Resplendent Remakes by Rebecca Sellitti

Here it is, the second post from my favourite guest writer, Becks from all the way across the pond in Washington DC. If you're on Twitter then you should catch up with her at @waltandperry too. She's a massive music fan and we seem to be uncannily in synch, because the two pieces she's given me put on the blog so far have been about two of my favourite musical subjects, covers and movie soundtracks. I love her cover picks below - especially the Iron & Wine and Guns N' Roses ones, which have both been favourites of mine for long time. Check out her first post here. Keep 'em coming Becks...

Resplendent Remakes: My Favorite Cover Songs

It seems every other month Hollywood is releasing a remake of a classic film, and nine out of ten times the reworked versions fall far short of the original. Anyone remember Planet of the Apes featuring Mr. Marky Mark? Yikes! But Hollywood will continue to refashion films, because it is so much easier than writing a new screenplay. Just as the film industry has a penchant for reworking scripts, the music industry has an inclination to rework songs. Songs that have been made-over are often referred to as covers. I was hoping to find the history behind the reason we refer to remakes as covers, but found nothing reputable. (I’ll NEVER trust Wikipedia.)

Anyhow, most of the time covers are tolerable at best. Quite often they make us nostalgic for the original, and angry at the individual who dares tamper with a classic (*cough*American Pie*cough*cough*Madonna*). It’s hard to do a good cover. For a cover to be really excellent it cannot be too similar to the original tune. Otherwise there is absolutely no point in rereleasing the same song that your parents played on their 8-tracks. A truly great cover should keep the basic sound of the original, but add its own unique style and flair. I’ve generously taken precious time out of my impossibly busy schedule to compile a list of my all time favorite cover tunes. Enjoy! (Or don’t.)


1. I Will by Alison Krauss
Blue grass phenom Krauss took a big risk with this release. I Will was originally recorded by The Beatles, arguably one of the greatest bands in history, and many individuals view their music as sacred, and the altering of the slightest piece of it a form of sacrilege.
But, Alison Krauss chose to take on the challenge and managed to produce a version of I Will that I believe is superior to the original.
There is no overly ornate production in this version. Just a banjo, steel guitar, and the mellifluous voice of Alison. Without all the extras, the listener is really able to appreciate the beauty of the melody. In addition, Krauss’s angelic voice adds an air of sweetness and innocence to the tune that transforms this song into somewhat of a lullaby. Absolutely one of my favorite performances of all time.

Fun Fact: This song was featured on the album Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection that consisted of covers of other classic tunes like Bad Company’s Atlanta and Now That I’ve Found You by The Foundations. Definitely worth checking out.


2. Such Great Heights by Iron and Wine
Such Great Heights was originally performed by the indie pop band The Postal Service. Their recording was great and had a sick electronic sound. However, I believe it was Mr. Sam Beam of Iron & Wine who really breathed life into the song. The lyrics to Such Great Heights are so powerful and heartfelt, yet are barely audible in The Postal Service recording.
By opting to do an acoustic version of the song, with only a few simple harmonies thrown in, listeners are allowed to actually hear and fully appreciate the deeper meaning of painfully romantic lyrics like “the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they’re perfectly aligned”. To steal a phrase from tweenyboppers, totally swoonworthy.
In addition, Beam has this amazingly soft and unadorned cadence to his voice that allows him to emote the lyrics in a way that adds to the depth of the words. (Okay, so I’m half in love with the fellow). If listening to this cover doesn’t make your heart flutter, you are probably made of stone.

Fun Fact: Sam Beam’s recording of this song was released for the first time on the B-side of Postal Service’s Such Great Heights single.


3. Please Let Me Get What I Want by Muse
The original recording by The Smiths is still superior in my mind. Morrissey can convey a level of loneliness and heartbreak that neither Bellamy nor any other artist can match. It is for that reason, 25 years after its release, that The Smiths acoustic version remains a staple in the collection of every single Twilight-loving emo-teen in the world.
That being said, I rather enjoyed the version Muse recorded. Muse didn’t do anything profound. Just threw in a distorted bass and strummed the root note on the downbeat, like every classic punk song has supplied. But, those small changes altered the whole vibe of the song. I never imagined it possible to create a ‘feel good’ version of such a morose tune, but Muse managed to do just that.
So, because Muse was able to actually transform The Smiths' depressing tune into a song that DIDN'T make me want to slit my wrists, I give them high praise.

Fun Fact: Muse never released this song as a single, but it can be found on the B-side of the single Feeling Good Hyper Music. Apropos of nothing, I’m still mad at Bellamy for shacking up with Kate Hudson. Really makes me question his intelligence.


4. Since I Don’t Have You by Guns N' Roses
I love me some oldies and I love me some Slash, so naturally I love GN'R’s cover of The Skyliners 1958 hit. Featured on their 1994 album The Spaghetti Incident, it’s one of those odd mashups that you wouldn’t think would work, but actually does. Like Tabasco sauce and scrambled eggs.
Though GN'R kept the tempo and chord progressions of the ‘58 hit, they made a few key alterations that kept the listener from forgetting it was now Guns N' Roses singing the song. For example, in the middle of the song, Axl in spoken voice, utters this romantic interlude: “Yeah,we’re f**ked!” Axl always was the consummate badass. With help from Slash’s notorious guitar riffs and Axl’s rasp, GN'R added some sex appeal that was lacking in the original doo wop classic.

Fun Fact: Guns N' Roses are no strangers to remakes. In 1991 they earned a Grammy nomination for their cover of Wings megahit Live & Let Die.


5. Boyz In The Hood by Dynamite Hack
Back in 1987 the rap group N.W.A. burst onto the scene with Boyz’ N Da Hood and forever changed the face of hip hop. The song was real and raw. Easy-E (gimme a sec while I pour some out for my homey), rapped about the hard life of a gangsta. He made frequent references to drinking, weapons, and even domestic violence. KIND of depressing subject matter.
Enter Dynamite Hack: A Texas-based, post-grunge band comprised of white boy prepsters. A set of young men one would never expect to tackle a gangsta rap classic. But, in the year 2000 these Abercrombie-outfitted boys recorded a cover of Boyz In the Hood on the album Superfast that went all the way to #12 on the Billboard Rock charts. Dynamite Hack never attempted to rap the lyrics to Boyz’N Da Hood, or adopt the thug persona that defined N.W.A. Instead, they recorded an all acoustic version of this old school rap anthem. It’s quite hysterical to hear a group of Birkenstock-wearing, Dave Matthews Band lookalikes strumming their guitars and softly singing the lyrics “she said something that I couldn't believe, so I grabbed the stupid bitch by her nappy ass weave”. Eleven years later it still makes me laugh. Another thing I loved about Dynamite Hack’s cover was the fact that the melody at the end of the song echoed the beautiful melody of The Beatles hit Blackbird. In one song they managed to pay homage to both the greatest rappers and greatest rockers of all time.

Fun Fact: Dynamite Hack got their name from a line in the 70’s classic comedy, Caddyshack. BONUS points for these boys!

Even if you disagree with my picks, I hope you will take with you the fact that not all song covers are Jessica Simpson’s Take My Breath Away bad. Before you cast judgment, pick up your headphones and give the artist a chance.

By: Rebecca Sellitti

GUEST POST: The Soundtracks of My Life

This is a cool thing. One of the good folks I follow on Twitter mentioned something about good soundtracks recently that I responded to, and after a bit of a chat, I convinced her to write a post for me on her favourite soundtracks. And she did. And it's ace. And it's below. So let me introduce you to Rebecca. If you want to follow her on Twitter you can find her at @waltandperry - she's a great Tweeter and living as she does in Washington DC, this could be the first of many posts from the ihrtmusique DC correspondent. So take it away Rebecca...


I grew up in an era when the internet was still in its infancy.
Listening to a new jam was not as easy as just clicking a button on the iTunes site.
If a song wasn’t in heavy rotation on the radio, or wasn’t featured in an MTV video, odds are slim I would’ve heard it.
Were it not for film soundtracks, my teen years in the 90’s might have been spent listening EXCLUSIVELY to Britney Spears, NSYNC, & The Backstreet Boys. (Not that those artists didn’t have a place in my listening library.)It was the soundtracks that afforded me the opportunity to listen to a wide variety of artists from all different genres of music, and who had achieved varying degrees of notoriety, from household names like Cobain, to the up-and-coming, and the never to be heard from again.
I thought I’d share a few of the soundtracks that really helped to shape my formative years.


1) Reality Bites 1994.
Although it’s the first thing you might think of when you hear the title, this album is not defined exclusively by Lisa Loeb’s #1 hit single Stay.
This eclectic soundtrack also featured classic songs like My Sharona (The Knack), fresh hip-hop beats courtesy of Me Phi Me, U2’s CLASSIC All I Want Is You and a reggae inspired reworking of Framton’s Baby I Love Your Way by Big Mountain.
A classic album that should be present in any self respecting Gen-Xers album collection!



2) Pump Up The Volume 1990
Since this entire movie revolved around Hard Harry, a pirate radio DJ, it is no surprise that new and ‘forbidden’ music figured heavily into the plot.
Were it not for this album, I would have never discovered indie artists like The Pixies, whose song Wave of Mutilation still makes my heart twitter.
This album also introduced me to artists like Sonic Youth & Soundgarden, that had yet to go mainstream. Add some old school hip hop, courtesy of Above The Law, as well as Concrete Blonde’s fab cover of Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows, and you’ve got yourself one Hell of an album.



3) Great Expectations 1998
Okay. It’s another album filled with classic 90’s angst! But,it’s a goodie. Scout’s honor! Among the lovely tracks is the haunting piece Life in Mono, by British pop duo Mono; some ‘Girl Power’ anthems courtesy of Tori Amos & Poe, as well as solo tracks from Chris Cornell, & Scott Weiland. Pulp’s Like a Friend is also featured on this album. A song I listen to every time I feel jilted by a man!!
In fact this soundtrack is how I came to know Mr. Jarvis Cocker.
For that reason ALONE, this album will always hold a special place in my heart.



4) Cruel Intentions 1999
The songs for this soundtrack were so carefully selected that simply listening to the album from start to finish will inform one of the plot of the film. (Hint: Think Ryan Phillipe pre-manwhoredom.)
One of the most beautiful pieces on the album, is Colorblind by Counting Crows. The lyrics “I am ready,I am ready,I am fine” could not have been more perfectly suited to a scene where a girl loses her virginity. Contributions by Blur, Aimee Mann, & Fatboy Slim, add to this solid soundtrack.
And The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony, which is played at the revealing conclusion of the movie, rounds off this killer soundtrack.
A MUST OWN for any man or woman who has ever loved and/or lost!



5) Dazed and Confused 1993
This album showcases the best of 70’s rock & roll. With jams by Kiss, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Foghat, & Lynyrd Skynyrd…I mean everyone who was ANYONE in the 70’s Rock scene was featured on this album.
With the great beats and the generally upbeat tone of the songs, this record is an ESSENTIAL for any road trip.


If you should find yourself perusing the shelves at the record store, maybe take a second to glance through the soundtracks. Just don’t judge the album by the movie it’s attached to. Some of the lamest films produced the finest compilations of music. Inspect the soundtrack to Julia Roberts’ latest crapfest. Her ginormous smile may be the cover of your new favorite record!

By: Rebecca Sellitti