Hear Jeff Tweedy’s Tender Cover of Roky Erickson’s ‘For You (I’d Do Anything)’

Jeff Tweedy has released a cover of Roky Erickson’s “For You (I’d Do Anything),” from the upcoming compilation, May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson, set to arrive July 17th via Light in the Attic (a special vinyl version will be released as a Record Store Day exclusive).

Tweedy offers a wholly unique take on “For You (I’d Do Anything),” doing away with the tender country pluck of Erickson’s original, and instead using a mix of synths and pianos to craft a sweet and meditative soundscape.

Bill Bentley, who produced May the Circle Remain Unbroken and worked as a publicist for both Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, told IndieLand in an email that he knew he wanted Tweedy to contribute to the new compilation. “I’d seen so many shows and heard so many songs, I felt like we were joined in a musical spirit,” Bentley said, adding, “Roky and him both shared such a generosity of spirit in how they sang that I could hear Jeff taking Roky’s song to heart and making it his own. And with just a couple of messages later, Jeff Tweedy said yes. A few months later Jeff’s recording arrived in an email. And, of course, it is a performance of the highest order, and brings me beautiful visions of all the times I’d been with Roky and Jeff over the years.”

Bentley compiled May the Circle Remain Unbroken with Wyatt Bentley, while the album was mastered by John Baldwin. Tweedy’s cover of “For You (I’d Do Anything),” marks the album’s third offering, following Margo Price’s cover of “Red Temple Prayer (Two Headed Dog)” and Neko Case’s rendition of “Be and Bring Me Home.” Other contributors include Lucinda Williams, Billy F. Gibbons, Mark Lanegan and Lynn Castle, Gary Clark, Jr. and Eve Monsees, Ty Segall, Chelsea Wolfe, and Mosshart Sexton (the duo of Alison Mosshart and Charlie Sexton).