Tuesday, November 14, 2006

One more time

Today is Tuesday, and I haven't participated in "Tell It To Me Tuesday" in a while, so this week, I decided to take a stab at it. Janet over at www.theartofgettingby.com asks:

What are some of your favorite remakes?

Remember, the originals need not be your favorite songs. You may like the original so much you were happy someone did another rendition, or you may actually like the remake better than the original song itself. After all, music is in the eye of the beholder... or something like that.

These are the five songs that come to mind. I have loved all of them, so I feel a sentimentality about the original versions that cannot help but color how I feel about the remakes, for good or for bad.

1. Red Red Wine (written and performed by Neil Diamond/redone by UB40)
I have ALWAYS been a Neil Diamond fan, so when this jamacian sounding white guy redid Neil's song, I was heartily offended. Then it wasn't so bad. Then I kind of liked it. Now, I actually prefer it to Neil Diamond's rendition. Evolution.

2. Wild World (Cat Stevens/redone by Mr. Big) This is actually popular right now. I've heard it on the radio a couple of times in the last week and was pleasantly surprised. I may wind up liking Mr. Big's version better than Cat's eventually, ala Diamond/UB40.

3. Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell/Counting Crows) I hated the Joni Mitchell version, even though I thought the song itself was excellent. She sounded out of breath and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Today, I heard Counting Crows do it and it makes so much more sense - plus it's a lot easier to listen to.

4. Passionate Kisses (Lucinda Williams/Mary Chapin Carpenter) Lucinda Williams rendition of this is... well, passionate. The question became urgent with her. MCC's version is smoother and more rounded. They both sound good - it just depends on what you're looking for - passionate or maybe not so passionate.

5. Landslide (written and performed by Stevie Nicks/Sheryl Crow/Dixie Chicks) Excellent song - which needs to be done by as many people in as many different ways as possible. Stevie's rendition is so heartfelt and honest. Her smoky voice makes you feel it in your gut. I never heard Sheryl Crow's version, but I have the Dixie Chicks' version, which is also good. But it's definitely an imitation of Stevie Nicks and not an original take on it. Their voices also sound younger, which takes away from it a little.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't recall another version of Wild World off hand, but I definitely know the Mr. Big cover. Did I ever tell the story of seeing Mr. Big in concert? They opened up for Bryan Adams. I saw the lead singer of the band wandering the halls of the casino, hoping to get noticed. It was kinda sad actually.

Thanks for playing!:)

Anonymous said...

I forgot about the cover of Landslide... very nice, and of course, can't go wrong with Neil Diamond :)

Anonymous said...

Amy Grant did Big Yellow Taxi too, but I strangely find the song annoying. Maybe because I've heard it so dang much. Neil Diamond puts on a good concert. I'm a "Forever in Blue Jeans" kind of a gal.

Natsthename said...

I totally forgot about "Passionate KIsses"! I really do love MCC's version more than Lucinda's, but Lucinda's is still damn good. ANd thanks for saying what you did about Stevie. So many people pick on her now! I still love her and Fleetwood Mac!