Robert Downey Jr makes showbiz magic with “Driven to Tears.” Originally released 34 years ago, this thought-provoking tune, essentially a plea for global sharing, comes across with more white soul cocktail activist power in this version than it did on Zenyatta Mondatta back in the day where it rocked in an interesting little jazzy groove and made an effective lyrical partner to the similarly globo-conscientious, “When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around.”
The line, “a comfortable existence is reduced to a shallow, meaningless party,” still packs a punch.
