Best Cover Version of Dancing in the Street (Music Monday)
Cover Version by: The Dick Carpenter Trio (a.k.a. The Carpenters)
Opens up with bright magnificent brass sounds, founded on exhilarating drumming by Marvin Gaye—who was also one of the song writers, and with simple yet harmonically stunning back-up from the Vandellas, Martha Reeves’ exquisite lively vocals really speak out what the lyrics say and invite the listeners to do just that: dancing. This song has become one of (early) Motown’s signature songs and Rolling Stone magazine has ranked the Martha and the Vandellas' original version at #40 in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list—it’s not that it really matters but it reflects how important Dancing in the Street is out of gazillion of songs through the decades.
Released in 1964, amid the tumultuous political and social events in the United States especially regarding the racial issue, many African-American activists considered the song as a “civil rights anthem to social change.” Though in reality the song was intended to be a simple dance song and Martha Reeves herself once proclaimed to a British journalist that “it was a party song,” some people interpreted the song lyrics as a call to riot and played it when they’re holding a demonstration, which made some radio stations take it off their play lists.
Regardless of the different views on the meaning, it is still a revolutionary song in terms of its music that has pioneered 70s disco. But above all, in and on itself Dancing in the Street is a magnificent song and quoting Martha Reeves, “It's a song that just makes you want to get up and dance”!
The Original Version
There’s a big possibility that it was Richard who rearrange the song, as he was the arranger of most of The Carpenters’ songs, and the trio gave a complete makeover to the song: a simplification in its instrumentation but with more complex notes especially in the solo parts and fills. There are no extravagant horns and no harmonic backing vocals, but with such accomplished musicianship the trio successfully delivered a wholly distinct version that is delightful and enjoyable nonetheless.
Awesome jazzy cover version
Awesome Comic Sketches and Illustrations: John Romita Jr. (WW)
(Click on images to view in original size)
Read Post
 |
 |
 |
 |
(All pictures shown in the sideshow are acquired from Comic Art Fans and all credits for making them available should be addressed to the persons who posted them at that site.)
John Romita Jr.
Best Cover Version of Pelangi: Koes Plus & Netral (Music Monday)
Cover Version: Netral
This is the first time I post an Indonesian song, with Bahasa Indonesia lyrics. I just hope the language won’t be a barrier for you and you can still dig underneath the words—catch the beat, rhythm, melody, and the energy. But for a brief introduction, “pelangi” means “rainbow.” What the song says is extremely simple actually. In short it tells how someone finds one particular morning to be beautiful with the presence of a rainbow and it reminds that person to the one he/she loves.
About the song Pelangi, I tried to track down when and in which album it was first released, but it was to no avail. The best hint I can find is that it was released in 1972, without any info about the album. The song itself is really quite simple, as simple as the story it tells. Whether you understand the lyrics or not, I’m pretty sure the upbeat pop-rock tempo, the groovy bass, and the catchy melody of the song can be very easy to enjoy. It might even tempt you to shake your body, or at least tap your foot.
Koes Plus' Original Version of Pelangi
In 1995, Netral released their debut album, Wa..lah. It was during the height of alternative wave in music industry across the globe, and immediately this three-piece band from Jakarta—the original guitarist of this trio had just passed away last July, R.I.P. Miten—became a pioneer of alternative-rock in Indonesia. One of the tracks in Netral’s debut is their cover version of Koes Plus’ Pelangi. They completely ripped the romantic-candy-pop tone off the song. With their punk, grunge, and rock influences, they successfully injected a wild, raw, energetic blast into the song and made it easily accessible for a whole new generation of the 90s.
Rocking Cover Version of Pelangi by Netral
Dearest: Original "Apartment Version" by Buddy Holly and the Best Cover Version by The Black Keys (Music Monday)
In his lifetime, Buddy Holly had only released three studio albums, two as a solo artist and one as the member of The Crickets. He left some unreleased songs, including some unfinished studio tracks and the recordings he made personally using the tape he bought two months prior to his death. The original, raw, recordings of the tapes later are commonly known as “The Apartment Tapes.”
“Dearest” is one of the tracks in “The Apartment Tapes” and according to this site, it was recorded sometime between January 1-19, 1959. The good thing about the tracks in those tapes is the intimacy between Buddy Holly and the songs he sang. There was no rush or pressure from studio schedule or producer or other musician. He simply did what he could do best: singing the music he loved, albeit it was not always him who wrote it. “Dearest” was written by Bob Gibson, Ellas “Bo Diddley” McDaniel, Prentice Herman Polk, Jr. and in “The Apartment Tapes” Buddy Holly recorded two versions of that song: with acoustic guitar and the other with electric guitar. An overdubbed version was released as part of a posthumous album, Giant. Yes, the overdubbed result is great and all, but to get the true intensity and romance of the song, you absolutely have to listen to Buddy Holly’s original, raw records.
Buddy Holly's Original Version (with Electric Guitar)
In 2011, a tribute album was released under the title Rave On Buddy Holly. Various artists and bands contribute in this compilation, including Sir Paul McCartney, Patti Smith, Fiona Apple, Kid Rock, and The Black Keys. The last mentioned is a rock band from Ohio that consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). In this tribute album, that duo performs the best cover version (yet) of Dearest. Their rearrangement of the song is, as described by Jeff Gonick of Paste magazine, "beautifully minimalist." It doesn’t lose the original intensity and the ambience gives a remarkable sense of longing. Without overly dressing-up the original version, The Black Keys change the tone and atmosphere entirely, and in a very good way. This track is nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards (2012).
The Black Keys' Cover Version of Dearest
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!
The Best Versions of Bee Gees Most Covered Song
The "Brothers Gibb" started their music career in Australia around 1958, under many names including Rattlesnake. Entering the sixties, they started to use the name Bee Gees, but they found it hard to make a break there, so they decided to return to England in 1966. In 1967, the Gibb brothers finally made that huge step into pop music world when they released “To Love Somebody,” originally written by Otis Redding. This single became the song that actually opened the door to fame and fortune for them, and over the years, it becomes the most covered Bee Gees song.
From 1968 until now, numerous artists and bands had recorded or performed their covers for this song. Just one year after the original version was released, P.P. Arnold and The Animals released their own recorded versions. The most recent notable cover is probably by Bill Corgan, former Smashing Pumpkins front-man, in 2005. Taking into account the number of the cover versions made and how they are come from artists from various genres and periods of time, we can say that “To Love Somebody” is one of Bee Gees’ greatest and most influential songs in their career, and maybe in music history.
Bee Gees Original Version of To Love Somebody
See the Cover Versions in Part 2 (Janis Joplin, Billy Corgan, Nina Simone, Moulin Rouge)7 Great Theme Songs from Various Eras (Superb Soundtracky Saturday)
Al Hirt made a fabulous rendition of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's “Flight of the Bumblebee,” which initially used for the radio series. Such intensity and pace in the trumpet solo, makes you wanna do some Bruce Lee stuff.
There are many great western soundtracks and theme songs. However, Jay Livingston and Ray Evans had succeeded in making more than that. This tune is easily memorable and just sticks there in your head.
The popularity it gains among marching bands and how it becomes the (unofficial) fight song of the University of Hawaii pretty much portray how great Morton Stevens’s composition—performed by The Ventures—is.
“Life's short. Talk Fast”, that’s the tagline of this TV series and (suitably) the “motto” of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. While the calm character of this song is the opposite of the fast-paced dialogue, it captures the mother and daughter relationship vividly.
Personally, I think Lalo Schifrin had done a marvelous job in composing such tune that can represent rush, tension, or in short, nick-of-time kind of situation. It’s a brilliant exclamation mark for the title of the series.
Imagine them heading to a mission with Hannibal smirking with a cigar in his mouth, Face trying his best to keep his cool as usual, Murdock lively making nonsensical remarks behind a chopper cockpit, and B.A. sleeping like a baby after one of his comrades gave him the “pre-flight” medication.
A bunch of teenagers of the seventies in Wisconsin. Nothing much to do. Just hanging out, having fun, drinking beers (when their parents aren’t around), and making love (when they can). This (version) is just the perfect theme song for that.
I won’t say that the ones I listed here are the greatest but they are great nonetheless. If you have your own favorites, feel free to share them here.
Some Disco-Garage Dance with Douet Mauet’s (Awesome Twosome #001)
a japanese seductress super daddy met wet vegetables baby boy that popped up wif the lo-fi not pretty much man sounds look-a-like. trigger as in crunch and disturbing drum’s fill in, mingled to be harmonic 70s disco over tempo in the begining. and so on. recently… more bluesy avant garde riff mix wif exploited dancey hit.
salam sukacita!
Too bad, it seems that this duo no longer active, at least that's how I get it based on the activities in their accounts on some sites—the last date is from two years ago. They never released an album either, but their most famous and best single made it into a compilation by local music magazines. Dancing Dandy Didudam is a groovy half-disco-half-garage song. No wonder it becomes the mostly played track at their myspace page.
Well, I just hope this two-piece band make their comeback someday—would be more awesome if they do it with richer beat patterns and tempo variations, which will be great for independent music scene in Indonesia.
Douet Mauet’s - Dancing Dandy Didudam
Awesome Twosome is dedicated to awesome two-piece bands (really two-piece bands, without additional musicians on stage) and two-chord songs. If you have your own favorites, share them with me. I might post them here. Thanks.
Stay with Me [Baby] (Best Cover Versions for Music Monday)
![Stay with Me [Baby] (Best Cover Versions for Music Monday)](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_1FzwV9gNOV2Fqd4oR5oK1CwZ5OZTIvb9dVz3mEsgdIqjMEw02nGp75PwxKFGiYFz8Z1MfucvkgdgpqzikLonGwwxUyU1H97m6SDneTOPEELlrbb5yPF7xE8zNeGsrXn2tq2IQLjxAg/s1600/Stay+with+Me+%2528Baby%2529.gif "Stay with Me (Baby), Lorraine Ellison and Duffy")
Cover Version by: Duffy
Giving some grandeur in a poignant broken heart song is not an easy thing, but "Stay with Me (Baby)"—in this case both versions—nails it perfectly. You can hear them sing and weep their hearts out you almost “hear” the tears, yet the music feels so huge and soothing you just wanna stay in that melancholy.
In 1966, the first artist to record this song was Lorraine Ellison, a soul singer and a songwriter who reached the peak of her relatively short-lived career as a performer in mid-sixties. Her vocal is simply beautiful in this number. Every time she sings that “stay” and “please”…gosh, what a voice! Sounds unpretentious and natural, as if she’s really on the brink of breaking into crying. Especially in the final chorus, where she sounds like trying to scream everything she has inside. A vintage classic.
Original Version by Lorraine Ellison
Aimée Ann Duffy, or widely known simply as Duffy, recorded her version of "Stay with Me (Baby)" in 2009 for the soundtrack of The Boat that Rocked. She has a huge vocal with a noticeable, strong vibration, which made her “kicked out” form her school choir because her voice was “too big.” Though her version doesn’t have the rawness of Lorraine Ellison’s singing, her unique vocal tone suits the more modern music arrangement perfectly. With the same poignancy, Duffy’s version is indeed a bit “softer,” but the majestic sound and composition make it really special.
Cover Version by Duffy
*PS I’ve also tried Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge’s versions of this song. However, as much as I love their awesome voice (I really, really do love them singing blues), it feels like their versions lack something that makes the song. Dunno. Maybe it’s just me.
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!
Pulp Fiction: Surfing and Twisting…and the Son of a Preacher Man (Superb Soundtracky Saturday)
Honey Bunny: I love you, Pumpkin.Then Dick Dale’s awesome surf rock guitar sound blasts just at the right moment. "Misirlou" comes with just the right pace and tone of hecticness (if that’s even a word) to open the title. And at that moment, you’ll know for sure that it is not your regular movie.
Pumpkin: I love you, Honey Bunny.
Pumpkin: [Suddenly standing up on his chair with a gun in his hand.] All right, everybody be cool, this is a robbery!
Honey Bunny: [Standing from her chair while pointing her gun around in the dinner. Screaming from the top of her lungs.] Any of you fucking pricks move, and I'll execute every motherfucking last one of ya!
A footage from the opening dialog
and an awesome live performance of Misirlou
In Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino throws a bunch of efficient, often hilarious, and witty dialogues, especially between Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson). Other than that, and the perfect casts, and the unconventional plot, there is one more thing that makes this film as good as it is: the music.
Just like most of his movies, there’s no special arrangement written specifically for this movie. Instead, Tarantino chose a mixed-bag of music from various genres that he thought would “enhance” the scenes he created. And he’s right. Some of the most memorable scenes from Pulp Ficion come with perfectly matching songs. Besides the previously mentioned opening scene, another memorable scene, which for some is even considered as the trademark of the movie, is the Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist Contest. Mia (Uma Thurman) and Vincent Vega do a cool, fun twist dance. As the background, there’s a groovy Chuck Berry rock ‘n’ roll track, "You Never Can Tell". It could be the cast, or the dance, or the song, you can’t tell. But it’s clear that the combination of those three makes you wanna watch this twist dance scene again and again.
The famous twist dance and Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell"
There are sixteen tracks in the album Music from the Motion Picture: Pulp Fiction. It’s a mix of the best dialogue clips, surf rock, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, and “Ezekiel 25:17.” It seems that Tarantino has a certain thing for surf and rock ‘n’ roll music. Almost every film he’s made includes one of those two. In this particular soundtrack album, besides the two mentioned above, other notable tracks include a groovy funk number by Kool and the Gang, "Jungle Boogie"; "Bullwinkle Part II", another surf rock track by The Centurions; Urge Overkill’s cover of Neil Diamond’s "Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon"; and another surf music, "Bustin’ Surfboard", by the Tornadoes. A rather calm, slow track is a version of “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield. This fabulous soul-blues song was originally released in 1968 as a single and in 2004 Rolling Stone magazine listed this song at #240 in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. And I think this song will also be a good closing for this week Triple-S post. Enjoy and see ya!
As a closing and cooling down song, a beautiful performance from Dusty Springfield
Beastie Boys Special (Music Monday)
My introduction to this rap/hip hop trio happened around 1996. It was during that alternative boom when I bought a compilation entitled “Pop is Dead 2”. In that album, among others, there were Blur’s Charmless Man, Babylon Zoo’s Spaceman, a Billie Jean cover (by the Bates, if I’m not mistaken), and Sure Shot by Beastie Boys. At that time I was all out looking for distorted guitar sound, but when I heard that cool flute sample in the intro of Sure Shot and then came that great beats, I loved it right away. Some time later, I came across Beastie Boys' Sabotage clip. What an awesome clip! It turned out that both songs came from the same album, Ill Communication, which is their fourth studio album.
Couple of years later, this time in my “adventure” with Rage Against the Machine, I read something about Tibetan Freedom Concert and Beastie Boys name was listed among the other performers. Adam “MCA” Yauch, one of the original co-founder of this rap trio, was a Buddhist and it was his band who organized this series of music festival. From some articles I read, it seems that for Adam Yauch Buddhism, spiritual journey, and freedom of Tibet were not just some bull crap to raise controversy or attention. He truly believed in them.
Adam “MCA” Yauch had met and interviewed Dalai Lama (who personally expressed his condolences following Yauch’s death), backpacked to Nepal to meet Tibetan refugees, founded the Milarepa Fund, and spoke out for the Tibet independence in a China-Tibet conference. As a musician, Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys will always be remembered as a legend with big influence in rap/hip hop, and music in general. As a person, he will be remembered and honored as a great man with a big heart.
Sure Shot
Sabotage
Sabotage
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!
Dollars Trilogy and the Everlasting Whistling (Superb Soundtracky Saturday)
To begin with, it’s impossible to talk about this marvelous “Spaghetti Western” trilogy without mentioning Clint Eastwood. In his memoir, The Film Club, Canadian writer and journalist David Gilmour mentions how Eastwood agreed to play in the movie that had been rejected by actors such as Charles Bronson and James Coburn. But, Eastwood insisted he would do it in one condition: the script had to be cut down. He thought the guy he played would give greater impression if he didn’t talk. Eastwood was right. His silent-and-deadly performance was a brilliant combination.
Director Sergio Leone asked composer Ennio Morricone to write the music for his future films. It was Leone who specifically requested Dimitri Tiomkin style of music, which lead to Morricone's presentations of those great and everlasting whistling tunes. There was an interesting scene in 2007, when Ennio Morricone won the honorary Academy Awards “for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music.” The award was presented by Clint Eastwood and there was a standing ovation. It was for the great composer, but I guess it won’t be wrong to say that they both deserved it, for their priceless legacy of this Dollars Trilogy.
A Fistful of Dollars
For a Few Dollars More
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
For a Few Dollars More
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
Jack White's Blunderbuss: Finally Something Rocks at the Top
Having some band or musician whose next album is something you impatiently look forward to surely is a fabulous thing. It’s a luxury. After losing that luxury for some years, around 2003, I found it again upon watching Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes for the first time on TV. (Yeah, our local TV stations are that slow.) And for the next couple of years, “Is there any new White Stripes album yet? So when?” became a recurring question. And when the albums did come, they didn’t disappoint me. Get Behind Me Satan in 2005 then Icky Thump 2007, their fifth and sixth studio albums. Jack and Meg White seemed getting better and better. But suddenly, on February 2, 2011, an official announcement was released saying that they would cease recording and performing music as The White Stripes.
Being spoiled with the White Stripes’ simple-raw-arse-kicking county/blues/garage rock, Jack’s solo debut is a bit…too much work. I mean, sure he wants to explore further into things he couldn’t have with his previous band projects—different music styles, beat, instrumentation—but I feel that in some tracks the arrangement is so “rich” it kinda hinder the energy of the songs. Or at least it complicates the way for the energy to show up.
However, it’s not a bad album. Not at all. Some of the tracks are absolutely brilliant. And what’s more important, all the great things about Jack White are still there. His blues-garage musical roots, his clever vocal takes, and his wicked guitar plays. All in all, he still rocks. And this time, for a while, he rocks at the top.
Here are my two favorites out of thirteen tracks in this album. Enjoy!
Freedom at 21
Take Me with You when You Go
Take Me with You when You Go
Awesome Comic Sketches and Illustrations: Neal Adams (Wordless Wednesday)
(Click the images to view in full size)
Read Post
 |
 |
 |
 |
Images source: "Neal Adams 2007 SketchBook Convention Exclusive."
Fire, Woodstock, and “Burning Desire” (Best Cover Versions for Music Monday)
Fire
Original Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Cover by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Original Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Cover by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“I have only one burning desire/ Let me stand next to your fire!”…and two occasions of the indisputably most phenomenal music festival in America got burned by/with this song. In the original Woodstock 69, Jimi Hendrix and his Experience band electrified thousands of audience with this song. 30 years later in Woodstock 99, Red Hot Chili Peppers performed that very song and did more or less the same as what Hendrix did.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
“Oh, move over Mr. Rover, and let Mr. Frusciante take over!”
Red Hot Chilli Pepper
(Caution: This video contains nudity)
(Caution: This video contains nudity)
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!Rockabye Baby! (Part II) - “Cute” Cover Versions of (Music Monday)
Okay, here’s the second part of the “Cute” Cover Versions MM. All of them are originally masterpieces of the respective original bands. And I’m sure some of them are very familiar, since they are pure classics. So, without further ado…It’s time for Rockabye Baby!!
- All Apologies (Nirvana)
- Basket Case (Green Day)
- Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
- Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)
- All Apologies (Nirvana)
- Basket Case (Green Day)
- Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
- Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)
Rockabye Baby! (Part I) - “Cute” Cover Versions of (Music Monday)
Rock ‘n’ roll + lullaby + baby. Hmmm… Those words doesn’t seem to match each other, right? Well parents, it turns out that they do. Because these are indeed lullabies and these are indeed rock ‘n’ roll songs, and these are indeed for babies. It’s Rockabye Baby!
Featuring: 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins), Sweet Child O mine (Guns N Roses), No Surprises (Radiohead), Penny Lane (The Beatles)
Sea Lion Woman – Best Cover Versions of (Music Monday)
"Sea Lion Woman" (also "Sea-Line Woman", "See [the] Lyin' Woman", "She Lyin' Woman", "See-Line Woman", or "C-Line Woman") is a traditional American folk song originally used as a children's playground song. [Read further @ Wikipedia]First Recorded by: Christine and Katherine Shipp
Cover Versions by: Nina Simone , Feist
(The illustration was taken from http://margarethuber.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post.html)
Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Best Cover Versions of (Music Monday)
Original Title: In the Pines (Black Girl)
Original Artist: ?????
Cover Versions by: Bill Monroe, Lead Belly, The Four Pennies, Nirvana
“…I would shiveeeeeeeeeeeer….whooole night throoouuugh…” What a blast! What a stellar ending to the song and to the whole Unplugged concert! In that last line, with his awesome raw and seems-about-to-collapse voice, Kurt Cobain had made me love this song.
Original Artist: ?????
Cover Versions by: Bill Monroe, Lead Belly, The Four Pennies, Nirvana
“…I would shiveeeeeeeeeeeer….whooole night throoouuugh…” What a blast! What a stellar ending to the song and to the whole Unplugged concert! In that last line, with his awesome raw and seems-about-to-collapse voice, Kurt Cobain had made me love this song.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
