I tend to not want to agree with Jesse Lacey, but it's a known fact throughout the world (Well, the world that knows me...) that I am an acousticwhore.

It's a medical condition...I've been prescribed medication, but I chuck it down the toilet when no one's looking.

I just listen to these alternate versions of songs and find myself transfixed at how the meaning, the mood, the everything of a song.

One of my favorite examples of this is the Cold War Kids' song "We Used to Vacation." Funny, I happen to have a zipped folder of both songs, so that the class can make their own judgements. [hxxp://www.sendspace.com/file/s8new4]

[change the xx->tt]

First of all, I adore the Cold War Kids. Nathan Willett's voice has that indie "I'm not actually going to sing and yet sound superfantastic" thing that sucks you in. Plus there's this homemade quality about them that I am slightly obsessed with. But that's beside the point I'm trying to make. Pay attention.

In the original version, Nathan (I will refer to him as Nathan, because it makes me feel cool to think we're on a first name basis) has this slickness about him. He sings about making these promises of sobriety and as the words seem to drip out of him, you can almost feel the lies, the betrayal. You can see the gin and tonics being tossed back at the shithole bar that's about five seconds and two barfights away from collapsing. With this version I can't help but imagine him at this same bar, stumbling around the stage doing drunken karaoke with this band of crazy old men. [For the record, I don't have the actual ages of any of the guys in this band, but none of them look a day over 25.) It's beer soaked and tragic, but in a tongue-and-cheek sort of way. The last minute of the song almost seems to serve as a revelry of sorts. Celebrating their journey falling from grace.

The acoustic version feels lightyears away to me. Nathan cleans up the vocals. That slimy, slippery feel is gone, replaced with a cleaner, more forlorn sound. There are no fancy bells and whistles, pianos and parties to hind behind in this version--just this tale of hope and misery. He sings as if he's trying to convince himself that "things could be much worse"...but his voice, muffled and strained, emotes anything but hope. And I find myself there with him, wishing, hoping, praying that this will in fact, all blow over in time...but knowing, full well that it won't, and we will all once again seek solace in a glass.

So, now most people would ask the question: Well, which one is better?

And I answer you with....well, I don't know. And I would continue that I don't find this question valid or fair. Yes, this is a single piece of art portrayed in vastly different ways. It's like trying to compare Realist and Cubist paintings of a bowl of fruit done by the same artist. Yes, the average person will prefer one over the other, but can you really say that one is "better" than the other? On what grounds do you make this assumption? Well, I'm me...and I find that in the case of the original versus the acoustic of this particular song...I really cannot make up my mind. It varies day to day, mood to mood.

Honestly, I applaud both, for being fantastic pieces of art, for really, when we break it down, the only functionality of music (aside from accompanying iPod and FreeCreditReport.com commercials) is to inspire...something, anything. Images, emotions, actions. Both versions of this accomplish this, and then some.

[lyrics, for easy reference.]

I kissed the kids at noon
then stumbled out the room
I caught a cab
ran up a tab
on 7th and flower

best recital I had to ruin
missed my son's graduation
punched the Nickles boy
for taking his seat
gets all that anger from me

still things could be much worse
natural disasters on the evening news
still things could be much worse
we still got our health
my paycheck in the mail

I promised to my wife and children
I'd never touch another drink
as long as I live
but even then
it sounds so soothing
this will blow over in time
this will all blow over in time

I'm just an honest man
provide for me and mine
I give a check to tax deductable
charity organizations
two weks paid vacation won't heal the damage done
I need another one

still things could be much worse
natural disasters on the evening news
still things could be much worse
we still got our health
my paycheck in the mail

I promised to my wife and children
I'd never touch another drink
as long as I live
but even then
it sounds so soothing
to mix a drink**
and sink into oblivion

I promised to my wife and children
that accident
left everyone a little shook up
but at the meetings
I felt so empty
this will blow over in time
this will all blow over in time

**in the acoustic version [correct me if I'm wrong] but it sounds as if he changes "Drink" to "gin".