FINNEAS may be best known for writing and producing, especially with his kid sister Billie Eilish, but he’s also proven to be a masterful interpreter of songs. Case in point: this cover of Radiohead‘s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ from a performance at the BBC 1 Radio Live Lounge.
The track originally appeared on the band’s 1995 sophomore effort, ‘The Bends,’ and featured a huge crescendo that began with just acoustic guitar and Thom Yorke‘s voice and built to a wall of sound with distorted guitars, organ, and a string section. It’s become one of Radiohead’s most popular songs due to its evocative emotional impact, which Yorke himself felt.
Bassist Colin Greenwood told Vox in 1997 that they recorded it after seeing a Jeff Buckley concert. “Then we went back to the studio and tried an acoustic version of ‘Fake Plastic Trees.’ Thom sat down and played it in three takes, then burst into tears afterwards. And that’s what we used for the record,” he said.
Instead of focusing on the overt emotion, FINNEAS takes listeners inside by reducing the arrangement to piano, voice, and just a touch of acoustic guitar. This brings the focus back to the words and falsetto melody that tug at the heartstrings.
Whether you play piano or guitar, there’s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ sheet music for you. It’s a great piece to add to your repertoire.
