Word up? More Willis
As I’ve probably said before, The Daily Growl isn’t a request show. But I do respond to stuff sometimes, you know. Recently I’ve had a surprising amount of people getting in touch with me about Willis. Given all the much more famous people I’ve blogged about, why Willis, the young, deep-voiced country-soul singer from London whose last release was about three years ago? Well, apparently her cover of codpiece funkster Cameo’s Word Up was on CSI lately, and it seems to have gone down well. I first posted on Willis a while back, and my posting of Word Up and other tracks seems to have aroused some interest. Unfortunately the files aren’t available any more. But I’m rectifying that now. So for all those who asked for it, here it is again, in all its rough-edged glory.
Download: Willis - Word Up
This track was released on an EP contining another cover, this time of the gospel standard Give Me That Old Time Religion, given a fine old down-home treatment. This EP, which came out at the end of 2003 was the last widely-available recording from Willis, before she was unceremoniously dropped by her record label 679 (also recently late of the Futureheads).
Download: Willis - Old Time Religion
From my cursory surfing, it seems to be pretty hard to find her album Come Get Some to
download anywhere, so here are some tracks from that LP to whet your appetite. However, it does seem that you can still buy both Come Get Some and the Take You High EP on Amazon - so if you’re keen for more get over there and buy! The planned live shows obviously haven’t worked out this year unfortunately, but here’s hoping some for next year. In the meantime, there are a couple of new tracks on Willis’ myspace, including a cover of 9 to 5. Nice.
Download: Willis - Take You High
Download: Willis - Heal My Soul
Download: Willis - November
1Jamina
wrote on 2 December 2006 at 3:38
These are amazing, thanks!
2Anonymous
wrote on 18 December 2006 at 15:14
I have been looking for this for freaking ever. Thanks.
3Silvia
wrote on 5 January 2007 at 1:45
Great choice, thanks for posting!
[Where's the rss?]
4v.king
wrote on 8 January 2007 at 23:38
i’ve discovered willis by an american friend of mine, with the song “november” and … i fall in love!!! a huge thank you from Paris where i can’t find any CD of this great artist
5Shannon
wrote on 18 January 2007 at 3:40
Thank you thank you thank you!!! Another site listed the Cameo cover as Beth Orton so I couldn’t find it and now I have! Love the other tunes you have posted by Willis also!
6web-betty
wrote on 28 February 2007 at 17:40
YAY! I’ve been looking for “Word Up” by Willis for some time. Thank you so much for posting it! I’ve also listend to the other songs…they are just as unique. I will definitely be purchasing the album.
SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC!
7Anonymous
wrote on 25 March 2007 at 20:40
Briliant! Just saw the CSI episode last night here in New Zealand and went straight online to find THAT song. I hope a new label picks here up soon on the strength of that show!
8Anonymous
wrote on 25 March 2007 at 22:33
Yup, I’m in NZ too - saw the CSI ep last nite. TVM for posting this great cover.
9Anonymous
wrote on 26 March 2007 at 5:40
Count one more click for the CSI link
just a spot slower than the others, but coming down the same path. So thanks for your posting.
10Anonymous
wrote on 1 April 2007 at 16:14
thanks for posting. i’ve been looking for this all day…
11Anonymous
wrote on 2 April 2007 at 3:33
Thanks a bunch. I was having a hard time looking for this
12Henk
wrote on 2 May 2007 at 18:16
…. yeh, heard it on CSI, then found it on iTunes, can’t stop listening to it. Thanks for posting the other tracks - I’ll be buying from Amazon next. Amazing voice, gooseflesh-inducing delivery, great stuff.
13Katy
wrote on 14 May 2007 at 19:24
More of the same - heard the track on CSI and just couldn’t get her voice out of my head! I also tried the Beth Orton track until I found your site, thank you so much! Got to get the album!
14Shades
wrote on 28 January 2008 at 3:31
Golly gee! Searched the internet high and low and finally found something about the version of Word Up featured in a C.S.I. episode…unfortunately, I could not listen…much less download any of it from this site. It’s a dead link! Boo hoo!
15Anonymous
wrote on 15 September 2008 at 10:47
OMIGOSH!! I've been goin out of my head with this song Word up. I've been watching CSI season 7 & I love this song. I love u Willis…. You are da bomb! U Rock!