Tony Romaine – Born In A Prison (2022)
Influenced by the likes of Yoko Ono, John Lennon and Paul Simon, UK-based Tony Romaine expresses intimacy with a charming folk sound. Described as an “old-fashioned troubadour in the truest sense of the word”, Romaine brings poetry and elegance to his songs. While Romaine has been performing for most of his life, it is only now that he graces the internet with his work. Featured on various playlists and radio stations like iHeart Radio, the singer-songwriter is reaching people on an international level. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘Born In A Prison’.
While we do not often review cover songs, Tony Romaine’s cover of Yoko Ono’s ‘Born In A Prison’ made a true impression and I had to write about it. Influenced and inspired by Yoko Ono’s work, Romaine released the iconic tune on the 50th anniversary of John and Yoko’s Sometime In New York LP. He describes the track as being “…a sad song about how we are trapped by society all our life, although there is a glimmer of hope”, and it is with this understanding that he performs his tribute.
Recorded with producer Steve Bull in Inverness, Scotland, Romaine inserts the intimacy of Paul Simon and the spark of David Bowie into ‘Born In A Prison’. When I listen to the original version of this track, the swaying sensation stands out most along with Ono’s unique vocals; Romaine has captured this in his own way. Unlike the softer sound of Ono, he adds a rock vibe to the track with his gruff vocals and heavier indie quality. Yet, this does not remove the obscurity of the original ‘Born In A Prison’ with a four-string arrangement (performed by Yoed Nir) accompanied by a lighter vocal tone.
Sincere, sentimental and captivating, Tony Romaine converts Ono’s classic single to something edgier and heavier while retaining the fairy dust lightness of the original track. Not a great fan of covers, but Tony Romaine shows how one can take something good and make it better.
For more from Tony Romaine check out his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
