Johnny Depp released a new single Thursday, a preview of the album he and Jeff Beck have coming out in mid-July.
“This Is a Song for Ms. Hedy Lamarr” is the first single off the upcoming Beck-Depp release that is billed in a press release as an album mostly of cover songs. It’s one of two Depp-penned tunes on the record, titled “18.”
Depp’s been performing the song live with guitar legend Beck for a couple of years, and the two are touring Europe through July 25. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star mystified fans Wednesday when he posted a photo of Lamarr, the late movie star and inventor, on his Instagram page with the caption “Soon…xxx.” So mystery solved.
Sample lyrics from the new single: “This is a song for Ms. Hedy Lamarr / Erased by the world that made her a star / Strung on beauty, trapped by its web / She’s a perfect cocoon twined in gold thread.”
Along with American-born avant-garde composer George Antheil, Lamarr pioneered the radio-frequency hopping technology that would later form the basis for today’s Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth communication systems. The Austrian-born actor was, however, far more renowned for her “bombshell” looks and acting talent.
Depp, similarly, is far more renowned for his former pinup-boy looks and acting talent than for the music he has said is his first love.
The album is due July 15. In addition to “Hedy Lamarr” and another Depp tune, it includes “a range of covers that touch on Motown, the Beach Boys, John Lennon, the Velvet Underground, Killing Joke and more,” according to a press release.
Depp appears to be making a gradual public comeback since winning $10.4 million in his defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard. She also won, to a much smaller degree, and was awarded $2 million after the jury said her team had proved one of the three defamation counter-charges she had levied.
Two days ago, Depp started up a new TikTok account — which had 11.7 million followers by Thursday afternoon — and posted a short video with a caption thanking his loyal fans.
“To all of my most treasured, loyal and unwavering supporters. We’ve been everywhere together, we have seen everything together. We have walked the same road together. We did the right thing together, all because you cared,” Depp wrote in the caption.
“And now, we will all move forward together. You are, as always, my employers and once again I am whittled down to no way to say thank you, other than just by saying thank you. So, thank you. My love & respect, JD.”