Author Topic: Worst cover versions of songs  (Read 7743 times)

Julie Klausner

  • Policemans heel
  • Posts: 56
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2008, 11:59:28 PM »
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0MXXs_H7Do[/youtube]

It pays off in 'breakdown' form at around 4:53, just hang in there

"what are you doin' up there, LUCY?"

then, treat yourself to 5:54 to get a better sense of what Natalie Cole is "talkin' bout" (not OPALS but...)

***also posted in BEST cover songs thread, because, as they say in that Simpsons episode, I don't even know anymore.

Gilly

  • Space Champion!
  • Posts: 2110
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2008, 12:56:36 AM »
With all this talk of Guns n' Roses, I must add Sheryl Crow's version of "Sweet Child O' Mine".  UGh.

If we're adding "those" cover songs, Madonna's American Pie has to be noted. Not a huge fan of the original but boy is that bad...and I like Madonna a lot. That era was pretty awful though and that was the icing on the cake.

dave from knoxville

  • Space Champion!
  • Posts: 5108
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #17 on: January 19, 2008, 03:58:58 AM »
I love Kate Bush, but her "Candle in the Wind" is nearly unlistenable.

Sarah

  • Guest
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #18 on: January 19, 2008, 07:33:25 AM »
also posted in BEST cover songs thread, because, as they say in that Simpsons episode, I don't even know anymore.

I think your first impulse was correct.

Shaggy 2 Grote

  • Space Champion!
  • Posts: 3892
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #19 on: January 19, 2008, 09:47:20 AM »
The Bjork cover of "Sweet Child O' Mine" is pretty terrible.  OK, I just made that up.
Oh, good heavens. I didn’t realize. I send my condolences out to the rest of the O’Connor family.

TL

  • Achilles Tendon Bursitis
  • Posts: 802
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #20 on: January 19, 2008, 10:27:29 AM »

then, treat yourself to 5:54 to get a better sense of what Natalie Cole is "talkin' bout" (not OPALS but...)


She looks slightly ashamed as she walks off stage.

Now write me a receipt so I can tip on outta here...

jane

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 192
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #21 on: January 19, 2008, 11:06:24 AM »
I really like Portastatic but when I heard their cover of St. Elmo's Fire, I just thought, why?  In my opinion, no one should ever cover anything off of Another Green World, Taking Tiger Mountain, or Here Come The Warm Jets.

masterofsparks

  • Space Champion!
  • Posts: 3323
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #22 on: January 19, 2008, 11:14:51 AM »
I really like Portastatic but when I heard their cover of St. Elmo's Fire, I just thought, why?  In my opinion, no one should ever cover anything off of Another Green World, Taking Tiger Mountain, or Here Come The Warm Jets.

I preferred their version of the John Parr song of the same title.
I'll probably go into the wee hours.

jane

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 192
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #23 on: January 19, 2008, 11:29:50 AM »
haha

Forrest

  • Guest
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #24 on: January 19, 2008, 09:03:11 PM »
Ugly Kid Joe covering "Cats in the Cradle" is pretty, well, you probably know even if you have never heard it.

John Junk

  • Guest
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #25 on: January 20, 2008, 06:02:58 AM »
Madonna's cover of Santa Baby is one of the worst things ever.
Santa Baby is a decent Christmas song tailor-made for Eartha Kitt and her delivery sells it and makes it great.
Madonna completely misunderstands the entire tone of the song and what it's about and turns it into this retarded puerile Betty Boop thing that makes it just as, if not more, dumb than every other Christmas song ever made.  It is the opposite of fun and the opposite of sexy, and I hate it.

I've also just heard tale of a William Shatner version of Common People which has been described to me as a travesty.  Suffice it to say that I haven't heard this version, but I'm assuming that Shatner doesn't really get whatever humour is actually already in this masterpiece of a song, and is just pooping on something good in total ignorance.  Sure, he's in on the "William Shatner is a shit singer" joke, but he's not in on the "William Shatner as a shit singer is a shit joke" truth.

jane

  • Achilles bursitis
  • Posts: 192
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #26 on: January 20, 2008, 09:29:11 AM »
Sure, he's in on the "William Shatner is a shit singer" joke, but he's not in on the "William Shatner as a shit singer is a shit joke" truth.

yeah, like Pat Boone doing Smoke On The Water.  I have to admit though, when I first heard Shatner's Rocket Man, I did think it was sort of funny - maybe because it was so unexpected.

dave from knoxville

  • Space Champion!
  • Posts: 5108
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #27 on: January 20, 2008, 10:14:38 AM »
I really like the Shatner version of Common People. Like, a lot. Ben Folds did the arrangement, production, and a lot of the playing, and Joe Jackson delivers his lines with a passion I haven't heard out of him in years. Shatner may not have gotten the humor, but somebody at the session did, and didn't let him go until he got it right.

You can hear it in episode 405 of Coverville http://www.coverville.com/

Other arrangements to hear it might also be arranged, maybe.

Sarah

  • Guest
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #28 on: January 20, 2008, 10:30:53 AM »
I do, too, Dave.  Since I'm fairly impatient with Shatner's singing normally (his self-conscious self-deprecating self-congratulatory self-parody schtick only works for so long), I was surprised to like this as much as I do.  And, just so you know, JJ, I think there can be no doubt that Shatner gets the humor and is not pooping on anything. 

TL

  • Achilles Tendon Bursitis
  • Posts: 802
Re: Worst cover versions of songs
« Reply #29 on: January 20, 2008, 10:43:29 AM »
I have to admit though, when I first heard Shatner's Rocket Man, I did think it was sort of funny - maybe because it was so unexpected.

Have you heard that This American Life, where Jon Langford put a band together from the Want Ads, and they covered Rocket Man?  It's pretty amazing (both the story and the version)...
Now write me a receipt so I can tip on outta here...