Failed covers
One of things I really like to do, sometimes, is hear different covers of songs. Once, I had about six different versions, from different artists, of “Helter Skelter”.
Today, listening to “In The Air Tonight” (by Phil Collins), I decided to check the other versions. You can hear 30 seconds of the music before buying in on iTunes, so… why not?
And, honestly, I think they all fail to deliver the meaning of the song. They are too happy, or so indifferent to the meaning of the lyrics that they sound almost boring. Now, there are some covers that are better than the original. Like “Mad World”, covered by Gary Jules, sounds way better than the happy beat by Tears for Fears that is amazing (it also makes the song seem way longer than it should.) But “In the Air Tonight” can be called perfect in the first version. It is dark, the music behind it keeps the pace with the darkness of the lyrics that is amazing. You can feel the real meaning behind the words by just listening to the music.
By the way, if you know any good covers of mainstream songs, let me know.
Fiona Apple’s “Across the universe”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gLWTtlMwo4
Mírian
11 Feb 08 at 00:39
I was about to give some recommendations, but Websense ate my comment. No donut for ya. (I’m pissed off)
plan9ner
11 Feb 08 at 04:39
Hendrix’s Little Wing. I have on LP or CD: Sting, Skid Row and Stevie Ray Vaughn (the best version ever). I’m sure I have more versions, just don’t remember where or whom.
Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”, although, most of them remember the Hendrix version, as, on the words of Dylan is “better than the original. I play it this way now, mostly as a homage to him”. I like the U2 and Hendrix versions.
rafasgj
11 Feb 08 at 05:45