REUPHOLSTERED SONGS PART 2 - COVER SONGS IN 6 CATEGORIES
I love covers songs. Songs that were “covered” by people who didn’t write or originally perform the best-known version of the song. Tribute bands, and lounge acts, for instance, are also called “cover bands.”
This is a collection of songs that were covered, reinvented, or “reupholstered” by a group who felt compelled to do so, for whatever reason. It occurred to me, a long time ago, that there are SIX BASIC KINDS of cover versions. So, I’ve divided songs into the following SIX genres; songs that have been reupholstered by making one of the following six adjustments to the best-known version.
Reupholstered Songs:
Instrumentation (Drastic changes in instruments—swapping kazoos for electric guitars for example)
Slowed-Down Covers (Songs made different from the original by slowing the song down)
Sped-Up Covers (Covers made different from the original by speeding the song up!)
Ironic Covers (Covers where I suspect the band is trying to be funny/ironic in their choice of material)
Twee Covers (Covers done twee; using children’s choirs, toy instruments—overly cute & sweet!)
Same Cloth (Covers in which the band, or the version, are cut from the same cloth as the original!)
I posted these, and my reupholstery manifesto online a LONG time ago, but here they are preserved for posterity and paving the way for me to revisit the series—which is well underway!
Volume One of the first three kinds of Reupholstered Songs were posted last Wednesday:
Volume One of the SECOND three kinds of Reupholstered Songs (IRONIC, TWEE, & SAME CLOTH) are being posted today!
The order is intentional. Each collection was designed to be (burned onto a CD and) listened to in the order they’ve been compiled. You are, of course, free to do as you wish.
I hope you will have the Upper-Class of reupholstering. I don't know if you agree, who will play Otis' Respect now that we have Aretha's. This was done soon after Otis' version and while he was still alive. House of the Rising Sun, Hey Joe. Lately I found out that Kiss had covered God Gave RnR from Argent. I think it was a redundant cover, but it overshadowed the original in the public opinion. Rarely disco versions are better than the original (i.m.o. Donna Summer - Could It Be Magic has improved Barry Manilow, though he does a great live version) Did you know that one of the Disco classics (Born to be alive) is in fact a reupholstered song? Originally by Paris Palace Hôtel, Patrick Hernandez had his own song reupholstered.
ReplyDeleteWhich song do you think is creatively an improvement of the original.
Good examples, as always, Richard. Aretha sure could sing, and I love the "sock-it-to me"s in her version of Respect. KISS chose good songs to cover collectively and separately. ACE FREHLEY's New York Groove is sublime, and while I'm a HUGE Zombies/Argent fan, KISS' cover of God Gave Rock & Roll To You makes me sing along. I also love their version of The Dave Clark Five's Anyway You Want It, which contains roughly 75% more sexual innuendo than the original.
DeleteFor me the hands down "most improved" cover is THE BUGGLES Video Killed The Radio Star, which was written by them with Bruce Woolley, and was first recorded by Bruce Woolley & Camera Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v7PHoCYmts&list=RD3v7PHoCYmts&start_radio=1
Downloaders are asked to share their favorite REUPHOLSTERED JOKE. (Bonus points if it’s music-themed.). I WILL BE AWARDING A (link to a) NO-PRIZE for the joke I like most!
ReplyDeleteIs there a more often reworked joke than “How many ____ does it take to change a lightbulb?”
Here’s my contribution:
“How many narcissists does it take to change a lightbulb?”
“One. They hold the bulb while the world revolves around them.”
Reupholstered Songs Ironic Vol. 1:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/5rD39pyf
Reupholstered Songs Same Cloth Vol. 1:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/GdBgTBRH
Reupholstered Songs Twee Vol. 1:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/NBFNLYi9
How many pessimists does it take?
DeleteTwo. One to change the bulb, and the other to complain about how much better the old bulb was.
A classic! But if I award you the no-prize, Jon, people will say: "The fix is in!"
DeleteI'll exempt myself, but I have another version:
DeleteHow many counselors does it take to change a light bulb?
Just one -- but the light bulb has to REALLY WANT to change!
I'm looking forward to Reupholstered Songs So That's Where My Keys Went Six Years Ago
ReplyDelete"So That's Where My Keys Went" will be subtitled: "Loose Change & Stale Popcorn!" eFredd.
DeleteI was on a yacht, last month, with people I don't wan't to gloat
ReplyDeleteStyles Swift and Sheeran sing, and than sinks the boat
Richard
ReplyDeleteJimi Watchtower. Even Dylan changed the way he sang it. Animals Rising Sun, gave Dylan the chance to go electric. Beatles Twist and Shout left the Isley Bros in the dust. Thats all for now. I'll keep thinking.
Thank you. Allthough She's Not There is absolutely splendid, Santana did a makeover that, when played at The Proms in England, had Colin Blunstone change his way of singing.
DeleteSurreal variant:
ReplyDelete“How many fanatical record collectors does it take to play a vinyl album?”
"33 1⁄3"
How about an Easy Chair version? Devo covered themselves with a whole album; E-Z Listening Disc
How many Trumpists do you need to change a lightbulb
ReplyDeleteNone, we don't need a new lightbulb, it's an American lightbulb, it's the best possible lichtbulb. Fake news we need a new lightbulb. Makes America Glow Again
I love it, Richard, but I'd prefer to keep the winning joke non-partisan for our brain-damaged readers. So far, you're the leader!
DeleteGood joke, Koen! An Easy Chair song would generally also fit into one of the existing six REUPHOLSTERED categories.
ReplyDeleteWhy did Elmore James cross the road?
ReplyDeleteTo get to the other slide.
Great joke, David! But I'm looking for: "How many ___ does it take to change a lightbulb".
DeleteSo far, we don't have an eligible no-prize winner (supplied via a link)--so this is your chance to swoop in at the last minute and win the day (like an eBay auction!)
ReplyDeleteAll it takes is a funny REUPHOLSTERED version of: "How many ___ does it take to change a lightbulb"!
The oldest one I know is
ReplyDeleteHow many folk musicians does it take to change a lightbulb
Four, one to do the work and a trio to sing a sad song how good the old one was.
Grandpa: How many do you think it takes to change a lightbulb, son
Grandson: What is a lightbulb, grandpa?
How many lead guitarists does it take to change a light bulb?
ReplyDelete11
One to change the bulb, & the other 10 to stand around & say "I could do that, but faster"!
How many women with PMS does it take to change a light bulb?
ReplyDeleteOne. Only ONE!! And do you know WHY it only takes ONE? Because no one
else in this house knows HOW to change a light bulb. They don't even
know the bulb is BURNED OUT. They would sit in this house in the
dark for THREE DAYS before they figured it OUT. And once they figured it
out they wouldn't be able to find the light bulbs despite the fact
that they've been in the SAME CUPBOARD for the past SEVENTEEN YEARS. But
if they did, by some miracle, actually find the light bulbs, TWO DAYS
LATER the chair that they dragged from two rooms over to stand on
to change the STUPID light bulb would STILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT!! AND
UNDERNEATH IT WOULD BE THE CRUMPLED WRAPPER THE STUPID @*!#$% LIGHT
BULBS CAME IN! WHY?! BECAUSE NO ONE IN THIS HOUSE EVER CARRIES OUT
THE GARBAGE!! IT'S A WONDER WE HAVEN'T ALL SUFFOCATED FROM THE PILES
OF GARBAGE THAT ARE 12 FEET DEEP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE. THE
HOUSE!! IT WOULD TAKE AN ARMY TO CLEAN THIS... I'm sorry...what did
you ask me?