Music fans: a cover vs. a version, vs. a remake

The beauty of music - there are several beauties so I'll say, "A" beauty of music is that it is written for everybody. There are songs I have heard "mere individuals" do that are just, "Wow!" They're not recording it, but merely singing or playing it. Maybe they're not even performing it, just singing or playing for the mere love of it and enjoyment they get out of it. How about singing in the shower? I suppose that is where many say is the ONLY the place they sing . Oh, this is too much. I think a good song depends on and begins with the composer and lyricist. I mean, that is the song. To be heard involves interpretation by both the performer(s) and the listener.

Cover - is a cover a cover if you never hear the original? Shucks, what is the original? Especially if several folks record it at virtually the same time.

Version - You know, FS recorded over 1300 songs. Boy, he was one to "vers" and revise numbers and record them two or three times...and, of course, be successful with them all. Who was the orchestra? Who conducted? Who arranged? What was Frank's mood at that point in his life - at that very moment, for that matter?

Remake - I think I, too, would define this as something occurring well after the initial popularity of a given tune.

But they're really all the same thing, aren't they? Cover, version, remake, revival, interpretation, arrangement, etc. Music is timeless. A particular song's "life" may have a beginning, but there is no end. Obviously there is popularity, and that's what the industry cares about, I guess.

Gosh, I just realized the amount of music that gets written that "no one" has ever heard, and the shelves and hard drives that must be full of unreleased material. That also brings to light, for me, that a song may well have a death, afterall.

Whatever all that was worth, I mostly like the "popularized originals". There just seems to be something more pure about it, and hopefully that means it is being done in a way that the author(s) had in mind. And I look at it as a singer, myself. It gives me something very basic (I don't mean uninteresting) to build on. It is hard for me to hear contemporary artists, who in all probability have already made a career for themselves, now releasing their versions of the "old stuff." It's wonderful they are successful and they have an audience, but it is awfully hard for me to stomach in many cases. No, I am not buying their albums, nor am I seeking them out otherwise. I mean, if I find myself in a store, for example, with the background music (which maybe isn't background enough). I can't control it or get away from it. Yes, technically, I could leave the store.

I'll close with saying that the open mind believes that the artist is honoring the song, itself. Those that love the song want to continue to share it with the masses. Then it's up to the masses to decide which guy or gal they want to hear. It is necessary (a personal realization) to have songs available to us in more than one way.

As one who plays in a surf band, you would say that I primarily play "covers". And that's fine, because the terminology doesn't bother me.

However, although I agree with most of the earlier posts that there are many original versions of songs that will never be equaled or improved upon, that doesn't mean to me that they shouldn't be done live, as covers or "versions". I think it's really up to the band and their own ability to make good judgments about what to do and what not to do.

One thing that we tend to forget is that in a live music situation, people ar generally delighted to hear one of their favorites. Whether it's identical or as well performed as the original isn't the issue.

There simply is not another Bing Crosby today (with apologies to Harry Connick, Jr.), or another XXX (fill in the blank). And I'm definitely no Jerry Scheff (he played the incredibly fast, difficult bass line in the Doors' immortal L.A. Woman, and I regard him as one of the gods of bass). I've played L.A. Woman live, and avoided disgracing myself. That was good enough for me, and for the audience.

But people love to hear those number played anyway. They know we're not the originals, but as long as we don't butcher up the number, they dance and enjoy themselves.

Two more terms I'd add:

Standard. A great tune that nobody really owns. Examples: "Misty," "One O'Clock Jump," "They Can't Take That Away."

Signature Song: A song done so well by someone that nobody should attempt to top it. Example: Sinatra's "My Way."

And I like some newer versions better than the originals. I love the Platters' "My Prayer"; Glenn Miller's version, not so much. I also like later, smoother versions of "Moten Swing" better than the earlier, faster versions.

Good points!

Much surf music is standard: Pipeline, Walk-Don't Run, Wipe Out, and Dick Dale's Miserlou. Those are fair game for anyone, and it doesn't take much courage to tackle them.

OTOH, I'd disgree slightly about signature tunes. If someone really WANTS to tackle "My Way", go ahead. They should realize they will never top it, but if they do it well, they reflect credit on themselves by attempting to meet an incredibly high standard.

And in some cases, the alternative is to re-arrange the tune and present it in a completely different way. Think about Cream doing Robert Johnson's "Crossroads". Their version became the definitive one because it was so different and so popular in its rock, rather than blues, form.

"My Way" is a curious example, too, as FS didn't really want to do it in the first place.

But I get it, totally. As an American Idol watcher, you always hear the judges say stuff like, "Woa, if you're gonna do a Whitney song, you're gonna have to BRING it," and so on.

Speaking of CCR

Tony in Tarzana said:

...and Creedence Clearwater Revival. I love their version. :eusa_clap

Click to expand...

Oh, it may be blasphemy but The Ike Turner and Tina Turner cover of "Proud Mary" crushes the CCR version.

The one FS song that could never be done properly by another artist is "I'm a Fool to Want You."

As for other songs that should not be covered, I submit:

1) "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
2) "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones
3) "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke

Actually, I heard a live performance of "You Send Me" a few years ago. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or the fact that the singer had known Sam Cooke, but it was magic. A live performance has a different energy from a recording, and I agree with Pilgrim that you can get away with things live that you couldn't with a recording.

Somebody mentioned "Sing Sing Sing." I once heard a terrible, horrible live performance of that song. But Anita O'Day and Gene Krupa (I think it was) did a 3-minute or so take-off on that song, put some words to it, and not only did justice to it, but made a delightful (and more dance-able than the original) version of it.

Yep! Every hack that has a tongue has croaked out Ain't No Sunshine to a nauseating degree. I know, I know, I know.........