Midweek Makeover: Cover Girl Edition
This week’s Midweek Makeover comes courtesy of Peej, commenter extraordinaire and friend. Many many thanks for this, Peej.
I think there is definitely an art to making a good cover. There is a delicate balance to be struck between paying appropriate homage to the original, and putting your individual stamp on it. The cover has to reel in new fans, while retaining the old. You don’t want to be the New Coke version, pleasing no one but yourself.
Of course, all that goes out the window if you just happen to really like that particular cover. And that’s what great about covers; there’s definite rules to play by, except when there isn’t.
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It is a clever cover (or, as was the case here, a parody, which is a cover after all) that surpasses recognition of the original, especially when we’re talking about a classic. It is a brilliant one that exorcises the hold the first cover has over your mind. (Until the next time you remember the parody, of course).
Don’t Fear the Reaper covered by Gus (Scream soundtrack)
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Not all covers have to have a higher goal in life, but it certainly helps if they help make your 70s’ guilty pleasures acceptable to blast and sing along to out loud.
Top of the World covered by Shonen Knife (The Last Supper soundtrack and If I Were a A Carpenter tribute album)
I Think I Love You covered by Voice of the Beehive (Honey Lingers album)
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Covering Queen songs is sacrilege in my eyes. Unless it is done by Rolf Harris, of course.
Bohemian Rhapsody covered by Rolf Harris (release unknown)
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College a cappella covers. A lovely little subcategory that can make songs you’ve heard played to death sound fresh and exciting again. It’s only fair that I give a shout out to my alma mater’s award winning group. Please note the kick ass female beatboxer.
How to Save a Life covered by Rutgers Deep Treble (Take the Cake album)
[official video]
[live performance at ICCA]
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I am sure somewhere some Police fan is going to yell (as much as I would, if anyone dared suggest someone sang a Queen song better than Freddie) when I say I think this is miles better than Sting’s version. But then, I am always right about these things, and everyone else is always wrong, so that’s okay.
El Tango De Roxanne covered by Ewan McGregor, Jose Feliciano and Jacek Koman (Moulin Rouge soundtrack)
