Cover Me, HouseHolder Reloaded: The Wayfarer

I know, I know.

I promised I’d move on from the Cover Me contest entries for a while, now that the evaluation and judging process has begun in earnest.

But today’s cover entry is exception-worthy, because it’s approved by the original artist himself.

HouseHolder Reloaded first formed 30 years ago in Naples, Italy. Formed by three brothers who originally recorded at home (hence the band’s name), the band eventually moved to London before splitting up and going their own ways.

They reunited earlier this year in order to contribute a cover to the international Cover Me contest, recording in Naples, Birmingham, and from remote locations due to the pandemic.

Hoping to choose a song no other contestant would cover, they selected one of Bruce’s more recent tracks: “The Wayfarer,” from Western Stars. They translated Bruce’s lyrics into their native Neapolitan, and created an arrangement every bit as captivating as the original.

HouseHolder Reloaded’s cover of “The Wayfarer” is absolutely lovely, even to those of us who don’t speak Neapolitan.

Bruce apparently agrees, because when the band sent a copy of their cover to Jon Landau, Bruce’s agent sent them a thank-you note, adding “In addition to myself, Bruce and Patti fell in love with the recording and video. Bruce was really taken with how creative it was.”

Bruce’s stamp of approval earned the band some well-deserved attention in their local press.

So there you go: today’s Cover Me entry is Boss-approved!