General Music Chat

"Louie, Louie" is the classic example of a really terrible song that nevertheless became a major hit.

Thanks for finally understanding at least one point I've made.

Was watching Jimmy Iovine on HBO tonight. When he found Gwen Stephanie she was a singer who designed clothes.

Then she says that he told her she would be a star in 6 years and forced her to start writing. She would write a few songs, and he'd tell her they weren't good enough, write more. In 6 years she became a star and was writing hits.

"Louie, Louie" is the classic example of a really terrible song that nevertheless became a major hit.

Thanks for finally understanding at least one point I've made.

Was watching Jimmy Iovine on HBO tonight. When he found Gwen Stephanie she was a singer who designed clothes.

Then she says that he told her she would be a star in 6 years and forced her to start writing. She would write a few songs, and he'd tell her they weren't good enough, write more. In 6 years she became a star and was writing hits.

OK, you've convinced me. Third-rate, disposable pop-ditties that become hits because the label promotes them with videos of a good looking female singer are "good" songs, so long as teenyboppers buy large quantities of copies of them. Pandering to the lowest common denominator in pop culture tastes is something to be proud of, and proof of superior quality.

You don't have to be sarcastic to talk here, bro.

But yea, beauty has always been in the eye of the beholder. Lot of people thought Louie Louie was great. Evidently Gwen Stephanie met the criteria also.

I don't care for much on the radio. I listen to it only to see what a local community finds appealing. It varies from country to country and from county to county. No reason to be upset about it. Just is what it is.

You come across pretty bitter on most topics you've jumped into. Why you hating on what other people like?





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Almost any cover is going to sound different by virtue of different players and technology when recording. So we're looking for who has bastardized the original versions to the point of (almost) being unrecognizable...right?

I hate parodies. It's cheating to take someone else's inspiration and act like you have some talent by riding the coat-tails of the original art. Covers done by real bands are not that, but depend on the work of someone previous to make them popular and therefore not "honest & authentic" which are the criteria I like no matter the genre.

But the first artist who comes to mind for me is someone who, by virtue of who they are, can cover a song and it is a natural parody at the same time.


epic examples of uncovering a cover :

These first ones are the same artist:

Semi-Live!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIqY-zvdESQ

Love this one where the original artist stars in the cover version video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmcrXNuCwg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0plKBDytDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z67IqrmygZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdFCeRS1F_A





And here's another example of that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wruNqAByfzY

These guys aren't that great but it's kinda funny?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATzUX3P3cvU

This is another one that the band translated into their own sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aynjIfao2AI

I've heard the original version of the song a few times. Never knew what the original artist was saying, so this did clear it up for me. Grenade? hmm. Knew it was a great song without understanding the words.

What grates me most about this particular song/video is the "generic woman" voice and the 80's rehash guitars. Unfortunately that is what these guys suffer, in my opinion. Hasn't everyone on this discussion forum already been there? It's easy to copy (Though 80s is toughest) but takes real talent to create. My guess is their originals sound fresher.



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https://www.instagram.com/dinhal2/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW...xi/?taken-by=dinhal2
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWsP2EdHG3P

His Instagram doesn't respond and hI don't even know if it's his. I'm pretty sure he was on youtube and the cover video was great but I can't remember which one. He looks adorable. If u know let me know. Share on anything and ask please. Thank you

This is another one that the band translated into their own sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aynjIfao2AI

I've heard the original version of the song a few times. Never knew what the original artist was saying, so this did clear it up for me. Grenade? hmm. Knew it was a great song without understanding the words.

What grates me most about this particular song/video is the "generic woman" voice and the 80's rehash guitars. Unfortunately that is what these guys suffer, in my opinion. Hasn't everyone on this discussion forum already been there? It's easy to copy (Though 80s is toughest) but takes real talent to create. My guess is their originals sound fresher.



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Within Temptation has a signature sound. Their music fits a particular genre, and they are very skilled at creating outstanding songs within their genre. It's easy to be snarky about things. It's also just as objectionable as sarcasm or excessively strong, overblown, hyperbole. Perhaps before the next time you get snarky about sarcasm, you might consider that snarkiness is no better.

Who is being snarky and why you hating on me? I was giving critical analysis of their contribution to modern music.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion whether you like it or not. Nothing original about this particular band's take on this cover song. Generic hoohah sung by a generic chick voice with generic 80s guitar riffs

Not as quite as good as the 80s actually were. I hope they do something more original when they write.

And covering Dylan is also cheating. He's one of the great lyricists of all time, yet it's easy to do his songs better than him since he can't sing. And "he wants to play harmonica so bad....so he does". (BB King quote)

Joe Cocker's versions of "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" or "With a Little Help From My Friends" was not a bastardization of the original.

Sure it was. Decent and creative versions of those songs, but quite bastardized as I would define it. So we have a disagreement of degree.

I'd prefer someone who bakes from scratch, but those weren't so bad. Prefer the original versions.

There are fewer songs where I prefer the cover over the original...and come to think of it...many of them Dylan songs.


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It's cheating to take someone else's inspiration and act like you have some talent by riding the coat-tails of the original art. Covers done by real bands are not that, but depend on the work of someone previous to make them popular and therefore not "honest & authentic" which are the criteria I like no matter the genre.

"no matter the genre"?

are you including jazz? because charlie parker, miles, coltrane, wes, diz, and scores of other great jazz Artists produced and continue to produce lasting works of great Art by mining standards and pop songs that were written and recorded by someone previously.

what about classical music? are the great classical musicians like segovia, parkening, yo yo ma, and others "cheating"?

as i see it a good song is a vehicle for others to create with. as long as they're bringing something besides sand to beach with their version.

ok, i want in on this cover/uncover business. here's one i know Displaced Pianist will get a kick out of....

the original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbHJHPTikQA

and the remake by the same artist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbHJHPTikQA

It's cheating to take someone else's inspiration and act like you have some talent by riding the coat-tails of the original art. Covers done by real bands are not that, but depend on the work of someone previous to make them popular and therefore not "honest & authentic" which are the criteria I like no matter the genre.

"no matter the genre"?

are you including jazz? because charlie parker, miles, coltrane, wes, diz, and scores of other great jazz Artists produced and continue to produce lasting works of great Art by mining standards and pop songs that were written and recorded by someone previously.

what about classical music? are the great classical musicians like segovia, parkening, yo yo ma, and others "cheating"?

as i see it a good song is a vehicle for others to create with. as long as they're bringing something besides sand to beach with their version.

If someone has already established themselves as great before they do a cover, it becomes a tribute if they can show better musicianship than the original.

And there's nothing wrong with lesser-known artists doing tributes, if that floats anyone's boat. My Polish friend, Mietek Szczesniak, did an amazing 3-piece jazz album, reworking rock-pop standards with an upright, piano, and small kit. It's great because you can't tell what the song is until they get to the chorus in many of them. It was cool and fun, but his best work was not that album.

In my opinion "Greatness" shouldn't be defined by how well you alter someone's else work. It the ability to create something from nothing that is lasting.