The Music Box

[Murat Baslamisli]

Still a top anthem.

They just played their last show (well, who knows). I have been a huge fan and Jeff Porcaro is still my number one inspiration for drumming.

 

[britbox]

The Lost Boys is still one of my favourite movies. The soundtrack to the film was top drawer.

Old favourite.

 

[kskate2]

They just played their last show (well, who knows). I have been a huge fan and Jeff Porcaro is still my number one inspiration for drumming.

Saw them live about 5 years ago. Awesome show. Their live renditions of Africa and Hold the Line was off the chain.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

This is a rare instance when someone takes an old song and makes a better version out of it.
The original by Bill Withers

sounds really "bleak" conpared to this by Ladysmith:

Even though as a male, I should identify my feelings with Billy, I recognise Ladysmith's version as a beauty both technical and artistic, which encompasses the original and adds much more to it,

 

[Chris Koziarz]

This is a rare instance when someone takes an old song and makes a better version out of it.
The original by Bill Withers

sounds really "bleak" conpared to this by Ladysmith:

Even though as a male, I should identify my feelings with Billy, I recognise Ladysmith's version as a beauty both technical and artistic, which encompasses the original and adds much more to it,

I cannot resist but add another related song that is on my mind.
This is "Sen o dolinie" by a well known Polish rock band Budka Suflera. I used to listen to it alot as a teenager yet I forgotten about it for few decades. But on this occasion, I refreshed my memory. The song in question is exactly as Bill Withers song, It is written in A-minor, with pretty much the same mood and the same underlying accompaniment. I would even call it plagiarism at this point. But it adds something unique to the atmosphere, including the tenor sax solo. BTW, this is one of the most depressing songs ever. Can you find one that matgches the depressive mood in question?

You need to understand the lyrics to appreciate the song:
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/sen-o-dolinie-dream-about-valley.html

 

[Horsa]

I cannot resist but add another related song that is on my mind.
This is "Sen o dolinie" by a well known Polish rock band Budka Suflera. I used to listen to it alot as a teenager yet I forgotten about it for few decades. But on this occasion, I refreshed my memory. The song in question is exactly as Bill Withers song, It is written in A-minor, with pretty much the same mood and the same underlying accompaniment. I would even call it plagiarism at this point. But it adds something unique to the atmosphere, including the tenor sax solo. BTW, this is one of the most depressing songs ever. Can you find one that matgches the depressive mood in question?

You need to understand the lyrics to appreciate the song:
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/sen-o-dolinie-dream-about-valley.html

I'm going to rise to your challenge more than once. I can find more depressing songs than that.

The 1st 1 is a song written by Scotland's bard (Robert/Robbie/Rabbie Burns) about the Scottish wars of independence. I won't bother going into detail as this is the music thread & I don't want to get into heated discussions about history here. I will discuss the Scottish wars of independence with you in the history thread though if you wish.



The 2nd is also 1 based on a historic event in Scottish history that occurred @ 5 a.m. on 13/2/1692. I won't go into detail here but if you want to know more I'll tell you in history.



The next is a song written by Eric Bogle about a young man who died in 1916 which was in the middle of World War I. It was written partially as a protest song against future wars & partially as a song of remembrance. As with the last 2 songs if you want a conversation about this I think history would be a good place to have it.

 

[tented]

 

[Horsa]

This is a rare instance when someone takes an old song and makes a better version out of it.
The original by Bill Withers

sounds really "bleak" conpared to this by Ladysmith:

Even though as a male, I should identify my feelings with Billy, I recognise Ladysmith's version as a beauty both technical and artistic, which encompasses the original and adds much more to it,

I agree but think that this is a song that requires both a female & a male version like some others I can think of but won't share at the moment.

Other rare instances where the cover versions are better than the originals in my opinion are as follows.





















Oops! I just realised I've put myself in the firing line by saying I prefer other versions of Elvis songs & there are a lot of Elvis fans out there.

 

[Horsa]

 

[Horsa]

That's a beautiful song sung well. Thank you very much for sharing. Until I just listened to it then, the only songs I'd heard from that singer were the ones featured on the following video.



My favourite of those 2 songs is both sides now. I really enjoyed singing it in Middle school choir.

 

[tented]

The final two songs from “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” — if you’ve never listened to the entire album, I highly recommend doing so.

 

[tented]

Entire Genesis album “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”

 

[Jelenafan]

I loooove Alison Krause.

Her voice is a crystal clear stream come to life.

 

[Horsa]

I loooove Alison Krause.

Her voice is a crystal clear stream come to life.

Me too. I agree.

 

[Horsa]

 

[Chris Koziarz]

I agree but think that this is a song that requires both a female & a male version like some others I can think of but won't share at the moment.

Other rare instances where the cover versions are better than the originals in my opinion are as follows.





















Oops! I just realised I've put myself in the firing line by saying I prefer other versions of Elvis songs & there are a lot of Elvis fans out there.

I don't know about Elvis (I haven't had time to listen to these selections of yours, I'll do later) but you're under heavy killing artillery for comparing Cat Stevens to this Boyzone guy. Not because you may have different musical taste but because your comparison is unfair. You picked up a recording by old Yusuf (former Cat Stevens). Yusuf's voice is a far far cry from his younger incarnation, and you implicitly implicitly suggested that this is the original of the Father and Son. I'm sorry, your pick was a grave mistake, as it was not the original. This is the original, by Cat Stevens:

Superb singing, superb rendition of emotions associated with the lyrics (including the rise by an octave in the chorus, at 1:25), Boyzone is just a lifeless non-emotional automaton, a poor (although technically clean), failed try to imitate. Legally, Boyzone could afford this imitation, only because Yusuf decided to renounce all copyrights to all artistic creations of his former self.
If you still disagree with me here you are under my killing artillery fire with more detailed arguments to come.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

I agree but think that this is a song that requires both a female & a male version like some others I can think of but won't share at the moment.

Other rare instances where the cover versions are better than the originals in my opinion are as follows.





















Oops! I just realised I've put myself in the firing line by saying I prefer other versions of Elvis songs & there are a lot of Elvis fans out there.

I listened to the rest of your picks and I agree that Wet Wet Wet made Love is All Around sound much better that Be Gees who created it.
But no agreements on your other picks, although no firing disagreements.. In other words, indeed your depreciation of Elvis songs can be understood, depending on your musical taste, but not justified IMO. For example, we can say Willie Nelson did something interesting to Always on My Mind: he sings it in his own way (does not just try to imitate the legend) and I like him for that. Also, I like the sound of his B guitar. But different does not mean better: IMO Elvis version still stands. Elvis' version of Always on My Mind was not "overridden" by Nelson's version, like e.g. in case of Love is All Around by Be Gees.

 

[Horsa]

I don't know about Elvis (I haven't had time to listen to these selections of yours, I'll do later) but you're under heavy killing artillery for comparing Cat Stevens to this Boyzone guy. Not because you may have different musical taste but because your comparison is unfair. You picked up a recording by old Yusuf (former Cat Stevens). Yusuf's voice is a far far cry from his younger incarnation, and you implicitly implicitly suggested that this is the original of the Father and Son. I'm sorry, your pick was a grave mistake, as it was not the original. This is the original, by Cat Stevens:

Superb singing, superb rendition of emotions associated with the lyrics (including the rise by an octave in the chorus, at 1:25), Boyzone is just a lifeless non-emotional automaton, a poor (although technically clean), failed try to imitate. Legally, Boyzone could afford this imitation, only because Yusuf decided to renounce all copyrights to all artistic creations of his former self.
If you still disagree with me here you are under my killing artillery fire with more detailed arguments to come.

I meant that Cat Stevens sung the original song but I couldn't find his original though I'd heard it so I shared the version of his song I could find. I agree that he sung it a lot better when he was younger. I know that our voices change as we age & that he still sounds very good at his age just not like his younger self.

I disagree because I think that Boyzone sung it better as I prefer their voices though Cat Stevens did put more into it.

 

[Horsa]

I listened to the rest of your picks and I agree that Wet Wet Wet made Love is All Around sound much better that Be Gees who created it.
But no agreements on your other picks, although no firing disagreements.. In other words, indeed your depreciation of Elvis songs can be understood, depending on your musical taste, but not justified IMO. For example, we can say Willie Nelson did something interesting to Always on My Mind: he sings it in his own way (does not just try to imitate the legend) and I like him for that. Also, I like the sound of his B guitar. But different does not mean better: IMO Elvis version still stands. Elvis' version of Always on My Mind was not "overridden" by Nelson's version, like e.g. in case of Love is All Around by Be Gees.

The Bee Gees did not make the original "Love is all around". That was the Troggs. I think you made that mistake because I picked 2 Bee Gees songs which I prefer the later version of though I like the Bee Gees & their version of the songs.

It's a matter of taste. I wasn't trying to put Elvis down. I'm just not a fan because he sung too loudly in my opinion though he was a brilliant singer. (Like I've mentioned before I have extremely sensitive hearing so anything too loud gives me earache.) I really like Willie Nelson. What we have to remember here is that although "Always on my mind" is a love song here it was sung by 2 different singers who sing 2 different genres of music. Elvis was the "King of Rock & Roll" so sung it like a Rock & Roll singer & Willie Nelson is a country singer so sung it country-style. I know different doesn't mean better & I mentioned that the songs were better in my opinion. As I'm not an Elvis fan & like Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson's version is forced to be better in my opinion. It's not that Elvis' version was over-ridden by Nelson's version but I liked it better.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

I meant that Cat Stevens sung the original song but I couldn't find his original though I'd heard it so I shared the version of his song I could find. I agree that he sung it a lot better when he was younger. I know that our voices change as we age & that he still sounds very good at his age just not like his younger self.

I disagree because I think that Boyzone sung it better as I prefer their voices though Cat Stevens did put more into it.

By "I disagree" I assume you mean "Boyzone sang better than Cat Stevens (true original)". Yet later you say that "Cat Stevens did put more into it". In which case I don;t understand your logic. The latter contradicts the former.
You have superimposed Boyzone on top of Cat Stevens to show that Boyzone is better. But you did not explain why it is so. The argument that you simply "prefer their voices" is purely subjective and not enough no convince someone like myself who is looking for an objective explanation.

EDIT: If by "I disagree" you mean "I prefer Boyzone's voices" then there is no discussion here. Everyone has the right to like something over something. I misunderstood you in this case, you can ignore the above.