Covers and remakes

Question

This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers?
I think the original version of "Sweet Home Alabama" is better than Kid Rock's, but it's a toss-up between the Monkee's "Daydream Believer" and the Bare Naked Ladies' version that was used for Shrek I. Of course, Ike & Tina's "Proud Mary" totally shipwrecks Credence Clearwater Revival's.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers?[/nq]
I really dislike Styx in general, but they did incredible cover of one of my Beatle's favorites, "I Am The Walrus":

Even more impressively, they performed this incredibly complicated piece live in Central Park:

And, just for laughs, Jim Carrey didn't do a bad job either:

Usenet · Answer

"Ovum"
[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers?[/nq]
Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't.
Joe Cocker's version of "A Little Help From my Friends" works, even though it is rather different in spirit from the Beatles' original.

It might be a better question to ask: What is the canonical version of... (i.e. the version most people think of when you mention the song).

For instance, mention "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow," and most people immediately think "Judy Garland," but these days the Eva Cassidy version seems to be ovetaking it.
And what about "I Will Always Love You?" When you hear the Dolly Parton original (she wrote the song), it sounds weak and anemic. Whitney Houston's powerful, anthemic version blasts it completely out of the water.

Martin

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers?[/nq]
They're totally different concepts. Film remakes are like sequels. They are the mark of a creatively bankrupt industry, while covers can be a brushstroke of a musical artist.
Since story is king, there isn't nearly as many places you can go with a film idea than in a cover, where the musical artist can measure up whether they imitate some other version or go off in a new direction.

In fact, that's where I think karaoke disappoints, because it regiments the song so that there is really only one arrangement, and one way to sing that arrangement, that will do it justice. And it is painful when the average person can't reach that plateau.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers? I think ... Ladies' version that was used for Shrek I. Of course, Ike & Tina's "Proud Mary" totally shipwrecks Credence Clearwater Revival's.[/nq]
Interesting question. No one objects to new productions, including new interpretations, of plays - because a play is designed to be performed live. Every time an orchestra plays a symphony, it's a new version, too, just like it's a new version each time a rock band takes the stage.
Movies are different; they're set in stone from their inception, which is why people get so excited about things like directors' cuts and studio interference and rewrites and so on. Saw a production of Hamlet just before Thanksgiving; it was about the elevendy-seventh version of that play I've seen, and Ophelia's descent into madness had me misting up, as usual. It wasn't rewritten or really even re- imagined; it was just an amazing preformance and production. The remake of Psycho? Won't bother - it wasn't designed to be remade.

Life Continues, Despite
Evidence to the Contrary
Steven

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers? I think ... Ladies' version that was used for Shrek I. Of course, Ike & Tina's "Proud Mary" totally shipwrecks Credence Clearwater Revival's.[/nq]Generally I like whichever I heard first. I heard Anne Murray's version of "Daydream Believer" first and that's still the one I like, but the Monkey's is pretty good, too. (I didn't realize that Bare Naked Ladies did the version in Shrek I just thought it was the Monkeys.) I can't remember "Proud Mary" well enough to say which I liked better but there's not much that John Fogerty and Credence Clearwater Revival have done that I don't like. Though, I do think their version of "I heard it on the Grapevine" is inferior to whoever did it first.

I like Buck Owens version of "Act Naturally" better than the... (Rolling Stones?) version. I became an Allison Krauss fan because of her cover of Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing at All" I definitely like that one better than the original and I still really like the original. One of my favorite Linda Ronstadt songs is "Blue Bayou," but when I heard the Roy Orbison's version I immediately liked it better.
It's definitely a mixed bag with me, but usually the first one I hear.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]This august body seems to generally abhor film remakes. Do you guys feel the same way about covers? I think ... Ladies' version that was used for Shrek I. Of course, Ike & Tina's "Proud Mary" totally shipwrecks Credence Clearwater Revival's.[/nq]
Two more covers that I like better than the originals which I also like. Sinead O'Connor's version of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" (from the movie "Some Kind of Wonderful") and David Lindley's reggae version of "Twist and Shout." I like just about anything David Lindley recorded on his "El Rayo-X" album.
http://tinyurl.com/a2z85t
RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]done that I don't like. Though, I do think their version of "I heard it on the Grapevine" is inferior to whoever did it first. I like Buck Owens[/nq]
IIRC, Gladys Knight and the Pips before Marvin Gaye.
[nq:1]version of "Act Naturally" better than the... (Rolling Stones?) version. I[/nq]
The Beatles Help!
[nq:1]became an Allison Krauss fan because of her cover of Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing at All" [/nq]
"This Time The Dream's on Me" Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil soundtrack

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Two more covers that I like better than the originals which I also like. Sinead O'Connor's version of "I ... version of "Twist and Shout." I like just about anything David Lindley recorded on his "El Rayo-X" album. Â[/nq]
For some reason putting the link here requires a login. If you want to hear this song, just do a Google search for david lindley "twist and shout" then click on the first link. For some reason, by doing that you can play it.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]And what about "I Will Always Love You?" When you hear the Dolly Parton original (she wrote the song), it sounds weak and anemic. Whitney Houston's powerful, anthemic version blasts it completely out of the water.[/nq]
I once saw Natalie Cole perform a transformative version of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." It might have been during her bout with drug abuse, because she did this long series of bellows just wordless, lung-busting wails while racing from one end of the stage to the other. It was like a primal scream therapy session. Amazing.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]They're totally different concepts.[/nq]
I totally disagree. How are they different concepts?
[nq:1]Since story is king, there isn't nearly as many places you can go with a film idea than in a cover, where the musical artist can measure up whether they imitate some other version or go off in a new direction.[/nq]
Think about the zillions of versions of "A Christmas Carol." There's the version where Vanessa Williams plays the Scrooge character. There's the Mr. Magoo version. There's "Scrooged," one of my favorite versions. All are essentially "covers" of the 1934 film.

Covers and remakes

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions