Cover Lover

I've been busy at W♥M, if you're looking for a cover lover fix. I also applied for a job at NME, an online-thing, which I don't think I'll get (mostly because I don't think I'm qualified for it and also I don't know how devoted I am to work for NME...)

Here is a round of cover lover goodness:

TONY RANDALL
You know him from The Odd Couple, but outside of this television show, few people knew that he actually recorded music on the side.

This rendition of "Me and My Shadow" is based on a popular 1920s "Standard" tune, covered by many singers, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and Perry Como.

Tony Randall's version is pretty faithful, very big-band and swingy.

I wonder why his career in music never took off?

Pink Lady - Walk Away Renee

The Left Banke - Walk Away Renee 6 comments

PINK LADY
Although they were very successful in their native hometown in Japan, it was disasterious when they tried to bring a television show based on these hostess in America. Pink Lady and Jeff was eventually considered by TV Guide as "one the worst show of all time".

So, let's take a look at their cover version of "Walk Away Renee" (originally by the Left Banke), it almost doesn't even make sense to me why two adorable women are singing this. It's also sounds too sweet, they need to have a little hint of bitterness, you know what I mean?

Maybe something got lost in the translation.

SLARAFFENLAND
Now for something more modern - a few years ago, for the anniversary of Radiohead's amazing album, OK Computer, Stereogum put together an exclusive track-for-track cover and gave it for free on their website. They soon ran out of free licenses and were forced to then stream the album.

Slaraffenland did the cover to "Paranoid Android", which sounds too instrumental for my taste. I much prefer the original, but good try. In fact, I don't think I liked a lot of the cover songs (although I did enjoy the non-sense "Fitter Happier") - even on easy-to-like songs such as "Let Down" and "Karma Police" are warped.

I know the musicians are trying to add their thing to it, but I guess I love the original album too much to really care about these renditions.

Links: www.weheartmusic.com

Strawberry Fair - I Can't Do Anything Strawberry Fair 1 comment Track Listing I Can't Do Anything Why Won't He Answer Kristoffer Give Up Discography [2003] Strawberry Fair (EP, CD-R) [2003] Empty Wallets And Greedy Companies (EP, CD-R) [2003] Picknick Picks (Cassette) [May 2005] This Is My Secret Garden (compilation) [Feb 2008] Sings "I Can't Do Anything" (EP) Read More Strawberry Fair http://weheartmus... The first time I mentioned Strawberry Fair, I had no idea it's actually just one person: Jenny F...

Strawberry Fair - Attack! Strawberry Fair 2 comments The Toys - Attack! The Toys Strawberry Fair - Where is Alex Taylor Now? Strawberry Fair 2 comments

I wrote an article on Strawberry Fair, aka Jenny Franzén, on W♥M recently. Since Franzén actually did a few covers, I thought I'd talk about them.

First of all, she did a cover of The Flaming Lips' "She Don't Use Jelly", which I don't have. But I'm told that the words "tangerines" are replaced by "strawberries".

I also don't have the orginal Fat Tulips' "Where's Claire Grogan Now", which the song Where is Alex Taylor Now? is based on.

I do have both version of "Heaven Only Knows", which I may have to save for another time. Strawberry Fair's version is pretty faithful to the original song.... it's always weird to think that it's just one person doing a song that basically has three girls (The Shangri-Las) singing the song.

My favorite cover song is "Attack!", originally by The Toys. Check out this funky "music video" of the "Attack!" song on youtube. I later found out that this song actually is part of a musical movie called It's a Bikini World (1966). It looks like a typical 60s goofy movie.

Apparently this appearance in the movie, as well as American Bandstand, was at the height of their popularity. After changing record labels and producers and failing to chart in 1967, the band broke up.

Most of The Toys' songs were written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, including "Attack!"

If you like what you heard, please head over to facetterad, which has all the ordering information.

 03/25/2008 22:42:26  vu my♥posts myspace.com/strawberryfairswe

The Family - Nothing Compares 2 U 3 comments

Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

I wrote an article on Sinead O'Connor and mentioned that "Nothing Compares 2 U" was originally by a band called The Family. The quality of the song is so-so as it's from vinyl that someone had ripped (you can hear the crackles and pops).

When Morris Day left The Time, Prince arranged all the remaining members (minus Jesse Johnson, who also left the band) to become The Family. They ended up releasing one self-titled album.

With dismal album sales, the band broke up shortly afterward, however they reunited to play for charity on December 2003. What's interesting is that last year (Jan 2007), they announced they were indeed back together to record a new CD.

Anyway, regarding the self-titled debut album, only cassettes and LPs were released in the US. There are CD versions, but it was only sold in Japan and Europe, but they were issued well pasted the band's prime in the 90s when CDs were being introduced.

 03/11/2008 02:12:00  vu my♥posts www.sinead-oconnor.com stpaulmusic.com

I just wrote an article on The Darjeeling Limited, which I didn't really like as a storyline and movie, but the soundtrack is pretty sweet. I talked about "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)" by Peter Sarstedt.

Strangely enough, of all people, Right Said Fred did an absolutely faithful cover to this song!

What? What? What?

Where is the eurotechno beat???????

This song is from their last album For Sale (2006). Apparently they also remade "I'm too Sexy" the 2007 version (which I'll politely request to not hear.)

 02/29/2008 00:58:07  vu my♥posts rightsaidfred.com

I have been spending a lot of my time babysitting three girls. I took them out to the dollar theater to see The Bee Movie (2007), which I don't think they had much patience for it (you have to realize that they don't speak English). I thought the movie was pretty good, but it's really isn't such a kids-movie. I mean a trial and jokes like Ray Liotta might be lost on children.

There were a couple of songs in The Bee Movie that I remembered hearing: The Archies' "Sugar Sugar" and Sheryl Crow's "Here Comes the Sun" (a Beatles cover song).

We came back home and we played around with the EyeToy game. Apparently the game is quite popular with the kids and they absolutely love this Window Washer game.

For four solid straight playing the Window Washer game, I have this song called "The Window Cleaner (When I'm Cleaning Windows)" by George Formby stuck forever in my head.

As it turns out, this song is quite famous for being banned by the BBC for sexual innuendos. (What is it about window washers and sex anyway?)

Anyway, the song first appeared on a film called Keep Your Seats Please (1936).

Watch the video of future window washers:

 01/13/2008 21:41:34  vu my♥posts www.georgeformby.co.uk

Influences Metallica, Bach, Megadeth, Bang on a Can, Debussy, Tournier, Grandjany, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Slayer, Pantera See Also Rachel Barton Pine View site

Have you ever listened to Metallica and said, "Hey, this would sound great arranged and played in a style of Harps!" Well, wonder no more.

Harptallica is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and looking at their myspace, it looks like they've released two albums: Harptallica (2006) and Harp 'Em All (2007). I couldn't find any additional details about the later album, but it looks like even more Metallica music set to harpsomeness.

Unless you're a huge Metallica fan, this might be just a footnote in novelty acts. Still, it's very original to set metal to classical harp.

Take a listen to Harptallica's "Enter Sandman" and imagine Lars breaking out the lawsuit paperwork...

Sorry for lack of research, but it's late and I'm off to never, neverland.

 01/03/2008 22:14:55  vu my♥posts www.harptallica.com