Neil Finn Salutes Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande’s Crowded House Cover
Crowded House frontman Neil Finn has given his stamp of approval to Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande’s new cover of his band’s 1986 classic “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”
The pair’s video, which features them performing while clad in footie pajamas, hit the Web yesterday. It’s part of Cyrus’ “Backyard Sessions” to raise awareness for her Happy Hippie Foundation, which aids homeless and LGBT youth.
Cyrus recently surprised fans by covering Dido’s “No Freedom” on her own and the Replacements’ “Androgynous” with help from Joan Jett and Against Me’s Laura Jane Grace.
“What a life that song has had,” Finn tells Billboard exclusively of “Dream.” “I’m happy to see them enjoying it so much and hope it inspires some donations to a good cause.”
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” is arguably the best-known song in the catalog of Crowded House, who rose to fame in the 1980s from the ashes of seminal New Zealand rockers Split Enz. “Dream” hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1987 and has since been covered by everyone from Sixpence None The Richer and Susan Boyle to Faith No More and Diana Krall.
Crowded House split in 1996 but reunited a decade later, and has since released two studio albums and toured extensively. Finn tells Billboard he is writing songs for a new album, performing rare solo shows in Melbourne and Sydney later this month and has just produced an album for young New Zealand artist Jesse Sheehan. What’s more, “I’m studying volcanoes in my spare time,” he says.
