Better Versions of Famous Songs
Well pleased, I was with the inaugural event. Here is the play by play of how the evening went.
After lots were drawn, Justin was first up for round one. He choose Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole's ukulele, Hawaiian infused Somewhere Over the Rainbow. This was a great song to start us out as it launched a conversation about the distinction between a cover and a standard. There was much talk about what criterion to use, however everyone agreed that this was a cover for two chief reasons. First, that the original was so closely tied to Judy Garland that it was impossible to hear the song without thinking of her version. Second, he reworked the composition significantly and, in the parlance of American Idol, "made the song his own."
John R was next with a version of Tom Wait's Ruby's Arms. Megan Mullally and Supreme Music Program, which she did prior to her involvement with TV's Will & Grace. I really enjoyed this song and still find it odd that more people don't cover Tom Wait's heartbreaking, brilliant songs.
John H then stepped up with Mark Ronson's version of Radiohead's Just. Everyone loved this. Covers often slow things down and bring out the emotional elements of a song, but what I liked about this one is it emphasized its musical elements.
Jefferey followed with the Bobby Hebb classic Sonny, performed by Bonny M in all their vinyl, disco glory. All of spent the evening waiting for someone to top the black lesbian ménage à trois of this album cover. No one did.
Steven played This Mortal Coil's version of Another Day. He also gave a nice history of 4AD, a label I believed to be defunct, but have since realized is still quite active; The National is currently signed to them. We then all got a little nostalgic for Liz Fraser's voice.
Frank impressed everyone with Jonathan Coulton's Baby Got Back.
John C played Peggy Lee's version of The Carpenters Superstar. His introduction of the song was quite apt. In the Carpenters song, the singer conveys a starry eyed naivety that seems to hope for another chance, while Peggy's has the world wearing voice that conveys the knowledge there will not be a repeated night of love.
Erik closed round one with Ted Leo covering Since U Been Gone (with a little of The Yeah Yeah Yeah's Maps thrown in).
We were in full swing at this point and everyone (save John H) brought at least two songs, so we opted for a second round. Lots were again cast/drawn/whatever, and Erik went first this time, opening with Tom Wait's desperately hopeful version of The West Side Story classic, Somewhere.
By this point, this get a little foggy, but I'm pretty sure it was Steven, who went with Vampire Weekend's inspired version of Fleetwood Mac's Everywhere. (That Everywhere followed Somewhere was either coincidence, or Steven was slyly besting me.)
Justin played Lee Dewyze's version of U2's Beautiful Day.
Jeffrey, again pulling out the vinyl, played the Zombies doing Summertime. Again, bringing up the difference between performing a standard and covering one. Though by this point, we'd gone through the wine and had brought out the sipping rum so the conversation was perhaps less articulate.
John C fretted a bit about his next choice, but settled on Oasis's Wonderwall performed by Paul Anka. He discussed how Anka played tons of songs, trying to find songs that were actually solid songs for his album Rock Swings, so that it would be more that just a novelty album.
For his second round pick, Frank choose Tracy Ulman's They Don't Know About Us, originally done by the tragic and beautiful Kirsty MacColl.
John R closed out the evening with Johnny Cash's Personal Jesus. A version so brilliant, most everyone wanted to expunge every other version from our brain.
Next month:
Episode Two: Spilt Milk
Breakup Songs
