Continuing with the topics of hearing seeing (though not in the mind’s eye or ear this time), I discovered a new (to me) song that I like (Waiting, by Alice Boman) and subsequently found out it’s part of an entire album of remixes (of that same song).
When I hear “album of remixes” I think to myself, “I will figure out which one is my favorite and then listen to it exclusively,” but although that’s mostly true, there are numerous songs that I love in two different versions. A whole album? Probably not. But here are a few songs I like as fraternal twins of themselves:
(original) The Knife, “Heartbeats”
(cover) Jose Gonzalez, “Heartbeats” (even though I have trouble not hearing shades of sad Kermit when I listen to it now, much as I love it)
(original) Kanye, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, “All of the Lights”
(cover) Hackney Colliery Band, “All of the Lights (Wah Wah 45s)”
I actually much prefer the brass cover of this song, but I’ve listened to a few of Hackney Colliery’s other pop song covers and haven’t been into any of them. Their version of “All of the Lights” makes me want to march around proudly like a human that knows what it’s doing and has had too much coffee.
(original) Andy Prieboy and Johnette Napolitano, “Tomorrow Wendy”
(also sort of original) Concrete Blonde, “Tomorrow Wendy”
Johnette Napolitano is the singer for Concrete Blonde, and she sings one of the verses on Prieboy’s original. In the Concrete Blonde version, two of the verses are switched in order. I go through phases with these–sometimes I only want the one, sometimes only the other.
And an abomination against nature…
The very worst offender, cover-wise, is Sheryl Crow’s attempt at Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut is the Deepest.” I don’t strongly dislike her–she can sing–but this kills me. It has no teeth and is lazy (which are very bad things for both songs and for creatures trying to make their way in survival of the fittest).
