Some Songs Cannot Be Covered
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Artist:
Each of us, I'm sure, has a list of songs that we feel just cannot be surpassed as far as performance is concerned. I know, by nature such lists are very subjective but come on, after Ray Charles' America The Beautiful, why would anyone bother to record another? I feel the same way about a dozen or two songs. Don't bother. I don't think anyone should bother with Mystery Train, after The Band's version.
Well this song, By The Band, is not one thats often covered, nor should it be. This song, in it's original form, simply cannot be improved upon. With only the most oblique, almost invisible hints, Robbie Robertson's lyric and The Bands performance drops you into the middle of Middle America, circa early twentieth century. A time of financial upheaval/anxiety as the poor farmer tried to hang on in the face of trials of "jobian" proportions. Richard Manuel's nervous worried delivery so perfectly captures the low-grade madness of constant fear & uncertainty. Rick Danko's etheral soothing harmony, almost subliminal in an already strangely subdued "chorus" has rarely been used to such fine effect, as his bass with Levon Helm's drum keep a jumpy fretful rhythm. And the wonderful Garth Hudson highlighting the procedings with church-like tones on his Wurlitzer. And then Robbie's guitar solo, a breathtaking lesson in economics. Dry frozen brittle notes scattered like hoar on fragile crops gradually coalesce into frenzied, panic'd clusters, a wild thin mercury sound indeed.
I know I have posted about this song before, and I may have repeated myself a bit but I do not care. This song can never be improved upon, IMHO.
So its your turn now. Post a song you think cannot be improved upon. Tell us why.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (6)
I have to agree with you on Mystery Train. This one I'm not that familiar with, but it sounds great.
As some of you know, I am not one that likes covers. I enjoy the original. I have heard covers that make me cringe.
I think most of the Beatles songs cannot be covered well enough. Call me over critical.. but no one just cannot sing a Beatles song and do it well enough. Norwegian Wood is one of those. The vocals on that are so distinct.
Personally, if anyone asked me to do a cover song, I won't do it. No matter what they would offer me, I do so love the original and would feel like I was marring the intent of the writer.
Some songs have melodies or chord progressions that are "open" in a way that invite variations, such a "Louie Louie" or "I Got Rhythm," whereas "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" is somewhat intricate. There are enough times when a recording I thought was definitive ended up inspiring a radically different interpretation by another act, that worked beautifully, even if it didn't surpass the original on every level. No piece of music is impregnable.
I feel the same way. Then one day: I oerheard Cindy Lauper siging At Last. WTF, there is only one, At Last and it is Etta. But cidy burned the memory into my brain, and I'd paly them both. ..Paly is Wyomingese for play...over and over. Now there are bookends. Siging is also Wyomingese for singing. Sorry my Wyoming translator wasn't turned one.
But fwiw, I would not be a music omnivour without my fav moggers.
I don't think that there's a song that cannot be covered. I guess that is because I see covers as X's take on a song, and not as if X is trying to improve it. I'm always interested in different takes.
Now, movies....I can give you a big freaking list right there. How much time have you got? ;)
{movies remakes, that is!}