Cover Versions

There has been a slightly disturbing trend recently. Firstly, I hear Ronin Keating’s version of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Then, just now, on the radio I heard a very familiar song come on: “Don’t Stop Me Now”, by Queen. Except it wasn’t performed by Queen, it was McFly.

Nothing particularly wrong with that in itself… except that in both cases, the songs sounded almost exactly the same as the originals! What the heck were they thinking? Oh yeah, let’s be really original – let’s rip of someone else’s song using the same arrangement as them… in fact, let’s make it sound almost exactly like the original! Well I’ve got a newsflash for you: THERE ISN’T A SINGLE OUNCE OF ORIGINALITY IN THAT!!!

Copying someone else’s work — and making it sound almost exactly like theirs — isn’t just poor form, it’s probably the worst form of ‘music’ you can get: ripping off a popular song so you can get a song in the charts, get a few more $$$ in the bank… Cover versions I can hack. Good ones that have an interesting take on the original are very creative… but not this. Grrrr 🙁


Comments

3 responses to “Cover Versions”

  1. I have to say, I agree with you – it does seem slightly pointless …

    Having said that though there is the whole trend of destroying people’s songs with cover versions (mainly cos they do an original take on it) I cite the All Saints version of the Chilli Peppers classic “Under the Bridge”, Elton John’s destruction of The Who’s masterpiece “Pinball Wizard” and any cover version that a boyband has ever done (though often the original songs weren’t that good anyway).

    Occasionally, a cover version is a distinct improvement – Guns n’ Roses “Live and Let die” is a million times better than the Wings version and Muse do a very cool version of “Feeling Good”.

    Then there’s the comedy value … Travis’ take on Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” is a classic, most Weird Al covers are sublime but the winner is the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain playing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Absolute genius! (Watch the video here http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4559510005057780538)

  2. You’ve seen the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain?!? They rock!

  3. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is fantastic, never seen ’em before now but I loved their version of Smells Like Teen Spirit! 🙂

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