Entertainment For Lively Minds
Shite cover versions..
Posted by Declan on 19 November 2010 - 5:35pm.
Just heard this on the radio. There isn't a usable version on Youtube but you'll get the drift as it fades in and out of this news report. It's got everything: great song mauled, ukulele-driven, guy couldn't be arsed to get the lyrics or chords right.
And it's 10 weeks (and counting)at number one here in Germany.
Any other real stinkers?
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Forgot this..
The poor bloke singing
has been dead since 2007 so it's a bit late in the day to re-release a posthumous version of it, if that's the case.
He's Hawaiian so entirely justified in playing it on ukulele (the ukulele originated in Hawaii) but I do see your point.
I have a similar aversion to the Eva Cassidy version, again, ruined for me by her take on the song (can't be bothered to get the chords/melody right, etc). Similarly the fact she's dead doesn't make it any easier to bear.
It's been a hit
Several times since his death in different countries. It keeps being used in films, adverts etc.
Cheers Fraser..
hadn't realised that. So some people actually (gulp) like it??
*whispers*
I think it's rather cute and charming. I find the ukulele to be a rather endearing instrument. Each to their own...
buy one
immediately. I got one around a year ago and it was the best fifty quid or so I've spent in an age. Within an hour you'll be able to half play something vaguely recognisable, and after that you're away with it.
Like any instrument, it'll take ages to get good, and I'm nowhere near it, but it's so convenient to just pick up and practise anytime.
This is what I got. Sadly it doesn't come with headband or anything, but I improvise, using a tie...
what a wonderful idea.
*adds to wish list*
Thanks Ivan!
I am with you on this Hannah
i think it is rather nice too. His voice is pleasant and i like the funny way he sings 'chimeney tops'.
People can be too precious about cover versions doing a disservice to the original. We will always still have the original - there is no sin in someone trying a different interpretation as far as I can see.
I'm with you both..
nothing wrong with ukuleles Hannah, nothing wrong with cover versions Steve, it's just this one for me. Maybe it's the ubiquity of it that gets me, seems to be everywhere just now (remember those interminable number ones in Britain way back, Bryan Adams, Wet Wet Wet, etc.).
Ahhh
I hadn't taken into account that you're actually based in Germany and you've had ten weeks of it.
Pretty much anything gets annoying under those conditions... even thinking about "Candle in the Wind" makes me twitch
Christ..
it's serious. The thing is running in shops, fitness clubs, news programmes, and on the radio obviously. Unavoidably.
And a whole generation are getting this as their default version, wrong chords and all.
Rant over Hannah.
*posts Declan a pair of earplugs*
You really do have my sympathy!
Actually, Hannah..
my little girl's just been listening to it. Here it is..
Nice weekend.
I hadn't concentrated on it before...
I didn't realise quite how muddled he got the lyrics. Heh.
Reminds me of a friend's wedding. They had a band, who struck up The Carpenter's "Close to You". The singer stepped up to the mic and sung:
"Why do stars suddenly appear, every time, you are near?"
Ooooooh hello, I thought. If she's mangled that for the first verse, surely she's not going to the same for the next verse.... and oh yes she did...
"Why do birds fall down from the sky, everytime, you walk by?"
Ahhh, golden memories.
Bacharach fancier..
perchance? Like me? Hoho, nice mixup indeed. Now you've really made me smile. See you sometime.
But of course...
Bacharach's songs are things of wonder and beauty. Absolutely!
Bacharach?
The bit she was getting wrong was Hal David's.
(It reminds me of the story of Oscar Hammerstein's wife's response when she heard a song referred to as 'Jerome Kern's Ol' Man River'.
'Oscar Hammerstein wrote Ol' Man River,' she replied. 'Jerome Kern wrote Daah Daah Da-Dah.")
Rather cute & charming
My thoughts as well Hannah, I think it is rather lovely.
Have an arrow dear.
Me too Hannah!
...and though he looks a bit like her, he's a damn sight better than the truly awful 'Su-Bo'.
And then there's the wonderful Mrs Miller
I looooooooove Mrs Miller
Entirely hilarious and brilliant.
My friends had it played at their wedding
I don't mind it - charming in its own way. But then we only had to listen to it once.
I'm guessing...
...he didn't die of malnutrition?
I hate this
because he can't be arsed to get the words right. Leaving aside the Judy Garland original (only in the movie at the last moment, fact fans), IMHO the best version is the HJHM bst friend's:
Actually..
he passed away in 1997. Why is this so successful?
Sorry Declan
only ten years out..!
And Eva Cassidy died the year before.
Do I detect a recurring theme here?
It seems to be quite a popular song at funerals, so probably explains the success of both of them.
The shitest of the Shite cover versions is
and will always be this. Never mind the sand box,this must be Brian Wilson's lowest point.
If you said they'd phoned it in that would indicate some sort of effort in picking up a phone. This is the most souless,soul destroying thing i've ever heard.Then of course the suing radio 1 for not playing it took the biscuit.
That's that sorted then...
next!
No arguments here
Poo-ee!
This is not exactly shite...
...but you can certainly see it from there.
File under ill-advised.
To be fair
to the JLARSTH this was an in the studio knock around released by CBS after he'd announced he was leaving the label. I find it charming as it shows Bob mucking about.
Gary
I agree
there are some good things to be found hidden away on the Dylan album. But this would be way down the list of them for me.
As you say, the album was Columbia's revenge for Bob's defection to Asylum Records (Island in the UK) and consists mainly of Self Portait offcuts.
And fact fans, Bob has certainly washed his hands of this album since it's the only one of his official releases not available on CD.
this probably sounded like a good idea when they discussed it
but it wasn't
Don't diss...
...The Ukes. Fantastic act.
Go and see them do it live
Then you'll appreciate it. Plenty more where this came from:
spend an evening watching a ukelele orchestra
... on the face of it not a promising avenue to explore. Isn't it a bit, well, "samey"?
This is the pinnacle of Wuthering Heights covers
It makes me say "why?" every time I play it.
I can now face a dismal
I can now face a dismal Saturday with a smile on my face.
Gracias!
Jesus..
that does take some beating. Appalling.
The most alarming thing about your post
is the phrase "every time I play it". Please explain?
Well, basically, 'the horror...
...the horror'
Now you've seen it once, you will be morbidly compelled to watch it again...
You may get some opinions of my cover version choices very soon.
Earlier tonight, I was at the Scottish Massive meet in Glasgow. El Hombre Malo said that we should each make a Jock n Roll CD to share amongst ourselves.
I'm Scottish but I know bugger all about Scottish music, so I decided to make a covers CD. Scottish artists doing songs that I like(and own obviously).
Big Si has a jacket with the Motorhead logo on it. Dougie tells me he's into experimental sounds. Graham's taste is everywhere(but he never smiled when I mentioned singer/songwriters). El Hombro Malo smiled...and it was genuine because he loves all music! Keith(who unfortunately doesn't post here)seemed quite excited. James Blast guffawed and showed short shrift, untill....Teenage Fanclub covering Todd Rundgren was mentioned!!
Generally....they'll think they're all shite.
I like them all though -
The Proclaimers - My Old Friend The Blues (Steve Earle)
Lonnie Donegan - Bring A Little Water, Sylvie (Leadbelly
Amy MacDonald - Dancing In The Dark (Bruce Springsteen
Eddie Reader - Dear John (Kirsty MacColl)
John Martyn - Don't Think Twice (Bob Dylan)
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Gamblin' Bar Room Blues (Jimmie Rogers)
Del Amitri - Goin' Down To Laurel (Steve Forbert)
Frankie Miller - He'll Have To Go (Jim Reeves)
Teenage Fanclub - I Saw The Light (Todd Rundgren)
Deacon Blue - I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Bacharach/David)
I love the Proclaimers
and Frankie Miller versions of the songs too. Not sure about Deacon Blue - loved it at the time but not sure how well they aged as a band (same with Prefabs). Am intrigued about John Martyn covering Don't think twice.What album is that on? I love his version of cry me a river from the Glasgow Walker album.
By the way I am hoping to get along to the next Scottish meet providing there isn't a ban on itinerant Sassenachs!!
Hi Steve
El Hombre Malo passed on your greeting to me last night...right back at ye! You'll be made very welcome at the next McMassive.
Dylan Covered was a Mojo freebie CD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Covered
I could email it to you if you like.
Thanks Stevie
although I think I have it somewhere amongst all of my freebie stuff. Quite possibly have not even noticed it was on there but I will search it out now.
Glad to hear your night was a success - anyone who is a fan of LW111, Steve Earle and Ray LaMontagne is a person with taste in my book.
Dinnae let ma jaiket put ye aff!
It's a very useful item of clothing, on account of the number of pockets (four) for carrying everything a single (or otherwise) bloke would need.
Sadly I never got a copy of your CD, so i'll have to check them out on Spotify. I assure you I am very intrigued about yer list as I listen to quite a wide and varied mix of eclectic music - "Mince and Pish!" are the remarks I often hear back from James Blast - LOL!!!
Jarvis on cover versions..
it was Pulp's swansong, and has a great lyric, (handily rendered here in Spanish).
When 'shite' is in the question.......
.....as usual the answer is Madonna, though I'm sure her version of 'American Pie' (not a particular favourite of mine in the first place) was positively dripping with post-modern irony.
Anything on the X Factor
With the exception of One Direction, of course