Which version is the best?

[MacFall]

I've always liked comparing songs with their various covers, so I decided to make a thread about it. I'm making a poll about the first one, but feel free to make your own submissions for people's evaluation, and I'll be posting more myself later.

This entry is the song Cry Little Sister, originally by Gerard McMann (famously on the soundtrack of the vampire movie The Lost Boys).

YouTube - The lost Boys (1987) Tribute - Cry little sister

Next is an industrial version done by some gothy German type called Blutengel.

YouTube - Blutengel - Cry little Sister

And last is a new version by a hard rock/pseudo-metal band, Seasons After.

YouTube - Seasons After - Cry Little Sister (Video)

There were a few others that I didn't include, though an honorable mention goes to Carfax Abbey, whose version was basically the original with more guitar effects and without the children singing backup vocals. These three were my favorite.

What I love about the first one is primarily the children's voices; it just gives it a sort of creepiness that is still beautiful, that the other versions lack. What I don't like is it is sort of prolonged, and repetitive.

The second one has the same feel as the first, and without the repetitiveness. But I really don't like the singer's voice. The ladies' voices as backup is a nice touch, but I still prefer the original overall, despite its flaws.

The third is decidedly different. I like the energy of it, but it lacks the subtle darkness of the first. It's hard to compare because the styles are so different. They were trying for two distinct styles and atmospheres with the same song, and I think that this version did a better job of accomplishing their goal than the original did.

But in the end I went with the original, and here's why - first, it has the advantage of originality (always hard to overcome in these contests), but mainly, the children's choir just gives me chills. If it had been a little less drawn out it would have been no contest.

 

[Qyöt27]

I have to go with the original. The Blutengel take was a mixed bag of good and bad, as the singing would go from complimentary to 'off' sometimes in the same line. The final one is a good adaptation of it to the style they were going for and was consistent on that, but didn't get the atmosphere from the song the way the first two (and especially the original) do. Personally, I'd replace the Blutengel version with the one by I Will Never Be The Same, as it retains those elements that made the original so good while definitely being an update.



Let's see, Running Up That Hill. The original:
Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill"

The cover by Within Temptation that pretty much restructures it:
Within Temptation - "Running Up That Hill"

Placebo's version:
Placebo - "Running Up That Hill"

and finally, Faith and the Muse's version, which Goths it up a ton:
Faith and the Muse - "Running Up That Hill"

Two others:
A fifth mention would be the version by The Lund Clements Churchill Trio, but there's no YouTube entry for that. It's an entirely-instrumental rendition, relaxing jazz fusion with a more prog rock feel to it. A short preview is actually available on cdbaby's album listing page.

There's also the Icon and the Black Roses version, which has the music down pat, but the vocals are somewhat awkward. It's a more overtly Gothic Metal rendition than the Within Temptation one, although in terms of 'hardness' it favors a more subdued approach than Within Temptation's (even if the quality of the audio stream there distorts that impression somewhat).


Kate Bush's original was my first introduction to the song, so it's got home field advantage on that. I also associate it with a particular time in my life that - while the others are capable of evoking too - the original holds the most nostalgia.

Placebo's and Faith and the Muse's versions both go down similar routes as the original, moreso in the latter because of the female vocals. Placebo's strikes me more as the mourning interpretation of the song (it doesn't help that this got reinforced by an AMV that used it in exactly that way).

The Within Temptation and Icon and the Black Roses takes steer it away from haunting and more towards conflicted, with the aggression heightened to drive that home.

Finally, the Lund Clements Churchill Trio version is more chill-out music than the others are, so it has a different sort of appeal. Any of them (except perhaps Within Temptation's) could be used to lull someone to sleep or stimulate such feelings, which I actually have done before.

Overall though, I actually listen to the Placebo, Faith and the Muse, and Within Temptation ones the most.

 

[MacFall]

Wow, I agree - IWNBTS definitely kicks the crap out of Blutengel. If I could edit a poll I'd change it, although my own choice would remain the same.

I'll have to listen to your selection tomorrow (bedtime now). I've heard the original, but none of the covers.

 

[Singermom]

Can I play? If you don't mind, I'd like to set the Wayback Machine a little bit...going back to the 60s and the 80s:

"Hazy Shade of Winter" - Simon & Garfunkel

YouTube - simon and garfunkel hazy shade of winter

"Hazy Shade of Winter" - Bangles

YouTube - The Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter

Now, first of all, I have to say that Simon & Garfunkel is one of my all-time favorite groups. I love just about EVERYTHING they do, and have all of their recordings (just missing a couple of Artie solos). I also generally can't stand the Bangles. Susanna Hoffs's voice generally drives me crazy, as did her attitude. I remember hearing that they were remaking this song, and thought, "oh, please...NO!" I was all set to absolutely hate it.

That said, IMO, the winner is...

THE BANGLES!!!

I really couldn't believe how much better their version is! While the original is dark and very good, the remake has an incredible intensity. Aside of the fact that they take a couple of lines out of the bridge, they did an incredible job.

 

[MacFall]

Running Up That Hill

I liked the style of Within Temptation the best, because that is more the type of music I listen to, but I don't think that the song was meant to work within that style.

I really wasn't into Placebo's version. It wasn't as musically deep as the others, and that's something I like in my music. Also, the singer's voice just didn't work for me.

Faith and the Muse, in my opinion, did it in a style that just fits really well with the meaning of the words of the song. And while the original did likewise, I just thought Faith and the Muse improved on it a bit. I'm going with that one.

 

[MacFall]

Singermom: I'm a S&G fan too, and really haven't heard much of anything by the Bangles. S&G were great composers, musicians, and performers, and they deserve props for their work. But sometimes, someone else would take one of their songs and make it their own in a way that turns out to be more engaging, deep, or generally well-crafted than the original.

But I'm going to disagree with your choice on this. I don't think that the Bangles managed to convey the sort of earthy melancholy that made this song so good in the first place. My choice is the original.

 

[jayem]

OK, now for some Baby Boomer music. A classic 1961 rock song, and the first Motown record to chart at #1.

YouTube - mr postman - the marvelettes High Quality (Video with artist and music info) must see this

It was covered on the Beatles Second Album from 1964. They did a lot of rock and roll covers in the early days. This is one of John Lennon's best vocals. Wasn't released as a single, but I think it's better than the Marvelettes' original.


YouTube - Please Mr. Postman

 

[AdamKane]

I've always liked comparing songs with their various covers, so I decided to make a thread about it. I'm making a poll about the first one, but feel free to make your own submissions for people's evaluation, and I'll be posting more myself later.

This entry is the song Cry Little Sister, originally by Gerard McMann (famously on the soundtrack of the vampire movie The Lost Boys).

YouTube - The lost Boys (1987) Tribute - Cry little sister

Next is an industrial version done by some gothy German type called Blutengel.

YouTube - Blutengel - Cry little Sister

And last is a new version by a hard rock/pseudo-metal band, Seasons After.

YouTube - Seasons After - Cry Little Sister (Video)

There were a few others that I didn't include, though an honorable mention goes to Carfax Abbey, whose version was basically the original with more guitar effects and without the children singing backup vocals. These three were my favorite.

What I love about the first one is primarily the children's voices; it just gives it a sort of creepiness that is still beautiful, that the other versions lack. What I don't like is it is sort of prolonged, and repetitive.

The second one has the same feel as the first, and without the repetitiveness. But I really don't like the singer's voice. The ladies' voices as backup is a nice touch, but I still prefer the original overall, despite its flaws.

The third is decidedly different. I like the energy of it, but it lacks the subtle darkness of the first. It's hard to compare because the styles are so different. They were trying for two distinct styles and atmospheres with the same song, and I think that this version did a better job of accomplishing their goal than the original did.

But in the end I went with the original, and here's why - first, it has the advantage of originality (always hard to overcome in these contests), but mainly, the children's choir just gives me chills. If it had been a little less drawn out it would have been no contest.

In my opinion, number three is the best!

 

[Fangtastic]

Interesting. I'll have to listen to all 3. Under my ipod right now so,yea will try back. I was thinking of covers and the one that comes to mind that I like better than the original is Five Finger Death Punch (cover of Bad Co song) YouTube - Five Finger Death Punch Bad Company

 

[MacFall]

I just listened to the Mr. Postmans. I like the original better. The female vocals fit the style better in my opinion, and I also have a soft spot for motown.

My next contribution is Bitte Bitte, originally by Die Ärzte. Unfortunately, I can't post a YouTube because I can't find any without the music video and the music video is probably rated PG-13. However, I can post a video of the remake by Tanzwut (you may have seen this on the Rate the Song Above thread).

YouTube - Tanzwut - Bitte Bitte

Winner: Tanzwut

Reason: BAGPIPES!!

 

[Beechwell]

Oh, this sounds like fun

Cry Little Sister

I think of these I like the original Gerard McMann version the best; very haunting and baroque. The Seasons After version is also quite interesting, but overuses those classical metal effects (coarse voice, fast drums) too much for my taste. I didn't like the Blutengel version that much, maybe partly because of the thick accent of the singer (yeah, I probably have a similar accent, but still).

Running up that Hill

Ok, I'm a great Kate Bush fan, so her original version has a definite advantage. I also quite liked the In Temptation version of it; not necessarily my style of music, but I liked that they did something genuinely different with the material.
The Placebo version somehow sounds like most Placebo songs, so nothing new here. The tone is a bit too muted imo.
I like the dominant driving drums in the Faith and the Mus version, but overal it stays too close to the original (with some goth elements I suppose) to be interesting.

Hazy Shade of Winter

I'm having troubles finding a good version of Simon & Garfunkel of this, but from what I can find I also really prefer the Bangles version. I like the drive they add to it, without abandoning the melancholic mood.

Mr Postman

I also prefer the Beatles version. Maybe their musical style is simply closer to us today than the old Motown sound.

Bitte Bitte

I prefer the Die Ärzte version. Maybe mostly for sentimental reasons, because I remember when it was a hit in Germany.
The Tanzwut version mostly seems to add some folk metal (?) sounds to it, and imo loses some of the ironic appeal the original had. Also the original video is really fun to watch (not sure if I would consider it PG-13. It has a rather slight SM theme and a pair of roughly made fake breasts).

Ok, and now to my contribution:
It's all coming back to me now (by Jim Steinman)

First recorded version by Pandora's Box
YouTube - Pandora's Box - It's All Coming Back To Me Now (HQ)

Celine Dion's version (live)
YouTube - Celine Dion - It's All Coming Back To Me Now (live)

Meat Loaf & Marion Raven
I couldn't find a decent recording of this on YouTube (that I could access), but found the video here:
Meat Loaf - It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Video

I find it really hard to say which version I like best. I love the arrangement from the Pandora's Box version, but both Celine Dion and Meat Loaf/Marion Raven have superior singing voices.
Celine Dion's version is maybe a bit to much pop; I'm somehow missing some of the darker emotion here.
I love Meat Loaf's style, and I think he mashes well with Marion Raven here, with lots of emotion. But I actually think the duet suits the song not as well as bright female solo voice of the other versions. And the arrangement is a little boring imo (too much strings maybe?).
So I think I womewhat prefer the Pandora's Box version overall.

 

[oshun13]

cool thread
I like all versions, hard to pick

 

[tragico]

i like the third one better

 

[MacFall]

Woah, I forgot about my thread! I'll have to look at that Pandora's Box/Celine Dion comparison once I get my audio drivers reinstalled. My preliminary guess is on the former as I'm not a fan of Celine Dion. But I'll try to be fair.

 

[Zoooma]

Gerald McMann. I love that soundtrack!!!

Kate Bush. Gotta go with the classic.

Bangles!!!! Simon & Garfunkel? Boring!

Beatles.

Pandora's Box v. Celine Dion? I don't know or care who Pandora's Box is but without even listening I have to vote against Celine Dion. Yuck!