To ring in the new year, figured it might be fun to share some amazing, yet relatively unknown, covers and or remixes of their more notorious originally released songs.
#1). "Under My Thumb" (cover The Rolling Stones) by La Roux happens to be a wonderful female cover of "Under My Thumb", where the gender of the subject is not dependent on that of the singer's. Typically, whenever I've heard a female cover of this song, the sex of the subject gets changed to "he" and I feel that that ultimately taints the depth of these lyrics. It's a song being sung by an abuser in a relationship, someone who has gained control over another person that they felt they used to be controlled by. It's not a love song. It's the antithesis of a love song. However the La Roux cover is really melancholy, not smug like The Rolling Stones version. You get the sense in the La Roux rendition that there's an element of regret in gaining this control. It's also less rock 'n' roll and more electronica. Lend an ear:
#2). "No Diggity (Cooler Than Now Remix)" as made famous by Blackstreet. Simple changes in a big way, the sexiness of the original eros melts away to reveal a more apparent torturous infatuation in this version. Slower, sullen, there's a craving. The woman he's singing about is not a conquest won just yet, instead it seems like he's trying to convenience himself that he has the confidence to win her requited desire. And if you really tune in to the lyrics, that's what the original was about too, it's just the way the track was laid, you think he's already got it 'bagged up', so to speak, with this woman of his admiration. It's not really obvious in the original that he's singing about desiring desire. It is delightfully very obvious in this version however, so I'm compelled to share it with you now, but it's unfortunately not on YouTube (that I can find). You would be able to find it on Spotify if you were really curious (be curious). As a substitute, please accept this electro-swing "Minimatic Remix" of "No Diggity" instead. For lack of a better descriptor, it's very 'steampunk' and every time I hear it, I expect to be seeing my boyfriend playing BioShock. Honestly, I don't really LOVE this remix so much but I don't hate it either, it's very interesting and makes a great stand-in for the elusive "Cooler Than Now Remix".
#3). "Rock You Like A Hurricane" as interpreted by The Veronicas, made famous by the Scorpions. Wow. This song is obviously about a musician that's in it for the fame, money, and groupie pussy. The original lyricist was so damn self absorbed about what a great performer they were, they actually wrote lyrics about it, and sang it. Outlining how sexual conquests were a major fueling payoff for being a rock star and that women are completely disposable bitches that want inches from his dick. Don't get mad at me. This shit got played on the radio. I hate the original for all those concepts. Seriously, "rock you like a hurricane" means "forcibly fuck you wet". But The Veronicas' cover?--unveils the underlying bullshit macho sexpot messiah themes in this crappy song so very well, that the twins, in my humble opinion, actually MAKE the song. Are you ready to be rocked like a hurricane?
#1). "Under My Thumb" (cover The Rolling Stones) by La Roux happens to be a wonderful female cover of "Under My Thumb", where the gender of the subject is not dependent on that of the singer's. Typically, whenever I've heard a female cover of this song, the sex of the subject gets changed to "he" and I feel that that ultimately taints the depth of these lyrics. It's a song being sung by an abuser in a relationship, someone who has gained control over another person that they felt they used to be controlled by. It's not a love song. It's the antithesis of a love song. However the La Roux cover is really melancholy, not smug like The Rolling Stones version. You get the sense in the La Roux rendition that there's an element of regret in gaining this control. It's also less rock 'n' roll and more electronica. Lend an ear:
#2). "No Diggity (Cooler Than Now Remix)" as made famous by Blackstreet. Simple changes in a big way, the sexiness of the original eros melts away to reveal a more apparent torturous infatuation in this version. Slower, sullen, there's a craving. The woman he's singing about is not a conquest won just yet, instead it seems like he's trying to convenience himself that he has the confidence to win her requited desire. And if you really tune in to the lyrics, that's what the original was about too, it's just the way the track was laid, you think he's already got it 'bagged up', so to speak, with this woman of his admiration. It's not really obvious in the original that he's singing about desiring desire. It is delightfully very obvious in this version however, so I'm compelled to share it with you now, but it's unfortunately not on YouTube (that I can find). You would be able to find it on Spotify if you were really curious (be curious). As a substitute, please accept this electro-swing "Minimatic Remix" of "No Diggity" instead. For lack of a better descriptor, it's very 'steampunk' and every time I hear it, I expect to be seeing my boyfriend playing BioShock. Honestly, I don't really LOVE this remix so much but I don't hate it either, it's very interesting and makes a great stand-in for the elusive "Cooler Than Now Remix".
#3). "Rock You Like A Hurricane" as interpreted by The Veronicas, made famous by the Scorpions. Wow. This song is obviously about a musician that's in it for the fame, money, and groupie pussy. The original lyricist was so damn self absorbed about what a great performer they were, they actually wrote lyrics about it, and sang it. Outlining how sexual conquests were a major fueling payoff for being a rock star and that women are completely disposable bitches that want inches from his dick. Don't get mad at me. This shit got played on the radio. I hate the original for all those concepts. Seriously, "rock you like a hurricane" means "forcibly fuck you wet". But The Veronicas' cover?--unveils the underlying bullshit macho sexpot messiah themes in this crappy song so very well, that the twins, in my humble opinion, actually MAKE the song. Are you ready to be rocked like a hurricane?
#4). "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" made illustrious by The Proclaimers (speaking of twins), entirely redone by Kendra Morris, featured on Morris's 2013 sophomore album Mockingbird. Mockingbird is nothing but covers and is definitely worthy of acquiring. Morris really is tremendously talented. She's also the reason why I now want a Sharp GF-777! The woman has the soul of a poet and I hope she gets the notoriety she deserves. Other noteworthy tracks from Mockingbird would be: "Space Oddity", "Miss You", and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and "Karma Police", and "Black Hole Sun", and the whole entire album basically. But I choose to feature Morris's "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" because it's such a rebirth of the original, it makes the original embryonic. Morris does a brash guttural rasta duet of "I'm Gonna Be" that's so damn inventive, it's authentic in its own right.
If you want to hear some of Morris's own songs, I suggest "Evil" and "Here" to get a better scope on her stellar range.
#5). "Ain't That Peculiar" made famous by Marvin Gaye, but made bluesy jazzy magic as reinterpreted by Chocolate Genius. And boy, is Chocolate Genius, a fucking musical genius! I love this man's work, he's so raw, honest, and his voice is like wet suede drying in the sun. This was supposedly Harvey Pekar's (writer of American Splendor) favorite song. I had actually never heard Marvin Gaye's version until recently and I was aghast. Sung too fast and happy by Gaye, it's truly miraculous that C.G. managed to do what he did, which was sing like a lovelorn fool submerged under water. He truly highlights how peculiar love is, especially when the person you're so madly in love with is actually a bad person to even have in your life let alone be in love with (we've all been there, amirite?). The blog template won't let me insert C.G.'s one, for whatever reason, even though it is on YouTube so click here if ya wanna hear. (And you really do want to hear it) but Gaye's version will be featured instead:
#6). "The House of the Rising Sun" indeed made famous by The Animals, be that as it may, Sinead O'Conner does a haunting rendition that is a MUST HEAR for any music aficionado.
#7). "Seven Days" surly made famous by Craig David but is an absolute gem redone by Zoot Woman. It's actually one of my favorite songs and is unfortunately typically rather difficult to unearth from the ether. So thank gods for SoundCloud and account user Harlock5555 for providing a way to hear the Zoot Woman's astounding "Seven Days".
#8). "Slow Ass Jolene" is actually Dolly Parton's "Jolene" but at a slowed down r.p.m. which almost makes it sound like an old woman is pleading with a younger beauty to seek out any man that she may acquire since Jolene can only ever hope to love and obtain this one man. Truly on the cusp of disturbing, it's a musical experience one would not want to exclude themselves from undergoing.
#9). "Hey Ya" as covered by Obadiah Parker is truly remarkable. It really helps one give heed to the tragedy of premature parenthood coupled with immature love and how it affects immediate family relationships that OutKast's doesn't seem to really marinate in.
#10). "I Want You" as written and song by Elvis Costello but preformed by the magnificent Fiona Apple to such an insightful extent, it'll render goosebumps.
#10). "I Want You" as written and song by Elvis Costello but preformed by the magnificent Fiona Apple to such an insightful extent, it'll render goosebumps.
#11). "Maneater" - The Bird and the Bee do no gender changing on this tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates's masterpiece. Their entire "Interpreting the Masters" is worthy of listening to. As is this female cover of "Maneater".
#12). "Llorando" aka ("Crying") - Rebekah Del Rio does a commanding Spanish performance of Roy Orbison's classic and gets featured in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive for one of the greatest cinematic mindfucks ever. Del Rio gives a personal account of the transformative power this song had on her as a performer, here.
#13). "Say My Name (Cyril Hahn Remix)" is Destiny's Child ALL tripped out! I hope I hear it one year at The Burning Man Festival.
#14). "Bloodbuzz Ohio" originally done by The National yet when covered by Julia Stone, it brilliantly outshines the pioneer recording. The lyrics break your soul as well as your heart. Seems fitting it's about the heartland. Supposedly all the members of The National were from Cincinnati, Ohio, hence the need to return to their "blood". It's a song about regret, hopelessness, despair, disenchantment, and poverty. It's almost an impossibility that both The National and Julia Stone are singing the exact same lyrics because they do not seem to be referencing a similar human experience at all.
Still, that's the beauty of song, and it does have a power to unify, to expand consciousness. Let's hope this sets the tone of the new year, unifying and enlightening many.
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