Boy & Bear have shared a cover of the 2002 Robbie Williams hit ‘Feel’. It arrives amid the UK chart-topper’s ’25 Years of Hits’ Australian tour. The cover was originally conceived during the studio sessions for the band’s self-titled album, which was released back in May.
According to a press statement from the band, ‘Feel’ was taken into consideration as a potential cover for the band’s appearance on triple j’s Like a Version segment in 2021. The band ultimately decided to go with Simple Minds‘ ‘(Don’t You) Forget About Me’, which they performed with Annie Hamilton.
Boy & Bear – ‘Feel’
“The song itself, when stripped back to the chords, melody and lyrics is quite sad and haunting – which is unusual for a massive pop song,” the band said about ‘Feel’. “We really connected with that vibe and leant into that on our version.”
Following the recording of ‘Feel’ during the Boy & Bear sessions, the Sydney band “didn’t have any plans for it”. That changed when Williams’ self-titled documentary series arrived on Netflix. “We thought it might be cool to put it out into the world, rather than leave it gathering digital dust in the ‘old recordings’ folder of our band hard drive,” they said.
‘Feel’ was originally released by Williams in December of 2002 as the lead single from his fifth studio album Escapology. The song was an international success, topping the charts in five countries and reaching the top 10 in a further 16 – including Australia, where it was certified Gold.
Boy & Bear are no strangers to covers: their most successful single to date is their 2010 cover of Crowded House’s ‘Fall At Your Feet’, recorded as part of the Finn Brothers tribute album He Will Have His Way. In 2020, the band found success with a cover of Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’, recorded as part of their At Golden Retriever Studios live EP, which was certified Gold by ARIA. The aforementioned Simple Minds cover reached #92 in triple j’s inaugural Hottest 100 of Like A Version.
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