try to drown her out, but the end result is more of a cacophonous mess than anything else. That said, if you happen enjoy listening to a drunk friend sing somber karaoke about 2 octaves below her range, you will absolutely love it. For example: