Not directly concerning art or old stuff, but in the spirit of the neoclassic, particularly the retro aspect of enjoying something that used to be, does anyone out there have favorite song remakes?It doesn't really matter about genre, time period or anything, I was just curious what some of the better remakes are in your opinions. Also, what are the worst of the terrible remakes for you?
Song remakes that might be better than original to me:
'Every Little Thing She Does' - Ra (originally Police?)
'Don't Dream it's Over' - Sixpence None the Richer (Crowded House)
'O Sole Mio' - Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies (traditional Italian)
'Life is a Highway' - Rascal Flatts (Tom Cochrane?)
'Unchained Melody' - Sanchez (Righteous Bros?)
Can't tell if these are worse song remakes or just regular awful:
'American Pie' - Madonna (Don McLean?)
'I Love Rock and Roll' - Britney Spears (Joan Jett)
'Bringin on the Heartbreak' - Mariah Carey (Def Leppard?)
'Walk the Line' - Travis Tritt (Johnny Cash)
'How You Remind Me' / 'Someday' (Nickelback covered themselves)
Completely unrelated, here is a great J. Davenport tromp l'oeil painting, 'Territorial', for you to consider, and while you do that I'll be going through your stuff*.
* Jack Handey reference...
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I'll see your Brittany Spears remake, and raise you...
ReplyDeleteJessica Simpson - These Boots Were Made for Walkin' (original Nancy Sinatra) and Annie Lennox - Waiting in Vain (original Bob Marley).
Oh, this could go on...but at least you didn't ask about movie remakes. Ugh.
I like the painting. It's cute and strange at the same time.
Tori Amos did a remake of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that I actually like. I like Nirvana's better, obviously, but I still like Tori's slowed-down version.
ReplyDeleteShe did the same thing to Losing my Religion, and failed miserably. Speaking of R.E.M., I like their remake of In the Year 2525, which is kind of a rare track.
I think Tom Cochrane's version of Life is a Highway was a remake of someone else's version.
311's cover of "Love Song" by The Cure is great as is Ziggy Marley's redo of "Drive" by the Cars. The Ataris' cover of "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley sux.
ReplyDeleteP.S. The "consider the lillies" bit is my FAVORITE of Jack Handey's!
P.P.S. Nice job realizing that Nickelcrap has covered themselves. Have you ever been to that site that plays both songs simultaneously? It's hilarious.
Didn't William Shatner record some rather horrible interpretations of various sons, not his? Also he did a cover of "Rocket Man" that was pretty bad - a spoken version! Don't know if this counts but it is very funny -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hARDXYz2io
Awesome. I just love William Shatner.
ReplyDeleteOkay...first of all, i just have to say that I really liked Jessica Simpson's 'Boots' song...a lot...and I can hardly stand the girl!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, my favorite remake was Pearl Jam's 'The Last Kiss', made famous by J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers, but originally sung by Wayne Cochran.
In fact, you have totally made me want to hear this song...real bad!
I love that trompe l'oeil!
ReplyDeleteIce Ice Baby used that Under Pressure sample very well. Admit it.
Also PM Dawn did a song I think was called "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" using a sample from some 80s song that I can't think of the name of, but I loved it.
I agree on the Sixpence remake of "Don't Dream It's Over". I always loved the original but they nailed the remake I think. I also love Camera Obscura's version of ABBA's "Super Trouper" which is in the same sort of vein.
ReplyDeleteI think Soda was looking for "True" by Spandau Ballet. I'm ashamed I even know that...
I enjoy a lot of covers yet now you've asked I can't even remember what they are.
Barenaked Ladies do a rousing version of "Do They Know It's Christmas" :) And I love the Fastball version of the Bacharach classic "This Guy's in Love With You"
Didn't a boy band do "We WIll Rock You" once.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I heard it and had a little cry.
Ooh, All Saints managed to mangle one of my favourite songs of all time: Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Otherworldlyone, thanks for the warnings about the Annie Lennox and Jessica Simpson covers! Isn't that painting cool?
ReplyDeleteMjenks, Tori Amos is kind of hit or miss, huh? A friend of mine was in a band that opened for her one time.
:) Heather, thanks for the song recommendations, I was all Mr. Downloady McDownload on Amazon today.
ps - even better than 'Sometimes the face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face?'
pps - thanks, what's that site?
Lidian, yes the Shatner is terrifyingly awful and awesome at the same time. Much like a trainwreck, thanks for the link!
Lopez, I wonder if Tony Romo sang that song to her last week, you know, karaoke style?
Regarding Last Kiss, I think I kind of agree. It was an awfully goofy song made only slightly less goofy. Go listen to your sappy song. :)
Soda, isn't the painting great? He already sold that one, but I will own a good one of his someday. I agree with you on the PM Dawn song. I refuse to buy Vanilla Ice. A VP I worked for at Brinker lived in the well to do Richardson suburb where he was growing up said he was a brat and used to pop motorcycle wheelies down residential streets and other nonsense.
Vegetable Assassin, I know, it's hard to remember them on the spot. I forgot 'Kiss them For Me' by One of the Loudest Tragedies Ever Heard and 'Land of Confusion' by Disturbed. Thanks for the suggestions.
The Jules, lol, glad I don't listen to boy band music. I'll have to listen to the All Saints one just for a laugh, thanks!
Thanks everyone, you've given me some good songs to download from Amazon because I really like the cover tunes...
Shatner and his band did a cover of the Pulp song . I actually really liked it- its cool in an artsy way. The rest of Shatner's music sucks for the most part. And thanks for sharing that painting with us.
ReplyDeletesorry.. the song is common people
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXWEM4gZhg4
Apparently, the Flying Pickets did a version of Under the Bridge. I haven't heard it but I'd like to, only I'm too mean to pay for it.
ReplyDeletearound 1997 I think, I bought a tape of all these famous guitarists doing hendrix songs. I'm a huge hendrix fan, and it was totally embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.... good question but I'm still not fully awake so my comment will probably make no sense at all.
ReplyDeleteNot so good remakes:
'Papa was a rolling stone' by George Michael (the Temptations)
'Gimme Gimme Gimme' by Erasure (ABBA) OMG!
'Take My Breath Away' by Jessica Simpson (Berlin)
Good remakes:
'You can't hurry love' by Phil Collins (Supremes)
'Gangsta's Paradise' by Coolio (Stevie Wonder)
'Kiss' by Tom Jones (Prince)
'You keep me hanging on' by Kim Wilde (Supremes)
'Smooth criminal - alien ant farm (Michael Jackson)
Can anybody make me some wicked-good pancakes? Please!
Valerie, a good Shatner song? Really? I'll have to investigate that, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe Jules, I'll buy it and review for you.
Mr. C., I hate it when that happens. I can't imagine the covers were anything but more cheesy.
Like when I sing the lounge act version of NIN 'Closer', be do be doo doop.
Dutch donut girl, thanks for all the good remake suggestions, I agree with those for sure. I haven't heard the Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie though, maybe I'll listen for a laugh.
Oooh good question!
ReplyDeleteI like a good cover, but sadly they're very rare ... I love Nirvana's version of Bowie's "Man who sold the world" and also the Foo's cover of "Darling Nikki" formerly by the artist formerly known as Prince and they also did a rocking cover of Wing's "Band on the run" ... which actually makes that song bearable.
Jules beat me to the All Saints travesty, also Alannis Morrisette did a laughable version of the Black Eyed Peas' "My humps" ... like that song wasn't already bad enough lol Oh ... and Natasha Bedingfield sucked the life out of Coldplay's "The Scientist" ...
Oh boy, I could go on and on. Most covers pretty much blow :/
Ooh! ooh! ... check out Rolf Harris' version of Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven" haha :P
Girl Interrupted,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions, I agree about 'Darling Nikki', but haven't heard the Alannis version of 'My humps' which I'll buy for the humor. I think when musicians do a cover the pressure is really on to make it great and like you say, they usually fail...
Oh Eric, you truly are the maestro of retro.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine has a theory about Bob Dylan covers: he reckons poor old Bob has never done the best versions of his own songs.
At first glance, this theory appears to have some merit:
"All Along A Watchtower" - Jimi Hendrix
"Just Like A Woman" - Jeff Buckley (live)
"I Shall Be Released" - Nina Simone
"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" - Johnny Cash
"Tomorrow Is A Long Time" - Nick Drake
"Mr Tambourine Man" - The Byrds
"Maggie's Farm" - Rage Against The Machine (not everyone's cup of tea, but awesome nonetheless)
However, the theory comes crashing down in view of:
"Knocking On Heaven's Door" - Avril Lavigne
"Mr Tambourine Man" - William Shatner.
I rest my case.
hey man, found your blog via soda and candy's blog roll. I like this, so if you see your follow number go up one, it's cuz of me.
ReplyDeleteI actually just started doing a little feature on my blog about covers, for use whenever blogger's block occurs.
Oh, and a comment pertaining to this post -- your nickelback comment was awesome
Girl with the Pink Teacup, that's a good theory. I wonder if it would be as bad if Tom Petty covered a Dylan song (to me, they kind of sound the same, but Petty is a bit easier to understand). Imagine a duet with Petty and Dylan, lol.
ReplyDeleteMr O, um, I didn't have blogger's block *looks around nervously, coughs*...
Thanks, Nickelback's level of talent never surprises me (or lots of other people).
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting.”
ReplyDelete~Jack Handey
LiLu, :)
ReplyDeleteIf a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did."