Has Been
Encyclopedia
Has Been is William Shatner
's second musical album after 1968's The Transformed Man
.
The album was produced and arranged by Ben Folds
and most of the songs are co-written by Folds and Shatner, with Folds creating arrangements for Shatner's prose-poems, and feature guest appearances from Joe Jackson
(on a cover of Pulp
's "Common People"), Folds and Aimee Mann
(backup vocals on "That's Me Trying"), Lemon Jelly
(on "Together"), Henry Rollins
and Adrian Belew
(on "I Can't Get Behind That"), and Brad Paisley
(on "Real", which he wrote specifically for Shatner).
Henry Rollins also talks about the making of the song "I Can't Get Behind That" on his spoken-word album Talk Is Cheap Vol IV
.
In 2007, a ballet
called Common People, set to Has Been, was created by Margo Sappington
(of Oh! Calcutta!
fame) and performed by the Milwaukee Ballet
. Shatner attended the première and had the event filmed. This footage became William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet
, a feature film with a very well received world première at the Nashville Film Festival on 17 April 2009. The documentary also features interviews with William Shatner, Ben Folds, and Henry Rollins.
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
's second musical album after 1968's The Transformed Man
The Transformed Man
The Transformed Man is actor William Shatner's debut album. It was released in 1968, while Shatner was still starring in the original Star Trek series, and began his musical career. The concept of the album was to juxtapose famous pieces of poetry with their modern counterparts, pop lyrics...
.
The album was produced and arranged by Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
and most of the songs are co-written by Folds and Shatner, with Folds creating arrangements for Shatner's prose-poems, and feature guest appearances from Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson (musician)
Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
(on a cover of Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....
's "Common People"), Folds and Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
(backup vocals on "That's Me Trying"), Lemon Jelly
Lemon Jelly
Lemon Jelly is a British electronic music duo from London, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen. Lemon Jelly has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and BRIT Awards....
(on "Together"), Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
and Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
(on "I Can't Get Behind That"), and Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
(on "Real", which he wrote specifically for Shatner).
Henry Rollins also talks about the making of the song "I Can't Get Behind That" on his spoken-word album Talk Is Cheap Vol IV
Talk Is Cheap Vol IV
Talk Is Cheap: Volume 4 is the 14th live spoken word album by Henry Rollins, released December, 2004 on 2.13.61 Records. It was recorded on April 16, 2004 at San José State University in San José, CA...
.
In 2007, a ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
called Common People, set to Has Been, was created by Margo Sappington
Margo Sappington
Margo Sappington is an American choreographer and dancer born July 30, 1947 in Baytown, Texas. She was nominated in 1975 for both a Tony Award as Best Choreographer and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography for her work on the play Where's Charley?. In 1988, her ballet Virgin Forest was...
(of Oh! Calcutta!
Oh! Calcutta!
Oh! Calcutta! is an avant-garde theatrical revue, created by British drama critic Kenneth Tynan. The show, consisting of sketches on sex-related topics, debuted Off-Broadway in 1969 and then in London in 1970. It ran in London for over 3,900 performances, and in New York initially for 1,314...
fame) and performed by the Milwaukee Ballet
Milwaukee Ballet
The Milwaukee Ballet is a professional ballet company located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1969 by Roberta Boorse and held its first performance on April 24, 1970. It is currently ranked among the top twelve ballet companies in the United States...
. Shatner attended the première and had the event filmed. This footage became William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet
William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet
William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet is a feature-length documentary film about a ballet by Margo Sappington called "Common People", which was set to the music of William Shatner and Ben Folds from their album Has Been...
, a feature film with a very well received world première at the Nashville Film Festival on 17 April 2009. The documentary also features interviews with William Shatner, Ben Folds, and Henry Rollins.
Track listing
- "Common People" (Nick BanksNick BanksNick Banks is the English drummer in the British band, Pulp. He lives in Sheffield with his wife Sarah Banks, two children , and his dog Geoff...
, Jarvis CockerJarvis CockerJarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
, Candida DoyleCandida DoyleCandida Doyle is a keyboard player and occasional backing vocalist with the band Pulp, which she joined in 1984...
, Steve MackeySteve MackeySteve Mackey is a British musician and record producer best known for playing bass guitar in the band Pulp. He also played bass for Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker in the latter's solo career, and worked as a songwriter and producer with artists such as M.I.A...
, Russell SeniorRussell SeniorRussell Senior is the guitarist and violinist of the band Pulp.Senior grew up in Sheffield. Whilst at University in Bath, he formed the "Dada Society" and appeared as the lead role in a dramatic adaptation of Kafka's The Trial...
) – 4:40 - "It Hasn't Happened Yet" (Folds, Shatner) – 3:49
- "You'll Have Time" (Folds, Shatner) – 5:18
- "That's Me Trying" (Folds, Nick HornbyNick HornbyNick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...
) with Aimee MannAimee MannAimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
on vocals – 3:48 - "What Have You Done" (Shatner) – 1:46
- "Together" (Lemon JellyLemon JellyLemon Jelly is a British electronic music duo from London, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen. Lemon Jelly has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and BRIT Awards....
, Elizabeth Shatner, William Shatner) – 5:39 - "Familiar Love" (Folds, Shatner) – 4:00
- "Ideal Woman" (Folds, Shatner) – 2:23
- "Has Been" (Folds, Shatner) – 2:18
- "I Can't Get Behind That" (Folds, Henry RollinsHenry RollinsHenry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
, Shatner) with Adrian BelewAdrian BelewAdrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
on guitar – 3:00 - "Real" (Brad PaisleyBrad PaisleyBrad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
) – 3:08
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Top Heatseekers |
22 |
Song
| Year | Song | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Common People | Triple J Hottest 100, 2004 Triple J Hottest 100, 2004 The 2004 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on 26 January 2005. It was the twelfth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J.... |
21 |