Having released one of our favourite debut albums of the year in I Am The Prophet, Tyler Dozier aka Lady Dan returns with a cover of Bill Withers’ classic “Just The Two Of Us” in time for Halloween. It might initially seem like a surprising move, but considering the sharp tongue and acerbic tone used on a lot of Prophet, it shouldn’t be. Dozier says:
“I’d had this idea to take a major classic pop song and turn it dark and sinister since last year, but I didn’t have the time or resources for it yet (I was neck deep in I Am The Prophet work). So when August rolled around this year, I revisited the idea and reached out to my buddy Carson Cody to see if he’d be interested in working together on it. I love the idea of releasing projects that are thematic to holidays, and Halloween just happens to be one of my favorites. I’m always making Halloween playlists in October featuring the likes of Leonard Cohen, Norma Tanega, Dead Man’s Bones, etc. so I wanted to make one of my own to add to the mix.“
“Just The Two Of Us” is a classic love song, but Lady Dan makes intelligent flip into a nightmarish ballad with her drawling voice underpinned by vampy organ. It’s easy to imagine a load of horror scenarios from this version of “Just The Two Of Us”; perhaps it’s a pair of vampires realising they only have each other, perhaps it’s a couple of apocalypse survivors realising they’re all they have left, or, perhaps it’s what the video depicts: a psychotic and obsessive kidnapper serenading their captive. The song also supports this last interpretation, especially as it shifts into an 80s-style synth jam at the end, perfectly emphasising the misplaced sexual attraction the criminal has for their victim.
Any way you hear it, it’s an absolute joy and one to add to your Halloween playlists.
The video is also fantastic, with Dozier saying: “I also have a silent passion for directing and actualizing music videos, and horror/thriller is a subject I’ve been dying to touch. It’s all very exciting – working with friends, experimenting with new genres, and creating new visuals (or new to me) for people to enjoy.”
Watch the clip below or find the song on streaming platforms.
