The Scratch My Back project, as the ambitious undertaking has been dubbed, grew out of last year’s Womad Festival, when Gabriel and a string section took a crack at Paul Simon’s “Boy in the Bubble,” according to BBC.
NPR reports the collection will include the participation of Radiohead, Neil Young, David Bowie, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Randy Newman, Elbow, Talking Heads and Simon.
Musician John Metcalfe, who has been working with Gabriel on the project, said on his website that “the album will be acoustic, using only orchestral instruments (no guitars, drums or world instruments, and range in size from sparse chamber music to much fuller orchestral sounds.”
On Gabriel’s website, Metcalfe explained the process further, saying, “It sounds amazing, even though I say it myself. It is literally Peter with an orchestra … But the songs are not simply covers, they are quite major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It’s quite radical and we’re hoping people really get it and enjoy it.”
Despite NPR's list of performers, it's still unclear exactly who will be on the album. According to NPR’s Robin Hilton, the tracklist for Scratch My Back is:
01. "Heroes" - David Bowie
02. "Street Spirit" - Radiohead
03. "The Book Of Love" - Magnetic Fields
04. "Flume" - Bon Iver
05. "My Body Is A Cage" - Sara Lov
06. "Listening Wind" - Talking Heads
07. "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" - Randy Newman
08. "Apres Moi" – (possibly Regina Spektor?)
09. "Waterloo Sunset" - The Kinks
10. "The Boy In The Bubble" - Paul Simon
11. "The Power Of The Heart" - Lou Reed
12. "Philadelphia" - Bruce Springsteen (possibly “Streets of Philadelphia”?)
13. "Mirrorball" - Elbow
Although no definite release date has been set for the Scratch My Back, Metcalfe told BBC it’s possible the initial release will feature Gabriel’s versions of the songs, with covers by the other musicians released later through his Lunar Club.