The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Valerie

2011-09-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

My fanship of Amy Winehouse has abated none since her death, and while watching the Bruno Mars tribute to her at the MTV Video Music Awards, I started to investigate what was her most successful cover -- the Zutons' single "Valerie." The song, of its own merit, is wonderful -- with a nice rock and roll, retro pacing and a wonderful story -- one of my favorites -- a man that is in love with a trainwreck (and he seems to be a bit of trainwreck himself). I usually post the original last, but since Amy's has crossed into definitve version territory, hers will round out this group:

The Zutons: A great original, and, honestly, this song makes a lot more since when a man is singing it. I like the grit in his voice with occasional voice break. Adds to the angst. Fans of Amy's version, however, may miss the way she proclaims Valerie's name. For a Zuton interview on how they feel about the re-appropriation of their song, click here.

Panic! At the Disco: One of my favorite bands, they bring their classic earnestness to their rendition.

Bruno Mars:

2011 VMA - Music - Bruno Mars

And, Amy Winehouse:

I’ll Stand by You

2011-09-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

This song by The Pretenders is one of my favorites. I never tire of hearing it.

Shakira—Hope for Haiti Now (2010): As the years have gone by, Shakira’s English has gotten better and better, and she’s finding herself at events like this, including the Neighborhood Ball at Obama’s inauguration. I think she did a fine job here, since she showed restraint with her legendary vibrato:

Carrie Underwood—Idol Gives Back (2007): This served as the visual montage of Carrie’s visit to South Africa during American Idol’s first charitable telethon. The song was available for download at iTunes.

Wish You Were Here

2011-05-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

Roger Waters, Eric Clapton—Tsunami Aid-A Concert of Hope (2005):

Johnny Rzeznik (The Goo Goo Dolls) & Limp Bizkit—America-A Tribute to Heroes (2001): I was a huge Dolls fan at one time and I really liked this rendition.

My apologies...

2011-05-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

In the slim chance there a readers of this blog that have been pining away for an update... the day has come. I have written loads of entries for this blog but have been too ~~lazy~~ busy to actually post them.

Sad.

Well, here they come. Some were written as long as a year ago, so forgive any dated references.

Imagine

2010-11-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Madonna – Tsunami Aid-A Concert of Hope (2005):

Neil Young—America a Tribute to Heroes (2001): Neil Young’s voice is so suited to this kind of tune.

John Lennon—Jerry Lewis Labor Day MDA Telethon (1972): I was stunned to find this gem while snooping around YouTube. My only complaint is that this video is only 35 seconds long :(

A Bridge Over Troubled Water

2010-04-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

What more can be said about this song? It’s a secular hymn that has become greater than itself. It’s a cliché now, but try to imagine the first time the listening public heard the line, “Like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down?” It must have been incredible.

Stevie Wonder—Hope for Haiti Now (2010): I attended a Stevie Wonder concert a few months ago (I HIGHLY recommend it) and he is better live, but always reliable for a great performance.

Clay Aiken—Jerry Lewis Labor Day MDA Telethon (2004): When he sang this song on American Idol, it was generally considered to be his best performance (Simon said it made his hair stand on end), so it was fitting when he chose it for this telethon.

Paul Simon—America a Tribute to Heroes (2001): This telethon, held in the wake of September 11, was very popular and the resultant compilation album enjoyed good sales. I guess no one can do it like the original.

Benefit concerts

2010-04-26T11:06:00.001-07:00

When I was watching the telethon for Haiti relief, I noticed that a lot of songs are staples at such fundraisers. They seem to reliably evoke certain emotions or express how people feel at such occasions, and so artists keep coming back to them. This will start a series on covers done at benefit concerts.

In the meantime, I found this fascinating article on the history of the telethon, called “A Telethon History.” It’s an interesting read.

True Colors

2010-04-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

And speaking of Cyndi Lauper, watching her sing “True Colors” on the season premiere of Celebrity Apprentice was a true television highlight and almost made up for her horrible waitressing. It made me remember other versions that have come along over the years.

The cast of Glee: I don’t watch this show, but even I can’t escape the enthusiasm surrounding this it. Apparently this rendition of the song was popular with fans.

Phil Collins:

The original: OK; she wasn’t so good with videos. But the song is still great.

Time After Time

2010-03-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

“Time After Time” is one of my favorite songs of all time and on my short list of the best things to come out of the 80s. Yet, there are other artists who still have managed to bring something refreshing to this timeless tune.

Stolen Shack

I heard this on Pandora the other day. This indie band washes the song with a nice, rustic—almost medieval—feel. From their website: “Cyndi Lauper started out as a dulcimer player, which makes it seem natural that Gabe plays harpsichord on this one – an instrument very similar in timbre to the dulcimer.”

Eva Cassidy

This singer—from Washington, DC—mostly spent her career in small venues. But, like another posthumously-celebrated artist Iz (mentioned earlier in this blog), her sparse arrangements and piercing vocals seemed to imbue the songs she touched with an extra layer of meaning. She gives Cyndi a run for her money with this rendition.

The original: The video is a campy mess, and still can’t ruin this gem.

Covers by Amy Winehouse

2010-03-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: Amy Winehouse is a crack head and a drunk.

Now that that’s out of the way, when her voice landed in the US in 2007, I was blown away. I could wax poetry about her innate ability to take even middling songs to greatness, but…I’d just sound weird. I can show you better than I can tell you.

“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow:” This entry was written by songwriting legends Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was first performed by the Shirelles in 1960, and has since been recorded by many different artists (including Dusty Springfield) and was ranked among Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125. It is a classic because it is simple, beautiful, universal and flawless. Songs don’t come around like that every day. So for Amy to tackle it and still bring something fresh—and heart wrenching—to it was a true feat.

“Valerie:” This song was first done, to little acclaim in the US, by a British band called The Zutons in 2006. However, the famous DJ, Mark Ronson, got the idea to hand it to Amy for his 2007 remix album Version. Even though this song is clearly a man singing to a woman, she still inhabits the song and makes it work. Awesome. The live, acoustic version she recorded for AOL is even better.

Covers by Adele

2010-03-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Adele slays me every time she opens her mouth. I adore that girl. And she’s impossibly young to carry so much weight in her music—just very talented.

“To Make You Feel My Love”: Another Bob Dylan classic, he recorded and released this song on his 1997 album Time Out of Mind, however the definitive version is probably Garth Brooks’ excellent cover from just one year later in 1998. It is Adele’s 2008 version, however, that makes me weak in the knees.

“Steady as She Goes”: You’ve probably picked up on the fact that I’m a huge Jack White fan no matter what band he is in (he has musical ADHD). So, I am also a fan of the Raconteurs. I quickly devoured their first single ever, from 2006, “Steady as She Goes.” When I heard that Adele covered it on the fly at a UK festival, I was excited…and completely at a loss as to how it would sound. She did not disappoint. This girl is so bad she sang the lyrics off of the screen of a cell phone.

Covers by Joss Stone

2010-03-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have a weird thing with Joss Stone. That is not to say that I do not like her work—because I do—but I’ve heard people wax poetry on her abilities like she was the second coming of Billie Holiday. I’ve sometimes felt she is overrated. However, I have gotten my money’s worth out of her renditions of these two songs:

“The Son of a Preacher Man”: This song was first performed by another British, blue-eyed soul singer—Dusty Springfield, who released this song in 1968. I love this song and I love what Joss did with it here at a UK Hall of Fame tribute to Dusty. Watching her perform it proved to me that she does have soul, and she had me believing every word coming out of her mouth. By the end, I had goose bumps.

The White Stripes are one of my favorite bands and I was extremely skeptical when I heard Joss Stone had taken a stab at their 2002 breakout hit “Fell in Love with a Girl.” She re-styled it as a funk number called “Fell in Love with a Boy.” There will always be a special place in my heart for the original, but she definitely did the song proud.

It gets even better guys. Stay tuned for Adele.

Covers by Duffy

2010-03-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

I am the least familiar with her work, and generally like her original stuff better. But, check out what she’s done with these two tunes:

“Wonderwall” – Oasis: Admittedly this is not spectacular, and a little percussion wouldn’t have hurt anybody. But I still think the performance was not bad, which is saying a lot for a song that is so iconic.

“Borderline” – Madonna: Again a little rough, but I applaud Duffy because this was an off-the-cuff request, and still her voice was just kind of ready for game time.

Next up…Josh Stone.

While we're on the topic…

2010-02-25T06:17:00.000-08:00

I am getting a huge kick out of the young, female soul singers coming out of the UK. I am referring to Duffy, Joss Stone, Adele, and (my personal favorite) Amy Winehouse. All of them have covered songs by not only their predecessors but their contemporaries. I will be posting my favorites from these ladies.

Where is the Love

2010-02-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

"Where Is the Love" is a popular song by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. It was released in 1972 from their Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway album.

John Legend (feat. Corinne Bailey Rae): They have a wonderful cover of this song, and I could kick myself for not going to their concert when they were touring together a couple years ago.

Original

Thumb drive is found...

2010-02-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

...so more musical redundancy is coming your way.

Um...

2010-02-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

I have written about 30 entries for this blog already, and I eek then out at pretty random intervals, with the occasional YouTube video that catches my fancy thrown-in. But I may or may not have lost the thumb drive that the blog is saved on. So, yeah.

Until I find it (I'll find it, right?), I'll just leave you with this exclusive poem just for the readers of The Sincerest Form of Flattery:

Snow day

These mornings I perch by the window
As hot coffee or tea warms my hands
And peer out below, at the blankets of snow
That quiet our daily demands

I find the pale vista so soothing
Like serenity cast from the sky, and
It makes me remember, our final September...

...The way that we were—you and I

--

Earth Song

2010-02-02T13:29:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this Michael Jackson tribute at the Grammys. When I first saw Carrie Underwood (whose singing I love, by the way) I was like, "Why is she up there?" But my sister said, "Because she can sing." And, boy was she right.

Killing Me Softly (With His Song)

2010-01-26T04:20:00.000-08:00

A friend tipped me to this delightful story and suggested it as a blog entry: sometime in the late 60s, early 70s, a young singer by the name of Lori Lieberman saw Don McClean perform the song “Empty Chairs” live. She was so moved by the experience that she wrote a poem called “Killing Me Softly with His Blues.” Songwriters Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel composed “Killing Me Softly with His Song” around her poem with Lieberman in mind. She released the song on her 1971 debut album of the same name. The single had very little success until it was covered by the singer Roberta Flack.

Roberta Flack is virtuosic performer and one that I’ve enjoyed since childhood. I had the honor of attending a concert of hers in early 2009 and meeting her afterwards. She’s a class act. Regardless, the Grammy-winning “Killing Me Softly” is probably her greatest contribution to the world, and she takes the prize as having the definitive version. Ms. Flack commented at the concert that she really likes Lauryn Hill’s version.

Roberta Flack: I was unable to find a video of the studio version that wasn’t skank. But this live version is enchanting as well :)

The Fugees

The original:

The song that started it all: “Empty Chairs” by Don McLean

John Mayer Crossroads Lesson

2010-01-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

John Mayer deconstructs his cover of the classic Robert Johnson song "Crossroads." This is for the guitar players out there--it gets pretty technical.

All Along the Watchtower

2010-01-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

This one is a go-to song for any band or artist trying to prove they can play the guitar, and has been covered, by my estimates, 8.3 million times. Such efforts usually range from unimpressive to howling disasters. Ask your typical axe man whose song this is, and he will, no doubt, cough up Jimi Hendrix, and I don’t blame him. Jimi’s version appears at number #48 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Ever, and in 2000, British magazine Total Guitar put it at the top of the list of the Greatest Cover Versions of All Time. It’s a fantastic rendition, to say the least. But Bob Dylan is the OG, and released it on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding.

My favorite rendition is by (don’t tease me) Dave Matthews Band. I love the tense, quiet build-up, the way Dave cackles “No reason to get excited” right as the crowd screams in anticipation, and the thrilling release as the band erupts into mayhem. There are several live versions of this song, and it is a DMB concert staple, but I am partial to the Folsom Field version, which clocks in at a moderate nine minutes.

Jimi Hendrix

For the original, listen here.

Purple Rain

2010-01-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

To anyone who has the chutzpah to cover Prince, I only have one question: do you pull your own teeth? Because you have guts. Aside from his legendary status and undisputed talent, his fans are merciless. Even so, I’ve seen and heard artists humbly covering Prince’s 1984 hit “Purple Rain.” Whether or not they are successful I’ll leave up to you:

Darius Rucker: When Darius toured with Rascal Flatts during 2009, he often used this song as his encore. He would preface it with a statement about how the idea came from his bandmate Jeff, and instructed the audience to blame Jeff if it didn’t work, and to credit Darius if it did. At the show I attended in September, it worked—although it could very well be a case of “you had to be there.” This clip is from a Dierks Bentley concert:

Tori Amos: Live and boot-legged piano version, but still good. Really worth a listen.

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Holly Cole: Allegedly a jazz version. More orchestral if you ask me.

Listen to the original here: http://popup.lala.com/popup/360569483827578436

Restless

2009-12-22T12:23:00.000-08:00

I love this song. It is washing me over with something so pure and ethereal I can barely listen to it and breathe at the same time. And it gets better with each listen.

What is that you say? It isn't a cover? Don't care--I'm sharing it anyway.

At Last

2009-12-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

"At Last" is a song that was written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical Orchestra Wives. The song was first performed both in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday. However we all know that the distinction for the definitive version goes to none other than the illustrious Etta James, who released the song in 1961.

It has been covered a close to hundred times by many artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, Jason Mraz, Céline Dion, Norah Jones, and Aretha Franklin. Beyoncé’s version (released in late 2008 in conjunction with her role as Etta James in the movie Cadillac Records) caused a mild controversy when she was chosen to sing it at the inauguration ball of President Obama in January 2009. Etta James subsequently made some disparaging remarks at some concerts, although she later clarified that she holds no animosity for the singer.

Hiatus

2009-12-03T19:43:00.001-08:00

I'll be going out of town here soon, so I've left you with a slew of entries to hold you over in my absence.

Tootles!

Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love

2009-12-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

This popular standard was written in 1928 by Cole Porter, and made its debut in Porter's first Broadway success (after a string of failures) in a musical called Paris. It was performed by French chanteuse Irène Bordoni for whom Porter had written the musical as a starring vehicle after her husband insisted that Porter give Broadway one more chance. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate a copy of this version.

Bing Crosby with Dorsey Brothers and Their Orchestra

Recently Alanis Morrisette did a jolly cover of it that I rather like. It’s from the 2004 film De-Lovely:

John Mayer on Covering a Song

2009-12-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

This is a bit of commentary from John Mayer on the mechanics of covering a song.

Over the Rainbow

2009-12-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a pop standard most commonly associated with Judy Garland, and is generally considered to be her signature song. It was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. While Garland’s version remains definitive and, in my humble opinion, magnificent, there was a version by the Hawaiian artist Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole that gained some popularity for its sparse arrangement and distinct ukulele accompaniment. Though Iz passed away in 1997, his music has remained a staple of movies, television and commercials ever since. I am not ashamed to say I learned about this version when Jason Castro sung it on American Idol in 2008.

Six-year-old Connie Talbot became an internet sensation and favorite on the show Britain’s Got Talent when she wowed the judges with her rendition of this standard in 2007.

The original:

Bohemian Rhapsody

2009-11-28T04:53:00.000-08:00

I was going to post this after about ten other blogs I have down the hatch, but, in light of recent events, I thought now my be a better time.

“Bohemian Rhapsody”: It’s shocking to think now, but when I first heard The Braid’s version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (made for the movie High School High), it sounded like this totally original ode to the urban struggle. When my dad told me that a British band named Queen had done it first and the song was really almost six minutes long, I was defensive of this version I saw as perfect and new. But now, while I still mildly enjoy the other version, I have come to regard the original as one of the greatest songs ever made.

The Braids’ version:

The Muppet’s version: When this was posted on YouTube on November 23, 2009, it quickly amassed over a million views in 48 hours. Because it’s pretty much hilarious and the Muppets rock. At the time I’m posting this, the count has reached over 5.6 million.

Queen’s version:

Feelin’ Good

2009-11-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

In today’s musical climate, pop music can mean anything from Mariah Carey to Miley Cyrus. But, in the 1940s, 50s and even into the 60s, it largely referred to what we now call standards—the crooning melodies of classy dames and dapper dandies sung in smoke-filled venues like the Copacabana. These songs were meant to be covered, and a multitude of artists have taken a stab at them pretty much nonstop since that time. This will be the first in a series on standards. Today’s installment: “Feeling Good.” The song was written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd and was first performed by Gilbert Price of the original Broadway cast. Wikipedia holds that this song has been covered no less than 31 times, and the genres vary wildly. But below I have included three that I find entertaining.

The original:

The (arguably) definitive version by Nina Simone:

My personal favorite by Michael Bublé:

Take Me Home Tonight

2009-11-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Let’s start out with a fun one, brought to you by my sister. Eddie Money is probably best known for his 1986 pop hit “Take Me Home Tonight.” In the song, Eddie sings the virtually incomprehensible line “Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang,” just before a female vocalist belts out, “Be my little baby.” Who is Ronnie and what did she sing? Well, “Ronnie” is none other than Ronnie Spector, ex-wife to the murderous Phil Spector and lead singer of the 1960s girl group, the Ronettes. The Ronettes biggest hit was the song—you guessed it—“Be My Baby.” Eddie chose Ronnie to sing the iconic line in his own song some 23 years later, and she makes an appearance in the video. The 1963 Ronettes single can be found here.

In the beginning...

2009-11-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

...there was folk music. People who had access to talent, instruments and an audience would play songs they'd written or heard somewhere, often before a few family and friends, or—if they were fortunate—in some community venue. They would strum, pick, puff and belt out these ditties to the best that their abilities, or memories, allowed. With the prevalence of the gramophone and radio, commercial music became commonplace and, initially, was often the first time a tune had ever enjoyed a mass audience. But now, you can barely listen to the radio or YouTube a video without hearing sampling, stolen chords, tributes, remixes and covers of songs you’ve heard before. And too all of that I say...

Bring it on. I love a good cover. I've even liked a bad cover or two. And I get absolutely giddy when I discover that a great cover has replaced the original as the elusive "definitive" version. This blog will chronicle the life of songs that have the nasty habit of shamelessly taking up with new artists—to varied results.