The 10 Worst Covers Ever

Okay, I’m exaggerating somewhat.  “Worst ever” is always a subjective thing, and you’ll probably disagree with some of my choices.  But I do know a thing or two about covers.  I have performed original material and I have performed many covers over the years.  I teach guitar, so I play other artist’s and band’s songs all the time.  Most people want to play a song exactly as they remember it, and why not?  That’s what they have heard and loved.

What makes a great cover, in my humble opinion, is an artist or a band that makes the song their own.  This is not an easy task.  To make a song your own, you have to have some element that stays true to the original.  Like, it should be recognizable :-).  But then you have to make it better.  And that’s the hard part.  Some artists and bands just play it their own way and it works.  But others over do the “original” idea and ruin the song all together.  The worst, however, is when a band or artist stays too true to the original.  If you’re going to do that, why bother?

I will probably post a list of my favourite covers in future, but for the time being, here is my list of covers that didn’t do it for me.  Below you can listen to each version and judge for yourself.

Sweet Dreams – Marilyn Manson – Oh my.  If ever a song was butchered, this is the one.  But I think that’s what sweet Marilyn wanted, didn’t he?  Why Annie ever let him (or her) do it, I’ll never know.

Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting – Nickelback – there’s a “love to hate Nickelback” thing going on here in Canada.  I don’t mind them.  But the song simply has too many chords for these guys to handle.  Not power chords, guys, actual chords.  I originally heard this at a hockey game and I was completely dismayed.  It was even more disappointing to find out that a Canadian band was responsible.

Love Hurts – Nazareth – I have never liked this song, no matter how many times I’ve heard it.  The howling lead vocal just destroys an otherwise lovely melody.  Sorry.

California Girls – David Lee Roth -again, another terrible vocal.  I can’t help but see self-involved David Lee prancing around on stage in his lycra pants every time I hear it.  No wonder Van Halen got rid of him :-).  But all kidding aside, the original had a lot of vocals and I really don’t think it was meant to be a solo.  Definitely loses something in the translation.

Beast of Burden – Bette Midler I love Better Midler but I’ve never understood why she recorded this song.  Was it just filler?  It didn’t suit her voice or style at all.  She tries to get down and growly, but that only makes it worse.

My Way – Sex Pistols No.

Superstition – Jonas Brothers Okay, let’s face it, no version of Superstition can live up to Stevie Wonder‘s version. The Jonas Brother’s performing with Stevie himself on an awards show, however, was so awful, I wondered why Stevie even said yes.  Little boys trying to sing such a ballsy song just doesn’t work.  Stick to the pop/rock, fellas.

Slow Hand – Conway Twitty – the twang in his vocal just doesn’t suit the bluesy original by the Pointer Sisters.  And somehow the idea of a country guy singing about…well, how to pleasure a woman…feels somehow yucky.  It just ain’t right.

Superstar – Sonic Youth – I almost get what this version was trying to accomplish. It was trying to be dark and even a little weird. And it was. But not a good weird.

Dock of the Bay – Michael Bolton – Michael Bolton, I think, prides himself on being a great soul singer.  And he is.  But he did a re-make of just about every soul song out there, and it was too much.  He should have stayed with newer, more original material like the songs he sang the demos for, for so many years.

What do you think?  Disagree with me??  I’d be happy to hear your comments :)

IJ

Black-Eyed Peas and Plagiarism

For the second time in a year, the Black-Eyed Peas face a possible legal action because of plagiarism.  In this particular case, it’s hard to imagine how the BEP’s DIDN’T hear this original song by Phoenix Phenom, who submitted the song to executives at Interscope Records which happens to be the Black-Eyed Peas record label.  Have a listen to Phoenix Phenom’s (her real name is  Ebony Latrice Batts) original song:

 

And now, here’s the Black-Eyed Peas song “Boom Boom Pow”, which was a huge hit for them:

At the risk of getting into trouble, here’s a section of the lyrics from Boom Dynamite:

I got that boom dynamite, I make it bang all night
I got that boom dynamite, I make it bang all night
I got that boom boom boom boom boom
I got that boom boom boom boom boom

What you got that I ain’t got (nothing)
I could make it shake when the beat drops (money)
Is what ya’ll say when you hear this
Fear this cause you’ll never come near this
All the boys wanna tap tap tap
Flosin’ jewels with the rap rap rap
They like the bus downs with the clap clap clap
But this right here snap snap snap
(I got that thang) I got that thang (thang)
That make ’em mine
I try to take it to take it to the floor but they cant handle (no they cant handle)
Ya’ll cant pop (pop) pop
You cant drop (drop) drop
I’m like a beat 52 I’m coming for you

And an excerpt from the Black-Eyed Peas version:

Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom pow
Boom boom

Yo, I got that hit that beat the block
You can get that bass overload
I got the that rock and roll
That future flow

That digital spit
Next level visual shit
I got that boom boom pow
How the beat bang, boom boom pow

I like that boom boom pow
Them chickens jackin’ my style
They try copy my swagger
I’m on that next shit now

I’m so 3008
You so 2000 and late
I got that boom, boom, boom
That future boom, boom, boom
Let me get it now

The lyrics are not exactly the same…the subject matter is similar.  The rhythm and lyrical meter in each song are definitely similar, and the line “I got that boom…” is certainly the same.  My guess would be that Phoenix Phenom would be able to show that the Black Eyed Peas had exposure to the song because she brought it to their record label, which is quite often what it comes down to in a plagiarism suit.  And because she would have a good case, the Peas and their record label would be forced to settle.

It’s never worth copying anything…even if it was unintentional, you would think that someone would have picked up on it somewhere down the pike.

Update Oct.30/2010 – Another plagiarism suit against the Black Eyed Peas.  This time it’s from Bryan Pringle, whose song “Take A Dive” was submitted to the same record company, Interscope Records, and shows a copyright date of 1998.  I’m thinking that maybe this has been a pattern with the label, just use old songs that were submitted and make them into hits.  Read more here…

IJ

Don’t Digg Baloney

As part of my research for writing this blog, writing my column for the Muse’s Muse and Twittering about songwriting tips, I tend to spend a lot of time online looking at other songwriting websites and blogs.

What I’ve noticed is that people mean well, but sometimes they are giving incorrect information or selling something as a “how to” write something, when it is clearly just “my way”.  It’s hard for a beginner songwriter especially to know what is true and what is simply someone’s opinion.

For instance, I read a blog just recently that stated that in a chorus, you must have two distinct phrases and then they should repeat.  The blogger also stated that you should also have the hook in the chorus.  Well, the truth is that this is not always the case!  You could simply go through a list of your favourite songs and find that most don’t follow these so-called “rules”.  Now this person is probably just trying to be helpful, but it would have been better for him to say:  “this is one way you might write a chorus”.  And that would be helpful!  And where did I find this tip for writing “better” songs?  On Digg.com.  That means that people are reading these blogs and deciding that they are important enough to "digg" them and pass them on to others.

Please do not take ANYONE’s tips (not even mine!) as gospel.  They should simply be thought of as one approach to your songwriting.  You should always be suspicious of someone who tells you “THIS is how you write a song.”  The internet is full of information, but you have to decide for yourself if the information is valid or simply someone’s idea of the truth.

Research.  Some will make statements that simply aren’t true, or use incorrect terminology or musical references.  There are legitimate sources for information on musical terms and music theory, for instance.  Find out what they are and double check when you’re not sure of something.

More is better.  If you see the same tip in more than one place, it’s probably because it’s a good tip.

Trust your gut.  If something doesn’t seem right to you, ignore it.  If it seems ridiculous, it probably is.

Everybody thinks they can tell you how to write a song.  Listen to their work if they have any online before you decide if they are worth paying attention to.  Check their references.  When they claim that they can guarantee you’ll write a hit, email and ask them to list their hits!  You can go to websites like BMI and ASCAP and check their names.  Have they even REGISTERED a song, let alone written a hit?

And last, but certainly not least, do not give money to someone before you have thoroughly researched their legitimacy.  I had a guy who sent me a letter from Nashville EVERY YEAR for 10 years, telling me how he was going to get my song (which he would incorrectly name every time!) to top artists in Nashville for the measly sum of several hundred dollars.  I laughed and dumped it in the recycling box every year.  I’m nobody.  Why would he want my song so badly?  Because he didn’t!  He wanted my MONEY so badly :-).

IJ

The Bridge – Somewhere Between Here and There

There are plenty of songs out there without a bridge that survive quite well, thank you very much.  However, let’s look at this special part of the song form and get an idea of how to make the best use of it in your songwriting.

First of all we need to identify what a bridge actually is, and one of the best ways to do that is by pointing out some more “famous” bridges in popular songs.  Think about the song from The Wizard of Oz called “If I Only Had a Brain”.

I could wile away the hours
Conferring with the flowers
Consulting with the rain
And my head I’d be scratchin’
While my thoughts were busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain

There are three couplets or rhymes in the verses:  hours/flowers, scratchin’/hatchin’ and rain/brain, and six lines in the verses, with shorter, more punctuated notes.

In the bridge, the notes are longer and the chord structure changes, even including a slight modulation or key change before going back to the original key:

Oh I-I-I could tell you why-y-y-y
The ocean’s near the sho-o-o-re
I could think of things I’d never thunk befo-o-ore
And then I’d stop and think some mo-o-ore

Although not as significant in this particular song, quite often the bridge creates a whole different perspective or “step back” from the rest of the song.

Let’s take a look at a more contemporary song;  Sheryl Crow‘s “My Favourite Mistake“.

This is a typical “break up” song:

I woke up and called this morning
The tone of your voice was a warning
That you don’t care for me anymore

Most of the verses detail the events that are taking place, the singer pointing out the evidence of an impending break up.  The bridge, in contrast, is more philosophical.

Well maybe nothing lasts forever
Even when you stay together
I don’t need forever after
But it’s your laughter won’t let me go
So I’m holding on this way

In this particular bridge, not only is it quite distinctive musically, but it’s a great example of how the lyrics take a step back and give a over all view of the rest of the song.  However, bridges don’t have to have lyrics either.  Sometimes a musical bridge that takes off in a new direction has the same effect as a lyrical bridge.  One example of a music-only bridge is in Coldplay‘s song “Viva La Vida“.  It changes chord progressions and then the only vocal you hear is “oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”.  (Well, they’re NOT lyrics :-)).  Then it comes back to the last chorus.  And the famous song “Dust In The Wind” has a musical bridge featuring a string section!

So the main purpose of a bridge is to provide musical and lyrical contrast, and sometimes to set things up lyrically for the end of the song.

Years ago I took a weekend songwriting workshop through The Songwriter’s Association of Canada where one of the workshop leaders, a songwriter who had had success on his own and with a band, said he hated bridges and didn’t see the point of using them.  Many songs do just fine by having a middle-eight or musical break using the same chord progression as the verses or chorus. And while many famous bands and artists over the years have only rarely used bridges in their songwriting, I think they can be quite effective in the right song.

If your song is feeling a little repetitive after a couple of verse and choruses, try to experiment with a change in chord progressions and lyrics (if you like!) and see if you can come up with your own bridge.

IJ