Soundtrack, Vol. 2 - Take Cover!
Currently listening to: "Go to Hell" by GWAR
Trivia answers are listed in the post below this one!
For the second installment of this 'Soundtrack' feature, I've made it easy again...make a list of cool cover songs...either your favorites, ones that you feel were done remarkably well, whatever...and here's a repost of the, uh, 'rules':
A few guidelines: there really are no rules, but I figured I'd give this experiment some sort of structure...to keep it simple, come up with a list of ten songs. That seemed like the most reasonable number to me. I know you could fit more than ten 'standard length' songs onto a recordable CD, but, um, yeah...and be reasonable in not choosing like ten concertos or symphonies that are 20 minutes in length each...try to make it not go over 80 minutes...
1. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
Yasamin and I have already had discussions about this song, but this is seriously one of the best covers ever. I love the original NIN version and somehow this stripped down version (and the accompanying music video) by Cash is even more depressing and just makes you want to slit your wrist and put an end to this miserable existence...just so hauntingly depressing and beautiful...
2. "Down With the Sickness" by Richard Cheese (originally by Disturbed)
I didn't like this Disturbed song...but then I heard the Cheese version in the "Dawn of the Dead" remake and thought it was just brilliant...the song alone and the use of it in the flick...then I used it in the alternate cut of my first short 'film' for a filmmaking class I took a couple years ago...
3. "Devil Woman" by Cradle of Filth (originally by Cliff Richards)
I love CoF...and it's interesting that they took this (goth) folk song by 70's Brit folk troubadour Cliff Richards and made it completely their own. I love how they always choose random songs to do covers of...like Heaven 17's "Temptation," Sister of Mercy's "No Time to Cry," or Shakespeare's Sisters's "Stay"...the riff on "Devil Woman" is just monstrous AND King Diamond does guest chorus vocals and banshee wails...you just can't go wrong with King...
4. "Gypsy" by Emperor (originally by Mercyful Fate)
This is one of my favorite MF songs from their "Don't Break the Oath" album and Emperor stays faithful to the original while leaving their own stamp on it. The make the main riff more driving and less galloping (if that makes any sense) and Ihsahn's vocals can reach all the vocal ranges that King Diamond can (although NO ONE does it better or quite like King) but doesn't try to blatantly copy King...Emperor also added their own synth whooshes and symphonic elements...the song (from the "In the Nightside Eclipse" album) was recorded in the Grieg Memorial Hall which was probably a contributing factor to the track's 'epic' sound...
5. "Eleanor Rigby" by gODHEAD (originally by The Beatles)
gODHEAD has actually covered this song twice. Once on an indie label release and rerecorded it under Marilyn Manson's direction when they were picked up by Manson's short-lived Posthuman Records. It's an interesting cover and both versions have their own good, unique qualities. They always play the Manson-ized version live...probably because that's the version that most people know... Mike Miller's guitar work on this song live far exceeds both recorded versions of this track...
6. "Wandering Star" by Kid Beyond (originally by Portishead)
Dude, look this guy up on YouTube or go to KidBeyond.com. Kid is a beatboxer/vocalist/one-man band...if you ever get a chance to see him live, go for it. He does some kick-ass live-looping and this is going to sound sorta wrong, but the sound that comes from that man's body is just, well, beyond anything you'll ever most likely experience...just amazing...
7. "Enjoy the Silence" by Lacuna Coil (originally by Depeche Mode)
I'm not a big Depeche fan and it seems like whene other people cover their stuff, it actually sounds good...well, DM isn't HORRIBLE, but, um, yeah... Lacuna makes the track sound more, um, industrial-ish...heavy guitars, other-worldly synth work...but what makes this special is that Lacuna has two MCs, one male and one female vocalist, and I love Cristina's vox in general, but her voice just so amazing on this track...sounds great live, too
8. "I Put a Spell on You" by Marilyn Manson (originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins)
This was supposed to be the first single off of "Smells Like Children" but got replaced by "Sweet Dreams" which was a remarkable cover since Manson completely reinvented the song and gave it new life...and it's an excellent cover, but it's so damn over-played...it's like every Manson show you go to, you are guaranteed to hear this fucking song...ugh...but his version of "I Put a Spell on You" is just gritty, dirty, and sleazy...me likey...
9. "Suicide is Painless" by Marilyn Manson (the M*A*S*H theme song!)
I sorta did a double take when I found out Manson was covering this song. It's just a weird mix...Manson and M*A*S*H...eh? The lyrics to this song are actually very dark and depressing and the music sounds sad as well, but the music is also sort of relaxed and airy...and in the movie it's the guy with the guitar singing it like it was some kind of fucked up campfire song... Manson's version is very minimalist...just vox, a keyboard, and some backgroudn ambience...and there's something about just vocals and a keyboard that, when done well, can be so full of despair and, not unlike "Hurt," just makes you want to slit your wrist because life just ain't gonna get any better...
10. "Stripped" by Rammstein (originally by Depeche Mode)
Yet another DM song on the list...I really like Rammstein's version and Charlie Clouser's "Heavy Mental Mix" remix of Rammstein's version was one of the best remixes I've ever heard. But seriously, one of the best covers ever done...the video was kind of, uh, weird though...
Trivia answers are listed in the post below this one!
For the second installment of this 'Soundtrack' feature, I've made it easy again...make a list of cool cover songs...either your favorites, ones that you feel were done remarkably well, whatever...and here's a repost of the, uh, 'rules':
A few guidelines: there really are no rules, but I figured I'd give this experiment some sort of structure...to keep it simple, come up with a list of ten songs. That seemed like the most reasonable number to me. I know you could fit more than ten 'standard length' songs onto a recordable CD, but, um, yeah...and be reasonable in not choosing like ten concertos or symphonies that are 20 minutes in length each...try to make it not go over 80 minutes...
1. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails)
Yasamin and I have already had discussions about this song, but this is seriously one of the best covers ever. I love the original NIN version and somehow this stripped down version (and the accompanying music video) by Cash is even more depressing and just makes you want to slit your wrist and put an end to this miserable existence...just so hauntingly depressing and beautiful...
2. "Down With the Sickness" by Richard Cheese (originally by Disturbed)
I didn't like this Disturbed song...but then I heard the Cheese version in the "Dawn of the Dead" remake and thought it was just brilliant...the song alone and the use of it in the flick...then I used it in the alternate cut of my first short 'film' for a filmmaking class I took a couple years ago...
3. "Devil Woman" by Cradle of Filth (originally by Cliff Richards)
I love CoF...and it's interesting that they took this (goth) folk song by 70's Brit folk troubadour Cliff Richards and made it completely their own. I love how they always choose random songs to do covers of...like Heaven 17's "Temptation," Sister of Mercy's "No Time to Cry," or Shakespeare's Sisters's "Stay"...the riff on "Devil Woman" is just monstrous AND King Diamond does guest chorus vocals and banshee wails...you just can't go wrong with King...
4. "Gypsy" by Emperor (originally by Mercyful Fate)
This is one of my favorite MF songs from their "Don't Break the Oath" album and Emperor stays faithful to the original while leaving their own stamp on it. The make the main riff more driving and less galloping (if that makes any sense) and Ihsahn's vocals can reach all the vocal ranges that King Diamond can (although NO ONE does it better or quite like King) but doesn't try to blatantly copy King...Emperor also added their own synth whooshes and symphonic elements...the song (from the "In the Nightside Eclipse" album) was recorded in the Grieg Memorial Hall which was probably a contributing factor to the track's 'epic' sound...
5. "Eleanor Rigby" by gODHEAD (originally by The Beatles)
gODHEAD has actually covered this song twice. Once on an indie label release and rerecorded it under Marilyn Manson's direction when they were picked up by Manson's short-lived Posthuman Records. It's an interesting cover and both versions have their own good, unique qualities. They always play the Manson-ized version live...probably because that's the version that most people know... Mike Miller's guitar work on this song live far exceeds both recorded versions of this track...
6. "Wandering Star" by Kid Beyond (originally by Portishead)
Dude, look this guy up on YouTube or go to KidBeyond.com. Kid is a beatboxer/vocalist/one-man band...if you ever get a chance to see him live, go for it. He does some kick-ass live-looping and this is going to sound sorta wrong, but the sound that comes from that man's body is just, well, beyond anything you'll ever most likely experience...just amazing...
7. "Enjoy the Silence" by Lacuna Coil (originally by Depeche Mode)
I'm not a big Depeche fan and it seems like whene other people cover their stuff, it actually sounds good...well, DM isn't HORRIBLE, but, um, yeah... Lacuna makes the track sound more, um, industrial-ish...heavy guitars, other-worldly synth work...but what makes this special is that Lacuna has two MCs, one male and one female vocalist, and I love Cristina's vox in general, but her voice just so amazing on this track...sounds great live, too
8. "I Put a Spell on You" by Marilyn Manson (originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins)
This was supposed to be the first single off of "Smells Like Children" but got replaced by "Sweet Dreams" which was a remarkable cover since Manson completely reinvented the song and gave it new life...and it's an excellent cover, but it's so damn over-played...it's like every Manson show you go to, you are guaranteed to hear this fucking song...ugh...but his version of "I Put a Spell on You" is just gritty, dirty, and sleazy...me likey...
9. "Suicide is Painless" by Marilyn Manson (the M*A*S*H theme song!)
I sorta did a double take when I found out Manson was covering this song. It's just a weird mix...Manson and M*A*S*H...eh? The lyrics to this song are actually very dark and depressing and the music sounds sad as well, but the music is also sort of relaxed and airy...and in the movie it's the guy with the guitar singing it like it was some kind of fucked up campfire song... Manson's version is very minimalist...just vox, a keyboard, and some backgroudn ambience...and there's something about just vocals and a keyboard that, when done well, can be so full of despair and, not unlike "Hurt," just makes you want to slit your wrist because life just ain't gonna get any better...
10. "Stripped" by Rammstein (originally by Depeche Mode)
Yet another DM song on the list...I really like Rammstein's version and Charlie Clouser's "Heavy Mental Mix" remix of Rammstein's version was one of the best remixes I've ever heard. But seriously, one of the best covers ever done...the video was kind of, uh, weird though...
posted by Scott at 4:00 PM
1 Comments:
you see i would do this list... but mine looks almost exactly the same as your except i would have included Johnny Cash's remix of Personal Jesus. man thats good stuff.
hmm maybe frank sinatras rendition of Girl from Ipanema. his voice melts me. :p
anything by me first and the gimme gimmes (they started poppin out covers a long time ago) they've got the coolest website.
cant believe im admitting this but gwen stephani did a great rendition of its my life. :p im just an 80's girl.
ok im gonna stop now. everything else just kinda depressed me.
Post a Comment
<< Home