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Post by spellcaster on Jan 14, 2022 1:12:55 GMT
How do you generally feel about remakes of classic hits? Do you welcome a different artist's interpretation, a freshening of older possibly dated music, or do you resent and dislike it?
I have to confess, I generally have negative feelings when someone tampers with a song I love, and I almost never think anything good happens in the process. When I hear Neil Diamond's Red, Red Wine, twisted into something it wasn't meant to be with a reggae beat, it really irks me. I feel the same way about Van Halen's abortion version of Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman.
What brought this subject to the foreground of my thinking is the result of a conversation with one of my ex-wives last night. She was exclaiming how great a recent remake of an old Simon and Garfunkel song, The Sounds of Silence, is. It's done by an individual or group called Disturbed....and frankly, that's exactly how it strikes me. The remake is an angry metallish butcherjob that's taken one of the finest, mellowest signature songs of the 60's and turned it into something that's like nails on chalkboard. I've linked both versions below so you can draw your own conclusions.
How do you feel about the sort of meddling that turns a song you love into one that would make you change the channel?
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Post by Sgt Rock on Jan 14, 2022 1:40:43 GMT
here's another version of that same song. I feel that these young ladies did a pretty good job with the song.
I get what you're saying. for me, it depends on how the song was rerecorded. if it was done in good taste, then it is a compliment toward the original song. otherwise, why bother.
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Post by laristotle on Jan 14, 2022 1:40:49 GMT
I've heard the 'Disturbed' version before and I agree, it's a butcher job.
Many others are good though. Even Dylan complimented Jimi's rendition of 'All along the Watch Tower'.
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Post by zontar on Jan 14, 2022 7:52:25 GMT
You know covers can be real hit & miss, and I have no issue with someone trying something different than the original, even if it gives a whole new meaning to it.
Also I don't think it has to be as good as the original, juts be its own thing.
Sure more often than not a cover version doesn't work for me, but when it does, it's cool.
I like when they bring something new.
It doesn't matter how iconic or classic a song is or how much I like it.
In fact I think I like it better when it's a song I like.
I also tend to approaching covers with the same mentality.
I may play it quite close to the original, but not exact. I might play it quite differently as well.
I enjoy that--I play guitar for fun,, and I have fun with that
But each is free, of course, to decide on their own whether they like covers in general, and what ones they like & approach to take when playing them yourself.
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Post by zontar on Jan 14, 2022 7:57:17 GMT
Here's an example of a cover version of Sounds of Silence that I like.
It is quite different from Simon & Garfunkel's version, and in no way is it as good, but it doesn't have to be, it only has to be it's own thing.
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Post by zontar on Jan 14, 2022 8:01:30 GMT
Then larsitotle mentioned Dylan & Hendrix.
In the same vein, here is the original & a cover that transcends being a mere cover & is its own entity--and I love both versions:
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Post by zontar on Jan 14, 2022 8:04:04 GMT
Notice that the original starts with the line, "What would you think if I sang out of tune?"
Then Joe Cocker sings "What would you do" instead of think.
Ringo even adopts that version--as seen here in 2015:
he normally does that changed lyric (Well it does flow better, I think)
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Post by johnreardon on Jan 14, 2022 12:03:16 GMT
Then larsitotle mentioned Dylan & Hendrix. In the same vein, here is the original & a cover that transcends being a mere cover & is its own entity--and I love both versions: It doesn't worry me about people doing someone else's music. After all, most have us have done it some time in their musical careers. Maybe not make a record, but at least play at gigs
I always listen to what's being played, not who wrote or played the song originally. I quite like the Disturbed version. The singer has a great powerful voice. It's not just me who likes it. On YouTube, the Disturbed version has 776,103,632 views & 4.6 million likes. The Simon & Garfunkel version has a 'mere' 92,322,403 views & 522k likes. Is the Disturbed version 'better'? No it's just different, that millions out there like.
I saw Joe Cocker play 'With a Little Help' at the Marquee in London, back in 1968. Joe and his band were excellent. His version of ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’, with Henry McCullough on guitar and Chris Stainton on keyboards, was superb. No wonder it went down a storm at Woodstock the following year. Not being a fan of the Beatles, I much prefer what Joe did.
Whenever I play music from other people, I always interpret the song rather than cover it note for note.
Just think of the Willie Dixon song 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man'. Numerous people, including my band, have covered the song in their own ways. They are not necessarily 'better', just different. My band slightly changed the riff but the beat is very similar to Willie's version. Muddy Waters is slower.
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Post by spellcaster on Jan 15, 2022 2:49:51 GMT
I was thinking a little more about this topic, and what came to mind was "American Woman". I've always really liked the Guess Who original, but was horrified when I heard what Lenny Kravitz did to it. Apparently Randy Bachman didn't have anything really negative to say when he heard it which surprised me....If I'd had the talent to write a real classic rock song and my band had had a huge hit with it, it wouldn't sit well with me to see it perverted into something like the Kravitz version. Not sure if Randy was just being tactful when he commented on it or if he's a lot more open-minded than I would be in those circumstances.
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Post by Die Bullen on Jan 15, 2022 14:10:52 GMT
I have no problem with covers, although sometimes I wonder why a band covers a song if it sounds exactly like the original. Maybe because I am more of a jazz player?
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Post by johnreardon on Jan 15, 2022 16:35:26 GMT
I have no problem with covers, although sometimes I wonder why a band covers a song if it sounds exactly like the original. Maybe because I am more of a jazz player? Exactly. Why? Eric Clapton doesn’t play like me, so why should I try to play like him? I couldn’t anyway. 😄 |
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Post by infant on Jan 15, 2022 19:58:56 GMT
I’m not one for learning songs note for note. Our keyboard player learns solos note for note. Ne prefers that we play the song like the original. I like to say that if people want to hear the original version, they’ll hire a disc jockey. I prefer to start a solo with a few notes from the original version but then I go down my own path and take the song where I want to go. If you go see any band (except Steely Dan), no one plays their solos like the original recording.
Playing a solo note for note doesn’t make you a good musician….it makes you a good plagiarizer! Being able to ad lib allows you to add your own artistic touch to a song. Just my $0.02.
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Post by zontar on Jan 15, 2022 20:11:01 GMT
I’m not one for learning songs note for note. Our keyboard player learns solos note for note. Ne prefers that we play the song like the original. I like to say that if people want to hear the original version, they’ll hire a disc jockey. I prefer to start a solo with a few notes from the original version but then I go down my own path and take the song where I want to go. If you go see any band (except Steely Dan), no one plays their solos like the original recording. Playing a solo note for note doesn’t make you a good musician….it makes you a good plagiarizer! Being able to ad lib allows you to add your own artistic touch to a song. Just my $0.02. II can't even play my own solos note for note. I'll be in the same neighbourhood if I like, and maybe start &/or end it in a similar fashion--but if I don't even play my own solos note for note--why do that with someone else's? |
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Post by zontar on Jan 15, 2022 20:13:51 GMT
I was thinking a little more about this topic, and what came to mind was "American Woman". I've always really liked the Guess Who original, but was horrified when I heard what Lenny Kravitz did to it. Apparently Randy Bachman didn't have anything really negative to say when he heard it which surprised me....If I'd had the talent to write a real classic rock song and my band had had a huge hit with it, it wouldn't sit well with me to see it perverted into something like the Kravitz version. Not sure if Randy was just being tactful when he commented on it or if he's a lot more open-minded than I would be in those circumstances. Not sure what's wrong with his cover. Not as good as the original, for sure. Randy loves hearing covers of his own songs from what I've heard him say. And if he had a hand in writing the song it can also bring in royalties. I don't think it would bother me to hear a cover of my songs, even if I didn't like how they did them. It's music. |
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Post by zontar on Jan 15, 2022 20:16:42 GMT
Randy shows up in this video.
This cover changes the context a bit, and gives a different meaning to "Taking Care of Business"
But that didn't bother Randy.
I like both original & cover of this one--doesn't matter which one is better.
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Post by Bill h on Jan 16, 2022 18:34:15 GMT
I've heard the 'Disturbed' version before and I agree, it's a butcher job. Many others are good though. Even Dylan complimented Jimi's rendition of 'All along the Watch Tower'. I’ve heard the disturbed version....it sucked. I don’t like remakes of classics for the most part but there are a very few exceptions, all along the watchtower is one of them. I liked the Dylan version but like the Hendrix version even better. |
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Post by Sgt Rock on Jan 17, 2022 1:32:27 GMT
I've heard the 'Disturbed' version before and I agree, it's a butcher job. Many others are good though. Even Dylan complimented Jimi's rendition of 'All along the Watch Tower'. I’ve heard the disturbed version....it sucked. I don’t like remakes of classics for the most part but there are a very few exceptions, all along the watchtower is one of them. I liked the Dylan version but like the Hendrix version even better. Bill, have you ever hear the Dave Mason version ? |
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Post by Bill h on Jan 17, 2022 1:59:11 GMT
I’ve heard the disturbed version....it sucked. I don’t like remakes of classics for the most part but there are a very few exceptions, all along the watchtower is one of them. I liked the Dylan version but like the Hendrix version even better. Bill, have you ever hear the Dave Mason version ? Nope, not until just now. I listened to it, thought it was a more upbeat version, more of a pop feel to it, interesting. |
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Post by zontar on Jan 17, 2022 3:17:26 GMT
I hear dave Mason, and I think of this cover version of a song he wrote.
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Post by Sgt Rock on Jan 17, 2022 3:48:52 GMT
Bill, have you ever hear the Dave Mason version ? Nope, not until just now. I listened to it, thought it was a more upbeat version, more of a pop feel to it, interesting. I believe I bought the album not long after I got out in 1974. maybe even before I got out. but I do believe it came out sometime in 1974. |
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