Take Care: The Evolution of One Song

Sometimes music can act as a recipe for something we all long to eat. Something delicious, with lasting flavor and worthwhile taste. People often alter ingredients while imitating and the same is true when one song inspires another. We are all familiar with covers and understand the process in a pretty straightforward manner. Someone writes a song---> Someone likes song so much they feel inspired----> they create their version of it. Sometimes inspiration happens so rapidly that the lineage becomes blurred or broken. I can see this happening with the late Gil Scott-Heron's "I'll Take Care Of You". The song is now in its fourth incarnation of the popular sorts. Most recently, Florence and the Machine gave the Drake treatment her own treatment. Watch and listen to the evolution of "I'll Take Care of You" below.

Gil Scott-Heron - "I'll Take Care of You" via I'm New Here (2010)

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - "I'll Take Care of You" via We're New Here (2011)

Drake ft. Rihanna - "Take Care" via Take Care (2011)

Florence and the Machine - "Take Care"(Drake Cover) via BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session (Yesterday)

Drake: Take Care

"I heard once that they would rather hear about memories than enemies

Rather hear what was or will be than what is

Rather hear how you got it or how much it cost you

Rather hear about finding yourself and how you lost you

Rather you make this an open letter, about family and struggle and it taking forever

About hearts that you’ve broken and ties that you’ve severed

No doubt in my mind, that’ll make them feel better"

This is taken from the end of the lead single 'Headlines' off of Drake's Take Care.  I would not normally do this but I believe the man put work into this album and it comes out today. Pay it some attention if you have the time. It is not your average run of the mill hip-hop, R&B or whatever you'd like to call it. It has a heart, a soul and yeah he talks about money and women and seeps some ego but at the same time there is something bigger felt here.

Here's a taste:

 Crew Love ft. The Weeknd

Marvins Room / Buried Alive