Vanessa Carlton provides an eloquent cover of Elliott Smith's "Needle In The Hay"

20 July 2018, 10:59 | Written by Cerys Kenneally

(News)

(Vanessa Carlton)

Vanessa Carlton has already racked up props for her cover of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend". Now she's dished out a stark rendition of Elliott Smith's "Needle In The Hay".

As part of her cover series, Vanessa Carlton has been busy providing her takes on classics including Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams", Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” and Karen Dalton’s “Little Bit of Rain".

As she reaches her penultimate week in her six-part cover series, Carlton has decided to cover one of her favourite tracks from the late singer/songwriter Elliott Smith.

Speaking to Variety, Carlton details what led her to pick "Needle In The Hay" for this month's cover, “This is one of my favorite songs, period. Elliott was a great poet and the metaphors in this lyric split me open. This song is a juxtaposition, because the song is about excruciating pain and the brutal moments of an addiction spiral, and yet it’s formed in this drone-y meditative manner. Such restraint… “

"Needle In The Hay" originally appeared on Elliott Smith's 1995 self-titled album. The Oscar-nominated musician died in 2003.

Carlton’s last release was 2015's Liberman.

Elliott Smith's music has provided guidance and inspiration for many musicians. Revisit Chastity Belt detailing Smith as their main inspiration on their latest record.

Vanessa Carlton's cover of Elliott Smith's "Needle In The Hay" is available now.