Songs that should never be covered

[Dayna]

I can't imagine any of the Moody Blues songs being done by someone else.

[Charlie]

I can't imagine any of the Moody Blues songs being done by someone else.

No, don't even try to think about it. But they did do a very good version of Bessie Banks' 'Go Now' to kickstart their career. Bessie's was great, but theirs was different and great too. But that was when Denny Laine was with them - their best period, I've always thought, even if it was only a week or two.

Earlier in this thread, regarding A Change is Gonna Come: Otis did it proud, Aretha did it not so well, but The Neville Brothers came so close to matching Sam, you have to take this off the list of songs that can't or shouldn't be covered. Dark End of the Street stays on it, although I know there are some who speak kindly of Gram Parsons' version. Not sure we have any of Gram's people visiting this forum to speak in his defence.

[Des]

'Strange Fruit' there's versions by Souxsie. Sting and UB40 among others. Although I'm not a fan of Billie Holiday, her version and Nina Simone's (my fave version) stand the test of time. Is there a case for this song only to be sung by a black artist? Compare versions here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/ ... ruit.shtml

[NormanD]

Dark End of the Street stays on it, although I know there are some who speak kindly of Gram Parsons' version. Not sure we have any of Gram's people visiting this forum to speak in his defence.

I'm not one of his people, whoever they may be, but I do love many of his songs, although they are often better done by others. The Flying Burrito Brothers' version of DEOTS is a knock-out piece of white country soul, unprecedented for its time and still sounding good. GP's voice suited this one far better than it suited many of his own songs. In fact, I've not heard a bad version of DEOTS (sorry, this should be on the other thread, I know): some may be functional (The Commitments, Eve Cassidy), but they never mess it up. There are also other versions that run James Carr pretty close.

[Dayna]

Ebb Tide by Righteuos Brothers.

[Ted]

Dark End of the Street stays on it

Arethas version of it is deeply disappointing. You'd expect it to be a triumph. But she does all that melismatic gospelly stuff and it just sounds like she doesn't understand what the song is about. Its meant to be stark.

[Dominic]

... all that melismatic gospelly stuff ...

I had to look melismatic up. If I understand it, it's the vocal technique of using 10 notes when one will do that puts me off so much modern RnB and soul.

[Ted]

If I understand it, it's the vocal technique of using 10 notes when one will do that puts me off so much modern RnB and soul.

Indeed. Made even worse when the singer can't actually sing that well in the first place.

[Adam Blake]

What makes modern melismata a million times worse is it is artificially induced with a recording device - the one that Cher turned into a gimmick on "Do You Believe". It is this foul box that ruined one of the great pleasures in life: urban black American pop music.

[Ted]

What makes modern melismata a million times worse is it is artificially induced with a recording device - the one that Cher turned into a gimmick on "Do You Believe". It is this foul box that ruined one of the great pleasures in life: urban black American pop music.

Autotune?

[Adam Blake]

That's the one - a foul pox upon it!

[Des]

Not a vocoder then? Cheikha Rimmitti's final CD had something like it.

[Dominic]

One summer (1980 or 81?) my two favourite LPs were Pincer Movement by Jowe Head (ex-Swell Maps) and Psychedelic Jungle by The Cramps. Pincer Movement has a great version of Wimoweh and Psychedelic Jungle features a slight version of Green Door. My enjoyment was spoiled by Tight Fit's hit version of Wimoweh and of course Shakin' Stevens popularised Green Door.

[Adam Blake]

Not a vocoder then? Cheikha Rimmitti's final CD had something like it.

Yeah, vocoder, autotune - both instruments of satan in my book. But the kids LOVE it! Or at least they did. Which is why it infected virtually every r'n'b record made since the mid 80s... The idea of Whitney Houston et al at full blast being put through one of these devices seemed like a good one to various producers who were almost certainly under the influence of cocaine at the time. They played the results to the A&R departments of the various major record companies who were also under the influence of cocaine, who played them to various independent radio promoters (who were also...) who paid money (and cocaine) to DJ's all over America to play them. Result: soul music loses its soul. And here we sit: talking about old Sam Cooke and O V Wright records... (sigh)

[Dayna]

I don't like the way the modern pop singers sing, either. It sounds fake & like some of them are just screaming.

What about Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild?