Patti Smith recently kicked off her 2024 European tour (get tickets), and at her shows this week in Brighton, England and Dublin, Ireland, she treated fans to a show-stopping cross-generational surprise: a cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness.”
Delivering a relatively faithful rendition of the 2012 hit, Smith poured her years of wisdom into Rey’s solemn lyrics, illuminating them with a fresh perspective. Introducing the song, Smith told the crowds that it reminded her of her late husband, MC5’s Fred Smith, and their “wild youth” together.
In clips of the performance, Smith can be seen leaning into the song’s pondering mood, with some reports even alleging that she was in tears while singing. Watch videos of the performance below.
Additionally, Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine was in attendance at the Dublin show, according to a post from Smith herself, attributing him as the person who took the video. You can check out that clip below as well.
This is the latest interaction between Smith and the pop stars of the 21st century, following her being name-dropped by Taylor Swift on The Tortured Poets Department’s title track, alongside Dylan Thomas. On Instagram, Smith posted a “thank you” to Swift, writing that she was “moved to be mentioned in the company” of Thomas.
Smith’s tour will continue with stops in Amsterdam, London, and other European cities this summer, before returning stateside for a pair of shows at Pappy & Harriet’s in October and a performance in Kingston, New York in November. Get tickets here.
Last December, Smith was forced to cancel events after she was hospitalized due to a “sudden illness.”
Patti Smith sang a very emotional cover of ‘Summertime Sadness’ by Lana Del Rey at @Vicar_Street tonight. She said the song makes her reflect on moments she had with her late husband, Fred Smith. pic.twitter.com/niN0Wyqg0N
— Aaron Vallely (@Vallmeister) June 27, 2024
@burgersphone Patti performing summertime sadness #summertimesadness #pattismith #lanadelrey
