Cannot Buy My Soul: The Songs of Kev Carmody, or more simply Cannot Buy My Soul, is a 2007 double-CD compilation tribute album featuring various artists performing tracks by Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody. They were brought together by rock musician, Paul Kelly, who also performs on a track. Artists include Dan Kelly (Paul's nephew), the John Butler Trio, the Waifs and Clare Bowditch.

Cannot Buy My Soul
A background image depicts the setting moon behind two dead trees. The sky is red brown, while the sun is yellow with many large orange areas. The first part of the title is in large black letters over the top of the moon. The rest of the title is in orange letters below the moon. Underneath is a listing of the artists on the album in white block capitals over a black background.
Compilation album tribute by
Various artists
Released17 February 2007 (2007-02-17)
Genre
  • Folk
  • country
  • bluegrass
  • pop
Length142:41
Label

The first disc is sub-titled, The Songs of Kev Carmody while the second disc, sub-titled, Originals, is a compilation of Carmody's original versions of the same tracks presented in the same order.[1]

It entered the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart at No. 31 and stayed in the top 50 for three weeks. It won Album of the Year at Deadly Awards 2007.[2]

On 9 July 2020, EMI Music Australia announced a re-release of Cannot Buy My Soul with six new recordings, to be released on August 21. The 2020 edition will feature new recordings of Kev Carmody songs from Courtney Barnett, Kasey Chambers & Jimmy Barnes, Mo’Ju & Birdz (produced by Trials), Kate Miller-Heidke, Alice Skye and Electric Fields. This will be the first time the album will be available on vinyl.[3]

Release and reception

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Paul Kelly met Kev Carmody in the 1980s.[4] They co-wrote a track, "From Little Things Big Things Grow", which was first recorded in 1991 by Kelly and his group, Carmody and Kelly released a version as a single in 1993.

Kelly decided to bring together fellow Australian artists to record a tribute album of Carmody's songs, with the intention of bringing Carmody's music to a wider audience.[5] The album, named after Carmody's song, "Cannot Buy My Soul", was released on 17 February 2007 on EMI Music Australia/Virgin Records.[6]

Writing for The Courier-Mail, Noel Mengel praised the album and said that it was "more than just another tribute album [...] a powerful album in its own right as well as an introduction to a diverse body of work."[7] He noted the diversity of styles of the cover versions and called Paul Kelly, Augie March and Missy Higgins' version of "Droving Woman", "stunning".[7] Patrick Donovan from The Age said that it contained a well-chosen selection of tracks.[1] He felt Clare Bowditch's version of "Blood Red Rose", was "stunning" and said that "This Land Is Mine", sung by Scott Wilson and Dan Sultan, was "evocative".[1]

In October 2010 the tribute album was listed in the top 40 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums.[8]

Track listing

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2007 release

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All tracks are written by Kev Carmody unless otherwise shown

The Songs of Kev Carmody
No.TitleArtistLength
1."I've Been Moved"Dan Kelly3:39
2."Thou Shalt Not Steal"John Butler Trio4:50
3."Elly"Bernard Fanning4:47
4."The Young Dancer Is Dead"The Last Kinection3:02
5."From Little Things Big Things Grow" (Paul Kelly, Carmody)The Waifs5:13
6."River of Tears"The Drones4:24
7."On the Wire"Troy Cassar-Daley3:43
8."Cannot Buy My Soul"Archie Roach2:47
9."Moonstruck"Sara Storer3:15
10."This Land Is Mine" (Kelly, Carmody)Scott Wilson, Dan Sultan4:06
11."Darkside"Tex Perkins5:46
12."Blood Red Rose"Clare Bowditch4:59
13."Comrade Jesus Christ"The Herd4:14
14."Images of London"Steve Kilbey5:15
15."Droving Woman"Paul Kelly, Augie March, Missy Higgins8:44
16."Eulogy for a Black Man"The Pigram Brothers4:42
Originals
No.TitleLength
1."I've Been Moved"2:50
2."Thou Shalt Not Steal"4:54
3."Elly"4:53
4."The Young Dancer Is Dead"3:34
5."From Little Things Big Things Grow"5:49
6."River of Tears"2:32
7."On the Wire"4:39
8."Cannot Buy My Soul"2:34
9."Moonstruck"4:37
10."This Land Is Mine"2:56
11."Darkside"5:23
12."Blood Red Rose"3:22
13."Comrade Jesus Christ"2:13
14."Images of London"5:22
15."Droving Woman"9:17
16."Eulogy for a Black Man"4:12

2020 Edition

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CD3
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Black Bess"Kasey Chambers & Jimmy Barnes3:49
2."Rider in the Rain 2020"Mojo Juju, Trials & Birdz3:47
3."Blue You"Alice Skye4:24
4."From Little Things Big Things Grow"Electric Fields5:13
5."Blood Red Rose"Kate Miller-Heidke4:27
6."Just for You"Courtney Barnett4:06
7."Black Bess"Kev Carmody3:59
8."Rider in the Rain"Kev Carmody6:40
9."Blue You"Kev Carmody with Andy White and Liam O'Maonlai6:04
10."From Little Things Big Things Grow"Kev Carmody with Paul Kelly and Tiddas5:50
11."Blood Red Rose"Kev Carmody3:21
12."Just for You"Kev Carmody2:58
  • Note: The 2020 digital edition lists the 22 cover versions first, with the 2020 tracks listed before the 2007 tracks. These are followed by the 20 Kev Carmody songs, again, with the 2020 tracks listed before the 2007 tracks.[9]
  • Note: The 2xLP edition features 19 cover versions only. It excludes the tracks "From Little Things Big Things Grow" by The Waifs, "Blood Red Rose" by Claire Bowdich and "Images of London" by Steve Kilbey.[3]

Charts

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Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[10] 31
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[11] 6

Release history

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Region Date Format Edition(s) Label Catalogue
Australia February 2007 Standard Virgin Records / EMI Music 377741 2
Various 21 August 2020 [9][12][3] 2020 Edition EMI Music 0737156 / 0717073

References

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  1. ^ a b c Donovan, Patrick (22 February 2007), "Kev Carmody: Cannot buy my soul", The Age, Fairfax Media, retrieved 4 June 2010
  2. ^ Braithwaite, Alyssa; AAP (28 September 2007), "Mauboy artist of the year", The Courier-Mail, News Limited, retrieved 5 June 2010
  3. ^ a b c "Cannot Buy My Soul: Songs Of Kev Carmody (2020 REISSUE) LP". JB HiFi. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Kev Carmody — Cannot Buy My Soul", Message Stick, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 February 2007, retrieved 4 June 2010
  5. ^ Whyte, Pat, "Cannot Buy My Soul — The Campfire Storyteller" (PDF), kevcarmody.com.au, archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2010, retrieved 8 June 2010
  6. ^ Ferguson, Tom (3 March 2007), "Obita Opening Doors", Billboard, e5 Global Media, p. 43, retrieved 5 June 2010
  7. ^ a b Mengel, Noel (16 February 2007), "Why Kev Carmody rules, OK", The Courier-Mail, News Limited, retrieved 5 June 2010
  8. ^ O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9.
  9. ^ a b "Cannot Buy My Soul (2020 Edition)". Apple Music. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Compilation – CANNOT BUY MY SOUL - THE SONGS OF KEV CARMODY (ALBUM)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  11. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Cannot Buy My Soul: Songs Of Kev Carmody (2020 REISSUE)". JB HiFi. Retrieved 1 August 2020.