Originals and Covers: Videos

I thought I would have a little fun…..

I was listening to “Gala” by Lush when “Hey Hey Helen” came on. What a great cover version to the song; it inspired me to start listening to some original versions against the covers, including “No More “I Love You’s” (The Lover Speaks / Annie Lennox), “Lullaby” (The Cure / Editors), “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana / Tori Amos), and “Strawberry Fields Forever” (The Beatles / Candy Flip – slang for dropping LSD). So I started to think about why cover a song, and what makes a good cover. Not to get into this too much, but as for why: to bring something new out of a song, or to save it from obscurity, or both. As for what makes a good cover? There is no one set rule. Sometimes a complete departure, sometimes keeping a one or two or three elements, and sometimes keeping faithful to the original, I am usually more curious about why a band chooses to cover one band or song and not another. Though I hate to compare the “value” of one against the other, it is sometimes obvious that the cover outdoes the original, but most of the time pales in comparison. Here are five interesting originals and their covers. (I stuck to songs that were singles only, so I could post them with videos.) Enjoy!

“Blue Monday”

Original by New Order, from their MySpace Videos Page.


Blue Monday (1988) by New Order

new order | MySpace Music Videos

Cover by Orgy, from their MySpace Videos Page.


Blue Monday

Orgy | MySpace Music Videos

“Borderline”

Original by Madonna, from her MySpace Videos Page.


Borderline

Madonna | MySpace Music Videos

Cover by The Flaming Lips, from their MySpace Videos Channel.


Borderline

The Flaming Lips | MySpace Video

“Enjoy the Silence”

Original by Depeche Mode, from their MySpace Videos Page.


Enjoy The Silence

Depeche Mode | MySpace Music Videos

Cover by Lacuna Coil, from the CenturyMedia YouTube Channel.



“Take a Chance on Me”

Original by Abba, from the AbbaVEVO YouTube Channel.



Cover by Erasure, from their MySpace Video Page.


Take A Chance On Me (Video)

Erasure | MySpace Music Videos

“Who’s That Girl?”

Original by Eurythmics, from the EurythmicsVEVO YouTube Channel.



Cover by She Is Danger, from their YouTube Channel: sheisdangermusic.

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New Wave Videos

So… I was cleaning out some boxes the other day and came across a few mix-tapes that pushed me back twenty years in an instant. This one particular one, 120 minute TDK – my brand of choice back then – really brought back some funny memories. In a nutshell, I made the tape for a friend’s party, who when requesting that I bring music told me, “None of that depressing shit you listen to… bring some of your happy songs.” Well, I can’t say my friend got all those “happy songs,” but she did get an assortment of new wave. I wish I could get some of the other stuff that was on the tape, like Pekinska Patka, but I did manage to find most of the “popular” stuff of its day. Keeping true to my promise of coming on once in a while with some older videos, here are ten great songs: some are still breath-taking, others are even cheesier now than before, but you got to love them anyway. Enjoy!

Talk Talk’s “It’s My Life” from their MySpace Video page.


It's My Life (UK Version)

Talk Talk | MySpace Music Videos

Eurythmics’ “Love Is a Stranger” from the EurythmicsVEVO YouTube Channel.



Duran Duran’s “New Moon on Monday” from their MySpace Video page.


New Moon On Monday

DURAN DURAN | MySpace Music Videos

Men Without Hats’ “Pop Goes the World” from the MenWithoutHatsVEVO YouTube Channel.



Depeche Mode’s “A Question of Time” from their MySpace Video page.


A Question Of Time

Depeche Mode | MySpace Music Videos

Kajagoogoo’s “Too Shy” from their YouTube Channel: Kajagoogoomusic.



‘Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” from the TilTuesdayVEVO YouTube Channel.



New Order’s “True Faith” from their MySpace Videos page.


True Faith by New Order

new order | MySpace Music Videos

The Vapor’s “Turning Japanese” from their MySpace Videos page.


Turning Japanese

THE VAPORS | MySpace Music Videos

Information Society’s “What’s On Your Mind” from their MySpace Video page.


What's On Your Mind

Information Society | MySpace Music Videos Read more ...