A covers compilation benefitting the relief fund of singer-songwriter Jesse Malin, who suffered a spinal stroke last year, is set for release on September 20th. The latest single to be released from the effort is Billie Joe Armstrong’s cover of Malin’s “Black Haired Girl.”
The full 27-song tracklist for Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin was also unveiled and features many of Malin’s friends and colleagues covering the D Generation frontman’s songs, including Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Bleachers, and many more.
Billie Joe Armstrong’s take on Malin’s “Black Haired Girl” finds the Green Day frontman is fine form, with the cheerful power-pop tune falling right in his wheelhouse.
“Jesse is a dear friend to me,” commented Armstrong in a press release. “I love his songwriting. He is all heart… His passion is endless. We send each other YouTube videos (mostly old Ramones clips and New York Dolls). Every time I’m in New York he goes out of his way to make me, my friends and my family feel at home. He’s always down for a laugh or a shoulder to cry on. Jesse, we love you and we’d do anything for you.”
Added Malin: “When I heard Billie Joe was doing ‘Black Haired Girl’ I was so blown away. Billie took it to another level, a lot of attitude, a lot of power, a lot of style, like everything that he does.”
In May 2023, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He is now undergoing daily physical therapy and stem-cell treatments and is set to return to the stage for a two-night stand at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on December 1st and 2nd. The first gig is already sold out, but you can still get tickets to the second show via Ticketmaster, or tickets to either concert via StubHub.
All proceeds from the shows and album will benefit Malin’s Sweet Relief Fund (pre-order the album via Glassnote Records). Stream Billie Joe Armstrong’s cover of “Black Haired Girl” and see the full tracklist below.
Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin Tracklist:
01. Prisoners of Paradise (feat. Bleachers)
02. Oh Sheena (feat. Counting Crows)
03. She Don’t Love Me Now (feat. Bruce Springsteen)
04. Black Haired Girl (feat. Billie Joe Armstrong)
05. Brooklyn (feat. Dinosaur Jr.)
06. About You (feat. Frank Turner)
07. Turn Up the Mains (feat. Alison Mosshart, Wayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Steven Van Zandt, Mike Watt & Joey C.)
08. Room 13 (feat. Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello)
09. Don’t Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day) (feat. The Wallflowers)
10. The Way We Used to Roll (feat. Spoon)
11. Shane (feat. Rocky O’Riordan)
12. In the Modern World (feat. Butch Walker)
13. High Lonesome (feat. Susanna Hoffs)
14. Greener Pastures (feat. Graham Parker)
15. Meet Me At The End of the World (feat. Alejandro Escovedo)
16. Death Star (feat. The Hold Steady)
17. Riding on the Subway (feat. Tommy Stinson and Ruby Stinson)
18. St. Mark’s Sunset (feat. The Walker Roaders)
19. Dead On (feat. Ian Hunter)
20. Almost Grown (feat. Danny Clinch and Christopher Thorn with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country)
21. Shining Down (feat. Aaron Lee Tasjan)
22. When You’re Young (feat. Low Cut Connie)
23. All The Way From Moscow (feat. Willie Nile)
24. No Way Out (feat. Rancid)
25. You Know It’s Dark When Atheists Start to Pray (feat. Gogol Bordello)
26. God Is Dead (feat. Agnostic Front)
27. Frankie (feat. Murphy’s Law)